Spotify Messin’ with Musicians?…

OK, Spotify has reached a decent plateau in music streaming for its listeners… however how do you, the musician, appreciate and gain from its blasting of your writings and tunes? Here’s an interesting article, whereby a heavy-weight in the music industry ‘weighs-in’ on this issue (it gets personal, funny and sad)…
Jam On!
-Ron

Added by Charice Long on Oct 20, 2014

Jimmy Buffett asked Spotify’s C.E.O. whether artists should expect a raise directly from Ek’s booming company in the future or continue “through the bullshit” that labels subject them to. Empathizing with young artists in particular, Buffett says he hopes the music service groups are considering the struggles greenhorn musicians face obtaining revenue and music rights…Read more at…
https://guardianlv.com/2014/10/spotify-charms-customers-and-frustrates-musicians/

Music Streams Reducing Downloads…

So, how are you selling your music these days? It appears that certain streaming medias are in Vogue today and may be gone tomorrow. Question is… how do you monetize the best for your music? This article presents many aspects to consider regarding streaming media. You may also want to review an/my earlier blog post that talks about a service (Patreon) that gives you another source option for your income consideration.
Jam On!
-Ron

(by Stuart Dredge via:theguardian.com, Friday 29 August 2014 08.55 EDT)

“Every new generation of music service steals from the last generation’s customers. Apple stole Amazon’s best CD buyers, and Spotify has now stolen those same customers from Apple – or at least the same sorts of people.”…
… discover more on this subject here:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/29/music-streams-downloads-mark-mulligan

Creativity and the Mad Genius…

Combining the left and right brain in songwriting, jamming and listening to music, promotes a deep and meaningful fascination. Where does creativity and mad genius start and stop? What do you feel and think when you are jamming… Are you a participant or are you the observer? This article gives more to ponder on this subject matter.
Jam On!
-Ron

(The Imprinted Brain by… Christopher Badcock Ph.D. via:psychologytoday.com)

Can You Be Both Mad and Creative?

How genes set the balance between autism and psychosis… A study of all major British and Irish poets born between 1705 and 1805 found a strikingly high rate of mood disorders, suicide, and institutionalization within this group of writers and their families. By comparison with the rate of manic-depressive illness in the general population, these British poets were 30 times more likely to suffer from manic-depression…
… read rest of article here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-imprinted-brain/201408/can-you-be-both-mad-and-creative

Pay to Play Music is Going Away in Canada…

Back in July of 2013 this blog mentioned the story regarding the requirements of issuing permits without which restaurant owners are barred from playing live music. Well, recently (as of this blog post) Canada has reversed similar laws directed at smaller venues and bar/pub owners. Now smaller acts have something to celebrate regarding silly regulations that have no reason to exist in our music world… rejoice!
Jam On!
-Ron

… Update on Regulations regarding Payment to Play Live Music.

(via: by Lee-Anne Goodman The Canadian Press/GlobalNews.ca)
Ottawa has effectively eliminated a fee charged to international musicians that critics complained was deterring acts from abroad from playing in Canadian bars, pubs and restaurants. The removal of a work permit requirement for foreign musical acts, part of the government’s overhaul of the controversial temporary foreign worker program…

… read rest of article here:
https://globalnews.ca/news/1416999/canada-has-done-away-with-international-musician-fee/

432 hz tuning vs standard 440 ‘A’…

This might be considered controversial however, it is definitely interesting to note that 440 hertz ‘A’ tuning only found its way to modern music within the last century. Jamming in the 432 hz tuning can be not only different and soothing, it’s fun to note the response of your audience compared to standard tuning… Give it a go and see what you feel.
Jam On!
-Ron

(Credit given to Jamie Buturff)

Music celebrities creating silly waves…

The events of popular musicians making outrageous publicity due to their ridiculous adventures, eg., Justin Beiber finding himself in more-than-once trouble… one has to wonder if these shenanigans are nothing more than a way to draw attention, albeit negative, to their cause of creating silly waves of publicity to sell more stuff… Is it really worth it?
This recent article from Chicago Tribune sums it up…
Jam On!
-Ron

(via: Chicago Sun Times – by: Mikael Wood)

“Sorry seems to be the hardest word,” Elton John once sang, but for celebrities that no longer appears to be the case.

Apologies from high-profile musicians and actors have been piling up recently, reflecting regret (or at least its image) for a wide variety of perceived offenses, from the seriously damaging to the laughably slight.

There was Justin Bieber seeking atonement after videos surfaced…
-> read the complete article here… <-

Led Zeppelin – “Whole Lotta Love”… remix

As of this post Jimmy Page is just a tad over 70 years young and a master at ‘Re-Mastering’! Jimmy is doing (and had done) a marvelous job of taking their past sounds and re-packaging them into extreme dynamics… Be sure to dawn your headphones for this adventure!
Jam On!
-Ron

(credit given to Led Zeppelin YouTube Channel)

From Led Zeppelin II (Deluxe Edition) – Led Zeppelin’s remastered second album will include additional companion audio with unreleased studio outtakes.

Listening to Vinyl Records/Albums…

Here’s a curious follow-up to the original vinyl age of dics. Vitaphone offered something stranger than time travel… They pulled back the screen from another dimension.
In this video (and further reference hereof) you’ll discover some very interesting facts about getting the best sound out of your Vinyl listening pleasure.
Jam On!
-Ron

(credit to: Seth Winner, via: Bob Kosovsky)

Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one which was widely used and commercially successful.

The name “Vitaphone” derived from the Latin and Greek words, respectively, for “living” and “sound”.
via Widipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaphone

Former Rolling Stones manager nixes Rock Hall of Fame…

You might find this story of interest as it relates to our music industry and as a musician… Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones’ early manager has essentially told the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to go take a hike. The article provides some pretty cool insights as to why Andrew finds the commercialism of their event not living-up to the original intention of Rock’n Roll. I personally have to give him credit for holding-down the rock scene as it was in the 60s!
Jam On!
-Ron

(by Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times – via:arcamax.com)
Rolling Stones former manager protests Rock Hall of Fame, skips own induction… Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones’ early manager, producer and publicist who is being inducted this year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has announced that he will skip the ceremony…
Read more at https://www.arcamax.com/entertainment/entertainmenttoday/s-1502699#9ttVOHj5Jbcksjbd.99

Forming Your Band…

So, I found this thread (below) that has a wonderful discussion… ‘How long does it take to form a band?’ What I enjoyed about it was the fact that some of the essential elements of forming a band are detailed. eg., the biggest factor is if the forming band-member has a gig or more in the bag… as this does indeed contribute to experienced players paying attention to answering ads and to practice time…
Jam On!
-Ron

(via:TalkBass.com/forum)

I am currently in the process of recruiting 6 musicians for a new funk cover band. In two weeks, I have filled 2 of the 6 positions using my current contacts. Not a bad start, I suppose…
… read more here:
https://www.talkbass.com/forum/f67/how-long-does-take-form-band-1067847/