Awesome Keyboard Sampler
Electronic Fun
Quote of the day – On DRM
“DRM’s sole purpose is to maximize revenues by minimizing your rights and selling them back to you.”
Topspin and Josh Freese
Talk about variable pricing options! Totally speaks to the kind of guy Josh is. One of the best drummers in the world and could not be any nicer. I am so humbled to have had the opportunity to record him! Can’t wait to hear the album.
Music Box Set iPhone App
The Presidents of the United States of America release their own artist iPhone app which allows you to shuffle through their entire catalog looking for “lump” and “peaches” while you wish you just got them on iTunes.
It’s a streaming app which is cool because they own their own content, but it means we sure as hell won’t see this from anyone on the big 4 labels. Cheers to them for trying something new though, hope it keeps interest up for them. I’m still looking for an artist iPhone app to pass the “do I really want another iPhone app icon on my iphone” test. This one, sadly, does not.
R.I.P. Louie Bellson
The first instructional drum video I received was a Louie Bellson video from my Dad. Amazing musician and seemed like a really nice guy. Say hi to my Dad for me up there, Louie!
Recent Links
I have been bogged down by a stupid chest cold these past two weeks but had the energy to keep track of some worthwhile links in the noise:
Gen-Y Rock Stars post on must haves for bands: “Music Tool Kit”
Mix Match Music’s way to send music over Twitter: Tra.kz
Audiolife’s on demand content and merch service: Audiolife
Rolling Stone comes up with their ideal artist iPhone Apps
Hypebot’s 2-part interview with Tony Fagenson of Eve 6. Good, sobering insight. Part 1 and 2
Artist Specific iPhone Apps
The iPhone is the premiere mobile platform for music fans because of how seamlessly it works with iTunes, its location based services, and its many great, terrestrial radio-killing music apps. Lil Wayne, Pink, Death Cab for Cutie all have custom iPhone apps where fans can access news, media, and tour dates of their respective artists.
At first these apps really underwhelmed me, but then I realized the HUGE potential of these apps…
On Music Royalties
I just finished reading Jerry Del Colliano’s post on music royalty negotiations between record labels and radio operators. In the post he rightfully skewers the record labels as being greedy, but also the whole legal negotiation being a great waste of time. I couldn’t agree more.
FTA:
“Music royalties are a thing of the past.
Traditional radio is a thing of the past.
I know, no one is going to give them up. But the system of calculating royalties in a digital world is insane and will not hold up.”
He makes a great point – the whole argument isn’t even relevant anymore…
Muxtape
So Muxtape has returned without licenses but are coming out with an API…
Looks like Justin Ouellette and Luke Crawford took one look at the big 4, turned around and looked at Twitter, and here is the outcome. Having gone on trips seeking licenses from labels, I know how tedious it can be. Not that it is rocket science, but its simply not financially realistic for someone in Muxtape’s position to pay the advances necessary to run such a barebones and simplistic site.
A Musician’s Advice
This was on Reddit as being “Tehlonius Monk’s Advice” scrawled on a piece of paper but is actually Steve Lacy’s, a musician who played with Monk in the 60’s. Either way, I love it because it is so right on and cuts to the chase of what you gotta be focusing on when the mics are on and the people are watching. Man, I gotta get back in a band…
