Archive for June, 2009
Where to Find Jobs in the Music Industry
by claybutlermusic on Jun.30, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
After yesterday’s post on Job Ideas in the Field of Audio and Music, I got a facebook message asking, “where do I go to find jobs in the music industry?” So, I thought I would follow up the last post with a post on just that topic!
I make a living by playing the musical field, so to speak. I’m not necessarily a jack-of-all-trades, but I am open to various income opportunities that may be available to me. To get to that point really took a shift in my mindset. When I was younger, I had no idea where to begin. I had a music degree; I had started my own business. I thought, somehow, the world would beat a path to my door simply because I was there. But nobody came knocking. After shaking off the sinking feeling of failure and depression, I decided that my approach had to change.
The biggest door-opening step for me was when I stopped thinking about potential employers needing me and wanting to throw money at me “just because I’m awesome”, and began treating my business, services, and goods as a way to meet someone else’s need. I learned quickly that people aren’t going to pay you just for being who you are; they are going to pay you for what you can do for them. If what you can do for them is meet their need, then you’re in business.
So, now, here I am trying to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on in my musical community. I’m constantly asking what needs are present and assessing how I can fill those needs. Keeping your focus in your client/customer/employer will help build their trust and loyalty. They’ll keep coming back, and they’ll tell others about you.
Now, let’s see how we can build those relationships. There are great online communities, job boards, and tip sites to get you started.
Taxi.com
I’ve found TAXI to be one of the most valuable opportunities, not only for getting paid for my music, but also for networking and growing in my craft. They have THE best annual music conference, which is free to members. It’s really a community atmosphere, and there are opportunities to meet great contacts everywhere you look. I can’t recommend it enough.
Studiotraxx.com
Studiotraxx is a community of session players who do remote recording sessions. Songwriters contact you to play/sing/produce/mix for their song. Then you record and send them the track in the comfort of your own studio. You can also “bid” for jobs on their job board. It’s currently free to be a member, but they do take a commission.
Gigfinder.com
Gigfinder had its beginnings as a classifieds-style job board. Now it has grown into a full-blown, vibrant community of musicians and other creative professionals. It’s a place to post employment opportunities, plug your services, and connect with other professionals.
us.music-jobs.com
Music Jobs USA is also a great community of music professionals. You can sign up as a jobseeker, employer, or as a band. They have a job board, forum, blog, and a “media center” where you can post demos.
Filmmmusic.net
The Film Music Network offers a job posting board for producers, films, production music libraries looking for music or composers. Members (and in some cases, non-members) can submit demos directly to the music seeker. It’s also a great resource for news related to the film music industry.
Entertainmentcareers.net
Entertainmentcareers.net is also job board with listings for virtually any job in the entertainment industry.
These are just a handful of options that I’ve found useful. You’ll find, though, that once you make some connections in the industry, that people’s networking circles overlap. That’s one of those really cool “small world” moments. I got hooked up a Los Angeles music supervisor/publisher over lunch at the Taxi Road Rally conference, which has started working friendship. Earlier this year, I sang a demo for a songwriter on Studiotraxx. Turns out that he’s also a writer for that same LA publisher!
Here are some great books for making money in the music business:
Feel free to comment with any questions or with your useful ideas and resources!
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Job Ideas in the Field of Audio and Music
by claybutlermusic on Jun.29, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
As a first-day exercise with my Introduction to Audio class, we have a brainstorming session to determine possible careers and jobs in the field of audio and music. Although the list is rather short on the first day, we continue the exercise throughout the quarter. By the end, we have a fairly exhaustive list of career and job opportunities, some that were completely foreign to the students at the start of the class. Below are the results of that activity. Hopefully it will help any of you that may be entertaining the idea of a career in audio or music but don’t know where to start.
Music/Recording
- Music Producer
- Mixing Engineer
- Tracking Engineer
- Mastering Engineer
- Session Talent (instrumentalist/vocalist)
- Instrument Tech.
Film/TV/Video Games
- Production Music
- Foley (sound effects)
- Sound Designer
- Sound Editor
- Music Supervisor
- Voice Over Artist
- Production Recordist
- Boom Operator
- Sound Reinforcement
- Live Audio Engineer
- Sound Reinforcement
- Monitor Technician/Engineer
- Multi-Track Concert Recording
- Live DJ
- Instrument Tech.
- Performer/Entertainer
- On-air Personality
- Engineer (”board operator”)
- Editing and Commercial Production
- Acoustician/Acoustical Engineer
- Acoustic Treatment
- Audiologist
- Bioacoustics
- Music Therapist
- Field Recording/Archival
Leave a comment with your ideas and input. See our next post for Where to Find Jobs in the Music Industry.
What is Sound, Really?
by claybutlermusic on Jun.27, 2009, under Recording, Uncategorized
I’m sure if you’re a musician reading this post, you have some idea of what sound is. Sound is stuff you hear, right? Well, yes. But there’s a lot more to sound. Knowing what sound is and how sound works is the key to getting a good recording.
WHAT IS SOUND?
Simply put, sound is Acoustical Energy, or vibration. More specifically, sound is vibration propagated through a medium, which is then received by our ears and interpreted by our brain as sound. The reason I say the vibrations are interpreted by our brain as sound is because acoustical energy still exists that we cannot perceive as sound (more on this later). For example, while a dog might go nuts from hearing a dog whistle, we as humans cannot interpret those vibrations as sound. Radio, cell phones, microwave ovens, and RADAR all use sound waves that we as humans just can’t hear. So, in essence, sound is really our perception of vibrations.
Sound vibrations that are propagated through the air (or any other medium for that matter) are in the form of transverse waves. Thus, you could also say that sound is really rapid fluctuations in air pressure. The vibrations from a vibrating body, such as a guitar string, push and pull on the surrounding air, creating positive and negative pressures. These waves occur as the molecules of air are slammed closely together as they are pushed by the vibrating body. The part of the wave consisting of positive pressure, where the air molecules are slammed together, is called a compression. Negatively pressured parts of the wave, where the air molecules are pulled apart from each other, are called rarefactions.
THE PROPERTIES OF SOUND
How loudly a sound is perceived is determined by how hard the air gets pushed by the vibrating body. The harder the air gets pushed, the louder the sound. Although this is typically referred to as volume, in reference to acoustical energy, it is called Sound Pressure Level (SPL). The scale used to measure Sound Pressure Level is the Decibel scale, or dB SPL (more on the other Decibel scales in a later article).
The pitch of a sound is a function of frequency. How frequently a vibrating body pushes the air determines how high or low the tone of the sound is perceived. The more frequently the air gets pushed, the higher the tone of the sound. As the air gets pushed less frequently, the tone sounds lower. Therefore frequency is expressed as the number of sound waves occurring over time. The scale used is known as Hertz (Hz), which signifies the number sound waves per second. For example, The note “A” below “Middle C” on a piano is 440Hz. The frequency spectrum is broken up into three parts. The Audible Range for humans is roughly 20Hz to 20,000Hz (or 20 Kilohertz, abbreviated as KHz). The frequencies below 20Hz are categorized as Infrasonic. All frequencies above 20KHz are referred to as Ultrasonic.
ACOUSTICS
Let’s look again at sound being all about our perception. Generally, we don’t hear the sound emanating directly from its source. The majority of the time, we hear sound after it bounces off the surrounding walls, along with any other nearby surfaces, and interacts with the room. We call this acoustics. Understanding how acoustics influence sound, especially those sounds you’re trying to record, better enables you to get the sound you want without any surprises. Each time a sound wave is reflected back into an acoustic space, our perception of that wave changes, especially when you hear sound coming directly from a sound source in addition to the reflected waves. (See Christina’s Post on Acoustic Treatment in the Classroom.)
Two really great references that I’ve found that deal with acoustics are Audio Engineer’s Reference Book, which deals more with recording and sound reinforcement, and Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics, which is considerably more in-depth and deals with acoustics for multiple applications.
Plug For a Friend and Online Marketing Guru
by claybutlermusic on Jun.26, 2009, under Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
Since this blog deals with marketing yourself as a musician or band, I wanted to “introduce” you to a good friend of mine, Brandon Eley. He’s written a book entitled Online Marketing Inside Out. It’s a great resource for anyone who is new to marketing on the web. It lists time-tested and proven strategies to kick start your campaign or maintain your existing web presence. Click the book cover for more info.
Check it out at his website and blogs at www.brandoneley.com
Business IS Personal: Building a Loyal Fanbase
by claybutlermusic on Jun.26, 2009, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
Whoever said “it’s not personal, it’s business,” didn’t live in the Web 2.0 generation. Web 2.0 is changing the face of the internet. It’s also changing the face of the way we do business–the way we ALL do business–from big corporations to the independent musician. It has expanded the fishbowl society to include not only celebrities, but to also include you and me. Now, people are taking an interest in the personal lives of others, and many people embrace that concern and garnered attention.
How does the fishbowl society affect you as an independent musician or band? Quite simply, the more you let fans into your personal life, then the more those fans feel intimately connected with you. That “intimacy” serves to increase the loyalty of your fan base. Fans want to know that they are more than just a CD or a concert ticket; they want to feel like you care about them as much as they care about you. After all, as cliche as it sounds, if it wasn’t for the fans, musicians would be out of a job. Not to say that CD sales and concert tickets aren’t how we as musicians make a living; however, the more you can connect with them on a personal level, the more likely they are to want to buy your albums or attend your shows. Now, let’s explore some ways to build fan loyalty:
Blogging
Fans what to know what you’re up to. They want to know that you’re real people with real lives. One way to let them into your world is with blogging. Given the number of bands on MySpace, I’m surprised by how few of them use the blog feaure. If you’re on tour, consider a “road journal” where you tell about your shows or interesting things that you do or see on your tour. If you’re recording a new album, blog about your the recording process or about the songs. Understandably, we all lead busy lives, so microblogging is a great choice. These allow you to post short status updates and links. Facebook has taken a turn toward microblogging its status updates. Sites like Twitter allow you to post updates from your cell phone via text message. Above all, encourage your fans to participate with their comments.
Meet & Greet
Fans also want to know you’re approachable. After each show, be sure to hang out at your merchandise table for a meet and greet session with the fans. Take time to sign CDs and pose for pictures. At least shake hands and treat them like real people. There’s nothing more tragic than seeing a loyal, adoring fan get snubbed by an artist or band.
Giveaways
Fans want to know you care. Don’t be afraid to give something away for nothing. In truth, you are getting something in return: you’re building loyalty. Offer a free CD or concert ticket to people to sign up for your mailing list. Post it on your blog or website as well as on your mailing list. This will encourage more fans to visit and participate.
These are just a few ideas. Feel free to drop a comment with your own!
Are You Doing One Thing Daily to Further Your Musical Career?
by claybutlermusic on Jun.25, 2009, under Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
- Update your social media (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter)
- Give your business card to someone
- Write down an original song idea
- Write a new song
- Read an article about music
- Email your mailing list about your recent show
- Post a new blog
- Comment on another musician’s blog
- Participate in a music forum
- Take a look at other bands’ sites to see how you can imrove your own
- Call one venue or club about booking
- Give your demo to someone
- Post a flyer in your local music store
- Make a list of new songs to learn
- Start learning a new song
- Sign up for (and attend) a music conference
- Listen to a new band’s CD
- Go hear another band’s live show
- Record a short song demo
- Ask friends and family to help spread the word about your band
Be sure to comment with your ideas. Now go get ‘em!
Audio in the Classroom: Improving Reading Comprehension with Recorded “Read-Alouds”
by christinabutler on Jun.24, 2009, under For Educators, Uncategorized
No matter what classroom you walk into, there will be students who struggle with reading comprehension. In this post, I’ll share ways to use audio to measure comprehension more accurately.
First we must tackle the big question: “If the student is always read to, how will he learn to read on his own?” The answer is easy. “Learning to read” and “comprehension” are two different things. When a student learns to read, the student identifies letters, then letter sounds, and finally strings them together to make words. Eventually, the student uses memorization to read sight words and uses pronunciation rules to read complex words. Reading comprehension, however, is a different skill. Obviously, a student needs to comprehend, or show a basic understanding, of the topic presented.
A huge majority of students in today’s classrooms are auditory learners. This is my first reason for using audio in the classroom. My second reason is that students that struggle with reading do NOT need that hindering their acquisition of a topic. If a student needs to read a passage on the effects of global warming and answer questions about the topic, why should a reading deficit keep this student from answering questions about a scientific topic? A student should be able to answer questions, whether or not he gets tripped up on complicated words.
Read Alouds in the English/Language Arts Classroom
The first place that most teachers would use audio for read alouds is in the English/Language Arts classroom. Many Literature textbooks come packaged with tapes or CDs of the poems and short stories included in the book. These are valuable tools in the classroom. Having students read aloud has always been used to keep students on track, but has since served to embarrass many students and lose other students who can’t hear well. Playing the CDs in class allows for all students to be able to relax and follow along.
Many English/Language Arts classrooms also complete novel studies during the school year. CDs are also very beneficial in this case, especially if each chapter is a separate track. This allows teachers to pick up at the right place, and end the time a teacher spends rewinding to find the right place.
My favorite way to use read alouds in the classroom is with short stories in combination with quizzes. Students turn to the correct page and I hit “play” on the CD player. Students hear a very engaging voice begin reading through the short story. After a few paragraphs, a chime plays and the voice gives a short summary of what has just happened. The voice then prompts the students to look at the quiz on their desks. The voice then reads the first question, re-reads it, and waits for students to answer on their papers. A chime plays again, and students return to their place in the short story. This continues through the short story, while students complete a 10 question quiz. (Here are some read-alouds that I use in my classroom.)
In my experience, using this type of audio helps for many reasons. First, the students are listening to an engaging voice. Second, the short musical cues prompt students to pick up their pencils and answer the questions. Third, ample time was given for all students to answer. Finally, (my favorite reason), students did not have to remember 6 pages of text for 45 minutes (and possibly through a lunch break) before answering questions. This way, if a student did not understand what has just happened, the summary given was immediate. No students were confused through the whole story.
This type of quiz can be given to check for understanding of setting, characters, plot, or climax. It can also be used as a fun foreshadowing activity, where the CD explains what just happened and the student must answer what he thinks will happen next. Everyone loves a quiz with no right or wrong answers!
Furthermore, It goes without saying that using a recording in the classroom is ideal for when the teacher is out and a substitute is in charge. This allows the teacher to have control over what is covered during class, while the substitute can walk around and monitor behavior.
See my related post on Acoustic Treatment in the Classroom.
Facing the Facts: Hard Lessons for a Young Cover Band
by claybutlermusic on Jun.23, 2009, under Band Management, Career Building, Uncategorized
Length of the Gig
First of all, playing a clug gig requires knowing a lot of material. They were under the assumption that going to a club gig was like going to a typical concert-type gig, where the headliner plays a 90-minute set (at most). Jaws hit the floor when I explained that they would have to perform four hour-long sets, or about 40 songs total.
It’s Not About You
Finally, and perhaps the hardest reality they had to face, is that the gig isn’t at all about the band. It’s not about how cool the band is. It’s not about the band’s cool music. It’s about one thing to a club owner: can they make the club money? I had to inform them that the owner’s main concern is that you fill their club and sell a lot of drinks in order to make them a profit for the night. If you can’t do that, rest assured you won’t be playing there again. The same holds true, especially when the band “plays for the door”. If the band makes money solely off of the cover charge, it would greatly behoove them to bring in a couple hundred people!
I remember when I had to face these realities in my younger days, so I could empathize with them on the thrill of being approached by a club, immediately crushed by having to turn down the gig. But, in the long run, it’s far better to be prepared for a gig than to have the wrong expectation going in, thus blowing the gig, and ruining your reputation as a band. I’ve been there too.
Creative Ways to Make a Living with Music (Part 2)
by claybutlermusic on Jun.22, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
In yesterday’s post, Creative Ways to Make a Living with Music (Part 1), we discussed a few ways to earn a living from music. We touched on the following topics:
- Teaching private lessons
- Being a recording session musician
- Being a music copyist
Today, we’re going to dig a little deeper with more options for savvy musicians who don’t necessarily want to tour and gig. Let’s move on to Part Two of Creative Ways to Make a Living with Music!
Production Music/Licensing
I’m sure more than a few of you can relate to this scenario. You produce a CD. You call up Discmakers and have 1000 copies pressed. It’s now five years later and you’ve stopped performing. You have 812 CDs sitting in your garage. Strike a chord with anyone? Been there.
Chin up; there’s hope! You can still earn money on your music even though you’re not actively selling CDs. Your music may be usable in film and television, and it’s easier than you might think. Television shows and films are constantly looking for music to fit different scenarios, for instance, source music (music coming from a source in the story)–a car radio, a bar band, a jukebox. That music has to come from somewhere. It may as well be you. Placements can generate thousands of dollars in up-front monies. Better still, you get paid a little every time the show is broadcast. Those payments can really add up!
Perhaps you’ve been told you’re “too old for a record deal,” or that your music “sounds too dated”. With music licensing, no problem! Some of the more frequently used pieces of music are often the ones that sound distinct to a given time period.
Production music libraries are a source for various types of music. Your music may fit into one of their categories. If so, and you’re able to get connected, they will essentially act as a publisher, actively seeking opportunities for your music. The ins and outs of this topic are too vast to go into great detail in this particular post. Check out www.taxi.com for a great way to get started. (If you sign up, make sure to tell them Clay Butler referred you!) Also, see my book recommendations below for more information on the topic.
Also, if you have a considerable amount of recorded music, you can start your own production music library. By offering your music to local video production house and photographers at a reasonable price, you may be a valuable resource for their videos, presentations, and slideshows. See how I license music on my site. While the ins and outs of music publishing and licensing is a bit too in-depth for this particular post, here are some great books that deal with the topic in great detail:
Jingle Composer
This ain’t your momma’s classic Roto-Rooter jingle market anymore. Today’s jingles are as fresh and relevant as the music on the radio. Think of a jingle as a 30-second pop song. Just like the main objective of a hit songwriter, jingles are designed to stick in the heads of listeners. If you can write a memorable melody with a catchy lyric that sums up a product or company, then the jingle market may be for you. You can hire outside talent to perform the parts, or, if you’re a studio savvy multi-instrumentalist, you may be able to perform them yourself one-man-band style.
Jingle Singer
If you’re not into writing music, then promoting yourself as a session vocalist or jingle singer can provide great extra income if you’re a singer. I’ve made a considerable amount of supplemental income from being a jingle singer on projects all over the country, and it’s a blast! Part of the fun is the challenge involved. One session might be a country session, the next jazz, and the next rock. But the real icing on the cake is that it’s usually quick work. You usually only have to sing anywhere from eight seconds to sixty seconds worth of material (excluding double tracks and harmony parts). On average, after I receive the backing track from the producer, I can have the tracks sung and the files in his email inbox in a half hour. The money goes in my PayPal account or a check goes in the mail.
Part of the success of being a jingle singer comes from having access to a recording studio. But, setting yourself up for jingle singing doesn’t take a lot of equipment and expense. A decent microphone, an audio interface, and a laptop are sometimes all you need. Couple that with some modest acoustic treatment (a couple of thick blankets in the corner), and you could have all you need to get started. The real necessity, however, is that the tracks are clean (free of extraneous noise) and are recorded at a decent level. Usually your jingle producer will handle the compression and EQ.
Here’s a great USB studio microphone/audio interface–an excellent tool used with our free recording software options from the last post:
Producing Other Bands
Nowadays, anyone with a computer and a CD burner can crank out their own CD. That, however, doesn’t always mean that their music couldn’t benefit from some outside help. If you’re solid at arranging parts for your own band, then you may be able to produce for other bands. Again, you will need access to a recording studio, but as we mentioned earlier, most computers now have the capability to record decent quality music. Some even come with music software already installed, like Apple’s Garage Band.
Producing takes some knowledge of music theory, coupled with the knowledge of how to arrange parts so they don’t compete with each other. This happens before the recording begins by arranging each instrument to play in its own register (or octave). Parts are written to complement each other. After they’re recorded, competition is further eliminated with EQ and panning. Combine that with some contrast between the verses and choruses by changing the dynamics, rhythm, and density of the parts.
Aside from the musical aspects, there are other responsibilities as well. A producer is usually organized (which is usually the antithesis of a musician, but who am I to judge?), can plan ahead, has attention to detail, and can work well with people. Although this is a very basic description, if you have the musical know-how, people skills, and the organization, then you may have what it takes to be an independent producer, even on a small scale.
Here are a couple of great books I recommend on becoming a producer:
Now go make a living doing what you love!
Creative Ways to Make a Living with Music (Part 1)
by claybutlermusic on Jun.21, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
I was having lunch the other day with some very good friends of mine from a quite successful band. They’re currently signed to a prominent record label and are touring all over the country. They were even up for a Grammy and a Dove this year. They stay so busy that they’re usually difficult to catch, so getting a chance to talk over lunch was a rare treat indeed. Despite all of their success, one part of the conversation in particular really struck me. I asked how things were going, to which one of the members jokingly replied, “Great. Now if we can just figure out how to make a living at it!”
Different folks measure success in different ways. There’s enjoying doing what you love to do. There’s being good at something you enjoy. And, yes, there’s monetary success. Even when it comes to money, some deem success strictly as becoming wealthy. Others, still, feel successful just by making a decent enough income to support a family by doing what they love. All of these are valid. But it doesn’t take a record deal to make a living with your music. Quite often, it’s the indie musician or band that walks away with the most money in his/her pocket, simply because there are fewer fingers in the pie. So, record deals and touring aside, here are some creative ways to earn a living with music:
Teaching Private Lessons
Although it may seem obvious, many musicians forget about the potential of taking on private students. Even doing lessons one afternoon/evening per week can bring in some nice spending money. Teaching can also be quite rewarding if you have the patience and a desire to see others learn. If you have a music stand and the extra space (for instance a corner of the living room, or an extra room in the house), you probably have all you need to teach private lessons.
Session Musician
If you have access to recording equipment and a high-speed internet connection, you probably have the capability to do remote session recording. For a guitarist, a laptop with a decent audio interface, some recording software, and a POD by Line6 (all comments from tone snobs aside) is enough to get you started. The odds are even more in your favor if you’re a vocalist–just replace the POD with a microphone. If you’re doing limited tracks, which usually you would be, there are free options available if you’re in need of recording software. Digidesign has a free version of ProTools that’s limited to eight channels. Kristal Audio Engine is an open source multi-track recording sofware. Audacity from SoundForge is also open source.
When you begin your session work, you will usually receive a guide track via an mp3 file. You will record your track, then send the instrument track back to the client. Unless you mail the client your files on a CD, a high-speed internet connection is almost a necessity. If you have FTP, you can upload the files directly to the client’s server. Otherwise, there are other great online options such as YouSendIt and ProAudioBus. A great place to get started doing remote session work is Studiotraxx.com. They have a great all-in-one system.
Here are some great options I recommend for getting equipped to do remote session recording:
Music Copyist
For musicians who have a strong understand standard musical notation and music theory, then a music copyist may be a viable opportunity. Copyists produce neat copies of a composer’s or arranger’s score from his or her original manuscripts. While this practice was once done by hand, now, with the advent of scoring software, musicians and copyists have the ability to create professional looking sheet music on their home computer. If you write songs or compose your own music, then sheet music opens up an entirely new market for your music. Here are links to some great notation software:
Continue on to Creative Ways to Make a Living with Music (Part 2)!
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