Press It Up On Viinyl

            How many of you have found yourself stuck, wondering how to effectively tell the story behind your song; you know the one you’ve always been wanting to? Is there even a viable way to do that? We all know there’s more that meets the ear when a song begins to grow on us. Where do you go when you want to get to know stories behind the song? With traditional music television on the verge of extinction because of reality television saturating their airwaves, consumers have resorted to music video websites like YouTube and Vevo for their entertainment. Information age, meet Viinyl.

            Viinyl hails from Montreal, Canada and was created to “build easy ad effective tools that empower today’s artists and music professionals. [They] want to give you maximum control over your music distribution, reach and branding.” Viinyl does this with their “1 song. 1 Site. 1 URL.” mantra. Viinyl brings life back to the single by taking your song, turning it into a digital 45rpm and giving it its very own website. On the cover of your Viinyl will be a picture of your choice that best represents your piece. Listeners will hit play and read your bio, lyrics, press releases or personal stories about the piece, ways to contact the artist and even access the company blog full of Viinyl happenings. Listeners will be able to stream, download, purchase and share your track as well as visit your website and social media sites. This can happen all from one page.

            I first discovered Viinyl on a Facebook post from American singer/songwriter Meiko. I navigated through her page for “Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)” and had to try it out on my own. I have included the Viinyl link to my new single, “To Rise & Shine in Santa Monica” featuring Real Leyla. This is a west-coast hip-hop’s call-to-arms from my group Syrah’s upcoming instrumental album, Oceans Past the Skies.

Crime Scene: Sample In Progress

            The purpose of copyright law is to protect a creator and their intellectual property from plagiarism. The Copyright Act of 1976 defines the exclusive rights of the copyright holder and the cause of action for infringement. Modern copyright law was influenced by a variety of legal rights throughout history that included the moral rights, economic rights, and property rights of authors and consumers of many ancient cultures (Bettig, 1996). US copyright was originally restricted to books, charts and maps but was amended by congress several decades later to include musical works. By the time the nineteenth century came to a head, domestic composers had generated quite the body of work and began to rely heavily on copyright law to protect their works (Keyes, 2004).

            Copyright infringement occurs when one or more of a copyright owner’s exclusive rights under the Federal Copyright Act are violated. According to Title 17 of the United States Code, “the copyright holder must have a valid copyright, the person who is allegedly infringing must have access to the copyrighted work and the duplication of the copyrighted work must be outside the exceptions”. There are many penalties and legal ramifications for copyright infringement that include having to pay back the actual dollar amount for profits and any damages that have incurred as a result of the infringement. Violators can be fined anywhere from $200 to $150,000 for each infringement and will be on the hook for any and all attorneys fees, court costs and restitutions. The court will most likely issue injunctions to cease the infringing acts and arrange to have the illegal works impounded and destroyed which is a cost that can be burdened upon the violator by the record label, if applicable. Most copyright infringement cases are civil in nature but can result in criminal convictions in extreme cases like file sharing.

Copyright infringement is a very real concern for the independent record label in my business plan. The biggest potential for copyright infringement in my business will occur as a result of sampling. Sampling involves taking elements from a pre-existing musical composition and placing them into your own musical works (Salmon, 2008). Some would argue that sampling is a form of fair use that improves upon music and some would argue that it is a form of stealing but one thing is for certain; if the sample has not been cleared by the copyright owner(s), “you infringe on the copyright owner’s exclusive right to approve or refuse the creation of derivative works” (Limelight, n.d.). There are two forms of sampling that avid listeners of music should be familiar with: taking a portion of a master recording to use and re-recording an all new version of the composition (Limelight, ¶3).

On September 13, 1994, hip-hop superstar and Brooklyn native, The Notorious B.I.G. released his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed debut album, Ready To Die. Biggie’s release was also the very first album released on Bad Boy Records (which was originally a subsidiary of Arista Records before its recent signing with Interscope). B.I.G.’s album, which merged raw storytelling with street life experiences and his rags-to-riches lifestyle garnered critical acclaim and went on to sell more than 4 million copies and receive a series of accolades, many of which came after his untimely murder in the early months of 2007, just days before the release of his diamond selling sophomore album, Life After Death. On February 5^th of 2007, Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records filed a complaint against Bad Boy Records CEO, Sean “Diddy” Combs for the unauthorized use of “Singing In The Morning” by The Ohio Players (Rogers, n.d.). The five-second horn loop sample ended up costing Combs a little more than $100,000 per second (Salmon ¶13).  In the end, the trial judge awarded Bridgeport with $150,000 in statutory damages and Westbound with $366,939 in actual damages. Furthermore, Combs was ordered to remove the samples from any subsequent pressings of the album. Interestingly, this case led to two other tracks having samples removed from the album, which resulted in a remastered version of Ready To Die, minus the three uncleared samples.

            In Bridgeport Music v. Combs, it was discovered that Combs (who was the executive producer of Ready To Die) authorized the release of Ready To Die with the understanding that there were still samples on the album that had yet to be cleared. Snippets of copyright protected sound that are processed, edited and disguised all require permission to be used. Producers who remix or use samples in their instrumentals and artists who employ resung elements of pre-existing recordings are typically the ones responsible for gaining sample clearances from the record label (Salmon, ¶18). To be able to clear a sample, one must acquire both a license from the record label, or other entity that owns the actual sound recording, and a license for the underlying musical composition, which is owned by the publisher (Limelight, ¶3). In instances where the original copyright was not assigned to the record label or publisher, permission must be sought out from the respective copyright owners, or heirs if applicable.

            Protecting my business from copyright infringement can be a lengthy process, particularly if I sign acts that are heavily reliant on the art of sampling. However, lengthy processes are a lot better to my business and I in the long run than costly ones. To begin this process, I will need the name of the track to be sampled, the name of the composer(s), the name of the record label and the name of the persons who will use the sample. (All Music Guide, Discogs, Music Brainz and Who Sampled are all great resources that will help me find this information.) Next, I will need to provide the copyright holder with the precise length of the sample to be used, a description of the usage, a copy of the finished product and a written request for the sample to be cleared. If the sample has been cleared to use, it’s now time to negotiate the extent of usage and payment options. A flat fee, rolling fee and ongoing royalty fee will depend on the song’s likelihood of success, the original work’s notoriety and overall impact of the sample (Salmon, ¶30). After the details have been hashed out, one critical element remains: the credits on the final product.

            There may very well be instances where using a sample is out of the question because of price constraints or because of a denial for a clearance altogether. Royalty-free music is one alternative to curbing copyright infringement. There are many music companies that produce music for a one-time fee, free of royalties and can be a lucrative alternative for somebody with a good ear and good nose that can sniff out potential classics. Cover songs are a legitimate alternative to sampling because acquiring a mechanical license can be much easier. Finally, a Creative Commons License works alongside a copyright that gives copyright owners the choice of which rights they wish to retain in their works and which of those rights they wish to waive. With that said, Tomeworks will not willingly release any music to the public with uncleared samples because of the grave consequences of artists, producers and record labels as demonstrated in recent history.

Business Legal Liabilities

  This week, I have identified three podcasts online that deal with liabilities pertaining to my Tomeworks business plan. The first podcast comes from Chicago based law firm, Davis McGrath and covers copyright infringement. There are six rights that belong to a copyright owner: the rights to reproduce work, to prepare derivative works, distribute copies, perform the work publicly, display the work publicly and perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission. Copyright infringement occurs when someone usurps or interferes with one or more of these exclusive rights. The remedies for copyright infringement include, but are not limited to, injunction, the impoundment or destruction of the goods in question, compensatory damages and/or profits, attorney fees and statutory damages. This is an excruciatingly crucial facet of running an independent record label because not only am I charged with making sure our works get registered to protect my artists, I am also ultimately responsible for getting sample clearances and making sure I remain inside the framework of a copyright agreement because it can cost me a lot of money or my business altogether if I fail to do so.

  The second podcast pertinent to my business plan comes from Stanford’s Center for Internet & Society and is directed at fair use. While copyright is considered to be a series of restrictions, fair use is considered to be a set of exceptions. Copyright owners are not granted unlimited control over the works that they own. Fair use gives individuals certain freedoms to expand upon copyrighted works as long as the improved work falls within the fair use guidelines. The fair use doctrine was originally put in place to encourage improvements in technology and intellectual property so a new work derived from an old work must be transformative in nature. The thing that makes this podcast so great is that there are legal experts that answer some frequently asked questions about fair use and they debunk some of the myths and preconceived notions that people may have about fair use. Tomeworks will create music, videos, pictures, stories, etc. so knowing what constitutes fair use and what constitutes copyright infringement will be the difference between life and death for my record label.

  Lastly, the London School of Business and Finance discusses the tort of negligence. They explain that, “in order to succeed in the tort of negligence the claimant must prove that the defendant owes him a duty of care, that the defendant breached his duty of care and as a result, the claimant suffered injury, loss or damage.” Negligence is something that can affect any business and an aspect of business that business owners should be fully aware of. Negligence can happen if an employee is hurt on the job and that person is being kept from getting the proper care and treatment for whatever reason. Negligence can also occur if the employer knew full well about certain conditions that had the potential to inflict harm, injury, or death on the employee but subjected them to those conditions anyway. In my opinion, there is no asset more valuable to a company than an employee so it is vital to a business to protect them at all costs or face dire consequences.

         

Industry Liabilities Around The League

          Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor has threatened sexpot Miley Cyrus of Hannah Montana fame with legal action if she doesn’t apologize for taunting her online in the wake of a series of passionate letters O’Connor has written to the former Disney actress regarding her late raunchy public antics. O’Connor charges that Cyrus took below the belt jabs at the state of her mental health in her response, potentially doing irreversible damage to her career. The feud began when Miley explained in a recent cover story in Rolling Stone magazine that her controversial “Wrecking Ball” video was inspired by O’Conner’s classic video, “Nothing Compares To U”. O’Connor responded with a public letter accusing Cyrus of pimping and prostituting herself to people who “don’t give much of a [expletive] about [her].” Cyrus fired back on Twitter with “Before Amanda Bynes, there was…” followed by a screen shot of O’Connor’s tweets desperately seeking out psychiatric help two years ago.
          I believe both singers are in the wrong and showed no class when dealing with each other. Instead of being humbled by Miley’s compliment in Rolling Stone, O’Connor went on the offensive and made herself vulnerable to attack. Instead of letting Sinead’s letter fall on blind eyes and deaf ears, Miley herself went on the offensive bringing attention to somebody who had nothing to do with the argument. So does Sinead O’Connor have a case? Probably not but the moral of this story is that Twitter shouldn’t be used for personal attacks because the whole world is watching you (and at times egging you on) and the utmost professionalism should be a standard at all times.

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          Meanwhile, Robin Thicke’s summer anthem, “Blurred Lines” has apparently been getting people in a lot of hot water lately. The video for the Pharrell Williams produced chart topping hit that features dirty south rapper TI, features three topless models in an unrated video on Vevo. “Blurred Lines” is in the midst of controversy in Scotland where it’s facing a ban by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association to back up its “End Rape Culture”. Defiers of the ban will have to answer to complaints and face harsh repercussions. The song has also lead to the firing of a high school dance coach in Wisconsin for a dance routine performed at halftime to the song. Though, the coach has exhibited the utmost professionalism during her time at the school according to some of the parents, the school stands behind their decision and is seeking out a new candidate for the position.
          My opinion on the whole thing? Get a life, people. The EUSA is insinuating that if the song is not banned, people are going to be raped because of it; the charge is outrageous. If someone is going to rape someone, they are going to get the urge to do it to other songs beside this one. How can an institution be free, equal and accepting if they go around banning something as simple as an infectious chart topping song? Scary thing is that the banning culture in other countries is beginning to trickle in to the United States as seen with the example in Wisconsin. People should be free to blow their eardrums out to whatever they want. I say, “blow their eardrums out” because I can’t listen to this song without playing it full blast.

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          Finally, step aside Kickstarter; there’s a new sheriff in town. Remember when crowdfunding meant that you could become a backer? Well, all that’s about to change because now you can become an investor. Equity crowdfunding has taken off in Europe, and though there are still many legal hurdles here in the states, we are well on our way to follow suit. Conventional crowdfunding means you back a project that you hold near and dear to your heart and receive perks from the creators as a thank you for your contributions. “Equity crowdfunding means that you can become a [business] partner in a company, venture or product.”
          So, what does it mean for crowdfunding as a whole if conventional crowdfunding is foreshadowed by equity crowdfunding? I have no problem with people using equity crowdfunding if it works for them unless there is potential for fraud, abuse and cronyism. I know that if I’m going to use crowdfunding to fund my product, I’m most likely going to use Kickstarter because I like its system and it would work for me. However, when you say the word equity, the little hairs on the back of government go up. The only worry I have is that crowdfunding becomes another issue that this massive government gets their grubby little paws on because it’s going so good for the individual. They seem to know how to mess this kind of stuff up for people.

If You Could Walk Miles In My Shoes

        There are so many artists that I would love to manage out there so it’s nearly impossible for me to narrow it down to one person or to one group in particular. However, when I get into managing my own artists, that may be precisely what I need to do. I’ve been interested in becoming an A&R at a label or another executive to that effect because I feel like I have an ear for talent but I think I’ve just been introduced to another option! A new manager has to keep their ear out to the streets because there are so many untapped wells of talent out there looking to make a name for themselves. So how do you go about doing this? Well, for one, if you don’t get out much and go to concerts or showcases then you need to start. You will need to frequent local shows pertinent to the genre you are looking to manage in if you don’t do that already.
        Also, social media is a treasure trove for unsigned, up and coming talent. People are using this free resource to be heard and get seen and are very successful at it. I had a few people in mind for this assignment but before I narrowed it down to just one, I took to my Twitter account to check out some of the artists that follow me. (Artists will follow you depending on the artists and bands you follow, hoping you take a minute out of your day to check their music out too.) There are things that I look for in an artist based on being an artist and producer myself. I am easily intrigued by the simplest of things like their name, their artwork, visuals like their logo, and who their demographic is. Do they have an identity or do they know what they want to accomplish? What are they posting about? All of this is important to me when I’m looking for new music to listen to.
        I can’t underscore how important it is be able to love and embrace what your artist does. It’s like marrying a person you kind of like but seeing yourself with someone else. This can be toxic because you’re not going to be fully committed to capitalizing on all the opportunities you owe your artist and everyone is going to suffer for it. The artist I chose as the person I would like to manage most is 14-year-old Chris Miles out of New York. He is a protégé of Full Sail alumnus and professional producer Tyler Costantino and is blowing the world away on YouTube and DatPiff.com. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate on a track with him about a year or so ago and would love nothing more than to see this guy go far. It takes a lot for an artist to excite me so I mean it when I say that I want to be the first in line every time he drops a new album. I hate to say it but Chris can demolish rappers my own age so I’m really excited for the both of them!
        I chose Chris because I have a deep love for his music first and foremost. He is always retweeting his fans on Twitter and he carries himself professionally despite the online trolls that continually put him down. He is very humble, down to earth and is always open to making music with anybody. He loves what he does and I am convinced that he has a long and lucrative shelf life ahead of him. When you have such respect for what an artist does, it influences you to push yourself that much harder. He's someone I look up to and he is only half my age!

Where Rivers Run Deep

            How does one go about scouting artists to manage? It’s almost like looking for a needle in a haystack but there are countless droves of untapped talent out there anxiously awaiting their big break. Before the advent of social media, finding diamonds in the rough primarily involved word of mouth and who you knew. Free exposure by way of social media sites paired with recording equipment becoming more affordable and acquirable has led to a musical revolution of sorts, comprised of individuals taking charge of their own careers by recording their own music, in turn capitalizing on the fruits of their own labor by way of various outlets like Bandcamp, MySpace and ReverbNation to name a few. Needless to say, there is no shortage of free or inexpensive music of all genres these days; music is all around us.

            How do you know when an artist is ready to be managed? There is much more to getting your career off the ground than sending out a few demo tapes to a few record labels. To appeal to these labels in the first place, you have to be the total package. This week, I took to Twitter to get some first hand experience into looking for new talent as an experiment. Artists and groups follow me on Twitter all the time depending on music that I listen to. (Artists will follow the general public if they listen to similar artists in their genre to get people to take a few minutes out of their day to listen to them.) I am usually set in my ways when it comes to music that I listen to but for occasions like this, I can hop online to discover new music that I’ve never heard before as an escape.

            For this experiment, I started at the bottom of my followers list and worked my way up. Things that generally pique my interest when I’m discovering new acts are their names, their visuals, their song titles, and how they carry themselves online. I listened to a lot of new music and even downloaded a few albums to listen to at a later time. Oddly enough, I was occasionally transferred to pages that had no music at all or additional links to help me get to know the band a little better; needless to say that’s a no-no. When I got to the very end of my followers list, I came across a band by the name of Rivers Monroe and they demonstrated a lot of great things that I wish to talk about today.

            According to their Twitter page, “Rivers Monroe is an energetic and mainstream brand of music, flavored with a fresh rock & pop/punk mixture” from Philadelphia. This is great - they know how to define themselves and have a pretty good idea who their target audience is. Just then, I was pulled in by their profile picture and wallpaper. Their logo consists of a black background, differing splashes of neon paint and an “RM’ in the middle. It reminded me of each member taking a different color paint can and making their mark on it by telling the background that each of them are similar but different at the same time and that each of them will bring about a different flavor to the table. So far, so good!

            “Follow us for a FREE DOWNLOAD of our music!” They are enthusiastic about sharing their blood, sweat and tears with their audience. I clicked on their Facebook link and took a look around. One of the members on their cover photo is wearing an Anberlin shirt; that’s an instant 10,000 cool points right there! I began to learn a lot more about the group from their music tab on their Facebook site.
            They met my expectations as an artist and I was pleased to note that not only do they have an upcoming show with All Time Low and The Wonder Years, bands that I listen to regularly, they had working links to all of their social sites and a great looking .com page where I was able to download their new album, “Meteors.” Last but not least, I clicked on a YouTube video of the band doing a performance for Radio 104.5’s Birthday Bash in their hometown of Philadelphia. You could see from the video that Rivers Monroe were enjoying themselves and had a deep appreciation and unconditional love for the fans. This is so crucial from a manager’s standpoint because it is vital that you find acts that do what they love and love what they do. And of course, I will be looking forward to big things from this group and hope to find more artists out there with the gumption that Rivers Monroe has!

Alternative Blog Assignment

            In his "Principles of Negotiating Webinar", Dr. Tom Duening states that negotiating is something that every business owner needs to know how to do; and do well. He tells his audience that there is not a time of day he is not negotiating. An interest-based approach is appropriate when a quality agreement is more important than an expedient one and when both parties are willing to problem solve and carry out a commitment. Duening insists that you will have more negotiating power when you know the parties' interests, negotiation style and other circumstances that may affect the outcome of a negotiation. You never want to enter into a negotiation without knowing your best alternative to a negotiated agreement, or BATNA. One should get to know the other party's BATNA if at all possible and not disclose their own BATNA. "You want to know the other parties' BATNA if you possibly can...because if their walk away price or their walk away terms or agreements are not suitable to you, then it doesn't even pay to go into the negotiation."

            Toward the beginning of his "Negotiations" podcast, Michael Erdle talks about separating the person from the problem. Unfortunately, there are too many negotiations that end prematurely because it becomes quite tempting to attack the person directly, especially if you don't care much for this person. It is important to be soft on the person and hard on the problem. Understanding where the other person is coming from can lead to making more clear-headed decisions and less cloudy judgments during negotiation. The idea is to attack the problem head on, not the person directly.

            Interest-based negotiation is especially important for entertainment business professionals because you are going to want to build and maintain healthy business relationships and may need to negotiate with the same person more than once. Practicing negotiations will make me better at it and as time goes by, I will become self-conscious and self aware about the way we negotiate just like the aforementioned Dr. Duening points out. I aim to get better at negotiating because the last thing I am going to want to do as a business owner is leave money on the table. If you leave enough money on the table, your business may not be able to sustain it.

Rich Grad Poor Grad

            The poor, the middle class and the rich all think differently regarding assets (things that put money in your pocket), liabilities (things that take money out of your pocket) and wealth ("the measure of cash flow from the asset column compared with the expense column"). Rich people buy assets, the poor only have expenses and the middle class buy liabilities they think are assets. This was one of the more fascinating facets of Rich Dad Poor Dad. Most people want to make more money because they think that it will make everything that much easier but in some cases, it makes things harder or, in extreme cases, worse. The key is to acquire assets like real estate, stocks, bonds or intellectual property (like royalties, scripts or patents) that generate a healthy income stream that works hard for us and to minimize liabilities like mortgages, credit card debt, loans and taxes.

            Wealth and being rich seem to be used interchangeably but the truth is that wealth is an important measurement but a measurement nonetheless. If you ask Robert Kiyosaki, he will tell you that you can be wealthy without being rich. Someone who is wealthy will achieve and maintain just enough cash flow from their assets to fully cover their monthly expenses. Someone who is financially independent, on the other hand, will be able to survive a long time without being dependent on his or her wages or professional position. Furthermore, those who don't "mind their own business" (or build and keep the asset column strong) will continue to be enslaved to the company, government and/or bank.

            Kiyosaki goes on to discuss two kinds of investors. The most common type of investor that you will come across is one who purchases a packaged investment. This type of investor purchases mutual funds, stocks, bonds or real estate investment trusts from a real estate company, stockbroker or financial planner because it is quick and easy. The second type of investor specializes in creating investments. This kind of investing is more complex and requires the development of three skills: Find an opportunity that everyone missed, raise money and organize smart people.

            In closing, this book reinforced certain ideals I already believe in but more importantly made me aware that financial freedom is well within reach for me. The most valuable lesson that I am going to take away from Rich Dad Poor Dad is that "the single most powerful asset we all have is our mind. If it is trained well, it can create enormous wealth." Many times, the rich invent money and don't need to spend a red cent to generate wealth. It is up to the right side of the brain to exercise its creativity in these endeavors.

Turn It Up To X

            On July 16 of 2013, Apple finally released its first highly anticipated follow up to Logic Pro 9 in more than 4 years. Logic Pro has become one of the most successful, innovative and affordable digital audio workstations the music industry has ever seen. Not only has Apple revolutionized the personal computer, the laptop, the net book, the smart phone, the tablet, the digital download and the television, Apple has also made its stamp on creating music with its industry standard DAW. Logic Pro X has come a long way and has been rebuilt from the ground up with more powerful additions and features than its predecessors. With a $200 price point, Logic is sure to outsell veteran counterparts like Pro Tools, Sonar, Reason and Cubase.

            Rebuilt with 64-bit architecture, Logic Pro X comes equipped with an all new 35 GB sound library available via in-app download and an all new user interface that is visually a cross between Pro Tools and Final Cut Pro. Logic boasts 67 effect plug-ins (which include 35 stomp boxes), 18 software instrument plug-ins, a custom instrument tuning system and 17 instrument and effect plug-ins with true surround support. The sound library consists of more than 1500 patches for tracks, more than 3500 apple loops of all genres, and more than 650 reverb spaces and warped effects for the incomparable Space Designer. You can add up to 255 audio, software instrument and auxiliary channel strips, and up to 64 busses in the newly designed mixer window. If you're like me and have old GarageBand and Logic sessions that you are still working on, not a problem! You can still open GarageBand songs directly in Logic and will be able to open projects from Logic 5 or later. Logic Pro X continues to offer extensive control surface support for your favorite hardware and ReWire support for your favorite applications.

              There are many inspiring facets to Logic Pro X that are too good to pass up! The Drummer and Drum Kit Designer make it much easier to give listeners the illusion that there was a real drummer in the studio delivering natural intense sounding complex grooves and fill combinations. The new Bass Amp Designer gives you the perfect sound that you are going for while accurately modeling popular bass amps and cabinets. The revamped Flex Pitch feature allows you to seamlessly change the melody of an audio recording without having to buy those expensive auto-tune plug-ins. Here comes the deal breaker for me. You ready? The Logic Remote app from the Apple App Store lets you pair your Mac and iPad wirelessly from anywhere in the studio. That's right, you can directly control recordings inside of the booth or control faders from right behind the boards!

            The biggest downside to investing in DAWs like the new Logic Pro X and Pro Tools 11 is that in order for third party plug-ins to compatible, they must be in 64-bit. For producers like myself who have been making music and purchasing these plug-ins for years, you have already run the risk of investing all this money in these plug-ins and not be able to use them. I would venture to guess that most manufactures will offer free 64-bit updates to their software to curb the frustration but some of my other colleagues in the field have made the choice to stray away completely from 64-bit recording. However, times change, technology gets more advanced, all plug-ins will be made in 64-bit and there won't be getting away from it. Other than that, I am very excited for the new Logic Pro X, its many additions and its compatibility with the iPad. 

Magna Carta...Not So Holy Sale?

            This past Sunday, hip-hop legend and Brooklyn-based entrepreneur Jay-Z released his highly anticipated 12th studio album, Magna Carta...Holy Grail on Roc Nation/Sony/Universal. Samsung purchased a million copies of the new album to give away to the first million users to download the new album for free via a special app on Samsung mobile devices. A new rule set forth by the Recording Industry Association of America prevents Samsung's giveaway from being tallied toward Billboard and SoundScan's counts but makes Jay eligible for platinum certification immediately upon delivery. "Going forward, sales of albums in digital format will become eligible on the release date, while sales of albums in physical format will still become eligible for certification 30 days after the release date," states RIAA communications director Liz Kennedy. "Also at the time in 2004, sales of digital albums were virtually non-existent and accounted for a small fraction of overall digital sales. Fast forward a decade and that's obviously no longer the case."

            There is mixed acclaim and criticism of this bold and unprecedented move. Some would argue that this move is a form of data mining and the two giants are merely capitalizing on it. There is also much debate about these copies of the new album being free and unanswered questions are being posed about fairness of sales. Most of us would agree that promotional material should never count toward sales or certification. One would argue that Samsung bought the copies outright before giving them away and somebody else may counter that every CD in a Record Store was also bought; except the copies at a record store don't count until the customer buys it off the shelf. Some people think that the new record should stand alone in order to be counted. Whatever the opinion, two things are for certain. Fans love Jay-Z's new album and Samsung may have opened a Pandora's Box and revolutionized the rest of the music world for generations to come.

NARIP

            The National Association of Record Industry Professionals was formed in 1998 to "bring together the brightest minds and leading innovators in the global record and music industries". The NARIP is home to well over 100,000 record industry professionals in hopes that it will foster education and assistance in career advancement among music business personnel. In order to qualify for membership, you must be employed at a record label (independent or major), record distribution company, personal management or record marketing firm. NARIP headquarters is in Los Angeles but boasts 7 North American chapters and one in London.

            The National Association of Record Industry Professionals ensures its members an excellent payoff for its members. You will get up to a 50% discount (or free admission for an Executive membership) on all NARIP events which include seminars, teleseminars, brunches and the Fall Bands & Brands Summit which is an annual conference held in Los Angeles and New York. NARIP offers legal services that center on the negotiation of management, production and/or record deals. NARIP publishes member press releases, member spotlights and lucrative advertising and sponsorship opportunities. Professional and Executive members are also promoted on the association's website. Members have full access to NARIP's Job Bank, which provides employment opportunities for businesses and job seekers alike. These are only a few perks of having a NARIP membership!

            I was extremely pleased to discover that there is a wide range of recently posted NARIP jobs in my area that my Full Sail degrees could help me acquire. Being around like-minded individuals that share one common goal would help me learn more about my field, help me be the best music business professional that I can be and assist me in discovering things that would improve my field in the process. NARIP is currently in need of music production interns, licensing assistants, marketing managers, directors, publicists and so much more. With offices all over the place, I could end up in Canada or London for all I know and that, my friends, is the beauty of the music business.

7 Secrets To A Successful, Enduring Business by Catherine Allen

            PR-Squared is a social media marketing and public relations website whose tagline is "The next big thing is already here". PR-Squared is owned by social media and public relations innovator and lecturer, Todd Defren and boasts a top spot on Advertising Age's Power 150. PR-Squared is filled with useful PR tidbits that business owners can apply to their own brands and companies. What's more interesting is that PR-Squared is the nucleus of everything PR. Their messages along with the messages of other sites are all intertwined to ensure that you the consumer are well informed on the subject.

            7 Secrets To A Successful, Enduring Business was an attractive article for me because everybody wants to be a better businessperson, and a better business for that matter. The article explains that core values are key to maintaining a positive culture and promoting growth from the ground up. "Core values help you to implement the essence of strategy: knowing what to say no to. Without them, you’re a car without a GPS, and you’re just as likely to drive into a bad neighborhood as you are to get where you want to go." SHIFT Senior Vice President Catherine Allen explains that the "secret sauce" to longevity as a business is Honorable, Dedicated, Connected, Creative, Ballsy, Positive and smart.

            Honorable is difficult by nature because it involves doing the right thing even when you are tempted to do something easier. Honorable employees recognize that there is only one way to do something and that is the right way. Dedicated is going above and beyond in your efforts. The old adage goes, "be the first one in and the last one out". Team members are valuable when they are connected to other journalists, publishers and other media. When they are connected in a business and community sense, they help generate new business opportunities for the company. Creative means having idea based and idea driven qualities about you; you either have it or you don't. "Thinking outside of the box" is a common ingredient in successful business practices.

            Ballsy is "gutsy" on edge. Ballsy is all about "calculated, measured risk-taking and stepping as far outside your comfort zone as [humanly] possible". This happens to be my favorite quality because there are many times at work where I have to think on my feet, make the smartest executive decisions I can (business wise and customer wise), stand by them, be held accountable for them and live with them at the end of the day. Positive has little to no correlation with personal happiness or agreeing; it has more to do with the energy, boldness and enthusiasm you bring to the table. Finally, Smart does not refer to the book smarts in particular academic subjects; it refers to the street smarts and mental toughness necessary to take on problems and business connections.

Disorientation By A Thousand Reggie Watts

            Armed with the Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler, the Electro Harmonix 45000 and its now discontinued 2880 counterpart (which are both multi-track digital looping recorders), Reggie Watts found his niche in improvisation with his signature persona shifts, conscious stand-up or on-stage loop-based musical sketches. Reggie has appeared on numerous albums, received numerous awards and critical acclaim, and appears all over television and live theater. Along with Imogen Heap, Reggie Watts is one of the only Ted musicians and Ted speakers that I have this personal connection with because of his tremendous influence on creativity and originality. Not only can you catch Reggie on YouTube, you can watch him on IFC's Comedy Bang Bang on Netflix and you can also purchase 3 of his albums in the iTunes store.

            Reggie's Ted Talk, Reggie Watts Disorients You in the Most Entertaining Way was one of the more difficult Talks to dissect being as satirical in nature as it is. It's also geared more toward live entertainment in ways the rest of the TED presenters can't come close to. I believe that the main point of Reggie's speech and what he was trying to get through to us is that in life, no matter how many actions take place, no matter how many words are spoken, no matter how many cause and effect interactions take place on any given day, life is one giant smoke signal - no two outcomes are ever the same. Reggie captivated his audience and captured their attention by ways of his talents including impressions of people with different accents and different languages and he had them wondering how one person was capable of so much entertainment and so many personalities. With every word, every paragraph, and every song, he never missed a beat and he leaves you with the impression that he's a very talented presenter who's excellent at what he does.

Characters in Teams: A Case Study

            I have already designed a timeline for the events leading up to the release of my band's second installment of Us Against Me entitled "Side Y: To Measure Grief in Joules". I have also figured out how much each expenditure is going to cost me, and what the total cost of the project is ultimately going to be. Now it’s up to me to manage a handful of celebrities assigned to me from the higher ups to make sure that the execution of my project is an all around success. The label I work for forbade me from handpicking my own celebrities because you may not necessarily be able to choose who you wish to work with in real life (or sit by, as is the case in grade school). There are many different personalities in the workforce and you must learn to pick your battles and choose wisely.

            I have researched my celebrities, identified each of their DISC personality types and have identified their strengths and weaknesses. I have given them each a vital role in my project and have devised ways to motivate each person into working together, ensuring that the project gets the best attention that it deserves. You will not agree with everybody 100% of the time, especially in the music industry but there are many great things that can come out of interpersonal relationships like the ones you gain from celebrities. The networking potential is magnified astronomically if you can remain on a famous person's good side. Egos will clash tremendously; this is readily apparent with any reality show but the utmost professionalism and final results are all I'm concerned with.

            Before I elaborate on everybody's DISC personality traits, it's important to know what the DISC Personality Model looks like. DISC is an acronym for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness & Compliance. Each of these four factors describes a different set of qualities about us. Dominance refers to our assertiveness and problem solving capabilities. Influence refers to our ability to relate and connect with others and how we deal with them.  Steadiness refers to the individual's temperament - our personal natures and behaviors. Compliance refers to how we will go about carrying out the ultimate tasks at hand; this will also include the methodic processes necessary to accomplish what we want. When we think celebrity, we think quirkiness or susceptibility to negative attention. When we stop to realize that they too are just as human as we are with a variety of things that they do well and can bring to the table, only then will we begin to realize that anything is possible.

            The first thing I did for this assignment was take a separate DISC Personality Test for every celebrity I was going to be working with. The second thing I did for this assignment was watch The Bourne Identity to learn the fictional character played by Matt Damon. This was a process that required an immense amount of objectivity on my part. To do this, I had to get into character and answer each question with the best response possible; I'm fairly convinced that I did a sufficient job of depicting each celebrity accurately. I took the test for myself and noticed that most of us have dominant personalities but a few of us have tremendous influence. Luckily, one of us fell in the compliance category so I had myself a great businessperson to be in charge of logistics. I imagined my interactions with each of my celebrities to try to get a feel for our chemistry. All and all, I didn't have myself a bad team at all.

            My first celebrity of the group is Angelina Jolie. Angelina scored about 38% Dominance and 29% Influence on the DISC Test. Angelina Jolie, in my mind is unquestionably remarkable at what she does. There are many things that Angelina can do quite well. Like others that possess dominant qualities, she is the type of individual who aims for the sky and is self-sufficient. Angelina spells out a specific goal in front of her and takes care of it with no delay. Angelina's Influence will be an added advantage to the project because not only is Angelina Jolie this alluring figure in show business, her influence adds a certain pull and credibility to it.

            Since Angelina is also comparatively high in the domain of Influence, she is capable of working well with others and is quick to establish relationships - a must have quality in the entertainment business. On the flipside, she scored comparatively low in the domain of Steadiness and Compliance just like a lot of us did. Angelina has the tendency to be too direct with people, which can result in a domineering and overpowering perception of her. Details and routine work that she finds tedious will be passed off to a subordinate. She is independent and uninhibited which will lead to a resentment of authority or rules.

            Angelina is going to appear on the "To Measure Grief in Joules" project as Aurora Price, one of two main protagonists in the band's science fiction novel. Angelina will quickly learn the role and will undoubtedly be the emotionally explosive actress that I'm looking for. She'll get to do what she does best but she'll be doing something new and personally fulfilling that she could add to her already impressive resume. The dialogue that Angelina will be providing for the project will be an expansion of the dialogue from our first release, The Audiotistic EP. I will be acting opposite her as Autumn Antonia, the other protagonist in the band's story.

            The second celebrity that I have the pleasure of working with is soul sister Mariah Carey. Mariah scored the highest in the Influence category with a 47% and a 31% Dominance on the DISC test. Mariah's going to be a valuable asset to this project because, like Angelina, she's extraordinarily exceptional at what she does. Aside from being an award-winning singer, Mariah Carey is valuable when it comes to being around people; she's seen in a favorable light most of the time and her opinions are credible and relevant. Not only does she show concern for her fans, friends and family, she can be counted on to be optimistic, outgoing and socially skilled. (Mariah's like an inversion of Angelina; she's going to use her Dominant status as a supporting role to her Influence.)

            Mariah also scored comparatively low on Steadiness and Compliance. Having such an influential figure on your team offers you a lot more to lose. Having Mariah play such a dominantly influential role in the project can yield favorable results with her audience but with that comes high expectations. There is little to no room for error with Mariah because she does not deal well with commercial disappointments. Producing for Mariah Carey is a big set of shoes to fill. I must gain Mariah's trust and prove to her that I am a capable and competent songwriter-producer despite lacking the professional studio experience to back it up.

            During my meeting with my group, I informed Mariah that I was assigning the lead vocals on my new album to her. After announcing to her that Us Against Me is actually a two-part album and that "Side X: To Measure Sorrow in Lumens" was the electro-rock group of tracks for the record, I informed Mariah that "Side Y: To Measure Grief in Joules" was going to lean more toward hip-hop and neo-soul. I'm pleased to announce that Mariah is going to be singing lead vocals on 3 or 4 of the project's 8-track playlist. I came to the conclusion that Mariah Carey and myself would benefit a great deal if I gave her this responsibility; not only would Mariah benefit from crossing over to a younger demographic, I'd have the privilege of having a well-established artist appear on a project of mine to get my foot in the door.

            My next celebrity in the group is none other than our former first lady, Laura Bush. Laura scored comparatively high in the Compliance category and comparatively low in every other category. Laura tends to be peaceful, adaptable and is comfortable following procedures in her business life as well as her personal life. Laura will have a high acceptance of rules and regulations and tends to be cautious rather than impulsive. Because Laura is the least dominant of the group members, she is generally well liked because of her patience and mindfulness. Because she is the least dominant of the group, she prefers to let others initiate action and resolve problems.

            I think the biggest setback with Laura going into the project is going to be her Influence. She tends to be socially passive and prefers to get things done alone. We currently have a man and first lady in the White House who in many ways are polar opposites of her and her husband, the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. Her teammates are going to view her as irrelevant and archaic and will not be able to get her points across without a differing of opinion from other members in the group. I gave Laura a role that would allow her to thrive in the group without the other members having any say in the matter. We're both Conservatives so I have a strong feeling that we are going to get along just fine; we may be family friends for years to come. Laura is going to be my finance secretary. She is going to be the brains behind the project and my go-to-gal for anything that I need financially; she will also be charged with making sure we are conservative with project funds.

            Group member number four is television personality and businesswoman Joan Rivers. Joan scored comparatively high in both Dominance and Influence with scores of 44% and 41% respectively. Joan is no doubt the most outspoken individual of the group and also one of the most influential. Like Mariah, Joan is strongly interested in meeting with people and shows concern for her guests on air. She is extremely appreciative and empathetic of her audience She is a strong and independent businessperson who knows her way around a project. Joan embraces competition and loves a good challenge.

            Joan can be a little too rough around the edges if you don't know her and must be the center of attention at all times. Being low in Compliance makes it harder to bite your tongue and control being too blunt at times. Joan is going to do things her way or no way at all so I gave her the biggest challenge and most crucial role of the group members to satisfy her insatiable hunger for success. Joan Rivers is going to be in charge of the marketing and branding of the project. This will also include a primetime special, which will revisit each member in the group and will also give me room to reflect on the project.

            Last but certainly not least, we have a fictional character among us! Jason Bourne, from the Bourne Identity series authored by Robert Ludlum, possesses extremely quick reflects and above average problem solving skills. Jason scored comparatively high in Dominance with a score of 52% and comparatively low in everything else. Jason is the type of individual that knows exactly what he wants and will always get his way when he goes after it. Jason is also known for wiggling his way out of trouble every time he finds himself in it.

            Jason doesn't go around looking for trouble but trouble sure knows where to find him (luckily he knows how to deal with it). Jason isn't exactly one that could be viewed as charming by any stretch of the imagination at first glance. He's not exactly the friendliest person you will come across either but one thing is certain: he has great negotiating potential and that's why I hired him to be my manager. I'm going to need someone to get this project picked up by a major and if the figures aren't right...well...somebody's got to be there to take out the trash!

            Now that I've introduced each of my group members and brought their strengths and weaknesses to light, it would only be fair to introduce myself and elaborate on what I'm going to be bringing to the table. Like Jason Bourne, I scored comparatively high in Dominance (42%), fairly moderate in Influence (22%) and comparatively low in the other two DISC factors. I have a strong personality with great potential to work well with all sorts of individuals. For the most part, I can say that I'm punctual, dependable and that I work harder than most of my peers. I look forward to working with my team members and I am highly optimistic that everything will go well for everybody.

            I possess a shark conflict style that can be toxic if not tamed properly. I am self-sufficient and not a big fan of group projects. I'm generally not a big fan of working relationships with people, which can prove to be fatal in the entertainment industry. I don't like to be the center of attention so I take the passive route and don't like to draw too much attention to myself. People would not necessarily view me as their leader, coach or mediator.

            Instead of asking the question, "How will I help this team unite and work together according to its strengths in spite of their weaknesses?" I ask another question: "How do I intend to ensure each celebrity that it will be in his or her best interest to complete their portion of the project?" If I can play on each of their emotions and be genuine, humble and down to earth in the process, I should have no problem getting them to go miles for me. I will have to approach each person (not as a celebrity but a human being like myself) differently. Everybody's looking for the same thing but in different ways and in different places.