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077 – Announcements, a Question & an Addition

Recorded 13 November 2008

The time, she is a-flying, just the second full week of November and these are the topics on With A Voice Like This:

  • My first caroling gig of the year this weekend
  • A new addition to the website (in the upper right corner)
  • A question to you about what type of calendar you like to see (Take the poll below)
  • Contest update (and a huge hint how you could be the next entrant)
  • A very vague hint at next week’s show

I played A Round for the Holidays from my Christmas EP found at CD Baby. Take a listen and see what you think. It’s a nice gift for the Holidays as well.

Links from the Show

 

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-162336.mp3″]

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076 – An Anniversary, a CD and a Contest

Recorded 6 November 2008

This is the first anniversary show of With A Voice Like This, it’s been a full year since I started this show and this show comes full circle. Back to where I started with the Christmas EP With A Voice Like This Christmas.The topics on this episode include:

  • What’s happening with the CD Baby listing of my CD both physical and digital download
  • The pricing structure for the CD
  • CD Baby’s e-mail about how to improve your CD sales for the holidays
  • Update of the digital distribution of my Christmas CD
  • All about the Contest running through December 15
  • A nod to the Podsafe Music Network for making my music available
  • A brief look at what’s up for this show going forward

I play We Three Kings from my CD

And the return of the I have list as well.
I Have:

  • A Holiday CD available on CD Baby in both CD and Digital Download
  • The CD sent out to 10 digital retailers
  • My first Sale through CD Baby
  • Good ideas for the future shows

Links from the show

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-158313.mp3″]

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Head to Head to…Head?

I didn’t record a show last night for a few reasons, not the least of which was preparing for the GNI Meetup this weekend, but largely in part due to testing of online video services. This started out as a test of video recorded live to the service (which will still happen), but grew into placing video on the site with higher production values. Hence, this post. The three I chose are below: Google Video, Vimeo and YouTube (Yes, I realize Google owns YouTube, but they interact with the web differently). I quickly put together a test video and so all things would be as equal as I could make them, uploaded that video to each service and embedded them, no WordPress plugins were used (or harmed) in the making of this test.

Here’s where you come in, if you’re willing to help. I have my front runner based on my experience and quality checks, but I admit I don’t know everything there is to know about these services. So if you could watch the three, take the quick poll afterwards and leave me any additional thoughts,knowledge or experience you have in the comments of this post, that would be great. So without much further ado, here it is, me times three:

Google Video Test

Vimeo Video Test

YouTube Video Test

And yes, this does mean that something is coming, very, very soon… perhaps even by the next episode of the show, but I’ll say no more for now.

061 – Hear Us Now, Pay Us Later?

recorded 10 July 2008

In this episode:

4-AM Update (00:00:40)
A brief update this week with special surprise. I talk about video posting and which services I’m looking at top use for the 4-AM website and then I give you a brief taste of our sound with a excerpt of  the Come See About Me arrangement we did as a group the previous week. I also slip it in at the end of the show to close it out for the evening.

At Any Rate (00:06:20)

MyAWOL [UPDATE: site no longer exists] – An upcoming web 2.0 service you might want to know about and watch (it’s an acronym for My Artists WithOut Labels). It’s going to be part Music database (to launch within the next month or so), part online music community for unsigned artists, part indie label, part online venue and more. That’s a tall order to fill, and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. I reference a TechCrunch Article and a Digital Music News Article [UPDATE: Article can no longer be found online] to give as much information as possible.

Last.fm and Merlin – It would seem that Last.fm’s issues aren’t over after the fallout with Warner Music. according to the Hypebot.com Article and The Register Article, The global indie rights organization is stalled in certains aspects of their talks with last.fm and is warning its membership about the agreement currently in place. While this is to be expected when defining and redefining new delivery methods and revenue streams, among other things, there seems to be a of old school issues and mindsets on both sides here. There is a huge opportunity here, let’s see how it’s embraced. There’s probably another post in here somwhere as well.

Comments From the Podcast Gallery
Comments from fellow podcasters KimFenolio of Girls Night In, TVSeriesFinaleFan of The Plug show and SuperMom7000 of TV Talk.

You can always call 630.492.0487 and leave your comments via voicemail as well as send them in e-mail to [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you and play or read your comments on the show.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-128410.mp3″]

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060 – Come See About Me Or YouTube Or…

recorded 03 July 08

On this episode of With A Voice Like This:

At Any Rate (00:00:54)
I take a look at the Judges’ ruling made Thursday in Viacomm’s suit against Google which instructs Google to turn over approximately 12 terrabytes of YouTube data to Viacomm, including Login IDs and IP addresses of users. People have issue with the case itself, but it’s to be expected that Corporate representatives of traditional media and the Internet go head to head to help definewhat’s allowable and what isn’t. Is the customer’s loss of privacy acceptable collateral damage in the court battle?

4-AM update (00:09:00)
There was a lot to talk about again this episode regarding 4-AM, the group and the website. So I talked about a lot of the work I’ve done on stage.4-am.net before go live. Plugins galore, starting with the Search Engine Optimization plugin in All in One SEO Pack and all that’s gone into that. Then the new tiltviewer Photo Gallery using both the NextGEN Gallery and NextGEN FlashViewer plugins, which are great and you need to see what you can do with them using your own flickr account. Amazing.

Then a quick discussion of what’s happening with the group, a new business direction and of course another new arrangement we did. This week’s was the Supremes’ Come See About Me. And we’re getting closer to a gig where we can do a live video stream so you all can see what 4-AM is all about.

And of course, Comments From the Podcast Gallery.

Speaking of, don’t forget you can always call in your Comments From the Podcast Gallery to the comment line at 630.492.0487. I’m more than happy to have your comments and to put them on the show.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-127504.mp3″]

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058 – My View – Music And The Internet Part 2: The Implementation

This episode of With A Voice Like This is the conclusion of how I’d like to see things work in regard to music and the Internet and distribution of both responsibilities and money.

  • Some quick clarifications from statements made last show.
  • A brief recap of Episode 057‘s (Part 1) major points

Music and the Internet is a Virtual Venue

  • Performers perform (Streaming)
  • Consumers pay (e.g. cover charge, all inclusive charge)
  • Consumers can also buy recordings and other merchandise above entrance fees
  • Venues (ISPs,  applications) are responsible for reporting and payment

Database

  • With new code, all streams, downloads, etc. are tracked and put in a database (Who holds the DB TBD)
  • No more sampling needed, just a direct pull of tracks from the database

Collecting

  • Performance Rights Organizations (PRO) could still collect, but pay based on actual numbers, not samplings
  • No PRO could collect for non-members and keep money if the performers either don’t join, can’t be found or don’t claim their money
  • Artists, Authors, Lyricists and Publishers responsibility is to secure a code so they are credited and paid for their works or not paid by their choice.
  • Any music without the code is flagged in database and action taken (example of software recognition at EveryZing.com [EDIT: 12-28-12 – EveryZing.com is no longer a valid website])

Comments From The Podcast Gallery

The Down side

This discussion is an overly simplistic layout of a very complex idea. Currently the Orphan Works Act almost passed in Congress and it seems very similar to what I’ve outlined here. You can hear it discussed at great length on Webcomics Weekly #38 from a visual artist’s point of view and its major weaknesses. I feel I’ve taken some of the things into account that were ignored in the Orphan Works Act and although not exactly the same, the pitfalls could be very similar.

On A Lighter Note

Here are examples of some voiceover work I had just recently done.

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057 – My View – Music And The Internet Part 1: The Mechanism

A friend asked me in the aftershow of the Is This The Rights Thing To Do? series of episodes (047, 048 & 049) How I would like to see things happen with music rights and the Internet, so here it is, or at least Part 1.

At Any Rate
This week Warner records pulled out of its deal with Last.fm because the money wasn’t good enough. See Gerd Leonhard’s take on the situation.

Music on the Internet is Virtual Inventory

  • The three types of inventory
  • Tracking inventory

Tracking Mechanism (code) for the inventory

  • The 4 (or more) pieces of information the code holds
  • Where the code resides
  • Existing tracking capabilities
  • No more sampling in place of actual tracking
  • Retrofit back to songs with copyright of 1923 or later
  • Must be in place by 2018

Comments From the Podcast Gallery

Next Week
Next week will be the second part of this discussion Music and the Internet Part 2: The Implementation, where I talk about the roles of the Artist, ISPs, PROs and more in implementing this mechanism. Join me Live at 7:00pm CT on Thursday, June 19 or call in your Comments From the Podcast Gallery to 630.492.0487.

Listener’s Choice

This episode’s choice comes from Kim Fenolio, and it’s Summertime by Brother Love.

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053 – Where’s That Website At?

This episode is about building the band’s website and some input form its’ intended audience…you, including the polls at the last blog entry titled Poll Dancing – Bleeding Edge Style and a discussion of the results to this point. Also discussed:

  • Some of the decisions about why the website incorporates a blog
  • Where that blog belongs
  • Some of the plugins used in the blog
  • Some that are still being sought
  • The tone of the website

And of course Comments from the Podcast Gallery. Podcasters giving feedback included Kim Fenolio, one of the hosts from Girls Night In.

This episode’s Listener’s Choice is one of my own, The Truth by an Austrian a cappella trio named Mauf via the Podsafe Music Network.

Links from this episode:

My Polls about the 4-AM website hosted by PollDaddy.com

The staging site for 4-AM [EDIT: 12-28-12 staging site no longer exists]

Contact Form 7 WordPress plugin

Live365 Internet Radio

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-114872.mp3?dl=1]

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Poll Dancing – Bleeding Edge Style

While working on the 4-AM website, I had a couple (okay, more than a couple, but I’ll start there) decisions to make about what goes on the website and what will work best for my target audience which is bleeding edge, New Media early adopter types like you. Yes, you are, you’re reading this, aren’t you? Anyway, that’s why I’m asking you. It’s always best to go straight to the source and there you are. Let me know what you think, I have no doubt that you will come up with some things I’ve never even thought of, you’re good like that. The other choice works even if you choose one of the choices in the list, so don’t hesitate to add it, if you think of something.

 

 

Thank you for letting me know what you think.

049 – Is This the Rights Thing to Do? Part 3

Originally this episode was to feature an ASCAP representative, but the timing didn’t quite work out for this show. so the discussion turned to an overview what issues were facing on the Internet with music and content in general.

Topics discussed are:

  • ASCAP’s take with the Songwriter’s Bill of Rights using rickrolling as an example.
  • Music leads the Internet charge in content and how it delivery is being monetized and even moving toward regulation
  • Why does the same free content on the web suddenly become worth charging for and being paid for in a different format?
  • Content on the web isn’t really free? Someone’s making money on content.
  • Protection versus Statements of rights by a subset of people
  • The different factions involved in the music on the Internet trying to stake their claims
  • Limited past delivery systems versus the Internet’s near limitless capabilities
  • Protections versus Control
  • Net Neutrality
  • Selling your Privacy for convenience
  • The double-edged sword of easy access
  • Comments from the Podcast Gallery
  • What’s Freedom without responsibility?

Links discussed in the show:

ASCAP’s Songwriter’s Bill of Rights

My previous post The Perception of Value

Podcasting Legal Guide wiki and in PDF format

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-107903.mp3?dl=1]

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048 – Is This the Rights Thing to Do? Part 2

This episode of With A Voice Like This is the conclusion of the discussion with Independent Singer/Songwriter Samantha Murphy of SMtvMusic.com stemming from the April 10 release of ASCAP‘s Songwriter’s Bill of Rights.

topics in this episode include:

  • Government’s role in resolution of these issues
  • Sound Exchange, its background and methodology
  • What Samantha is doing to put action behind her viewpoints
  • The role of Education in music and the Digital Age – meisa.org
  • Questions and Comments from the Podcast Gallery
  • Creative Commons

Links discussed in this episode:

Samantha Murphy at SMtvMusic.com

Samantha’s e-mail is [email protected]

Performance Rights Organizations: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Sound Exchange

Samantha Murphy’s article written for a Princeton Symposium

Samantha also works with [NOTE: Site no longer exists]

SaveNetRadio.org  [NOTE: Site no longer exists]

Fading Ways Online [NOTE: Site no longer exists]

MEISA.org – Music & Entertainment Industry Student Association

Lawrence Lessig article – Commons Misunderstandings: ASCAP on Creative Commons

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-107901.mp3?dl=1]

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047 – Is This the Rights Thing to Do? Part 1

Thursday, April 10, just in time for their big ‘I Create Music’ ASCAP Expo in LA, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) released their Songwriter’s Bill of Rights. In this episode and the next, recorded live on April 10, I discuss this with Samantha Murphy, an independent singer/songwriter and outspoken proponent of change for how music is delivered, monetized and protected in the digital age.

Topics covered in this episode include:

  • Samantha’s unique experience as a professional performing musician since the age of six
  • The Songwriter Bill of Rights read
  • Transparency of PROs and their methods
  • How this affects Net Neutrality
  • The effect of the Internet on music delivery
  • One PRO’s line in the sand
  • Who do we turn to, the Government?

The conclusion of this discussion with Samantha Murphy can be heard in episode 048.

[Additional Note: At the beginning of this episode, I made the statement that ASCAP’s Bill of Rights was to benefit performers. As Samantha pointed out, while you can have a performer account with ASCAP, it is a completely separate entity of its own and this Bill of Rights deals only with Songwriters.

Edit: A further clarification from Samantha is that the two types of accounts are Writer and Publisher, not Performer .]

Links from this episode:

Samantha Murphy at SMtvMusic.com [EDIT: Removed link as site no longer exists]

Performance Rights Organizations:ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Sound Exchange

ASCAP Songwriter’s Bill of Rights [Edit: Link redirects to  the ASCAP Advocacy/Legislation page]

Portfolio.com article about the ASCAP Bill of Rights by Sam Gustin

Portfolio.com article Paying the Piper by Sam Gustin

Samantha Murphy’s article written for a Princeton Symposium

Samantha also works with DigitalFreedom.org/

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-103330.mp3″]

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046 – What’s In It For You?

A tribute to Gene Puerling (March 31, 1929 – March 25, 2008)

In this episode: I have three question when it comes to a band’s website

  1. What do you need to see?
  2. What do you want to see?
  3. What do you wish you could see that you’ve never seen before?

Discussing the website for 4-AM and the groups it needs to speak to, Booking Agents, Clients and Fans. What belongs, what is the best use of New/Social Media and some of the resources I use to help me with the ideas.

Links:

Hot Hits, Cheap Demos by Nadine Condon

Promoting Your Podcast by Jason Van Orden

Musician’s Cooler Podcast with Jammin’ Dave Jackson

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-103329.mp3″]

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The Perception of Value

So what’s it worth to you?

How do you quantify a service to someone who has no frame of reference? I have a Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy, which is part performance and part teaching voice, and I’ve spent tens of thousand of dollars on training my voice. If I don’t have name recognition does any of that mean anything to someone who’s looking for some music for their event or venue? What if I’m part of a group, where my name doesn’t come up as much if at all?

I deal with it all the time as a musician. A rule of thumb on how to deal with it is how much you charge, but even that can vary widely. I have an “I won’t step outside the door for less than…” figure. Now that figure for me as a solo singer is 66% higher than that same figure for me as a part of an established group currently. What do I base that on? It’s not like I have production costs to base that figure on to show someone. I have talent, knowledge, expertise and experience, but if you’re working with someone who has no frame of reference, those things don’t mean anything to them. And the money itself? I’ve had people not bat an eye at that money and I’ve had people politely (and sometimes not so politely) brush me off. So what’s the answer?

They don’t know what they don’t know

I learned the answer I use through singing weddings for friends. I was reminded of it because I did a wedding not too long ago, for friends. It’s the perception of value. I used to sing weddings for friends for free because I thought of it as my gift to them. And you know what happened? Nothing. Not even a thank you. It didn’t take me long to feel under appreciated and frustrated by that. Didn’t they know how much that was worth?

And that was it. No, they didn’t know. At least not in a way they easily understood. They had no frame of reference. After all, if I was giving it away, it must be worthless, right?

Flash forward to this wedding I just sang for friends. They knew they wanted to use me in the wedding, but they were looking at additional musicians as well. They did their research and saw what the market was around the Chicago area. When we finally discussed money, they said they’ll pay me whatever I wanted.

I quoted them a price of 20% of my solo figure I talked about earlier. The phone went silent for a few moments, then I heard “Are you sure?” I told them this is my friends’ discount and the rest was my wedding gift to them. I got the now standard reaction which was many, many thank you’s and other people coming up and almost falling all over me to talk to me about it.

What I gained by defining my value

I had given my friends a good frame of reference, a perception of value that they understood and everyone was happy, even ecstatic to the point that they shared it and so on and so on and so on…

That’s the biggest benefit to me. People were excited enough to talk about me and to me. That means I’m more likely to:

  1. Be handing out business cards
  2. Be remembered
  3. Get that next gig

Even though I’m doing a friend a favor, I’m still getting a lot out of it. All because I was able to communicate the value of what I was doing. That’s the answer I needed.

I was reminded of that because I’m working on the website for an a cappella quartet I sing with. How do I communicate the value to three different groups; Booking Agents, Clients and Fans to the point that they share it willingly? With all the social media tools, I don’t have that answer yet. But I know the value. What’s your take?

 

Photo by Redd Angelo on Unsplash