“Like This” – Discussion of a Chicago House Music Anthem

      Over the course of my musical career of many years, I have been one of my harshest critics. It is the very essence of such stringent self-analysis that provides an artist/songwriter unending opportunities to evolve into a greater professional. For this reason, I would like to share my personal thoughts about the most successful work of my career to date, entitled “Like This”.

      "Like This" is a classic Chicago house music track that garnered international acclaim in 1985, when it was first released, and it peaked at #15 on Billboard Hot 100 Dance Club Play charts during that time. I was the performer/songwriter of the single, under the stage name K.Joy, and writer name of Kim Salter (also misspelled on some vinyl as Kim Sutter). Chip E. was the producer who received the prevailing credit and notoriety, due to the fact that the first press of the records only listed Chip E. as the artist. Later pressings of the record listed the artist name as both K.Joy as the solo artist, and then as Chip E. featuring K.Joy.

      DJ International, one of the two main Chicago labels releasing house music at that time, probably recognized the hit potential in this song. It had a catchy hook coupled with honest lyrics, about the underground club experience and the pivotal role the house music DJ played for partygoers and dancers alike. Such lyrical content merged with a magnetizing beat, containing a banging, sultry bass line, was most likely bound to make a good profit in the mind of the label owner. He ended up being right, because the single reportedly sold over 100,000 copies in the U.S. and abroad. It was an excellent business decision, in my opinion, to release a track during a time when house music was in its infancy. It was also good because radio disc jockeys were clamoring to be the first one to break out with anything hot, new, and unheard.

      The followers of house music were also hungry for the next track that would drive them to the dance floor in a frenzy. It even made them committed and loyal enough to stand outside of a record store in the cold, for hours, just to get as many copies as they needed of this house track that seemed to mesmerize them. The original “Like This”, despite its raw, inexperienced, un-mastered, and lightly mixed vocals, combined with unstructured lyrics that failed to follow any pattern whatsoever, became an instant favorite that people all over the world still profess to love even today.

     Although in the genre of house, this song is a classic adored by many, as the co-creator, I am baffled by its appeal since it is such a simple song. It is even further apparent when I compare it with my more recent releases of "Like This" re-sung with less imperfections, over all new professionally mixed and mastered tracks. Yet house fanatics still respond to the original version more than any other, and they request that I perform that version most often.

      I suppose the young, raw, unpolished vocals, over the gritty sampled beat (produced out of a basement studio) captured the heart of the listener because of its simplicity and purity. Apparently, they could relate to the song as a whole, and it made them feel free. It doesn’t make sense to me in some respects, but sometimes things in the music industry don’t always follow what we as creators or artists think that they should.

      The main lesson I learned from this consumer response is that perhaps simple, gritty, real, and honest is best when it comes to songwriting.

Tiran McClam: Professional Insight On Mastering Audio

      Tiran McClam has been a professional audio engineer/producer for over twenty years. Due to the ever-changing music business, his job description changed slightly four years ago, adding mastering engineer to his title. Originally, McClam was the owner and chief audio engineer of a thriving business, which averaged over 30-40 clients per week, and he also employed an assistant audio engineer. As a testament to his skill set, he has had the honor of completing some very successful projects such as: recording songs for Angie Stone; and recording songs for a Timberland protégé, multi-platinum producer named Danger. In 2010, he opened his mastering business, MasterSonixx Mastering, and this year, he also became a managing partner, producer, and chief mastering engineer of Art Of Audio Productions. He has completed hundreds of mastering sessions in the last four years, and is considered an expert in his field, since his mastering tutelage came from one of the top mastering engineers in the Southeast region.

      When asked about his general philosophy on mastering audio, Tiran was very forthcoming about his thoughts. McClam stated that mastering is one of the most underrated and misunderstood processes of audio engineering. He explained that many people in the music business, specifically music artists, do not understand the importance of mastering and the necessity of it being done correctly. He elaborated with the following: For the last 15-20 years the loudness wars have been a perfect example of this lack of knowledge, where people have been making music louder and louder, due to this competitive trend of having the loudest music on the market, at all costs.

      Tiran also stated that today’s independent music artists do not have a lot of knowledge on the technicalities of recording, mixing, and mastering a record. He explained that they think their music is being mixed and mastered simultaneously when they go to the studio, when in actuality, true mastering requires a complete separate process. Furthermore, mixing and mastering require two separate sets of criteria, and professional mastering is usually not done in the same session as a mix session. McClam surmised that artists might be getting one or two processes that are used in real world mastering, out of a multitude of significant treatments that are required to produce a radio quality product.

      Tiran’s additional insight about mastering technology was that both technology and software have come a long way. He stated that despite the fact that digital technology is superb for recording and mixing, it has not quite risen to the challenge for mastering strictly in the digital domain. McClam added that there are still numerous advantages with using analog hardware, such as equalizers, limiters, and compressors, in comparison to their digital software counterparts. The reason is that in a software program, such as a compressor plug-in for example, it is actually molded from a piece of analog gear. He further explained that the difference, however, is that the original analog gear has an infinite number of qualities making it sound the way that it does. Tiran stated that the software program just couldn’t possibly capture all of those qualities; it only emulates a limited number of characteristics.

      When I asked McClam to tell me what skills he believes are necessary to be a great mastering engineer, and how to get those skills, his response was very specific. He was adamant about the fact that the best mastering engineers are almost always people who have started out as recording/mixing engineers. Learning the craft from the bottom up is crucial because you would end up with a developed ear, which is extremely important since 30% of mastering is critical listening. Additionally, you should have a good understanding of sonic dynamics and how they work, along with an extensive knowledge of various types of music. Finally, he stated that you must have a true passion for what you will be doing, because it is not as glamorous of a job as it might seem.

      Tiran’s final advice was to be sure to align yourself with a qualified and reputable engineer who has been mastering for a long time, and see if you can intern, apprentice, or obtain tutelage from that person. He also strongly recommended buying Bob Katz's book, Mastering Audio – The Art and the Science SECOND EDITION. He concluded with the recommendation that you should also diligently research any and all information you can find on mastering, and practice repeatedly what you have learned. After all, practice makes perfect! 

Two Expert Views on the Value of Business Plans

      Are business plans necessary or not? This seems to be a serious debate as of recently. However, in order to intelligently answer this question for yourself, it would be wise to find out what various experts have to say on the subject first. Following this advice, here is an examination of two expert views on the value of business plans, from Tim Berry and Rhonda Abrams.

      Tim Berry has been a business plan expert since 1974, and since then he has authored or co-authored several books on business planning. Additionally, at Entrepreneur.com he serves as their business planning coach. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with his BA in Literature, received an MA with honors from the University of Oregon in Journalism, and obtained an MBA from Stanford as well. Berry is the founder and president of  Palo Alto Software, Inc. He has also been to 13 countries presenting business-planning seminars, and has taught entrepreneurship and business planning at University of Oregon for the past 11 years. Berry adds to his qualifications as an expert on business plans, since he reads and reviews approximately 50 business plans per year for the Willamette Angel Conference (WAC) as an investor member.

      Rhonda Abrams is a foremost authority and best-selling author on entrepreneurship and small business. She is a USA Today syndicated columnist and has written numerous articles for Inc.com. She graduated from UCLA and attended Harvard University for her master’s degree. In 2011, Abrams received the Top Small Business Influencer award, and she has spoken at many conferences, workshops, and meetings. Rhonda Abrams has provided advice to thousands of people seeking expertise on business planning for over 15 years. She is also the president of The Planning Shop, a company that assists entrepreneurs with starting, running, and growing their own businesses.    

      What are some of the critical and key components that these two experts say investors are looking for in a business plan? Tim Berry mentions in his article that elements such as updated project sales, cash flow, costs, expenses, and key performance measurements should be included and stated very concretely. He also suggests that you should state numerical, objective performance goals in order to be able to track results. In a NAFE Magazine article, Rhonda Abrams succinctly states the following: an effective business plan should contain a narrowed presentation of your competitors, what their pricing structure is, what makes your company unique compared to many other similar companies, along with the exact start-up and operating costs for your business. Each expert has suggested varying key elements that are essential for capturing the eye of potential investors and making your plan stand out, but one thing they both agree on is that your information needs to be specific and concrete. In my opinion, these experts have provided very sound business planning advice indeed!

The Importance of Foley Sound

      Have you ever wondered how films are able to have original dialogue replaced with another language, and yet the background sounds are still in tact? How is that possible? It is possible through the art of Foley sound, a technique founded by a man named Jack Foley, which is usually the recreation of sounds such as footsteps and clothing rustle. It can also include other sounds, such as basketball dribbling, clinking dishes, doorknobs being turned, bells ringing, doors slamming, etc. Foley sound is the group of those types of sound effects performed by a Foley artist on a Foley stage in a Foley or post-production audio studio, usually on cue with the actions in the film seen on a screen as they are performing the Foley sound, during the post-production stage (after the film shooting ends).

      One main reason for the use of Foley sound is for the dubbing of films that need a foreign version of the original. However, another reason Foley sound is important, is that it provides more control over the sound for the media being worked on, especially for films, television shows, commercials, or videos that do not have animation as the sole content. When boom operators record dialogue for these types of media, they are supposed to try to avoid capturing the original sources of the types of sounds that Foley artists recreate after the fact. The reason for this is that if the background sounds created from physical action are too loud, such as footsteps in snow or the rustle of a nylon jacket, then those sounds might overpower the dialogue such that it is difficult to hear. By adding Foley sound after the fact (to replace the original sounds), then the overall sound design can be better controlled in the mix; to ensure that the dialogue and Foley are at the right levels, for an optimal audio and overall viewer experience.

      Adding Foley sound also adds depth to media that would otherwise seem and sound very incomplete or hollow, with just dialogue and music. When watching a movie, television show, or even a commercial, it would seem very strange if the actor were walking outside on concrete without being able to hear any footsteps whatsoever. The audience might think that something is wrong with the station or DVD they were watching, since most people are used to hearing these Foley sounds; even if they do not even realize it, or are even aware of what is required to ensure these sounds are present in entertainment media.

      Today, many Foley sounds are often created without the use of Foley artists, Foley stages, or Foley studios, because numerous sound FX are available in digital sound FX libraries, and the budgets for entertainment projects might be limited. These sound FX libraries can be either purchased, or created by an audio engineer through the use of keyboards and digital audio workstations such as Pro Tools. However, the quality of those sounds might not be as good as the Foley sound created by a veteran Foley artist like John Roesch, who has worked on notable films such as “Frozen” and “Inception”, and video games like “Final Fantasy X”.

      The bottom line is this, some type of Foley sound is very important for many types of entertainment and advertising media. Films, animation, video games, commercials, and television features need Foley sound to enhance the sound design by creating a rich tapestry background for that media. Without this type of audio, the audience may not be interested or engaged in the media because of the lack of depth. For obvious reasons, this shows how vitally important Foley sound actually is. If you are still not convinced, take a look at this short video that demonstrates the art of Foley and how important it is:

An Examination of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO stands for “search engine optimization” or “search engine optimizer”, and according to Search Engine Land, it is the undertaking of obtaining traffic from the free and organic listings on search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Typically, SEO consultants/agencies provide website owners with services such as: keyword research, site structure/content review and development, online business development campaign management, specified market/geographic expertise, SEO training, and website development advise from a technical standpoint. It is recommended that one should hire a SEO company or consultant, upon planning to launch a new site or redesign a site. There are both ethical and unethical SEO businesses, so consumers need to do the proper research to ensure that they have hired the appropriate one. Unethical practices could include: promises of #1 ranking on a particular search engine, unsolicited email sent by the SEO company, deceptive or misleading content created on a client’s behalf, ownership of shadow domains that funnel users to a site by using redirects that are deceptive, offers to sell keywords in the address bar, and other deceptive black hat SEO techniques.

One example of a major SEO company is SEO.com, whose clients include Dell and Mrs. Fields. This company has successfully been able to increase organic traffic, ranked keywords, and revenue for these companies and others through its methods of Internet marketing plans that are strategically based upon search engine optimization, search optimized web design, social media marketing, and conversion optimization, all used to dominate the client’s online competition. One example of how it affects the revenue of client competitors from a content provider perspective is the following: SEO.com has been successful in facilitating almost a 200% increase in monthly sales for one of their clients in just a matter of months. This most certainly had to have put a significant dent in the pockets of that client’s competition, because obviously those customers have been lost to said competition. Based upon this client and others that SEO.com has worked with, SEO agencies can certainly be beneficial in adversely affecting the revenue of competitors when one has a larger business. 

If one has a smaller business, the common sense opinion is that they would fare better to either hire a SEO consultant or DIY (after much research on the subject of SEOs), possibly because of a limited budget. When considering a choice of the type of SEO agency or consultant, or whether to utilize one at all; when building a website or if you have a business that incorporates the usage of the Internet for increasing revenue; one should definitely keep in mind that SEO strategies have increasingly become a significant part of business, for Internet marketing, over the past decade.

      Today, there are three pillars of a great SEO strategy, which are: publishing high-quality content that does not get ignored, ensuring that numerous people link to that content (link building), and capitalizing upon social media, which is now the most popular form of communication, especially online. Online social sites are the most common form of social networking, where people with common interests or friendships can communicate, share personal content and information, and make new contacts through current contacts they are linked to. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other significantly popular online sites are examples of social media that are highly used today by most everyone (young, old, personally, and professionally). Apparently, data from social media is currently being used as a search engine-ranking factor, since likes, shares, and tweets are being tracked and incorporated into ranking. Furthermore, Jason DeMers mentions in this article about the three pillars of SEO, that social media is an excellent tool for increasing dissemination, reach to other consumers, and the ability to be shared. 

      Regardless of what one’s business situation is, SEO strategy is extremely important due to the fact that we are in a digital age where the Internet is a critical part of any marketing plan. As such, it demands optimization of any avenues that can potentially enlarge a company’s customer base, and thereby possibly increase revenue streams. I recommend research of SEOs to anyone with a website or Internet business, and for those with a startup business, to watch this embedded YouTube video entitled “SEO for Startups in Under 10 Minutes”: 

      

Symphonic Distribution: A Comprehensive Review of a Music POD/Aggregator Website

      For musicians, artists, songwriters, and/or music producers, having an optimal avenue for music publishing is very critical. It is even more important when one is independent, and not backed by a major label, publishing company, or investor. Today, it has become easier than ever to self-publish through signing up with one of the multiple Print-On-Demand (POD)/aggregator sites. However, with so many choices available now for aggregators, like CD Baby, TuneCore, and INGrooves, how does one know which one to choose? The trick is, to choose the best fit for you and your professional needs. Reading articles such as this Squidoo article, talking to other music professionals who have self-published, and comparing sites is a great place to start. After doing this, and reviewing what several POD sites had to offer, in my opinion, Symphonic Distribution seemed to offer the most variety of services for reasonable and varied pricing structures.

      Whether you are an independent artist or record label, Symphonic has different distribution pricing plans that you can choose from, based upon your status (artist or label), desired royalty percentages, and fan base. They take all of the hard work and difficulty out of the publishing/distribution process because they will deliver your musical content to any of their 300 worldwide partners with stores, such as iTunes, Beatport, Amazon, and Spotify. They also offer daily and monthly sales reporting from their retail partners, for your review and monitoring of statistics, for calculating artist royalties, or for mailing out promotional materials. They also offer an array of other personalized services that offer great benefit, making this an aggregator that minimizes the need for going to multiple companies in order to get things done. For example, they offer: marketing support; mastering services; YouTube management and monetization; sync licensing; CD pressing services; graphic design; website hosting; and even music video production. Their contract term for each option is two years, and unfortunately that contract cannot be cancelled during that time. However, it is a non-exclusive agreement, and even though there is a one-time set up fee in most cases, it is not requested again when the service is renewed.

      For an artist, the pricing structure is as follows, with 100% of royalties/rights retained; and free ISRC/UPC, customer service, 24-hour distribution, distribution to 300 partners, and promo mailer for each option:

•        Mini Album – (1-5 Tracks) for a fee of $10.99
•        Small Album - (1-10 Tracks) for a fee of $19.99
•        Medium Album - (1-15 Tracks) for a fee of $29.99
•        Full Album - (1-20 Tracks) for a fee of $39.99

      For a record label, the pricing is a bit different, but for each option the label would also receive the free ISRC/UPC, customer service, 24-hour distribution, distribution to 300 partners, and promo mailer for each option, without an annual or maintenance fee:

•       70% Royalties – ($100 Sales Threshold) $0 upfront and pay $0 per release
•       80% Royalties – ($300 Sales Threshold) $0 upfront and pay $0 per release
•       90% Royalties – ($500 Sales Threshold) $200 upfront and pay $0 per release
•       100% Royalties - ($0 Sales Threshold) $500 upfront and pay $100 per release

      They offer a wide variety of choices for both artists and labels, and they make it quite easy for you to compare their services to the services offered by other POD/aggregator sites, through the label pricing charts displayed on their website. I invite you to investigate this site, as well as any of the others mentioned here, or any that you can find on your own. Regardless of which one you choose, whether Symphonic Distribution or another, be sure to take the time to thoroughly research your decision because, as with this company, you may not have the option to cancel the contract once you sign up. Happy POD/aggregator hunting!

An Unconventional View of Digital Publishing/Distribution From an Independent Music Professional: Ricardo Miranda

      As an audio professional creating musical content, it will eventually become important to actually publish and distribute those products if any type of success is desired. Therefore, it is necessary to both conduct independent research, and to consult with other professionals in your field who already have experience in this area. With this in mind, I recently contacted Ricardo Miranda, an independent dance music producer, songwriter, and arranger, who has been in the music industry for over 13 years. He created his digital label in 2007, Noble Square Recordings, as a result of his frustration with the fact that major vinyl distributers were closing down all over the world due to the rising popularity of digital music distribution. Since he has had quite a bit of professional experience with digital publishing and distribution, I asked him various questions on the subject for the purpose of concluding my research.

      First, I asked Ricardo about how he publishes and distributes his music as an independent label executive.  Currently, under his publishing company, Ricardo Miranda Music, as well as through outside independent labels, his music is distributed directly through the following distributors: Traxsource in the U.S.; Juno Records in the U.K.; Wasabeat in Japan; What People Play in Germany; and Groove Distribution, for vinyl, in the U.S. He was previously with ASCAP, but left recently due to a failure to receive all of his royalties, so his publishing company is temporarily unrepresented by any performing rights organization. However, his entire writer publishing is currently handled by PRS for Music in London.

      Logically, my next question for Ricardo was whether or not he had ever used any POD companies, such as CD Baby, TuneCore, or INGrooves, but he responded that he had not used one to date. Since he was able to make direct distribution connections really early on, with companies that were in their infancy stages at the time, he never had to use any aggregators before.

      My third question was about what Ricardo thought about the current digital music distribution platform, and today’s music content overall. He stated that he believed that a lot of music is really horrible today. His reasons are multiple, but his main thought was that people who are not really musicians or professional artists are making sub-quality music because of the ease and availability of programs and home audio equipment, without the benefit of true experience or skill. Furthermore, he stated that because these people are making such high volumes of sub-standard music so quickly, it almost downgrades the worth of other good records because it makes the shelf life of all records extremely short. Ricardo further elaborated that there are so many people putting out independent records daily, which are being bootlegged by the minute, so it is hard for independent music publishers to make any money off of their distribution of creative content. His last comment was that it is even harder when an aggregator has to be paid as the go-between, and the only way to really make any money now, would be to get involved with making music for movies, TV shows, commercials, video games, and other forms of media.

      When I asked Ricardo about his thoughts on major distribution outlets such as iTunes and Amazon, he stated that they are really profiting the most in his opinion, from aggregator fees and the fact that they are providing web space for a high cost in the music marketplace. He further stated that they are actually acting somewhat as record labels, except for the fact that they do not have to handle any of the creation/production side of musical content. His last comment was that they are almost like a mall, leasing space to business owners who can’t afford to set up their own freestanding storefronts, which makes it harder for independent business owners to successfully make money.

      Miranda’s final advice to other independent songwriters, producers, artists, and label owners in regard to producing, publishing, and distribution of creative content, was that digital sales are really not the best avenue for making money. He went on to explain that it does however provide an avenue for marketing and promotion of musical content, so you need to make strategic business decisions about which companies you will use for publishing/distribution, based upon your financial and/or media exposure needs. Despite the fact that he does not currently use POD/aggregator sites at this time, he still feels it is necessary these days for most people to distribute music. Out of the companies he researched recently, he found Symphonic Distribution to be the best choice in regard to services offered for the pricing structures available.

      Ricardo Miranda’s personal opinions about the current state of digital publishing and distribution are probably not the norm for most independent music professionals. However, it is always a good idea to obtain the pros and cons of all choices, before making a final decision about which direction to go in. At the very least, after your research has been conducted and opinions gathered, you should be able to make an educated and informed choice that should be a good fit for you in the end.