The Government Funding for Music 1

Every year, there is a debate concerning government funding and the arts and here’s the question.

Is it the government’s responsibility to fund fine arts, especially music? The answer is no.

Many Americans don’t want to hear that at all but truth is truth. The government funds the arts when they have money left over from budgets. The arts are not a priority.

The governments’ mindset about a nation and how it should operate is in the U.S. Constitution. You will not find an article or amendment addressing the fine arts or welfare. Heck, they just barely have amendments in there that concern voting and civil rights.

The argument from artists is that Fine Arts programs enhance the spirit and the soul of people and music has an influence on all people. This is extremely true.

But the powers that be don’t spend their time listening to the radio. Some of these guys don’t know what a checkout counter is (see George Bush Sr). Their more concerned about running the country and charging you more taxes.

Stay tuned, there is a part two to this which examines why the government started funding Fine Arts programs.

Recording With Virtual Studio Technology

Sometimes, you can’t find the musicians that you want. You’re broke, trying to get started and you don’t have the cashflow to really maintain your own instruments.

Have you ever thought of using VST technology?

VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology and it was first developed by Steinberg and launched in the year 1996. VST’s allow you to recreate a studio environment on your PC or MacIntosh. VST’s work through host components, such as Fruity Loops, Cubase and Halion HOST studios. It allows you to use instruments that have been sampled note by note to write patterns within the compositions that you are working on. Need a guitarist? No problem! Download a guitarist VST, load it into the host that you choose, write the pattern and you’re done!

Many VST’s integrate into host applications with little to no problem at all. They can also be used for MIDI and live performances. This eliminates chasing people around to try to help you do a recording.

If you are a musician that’s on a tight budget and can’t get those “buddies” to perform for you then VST technology is something worth looking into.

 

ASCAP, BMI and CSAC

Music for indie artists is more than recording and performance.  Because of circumstances in the recording industry, if you are planning on doing music of any kind, you also have to think like you, as a musician, are a business.  One of the avenues that you will need to become involved in is ASCAP, BMI or CSAC. All three of these companies are designed to give you the rights to being a musician.  By simply applying and sending in your music, you will officially own what you have written.  Every time the music is performed in a venue by someone, or recorded onto a CD, you will gain the royalties off of the music. Being registered with one of these companies is as important as copyright.  Without it, a song that may be a hit could be lost to another person’s name, which means a loss of money for you as a musician.  Keep eating, keep playing, and start thinking business.

CDs to Downloads

Music players and listeners everywhere, may or may have not noticed that changes are being made in the way we listen to music.  If you are an artist, or if you just enjoy music, having the ability to have the right tools at your fingertips is important. One of the recent changes that are being made that are important for both indie artists and listeners is the idea of CDs.  For those who have ever recorded, they know that making a CD can be expensive and time consuming.  Downloads, on the other hand, have the ability to be flexible with the music and find the right places to market. When you are putting together music, or finding where to buy it, what is the best way to go?  As a musician, you will be most successful if you have CDs simply for promotions and advertising at tours.  From here, make sure that you are connected to download areas. For those that are supporting music, buy more downloads.  You will have the ability to get what you want and can move the music piece into any other area.  And you are saving artists money, which makes them have the ability to eat more than one meal a day.  One place to go for some great downloads is burnlounge.com/inblaze.  You will be able to listen to artists, find artists, and download what you want.  Artists will also have the ability to download their music. For the music lovers and players everywhere, being a part of the music revolution can help to keep the variety going in musical taste.

10 Steps for Indie Artists

If you are a musician or artist and have something to say, there are practical steps that you should know about in order to make the most of your music.  Most musicians struggle with doing more than creating the music.  Traditionally, it has been up to someone else to promote.  Times are changing and now you have the opportunity to be in complete control of what you do.  Here’s the steps to take.

1.  Make sure you are polished.  One bad performance can take years to get over.

2. Have your music copyrighted and send it to ASCAP or BMI in order to claim royalty rights.
3.  Don’t go anywhere or do anything until you have your music recorded.  This is the way to promote and to get your bread and butter.

4.  Have a CD releasing party and invite the town.

5.  Find promotional areas that will advertise your CD for free.  The internet is a great place to go for this.

6.  Get a website up and running.
7.   Find places on the net that will advertise your CD or downloads.

8.  Start planning out a ‘tour.’  It can even be a local one.

9.  Make sure you are playing with the right people and in the right venues.  Don’t settle for less.

10.  Get ready to quit your day job.

By developing a business mind, you can be sure to succeed with your indie art.  It is simply learning how to market yourself as your own artist and stepping up to find the different places to advertise.  By doing this, you can become a well known, full time musician, just as you have always dreamed.

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