There's too much good stuff going on to settle for alpha. With that in mind, we'll take a little extra time and be going straight to beta. What's better about Beta, and why the change? There's a new programmer on board here at Music Slice, and life has become a bit easier.
Among the features to be initially released is the Shows & Events part of Music Slice, sure to make a big splash and have a huge impact on concert goers everywhere. Personally, I'm chomping at the bit. Not only is this going to be a perfect place to search for shows I may want to see, but will also give me a heads up when there's shows playing that I'd like to see based on our ever improving recommendation algorithms. The better Music Slice gets to know me, the better recommendations I'll get.
For example I might get a text message sent to my phone at 4pm on a Thursday letting me know that there's some great live music going on in Madison Square Park, which is a quick walk after work for good tunes and a stop by the Shake Shack for one of the best burgers in the city.
It's not just the algorithm and what it can do - there's your friends. Check out the master schedule of your friends to see what shows they're going to. See what people are saying about shows or leave a comment yourself - even during the show using your phone. Keep tabs on all your favorite artists and venues effortlessly. Even better, get tickets to major concerts that are "sold out" that you find through Music Slice.
Good times, better music. We'll see you soon!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Why must you label me?
Getting that record contract, the goal of many a musician. Why do artists seek this? For a while it was the only way to really get out there. Well a while has come and gone, and somehow the goal of getting signed still remains for some.
What is a record label anyways, and how could an artist benefit?
A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and video recordings, on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. The name derives from the paper label at the center of a gramophone record (what is also known as a "phonograph record" in American English). From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label
Let's look at the keys here: Manufacturing, Distributing, and Promoting.
By manufacturing, they're talking about getting music to tape (studio time) and getting it to a format for the consumer. Just to hit that point - CDs are over. Some may think it's cute to carry these around - pop them in your car, your Discman (smug chuckle), or your old school stereo system - but these belong in museums.
Back to manufacturing, labels provide assistance and financing which was a great idea back when the recording studio was a laboratory of complicated and expensive machines requiring a white lab coat for operation. Today anyone can create and record music in their apartment, spending something between nothing and a couple thousand dollars depending on what they want to do. If they can't afford that, there's thousands of people who have a set up in their own place more than willing to record music for free or a small fee.
Distribution? This one's pretty obvious. There's thousands of sites for the artist to upload there songs, where they can choose to sell them or give them out for free, like Music Slice. They can upload for free, or they can even create their own site and buy hosting to do it on their own terms. Where can't they get as easily? Brick and mortar CD retailers. So what's that mean? The last of the CD hauling public won't have their preferred access to your music. Anyways, you'd only be encouraging them.
Promotion is all about getting your music to as many people who enjoy it as possible, and it's a big one. Many labels have mistaken this for getting music to as many people as possible, regardless if they enjoy it or not. What's happened? They throw music at the major sources of promotion, and hope it sticks, wasting millions of dollars in the process. You wonder why channels like MTV play songs that all sound the same, it's because one channel can only cater to one taste in music and maintain steady viewers. Sure they can have different time slots for different styles of music, but music needs to be on demand.
What if your music was recommended to those prone to dig it, based on their prior listening habits, and a slew of other circumstances affecting music they may like? Not just an off hand "you should listen to this tune, check it out if you can remember", but actually having it mixed in with their daily listening, presented to them while they're online or on the go with instant access to not only listen to and download the song, but see who else is listening to it, what they have to say, see associated art work, lyrics, and all kinds of interesting information. That's something you don't need a label for, and far more valuable and effective. Could a label do this, and are they starting to? Of course! They're trying, bless their hearts, but do you need a record label to help you put your pants on, and then ask for 90% of the money you earn that day? After all, they did help you get dressed for work.
At Music Slice, our goal is to empower artists, making it even easier to get their music to their fans and their fans to their music, even fans they never knew they could have. The transitional state the music industry has been going through the past decade or so is rapidly coming to a close. Music Slice will be right here, marking the end of the old and solidifying the new. The future will bring many more changes to the dynamic; we'll adapt to and even instigate these changes to simplify and expand the musical lifestyle held by artists and fans everywhere. Good times.
What is a record label anyways, and how could an artist benefit?
A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and video recordings, on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. The name derives from the paper label at the center of a gramophone record (what is also known as a "phonograph record" in American English). From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label
Let's look at the keys here: Manufacturing, Distributing, and Promoting.
By manufacturing, they're talking about getting music to tape (studio time) and getting it to a format for the consumer. Just to hit that point - CDs are over. Some may think it's cute to carry these around - pop them in your car, your Discman (smug chuckle), or your old school stereo system - but these belong in museums.
Back to manufacturing, labels provide assistance and financing which was a great idea back when the recording studio was a laboratory of complicated and expensive machines requiring a white lab coat for operation. Today anyone can create and record music in their apartment, spending something between nothing and a couple thousand dollars depending on what they want to do. If they can't afford that, there's thousands of people who have a set up in their own place more than willing to record music for free or a small fee.
Distribution? This one's pretty obvious. There's thousands of sites for the artist to upload there songs, where they can choose to sell them or give them out for free, like Music Slice. They can upload for free, or they can even create their own site and buy hosting to do it on their own terms. Where can't they get as easily? Brick and mortar CD retailers. So what's that mean? The last of the CD hauling public won't have their preferred access to your music. Anyways, you'd only be encouraging them.
Promotion is all about getting your music to as many people who enjoy it as possible, and it's a big one. Many labels have mistaken this for getting music to as many people as possible, regardless if they enjoy it or not. What's happened? They throw music at the major sources of promotion, and hope it sticks, wasting millions of dollars in the process. You wonder why channels like MTV play songs that all sound the same, it's because one channel can only cater to one taste in music and maintain steady viewers. Sure they can have different time slots for different styles of music, but music needs to be on demand.
What if your music was recommended to those prone to dig it, based on their prior listening habits, and a slew of other circumstances affecting music they may like? Not just an off hand "you should listen to this tune, check it out if you can remember", but actually having it mixed in with their daily listening, presented to them while they're online or on the go with instant access to not only listen to and download the song, but see who else is listening to it, what they have to say, see associated art work, lyrics, and all kinds of interesting information. That's something you don't need a label for, and far more valuable and effective. Could a label do this, and are they starting to? Of course! They're trying, bless their hearts, but do you need a record label to help you put your pants on, and then ask for 90% of the money you earn that day? After all, they did help you get dressed for work.
At Music Slice, our goal is to empower artists, making it even easier to get their music to their fans and their fans to their music, even fans they never knew they could have. The transitional state the music industry has been going through the past decade or so is rapidly coming to a close. Music Slice will be right here, marking the end of the old and solidifying the new. The future will bring many more changes to the dynamic; we'll adapt to and even instigate these changes to simplify and expand the musical lifestyle held by artists and fans everywhere. Good times.
Here Comes Alpha
It's been a long time coming, and there's still a lot ahead of us, but this is pretty exciting. After over a year of thinking, planning, designing, and setting things up, Music Slice will give a preview of things to come.
Our "alpha" version will be put up in the next week, offering a list of user posted shows and major concerts throughout the country. All major concerts are linked to Stub Hub, where you can buy tickets to "sold out" shows everywhere.
This is the humble beginning of what's to come. What's in store? Listen to music with your friends in real time online, listen to your own music collection from anywhere you can access the internet, check out what you're friends music taste is like, let them see what you're into, get incredible music recommendations automatically, create and listen to podcasts easier than you ever thought you could, and if I kept on going I'd have my high school english teacher coming after me.
We have plenty of features for artists too, with everything from the ability to upload your music to an online studio. We hope you enjoy.
Our "alpha" version will be put up in the next week, offering a list of user posted shows and major concerts throughout the country. All major concerts are linked to Stub Hub, where you can buy tickets to "sold out" shows everywhere.
This is the humble beginning of what's to come. What's in store? Listen to music with your friends in real time online, listen to your own music collection from anywhere you can access the internet, check out what you're friends music taste is like, let them see what you're into, get incredible music recommendations automatically, create and listen to podcasts easier than you ever thought you could, and if I kept on going I'd have my high school english teacher coming after me.
We have plenty of features for artists too, with everything from the ability to upload your music to an online studio. We hope you enjoy.
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