Month: January 2018

How To Create A Successful Music Blog

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A popular music blog can spread the word about your band or insert your opinions on the current rock scene into the annals of pop culture. There are a few vital but easy to master steps you should take while setting up and maintaining your new music blog.

First things first, you need a domain name. While taking advantage of blog hosting sites is great for beginners, a professional blog requires its own distinct URL. Your band name or a singular catch phrase both makes memorable domain name bases.

Next, do your research. A successful blogger is one who is active in the blogging community. There’s something to be said for emulating the greats who came before you. Read other popular music blogs. Create a blog-roll, or favorite blog list, that displays on your page. Lastly, you need to comment. This will keep you relevant, knowledgeable and a mainstay in the blogging world. Also, writers who are gaining traffic based off of your site’s recommendation are more likely to send common readers your way.

The next step is becoming a master of your blogging software. A marketable and successful blog is one that is fully customized. Before worrying about boosting readership or content quality, a successful blogger in training needs to know how to customize and manage every aspect of their blog. Your page needs to grab a casual reader’s attention and stand out from your next door neighbor’s diary blog.

Post regularly- You should be updating your blog with a new post at least three to five times a week. The first step toward expanding your fan base is getting as much of your message out there as possible. Be sure to enable comments and tracking on your blog so your readers feel like a part of the experience. At the root of blogging is a deep rooted community of information seekers and feeders that function much like a virtual family.

Lastly, stay passionate about what you’re writing about. While good keyword saturation and advertisements will increase the revenue of your blog it won’t keep readers coming back. A successful music blog is one full of exciting, provocative and informative posts that educate and entertain readers.

Let Your Personality Dictate What Music You Have In Your Music Player

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Listening to music as a hobby can be a really pleasant activity.Most people are overwhelmed by how many genres they can find everywhere.They do not really know what they should listen to.This is why they tend to waste years listening to the wrong kind of music.

I believe that everyone has one or two genres of music that really resonate with their particular personality. Find the right ones for you and you will be a much happier person in the years to come.

The following are some of the best music genres that you should listen to:

1: Rap.

People who enjoy rap music like to display their individuality and superiority. They may be feel superior because of their higher intelligence, street smarts or because of they can outwit their opponents all the time.

2: Pop music.

Pop music, or popular music, is the right genre for the masses of people. People who listen to pop music are usually concerned with what other people may think of them. They like to be approved and praised by other people. They have a need to feel important and know everything about whats going on in the world. They do not want to be left behind.

3: R&B.

R&B is mostly liked by people who have a lot of life experience. Most of them listened passionately to other genres of music when they were young. They loved to listen to music in their early 20s and now they have a hard time forgetting their past.

These people tend to be more classical. They often use language and words that arent very popular but they used to be popular. Such people have many stories to tell. They love sitting, telling stories and just chilling out.

4: Dirty south.

Dirty south is also known as southern hip hop. Its an innovative style. The people who listen to this genre are either from the south of the United States or were really impressed with the new innovative style coming from the south.

The audience of Dirty south is usually made out of people who like to accept new genres and styles without caring that much about the approval of other people. They are innovative individuals who like to try new things out and see how they work.

5: Trap music.

Trap music started first as a means to determine who is who in a community.This genre is more likely to appeal to people from the south of the United States.

People who like power struggle games also like this genre of music. All people want to gain more power in their lives. A particular type of power is called social power. You can enjoy your social power when you are respected and feared by other people in your social circle. Humans, like animals, think in terms of social structures and hierarchies. So people who like a lot to play social games may also like this genre of music.

Start with the above genres of music and go from there. You will likely find among them the right genre of music that you should listen to all the time.

Listening to music can be a great vehicle to uncover your real personality. Listening to music helps you evolve, become better, gain more power and become more integrated as a person. Listen to your favorite genres of music when you are about to make big decisions in your life. It will help you tremendously.

How To Choose Quality Christmas Sheet Music

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In the digital world it has become much easier to find Christmas Sheet Music and download it immediately. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re getting quality sheet music.

Here are a few tips on how to choose great Christmas Sheet Music;

1. Make sure it’s original. The last thing you want, when choosing Christmas sheet music, is the same old arrangements that everyone else is playing. Find yourself some lesser known arrangements that are more creative than your standard arrangements. That is sure to impress your audience.

2. When downloading Christmas sheet music look for a sample recording of the arrangement. That way, you will know by the recording whether it’s something that has a difficulty level that you can handle and whether it’s an arrangement you like.

3. If possible, make sure the sheet music has good chord symbols. When you get comfortable with the written arrangement you will want to try different chord voicings.

4. Price is important. For good sheet music you should expect to pay anywhere from 5 to 10 dollars.

5. Free is not always better. Many people search for Free Christmas Sheet Music hoping to save money. However, you should know that you get what you pay for. The music that you will get for free is generally old worn out standard arrangements that will not impress anyone.

6. If possible, purchase sheet music that you can get right away. That means that you will be able to download it in PDF format as soon as you pay for it.

When should you be looking for Christmas Sheet Music? If you’re smart you’ll start looking around the beginning of October. This will give you enough time to practice the arrangement and even memorize it.

Because most people don’t start thinking about Christmas until Thanksgiving, that is much too late to find yourself some great sheet music, unless of course you’re looking to buy gifts for the musician in the family.

Christmas sheet music does a great gift so, if you are shopping for a gift, it’s very important that you pay close attention to the above tips on choosing the right music. The last thing you want is to buy a piece of sheet music that the recipient is not interested in.

What are some of the Christmas sheet music classics that make great gifts? Here’s a few suggestions; Carol of the Bells, Jingle Bells, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Sleigh Bells, Deck the Halls, The Christmas Song and even Silent Night.

Finally, a word of caution; there are so many websites now that sell Christmas Sheet Music. Therefore, try to narrow your search by choosing the exact songs you’re interested in. For example; type the following into a Google search box: Carol of the Bells Downloadable Sheet Music.

It will save you a lot of time if you know exactly what you’re looking for and knowing the name of the song is part of that strategy.

The Dark Carnival Music Mythology Builds A Loyal Following

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For all the press (negative and positive) Insane Clown Posses horror rap music receives from mainstream and underground media alike, theres one aspect of the Insane Clown Posse shtick that is all too often overlooked: the Dark Carnival.

That could be because many people dont take the time to understand it, which is unfortunate because the Dark Carnival is just one more element of Insane Clown Posses music that makes them so unique. Ever since crafting the concept of Dark Carnival and Jokers Cards at the beginning of their musical career, its been central to the band successfully connecting with fans.

Dark Carnival: The Origins

It all came to Violent J in a dream. In this dream, spirits in a traveling carnival appeared to him. After deliberation between Violent Js older brother, Robert Bruce (better known by his stage name JumpSteady) and the other half of Insane Clown Posse Shaggy 2 Dope, it was decided that the Dark Carnival was a static state between life and the after life in which spirits of the dead waited before going to heaven or hell.

Dark Carnivals Involvement with Insane Clown Posse Song Material

Insane Clown Posse members have intelligently decided to use this dream to their advantage and make it a permanent fixture in their persona. Insane Clown Posse uses the Dark Carnival as a platform to relay messages or moral stories through their albums, or Jokers Cards. These Jokers Cards all communicate unique messages.

But what morals could a band like ICP possibly convey through Jokers Cards and the Dark Carnival? After all, their music doesnt exactly lend itself to virtuous living.

The best examples are outlined in the Carnival of Carnage, The Riddle Box, and the Great Milenko Jokers Cards. In Carnival of Carnage, the Jokers Card takes the form of a traveling carnival that releases brutality upon the upper class and government that were negligent to societys lower classes during their lifetime. The moral here is equality.

The Riddle Box urges onlookers to seek their own morality deep inside themselves, and correct it if its on the wrong path. Finally, the Great Milenko symbolizes the inner hedonist within us all, and emphasizes that this desire must be fought off in order to reach heaven. The entire Dark Carnival mythology becomes amazingly complex when all seven cards and their meanings are analyzed.

There are currently seven Jokers Cards in the Dark Carnival, six in deck 1 and one (soon to be two) in deck 2. The Dark Carnival Jokers Cards in order of release are as follows: Carnival of Carnage, The Ringmaster, Riddle Box, Great Milenko, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers, Death (end Deck 1), and Bang! Pow! Boom! (end Deck 2).

Insane Clown Posse is looking to release card #2 in Deck #2, The Mighty Death Pop, in 2011. It has been announced that The Mighty Death Pop Jokers Card will have two faces instead of one, look out for number two coming soon!

Interview With David Zennie, Music Video Director

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David Zennie
Date of Interview: December 1, 2010

This is an interview that I conducted with David Zennie, a writer/producer/director, whom I admire. This interview is with David, specifically in his capacity as a music video director. I want to thank David for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us the inside scoop on music video production.

What exactly is the director’s job during the production of a music video?

The director’s job on a music video is to develop a visual concept for the song and assemble a creative production crew to produce the content. During physical production of the video – the filming – the director manages all activity to capture the concept on film. This includes working with various creative professionals to ensure everyone is on the same page and persisting in the same vision creatively.

What crew is used to produce a music video?

Music video crews vary depending on budget. On a project for an independent artist – where budgets are small and no funds are being advanced by a record label – you’re working with the bare essentials: the performing artist, whatever actors the concept calls for, a producer, a director, a cinematographer and hopefully a few extra hands to help wrangle gear, food and location needs. If you’re lucky, a still photographer is available to document the process for print marketing, website and festival purposes.

What equipment is used to produce a music video?

The basic equipment you need for an indie music video is a reliable camera package, a basic lighting package, digital storage drives and a computer with editing software. The equipment is usually cost-prohibitive, unless you’re working with talent who can supply the resources – cinematographers who own a camera, editors who own an editing system, actors with interesting clothes in their closets, etc. Shoot digital HD if you can – you won’t have to purchase tape stock.

How long does the average music video take to produce?

On average, a quality music video takes two days to shoot – one day for filming the conceptual or story material and one day for filming the artist performing the song. Development prior to shooting and editing after shooting can be a moving target depending on everyone’s schedule, but generally can last anywhere from two to six weeks each. On average, let’s say six weeks from concept to final, edited piece.

How do you prepare to direct a music video?

A director has numerous responsibilities in order to prep a music video. First, you need a great concept the recording artist likes. Next, you need to assemble a crew with all the right equipment and schedule shooting dates that work for everyone at locations that are appropriate to the concept. In prep for shooting, the director maps out the story beats to be filmed along with directions and adjustments for the actors. Because you’re not dealing in dialog performance, casting for the right look and energy becomes essential. If you’ve prepared properly, everyone understands what they need to do, and you’re able to give productive direction when challenges emerge.

How does the music of the song itself affect the production of a music video?

The song itself affects production less than you might think. By all means, you want the song playing during performance. But sometimes silence – or a different kind of music entirely – works to evoke the emotion you’re looking for from your actors. If properly constructed, the spirit of the shoot is drawn from the concept, which in turn has been inspired by the song. So, aside from physical performance, the song itself functions best as subtext.

Can you describe the editing process?

The editing process is where everything comes together. First step is to digitize your footage into an editing system like FCP or Avid. Then you play through everything, sub-clipping and labeling the material for easy access. It’s painstaking. It’s maddening. But you’re building a puzzle, and you need to know where all your pieces are.

What does it take to get your final seal of approval on a music video you directed?

Final approval on a music video comes in three stages. First, the director needs to establish what’s called a “fine” cut. The fine cut is what you send to the recording artist for notes and feedback.
Addressing those notes is then step two. Once your recording artist is satisfied – and this may take some work – you have a finished piece. Personally, I like to let a finished piece sit for a week before releasing it to the world. Editing can be a lot like writing – you get blind to your own material after a while and need to stick it in a drawer for a period of time before coming back with fresh eyes for one last look. “Last looks” is then step three. Make your final adjustments, and you’re ready to release your work to the world.

Are there any secrets that you learned in directing music videos?

There are some secrets to directing a music video… but they’re secret. I will say this much: you can’t phone it in. If you’re not sufficiently inspired by the song, then you won’t see inspiration on the screen. If you’re thinking about directing a music video, make sure to begin with a song that inspires a concept. If you do this, you’re on the right path.