Composers & Artists & Music Supervisors Oh My

It was amazing to see how diverse our guys are. All ages, colors, sizes and styles. (both music and clothing) We have been joined at the hip from the beginning. The better the music the better the company. Anyone who uses our system knows that the music you guys make is amazing both in quality and diversity. You are great and that makes us great. I will add to this post soon

We are redoing the entire process of adding music. Our goal is to make it

Easier, Faster and more Effective.

1. No more ftp site!!!!!!

You will hit select file and browse your computer to find & upload music

2. Shorter upload steps

You will be able to stop and save your work and come back to it later

3. Hints & Instructions

Helpful hints and basic instructions will be there during every step

4. Updates that will make it easier for Supervisors to find your music

We have added a language search and many other tweaks that will get you more listens

5. You will see what the Music Supervisor sees

You will be able to see the same view of your profile that they see

6. More branding opportunities

You will be able to display photos, album art or company logo’s

7. Faster info

We will are adding twitter account to each artist profile so we can tweet pitches

If you have any further questions post a comment with the question and we’ll answer it on this post.

Thanks Barry

How did you feel when you heard your music in The Blindside?

It is always a blast to hear your music on TV or in a film, especially in a theater.  The Blind Side was just starting it’s run, and had attracted some attention fairly quickly.  The theater was full, and I didn’t know when the music would be in the film.  Trying to find your music in a film can be a challenge.  In this particular instance, the music is very much in the background, setting the atmosphere amongst the crowd noise of a football game.  With surround sound, music can be coming from anywhere, so your ears really have to be listening.  This placement was about 15 seconds, so it comes and goes quick.   When you are in a theater and hear your music in the middle of a crowd, it is a very unique feeling.  No one around you knows your wrote the music.  It is surreal.  When your credits go by, it is very thrilling as well.  I did pick up the DVD recently, and found the music again.  It’s great to start a collection of films and shows your music is in.  Your reel can become very impressive quickly, especially when the movie does well.  In this case, the film has won many awards, including an Oscar (making for a interesting experience watching the Oscars!).  It has done very well in theaters and even overseas (royalties!), considering it is a very American style film.  When the film gets on TV, it will likely be on multiple networks over time.  I have had the experience of having songs on different channels on TV, at the same time.  That is a true kick in the pants.

How did you ever decide to compose “Football Funk?”

I can’t remember what the pitch was for, but somebody was looking for Southern marching band-drumline style music.   That pitch never turned into anything, but the track became part of my larger catalogue.  For me, having a motivation to compose a piece is the best way to build my library.  In this case, what was a throwaway piece has really paid off.
I composed the piece using older keyboard sounds, and with older modules (pre-computer composing).  I used a TASCAM 8 track digital recorder.  With limited tracks, I divided the parts into upper and lower brass, and percussion.  I performed the sections as a unit, giving it a real live sound, rather that individual part-by-part arranging and performance.    Sometimes old school recording is best!

The percussion was performed on a very large drum set with lots of open toms that are great for simulating a drum-corps quad sound.  My strength as a percussionist really helped.  I don’t think loops or electronic drums would have cut it.  It is a cool funky sound.  The song has done well, and also appeared on “Scooby Doo, The Mystery Begins” last year (biggest Cartoon Network viewership ever!)

What is your background, how did you get into music?

I grew up in Evanston, Illinois, next to Chicago.  After trying the violin and trumpet briefly, I studied percussion privately from elementary school through high school (7 years).  My high school had a huge music program with bands, orchestras, jazz bands, experimental music, percussion ensembles, etc.  I went to Indiana University and got a degree in percussion.  I did dabble in composition at college (to the dismay of my percussion instructors!)  After college I moved to Seattle.  One of the first things I did was start an open style composer’s concert series.  It lasted about 4 years, and we even premiered music by Alan Hovhaness.    I have been performing, writing and teaching music ever since.  In the 80s I performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in NYC, playing a wide variety of classical, jazz and original music.  I have recorded with many artists over the years as a percussionist, and especially on mallet instruments (vibes and marimba).

How do you get your music out there into the world?

I’ve always been a PR nut.  I do a lot of marketing using postcards, emails, mailings, etc.  I have music in a few libraries.   It really got me going, and motivated me to write a ton of music.

How has MusicSupervisor.us helped you?

The Blind Side has been a great boost.  They have a great staff, and are very professional and informative.  I do get occasional pitches from musicsupervisor.us when they are looking for something particular. It is a library run by composers for composers.

What are you goals for the future?

I hope to do more scoring of shorts and features.  I am on the board of the Seattle Composers Alliance, a NW composer’s organization.  We bring directors and composers together with events and workshops.  I hope to significatly increase my library regularly, and hopefully become filthy rich on royalties!  My BMI check has been growing, and I hope to see big royalties for “The Blind Side” soon.

Interview by Julius Robinson

But just how much investment is happening today?  The IFPI just released a report pegging current label investment at $5 billion annually, worldwide.  That is roughly 30 percent of broader revenues, a serious reinvestment on early-stage artist development and marketing.  On top of that, the IFPI estimates that labels commit more than $1 million to break artists into newer markets.  Money for advances, recordings, marketing and promotional activities are the largest expenses, often tipping hundreds-of-thousands of dollars, according to the group.

The findings are part of the just-published Investing in Music report.  The broader agenda is to promote anti-piracy measures, reaffirm the importance of labels to artists, and convince lawmakers that labels play an important role in the economy and culture.  “No other party comes close to the levels of investment committed by record companies to developing, nurturing and promoting talent,” said IFPI chief John Kennedy. 

But other parties are also starting to fill that role.  As the hype surrounding ‘DIY’ dies down, artists are realizing that teams and financial support are important for growth, though the partner itself can vary. Indeed, labels are not the only ones capable of bankrolling talent, and artists have more sidekick options than ever before.

Music Supervisor.com Loves ABC’s 10 Things I Hate About You and Music Supervisor Chris Mollere for placing 5 songs in the new series.

Congratulations  to the all the writers, publishers, artists and labels.

“When a Heart Breaks”
S.O.Stereo
Bradley C Davis (ASCAP)
Wildtuck Music (ASCAP)

“Turn It Up And Let Loose”
Carlton J. Smith
Mark Unthananis (BMI
Carlton J. Smith (BMI
New Pryde Music (BMI

“Congissimo
Kyle Wittlin
Kyle Wittlin (BMI)
Kyle Wittlin Music (BMI)

Plus 2 more tracks

When drinking beer in hell you can relax with music from Music Supervisor.com The movie opens in the US on September 25th.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell is a book written by Tucker Max, published in 2006, that details anecdotal stories of debauchery and belligerence. It made the New York Times Bestseller list in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It sold an estimated 70,000 copies its first year.

Composed of short stories narrated by the author, the book is told in a highly embellished style and often focuses on the narrator’s humorous excess. The stories normally deal with themes of drinking (often to excess), insulting people, and embarrassing sexual encounters. A sequel, entitled ‘Assholes Finish First’, is set to be released by Simon and Schuster in 2009.

That includes Dallas-based appliedSB (appliedsb.com), a backend company that flies under-the-radar but has plenty of big-name clients.  For example, appliedSB powers MP3-based downloads for a number of Musictoday-hosted artist pages, including Dave Matthews Band, U2, Jason Mraz, Cheap Trick, and Journey.  Musictoday is owned by Live Nation, and other appliedSB partners include DMX, Express, and Guess.

Now, appliedSB is cooking a direct distribution tool for artists recording their live gigs – one that offers instant internet uploads and on-the-fly format conversions.  That means online placements immediately after the gig, or even before the performance ends.

The basic proposition behind applied’s Audio Publisher platform is simple – upload content from the board and then distribute at will.  The private service is now shifting out of beta, with the mission to allow total flexibility over format, presentation, pricing, and the ultimate distribution point.  “We’re enabling bands to directly upload songs from the board, then sell them out to anyone,” appliedSB chief Todd McGee told Digital Music News on Monday.

The toolset includes widget distribution, though songs can be instantly integrated into any existing store or environment. “You can even add tracks onto the end of an album,” McGee continued.  An initial client is Austin musician Bob Schneider, and potential label deals could be in the offing.  Artists will be required to pay transactional costs, and as always, kicking the tires and taking a test-drive is always advised.

Report by publisher Paul Resnikoff.

Andrew Gold:

Andrew Gold is best known for his worldwide smash hits “Lonely Boy” and “Thank You for Being a Friend” and the UK smash hit “Bridge To Your Heart” among others. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Gold played on many popular Linda Ronstadt albums including Heart like a Wheel and Prisoner in Disguise. Gold has recorded a number of covers for Gigatone including outstanding renditions of hits by The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Elton John as well as re-recording his hits “Lonely Boy”, “Thank You for Being a Friend”, and others. In addition, Gold has also recorded covers of the Christmas classics “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (John Lennon) and “Little Saint Nick” (The Beach Boys). A short biography of Gold can be found at Wikipedia.org.

Dwight Twilley:

Dwight Twilley is the consummate Power Pop singer/songwriter. Best known for his 1975 hit “I’m On Fire” and 1985 hit “Girls” (with Tom Petty), the Tulsa, Oklahoma native has a rabid, cult-like following with rock fans all over the world. Twilley has recorded a set of new covers for Gigatone including “Secret Agent Man” (Johnny Rivers), “In My Life” (The Beatles), “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” (T-Rex), and “Holiday” (The Bee Gees) among others. A short biography of Twilley can be found at Wikipedia.org.

Rocky Burnette:

The son of legendary rock & roll pioneer Johnny Burnette, Rocky Burnette followed in his father’s musical footsteps, playing rowdy, high-energy rockabilly that dovetailed nicely with the early-’80s revival of the style. His 1979 debut album, The Son of Rock ‘n’ Roll, produced the Top Ten smash hit single “Tired of Toein’ the Line” in the Summer of 1980. Not only was the song a huge hit in the United States but was also a smash internationally as well. Burnette comes to Gigatone by teaming up with acclaimed Producer Ron Dante with a handful of new recordings including a re-recorded version of his 1980 smash, “Tired of Toein’ the Line” as well as great new versions of the Christmas classics “Pretty Paper” (originally recorded by Roy Orbison) and “Run Rudolph Run” (Chuck Berry). A short biography of Burnette can be found at Wikipedia.org.