Music Journal

The Three Kings of Music Cloud Technology

When it comes to cloud technology in music, three major entities are responsible for providing products and services to music lovers all over the world. These three ‘kings’ are: Apple, Google and, most recently Amazon.

The Forerunner:

Sometime around 2003, Apple Industries became the first known online music supplier. At that time and for several years after, the company dominated in this area, but it has since diminished in prominence due to, among other things, the inability to form arranged connections within the music industry. That doesn’t reflect badly on Apple, though, since the available products include podcasts, books, movies, software applications and videos as well. As a matter of fact, as far as can be discerned, Apple is the only one of the three ‘kings’ to offer diversified product lines.

Google and Go Far:
Google has proven itself a formidable competitor to Apple and has exceeded the latter in a multitude of ways. Yes, Google concentrates on music, but its capabilities now reach far and wide, involving a number of big-name bands, namely the Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews and Pearl Jam, who offer a variety of their selections free of charge for download and playback.

Among the other innovations that Google Music utilizes is Android Market. All users, especially those possessing an iOS device, can access their clouds and other availabilities via a mobile terminal at any time and anywhere. Even beginning musicians have a hub to promote their own work, so the cloud accommodates a two-way interactive capability as far as personal marketing and communication. However, the most impressive distinction regarding Google Music would have to be YouTube, which has become the largest and most popular repository for music and videos of all kinds. Here, video and audio streams are integrated, and users can share and comment on others uploads as a community.

The New ‘Kid’ in Town:

As recently as 2010, Amazon caught everyone off-guard by offering its own music clouds. Each user is allotted 5Gb of space free of charge, with an additional 20Gb+ for an annual fee of $20.00. That comes out to $1.66 per month. What makes Amazon especially noteworthy is its MP3 capability. This software compresses audio files for rapid transfer, storage and playback without the excess in memory, so minimal space is, in a sense, maximized.

As far as cloud backup services is concerned, these three giants have it down. Why should any media lover buy anything else in the store for large sums of money when she/he can do so inexpensively and instantaneously online?

The music industry can be a tough business to get established in and not everyone can make it to the bigtime in show business. You may play a musical instrument for personal pleasure and consider it a hobby. However, if you have musical talent, there is no reason you can’t put it to good use. You may have been thinking about how to make extra money as a musician. There are a variety of ways to turn your musical talent into extra cash.

A local bar or nightclub is one of the most popular choices for musicians to go to in search of a musical gig. Many musicians who are popular today began their careers by performing in bars and clubs. The pay for performing each night is usually negotiable and your pay will increase as your reputation increases and you draw larger crowds. You have to be willing to start out in smaller places and work your way up to the larger, better paying clubs.

Being a private tutor is another good way to make extra money as a musician. Many people are excellent musicians but are not comfortable performing in front of an audience. Teaching music is an excellent alternative way to use your musical talent. It will take a little time to attract new musical students but with a little effort you can find enough work to make decent money. You can begin your search for musical students by visiting a local store that sells musical instruments and ask for job leads. The pay for musical tutors varies between geographical locations and is mostly negotiable. with time and effort you can build up a steady clientele for your musical tutoring business.

Many musicians earn extra money by putting on street performances. While this is not a job for everyone, you can earn extra money if you have the talent. street performers mostly work for the tips given by listeners. If people really love you, you might be able to sell some merchandise with your band logo on it. For example, a customized t-shirt for your fans would do really well. Street performers usually seek out busy locations in the city to put on a show. With the right combination of location and performance a street musician can make a lot of money. Performing in the streets is not for everyone, but if you are bold you may find this an excellent way to make extra money as a musician.

Ready to take your band on the road? Did you make the move and book a show or two? Well, congratulations! As an experienced tour musician, there are a couple things that you should know before going on a road trip for a music gig.

Band-mates:

Make sure to take care of your band-mates the day before the gig. Depending on how far away the show is, the band might be tired upon arrival, and extremely sore from sitting in one position for hours and hours on end. Since it is so important that everyone have energy, you might consider renting a hotel room the evening before pulling in to your gig. Also, a lot of musicians are notorious for being wild. Knowing this, maybe throwing a celebratory “gig party” the night before the concert is not a smart idea.

Instruments:

Make sure everyone in the band has backups of all the necessities, such as strings, chords, tuners, and pedals, making positive as you go that all the equipment works. There is nothing worse than arriving at the gig with a broken lead guitar, or finding out that your bass amp is still at home on the porch. Why risk the embarrassment?

Equipment Storage:

Make sure to remember, if you are towing a trailer behind your vehicle to haul the band equipment, that it is waterproof. To be extra sure, you may want to wrap the really expensive things like amplifiers, sound boards, and PAs in plastic bags that are knotted shut. There is no feeling quite like losing a prized possession and necessary element of the band to water damage.

Vehicle:

Breaking down on the way to the gig is possibly the worst thing that could happen, especially if the incident could have been avoided with a routine, pre-trip tune up. Breaking down wastes time, money, and patience. An unreliable vehicle can make the difference between a disaster and an adventure. Get a tune up before you leave!

No matter what kind of music gig you are headed to, you will get there in one piece to play for all of your adoring fans if you follow these simple guidelines. The show must go on!

Music is an art, a talent that a particular number are blessed with. There are courses in music; however, unlike any other profession, being a graduate in music does not guarantee you a job because there are a lot of competitions or you simply do not know where to place yourself. But how about those musicians who did not finish a course in music but are equally capable or even better? Talent in music should not be put to waste because music brings life to the world.

Now there options on how to work at home for musicians. They do not only get to do their passion, they also profit from it. Musicians are not only for the television, radio, or live band venues. They can always use their talents at home yet cater a large audience. Here are the options on how to work at home for musicians.

1. Be a virtual session musician. The scope of the job includes offering your song interpretation, vocal talent or performing acoustics /instrumental to people in need of such. Of course, to be one, you have to be a specialist, someone who can give high-quality service because your services might be needed by producers. And it is practical to have complete equipment, laptop, internet access and gadgets.

The advantage for this kind of work is that you can do it at the comfort of your own home. Plus you can work on the time that is favorable for you and set your own payment rates.

2. Offer music tutorials online. Again, you need to have a good internet connection, a computer/laptop and a website where you can promote yourself and your services. Make sure it is a legitimate site, that can give you the assurance that you will be seen by a large audience and you will earn well. Better yet, create your own website. All you need is proper advertising especially in social sites.

3. If you are a music slash writer, you can use both skills by writing blogs and reviews regarding music. There are certain sites or contractors that pay for music blogs. Just know where to find them. You can also use this opportunity to promote your music.

4. Make sure you install a easy communication system for your clients. Communication will be key in altering your music for the taste of your audience. Look into subscribing to a VOIP service provider to save costs on your telecommunication bill.

There are more options for you. Just make sure that you have all the needed materials that can produce caliber music. Soon, you will have more and more clients and be referred anywhere in the globe as long as you produce the best outputs.

Buying gifts for musician friends can be complicated. I have learned over the years that the most creative types of personalities also tend to be the most creative. In that case, they care what you think and they want you to demonstrate how you feel. When you choose a gift it should represent what you think and feel for them and your friendship with them.

That’s a rather tall order, living up to those expectations can be difficult. It’s not impossible though and with a few tricks you can be on your way to getting the perfect gift for your musician friends every time. First you will want to consider your friend’s personality. Musicians tend to have some type of intensity to them. They could be extroverted or intensely introverted, they can be highly opinionated or very laid back. Either way they tend to be passionate people. The best way to pick a gift is to consider what they are passionate about? The obvious choice is music so starting there is a good idea. Can you find a special collection or rare recording of their favorite artist. Watch their face light up as you give them a never before releases version of their favorite musician or recording artist with tracks never before released. They will be excited and the gift will be most memorable.

What about autograph pictures? For that gift you will need to plan in advance as this may take some time to come to fruition. You can write to their fan club, their press agent, manager, find them on a social networking sight, send them a message on their on website. There are many options available these days and your friend will appreciate our effort.

What about backstage passes to a concert? Does your friend absolutely adore a particular band or artist that will be in town. Perhaps they won’t come to town until later but having the VIP tickets reserved will definitely give the impression that you care.

Band t-shirts are always a good idea. A customized t-shirt from their favorite band will make then smile. Having a band t-shirt will let them show the world how much they love their music.

Whatever path you choose to take just make sure you keep in mind the three P’s for your musician friend. You will want to consider their passions, their personality and their plans. Could you help them reach one of their goals? Do they need help with paying for studio time or getting a demo cut? There are so many options available to you as long as you keep your options open.

A wedding is certainly an event that you can’t just take for granted because of the fact that there are so many things to think about. However, one of the more overlooked factors of a wedding would have to be the band and how to actually choose one. Most people actually don’t understand just how important the band is and how they will really set the mood for the night. If you are looking to find the best possible wedding band, then here are a few things to consider.

Know Your Style:

Your wedding will have some sort of theme or style that you need to establish early on. This is not that tough to determine but you must know what it is. Know what kind of music will be suitable for the guests and then choose from there. This can take a while to figure out and so it is best to just think ahead of time.

Know Your Budget:

It is crucial that you know what your budget is before you even start to look. There is nothing worse than knowing that you are looking at a band that you can’t even afford. Before you start to canvas around for different bands, be sure to first to know how much you can actually spend.

Look At Their Experience:

The next thing that you must look at is how long the band has been together. You certainly don’t want to have a new band that’s just starting out. This is definitely not a great idea and it is best to go with a band that knows what they are doing. These experienced bands will be able to adapt to certain situations better and you will be happier with the service.

Have Options:

It is always a good idea to have certain options when you are choosing because you surely don’t want to be stuck with only one band and then they back out. Be sure to always have a few people to choose from so that you will be able to choose the right band.

Choosing a good band is all about your taste and what your wedding needs. Be sure to talk to your friends and family members about their opinion and then see if they can help you choose. Simply take your time and you will surely come up with a decision very soon.

Everyone has to pass at some point. That’s always one of those givens in life. Still, it seems the famous musicians always go out with a bang. In truth, short lives, and musicians are often synonymous, and it’s plagued the music industry for longer than most people even realize. Every generation has had their heartbroken at some point by an icon passing too early it seems.

Much of this development could certainly be credited to living life truly in the fast lane. People get to see these superstars in magazines, and on the television, and probably have a stereotype of a do whatever lifestyle within them.

While there’s definitely some truth in that, what most people don’t realize is just how hard these individuals do work. The demand by the public to see the performers, and journalists and other media constantly trying to do a piece on them, certainly has them being pulled in directions that most people can’t even fathom. It’s a taxing lifestyle all around, and one that catches up to many of them too quickly.

One of the more tragic days to hit the music industry, and a nation of fans, was on February 3rd, 1959. This day has also been dubbed The Day The Music Died in a popular song by Don McLean. While music has since lived on, three of the most iconic singers in those days didn’t. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper all went down in a plane crash in Iowa along with their pilot Roger Peterson. These showstoppers were all over the Top 40 prior to exiting the stage for the last time.

Another weird subtlety concerning deaths of famous musicians is the 27 Club. Oddly enough, this mysterious birthday year of 27 has been the last for a number of famous musicians. Perhaps, the same could be said about many ages, but what makes this one so interesting is how young it is. This club includes big names such as: Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and now Amy Winehouse has recently joined it. While it’s mostly only a club born from conspiracy theories, it is a coincidence that all these big names did pass this early, and on this particular age.

Following yet another legend in Whitney Houston that has recently died, it rekindles the notion of just how fast these musicians often live their lives. Hopefully, it also renews the appreciation for those that have sacrificed so much paving the way.