(Part 2) Top products from r/Music

1. It's different. I know how Kanye works better than the others, mostly because my former band mates work with him quite a bit. It's a very collective event in the studio. Kanye brings in various creators (of beats, sounds, melodies, etc) into the studio. Kanye approaches music creation in a much different way. He's kind of a post modernist in that sense. Almost more like a film director than a typical composer. He curates the songwriting. In an ideal world, everyone who is involved in the creation of those songs should be getting songwriting credits and performance royalties. But it's not always the case. People can also be paid "for hire" as it's called. Where you're paid a fee up front to relinquish your publishing/songwriting rights. But I want to stress, what he does is very particular...and also, in my opinion, pretty amazing...creatively speaking.
   
   As for the others, many of them have songwriters that they regularly work with, or the producers they work with know other songwriters that pitch material too. I don't work with those people on any kind of substantive basis. So I can't speak for how they work. But I would assume that most of them are singing other people's songs. So the way royalties get distributed is split between the performer (ie Ariana Grande) and the songwriter (whoever). And it gets even more complicated than that (the songwriter's publishing is split between the "writers" side and the "publishing" side). There are whole books that have been written about the complexities of royalty payments. But suffice it to say, the reason it's complicated is specifically to screw songwriters out of their publishing. See: Ray Charles, and pretty much every other black songwriter/performer from 1900-1975.
   
   (also worth noting, this is incredibly simplistic explanation...I'm sure someone else can explain more eloquently)
   
   
2. The people who create the songs dont necessarily also know how to launch the careers of artists. Those are two completely different skill sets. That's a marketing genius vs a songwriting ace. Different parts of the brain at work there. And often, songerwriters aren't particularly interested in developing a performer's career. That involves management, PR, etc. Very quickly becomes not about songwriting. Also, there are way more songwriters than pop stars. Once a star is established, there are alot of talented songwriters out there that can write a hit. I promise you.
   
   Also, keep in mind, that's just one very narrow understanding of songwriting. Most any band you listen to on a college radio station, or on a Zach Braff soundtrack, wrote and performed those songs. So they are also affected by all this. This is not an issue limited to the people who write hits for Lady Gaga (though I think she writes a bit herself as well).
   
   
3. Labels dont control what gets played on the radio. At least not directly. Of course, their influence is pretty overwhelming. But they aren't literally telling people what to play. That's called payola. And it was a thing. And then it was made illegal. Also, keep in mind major radio is really just controlled by a couple of very powerful companies.
   
   So is it possible to get on major radio as an independent artist? Yes. But it's incredibly difficult. Major labels definitely have the lion's share of control of what gets played. But they aren't literally making the playlists. At least not to my knowledge. But admittedly, I know less about major radio politics. Bc it's gross and terrible.
   
   
4. Major labels do NOT control everything. This really needs to be made very clear. I, and many many others, exist in a music world that is completely independent from that model. And that's the point I'm trying to make. Indie record labels actually DO pay their artists. College radio actually DOES pay alot more in royalties than streaming services. There's a whole music economy that exists independent of major labels and commercial radio. And streaming is crushing us. At least financially. It's still unclear how beneficial it is in the long-run. But for sure, the payment structure (roughly 1/1000 of a penny per play) seems pretty nuts compared to the royalty rates for college radio plays.
   
   As for what criteria is used to create a pop star, hell if I know. Who would've thought that Kesha would be a star if you saw her sing or walk down the street? Some are more obvious choices. I've seen Katy Perry in really early video when she was 16. She had a powerful voice. Good personality. Good stage presence. And obviously good looking. It's not rocket science. And even in the pop world, most of it is still very much a bout luck. For every Katy Perry, there's 10 people you've never heard of who are playing at some rinky dink carnival right now trying to drum up some "viral content." It's still a crap shoot, even at that level. No one knows what will stick.
   
   They used to say that the music business is the only business where 1% of your business makes up for the rest of the 99% failure. Major labels are set up for handling either massive successes or huge failures. They've always had a hard time managing the careers of modest/middle-of-the-road musicians. They're just not built for that.
   
   Definitely not dumb questions at all. It's all super confusing. And deliberately so. But the overarching point is, most musicians are writing their own music. And they more than likely still own at least part if not all of their publishing rights. So when you stream music or steal it, you really are taking money out of their pockets in a substantial manor.
   
   I use Spotify. I get it. It's great. But people need to know how the business works before they start making assumptions like "well, they make tons of money touring." It's not true. But anyway.
   
   Check this out if you want to know more

How did I get into it? I started as a DJ. Next logical step I suppose.



Advice/tips?



Read up. Here are some of my favorites, and I do recommend buying them as you will probably refer to them often.


This would be my top pick: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072


This is one on psychoacoustics, which I've found had some helpful knowledge: http://www.amazon.com/How-Music-Works-David-Byrne/dp/1938073533



And this is one on the history of electronic music, which I personally LOVED reading. Great information, and if you truly respect the scene as a whole, you should 100% read this: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419810859&sr=1-1&keywords=last+night+a+dj+saved+my+life



As far as software goes, they are all kind of a personal thing. Some offer things that others don't. My recommendation is to try before you buy, especially considering production software is expensive.




In addition, there is also a large choice of hardware you can use for production. You should look into getting a keyboard and some good monitor speakers at a bare minimum. If you stick with it, I would suggest you buy yourself a drum machine/step sequencer. My personal recommendation is Native Instruments 'Maschine.'



EDIT: A word.

> John was certainly every bit as talented as Paul

I disagree with this statement. Lennon may have been a better lyricist (I think so, anyway), but McCartney's ear for arranging horns and strings was (and still is) truly otherworldly.

EDIT: It helped, obviously, that Paul had George Martin as a mentor. This is a great book on the topic, if anyone's interested.

Jonze also did this one. There's a DVD collection of Jonze's music videos. They all blow me away. I like his movies but loved his vision for stuff like this.

Edit:

https://www.amazon.com/Directors-Vol-Director-Spike-Jonze/dp/B0000AZT2X

OOP but well worth the used price

I completely agree, absolutely brilliant, and I encourage everyone here to go ahead and grab a copy of the 33 1/3 book that details the making of In the Airplane Over the Sea album. Anyone who is a fan of Mangum and his music, and really that of the Elephant 6 collective as a whole, really owes it to themselves to take an afternoon to read through it.

Here's a link for those who might be interested.

Michel Gondry does some amazing music videos. Some are just technically wonderful, like the video he did for Kylie Minogue's Come Into My World or the Chemical Brothers' Star Guitar, and some are technically simple but quite moving, like his video for the Gary Jules cover of Mad World.

There's a great DVD collection out there of music videos by Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, and Chris Cunningham, which I highly recommend.

Glad I helped convince you to give it another go. Hopefully with new ears. If you do find yourself gaining interest, especially the Anne Frank bit, this was a good, quick read that discusses it more.

Might I suggest reading How Music Works by David Byrne. It really helps to explain how/why some people like some music and don't other music. How it can depend on your cultural surroundings and experiences. It can help you become more aware of what is happening in the music and it can give you a better appreciation for music you would normally not consider.

Not a documentary film, but David Byrne's book "How Music Works" is a fascinating dissection of Music as a whole. It's worth a read if you're interested in Music.

I'll second jbarket's recommendation of Technics, assuming you can find a used one in good shape.

I recently purchased the Audio Technica ATLP120 for my in-laws, they've been very happy with it. Currently on sale at Amazon for about $250.

Also ask yourself- do you need 78 rpm? If you can live with a two-speed (33 & 45 rpm) there are a lot more good options in your price range.

Not sure about the 2010, but my previous car (02 Taurus) had a tape deck. A CD player, or if you were really rich, a 6-CD changer were options. I ended up buying a bluetooth cassette adapter which worked OK.

When you're at the bottom of the heap and haven't established a fanbase who always comes out to your local shows (like at least more than 20 people who aren't on the guestlist), it can be tough to demand any kind of money from a venue for playing. That's when it's important to open for bands that are a little bigger than you in your style, stick around for the whole show, talk to people, act professionally, tear down your gear quickly, and generally make yourself as likeable as possible to make up for the fact that you didn't bring the whole world out to see you. That plus going out to other shows to support other people who are doing similar things as you are, doing an appropriate level of promotion, and being a good musician/songwriter will get you to the place where you have a fanbase and can start firmly but politely demanding the money you deserve. Then there's hiring a lawyer to shop a demo, all sorts of stuff. Definitely never pay to play, but playing for free, I'd say sure, maybe at the beginning. Demanding money up front that you can't earn back from ticket/drink sales for the venue the night of the show is just going to make you a pariah of the scene. If you want your soul further crushed about the music business, read this: http://www.amazon.com/This-Business-Music-Definitive-Industry/dp/0823077233

Our Band Could Be Your Life

American Hardcore

Last Night a DJ Saved My Life

Also an honorable mention to Love is a Mixtape and High Fidelity as well.

There's an interesting book on the subject, written by Daniel J. Levitin. It's called:

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of A Human Obsession


Oliver Sacks has an excellent book on the subject as well:

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain

To those who have only heard his wacky stuff: give this a listen. Watermelon in Easter Hay. The first song I had a real emotional connection with. I teared up listening to it the first time, and almost still do. In part bdue to the context on the album Joe's Garage, but even out of context the song is just beautiful.

If you are a Zappa fan I highly recommend reading The Real Frank Zappa Book, his autobiography, if you haven't already. Gives some insight into his though processes and what he went through to do what he did.

London Philharmonic: Us and Them
I'm a big Pink Floyd fan also, and I love this album. It's not really branching out, but I think you'll like it.

BEST ALBUM EVER!

Us & Them: Symphonic Pink Floyd

You could listen the songs from the soundtrack of Good Morning Vietman.

Another songs that makes me feel like I want to ride my bike are:

• Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane
  
• Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
  
• Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
  
• Had to Cry Today - Blind Faith
  
• Crossroads - Cream
  
• All Along the Watchtower - Dave Mason
  
• All Right Now - Free
  
• Inside Looking Out - Grand Funk Railroad
  
• Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
  
• Dear Mr. Fantasy - Traffic

We Jam Econo is truly awesome.

I would add:

afro punk

american hardcore

D.O.A. A Rite of Passage

Kill Your Idols

The Real Frank Zappa Book

Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs

No One Here Gets Out Alive

X: The Unheard Music

And, for fun:

Heavy Metal Parking Lot - I actually went to high school with some of the kids interviewed here.

This is how articles are written and optimized for click bait, SEO, and traffic.

This is all intentional

Would you like to know more?

Audio Technica AT-LP120

Hight quality turntable at a reasonable cost. Check out the reviews

I've had this one for about 2 years and I love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Neutral-Milk-Hotels-Aeroplane-Over/dp/082641690X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413252669&sr=8-1&keywords=Neutral+Milk+Hotel+book

Check out this book. It's under $10 and really goes into each song in as best depth as you will get from a somewhat reputable source

There is a great DVD of his work in a series called... "Directors Series".
http://www.amazon.com/Directors-Series-Vol-Director-Michel/dp/B0000DBJ9J/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1382768864&sr=8-5&keywords=directors+series

Buy or download The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons, 1936-1958.

He composed and performed other popular tunes that were featured in all your favorite Looney Tunes.

That is a cool video. This was by Michel Gondry. Here is another really cool video by him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmpxsk3dHaA

You can buy a DVD of a bunch of his videos:

http://www.amazon.com/Directors-Vol-Director-Michel-Gondry/dp/B0000DBJ9J

Anything really from the "Director's Label Series Boxed Set - The Works of Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham, and Michel Gondry". Many of these videos have already been mentioned. Michel Gondry's DVD is my favorite.

These are probably my most watched DVD's. They really need to release these in Blu-Ray!

http://www.amazon.com/Directors-Label-Series-Boxed-Set/dp/B00065AXTM

Thanks!

I did a lot of research for months. I wanted a beginner set up that didn't cost a ton but also didn't suck and would last a while. Landed on these:

Speakers

Turntable

This was one of the first DVD's I actually purchased.... Such good.

There are at least two CDs available full of Carl Stalling's music for Looney Tunes. I loaned mine to a friend years ago and he still hasn't returned them. :-)

99 Darkest Pieces of Classical Music for only $1.99. A good start to any collection as it includes a large amount of the most popular pieces.

No order;

Battle of Mice - A Day of Nights (easily my favorite female vocalist), Zodiak - Sermons, Tool - Lateralus, Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, and Deftones - White Pony.

I could keep going though.

Three of the top four videos (as of right now) in this post were all directed by Spike Jonze. Get the DVD set, it's worth it.

I have a Audio Technica AT-LP60 .
It's treated me well. This partcular model is about $90, and does not have a USB plug. They do make one that is exactly the same with the USB for a little bit more expensive.

Difference between MP3s and vinyl? I mean, really depends on your set up, I guess. Also, some modern music doesn't really have some of the dynamic range that people really go nuts after. I have some stuff that's mastered really well that is new, and then there's the albums that are just mixed... loud, no nuance.

There's a book about indie bands in the time period surrounding the Smells Like Teen Spirit music video debut that includes a lot of material on Dinosaur Jr. Read it.

I'm too dumb to explain it myself, but I've read this book twice and it could help you too... ["This Is Your Brain on Music"] (https://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-Music-Obsession/dp/0452288525/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495052092&sr=8-1&keywords=your+brain+on+music)

It's like The Carl Stalling Project

I'm almost surprised I had to explain this.

It's a book by Michael Azerrad that chronicles 13 different indie bands from the 1980's including the Surfers, Minutemen, Fugazi, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, etc. Hey, and it's only 12 bucks at Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671705725?pc_redir=1404220645&robot_redir=1

Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles

Not downplaying the grandiose that is Dark Side of the Moon, but you should check out the Us & Them: Symphonic Pink Floyd.

Or even this: click here

Pick up the Good Morning Vietnam Soundtrack - it has this track a bunch of others from the same era.

It is an album

Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin.

Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592402690/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NKXrxb4EHPW44

> This was one of the first DVD's I actually purchased....

Michel Gonrdy's too. WHOA - there is a Michel Gondry #2 disc!

Half this thread is on this DVD I found this summer.

They got them all built in one now.

even better

"This Business of Music."

https://www.amazon.com/I-HEARD-THEY-SUCK-LIVE/dp/B0000007QD

I'm going to leave this book here.

Anyone who thinks that this wasn't planned is deluding themselves.

You should read Trust Me I'm Lying if you want to know exactly how easily online media can be deceived.

It's ridiculous and I've used some of the tips in it to get stuff I've made into some fairly prominent magazines.

TL;DR in case you don't want to read the book:
They don't give a shit if it's not reliable, they get the page views (and hence advert hits) regardless of if it is legit. The edit isn't retroactively sent to everyone who previously read it. Plus they can even get a double dip of hits when they write the article about how they were tricked.

I completely understand where you are coming from. Although the suggestion I am about to give doesn't necessarily introduce you to new music what it can do is revitalize your love of music which is always a great starting point. Buy a record player and a few LPs that have always inspired and moved you. Yesterday morning was a Misfits Static Age kind of vibe but this morning I couldn't stop hitting volume up on Florence and The Machine's Lungs album. The kids may hate it but I can only listen to my 13 years olds modern rap choices at high volume before I regret not buying All Eyez On Me the last time I was at a record store. Here's a link to a highly rated player on Amazon sub $100. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002GYTPAE/ref=ox_sc_act_image_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

The 99 Darkest Pieces Of Classical Music isn't bad too. But not as festive.