iPhone App Development Made Affordable For Poor Musicians and B Celebrities

Posted by Stephen Wayne on Monday, October 19th, 2009

I’ve been following a few mobile app developers that allow indie artists, athletes, public figures, and small businesses to use software and web based platforms to launch their own apps and place them in the major mobile app stores.   No longer does the cost of a custom iPhone app match the sticker price of a brand new car.  These developers have made tools available to upload your own photos, music videos, connect social networks blogs and other feeds – into slick apps that won’t cost you a fortune.

You don’t have to own an iPhone to understand the value that apps present.  iPhone app development has been a booming business despite the current state of the economy.  Apps are cheap entertainment users can take anywhere.  Those who sell their apps for less than a large coffee see huge revenues from thousands of downloads.  Free apps see even more downloads and give companies a new venue to reach consumers.  The music industry has witnessed the iPhone app become not only a tool to promote artists, but also interactive albums with exclusive content that have brought in millions of dollars in sales.  But what about those cool apps you see from famous rock stars?  Can I get one of those?  The answer is: heck yes you can.

Mobile Roadie is the most promising solution for those on a budget.  While its offerings are fewer than Kyte, a platform commonly used by major labels and corporations, Mobile Roadie has a lot of functionality for the price.  Although both platforms are ideally suited for music industry related clients, they can easily be modified to fit the needs of any public figure or company.

MR features include a wall with commenting, tour dates, music player that stays put while you browse the content, album info and iTunes links, videos, integration of facebook, flickr, and other media sharing and social networks, and even imports your RSS feeds from Twitter, blogs, calendars, etc.

From what I’ve seen on the MR site, there is a mere $499 fee for setup.  MR (more…)

Tags: apps, development, iphone, kyte, moble roadie, video
Posted in Blogging, General Media, Industry, Multimedia, Technology | 2 Comments »

Advice For Our Students In 140 Characters or Less

Posted by Travis Norman on Friday, October 16th, 2009

Here are some of the best results from a recent poll sent to the many awesome followers of our @IPR_School twitter profile.  The question was simply: What advice would you give to our students in 140 characters or less?  Do you have any words of wisdom or helpful hints to share as well?  Leave ‘em in the comments section below, and thanks in advance from our hard working Audio Production and Engineering / Music and Entertainment Business students!

Tags: @IPR_School, advice for students, twitter
Posted in Industry, Multimedia | 2 Comments »

Music Industry Makeover

Posted by Travis Norman on Thursday, October 8th, 2009

The most exciting aspect of the chaos within the music industry is the prospect of opportunity.  With no one proven way to move forward on the table, the time is ripe for trying experimental and innovative approaches.  Those bold enough to see their vision through to completion are by no means guaranteed success, but the very fact of a marketplace in flux is worthy of celebration in and of itself as it demands that new tactics be evaluated.  Granted, many of the remaining power players would not have embraced this type of climate by choice, but now that the old models are crumbling before their very eyes there are decisions which must be made – and since the answers could come from any direction, minds are opening to ideas which previously would have been considered too risky or too far removed from the established ways of doing business.

Legendary recording artist Frank Zappa reminisces fondly on the days of cigar chomping old guys deciding how to market music…

Of course, when people speak of the decline of the music industry, they are often truly referring to the decline of one specific aspect of the greater whole, that of physical product sales.

Meanwhile, music continues to permeate nearly every aspect of our lives in ever expanding ways.  As always, fans continue to define themselves and their communities with the sounds and styles they love.  Consumers have simply spoken with their dollars in favor of a new set of priorities.  The ability to discover and share music easily has trumped both fidelity and format to assume the top spot on many people’s list of what they want from their music collections.

Music business advice from Lil Jon, Too Short, Gangsta Boo, Ashanti, Cash Money, hella DJs, an Entertainment Lawyer, radio station program directors and more…

Encouragingly enough, there are individuals within the established order who are in fact making the effort to embrace these insights.

It’s quite challenging to evolve quickly in a rapidly changing market. The music industry today is a very different beast to what it was 10 years ago. There has been a huge shift in focus. I think we all understand how much has changed. We’re just learning to have a different role and provide a different range of services for our artists, and a different offer for a consumer that fits the way people experience music now. That’s obviously a constantly moving target. It evolves all the time. ~ Ed St. John, head of the Australian Recording Industry Association

Jazzy Jeff offers his two cents worth on how to move forward in the biz…

Not only that, but as one market segment continues to shrink (CD sales), others are just beginning to bloom.  Consider the iPhone application, which artists like T-Pain have already used as a new way to reach consumers.  His “I’m on an iPhone” app has already sold more than 300,000 units at $2.99 each, comes complete with a contest opportunity urging users to upload a video of themselves singing along with the hit song, “I’m On A Boat”, and promises the winner $5,000 and a chance to hang out with the robo-voiced crooner.  Cheeky?  Absolutely, yet this type of marketing obviously appeals to his fan base and really only hints at the potential for interactivity between artist and fan.

Ultimately, it may prove that versatility will reign supreme and those willing to experiment on multiple fronts and with a variety of tactics will be the most successful.  That indeed is the beauty of this story…it’s outcome is still being written!

Posted in Industry, Multimedia | No Comments »

Catch Me If You Can – Keeping Up With The Music Biz

Posted by Travis Norman on Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Today’s music and entertainment industry is a fast moving target for those looking to stay current with the latest developments.  The beauty of this state of flux and general upheaval is that opportunity abounds to experiment with innovative approaches and tactics.  Of course, before you can use a piece of information to your advantage you must first be made aware of it.  To aid in that goal I am happy to share some resources that may prove beneficial to those pursuing a career path in music and entertainment business.

• Hypebot – Music. Technology. The New Music Business. Excellent and timely writing offering insightful perspective into the events shaping the industry
• Qmuso – Digital Marketing, Digital Music News, Jobs, Music Making, Tech News
• Billboard – Essential reporting and analysis nicely divided into easy to navigate categories.  Includes writing from the individual behind the now defunct coolfer.com, my former favorite source for this type of info
• musicindustrynewswire – “is a unique online portal combing a wide variety of original content related to the music business and recording industry, both from the creation and business side and the retail and consumer side.”
• musicbusinessblog – “Tips, commentary, and opinion on surviving the New Music Industry”
• RIAA – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry.
• DigitalMusicNews – “is the premier news and information authority for music industry and technology executives”
• musicindustryreport – “With all the hundreds of music websites that are online. This is the site that brings them all together for the reader that wants to stay in the loop.  The Music Industry Report brings the latest news, tips, and advice columns for the global music community.”
• Knowthemusicbiz – “is an online community and resource center for independent artists and musicians. Our goal is to help make available the information needed to build a sustainable career in the rapidly changing music industry.”  Extra points for including a blog in which John Doe, founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, answers questions from community members.
  
• @IPR_School on Twitter – Feel as though you are just too busy to keep up with the ever changing facets of the industry?  You need an aggregator, someone able to pull together the information you want and deliver it directly to you.  Alongside the tips, tricks, techniques, and tutorials related to audio production and engineering which are available here you will also find breaking news and information from the music industry.  By searching the vastness of the online world for the most helpful bits of knowledge, from the above resources and many more, this feed is one way to stay current – a crucial component of choosing the tactics which will lead to success.

image from Flickr member kakki-RR*

Tags: IPR, Music and Entertainment Business, music industry
Posted in Industry, Multimedia | No Comments »

10 Resources for Audio Production and Engineering Students

Posted by Travis Norman on Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Studying audio production and / or audio engineering requires a good deal of discipline in order to truly understand how things work and why.  To aid in this goal we are happy to share some great online resources to help you make the most of your education!

• Pro AudioProduction Glossary of Terms – A fairly comprehensive collection of definitions for terminology you will encounter
• The Stereo Bus A superb blog offering “Music production, pro audio and engineering tips & secrets.”  Topics range from specific plug-in reviews to more general advice such as “How Do I Get My Songs to Play at the Same Volume?” or “How to Add a Subwoofer to Your Monitor System“  (Fun Fact: The individual behind this effort describes himself as having “graduated from IPR for music production back in 2003 as their first enrolled student”…Nice!)
• Home Studio Tips This site takes a very cool approach by setting itself up as a social networking niche site – the informative articles and videos are shared by members who are eager to offer their expertise, often on specific pieces of equipment or production scenarios
• Electronic Music Production Tips and Tricks – Excellent advice which often extends beyond the confines on electronic music, such as recent posts detailing “Creativity in the Control Room” or “Acoustics Part 1: An Introduction to Resonance” – quality articles which often include audio examples of the techniques being discussed
• WinkSound – Top notch video tutorials grouped into channels dealing with popular software environments: Pro Tools, Ableton, Logic, and Reason.  One of my favorites and will likely become one of yours as well!
• Audio-Production-Tips – I just discovered this one, but it looks promising…and I thought it would make a nice addition to this post as the site creator is currently enrolled in an audio production school in Madrid – so I’m betting he is well aware of what topics students often struggle with.  He says “The aim of this website is to help interested newcomers get started in the world of audio production. I’ll supply you guys with useful information regarding audio technology and music production, from recording to mixing, from songwriting to running live sound.”
• Tape Op - The Creative Music Recording magazine. In depth interviews with masters of the craft of recording and innovative techniques shared by many working professionals.  They offer a FREE basic subscription to the printed edition of the magazine (did I mention it was FREE!); signing up for this should be at the top of any new audio student’s To-Do list
• Hip Hop Makers – Production tips from a hip-hop perspective – many candid interviews and insight into the studios and techniques of well known producers, and Hit Talk – Production tips with a hip-hop angle on making hits (technically this makes for 11 resources featured in this post, bonus!)
• Music Radar – Billing itself as “the No. 1 website for musicians” they serve up a wealth of quality news, techniques, reviews on guitars, drums, technology, and more.  I am especially fond of their free software round up features!
• @IPR_School on Twitter – Self promoting?  Yes.  Gratuitous or indulgent?  No!  I would absolutely fail in my duty to live up to the promise of this post’s title if I neglected to mention this daily source of helpful information.  Why?  One word: aggregator.  No, this is not some reptilian relative of an alligator which you should be afraid of, but rather a service dedicated to bringing together (or aggregating) the very best tips, tricks and advice the web has to offer on the topics of audio production and engineering and delivering them directly to our followers.  Seriously, if you are not yet an active twitter user it may well be worth your time to sign up simply to gain access to this bounty of useful know how.  In addition to selecting the choicest bits from some of the sources discussed above, @IPR_School literally searches the vastness of the entire online world to bring you information that will be beneficial to your career path as an audio or multimedia professional.

Tags: Audio engineering, Audio Production, Audio student, IPR, resources for students
Posted in Industry, Multimedia | 2 Comments »

Promoting Your Music: More Innovation, Less Stagnation!

Posted by Travis Norman on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Today’s entertainment marketplace is crowded one, jam packed with hard working artists vying for attention.  To complicate matters further, the attention span of potential consumers is decidedly short;  many are effectively desensitized to most forms of marketing due to a perceived over saturation of the modern world with advertising messages.  And yet…there are more people than ever before who are excited about music.  These are people who want  to stay up to date with the musicians they already know and love…who are excited to discover new music which speaks to them on some level…who may even feel that their tastes help to define the very essence of who they are and how they represent themselves to the world!  In short, there exist vast multitudes of existing and potential fans who would love to be marketed to directly, though they would likely never think of it in those terms.

Imogen Heap speaks directly to fans in an endearingly authentic manner; her enthusiasm for the new music she has created is contagious and will certainly help to build anticipation for the album release.

So, how can artists achieve this goal in an effective way without feeling overwhelmed by the dizzying array of options available?

Step 1: Identify Your Goals (Be Specific) – What aspect of your brand / project are you trying to promote?  An entire album, a single, a tour , a website?  Focus on this rather than spreading your efforts across multiple targets.

Step 2: Determine who you want to reach and how you will reach them – knowing the habits and tastes of your intended demographic will aid in deciding which options to explore

Step 3: Make a plan and stick to it – you will never know which tactics are successful and a good fit for you until you see them through to completion.

Step 4: Remain genuine – when fans find artists who they feel are “keeping it real” a natural urge to share their discovery often leads to word of mouth recommendations

An examination into how Trent Reznor employs surprising and cutting edge tactics to engage his fanbase…

Once these strategies are in motion, stay updated on whenever you or your music are mentioned online by setting up a google alert to inform you of relevant results.  You can also employ the search features of twitter to find conversations relating to your genre and engage with potential fans directly.

Finally, remain on the look out for opportunity, even from unexpected sources.  Treat all the individuals you encounter on your rise to prominence with respect, you never know who might open the next proverbial door for you.  For a quirky example of this in action, consider the approach taken by makers of the Slap Chop product.  When they became aware of a hilarious Autotune remix of their ad which was gaining in popularity, they not only allowed it but also made it into an actual television commercial; both actions are likely to have endeared them to a previously untapped market segment.  Although not a music based example, this highlights an important tactic: stay aware of chances to get your content actively shared and spread, this remains the quickest way to reach a large online audience in a short period of time.

Rather than view the HILARIOUS Autotune remix of their ad as infringement, the Slap Chop folks have embraced it!

Tags: music promotion
Posted in Industry, Multimedia | 1 Comment »

Rhythmic Lifestyle Part 2: Featuring An Interview With Andrew Virden

Posted by admin on Monday, June 1st, 2009

For the past seven years Andrew Virden has helped to host the Corktown Tavern pre-festival BBQ for eager DEMF attendees looking to get warmed up for the weekend.  This experience, coupled with previous involvement as the festival’s marketing events manager and his overall enthusiasm for the music and artists of Detroit, convinced me that Andrew would have just the perspective I was seeking in my efforts to dive deeper into the history and significance of this annual extravaganza.

I asked Virden to recall for me the early years of the festival, when admission was free and, while the talent featured was no less potent, it had yet to attract the international renown it has today.

“I simply did not believe it would actually happen that first year; it seemed too far fetched to imagine such a gathering being held in the heart of the city.  Even as I was driving there, I was convinced it was just too good to be true.  I had not even made proper arrangements to take time off; I never thought I would be there until the end because I was pretty sure there wouldn’t be a beginning…”

Nonetheless, that first year in 2000 proved to be “absolutely magic; the best it could possibly be.  I mean, the final eight hours on the main stage saw Kevin Saunderson, Rolando, Derrick May, and Richie Hawtin…it was ridiculous!”

(more…)

Posted in Industry, Multimedia, Music | No Comments »

Redefining Classic in Today’s Music Economy

Posted by Travis Norman on Monday, May 4th, 2009

Among the many bits of wisdom offered by Boyz II Men during their recent appearance at IPR, one insight will definitely be added to my list of “things that make you go hmmm“. It was commentary on what a different landscape exists in the quick turn musical economy of today as compared to that of the the era in which the group saw their hits dominate charts for months and even years. Is that type of longevity lost to us as artists, not to mention as consumers and music lovers, for good? When songs, even really popular songs, struggle to maintain momentum for more than a couple months, do they deserve to be recognized as “hits”? Furthermore, should we take that somber assessment to its logical end, if the marketplace ceases to expect this level of quality, where will we experience new works worthy of consideration as “classics”? Does the term even make sense in it’s former, all encompassing context in light of the fragmented world of narrowcasting and niche we find ourselves in. By definition, it implies mass consensus, the likes of which we are unlikely to witness again on the scale of past worldwide successes.

“Classic”: more than a model of iPod

(more…)

Tags: Classic, IPR, Music economy, The Long Tail
Posted in Industry, Multimedia, Music | 2 Comments »

A Velvet Assassin interview with Aubrey Norris from SouthPeak Games

Posted by Kyle Stallock on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Long before Ian Fleming’s launched James Bond’s espionage career in the pages of 1953’s very slightly semi-autobiographical Casino Royale, another British secret agent crept across Europe, sabotaging the roads and communications of the Third Reich and sending crucial wireless reports on munitions factory locations back to 64 Baker Street. Her name? Violette Szabó.

The courageous young war widow’s four years of subterfuge in the service of king and country came to a violent end on June 10, 1944 when a German patrol ambushed both her and Jacques Dufour, a member of the French Reiststance. After running out of ammo, she was captured, tortured, and sent to Ravensbrück, a women-only concentration camp.

On February 5, 1945, the 23 year old Szabó was executed.

At the launch of Young Brave and Beautiful, a partial biography written by her daughter, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey said “She’s an inspiration to those young people today doing the same work with the risk of the same dangers.”

For better or worse, her heroic story has remained untouched by the videogame industry–until now. On April 28, SouthPeak Interactive drops Velvet Assassin, a stealth-based title that puts the player in the role of Violette Summer, a beautiful but deadly British spy modeled after Szabó.

Germany-based Replay Studios is handling development duties, and so far, apparently remain unfettered by their country’s tendency to over-censor  videogame violence. Summer executes her nation’s enemies with alarming efficiency and in ways Fox news will almost undoubtedly call “grotesque.” Take a gander at the video walkthrough below for a few examples. Oh, and it’s okay to laugh at the very German-sounding accent from lead designer Sascha Jungnickel as he guides viewers through some of the basic gameplay elements. You’re an American, you’ve been conditioned to laugh at this kind of thing, right?!

Aubrey Norris, product manager at SouthPeak Games, took time out of her (presumably) busy schedule to answer a few of my questions pertaining to this semi-factually-based World War II title.

IPR: What do you say to someone who plays this game using a run and gun playstyle then complains that it’s too hard and/or doesn’t contain enough shooter elements?

Aubrey Norris: I’d say its definitely problematic to judge a stealth game as if it were a shooter. Yes, Velvet Assassin does have guns in it, but it’s a pretty hardcore stealth game. I think its just a matter of expectations being aligned with reality—if you’re playing a stealth game like a shooter and running and gunning everywhere, well, then yeah it’s going to be harder than if you played it like a stealth game.

IPR: Did you ever feel pressured by the gaming culture to turn Violette into a curvier femme fatale in skimpy duds?

AN: It’s a touchy situation, because if you make a character too curvy and scantily clad, some people will automatically try to label you as trying to sell the game based on sex (which is definitely not the case with Velvet Assassin.) On the other hand, if you don’t make women curvy and dress them provocatively, people will criticize the character for not being “hot” enough for their tastes. So, the pressure is always there from both sides. In our case, we understood that you can never please everybody and it is more important for us to stay true to the kind of character that Replay imagined rather than cater to one side or the other. Thus, Violette was designed to reflect a real woman from 1940s Europe. Her hair is designed in a popular style of the time, her proportions are reminiscent of a normal woman, and her costumes were all designed off of actual things that a field operative might have worn at the time.

IPR: Peter Chung’s a pretty high profile dude. How did you get him to create a graphic novel based on the title? Wheelbarrow’s full of cash?

AN: The story of Velvet Assassin fits in pretty well with the types of stories that Peter usually likes to tackle, with strong, kicka** female heroines. Luckily, because the story and concept of VA appealed to him, he agreed to work with us on bringing it to life!

IPR: Is this title built as a franchise with multiple sequels?

AN: It could be. Only time will tell!

IPR: Given your druthers, who’d play Violette in a film adaptation?

AN: For the voiceover work in Velvet Assassin, we cast a terrific actress who is bilingual in English and German—Melinda Cohen. She was perfect for this title. She was also the real-life model for Violette’s appearance in-game, so if anything,  I’m sure we would love to continue her legacy of bringing Violette to life.

IPR: Is SouthPeak actively looking to publish more content from overseas developers? I hear there’s some fantastic stuff coming out of Russia…

AN: I think the biggest thing for us is looking for good, unique content with a lot of potential to be fun and successful. Overseas or not, those things come first to us.

Speaking of overseas, when I asked Aubrey whether or not Velvet Assassin would see a German release, she replied “Absolutely.” Is this an indication of the country’s historically stringent censorship board loosening their creativity-stifling grip, or is the title being allowed to hit retail only after substantial changes are made? If it ends up being the former, a big ol’ smile will creep across my face. But if it’s the former, the German censorship board will find one of these lying on their steps.

Tags: espionage, execution, melinda-cohen, sabotage, spy, stealth, velvet-assassin, videogames, violette-szab?, world-war-ii, xbox-360
Posted in Gaming, Industry, Multimedia | No Comments »

Nate Kranz Tapped To Succeed Jack Meyers As First Avenue’s General Manager?

Posted by Rod Smith on Thursday, April 16th, 2009

Like Nate Kranz’s smile? You should see it when he ISN’T just about to kill somebody.

Any business prospering exclusively thanks to one person’s contribution is almost surely a one-person operation. Even simple commercial entities thrive on complexity and mutate at the first flick of necessity’s mandibles. And First Avenue is anything but simple. Ballparking the average five-year lifespan for successful nightclubs as 70 human years makes the venue’s equivalent age roughly 560.

Old Kranz favorite Arab on Radar at Chicago’s Fireside Bowl.

Like the Hoopers in Neal Asher’s Sable Keech novels, it only grows stronger with age. No single factor drives the club’s remarkable resilience, and any number of staff members play big roles in maintaining it. Still, booking prodigy Nathan Kranz stands out simply by dint of having kept talent on stage and revenue flowing in for the better part of the century—even in the midst of chaos and seemingly overwhelming competition.

Consummate anti-hack Kranz once drove alone to San Francisco and back just for a Wilco show.

It’s hardly any wonder that current rumors of General Manager Jack Meyers’s imminent retirement come bundled with rumors of Kranz’s ascent to the position. After having acted consistently in defense of the club—sometimes spectacularly—for the better part of a decade, he’s earned the position and then some. Congratulations, Nate, and keep the miracles coming.

When Denali made their Minneapolis debut in the 7th Street Entry, Kranz responded with a CD purchase. Could he have gotten one gratis? Of course!

Posted in Industry, Multimedia, Music | No Comments »

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