Reporting by David Kornfeld, Sara Saltzman and Laura Candela
Day 1: Thursday - April 23, 2009
Here's a recap of the EXPO's concurrent panels held on Thursday, April 23, 2009.
Networking Strategies for Songwriters
FEATURING: Dan Kimpel
Helping people remember you is about establishing comfort. Establish yourself as a person so you can influence and attract other happy upbeat people. A lot of what happens in this business happens at night. Be ready to be social and go out at night.
"Networking is about the other person and how they respond to you"
"I'm a strong believer that we put ourselves in the position to have something happen in our own careers."
Takeaways:
You might miss an opportunity to catch someone's eye. Don't miss your shot by looking down at your cell phone.
This event is about opening doors and windows, not closing them. Send a thank you card that makes an impression.
A favorite networking trick is to circle the room three times, then go in. People will feel like they know you.
Music Publishers: A View from the Top
MODERATOR: Irwin Robinson
PANEL: Martin Bandier, Roger Faxon, David H. Johnson, David Renzer
This session brought together some of the biggest names in music publishing for an overall discussion about the current state of the business. From the panel's responses, it was clear that a lot has changed in the industry in the last 10 years.
Faxon: "The structure of the business is shifting. We're becoming more active in the consumer's perspective."
Renzer: "There's a new entry point into the music business. People are auditioning on YouTube and MySpace."
Bandier: "Great songs are still the foundation of music publishing"
Master Session with Pete Rock
MODERATOR: Walter Jones, ASCAP
Moderator Walter Jones of ASCAP kicked everything off by asking Pete to play a few things he's known for, including remixes of Run DMCs "Down With The Kings" & Public Enemy's "Shut Em Down." The session continued with Pete sharing old & new projects, and answering questions about his career and the music business.
Pete on sampling and hip-hop: "I'm not a producer that's sore about samples. It's an inspiration thing. I truly love making beats."
Pete on how he knows a beat is good: "The head bob is key"
Takeaways:
Pete has a mini studio at home with Logic and Pro Tools. He learned a lot by just pushing buttons, playing around with stuff, and reading instruction manuals.
He doesn't think so much about making remixes very different than the original songs. In the beginning he Used to do it intentionally, but not much anymore.
Get in the Game: Composing and Licensing Music for Video games
MODERATOR: Russell Brower
PANEL: Jason Hayes, Tom Salta, Lennie Moore
The main message from the panel was that the gaming industry is experiencing a period of exciting transformation and development, not only in terms of the games themselves, but it terms of the perception of music's role in the product. Music is increasingly becoming a pivotal facet of video games, not only adding to the atmosphere of the game itself, but becoming its own entity. Whereby game soundtracks and songs are becoming additional product lines for a particular game title. As the video game industry transforms more into an entertainment industry, the opportunities for music creators will continue to grow and flourish.
Takeaways:
In times of economic distress, people look for entertainment to ease their pain. And as movies cost nearly as much or more as some videogames, especially games that are played as part of online subscriptions, there is great value for the gamer. Which, in turn, creates more opportunity for the music creator.
At present, the industry does place value on the composer. Several of the panelists indicated that increasingly, they are able to negotiate better deals in terms of creative fees being settled separately from production costs.
All stressed that you should never give away your performance royalties!
Concert Music: Creating Repertory for Today & Beyond
MODERATOR: Frank J. Oteri
PANEL: Paul Chihara, Thomas Lee, Michael Morgan, Peter Rutenberg
Much of this session focused on how to, as a composer, get your music played. When you boil it down, there are more composers and pieces than opportunities to play them. Even with the obstacles facing today's composer, there are still ways of getting noticed and having your music performed.
Thomas: "There are now thousands of consortium commissions. Professional wind ensembles all over the world are all looking for next exciting new work. If you Google wind ensemble composition, each one is a new commission."
Chihara: "Like in baseball, orchestras have scouts. People come to me sometimes looking for new compositions."
Rutenberg: "When I get a score I play through it on a piano. I trust my own instincts more than someone who pushes a button and turns it into a midi. There's something very non human in MIDIs. To actually do it right it's like producing an album."
Chihara: "In my career I've benefited from the advocacy of others, and I try to help other people."
Takeaways:
If you do produce a MIDI of a score, do it right and make it good. A bad MIDI will end up hurting you more.
Some people come to an orchestra with a conductor already lined up. Some people with nerve contact other orchestras after getting the first one to commit and play them off each other. If you can cultivate your own finances too, it helps. You can come to an orchestra with a backer.
A big submission flaw is the piece can't meet the spoken and silent criteria of the ensemble. If you can write something that works better for the ensemble, they're more likely to say yes if it doesn't tax them.
What Management Means (Presented by Billboard)
MODERATOR: Anne Donahue
PANEL: Tim Blacksmith, Ron Laffitte, Danny Poku, Mark Stewart
The role of the manager isn't a role at all, it's a way of life. They are their artists' advocates, cheerleaders and protectors. To be good managers, they must believe in their clients and really feel good about them. A lot of people have talent, but it's the determination to make things better and keep an open mind that serves clients the best.
Takeaways:
The music business is global. If you don't make it here, go somewhere else.
Don't try to manage a manager if you are an artist. It won't work. Be open to learn.
Try to make a difference. Not just okay records…but amazing records.
Master Session with Billy Steinberg
MODERATOR: Brendan Okrent, ASCAP
Billy on co-writing, who to have sing your songs, hits vs. new songs, and writing from the unconscious mind:
"If I didn't co-write, I wouldn't be here today"
"If you write a really great song, it was to reach a really great singer."
"Just because I've written a lot of hits doesn't mean they're going to like my new songs."
"Anything I wrote from my unconscious mind would be real and honest. If I tampered with it, it would be ruining something pure."
How Music Creators Can Make the Most from Digital Streaming (Presented by SoundExchange)
MODERATOR: Neeta Ragoowansi
PANEL: Sat Bisla, Michael Corcoran, Josh East, Jason Feinberg, Brian Robillard
Ragoowansi: "There are two different copyrights - the underlying musical composition, and sound recording. One right you get is the right for someone to perform your music in a public space."
Robillard: "Twitter is extremely important for artists. Tweetizen is great, allows you to see what other people are saying about you. Also check out YouTube tweeter, TWT.fm, and bit.ly"
Takeaways :
Sign up with SoundExchange! There are checks waiting for people but they can't claim them if they don't sign up.
If you've signed up with SoundExchange but haven't gotten any checks, ask yourself "Do I have a service to play my music on online radio? Is my music out there on internet radio, XM/Satellite, or Cable Radio (music only channels)"
Bit.ly tracks who clicks your links & gives more info about the circumstances.
Never be afraid to hit up the "Contact Us" button on a blog and see if they'll take a listen to your music.
New Avenues for Breaking In
MODERATOR: Jay Frank
PANEL: Ken Bunt, Dan Diamond, Rory Feek, Danny Socolof
If you follow culture, you'll see that more people are consuming music now than during any time in history. That is due in large part to the proliferation of new ways to hear music.
Socolof: "I have two sons, and the older son started asking for CDs of bands he learned about in video games. Games are a new radio station."
Diamond: "This year Superbowl ads were played in theaters even before the Superbowl was broadcast. The Met expanded their audience by showing opera in theaters."
Feek: "The key is you don't have to give control away anymore. Now you may be best served getting viral buzz and ultimately making a deal directly with someone who wants to use it."
Takeaways:
Make sure when you sing up with publishers and/or master owners, that you control the rights to make decisions about your music - how and where it travels and with whom. Do not subjugate those rights for paycheck.
Take risks, take chances, leave a little money on the table, and hopefully it'll pay off.
Master Session with Paul Chihara
FACILITATOR: Cia Toscanini, ASCAP
"You don't need to go to Juilliard. A lot of leaders in avante garde didn't get their degrees in music."
"There's no tenure in Hollywood, I'm always looking for new things."
"Every good job gets you another one. And the opposite case is true too. If you can get along with people and make them want to work with you, your chances of getting the next gig are very good."
On the Radio: Today's Hitmakers
MODERATOR: Ron Fair
PANEL: Antonina Armato, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Hermansen (Stargate), Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Dan Wilson
Armato: "I love the puzzle of finding the right lyrics. When writing, take out your ego and let the song speak to you"
Stewart: "I'm constantly working with new people. If you write a great song, it'll get licensed, get on the radio. It will work itself out. Be honest with yourself. Just keep writing until it's explosive."
Wilson: "No tweaking. Keep things flowing and don't get stuck on perfecting."
Eriksen: "Follow your heart. Keep writing songs. Write songs for the love of music."
Stewart: "Umbrella was a straight freestyle. Nothing was changed. It's important to understand the song and its demographic so that it feels like a body."
Wilson: "It just seems to happen by magic, by chance, or maybe by both. I love the way the radio sounds now, there's more real songs. There's a hunger for people to experience something together."
The ASCAP Daily Brief (Powered by the Dean's List) Live!
MODERATOR: Dean Kay
PANEL: Chris Amenita, Christian Castle, Esq., Reid Genauer, Richard Gottehrer, David Zippel
Are consumers stealing by filesharing music? Or do we live in a changed world where the industry needs to rework its business model to continue making money? We have to be very vigilant in the marketplace. We want the consumer to be able to be flexible and let you get what you want when you want. But we wanted to compensated fairly. Songwriters don't get money from tour ticket sales, or t-shirt sales.
It's not all doom and gloom. We're going to figure out what the rate structure should be. All the bread crumbs out there add up to a pretty nice loaf of bread.
Pop Goes the Music(al)
MODERATOR: Stephen Bray and Amy Powers
PANEL: Desmond Child, Chris Montan, Lou Spisto
In writing a musical, you have to be ruthless. You can't fall in love with anything you write. A musical needs to communicate with everyone in the room and consistently speak to all generations.
Start writing something small. If you do, it's more likely to be produced and you can add later on.
Footloose wasn't on Broadway for long, only a few years, but its creator is a millionaire and the show is still around.
ASCAP EXPO Mobile App Coverage (Sponsored by ole)
Reporting by David Kornfeld, Sara Saltzman and Laura Candela
Day 1: Thursday - April 23, 2009
Here's a recap of the EXPO's concurrent panels held on Thursday, April 23, 2009.
Networking Strategies for Songwriters
FEATURING: Dan Kimpel
Helping people remember you is about establishing comfort. Establish yourself as a person so you can influence and attract other happy upbeat people. A lot of what happens in this business happens at night. Be ready to be social and go out at night.
"Networking is about the other person and how they respond to you"
"I'm a strong believer that we put ourselves in the position to have something happen in our own careers."
Takeaways:
You might miss an opportunity to catch someone's eye. Don't miss your shot by looking down at your cell phone.
This event is about opening doors and windows, not closing them. Send a thank you card that makes an impression.
A favorite networking trick is to circle the room three times, then go in. People will feel like they know you.
Music Publishers: A View from the Top
MODERATOR: Irwin Robinson
PANEL: Martin Bandier, Roger Faxon, David H. Johnson, David Renzer
This session brought together some of the biggest names in music publishing for an overall discussion about the current state of the business. From the panel's responses, it was clear that a lot has changed in the industry in the last 10 years.
Faxon: "The structure of the business is shifting. We're becoming more active in the consumer's perspective."
Renzer: "There's a new entry point into the music business. People are auditioning on YouTube and MySpace."
Bandier: "Great songs are still the foundation of music publishing"
Master Session with Pete Rock
MODERATOR: Walter Jones, ASCAP
Moderator Walter Jones of ASCAP kicked everything off by asking Pete to play a few things he's known for, including remixes of Run DMCs "Down With The Kings" & Public Enemy's "Shut Em Down." The session continued with Pete sharing old & new projects, and answering questions about his career and the music business.
Pete on sampling and hip-hop: "I'm not a producer that's sore about samples. It's an inspiration thing. I truly love making beats."
Pete on how he knows a beat is good: "The head bob is key"
Takeaways:
Pete has a mini studio at home with Logic and Pro Tools. He learned a lot by just pushing buttons, playing around with stuff, and reading instruction manuals.
He doesn't think so much about making remixes very different than the original songs. In the beginning he Used to do it intentionally, but not much anymore.
Get in the Game: Composing and Licensing Music for Video games
MODERATOR: Russell Brower
PANEL: Jason Hayes, Tom Salta, Lennie Moore
The main message from the panel was that the gaming industry is experiencing a period of exciting transformation and development, not only in terms of the games themselves, but it terms of the perception of music's role in the product. Music is increasingly becoming a pivotal facet of video games, not only adding to the atmosphere of the game itself, but becoming its own entity. Whereby game soundtracks and songs are becoming additional product lines for a particular game title. As the video game industry transforms more into an entertainment industry, the opportunities for music creators will continue to grow and flourish.
Takeaways:
In times of economic distress, people look for entertainment to ease their pain. And as movies cost nearly as much or more as some videogames, especially games that are played as part of online subscriptions, there is great value for the gamer. Which, in turn, creates more opportunity for the music creator.
At present, the industry does place value on the composer. Several of the panelists indicated that increasingly, they are able to negotiate better deals in terms of creative fees being settled separately from production costs.
All stressed that you should never give away your performance royalties!
Concert Music: Creating Repertory for Today & Beyond
MODERATOR: Frank J. Oteri
PANEL: Paul Chihara, Thomas Lee, Michael Morgan, Peter Rutenberg
Much of this session focused on how to, as a composer, get your music played. When you boil it down, there are more composers and pieces than opportunities to play them. Even with the obstacles facing today's composer, there are still ways of getting noticed and having your music performed.
Thomas: "There are now thousands of consortium commissions. Professional wind ensembles all over the world are all looking for next exciting new work. If you Google wind ensemble composition, each one is a new commission."
Chihara: "Like in baseball, orchestras have scouts. People come to me sometimes looking for new compositions."
Rutenberg: "When I get a score I play through it on a piano. I trust my own instincts more than someone who pushes a button and turns it into a midi. There's something very non human in MIDIs. To actually do it right it's like producing an album."
Chihara: "In my career I've benefited from the advocacy of others, and I try to help other people."
Takeaways:
If you do produce a MIDI of a score, do it right and make it good. A bad MIDI will end up hurting you more.
Some people come to an orchestra with a conductor already lined up. Some people with nerve contact other orchestras after getting the first one to commit and play them off each other. If you can cultivate your own finances too, it helps. You can come to an orchestra with a backer.
A big submission flaw is the piece can't meet the spoken and silent criteria of the ensemble. If you can write something that works better for the ensemble, they're more likely to say yes if it doesn't tax them.
What Management Means (Presented by Billboard)
MODERATOR: Anne Donahue
PANEL: Tim Blacksmith, Ron Laffitte, Danny Poku, Mark Stewart
The role of the manager isn't a role at all, it's a way of life. They are their artists' advocates, cheerleaders and protectors. To be good managers, they must believe in their clients and really feel good about them. A lot of people have talent, but it's the determination to make things better and keep an open mind that serves clients the best.
Takeaways:
The music business is global. If you don't make it here, go somewhere else.
Don't try to manage a manager if you are an artist. It won't work. Be open to learn.
Try to make a difference. Not just okay records…but amazing records.
Master Session with Billy Steinberg
MODERATOR: Brendan Okrent, ASCAP
Billy on co-writing, who to have sing your songs, hits vs. new songs, and writing from the unconscious mind:
"If I didn't co-write, I wouldn't be here today"
"If you write a really great song, it was to reach a really great singer."
"Just because I've written a lot of hits doesn't mean they're going to like my new songs."
"Anything I wrote from my unconscious mind would be real and honest. If I tampered with it, it would be ruining something pure."
How Music Creators Can Make the Most from Digital Streaming (Presented by SoundExchange)
MODERATOR: Neeta Ragoowansi
PANEL: Sat Bisla, Michael Corcoran, Josh East, Jason Feinberg, Brian Robillard
Ragoowansi: "There are two different copyrights - the underlying musical composition, and sound recording. One right you get is the right for someone to perform your music in a public space."
Robillard: "Twitter is extremely important for artists. Tweetizen is great, allows you to see what other people are saying about you. Also check out YouTube tweeter, TWT.fm, and bit.ly"
Takeaways :
Sign up with SoundExchange! There are checks waiting for people but they can't claim them if they don't sign up.
If you've signed up with SoundExchange but haven't gotten any checks, ask yourself "Do I have a service to play my music on online radio? Is my music out there on internet radio, XM/Satellite, or Cable Radio (music only channels)"
Bit.ly tracks who clicks your links & gives more info about the circumstances.
Never be afraid to hit up the "Contact Us" button on a blog and see if they'll take a listen to your music.
New Avenues for Breaking In
MODERATOR: Jay Frank
PANEL: Ken Bunt, Dan Diamond, Rory Feek, Danny Socolof
If you follow culture, you'll see that more people are consuming music now than during any time in history. That is due in large part to the proliferation of new ways to hear music.
Socolof: "I have two sons, and the older son started asking for CDs of bands he learned about in video games. Games are a new radio station."
Diamond: "This year Superbowl ads were played in theaters even before the Superbowl was broadcast. The Met expanded their audience by showing opera in theaters."
Feek: "The key is you don't have to give control away anymore. Now you may be best served getting viral buzz and ultimately making a deal directly with someone who wants to use it."
Takeaways:
Make sure when you sing up with publishers and/or master owners, that you control the rights to make decisions about your music - how and where it travels and with whom. Do not subjugate those rights for paycheck.
Take risks, take chances, leave a little money on the table, and hopefully it'll pay off.
Master Session with Paul Chihara
FACILITATOR: Cia Toscanini, ASCAP
"You don't need to go to Juilliard. A lot of leaders in avante garde didn't get their degrees in music."
"There's no tenure in Hollywood, I'm always looking for new things."
"Every good job gets you another one. And the opposite case is true too. If you can get along with people and make them want to work with you, your chances of getting the next gig are very good."
On the Radio: Today's Hitmakers
MODERATOR: Ron Fair
PANEL: Antonina Armato, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Hermansen (Stargate), Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Dan Wilson
Armato: "I love the puzzle of finding the right lyrics. When writing, take out your ego and let the song speak to you"
Stewart: "I'm constantly working with new people. If you write a great song, it'll get licensed, get on the radio. It will work itself out. Be honest with yourself. Just keep writing until it's explosive."
Wilson: "No tweaking. Keep things flowing and don't get stuck on perfecting."
Eriksen: "Follow your heart. Keep writing songs. Write songs for the love of music."
Stewart: "Umbrella was a straight freestyle. Nothing was changed. It's important to understand the song and its demographic so that it feels like a body."
Wilson: "It just seems to happen by magic, by chance, or maybe by both. I love the way the radio sounds now, there's more real songs. There's a hunger for people to experience something together."
The ASCAP Daily Brief (Powered by the Dean's List) Live!
MODERATOR: Dean Kay
PANEL: Chris Amenita, Christian Castle, Esq., Reid Genauer, Richard Gottehrer, David Zippel
Are consumers stealing by filesharing music? Or do we live in a changed world where the industry needs to rework its business model to continue making money? We have to be very vigilant in the marketplace. We want the consumer to be able to be flexible and let you get what you want when you want. But we wanted to compensated fairly. Songwriters don't get money from tour ticket sales, or t-shirt sales.
It's not all doom and gloom. We're going to figure out what the rate structure should be. All the bread crumbs out there add up to a pretty nice loaf of bread.
Pop Goes the Music(al)
MODERATOR: Stephen Bray and Amy Powers
PANEL: Desmond Child, Chris Montan, Lou Spisto
In writing a musical, you have to be ruthless. You can't fall in love with anything you write. A musical needs to communicate with everyone in the room and consistently speak to all generations.
Start writing something small. If you do, it's more likely to be produced and you can add later on.
Footloose wasn't on Broadway for long, only a few years, but its creator is a millionaire and the show is still around.
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