Give Ska Drummers Some Love

This week I am prepping to audition for a local band called Teflon Don. This will be a new musical experience for me because it is in a completely opposite musical direction than I am used to.  The group is a Ska band, more particularly a Third Wave Ska band.

Now, I am very meticulous when I approach a new project. I download the music and listen to it constantly. I practice nothing, but that genre while I prepare, and I do research into the style I am playing. In that research I usually seek out the best drummers of the genre and YouTube their videos and pick apart their recordings to see what makes them the leaders of their style of music.

When I was told Teflon Don was a Ska band I immediately thought of traditional Ska music, but this is far from the case in Third Wave Ska. Traditional Ska is played much slower with more "lift" in between hits. To see what I mean watch the current master Gil Sharone  in the video below.

Third Wave Ska is completely different. First, it is faster, much, much faster. In fact, in my opinion I see Third Wave Ska closer to traditional punk rock than its original Reggae roots. The traditional lift between hits is removed to facilitate the brisker tempos and with that any type of swung eighths are converted to straight eights.  Get that right hand ready for a workout on the hi-hat!

As I dove deeper into the genre I was disappointed to find that the drumming community doesn't give the masters of this style more props. When you break apart what is required of them it is down right amazing. First, the speed required would challenge any drummer out there. Next, their fills must be just as fast and just as tight thus requiring a superior level of technique.  From a musical standpoint these bands tend to "move around" in a song changing speeds, styles, and sometimes time signatures on the drop of a dime. This can be a huge challenge to any drummer who is used to just laying in the pocket even in a basic 120 bpm tune, never mind trying it at Third Wave Ska speed . And finally these drummers are playing with larger bands that include horn sections. That means they must be prepared to set-up and then match the brass hits at those blazing speeds.

Watch this video of Streetlight Manifesto's Chris Thatcher and you will see what I mean.

I will leave you with this video from Third Wave Ska's poster boys Reel Big Fish. This live cut of their hit mainstream tune "Sell Out" helps demonstrate the speed, tight hits, and changing tempos and styles the drummer must hit while performing in this genre.

So I encourage you to give these Third Wave Ska drummers some love, and if you need a good workout on the kit. Throw on some Streetlight Manifesto, Mad Caddies, or Reel Big Fish and be prepared to sweat!

Managers. Remember Why You Are Doing This.

Last weekend I headed down to Tampa to watch my friend perform an acoustic set with rock legend Marty Balin. For those of you who don't know, Marty is the real deal when it comes to the music industry.  He was one of the founders and lead singers of Jefferson Airplane, the psychedelic rock group that graced the original Woodstock stage in 1969 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Marty's performance last week in Tampa was much more intimate. Together with a small acoustic group he performed for an intimate crowd at the home of his lead guitarist for a Christmas party. My friend brought me along to watch him play hand percussion with the rock legend. On the way to the gig he asked me if I would run sound for the group.

Now, I have a degree in music business, and I have been on the road long enough to know my way around a soundboard. I possess "just enough" sound knowledge to know how to get the best possible mix for a band, as long as they are in a small room and there aren't too many wires or requests for "more of "me"" in the monitor. So I said yes, and for the entire evening I made sure Marty sounded as best as he possibly could.

I am not sharing this experience with you to tout my own sound engineer horn. I am sharing this with you to promote another point. A point about the evolution of the music business.

When Marty and Airplane were coming up in the early sixties there were no college trained music business majors, sound engineers, or even musicians to help them out. Bands during this era came together mostly through chance. When the Beatles needed a new drummer they didn't hold weeks of auditions. They just found the next closest guy with a kit and a decent voice. John Entwistle was asked to join Roger Daltrey when the future Who singer saw him walking down the street with a bass guitar hung over his shoulder.

And back in those days it was easier to find band mates than managers or sound engineers.  Michael Jeffery went from a fledgling club owner to the manager of The Animals and Jimi Hendrix. Peter Grant went from a small time actor to the manager of The Yardbirds and eventually Led Zeppelin. And Owsley Stanley went from LSD supplier to sound man for The Grateful Dead.

These happenstances played heavily into every realm of the early development of rock and roll from performance to management. For now let's take a look at the management side of the equation.

When I started my first company, my business partner and I were just 20 years old. We had no idea how to properly run a business. What we did know was that we needed to "make money" so we did everything we could to get more customers, more orders, and thus more cash in than we were spending.  Simply put, we were hungry.

These untrained managers shared those same traits. Many lacked formal business training and thus had to make up the difference with sheer determination and will. They probably didn't understand a balance sheet, or a profit and loss statement, but did know they needed to make more money than they spent for their artists. Like us they were hungry, and that hunger carried over to pushing their bands to play better, challenge the status quo, and perform as much as possible.

During the 80's large corporations started buying up record labels and replaced these "down and dirty" managers with stuffed suits concerned only with the bottom line. And with that the music business management style change drastically.  Artists soon found themselves being managed by people who didn't necessarily enjoy their music, or even listen to it.

So how did this change the music business?

When your manager is so concerned with business and not as much with your music he, or she, will encourage you to do everything, but play out live. As someone who holds a degree in music business management, I can tell you we spent far more time on licensing, contracts, and balance sheets than on developing a great show, theory, or performance.

Those earlier managers lacked this formal training so they had to make up the difference in an other avenue of their business model. Because they truly loved the music they were representing they pushed their artist to make more of it, either live or in the studio. The net result was the development of superior musicians and songwriters because they had played more shows and recorded more albums.

Last weekend I was reminded about that fact. Watching a true rock legend from that era surrounded by people who absolutely loved his music trying to help him out. His manager was there running a video camera, his girlfriend decorating, fellow band mates brought food, and an unknown fan ran sound for the evening.

If you are in the music business I encourage you to take a moment and remember why you got into this gig in the first place.  Hopefully it is for the love of the music. If that is the case than take a page from the history of rock and follow that down and dirty management style where managers wanted to see their bands play more and encouraged them to do it. You may be surprised by the end result.

Here are some Spotify links to some great Airplane!

Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit
Jefferson Airplane – Somebody To Love
Jefferson Airplane – Leaving On A Jet Plane

Classic Rock is Here to Save the Day!...Again

During last evening's 121212 Concert for Sandy Relief classic rock and rollers once again proved why they will never be forgotten and that they can still help change the world.

The sponsors of last night show didn't ask Bruno Mars, Rihanna, or Ke$sha. There was no Lady Gaga,  Maroon 5, FUN, or Bieber. Instead they brought out the big guns, rock's royalty if you will, with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Calpton, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Roger Waters, Billy Joel, and Sir Paul McCartney.

In fact there were only three artists unqualified for AARP last night. Chris Martin, Alicia Keys, and Kanye West, and only one of them wore a leather skirt.  Thanks for the endless jokes and future Saturday Night Live sketch Kanye.

So why bring in rockers of yesteryear?

How awkward was it to see a 68 year old Roger Daltrey jump around with his leathery chest hanging out during The Who's set?

The Twittersphere was on fire during Billy Joel's performance with countless tweets comparing him to Darh Vader and Walt from Breaking Bad.  One Tweet by comedian Jeffrey Ross had many in stitches by spoofing a Joel classic with his elderly age: "Billy Joel is gonna have a heart a tack ack ack ack."

And how about all the parents who had to explain to their technology driven children that Dave Grohl used to play drums for another band called Nirvana? And the guy with the lime green pants was the bass player.

So why do these sponsors choose rock and roll relics over younger shinier models? 

You can ague all you want, but when Sir Paul McCartney ripped into "Live and Let Die" you were probably either singing along or swaying in your seat.  And after watching Kanye run around screaming obscenities in a leather skirt you were blown away by Billy Joel's performance with real music, real harmonies, and a killer band.

I give huge props to today's artists. Many work hard, and they are facing a radically different industry and consumer base with interests that change by the Tweet. All of this has led to a different style of musician.  Today's artist must stand out in a huge sea of competition.  To do that they must promote how great they are every day via marketing, social media, and any other means necessary.  They must capture consumers with everything BUT music.  Is it any wonder that today's artists go through costume changes during a show and yesterday's just change their guitars?

The artists that made up last night's bill were brought up in a different musical era.  To stand out they needed to play their instruments better than the next guy.  That's why Eric Clapton could kill it with a power trio and nothing else at last night's show. These artists needed to create songs that stuck with you for years to come.  I think everybody was singing along with Billy Joel during his set. And finally these AARP rockers came up during a time when the youth believed they could change the world...and they actually did. That's why The Who is a statement and not a question.

Sponsors seek out these aging rockers for a number of reasons.  First, they know a bill with Eric Clapton, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, and Sir Paul McCartney will easily fill seats with virtually zero marketing effort. Second, they know the music will be good...real, real, good.  And finally they know that these acts have already helped change the world so they have experience when it comes to doing it once again.

Regardless, I encourage all of you to drop a few bucks to the Sandy relief effort.  These people need our help. You can still donate to the Sand Relief effort by visiting their website at http://www.121212concert.org. And soon you can purchase the show from iTunes with proceeds going to the cause. 

What will you do without your own music library?

For years I collected tapes, then CD's, and then digital downloads to build my own personal music collection. When I got hold of a third generation iPod back in 2003 I started to dump all of that music into my iTunes library. Today that library holds about 15,000 tracks.

But over the past year I, like most of you, have switched over from purchasing new music to streaming it through an online music provider. There are many of these services out there. Most notably Spotify, Pandora, and MOG. I choose the later, MOG, and pay about $10 per month so I can download as much music as I want to my fourth generation iPod Touch and iPhone.

Now, I have been pretty impressed with streaming over downloading.  It has allowed me to investigate new music, find new indie bands, and catch up on some old favorites, all without having to drop 99¢ per track or $10 per album. It just seems to make financial sense in these tough economic times.

But with every great idea comes some sort of risk.

I have been following music industry related news for a while now and have noticed two reoccurring themes that trouble me when it comes to my music collection. The first started in October of this year when financial analysts deemed Spotify's business model "unsustainable". You can read the article here.

"In almost a one-for-one scenario, every dollar Spotify is generating immediately exits the company due to licensing fees..."

The second reoccurring theme that is troubling is what is happening right now on Capitol Hill in regards to intellectual property. For months now Pandora has been leading a charge to get Congress to reduce the online royalty payments for artists. It seems investors for the online streaming service need the business to make more money, and they have deemed the best way to do that is by lobbying our Nation's leaders to reduce royalty payments do to the musicians' whose works they are exploiting for profit. Former TuneCore CEO Jeff Prince wrote a great article on this conundrum for Hyperbot. You can get to it here.  

So what do these two themes mean for us streamers?

The answer is simple. The two biggest leaders in the streaming market have been deemed unsustainable. Spotify is surviving through the assistance of venture capital and Pandora is trying to create a stronger business model by challenging the artists they rely on for product. Eventually the venture capitalists backing Spotfiy are going to want out, especially if their forecasts continue to demonstrate they may not get a return on their investment. Investors invest to make money, not for charity. And if Pandora continues to challenge the royalty payments of their artists, those artists are going to stop providing the second giant with product. And if you think musicians need Pandora, just ask Taylor Swift and her management team who proved streaming is a benefit, not a necessity.

This could lead to consumers without a decent streaming service. And for those of us who haven't purchased a CD in months that could lead to thousands of consumers with stale music collections. Imagine what would happen if Spotify and Pandora fell off the map. Sure other companies would take their place. That is the power of capitalism, but consumers would be scared, and chances are they would go back to downloading their favorite music through services such as Amazon and iTunes in record numbers. Maybe Apple and Amazon stock isn't a bad idea at this moment.

Now, I am not saying that streaming will fall off the map, and to be honest I am still streaming over downloading as I write this article, but imagine what would happen if these companies disappeared. How much would you have to charge to your iTunes account in the day after, the week after...the year after?

A Drumming Thankful List

This Thanksgiving I wanted to make a list of things drumming related that I am thankful for. Some items on the list may appeal to every drummer, others to just a few of you, and the remaining are special to me. Enjoy and Happy Turkey Day to all.

1. Buddy Rich - I am thankful for Buddy because he continues to inspire me to this day.
2. Modern Drummer Magazine - Thanks to all involved for giving the drumming community our monthly Bible.
3. Ludwig - For giving us the first bass drum pedal in 1909, paving the way for future generations of drum set players across the globe.
4. Steve Gadd - Thanks for giving us the white whale of drumming with the groove to "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."
5. Kenwood Dennard - Thanks for never giving me a perfect grade during my private lessons, thus teaching this young drummer there is always room for improvement in everything he does.
6. Steve Jobs and the iPod - Thanks for giving me a convenient spot for all my albums so I can jam anywhere my kit takes me.
7. Amazon Kindle - Thanks for giving us drumming instructional books in digital format. Finally I can have all the lessons of the masters with me wherever I travel.
8. Electronic Drums - My neighbors thank you, and I thank you for giving me a way to practice without getting evicted from my apartment. 
9. Duct Tape - Thanks for giving me a way to fix my kit on the fly, help kill overtones, and for the million other uses you supply while on the road.
10. All the musicians I have and will play with - Each of you has and will continue to help me evolve into a better player and happier human being.

That's my list. What are you guys thankful for?

The Drumming Community... Another Reason it's Great to Play the Drums

I was on a mini vacation this past weekend and making my way around a small seafood festival with a margarita in my hand when another patron stopped me and said "hey man nice shirt".  Now, I had forgotten that I was wearing my Modern Drummer t-shirt and took a quick look down to remind myself, before giving him a heartfelt thanks followed by the appropriate question: "so are you a drummer too?"

That question opened up a small conversation between us. In a short time span we talked about the local music scene, the music scene from his hometown, who I was playing with, who he was playing with, and the types of tubs we used. It was nice to run into a fellow drummer on my mini vacation.

As I walked away I couldn't help but think that this is something very unique to us drummers. We seem to share a community that is open to anyone who bangs those skins. I believe we have more clinics in more towns than the players of any other instrument. We have strong magazines with long histories such as Modern Drummer and Drum! that are dedicated to our craft, and we have a plethora of websites that enhance our knowledge of that craft including www.drummersorld.com, The Drummer Cafe, and VicFirth.

It seems that drummers, more than any other musician, want to share their passion and the lessons they have learned with the future generations of players. You have Steve Gadd on his popular clinic tours across the U.S., Rich Redmond hosting his technical and business based Crash Courses for Success, and Tommy Igoe crafting manuals that help the next generation of drummers step up their game. This is something I am proud to be a part of, and why I developed my own book Rudimental Technique and Analysis.

I think the biggest reason the drumming community is so open and welcoming has to do with the nature of our instrument.

Drums were the first instrument on this planet. In fact drumming is even older than the human voice. This happened because the drum represents the heartbeat, and what early tribesmen saw as the soul of the body. To this date the most indigenous tribes in Africa still revere the drummer as the only member capable of speaking to the Gods. In their world the drummer is more powerful than our president.

I like to think that even today this tradition carries forward in every drummer out there. We are the heartbeat of the band and we still represent that pulse that gives music life. We are all part of the eldest instrument on the planet, and it seems we are all proud of what we do. No matter how big or how small.

Here's to the drummer!

Internet Radio...A Modern Drumming Practice Tool.

When I was a younger drummer we didn't have iPods, iPhones, or even computers small enough to set-up next to our kits. We had Sony Walkmans and a little later on CD's.  While these mediums were great to utilize in a practice session they had their drawbacks. Most importantly you were stuck to the single artist on the cassette or disc. If you wanted to change up your routine you had to waste time changing discs or worse yet make a mix tape before you began hitting the drums.

To counter this problem I would play along with FM radio. This allowed me to practice to a variety of artists without having to change out CD's or cassettes after every song. Jamming to the radio had some great advantages. First it allowed you to practice along with a multitude of artists and second it always kept you "on your toes" because you had little time to prepare for the next song in cue. For me this proved beneficial because it trained me to handle the many pick-up situations I would eventually encounter during my drumming career.

Thanks to the Internet and streaming services today's drummers have a radio on steroids to accomplish this same task.

I currently use Slacker Radio in the same fashion that I used the FM dial so many years ago. But Slacker has a number of benefits over traditional radio. First users can select a number of genres to listen to, or if you are a musician jam along with. These genres include country, jazz, hip-hop, rock, classic rock, hard rock, R&B, and even Christian.  Each of these genres has a number of sub-genres that allow you to dive deeper into a particular style. For example under the jazz heading you can choose classic jazz, modern jazz, smooth jazz, and vocal jazz, among many other sub-styles.  And all of these stations remain in radio format so you can stay on your toes as you move from artist to artist.

With such a deep selection of stations the drummer can really focus their practice routine on a particular style or a multitude of genres.  On some days I move from Slacker's modern country station, to classic R&B, and finally their classic jazz channel.  This has really helped me to stay on my game, find new artists, and develop my playing repertoire in each style.

Slacker isn't the only streaming service available. Available radio based stations include Pandora,  iHeart Radio, and Last.FM. There are also a number of streaming services such as Spotify, MOG, and Grooveshark, among many others that allow you to listen to virtually any artist of your choice instantly. Many like MOG allow you to listen to customized play lists that match the artist of your choice with similar acts. So if you like Hendrix you can listen to a station with Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jeff Beck thrown in the mix.

All of these Internet streaming companies can be enjoyed via a web browser, or through one of their apps, which allow you to enjoy them on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device. And if you opt for their premium services you can even enjoy their music offline. This allows the drummer to have a pocket full of musical genres and artist to jam along with no matter where they are in the world.

Happy drumming!

Why You Should Love Rich Redmond

If you don't know who Rich Redmond is, let me help you. He plays for this little known country star named Jason Aldean. 

I hope you caught my sarcasm on that one.

Rich has also recorded, performed, or toured with other artists including Bryan Adams, Miranda Lambert, Jewel, The Pointer Sisters, Trace Adkins, and Hank Williams III among many, many others. Just visit his website at www.richredmond.com to see the overwhelming complete list of people he has kept the back beat for.

For all you music nuts out there you will be very impressed to know that Rich got his formal training at The University of North Texas and held the drum seat for their one o'clock lab band. For those who don't know that lab is the world series of higher level music education performance.

Besides his discography and impressive education here are four reasons drummers should check out Rich Redmond.

1. He ACTUALLY plays on all of Aldean's studio albums. 

This is a huge feat in Nashville where different drummers are allocated for an artist's studio and live performances, and a huge testament to Redmond's skills on the kit.

2. He has earned a refined groove.

Many drummers think that it is all about complex grooves, busy fills, double bass, and blazing speed. It is only after the artist develops himself over time in the studio and on the stage that they realize the best drummers keep it simple, pick their fills perfectly, and replace technique with an infectious groove. Rich has clearly done that. He plays for the song. That is a true testament to his superstar drumming status and puts him in line with greats such as Steve Gadd, Joe Porcaro, and Bernard Purdie. 

3. He puts on a show.

When Rich is in front of an audience he is an animated player. This elevates the experience for the fan, and helps him lock into the pocket. Watch this live video and see what I mean.

4. He gives back to the drumming community.

Over the past couple of years Rich has supplemented his extensive recording and live calendar with drum clinics across the country. Titled Rich Redmond's Crash Course for Success these clinics give drummers insight into his playing, practice routines, and how this chart topping drummer handles the business side of his craft. It is empowering and unlike any clinic you have ever witnessed.

These are just some of the reasons I enjoy Rich Redmond and his musical ability. I encourage you to check out his website www.richredmond.com for more information. 

To hear his amazing studio playing check out Jason Aldean on iTunes.

If you want to witness one of Redmond's clinics check out his Crash Course for Success Web page.

The newer prouder country artist.

Yesterday I posted a link to Jason Aldean's newest release Night Train on my Facebook page. A few hours later a musical comrade of mine made a comment that got me thinking about modern country music.

According to my Facebook buddy the new Aldean album "ain't country".

This got me questioning; "what is country anyway?"

I find that a lot of people I run into who aren't up-to-date on the genre still think country is twangy stories about drunk lonely nights, divorce, and missing your dog. And for years this was country. Throughout the 70's, 80's, and most of the 90's country music was pretty damn sad. Sure their were the occasional two-steppin' hits, but for the most part country music was sad music.

Over the past decade the genre has been changing. It has become more powerful, more "proud".

Take a listen to Take a Little Ride from Aldean's newest album. This isn't a song about loosing a dog, a wife, or a house. It's a song about a hardworking man whose "been workin' all day bailing some hay"; and now he is off from work, and on his way to hang out with his favorite girl to watch the corn grow, from the tailgate of his Chevy, on a country back road.

Now I know if you are not a country fan that sounds like a pretty boring premise for a song.  However, if you do feel that way, chances are, you never lived in the South.  Or a rural area for that matter.

Well in my short life I lived in Nashville and spent some time in Oklahoma, and I can tell you that this is how people of the south live. It is a wholesome lifestyle, where they work hard for their pay and spend their time enjoying the company of mother nature, close friends, and cold beer. And contrary to what the press, television, and the pundits may tell you, this is how the majority of Americans live. When I first heard the song Pontoon by Little Big Town I immediately though of floating on a homemade barge on Aker's Pond in a northern New England town with no cellular phone service called Errol, and another time tubing down New Hampshire's Androscoggin River with a beer in my hand.

Many people will hoot and holla' that modern country has become commercialized, lost it's roots, and isn't even country music at all. I beg to differ. I think the new generation of country musicians and songwriters don't see their lives the same way their predecessors did. Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, and Toby Keith are all telling us that it's OK to work hard, love your country, your truck, and to be proud of who you are. Life is short so Take a Little Ride, hop on the Pontoon, have Another Beer in Mexico, or just hop in your Truck Yeah.

So yes, these new artists are country music, but they are part of a new trend in the genre. A trend where the musicians are proud of who they are, where they come from, and their down home values. This has come through in their songs.

This is country.

How Touring Can Elevate Your Career

This week I want to talk about touring, and just how powerful it can for your musical career.

Last week I received my copy of Rolling Stone, and was pleasantly surprised to see that one of my favorite groups, The Dave Matthews Band, had reached number one with their eighth studio album Away From the World.

Dave Matthews hit the mainstream back in 1994 with Under The Table and Dreaming, and close to ten years later, the 45 year old Matthews still leads a group that can sell records and sell out concert venues. This is a rare feat in today's musical landscape. One hit wonders and passive fans have made it almost impossible for a young band to gain national stardom and then maintain that position for close to a decade. So how did Dave Matthews and his group of rocking minstrels do it?

It all boils down to touring. Even before the group had a major label record deal they toured. Their manager Coran Capshaw put them on the road in the early nineties and they crisscrossed the United States a number of times picking up fans at each show. A fan of The Grateful Dead, Capshaw understood the importance of coordinating a fan base for the group and then motivating them to buy into the brand. This proved quite successful because by the time the band was ready to sign a major label deal they really didn't need to. When asked about the group's powerful fan base A&R man Bruce Flohr explained why RCA decided to sign the group in an online article. "I only realized how lucky we were the more shows I went to go see. I was working at a label where 90 percent of the acts we had signed couldn't draw what this dude was drawing. All of a sudden I realized that if RCA did everything wrong, we had a gold album under our belt.

The newer generation of musical dreamers should take notice of the importance of touring. First it helps you support your career. In today's day in age you probably will not sell a huge amount of $16 albums, instead you will sell a larger amount of 99¢ tracks, and you will probably give more away than you actually sell. To earn income you need to get fans to buy into your brand. Many younger musicians think this is done through FaceBook and Twitter, but trust me this rarely works. In order to connect you need to play live in-front of your fans or potential consumers.

When you play a concert, no matter how big or how small, you have a captive audience. If you can give them a performance to remember they will buy your music, your merchandise, and tickets for future shows.  All of this income adds up pretty quick, and like Coran Capshaw knew, can actually help keep a band on the road earning more fans and making more money. 

If a major label deal is your ultimate goal you MUST, and I repeat MUST, tour. As we all know there are fewer and fewer major labels out there today, but hundreds of thousands of musicians fighting for their attention. It is time for musicians to accept the cold hard fact that the music business is a business, and no matter how great your songs are these labels want to see how well you can connect with an audience and get them to buy into your brand.

I want you to step outside your rock attire and into a suit for a minute and look at it like a music industry professional. You are looking at two bands. They both have decent music that can be made marketable. They both have the look, and they are both pretty talented. But band one is touring. They play to an average of 400 people per night. They have merchandise at their shows and are selling t-shirts, thongs, stickers, and music. The other band plays occasionally, usually to about thirty people because they haven't been collecting and mobilizing a fan base, and they do not sell merchandise because they feel their music should speak for itself.

As a music executive it becomes simple math. The first band has proved they can captivate an audience and get them to buy into their brand. If on their own they are playing in front of 400 people per night and most of those people are walking away with music or merchandise, than imagine how much money the label can make when that group is introduced to 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 fans.

For the executive band two isn't even an option. Even if they had better music, they have not proved they can connect with an audience and make them break out their wallets. Musicians must remember that if you want to make a living at your craft you need an audience that is willing to buy into your product.

This mentality is what put Dave Matthews on the national and global stage, and is why close to a decade later they can hit number one in the Billboard Charts whenever they release an album. Through touring they have built up a fan base that is always hungry to buy into the group's brand. This is what record executives want. They are investing in your small company and want to know that ten years later you will still be making them money. If you can accept that premise than you have a huge chance to get your music heard by the world. 

In an upcoming article I will offer insight as to how to keep records of your sales, motivate a fan base, and sell merchandise so you have the evidence those major executives need when the time is right. 

Your Music is a Loss Leader

In business there is a term used to describe products that are designed to get you in the door and buy bigger ticket items. It is called loss leader pricing. When you break that phrase down the first word “loss” is because the business is probably loosing money selling those items. The word “leader” means it leads you to buy other products. We see this all of the time, but probably don’t even realize it.

For instance you can buy a brand new razor with two cartridges for around $10, but if you want to buy additional razors themselves you will have to fork over $25 for an eight pack. 

Have you ever purchased a new printer? What a steal you can get a whole unit with ink for under $50. It isn’t until you need a refill that you realize the cartridges alone will cost you over $50. 

Loss leaders are everywhere. Go into a supermarket and buy an 18 pack of water for $3, two bags of chips for $4, or a 12 pack of coke for $3.99. These are all tactics to get you to buy other, more expensive, things.

Well that is what music has officially become… a loss leader.

According to Apple’s 10-K filings for 2011 iTunes made $5.4 billion. Amazing right? Now think about this. Forbes reported that Apple sold five million phones within three days of their iPhone 5 launch on September 21st, 2012. Now even though the vast majority of these phones were at reduced rates through cellphone carriers, companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint still needed to pay Apple a subsidy to get the new highly in-demand product. According to CNN money that subsidy averages about $450 per phone. That equates to $2.25 billion dollars for Apple. A little under half of what their iTunes division made last year. So in three days Apple's iPhone made half of what their entire iTunes store made in a year. 

Last week Samsung, Apple’s biggest rival, announced they will start buying up smaller music streaming and distribution companies to strengthen their own music network called Hub. The technology bohemian isn't doing this to sell more music. They are doing it to "lead" consumers into buying one of their Galaxy smartphones or tablets. Samsung is finally catching on to something Apple, Amazon and Google have known for years. You sell more technology devices if you can easily fill them with low cost music. 

Using music to get consumers through the door to lure them to buy bigger ticket items isn’t necessarily new. For years Wal*Mart had isles of CD’s. That’s right I said “isles” of CD’s. They did this because you had to go somewhere to buy new music. This was before you could beam it to your phone while you borrowed your neighbors Wi-Fi connection. When you went to Wally World to buy that new Pearl Jam CD. I know I’m old. You were forced to look at those beautiful big screen TV’s, stereos, DVD players, and other high priced electronic items, and chances are, at least once,  you walked away with one of them. In the end your $16 CD purchase cost you about $500. That is a loss leader.

But today music has completely become a loss leader. If you don’t believe me look around. If you are a Starbucks card holder you will get the occasional free download of a new music track, or you can buy those albums in their stores for $10 while you drop another $8 on a cup of coffee, plus another cup for your friend, and, oh wait, one of those awesome muffins.

  

Artists don’t make money by selling music anymore. That is an antiquated business model and if a manager or record labels is telling you otherwise start running back to your day job because you will make more money and work less there. Just take a look at the sales numbers according to www.gloriousnoise.com.  Total album sales were at $616.6 million in 1996 and have dropped to $330.57 million last year, and yes that includes digital sales for 2011.

But for some reason artist’s still think that they make money by selling albums. The truth is in today’s market they don’t. The smart ones understand how to use their music as a loss leader just like Apple, Samsung, Coca Cola, and Starbucks. Trent Reznor gives his music away and uses those free tracks to encourage fans to buy his concert tickets, merchandise, autographed memorabilia and anything else he can make money on. He understands that the market has changed their valuation of music. To them music no longer has a monetary value. Napster has taught them otherwise. Incubus’ manager Steve Rennie said it best “for some reason college kids can afford their beer and weed money, but will not pay for their favorite song.” 

On a good note music has not lost its intrinsic value and that is why ad agencies, film companies, and big businesses still fork over money to attach their brand to a particular tune. To make money in today’s market artist must stop thinking that people will pay for their music. Instead they must start using their music to get those consumers to buy into their brand. Hell it worked pretty good for Apple.  

The Degree is Over, But the Learning has Just Begun!

It has been a long time coming...This week I will graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Music Business Management.

Over the past two and a half years I have been studying, but not in a classroom.  Because I was "on the road" I had to obtain my degree with the help of technology...Online.

I chased that degree while I worked on cruise ships, paying 35¢ per minute to watch my lecturers, research and upload assignments, and participate in virtual discussions. At some times this cost me close to $200 per month in Internet bills alone.

For a while I got to study "on land" as I worked as a show band drummer for a five star resort nestled in northern New Hampshire. The remote spot where I lived lacked an Internet connection, so I went to my virtual classes via a mobile hot spot. It was slow, so slow that sometimes I drove an hour out of town seeking a stronger cell signal to upload my assignments.

I worked hard for those two and a half plus years. I think I averaged about 45 hours per week on school work while I traveled, played some late nights, and then traveled some more.

With a few months left before graduation I moved in with family in Florida and started working for Apple Retail. Luckily my sister had a really good Internet connection so I could finish my tenure at the college strong. I was up early every day and in bed late as I polished another assignment, researched another business topic, or read another chapter.

And in the end I got my last grades and was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had achieved a 4.0 for all of my hard work. The same hard work that put me at the top of my class in Music Business Management at Full Sail University.

Many people question the validity of such a degree. I do not.

The music business landscape has radically changed. Everything is different from marketing to promotions, artist management, the record deal, contracts, and, of course, distribution. What is funny is that if you asked any "Joe blow" on the street he would tell you the same, but for some reason so many artists think otherwise. They still dream of that big record contract, the globe trotting tour to packed football stadiums, the debut album that goes platinum in the first week.

Without people like me, people who have trained in the modern music business landscape, they would starve. Or worse yet return to a normal 9-5 job. You see during this degree that many would deem somewhat useless I have studied how artists can not only survive in this new marketplace, but also prosper.

In the end I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far, but I am even more excited of what is to come. If the music business has shown me one thing, it is that the Internet is here to stay and those who don't hop on board will wither and die. I have studied one industry that almost died at the hands of an interlinked world, now I will learn how to leverage that power to help both myself and the lucky organization I will eventually work for succeed in the modern marketplace.

So you may see my posts change a bit.  I will continue to talk about the drumming world, but you will probably see more research on the modern music business landscape and the power of the Internet taking a larger role.

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you!

Want An (In-Depth) Understanding of Reggae Drumming?

A few years ago I had the opportunity to sit down with an exceptional Reggae drummer who was working on a cruise ship with me. He was the real deal. Born and raised in Jamaica and drumming for most of his life he could do things on the kit that made simple white guys like me very jealous.

During our quasi lesson he informed me that Reggae is something that is in your blood, just like Americans tend to be better when it comes to playing Swing music (his words not mine). He showed me a number of tips and tricks to get my island drumming more authentic, but I will admit Reggae has always eluded me.

Then two weeks ago I got an email from Hudson music telling me I could download Gil Sharone's Wicked Beats instructional DVD for only $15. I had to take the offer.

For you drummers who don't know who Gil Sharone is. Right after high school he became the drummer for the group Fishbone which opened a number of doors for the young musician. He has played with Blink 182, Dillinger Escape Plan, and his own group Stolen Babies. He is an active clinician and was even voted Modern Drummers #2 Most Up-And Coming Drummer in 2008. If you want to read his full bio visit Drummerworld here.

So enough about Gil and let's talk about Wicked Beats.

This is a great instructional DVD because it leads you through the development of Jamaican drumming. Gil walks you from the beginnings of the movement with the Nyabingi and Burru. This lesson is filmed with some of Reggae drumming greats whom explain the importance of Rastafarianism on the drumming style and how the sounds mimic that of nature. This really helped me to understand the underlying core concepts of the Reggae style of drumming.


From there Gil walks you through Ska and Rocksteady and how the beats change ever so slightly for each. Then he moves on to Reggae, Dancehall, 2 Tone Ska, and 3rd Wave Ska before ending with Dub. 


I was really impressed at how good of a teacher Gil Sharone is. He really helps the viewer understand where the important parts of the various Reggae style beats fall and how to make each one authentic. And he does it so simply that you catch on quite quickly.  Sometimes the best teachers are the ones very few know about.

Wicked Beats is a true "in-depth" DVD. Not only does Gil show you how to properly lay down various authentic sounding Reggae beats, but he also includes commentary from noted Reggae historian Roger Steffans who's history lesson helps the drummer understanding how the music has developed and evolved.

What I dig the most about Sharone's DVD is the fact that he brings in special guest such as  Lloyd Knibb of The Skatalites who offer insight into Reggae technique. These "true" Reggae greats offer amazing concepts that can give your drumming that real island flavor.

I will leave you with the trailer for Wicked Beats and encourage you to either buy the DVD or download it directly through Hudson Music on Demand.

Drumming Greats: Mick Fleetwood

As I weaved through traffic on Orange Blossom Trail with my windows down and music cranked up the other day I couldn't help but notice that I was getting some awkward looks from other motorists.

Now let me explain for a second. OBT, as we affectionately call it, is propagated by people who enjoy hip hop and Latin music, so when I pull up at a red light and Fleetwood Mac's Dreams is blaring from my VW sound system I guess I can understand the funny looks from other motorists sitting on their 22" rims. What these motorists don't realize is that I am a drummer, and Fleetwood Mac is backed by one of the greats in the drumming community – Mick Fleetwood.

OK, so I will admit that Mick wouldn't be a drummers first choice when it comes to inspiration. He isn't  a blazing jazz pioneer like Billy Cobham or Max Roach, he isn't a progressive superstar such as Neil Peart, or a modern day rock star such as Rich Redmond, but we should all give Mick Fleetwood his due and here's why:

1. You know a rhythm section is great when the band is named after the bassist and drummer.

Sure many fans associate Fleetwood's fame with the vocals of Stevie Nicks, but many do not know that the band started out as a blues group and was named after bassist John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. Hence the name Fleetwood Mac.

2. To be a drummer you have to have brass balls.

Part of being a great drummer is having confidence. Nothing says confidence like wearing a wedding dress for a Rolling Stone article, and Mick did just that.

3. Mick kept the band alive.

We all know of the chaos that is Fleetwood Mac. The marriages, the divorces, and all the drugs, but through it all Mick is responsible for keeping the group going. After a long hiatus Mick urged the group to get back together for a new album in 1997 called Dreams, which brought them back to the mainstream and put the original line-up back on stage thus reinventing the Fleetwood brand.

4. Showmanship.

Watch any Fleetwood video and you will see Mick making faces, dancing on the kit, and feeling the music. To be a great drummer you have to be "in the music", and for his entire career Mick has been inside the music.

5. The tick-tock.

This is what keeps Fleetwood Mac on my playlist. Sure some drummers can burn the double bass, others can swing like mad, and newbies can play at 200 plus beats per minute, but to get the audience to dance and your records to sell your music has to have a groove. When it comes to groove Mick and John created a tick-tock that is always in the pocket, on time, and infectious.

I urge all the young drummers out there to give Fleetwood Mac a listen. See what these musical pioneers do that has pushed them up the charts and put them on stages across the world. In this day of speed drumming competitions and programmed beats we often forget that when you put great musicians together you get a great product. When that band has a drummer who can keep solid time, create an infectious groove with the bassist, and perform with confidence and musicality you can survive the test of time.

Finally watch this video from their successful Dance video, even with the University of Southern California Marching band Mick keeps the groove alive.

A Great FREE Learning Resource for Drummers

During my practice routines I like to devote some time to playing with study materials that give you music without drums and a chart to follow. I have found Tommy Igoe's Grove Essentials series (you can find these great books here), and Steve Houghton's Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology (you can check out this manual and more here) to be great resources.

But after daily practice with these books the purpose behind reading charts and playing along with the tracks looses it's value. I mean it's pretty useless to read through a chart when you know the songs inside and out because you have played them too much.

So I went on a search this morning to find some new play along material, and being a consumer of the new technology driven universe I wanted to download something as opposed to purchasing a CD and then waiting for said disc in the mail before I could practice.  Through an Internet search I came across Vic Firth's Education section of their website and was pleasantly surprised.

I have to thank the folks at Vic Firth because this is a great resource for both drummers looking to boost their game and music instructors seeking ways to efficiently pass down their craft. They have countless videos of the drumming community's best offering lessons, live footage, and their own theories on the instrument. You can download their copy of the 40 Essential Snare Drum Rudiments, although I would encourage you to get my book on that (shameless plug), along with a plethora of other resources. They even have an ongoing Podcast that keeps you up-to-date with performances of today's top drummers.

The gem I found was at their drum set play along section (you can get there here).  

This page offers countless songs with and without drums. These free online lessons cover a number of genres and each one includes music to help you work on your chart reading skills at the same time. They are all songs by today's top drummers so be prepared to be challenged during your practice routine when you connect with these bad boys. 

All in all this is a great free resource for drummers looking to up their game. I encourage you all to take a tour of Vic Firth's website and see how they can help you get better on the kit.