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!