Crowd-Fund Your Next Album

Are you a passionate recording artist struggling to save enough money for that next album?  Would you also like an innovative way to market that album for a great turnout? An awesome alternative to saving money from your already thin check is to raise finances through crowd funding.  Many independent artists are taking advantage of this new way of fundraising and are reaping its benefits.   So, will you jump on the marketing and advertising boat and fund your project with crowd funding?

What is crowd funding? 

Crowd funding is an interactive way of raising funds from people through the Internet.  The idea of crowd funding was first launched by Kickstarter.com in 2009 and quickly became a reliable way for businesses, groups, and artists to fund their projects.  Crowd funding has become a vital tool in the industry as more artists reach out to their fans for financial support.  After little over four years there are many crowd funding sites such as IndieGoGo, and Pledgemusic that offer specialized support to musicians and bands who are trying to fund an album or music video.

Essentials to Get You Started

#1. Know the details of your project: What exactly do you need money for?  Like many potential investors, they would like to know every detail of your campaign before donating their hard-earned money.  Do your best to note all the aspects of your album, video idea, or music event before you go online asking for donations.

#2. Make a video: A picture is worth a thousand words and an interesting video is worth a million!  A creative video will capture the hearts of viewers and hopefully their pockets if done correctly.  Most artists will make a short two-minute video that contains a sample of what is to come and includes rewards that are offered.

#3. Set a reasonable budget: Setting an attainable goal will help you avoid becoming a part of that 47% of musicians who wage unsuccessful campaigns. This will also allow you to possibly over shoot your finance goal like the Aury Moore Band who successfully raised $2000 over their original goal during their 2012 campaign.

#4. Offer rewards: Everybody likes rewards! Offering rewards such as exclusive sounds clips and autographed CD's will entice backers to donate more towards your cause.  

Do Not Get Discouraged!

Do not feel obligated to make music to impress a certain investor/backer.  People are funding your project because they believe in you and your talent.  As recording artists it is our duty to express ourselves on record for the masses.  Your project will receive more hype as your campaign generates more money.

 

Through crowd funding you can find an alternative way to raise money as well as a cheaper promotion tool.  Using the right crowd-funding site for your album will increase your chances of a successful campaign and the possibility of being discovered. A positive turnout on an album will build your fan base for future projects and that is always a good thing! 

For more information including steps on starting your campaign click here.
Check out 3 Unexpected Things That Happen After Your Band's Kickstarter Succeeds by Music Clout.

Live the Music. . .

The Continuing Evolution of Robin Thicke

Hello music lovers!  Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the interesting career of Robin Thicke.  While most people refer Thicke to a copy of Justin Timberlake they sometimes forget that longhaired hippy rocking out on a bike in the 1999 “When I Get You Alone” video.  Robin Thicke’s career has since gone through multiple detours that led him to his fifth album that includes the longest-running single on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart this year.

The son of actor AlanThicke did not have much success after his breakthrough single until “TheEvolution of Robin Thicke” album released in 2006.  That album captured the change in Thicke’s appearance and music and went over well with audiences of a diverse background.  His record label took the safe route of releasing two albums of similar sounds to the public; however, records sales did match the success Robin Thicke’s 2006 album.   Upon the release of Thicke’s recent album, executives were not as supportive to his up-tempo beats.  In a recent interview to Mesfin Fekadu of APnews.com Thicke stated, “…I went into the record label and I played it for the heads of the label, head of pop radio ... and everybody just went, 'Nice. Nice.' Got no response; was kind of surprised by that.”

             With the major success of “Blurred Lines”, his lead single, Thicke has once again successfully re-invented his sound to capture the attention of a younger audience.  The purpose of his new album to have a “good time” with his fans while delivering the same soulful vibes that people loved in “The Evolution of Robin Thicke.”  I believe that Thicke is slowly returning to the sounds of his original album with the loyal fans he has earned over recent years.  Do not be surprised if his next album revisits his funky roots with a mixture of his more popular style. 

Live the Music. . . 

Interview Source: The Associated Press

Americans for the Arts

I found an interesting organization that I believe will be vital in the on-going growth of E Willz Music. Americans for the Arts is an organization that is taking action in maintaining opportunity in the arts for all those that have passion in it.  As a musician myself, I will take advantage of their interesting blogs and information on trending topics within the industry to better myself in the art.  Lets take a minute to check out what they are all about and their history.

Who Are They?

This video from their website best describes this organization's history and purpose. 

As stated in their mission statement, Americans for the Arts' mission is to serve, advance, and lead the network of organization and individuals who cultivate, promote, sustain, and support arts in America.

This organization has many partnerships with active artists and politicians to who work hard to get art related topics recognized by the government.  On their website you will find many statements explaining strategies taken to advance the arts throughout the country.  You will also find tools of research and information on local trends and laws that are related to making jobs available.  "Action Areas" as they call them, are strategies used in local areas to create more leaders and events that promote opportunity for art performance.

Americans for the Arts and E Willz Music

As our company begins to grow in the community E Willz Music will jump head on into membership with the Americans for the Arts organization.  I believe that a partnership with this organization can better help us understand the state of art from a local and national level to better serve our future customers.  Also, be sure to follow our Facebook and Twitter pages as we post updates on current events within the educational and performance industry that we discover on the Americans for the Arts blog site.  For info on how to become a member yourself visit their site here.

Live the Music. . . 

Beatjazz by Onyx Ashanti

Hello my fellow music lovers I am excited to share an innovative new genre that I have discovered recently.  What if jazz and the live music of a DJ combined to create a totally incredible audio and visual show made with nothing more that two controllers, a mouthpiece, and an iPhone? If you told me this I wouldn't believe you and call you crazy but, my friends, the future of performance is now and it is here.  Beatjazz is an evolutionary concept created by Onyx Ashanti who takes the phrase, "One man band," to new heights.  So, what is it like to perform beatjazz and what does it have to do with the "Live the Music" movement? First, watch this video below and see what it is like!

So who is Onyx Ashanti?

Onyx Ashanti is a musician and sound engineer in his own right. Originally from Mississippi, Ashanti has traveled the world exploring the sounds of music and developing his new instrument.   Prior to the creation of his beatjazz instrument, Onyx was proficient on electronic saxophone.  Onyx has been through life changing challenges including the death of his mother in 2007.  His beatjazz movement is an expression from the rhythms within his body to the laptop in which he records his music. For more information on Onyx Ashanti, check out his website.

How does this work?

The idea of beatjazz works in the concepts of sound design, live looping, and jazz improvisation.  Two controllers, that are used with saxophone fingerings, work in harmony with a mouthpiece to capture hand, leg, and mouth movements to create sound. An iPhone is used almost as a mixing board to go between different instruments such as the bass and drums.  Different lights signify that a different sound is being played and/or looped.  All of these elements come together to create something truly magical for all those that are experiencing a beatjazz performance.

So what does this have to do with "Living the Music?"

This new art form signifies what it means to "Live the Music." Living life through the expressions of music and connecting with people along the way. Beatjazz is literally a manifestation of the emotional and rhythmical melodies from the body.  Onyx Ashanti has truly found a way to both resurrect the popularity of the jazz genre while creating a new dimension for current DJs to explore.  Although there aren't many that are ready to tackle this type of talent in the industry, the future is definitely within sites as Onyx Ashanti makes his best efforts to expand his knowledge and skills of the genre to vast audiences around the world.  A great personal influence to myself as a musician, I look forward to seeing where Onyx Ashanti ends up next as well the development of beatjazz.

Live the Music . . . 

Marsha Ambrosius's New Song "Sky" Dedication

There has been many losses in the industry over the past few weeks as well as the four year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. One artist that has caught the eyes of many of her followers is Marsha Ambrosius. Yesterday Ambrosius posted a very emotionally charged tribute song called "Sky" on her YouTube channel.

Check out the video here:

Marsha Ambrosius was deeply affected by the losses of her Aunt, Philly rapper Jimme Wallstreet, and Louisiana rapper Lil Snupe. Marsha claimed to have heard the composition of the song in a dream and immediately went to her piano and put her thoughts onto paper. The video was put together using a few clips and photos taken from her iPhone during one of her most recent flights. The song has only been on the web for less than 24 hours and is already getting a lot of buzz from her fans via Twitter and Facebook. The deep emotions that projects to the listener leaves chills in the spine and demands attention from music critics.

Both Jimme Wallstreet and Lil Snupe were young up and coming rappers from opposite sides of the country who met their end to a bullet in the past week. Lil Snupe was signed on as a Meek Mill rapper when he was fatally shot twice over a video game. Wallstreet left a tribute on his Instagram to senseless murder of Lil Snupe that same morning.  Later that evening, Wallstreet was shot on the steps of his mother's house. Wallstreet was also an affiliate of rapper Meek Mill. For more information on the murders click here.

Cole (1), West (0) ?

Welcome back to E Willz Music folks!  The past few weeks I have been busy putting in some time towards the album and it is going to be a great blend of jazz and a variety of genres!  Yesterday I had the opportunity to travel with a fellow musician and listen to both new albums from Kanye West and J. Cole. First of all, I must say that I have respect for both artists and what they are bringing to the music industry. However, Kanye has definitely failed to live up to the hype in my opinion so I will give my endorsement to J. Cole's "Born Sinner."

Marketing Situation

As a music critic and aspiring businessman I could not help but take notice to the advertising strategies of both parties in the dates leading to their releases.  J. Cole's label took the safe route in marketing his album the old fashion way with pushing lead tracks and participating in many interviews.  I will give J. Cole's team a lot of respect for doing something different by charging fans 1 dollar for tickets to his current tour for the album.

Kanye, on the other hand, relied solely on his reputation and popularity to promote his album without pushing any tracks to his audience nor talking much about the project's purpose.  Although I do believe that Kanye has already set his legacy in the industry I do not agree with the route that he took.  If you are using controversy and building up a tremendous hype for your album you better be completely sure that your music will bring it!  Unfortunately for Kanye, he is surrounded by so many people stroking his ego that he may not be aware of the risk he takes.

Yeezus vs Sinner

The purpose of Mr. West's "Yeezus" was to send a bold message that would have everyone talking for sometime.  Kanye has always been known for great hooks accompanied by banging compositions (and I chose the word "composition" for a reason) but this album just seems like he got all of his track ideas from a mediocre beat maker and mixed and mastered it with techno beats.  It was hard on my ears to listen to but, then again, that was the point of the album.

I may be sounding a bit like a "hater" towards my man Kanye but after listening to just the first song of "Born Sinner" I was sold!  The album was very well orchestrated and thought out and as I skimmed through the tracks I found it easy to follow the story that J. Cole was selling.  Good flows and good music will cause me to give J. Cole the "W" for Tuesday's battle of the albums.

So, to conclude, I believe that "Yeezus" is a little overrated and should be reviewed again by real musicians and competent industry personal.  Am I the only one that feels this way?  I urge you all to go out and listen to both albums and see for yourself and don't forget to find your way back here to leave a comment!

Live the Music

Davis/Jimi/McCartney Supergroup !?!?!

Haven't You Noticed?

Lately, does it feel that almost every song on the airways is filled with hungry artist collaborating on it? These pop stars practice this marketing technique to further the popularity of their name and brand.  What ever happened to talented musicians getting together to create great music just for the hell of it?  Today’s topic will be about an awesome news article I came across a few weeks ago concerning the near formation of a supergroup concerning Miles Davis, JimiHendrix, and Paul McCartney. 

What is a Supergroup?

A supergroup is a band or combo containing artists that have already established their own mark or fame in the music industry.  Many supergroups have formed in the past 60 years but rarely stick around for too long.  Some of these groups include Chickenfoot (1/2 Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and Chad Smith), The Firm (AZ, FoxyBrown, and Nas), and TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank).  Most, if not all, of these great talents most likely decided to join forces after the historic talks of the Davis/Hendrix/McCartney super group. 

Imagine That

It is difficult for one to imagine the unlimited impact that those artists would have instilled on pop culture if they were to make an album.  Each of these artists brought their own following of millions of fans.  Davis, at the time, was a very influential jazz trumpeter who completely revolutionized the way folks listened to the genre.  Hendrix was at the height of his career and challenged the way guitarist performed various genres of rock.  Paul McCartney just so happened to be apart of a legendary band that had completely taken American pop culture by storm.  I would go as far to say that, with the creative minds of those three musicians, the landscape of music would be on a totally different level today.  

The Reality

Unfortunately, this moment will forever remain an urban legend in pop culture and a “what if” to music analyst everywhere.  Perhaps if Miles Davis were to reach out to Jimi Hendrix he could have saved him from his demons for Davis was a recovering addict.  For more information on past super groups throughout the industry visit some of these sites where you can find out some interesting facts and see if your favorite performer was ever apart of a super group. 

Until next time,

Live the Music. . .