Category: Music

Music Events In The Country

music
October 9, 2020
Music

The best music events are not all held in places with a lot of hotels. In the past, it was said that music events were held only in the cities. Now however there are many music events held in towns and even outside. These are also called concerts are the most popular type of event. You might think that these concerts are only held in big cities, but it is possible to find them in smaller places as well.

Music events are very different from other types of events and are not the same with all kinds of concerts. Most music events have a specific theme, which is why they can be held in so many places. A concert or an event will have certain songs that will be played which are usually songs from a particular artist. Another main reason why they are held in so many locations is because they are used as marketing tools for the musician.

There are many types of music event like music concerts, rock concerts, gospel concerts, rock & roll concerts, jazz concerts, pop concerts, and folk concerts. Each type of music event has its own distinct type of music and will be different. The most popular type of music event is one which is held for the promotion of a musician. There are a lot of musicians and each of them need to get some publicity in order for them to become successful. There are many ways for these musicians to do this and some of them include concerts, festivals, and conventions. These are the most popular and well-known types of music events.

I Decided To Sell My House Quick

sell my house quick
May 15, 2020
Music

I work in a local studio and wanted to get in touch with TTIP to tell them about the story of why I decided to sell my house quick. It is indeed a strange story, but one that I felt some people might gain a little bit of perspective and enjoyment out of. After all, during these difficult times of the global pandemic outbreak, we can all use a little bit of good news every now and then. I work as a full time studio engineer, our studio is home to some impressive equipment and we have had some great artists through our doors over the years. I love my job, but I never thought I would be moving into the place that I work. This is my story.

sell my house quick

Why Did I Sell My House Quick

The answer to why I decided to sell my house quick is actually really simple: coronavirus. The studio was to be closed down due to the lockdown measures, and this was something that we were all gutted about. We had lots of important days in the diary, and we were really looking forward to recording with some great bands this year. This all went down the drain, and we were forced to close our doors. On top of this, the owner of the studio sat me down and told me that he just couldn’t afford to pay me indefinitely, even with the government aid for employers. Regrettably, this meant that I would have to sell my house, but there was a silver lining in all this.

sell my house quick

Moving Into The Studio

The owner agreed that since the studio was all shut down, and I practically live in the place already, I could move in for a few weeks whilst I was finding a new place. The studio was in a very nice old building, and had some great mod cons that actually made my stay there very enjoyable. It had a very nice kitchen with a mini oven and everything else you would need. The studio rooms were quiet, and I could sit and play the piano or read in perfect peace. I was sleeping on some very nice office furniture with a few sheets and blankets to keep me warm. It was actually a very nice 2 months, and I even managed to get some work done on a few tracks whilst I was there.

leaving my home

Finding A New Place

I really loved living in the studio, but obviously I couldn’t stay there forever. It wasn’t exactly practical, for example I had to brush my teeth in the kitchen and I had to go to my sisters house for a shower. It was also very quiet, and almost a bit too quiet at times. After a few weeks however I was able to move into a smaller place that I could afford, which gave me my own space and some luxuries like a real bed and a shower! It has been an interesting lockdown so far.

Life After Lockdown For Musicians

music
May 15, 2020
Music

Coronavirus has changed our lives in more ways than we could possibly imagine.

It has changed everything from our social lives to our working habits, and the world is feeling like it has been flipped upside down.

There have been many industries that have been greatly affected, like the airline industry and the entertainment sector.

This means that for musicians, who are part of the entertainment industry, times are proving to be very tough.

Celebrity artists will generally be ok during the coronavirus outbreak, but it is all the other key players within the industry that will struggle.

Many of these workers include stage crews, sound technicians, session musicians, lighting crews, other technicians and more.

Almost everyone in these positions is either out of a job, or not working at the moment and may only be receiving a partial income.

These are the people that are feeling the effects of the virus the most, not the big artists.

We have all seen the footage of popular artists performing on social media, since the coronavirus has meant the closure of bars, clubs and venues all over the country.

But the other artists that make up the majority of musicians in the world are really struggling.

Artists are saying that everything they had in their diaries for this year was practically wiped out overnight.

Live shows were obviously the biggest part of their time, but there was also teaching work, recording sessions and producing sessions that have dropped off.

People are understandably concerned, and within the UK alone, an estimated £21 million of work in the music industry has been lost since the beginning of the lockdown in March.

There has been a huge focus on the shift towards online learning, but music teachers are saying that many people are reluctant to pay for online lessons as they feel it is not worth the same value as lessons in person.

Our Studio Needed A Damp Proof Course

damp proof course
April 3, 2020
Music

This is a special guest article written by the owner and operator of a studio in the UK. The UK has always had what’s known to the locals as the classic British weather.  This can be detrimental to buildings and property in the UK, and unfortunately this ground floor studio was suffering from damp related problems.  It’s thick concrete floor and brick walls were great for sound insolation, but when damp started to spread from the foundation of the building, it started to prove problematic, meaning that they needed a damp proof course.

rain

The Story Of the Damp Proof Course

Our award-winning recording studio here in the outskirts of London is situated in a beautiful old building that never fails to impress our visitors.  We are on the ground floor, which is slightly recessed below street level.  The studio is almost perfect in everyway for recording.  It features a double laid concrete floor that then has another wooden floor on top, and all of the recording areas are rooms within rooms for maximum sonic shielding.  When the studio was put in, it was a requirement for the building owners that a space was left between the studio and the wall for inspection purposes.  The building was almost 200 years old, and had previous problems with damp in the past some 50 years ago.  So it was no surprise when the building surveyors told us that the damp problems had returned, and we would need to install a damp proof course.

damp proof course

Ignorance is Bliss

We had never really noticed an issue when we were tucked away in our beautiful wooden and carpeted studio rooms.  All we really noticed is that in the winter there was occasionally a bit of a smell, and the building owners always put it down to the age of the building.  Although we must say we are glad that they caught it when they did and decide to act on it, as it may have started to compromise the wooden interior of the studio.  They say ignorance is bliss, but in this case if we had been ignorant to the problem any longer we could have been in real trouble.

damp proof course

Ventilation

When the studio was first installed the decision was made to brick up a number of the windows on the ground floor.  This was not a huge problem, as a ventilation system was installed, however since this was around 10 years ago, it was apparent that it was not quite up to scratch and contributing to the damp issue.  The damp experts recommended that we upgraded the existing ventilation system to keep air moving through the building.  We made sure that an ultra-quiet fan was used so as not to bleed noise into the studio, and that it was placed far away.  The damp team made a series of air ducts to bring air into the building also.  With all of this work the studio would be able to live on.

Build The Perfect Home Studio

studio
April 3, 2020
Music

The home recording studio has become so prevalent today across all musical genres.

So much so that many mainstream hit albums have been crafted in small bedroom studios, and stand up against even the most professional studio outfits.

Whether you are an indy band looking to lay down their first recorded tracks, or an electronic music artist that is compiling their next album, the hoe studio is capable of all kinds of musical sounds.

Thanks to technology and the availability of certain equipment and instruments, home studios can sound just as good if not better than a professional studio.

home studio

But what exactly do you need to make your own studio set up?

We are going to give a brief rundown of the essentials for anyone starting their own home recording studio.

What You Need: The Essentials

Before you start buying pieces of equipment, it is important to understand your requirements for the sound you are going for.

For example, if you are an electronic music artist, you won’t need to drop hundreds of pounds on a decent condenser microphone, however if you are an indy band looking to record vocals, then you probably should get one.

Here are what I would consider to be the essentials for any home recording studio:

  • PC or Laptop
  • Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
  • Audio Interface
  • Studio Monitors
  • Cables
  • Microphones
  • Pop Filter

With this you have the perfect foundation for recording organic sound as well as any other instruments you want to track.

Don’t Buy Cheap

There is a tendency amongst home studio artist to go cheap so they can buy more.

The truth is that this is a bad approach, as it will seriously limit what you can do.

Cheap gear is usually cheap for a reason, so take your time and build up a studio over time that will sound great.

How Are Artists Growing Their Social Media?

Instagram bot follower
November 20, 2019
Instagram Bot FollowerMusicSocial Media

In the music industry traditionally up and coming artists have made a name for themselves through word of mouth as well as other artists speaking about them at their gigs. Whilst this process can be effective there are other ways in which Social media growth can flourish such as the use of an Instagram bot follower

Instagram bot follower

Why Is Social Media Important To Music Artists?

For music artists social media is important because it can make the difference between being a small time artists and making a break into the industry. For example if a photo or a track goes viral online then it is likely to attract a lot of attention overall. This can lead to the artist becoming considerably more popular and mainstream in some cases overnight!

In order to facilitate this growth tools such as a bit follower for Instagram can help to drive growth overall and deliver significant results. One of the main benefits of using Instagram as a social media platform in order to jump start growth is the people who use the platform as well as the communities. A major benefit on Instagram is the use of hashtags which can help to connect people overall and allow communities to grow.

Another way in which social media is useful is the promotion of new tracks and material. Applications such as Instagram allow artists to release music onto platforms which can be shared widely and freely online. Social media overall helps to facilitate the growth and spread of music online overall.

Instagram bot follower

What Makes Instagram One Of The Best Available Platforms For Artists?

  • Instagram has over one billion active monthly users
  • Instagram has a trending page where music artists often feature
  • Other applications can be integrated with a variety of other different applications
  • Adverts can be used to great effect on this platform to target users who have viewed artists profiles or music
  • Instagram is a free to use application

What Does An Instagram Bot Follower Do?

There are a variety of very beneficial features that an Instagram bot follower can bring overall. One of the most notable features of an Instagram bot is the auto post feature. Using this feature artists can pre-schedule their posts to be posted at different points throughout the week.

This serves as an excellent way in which artists can organise their social media as they can organise posts for different time periods well in advance. This is important as artists often have hectic schedules and need to adapt to changes in their routine as a matter of course.

Instagram bot follower

As well as scheduling posts and automated posting the bot follower can also help to greatly enhance the overall number of followers on someones Instagram profile.

One of the key ways through which this is done is through likes and following other users. Through the process of organic interactions , the bot follower can help to grow the overall following of artists in the music industry. The bot follower offers an excellent integrated package that can help the artist overall.

Has Music Copyright Gone Too Far?

November 14, 2019
MusicMusic Copyright

Lately in the past few years there has been a noticeable marked increase in the number of disputes in the music industry which have led to court action in the music industry. Often it can be a he said , she said situation. However it is up to the courts to decide if there is indeed a copyright infringement.

Why Music Copyright Is Important

Music copyright is very important because artists in the music depend on their song being played or streamed to earn royalties from this that go towards their overall pay.

If someone breaks copyright and does not link the song back to the artist or their record label then they are missing out on revenue which they are legally due. Using music without permission is infringing copyright and can lead to a number of issues for both parties overall. One of the most common places where music copyright is detected is on video sharing platform Youtube.

High Profile Cases

As well as copyright infringement relating to the unauthorised use of a song or its lyrics , in addition to this there have been a number of high profile cases in which artists have taken each other to court due to a song being copied or similar to the point it is hard to differentiate the two. One of the highest profile cases has been Katy Perry v Christian Rapper Flame. In this case Katy perry lost and was ordered to pay over 2 million pounds due to the findings of the case.

This case highlights well the issues surrounding the world of music copyright. However despite this case the world of music copyright is still very uncertain and unexplored due to the lack of cases such as this. In this instance it was deemed that the musical melodies were almost identical and that it had effectively been copied by Katy Perry as the other parties song had come out before she released hers.

Is Music Copyright Becoming Too Restrictive?

Some people in the industry and outside of it have argued that music copyright might be becoming too restrictive overall. This is because in theory a child could play a piece on piano and upload it to Youtube without the knowledge they need the licensing for the tune they played as someone may have already produced this music elsewhere in the world.

This could lead to the video being taken down and demonitzied. Furthermore, many songs can be played on the radio and then recorded on a device such as a mobile phone.

There then is a grey area as to whether this would effectively be breaking copyright law. At the moment it seems copyright law predominantly affects larger artists , individuals or organisations. However we could see the law tighten in the future.

Overall Conclusions

In conclusion clearly copyright law within the music industry is still being developed and remains an important issue which concerns artists from around the world. There needs to be an overhaul of the industry to determine how a balance can be struck between fair use and unfair prosecutions.

Ticket Regulation At Gigs/Festival Guide

June 18, 2019
Music

Tickets and gigs come hand in hand. However the rise of ticket selling sites such as viagogo as well as others have lead to much debate in the music industry as to what is acceptable practice for ticket selling and what is not. Some have argued that regardless of who sells the tickets some will always go for very high amounts due to demand for remaining tickets. In this article we will look at the effect Via go go has had as well as tips for what to bring to a festival.

Viagogo

Viagogo is a well known ticket selling site which is currently facing legal action from several different companies and people due to its business practices. One of the reasons people are up in arms against this website is the prices it has charged for tickets. In some instances for popular events the site asked for double or triple the organisers asking price when there were tickets available for less. Furthermore another aspect of the site that many dislike is Viagogo has several programmes running on the site where pop ups will appear encouraging you to buy now or that the tickets may sell out soon. This was not always accurate and was a ploy from the company to try and increase ticket sales overall on their website.

One of the artists that chose to stand up to this company was Ed Sheeran , Ed decided that he’d had enough of his fans paying over and above what they should be paying for his gigs. As a result many fans across the UK that had tickets to show were refused entry unless they payed a flat fee of around £50 and were assured they would be refunded for their original ticket. This was met with many mixed reactions. Many were dismayed that their tickets would not grant them entry however understood why this was the case and paid the fee. Viagogo were quick to defend themselves in this situation. However their reputation has never been the same since.

Festival Guide

Festivals are held across most of the year in the UK and always require planning ahead in order to get tickets and to plan how to get to the festival itself. A good tip prior to the festival is to plan your journey by checking the festival’s website as well as local public transport connections before heading off. Another important thing to consider is bringing food and drink for the journey down as food and drink at festivals can be very expensive and normally priced above average. Another important tip for visiting festivals is to bring appropriate clothing. E.g if its during winter bringing scarves gloves and jackets to ensure you are warm while the festival is on.

All You Need To Know About The Impact Of The Pallet Lifter

pallet lifter
June 18, 2019
BlogMusic

The festival industry is well known for large events such as Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds with millions from across the UK making the trip every year. However a lesser known fact is that there is an army of production staff and event staff working extremely hard to ensure the event is successful. Part of the reason for this is their use of the pallet lifter which we will look at further.

pallet lifter

What Is The Pallet Lifter?

The pallet lifter is a tool which is regularly used by production teams to move heavy goods and equipment across different festival sites. Normally they are used within warehouse environments but can also be used outside them. Pallet lifters can be used to lift goods which would normally require several people to lift. A Pallet lifter is normally operated by just one person and are simple to use and manoeuvre supplies/equipment. They are normally used to transport heavy goods short distances.

Why Is It Used At Festivals?

There are a number of different reasons as to why pallet lifters are used at festivals. One of the main reasons is it frees up more staff to do other roles. Another reason why it is used at festivals is it is lightweight and mobile allowing for equipment to be moved quickly and effectively to where it is needed. This sort of equipment is essential at festivals as there is often a quick turnover after each artist performs and their equipment is moved on and off stage and into their vehicles. They are also cost effective which allows for several to be used at one event.

Advantages Of The Pallet Lifter

  • Can be used to navigate small narrow areas with ease thanks to its compact design
  • Can lift in some cases over a tonne of goods or equipment that needs moved
  • Requires very little training to operate and only requires one operator
  • Compared to its alternatives it is fairly affordable for most events companies
  • requires very little maintenance

Alternatives To The Pallet Lifter

As well as the Pallet Lifter there are a number of alternative forms of equipment which can be used in a festival environment in order to move goods and ensure that the festival runs effectively. One of the most popular alternatives to the pallet lifter is the forklift truck. The forklift truck has a number of different unique capabilities and traits that set it apart.

  • Can lift weights over 3 tonnes
  • Requires one operator
  • Requires a driver that has sat a training course and holds a certificate allowing them to operate the forklift
  • The forklift is much larger than the pallet lifter and costs significantly more to purchase
  • The forklift typically requires regular maintenance in order remain in working order

Conclusions

Overall there are a number of different conclusions which can be drawn. The pallet lifter is one of the most affordable and efficient ways in which workers at festivals can carry out their roles moving supplies etc. To conclude pallet lifters are an excellent tool which can be utilised well at events and large festivals.

The Changing Face Of Music

May 25, 2019
MusicMusic Marketing

Music and the overall music industry has come a long way since the 90s. Technology as well as social media and society has changed fundamentally and now music is more accessible than ever. However this has taken its toll on artists as well as record labels as with the growth of technology there has also been a growth in pirated music which had been downloaded for free illegally.

The Rise Of The Mobile Phone

Mobile phones were around in the early 90s. However they were large and cumbersome and did not have anywhere near the capabilities of the phones we now have in 2019. Mobile phones now are almost like mini computers they can access the internet , play music , take videos and photos. From the early 2000s onwards mobile phones grew in popularity as they became more and more widespread as well as more affordable for the general population. Whilst the mobile phone was growing in popularity tech company apple recognised this and created itunes. Itunes is a digital music platform where you can buy music and then own a song. previously this could only be done by purchasing a cd or tape recording. This fundamentally changed the way in which music is distributed and produced and we will take about this later in the article.

Music Piracy

As well as adapting to the rise of the mobile phone music producers and record labels had another more pressing issue that they have to deal with- music piracy. Piracy of music is a contencious subject matter. One of the biggest sites to begin “pirating” music was site known as Napster. Through this website people could share and upload songs anonymously through files. Eventually napster was taken down after legal action and objections from many in the music industry arguing that it was setting a precedent for pirated music.

In the wake of napster there were several other sites that appeared despite high profile court cases and artists speaking out against them. One of the most infamous ones was Pirate Bay. Pirate bay was a site that hosted free music as well as movies and games. What was difficult about preventing sites such as pirate bay from doing this is that there wasn’t really legislation that covered what they were doing. This led to years of court cases before pirate bay was taken offline. However even then duplicate sites began appearing across the internet as soon as the original site had been shut down.

Streaming Services

Streaming services are another part of the music industry that has seen an astronomical rise in demand as well as usage. One of the problems artists face as a result of this is they only receive a very small part of the royalties from streaming platforms. Sometimes as little as a penny a stream. However the catch is that if they do not use a large streaming platform such as spotify then they lose a large potential audience who may become a fan and buy their music or go to their gigs in future.