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INDIE NEWS BEAT
Week of December 10, 2003
*
Xenia Accomplishes Two Single Dance Songs
* Har-Bal Helps MCA Recording Artist Tameko Star Take The Indie
Route
* CD Baby And Tower Records Partner
* CNET Networks Announces Strategy To Serve Music Fans And The Independent
Artist Community
* Court Grants NYU's Demand For The Bottom Line's Eviction
* Touring For A Living: Help Your Artists Get The Mo From The Road
NARIP
* NAMM's 2nd Annual International Fastest Drummer Contest
Xenia
Accomplishes Two Single Dance Songs
 A
recently launched web site is posting Xenia's exclusive blended
sounds in two downloadable single releases that each define a style
of music as best described as "techno-pop," a combination of synthesizers
with a hip of pop and dance. Xenia's music is distinct and her voice
puts a spin to dance music.
"Dance
With Me," Xenia's first single is about a need of a boyfriend's
company as a girlfriend misses dancing and conversing with her boyfriend.
The song says plenty about the affection the girlfriend has over
the boyfriend.
"Prodigy,"
Xenia's second release, is about the artist's beat having something
extraordinary or inexplicable come to life. A sound used in making
of the song generated by a synth resembles a guitar. The same sound
is blended with dance beats to bring out the charm.
Through
Xenia's web site, the releases can heard and listeners can take
advantage of a distinctive approach in securely purchasing downloadables,
at reasonable pricing, through eSellerate.com. Now, buying downloadable
music has never being easier using this collaborative site.
Har-Bal
Helps MCA Recording Artist Tameko Star Take The Indie Route
 "I'm
no sound engineer, but after running my tracks through Har-Bal,
I can actually hear how dramatically the sound quality improved."
December
2003 - Atlanta, GA - Tameko Star is no stranger to success. As the
lead singer for dance-pop trio Livin' Joy, she was responsible for
their first #1 hit in the U.K. "Dreamer" 1994, followed by their
#5 single "Don't Stop Movin'." Her early success drew the attention
of MCA Europe that quickly signed the group, which spawned numerous
top ten hits while wowing audiences worldwide with her dynamic stage
performances.
But
as she strikes out solo on her upcoming album, Tameko wants to retain
control over its production and quality. "I enjoy the creative control
I have now," she told Music2Showcase in a recent interview. "I know
what I want my music to sound like and there's no middleman." So
it was no surprise that she turned to Har-Bal (Harmonic
Balancer), a powerful mastering equalization system, to optimize
the sound quality of her music.
"I
don't have to take my product to a high-end studio to be mastered
anymore," explained Tameko. "Studio engineers charge thousands of
dollars while the Har-Bal application offers the same benefits at
a fraction of the cost. And it's allowed me to master my songs in
my own home studio while achieving that high-end studio sound."
But
while cost was an important consideration in Tameko's choice Har-Bal
("there are plenty of high-end hardware devices available, but they
cost a fortune"), the difference it made in her music was the real
clincher. Har-Bal is the first of its kind software that introduces
a new process of Harmonically Balancing recorded music. The software
allows users to create original and re-mastered recordings that
sound absolutely incredible.
"I'm
no sound engineer, but after running my tracks through Har-Bal,
I can actually hear how dramatically the sound quality improved.
And Har-Bal is different in that it allows me to visually see any
errors in the song and make immediate corrections."
"Feel
Good" (Tameko Star): Before
x After
"Beginning Of The Week" (Tameko Star): Before
x After
"For
example, I am able to now increase the volume of my songs when I
am playing them with no distortion. The bass area on my tracks sounds
super tight and that is very important to me because I like to play
my music loud!"
Tameko's
self-titled album is scheduled for release in the spring of 2004.
Tameko Star can be reached at tameko1@comcast.net.
Har-Bal
is a New and Novel Approach By obtaining the right spectral balance
when mastering a sound recording, Har-Bal merges the existing technologies
of linear phase digital filtering with spectral analysis to provide
an unprecedented level of control over the spectral balance of a
recording. You can download
a demo version of Har-Bal.
CD
Baby And Tower Records Partner
The
top online retailer of independent music, CD Baby, recently inked
a deal with Tower Records, the 43-year-old Sacramento, California-based
chain known for their deep catalog and vast selection of obscure
and popular titles.
The
deal will allow Tower.com, Tower Records' online commerce site,
to offer CD Baby's 50,000 independent titles for sale to its consumers,
making Tower.com the largest retailer of independent music on the
web.
"We're
very excited to work with a company as well renowned in the music
industry as Tower Records," says CD Baby President and owner Derek
Sivers. "Many amazing artists are shunning record labels, choosing
to self-release their music directly to fans. By going through CD
Baby and now Tower, their music is getting the distribution it deserves,
while still leaving the musician in control of their work."
CNET
Networks Announces Strategy To Serve Music Fans And The Independent
Artist Community
CNET
Networks, Inc. announced its strategy to serve the needs of music
fans and the independent artist community. The Company is planning
two upcoming music site launches: a free independent artist upload/download
site that will be featured on CNET Download.com starting in early
2004, and the re-launch of MP3.com as a comprehensive music information
site shortly thereafter.
The
music upload/download site that will be featured on CNET Download.com,
the world's largest download library, will serve the needs of the
independent artist community and its fans. Music fans will be able
to easily find their favorite artists and music types, and sample
songs for free. Independent artists were notified last week that
they should copy and hold their music files for transfer to the
new site, and turn to http://music.download.com between now and
its launch for updates.
When
CNET Networks re-launches MP3.com next year, it will address the
increasing demand for a central information resource focused on
music, leveraging CNET Networks' strength as a premier provider
of innovative, interactive content. The emergence of digital music
on the Internet is changing the music landscape, impacting fans,
artists, and the music industry.
Court
Grants NYU's Demand For The Bottom Line's Eviction
Today
is a dark day for the arts in the City of New York. Despite the
protests of artists and citizens throughout the world, the court
has granted New York University's demand for the eviction of The
Bottom Line. As a result of NYU's action, the music that has played
for nearly 30 years at 15 West 4th Street will soon be silenced.
Since
June, we have presented New York University with numerous proposals
in the hopes that this day would never come. As recent as two weeks
ago we sent a counterproposal to the onerous terms which NYU submitted
to us; alas, they never had the courtesy to respond. Indeed, just
last week the judge offered to mediate a resolution between NYU
and The Bottom Line. Sadly each and every one of these solutions
has either been ignored or rejected by NYU.
Over
the last month many concerned private and corporate citizens including:
Sirius Satellite Radio, Bruce Springsteen, Mel Karmazin, Richard
Wissack and AT&T have all offered financial commitments to help
demonstrate to NYU that they were the custodians of something much
more valuable than a piece of "undervalued real estate." In fact,
in a cultural and historic sense this piece of real estate might
be the most valuable property in their portfolio.
Touring
For A Living: Help Your Artists Get The Mo From The Road NARIP
Workshop
with Chris Arnstein
Saturday, January 10th, 2004
Beverly Garland Hotel (Beverly Garland Theater)
4222 Vineland Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Paul
McCartney, Phish, The Temptations, B.B. King, the Pointer Sisters,
Jimmy Buffett. Record sales may not be huge in recent years, yet
some have set income records by touring.
Your
clients can tour successfully, too!
Learn
the tips and tricks of the big acts, and get all the info used by
mid-line artists, newly signed artists, and indie artists who are
making the most of touring opportunities. Plus, learn the best ways
to turn concerts into CD sales!
This
NARIP workshop will also cover:
*
Success for acts in all career phases and stages
* When and why to go on the road
* Identifying target demographics
* Reaching your acts' ideal audiences
* Who handles what on a tour
* Different career options for different types of artists
* Touring with or without a record deal
* Planning and budgeting tours
NAMM's
2nd Annual International Fastest Drummer Contest
NAMM
International announces its second annual quest to find the 'World's
Fastest Drummer'. This highly charged Interactive Event will be
a feature at this year's NAMM Winter Session in Anaheim, Ca. The
contest, which consist of two categories, Fastest Hands and Fastest
Feet starting at 11:00am Thursday, January 15th, with "heats" continuing
through Friday and Saturday until 4.00pm. The top ten Fastest Hands
and top ten Fastest Feet will compete in a 'Finals Battle' of both
categories held on NAMM'S main outside stage at 1:00pm Sunday, January
18th.
Included
in this year's event will be technical demonstrations, insight sessions
and appearances by WFD Champions Mike Mangini, Art Verdi, Johnny
Rabb, Tim Waterson and Jotan Afanador. "To see these guys go at
it, full throttle, smooth as silk with their hands and feet moving
over 18 times per second for an entire minute is simply an amazing
work of technical proficiency." Says Boo McAfee, co-founder of Extreme
Sport Drumming.
 Provided
by the MusicDish
Network. Copyright © Tag
It 2003 - Republished with Permission
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