Major Label extinction.

Everyday it is becoming more and more obvious that huge "dinosaur" labels are becoming extinct, and indy labels are evolving into smaller fast moving creatures similar to our early mammalian ancestors'...

Big mean scary and greedy, don't cut it anymore!

These small indy labels- sensing a shift and change of an era- will drive the music economy based on local markets and must see shows, spread with word of mouth, myspace and blog buzz...

It is cool to see how music is evolving, thanks in no small part to technology. This example parody of comparing labels to dinosaurs and our early mamalian ancestors, is funny but not to far off the mark.

Here is a quote from a scientific artile from a University in Hawaii:
"These early mammals were small, insectivorous, nocturnal, hairy and warm-blooded. (Sound like emo kids to me!) Warm-bloodedness is believed to have first evolved among the cynodonts, a late but successful group of mammal-like reptiles from which the mammals evolved. The cynodonts were the only mammal-like reptiles to survive to the Jurassic, in fact they nearly made it into the Cretaceous, and definitely coexisted with many of the major dinosaurs. (Must of been the booze in their blood- to keep them from freezing!)
During the Jurassic the mammals remained small and mainly nocturnal, living beneath the 'metaphorical' feet of the great dinosaurs. These early mammals were more like small monotremes and probably laid eggs still. Marsupials and placental mammals (cats, dogs, you and me) did not evolve for another 70 million years."

Did you miss it? There is was right there in the last paragraph... "small and mainly nocturnal, living beneath the 'metaphorical' feet of the great dinosaurs." It's sad but the dinosaurs of the past and present were to big to see what was going on right under neath their feet, and now it is too late.

For years the huge labels tried DRM security to keep their fat pockets fat, and even went so far as to sue kids (R.I.A.A.), and shut down internet radio, but it is too late. Now they are taking off the DRM's from itunes but the kids don't care, they will still stay small and communal and use various local community based bit torrent sites to get their media.

Now it is up to the small warm blooded indy labels to grow and evolve properly- by staying cool hip and original, with great content, and balancing commercialism with talent. People no longer desire the fake types of mega stars like Britney and 50 Cent, and thrive to discover the next little band or mash up artist, that stays more like the fan, and less like an idol... Now with music taste sharing sites, no promotion is needed on a commercial level to succesfully sell enough albums to achieve sucess. Kids in the marketplace dictate what they want and share and promote what they want. If an artist can't make the music the kids gravitate to, no amount of promotion can help them. Just look at 50 cent, he lost his fan base, and blamed it on the labels, where Kayne, stayed true to roots and closeness to his fans. Kanye was able to build upon his original sound and add just the right of commercialism to it, and he had a great sounding and selling album...

Now tell me these don't look like some indy label kids? Small, cute, furry and nocturnal, that has emo all over it!

New Years Prediction number 2!

New Years Prediction number 2!

"The art of VIDEO will come back, and it will be better then what MTV or VH1 has become...
and hopefully a lot better then the average stuff you see on Youtube."

Recently Justin Timberlake stated, "why don't you play more videos..." speaking in regards to MTV and VH1. Maybe they are playing reality TV shows, in place of videos because people are sick of the same types of videos? Well JT sorry- but the reintroduction of videos into music media will be done by the VJ and the indy content producer- not the corporate 'style' as it was in the past.

There will always be up and coming video producers who will make videos for pop, rap and rock superstars, but it is obvious that the ability for people to create and share videos with You Tube has surpassed a video viewers desire to just sit and watch different "stars" posing in front of the same, cars, mansions and models as the next guy."

It is the viewer community who has become pro active in making and remaking content. Viewers are no longer happy being spoon fed, and the desire to be creative and expressive is to strong-and thanks to new software it is to damn fun and easy not too!

In the recent past, huge record labels, would spend uber bucks to produce a video for a hot or up and coming star, and they still do, but now the marketplace is shifting. Now anyone with a mac or pc and a cam corder, can create and film content, and easily edit it, and sync it with music. It is as if, technology is giving rise to the old DIY ethic, but in an even better way.

With the success of YouTube and Current TV, and with video production software and powerful computers getting in the hands of more people, the shift from big productions for just one video to a choice of several videos for the same person or thing, is becoming more mainstream all the time.

Current TV, alllows a community of web viewers, to upload content, and to discuss what they want to see pushed from the web, to a Cable TV based broadcast. When done in a commercial way a company like Toyota who wants to market the Yarvis car, can make content available to this community and let the DIY generation, make their own content. Then Toyota gets a variety of content to choose from, and the community also gets to vote on the submissions they like best.

So what you have is a win- win, situation, for content creators, and corporations seeking to make intriquing branding for their wares, and at the same time, save money by by-passing big production studios, and make DIY content creators and viewers of the video/ commercial content happier, by knowing that we did it ourselves! This is great for corporations, and content producers seeking their big break, but how does it translate to music videos?

Well one model is being exemplified by a VJ named Falcotronik, who resides in Tuscon Arizona.
Falcotronik, who is a visual artist in the 80s supergroup Information Society, is also an indy content video producer.

Falcotronik is making videos to accompany the audio from a Drum and Bass record label as well.
So now instead of just having a DJ mix CD, to showcase the labels content, they have a VJ DVD mix to promote, so the end user- the consumers and fans, get the best of both worlds- an audio video mix!

You will definitely be seeing more of this type of work done everyday. Some of the most popular videos on Youtube, are indy DIY videos of new video producers, making videos for free to their favorite musicians audio content. Now the Musicians have a choice of what videos they want to share with their fans, and in some cases, openly allow people to make these videos, and let the community pic their favorite.

I predict their will be an explosion of this type of conent this year.

New Years Prediction!

New Years Prediction: "A DJ will use his i phone for a DJ gig!"

I remember reading something that Josh Wink had said a few years ago that was quite similar, but this year, I think it will really happen. It will either happen with the iphone or a phone running windows mobile...

Now Mr. Wink didn't state how or with what type of device this would be done, but after experimenting with this myself, I can see now- how the devices and networks are in place to allow this to happen. I have a basic mobile site- set up, for my record label, and you can download files from it, 'not stream them', and there is a big difference for what I am talking about here...

I could see a DJ using his iPhone which is available with 8 GB's of space to store music- as the unit he holds his or her music media on. Their are now several DJ controller devices that accept flash drives, or ipods as a source/ connection for media, but, will the iphone be the first phone that is "open" enough to allow someone to downlaod a track during a DJ set, and then once download, actually DJ with it.

That is the question.

There are already some people using phones as music storage devices, but can a phone be used to download a song during a gig, then have the file accessed while connected to the DJ gear, without stuttering or affecting the quality of the DJ mix?

I had performed a DJ gig, last year, for a small house party. I used ipods as my media drives. At one point however, I found that I was lacking latin content for my patrons. I used XM satellite radio to stream music through my laptop through the dj mixer. This was an experiment and it worked, but i wouldn't attempt to do it again the same way. Streaming is great for personal music listening but for a DJ, you need the file downloaded, and seperate in order to load it into your DJ software for more control, and manipulation.

So, I am curios to see who will do this first? Perhaps it will be me, I don't know but i do expect to see this ability in the near future. A DJ who travles the world, and wants to entertain without the worry and liability of carrying all his gear and music with him, while one the road or flying, could use this.

Does iphone (as mp3 storage drive)+ DJ hardware w/ USB hubs = a happy dancefloor?

Happy Holidays

Damn.

Merry Christmas.

Is it that time of year already.

2007 hic up, burp, blink and you missed it.

Here is the technology recap short version:

1. i phone- can't touch this.




2. google- meet me on the moon for a latte?




3. vista flop- the Gates are closed.




4. Tech booms, as Oil looms. Do google servers run on water?




5. Presidential debate on You Tube- just add a click to vote section please.




6. Technology is becoming ubiquitous, and design is king. Can Apple design a car?




7. Internet Radio- KILLED!




8. Sirius and XM- making love but still infertile...




9. It's an animation nation. From Simpsons, to Manga lifes better on acetate.




10. Social Web relevance downplayed by horny drunken college kids on a 15 billion evaluation of Facebook... And people wonder why Americans are in debt?

Reprinted Article from the Heart of the Entertainment District in California

This Article was originally posted in the OC Weekly and written by Dave Segal.

While attending the winter NAMM show earlier this year we got to go to a VIP party at the Shark Club in the heart of the OC. We had our DJ guest Annalyze who perfromed for us in the PCDJ booth spinning, and in the clubs other room there was a DJ using DJ "short cuts" and Serato, so this article fits in perfectly to what I experienced in person...

Digital Dilema indeed!

"You hear music in a club or a bar. You start to nod your head to the beat; or you get up and dance; or maybe you chat up a stranger or you walk out of the venue. Regardless of your decision, do you think about the means by which this music is invading your head space?

Probably not. But some folks do care—very much. Because to some, their livelihoods—and honor—depend on it.For DJs, the matter of format is as crucial as instruments are for surgeons. Arguments rage online and in clubland about the pros and cons of various formats and gear: vinyl, Serato, CDs, MP3s, .wav/.aiff/FLAC files, iPods, etc. These debates crackle with the same irreconcilable fury as those dedicated to evolution vs. creationism, celluloid vs. digital video and the Beatles vs. the Stones.Recent years have seen DJs increasingly deploying digital formats, with laptops and Serato interfaces becoming as common a sight as record bags among selectors. Every time you go to a club now, you can hear the paradigm incrementally shifting more to 0s and 1s and away from the analog medium—vinyl—with which deejaying has flourished for several decades. Serato Scratch LIVE (the consensus-preferred software program that incorporates platters and turntables hooked up to a laptop) is lauded as the logical transition product for vinyl DJs to switch to digital; its BPM readouts, ability to hold several thousand tracks and effortless navigation have made it wildly popular.Is this cause for celebration, or weeping and gnashing of Ortofon cartridges?

Click here to continue reading this article...

This Article was originally posted in the OC Weekly and written by Dave Segal. Thanks to Ted K. of the OC Weekly for saving my fingers the duty of trying to write what is an otherwise spot on article from "scratch".

mobile mania (year in review)

2007 mobile year in review.

It is that time of year, in which many of us might be purchasing electronics and mobile phones for the holiday season, and like many of you I have been tracking whats going on in the mobile media industry, and here is my data on whats hot and cool for the 07!

Ok- unlike other people at the company, I have not officially attended any Mobile Media Events. I briefly went through a 3M event in Miami, but when I realized it had nothing to do with the winter music conference I quickly left. My area of concern and expertise for mobile media is in regards to music, mp3's, djing, and music culture.

To be honest I was late on the band wagon to even get a cell phone, especially one that was more then a phone.

I went from a pager to a "trac phone" pay as you go "disposable phone"- as seen on The Wire, to a basic phone on a basic plan, to a samsung mp3 phone, and now I am using a Motorola Q. I have come a long way fast, but still have a lot to learn. Technology these days is so addictive, and we all share the same sentiment, ' how did i ever get a long with out it' mentality.

So how do we stay up to speed with what is going on in these mobile wonderlands, of venture captlilasit fueled uber geeks?

Until I understand more about what is going on behind mobile phones, I really can't say there is anything new that is too exciting on phones, ( I don't use mine for games or a movie camera) so for me- beyond music and what can be done with windows mobile there is nothing new this yea that is truely amazing. I like having the net, emails, and chat on my phone. I look forward to streaming music over a 3G phone, and I like the idea of 3G phones having more functionality. I don't want to pay a label or a corporation to hear music I already own over a phone either.

To close the year out and early next year- I am confident that the battle between Google and Microsoft over the open software alliance for phone platforms- which Microsoft is downplaying- will be huge. I mean everything Google does is big, so how could what they are doing for mobile media not be big too? I am also keeping my eyes open for the Android dev kit, and have an application in for the Adobe dev kit. Flash Lite is in my opinion a sleeping giant for mobile media. Flash afterall is the dominant video type on the net now, and the ability to play flash files is on almost every computer.To get a better understanding of what is going on out there, I read lots of stuff on the net, and talk to my friends about what phones they have and like, what service providers they use and have used, and of course I go to the stores. But mostly I read the wireless magazines and keep tabs on as many blogs and rss feeds that I can without actually mutuating into a mobile nerd, like so many of us did for the internet, computers in general and of course myspace...

I am no expert by any means, so when one of the experts speak, I listen..

Afterall, 'Google vice-president and chief Internet evangelist Vinton G. Cerf - also one of the founding fathers of the Internet, predicted Tuesday that mobile phones, not personal computers, will fuel growth of the worldwide Web, as countries like India snap up millions of handsets monthly.'

It is the phenomenon of accessing software any where and media and info anywhere that is booming. The software 'tools' once necessary to purchase and keep on a machine are either- "free" or easily available to use free online. Google offers what I need workwise right online, add the blog and picassa and i can use any PC, or my mobile phone on almost equal levels - sans the ability to type faster with a full size keyboard. So I can definitely agree with Mr. Cerf's expertise in predicting that the Dick Tracy Wrist watch will be worn by the business and fashion conscious alike one day soon.

Oh there is ubiquitous Wi fi coming too. I won't open this pandoras box with out further investigation but I know that many citiies are purchasing it and the idea gets my circuits buzzing!

Sadly enough right now what's big on phones, well just like the net, is adult content, but I wont go there, because the idea of a kid picking up a phone and acessing this adult media is very disturbing to me. With my desktop or laptop at least i can set up some type of controls to keep it safe- and child proof. I will stay out of this moral dilema, with the notion that heaven is a quiet place.. (being that it's not so crowded!) So if you have someone at the office with an i-phone taking hour long bathroom breaks, you might want to be aware of what is happening in the world around you!

Speaking of the matter at hand, here are some hot handsets to check out for 07 and beyond.

1. Apple/ Att&t - iphone (Do it all wonder phone)



2. Nokia N95 (A hand help computer first- then a phone)



3. Nokia Communicator E90 (a little smaller handhel computer phone combo)



4. Verizon LG -Voyager (Verizon's clam shell slider and touch screen all in "oneder")



5. Motorizr Z8 (ergonomic shape, music friendly)



6. Samsung F700 (Getting good reviews for iphone like features and ease of use)



7. R.I.M. Blackberry Mini (7130 series) (aka the Crackberry mini, smaller size same power)



8. Motorola Q music (Windows mobile 6.0 slim design, full qwerty)
   

My question-which phone has flash lite built in or can download and run it?

I am not a fake blogger, I won't say I throughly used any of these phones extensively, or act like an expert in regards to any of them. I am not the type of dude to go do that, but if my friend has one, or if i can see a fully featured one at the store I check it out. For your own input please Google Search each phone or please follow the links to each of the manufacturures sites for more detailed info. Here- I am simply listing phones that have a big buzz about them in the blog-o-sphere.

Now onto-Innovations in mobile computing:

We have all heard of the concept of digital paper, or a rollable/ flexible data display screen. Well a leader in that field and winner of this years Innovative Technology Award goes to "Polymer Vision for its 'Rollable Displays'. Polymer Vision has developed the world’s first sucessful rollable electronic display." This early version is viewable up to 5" tall and can spread out in size depending on the device it is built into. As of todays date- it is limted to monochrome and shades of grey, but the technology is 'rolling out' quickly! So now for the first time in history a visual display can be rolled out to a larger size than the actual mobile device itself. Although I have not seen one personally it is said to be "easy to view, even in bright sunlight, and has significantly lower power requirements than an LCD display with backlight." The key here is mobility: "Once the user has finished viewing the display, it can simply be rolled back into the device. This makes the rollable display the ideal solution for large displays in all types of mobile devices, without sacrificing device size or convenience." see http://www.polymervision.com/default.htm for updates on this phenomenon.

Wow! I could see this type of technology used in the entertainment industry. I could simply upload new technorganic art, to the same old banner! Pretty cool, and after the show, take it with you! There's not telling how far this will go, I could see urban environments opening up this fabric to the public for digital graffitti artists, or but a formatted file of the "lure" and have it on your bedroom ceiling, oh wait I am supposed to be reviewing what is going on in mobile land, I will say good bye to the caterpillar and Alice and get back to work!

In this Spere, the area of most concern to to me is in the area of Mobile Music, and music in general as it relates to technology. Well everyone knows the debate is still centered around DRM's or rather-lables wanting to own all the music content on earth and make all the money they can off of it. Microsoft has it's suggested solution in the "DRM" debate. They call it 'PlayReady' and state it wil aloow the use of commercial content for multiple different devices for a single fee. Read more about DRMs. (wikipedia)

Well Microsoft in my opinion doesn't know sh*t about music, and a huge corporation should have little to do with it's development, but these are the digital dilemas we must all face. Same is true with Google and these huge McCorporations. Let's face it they are too big- and out of touch with the individual, please stay out of music! Leave that to the people.

From bit torrents to over priced ring tones, to encrypted files, why can't we just follow the Grateful Deads motto. They were after all from San Francisco where all the IT and Mobile and Music Mogul starts up are popping up like mushrooms. The Greatful Dead, said- music is free, record our music, boot leg and share it. Well Jerry was no dummy in the fact that the Dead made millions of dollars in ticket sales in the life of the band. This is a band that never really had a radio or hit, or mammoth CD sales. Well these hippies had it right, and it is time for technology to follow the natural law of music.

So a solution to this debacle is what I pray for the most in the midst of our newly emerging mobile economy. My dream: "The playing field will be leveled by technology, Britney Spears will be working at Mcdonalds, and real artists with real talent, not cookie cutter sounds like what's on the radio artists, but new artists with new sounds and real lyrics with real messages will be heard by their peers and these real artists will make money off shows and merchandising"!

Edgar Bronfman of Warner Music Group, has this to say about it: "...that buying digital music from a mobile phone is too difficult and the music and mobile phone industries need to improve the process to meet demand... "A study last year found that only 8.5 percent of people who own a phone that can be used to download and purchase music actually did so. “Why? It’s expensive, it’s complicated and it’s slow,” he said. “It’s amazing that we’ve generated as much revenue as we have given how cumbersome the experience can be.” Well said Mr. Bronfman... I'm ready to stream the dream are you?

Well the one person above all- we can all agree is an expert in this debate area is Steve Jobs. Here's his sentiment in this murky digital swamp: “Today’s most popular iPod holds 1000 songs, and research tells that the average iPod is nearly full. This means that only 22 out of 1000 songs, or under 3% of the music on the average iPod, is purchased from the iTunes store and protected with a DRM. The remaining 97% of the music is unprotected and playable on any player that can play the open formats.” This totally squashes all beef any Major Label, or Fan, or McCorporation can have against Mr. Jobs. Furthermore, he didn't invent or insist on Apple itunes having copy protection- this again as you must all know was the bastard child of the Major Label lawyers and the RIAA.

For me- I have taken my own music from my label and put it on my phone, but I won't pay more then the cost of a ringtone or single mp3 or itunes track and put it on my phone... I await the streaming model myself.

I barely know the old media rules, so I can't profess to even beging to understand the newly emerging laws. Find out more from Wiki on the topic here.

Also coming soon is the built in bluetooth and Windows Mobile features built into the new Ford 08 car lines. It is reported that hands free safety and control of handset features are key components here. Microsoft wants people to have easy to use verbal commands as the control interfeace to their phones, built into the new Ford vehichles. This to me is something that we are behind on, and I look forward to this technology so we can all drive safer. I sure hope it is simple and works, and people dont need to worry about, simply plug in or bluetooth connect and go. We shall see...

Ok, this is another area of mobile computing I have to touch on. I did a Dj gig this year. It was a casual wedding reception party for a wonderful Puerto Rican Couple. They are friends with my wife, and I really wanted to have a lot of great music for them. The problem is that I haven't updated vinyl in years, and all my CD's are Reggaeton, or Latin House style. Well my ipod saved the day for this gig. In fact I don't even think I used a cd the whole event. Other people brought their ipods, and at one point I even had to hook up my mac book, to my phone, using it as an internet connect, and let a party guest log into his XM satellite station, to stream some special request Latin.

The use of the ipod was actually a delight for this type of event so on my X Mas Wish List there is one of these:

The ability to carry 80 gigs of music, easily organize it into playlists and rock it out on this thing is undeniable. I have paid my dues with Vinyl, I have a PCDJ system ready for a more professional level event, but for a casual thing, this is the way to go for me.

I am still perplexed on how much money I have spent on vinyl over the years, and how much time it is going to take to convert it to a digital format. Kids these days, don't know how hard it was to grow up in the turntable era!

2007 is officially-recapped. There are many cool new phones to check out. I will keep tabs on windows mobile 6.0, the open alliance, Android and Flash Lite. If you own one of the phones on the list, feel free to share your opinion with us!

the final word: this is a quote from a woman who was at the 3GSM-"...this was my first 3GSM and it was SHOCKING that there were no women. It is truly a shame. I am a political consultant and I thought politics was a man’s man’s world… but nope, telecom is a man’s man’s world..."

This struck me as Odd, for my wife talks, texts and sends way more pics and messages on her phone then I do, but hey that means there is room to grow for ladies in this booming mobile economy!

"Turntable Laptop"

I have been a digital pimp for some time now. When I first got into Digital Djing- years ahead of the competition thanks to PCDJ, i like the rest of us early adopters- was called a digital dork.

You see, hauling a rack mounted PC to a mobile DJ gig, was not sexy, and well still isn't that impressive to look at. But we knew that we had all the music we needed in a nice rack mounted unit and we sounded better then the old schoolers anyway.

(fujitsu brand laptop concept called the "laptop PC" is an attempt to bring sexy back to digital djing.)

Now however, even the laymans know the digital revolution is fully upon us. It is no longer taboo to use a PC to Dj with.

In fact-this phenomenon is spreading beyond djing and music production into the corporate spheres of PC's themselves.

Inparticular Fujitsu unveiled it's concept laptop/ notebook aptly named the "turntable PC".

Displayed at the Ceatec Technology Fair in Tokyo it has a touch-sensitive LCD panel on the top that is designed to allow the user to play and control MP3s either on the laptop or from a connected MP3 player. No confirmation on whether this would enclude an ipod, but I feel it is a safe presumption. Most default audio systems on laptops are not up to snuff, Fujitsu though- did their homework and included virtual 5.1 channel surround sound too.

I am drooling but at this point in time the "Turn Table PC" is still just a concept but word on the digital street claims it will start going into production within a year or so...

In the meantime, Dell makes the XPS series that has lights and more then enough oomph to run any PCDJ app well.

Personally I am exstatic with the performance of PCDJ FX on my Macbook running bootcamp, and with OSX jaguar featuring bootcamp pre- installed, the solution to use PCDJ (running on windows XP) on your Mac is easier then ever to set up and run!

I look forward to getting OSX this weekend and trying PCDJ VJ on it as well. It has been performing great for me on my desktop but i need to take it to the club and show the local scene what my lil label has been up too- on the Video Jockey tip.