 | The complete guide to guitar modal scales. This course guides you step by step through all the modal scales using the C major scale as a reference point. It consists of both video and book based training. The book provides the theory and graphics for the training, whilst the supporting videos, which are only available to students. Provide the practical aspect for the course. They show the scales being played at moderate and slow speed so the patterns can be seen and heard. For further details click on the picture |
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I’m not a major blog or article writer, but I was recently asked about my experience of submitting music for placement in a commercial environment, whether it be films television or computer/console games. When it comes to placement in films, I have never tried as I’m not an orchestral writer, however submission of music and songs for music libraries. I have submitted to many of them with varying degrees of success. My first submission attempts got me a deal with an online recording and publishing company. I simply provided the recorded and mastered album. They promoted it for me. The result was I got lots of radio coverage and sales of songs via my own website and via theirs. I also sold my album at my own live gigs. To have a deal of any kind gives you an element of kudos. However it is not the be all and end all. My album was dropped in favour of newer more marketable artists after a year. Since that time I still submit to the occasional listing, but it can be a costly endeavour. So make your submissions wisely First of all though I’ll give a brief explanation of what a music library actually is and does. Music libraries, or to coin the professional term. Production music libraries offer music for commercial use to interested parties. It works thus, the composer writes specifically for, or submits music to the music library. The music library offers a licensing agreement on which the composer gets paid, if the music is used. In many cases the copyright passes over to the music library as they will want the exclusive rights to market and license the music in whatever way they deem suitable. Income generated from music libraries is based on two methods License or synchronization fees These are the fees paid upfront to the library for permission to use or synchronize its music to a piece of film, video or audio. These fees can range from a few pounds up to thousands of pounds subject to the usage. The library receives the the fee and pays the composer his/her percentage of the fee. In some cases the library will employ and pay the composer directly to produce music. This is more commonly known as a work-for-hire fee. In this scenario copyright of the music passes to the music library. The composer will only receive the initial payment and credits as the composer. Performance income (or performance royalties) Performances income is generated when music is publicly performed ie television or radio. The users the music do not pay these fees. Instead, they are paid annually by broadcasters (such as television networks and radio stations) to performing rights organizations such as ASAP and BMI in the US and the PRS in the UK. These agencies then distribute those royalties amongst their members. Once again, there will be a percentage split on the royalty between the library and the composer. To ensure accurate distribution. Broadcasters are required to keep records of the music they have used, when and length of time. This data is used by the performing rights organizations to allocate the royalties accordingly. Royalty Free Libraries These libraries do not charge their customers for licensing the music. Instead, the customers purchase a CD or for a fee, access to a music database . The content of which is licensed for them to use as often they wish. These libraries depend mainly on performance royalties for their income (with a small amount of income from sales of physical CD's or online track downloads). Royalty-free music is not registered with any performance rights organizations or royalty collection agencies. Libraries which specialize in this type of music license it to their customers on a non-exclusive basis where it can be used as often, and for as long as required. The music is licensed by the customers according to a specific license agreement, they cannot sell it or license it to others. It enables independent musicians to sell and license their own music, and is the method I use in the sale of my own music via this site. Non exclusive Libraries These allow the composer to license their composition to multiple user at the same time. The non-exclusive library doesn't own the music rights outside of the licenses that are made by that library. The library does not pay for the piece, and the artist doesn't get any payment until the piece is licensed at which point the library and the artist split the license fee equally. Hybrid license This method uses music written for specific use, along with music taken from a library catalogue. The project producer defines the areas where the music written specifically for the project is to be used, and where the alternate music from the library will also be used. In this scenario, the music is usually provided by one composer. All the music is then licensed together under single agreement. Specific Licensing types These are taken from the source I use for the licenses applied to my music and are as follows Creative Commons license With a Creative Commons license, you keep your copyright, but allow people to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit -- and only on the conditions specified. Which are as follows 1 Allow commercial uses of this song: The licensor permits others to copy, distribute and transmit the work. In return, licensees may not use the work for commercial purposes — unless they get the licensor's permission 2 Allow modifications of this song: The licensor permits others to copy, distribute and transmit only unaltered copies of the work — not derivative works based on it. These licenses are free, so you don't get paid for them. Paid Licenses: These give buyers or other artists the option to use your song. Leasing: This allows for the use of the song under specific conditions. Exclusive: This in effect licenses the music as a work for hire: Thus allowing the unrestricted use of the song in any way the Licensee feels fit. The composer receives no royalties outside of the license. And can no longer lease or sell the song elsewhere. But must receive credit for the original composition. These then are a brief outline of music libraries and how they function. Licensing is a very much site specific. As a general rule. I use a paid license. I use the leasing option as I still retain control over my music. I also sell the songs an an mp3 download. Music libraries provide music for commercial use, they therefore exercise extreme quality control over submissions. The music has to be top quality and relevant to their requirements. Which brings me to the final part of this article. The listing requirements. When a music site or library requests for music submissions, they will usually provide a brief giving information on the kind of music they are looking for to fill the listing. The following are a list of criteria I have found useful when making submissions Give the submission a relevant title Your song title should only be the song name and should not include additional information. As an example Fading Sunlight, River Ride are ok . Titles such as fadsunmix 4 or rrtake 35 mix 1 are not. Leaving extra information in the title may lead music users to believe the song is a work in progress. Represent your song. as accurately as possible Submitting to Wanted Listings Before sending your music for the submission, it’s a good idea to research the brief thoroughly. There may be mention of a TV show, film, advertisement or project. That may have music which is relevant to the listing requirements. On numerous occasions I have seen requests for music in a similar style to a specific song. Being accurate with your Wanted submissions will help position your music in a good light. Applying to listings which fit songs in your catalog this will allow you to use material you already have and save on stress when creating to a deadline. It will increase the chances of being noticed and perhaps licensed. Above all be selective in your submissions and work to your strengths as a composer. I hope this article answers some of these questions If it did please feel free to share it All the best Tutora
Added links to new tutorial website with thousands of tutors in over 300 subjects. Including my personal practice. Click the title All. the best Hi all, been a very busy few months for me, lots of things have been completed and the site updated.
Firstly the new album has been posted, it's an acoustic rock album with a mixture of rock and folk influenced tunes. It's called Sunset Vision. Click the title to go to the page. The tracks can be heard with direct links to the page on soundclick. I've decided to forgo using extracts on video as time was very much against me on this. In fact it is something I'm seriously considering doing with the rest of the albums. Makes it simpler for those who wish to listen to the tunes in there entirety. I decided to expand the coverage I get for my music, to this end. Nine of the albums have now been published across the net, predominantly Itunes, Amazon, Deezer plus a host of less well known platforms. They are now available from these outlets as well. As part of the packaging and artwork exercise I found that some of the original album artwork had to be updated. So to this end the old covers for the Everything Counts and Summer Dreams albums has been recreated and posted here. There is a series of further updates coming soon. I'll provide the details as I do them In the meantime thanks for your continued support. Wishing you well and success in all you do Hi all
Once again been a while since I posted on the blog, but have been extremely busy in many ways. However this short blog is to highlight the upgrades to one of the album pages. I took the original version of his album down as a sale item due primarily to the fact I was unhappy with the quality of most of the recordings. I have since re-recorded and re-written all of the tracks. The format is now a ten song blues album. Seven of the original tracks remain. Alongside Three new songs. Video links will be live when the release occurs this coming Sunday the 9th. Hope you enjoy what you hear and wishing you all well Thanks for the continued support for this site All the best Summertime
This weeks song brief, is about my take on the George Gershwin classic Summertime. This had a very different creative process to the normal production methods I use. To find out more click on the title Enjoy Hi all, hope things have been going well.
Been about a month since I last posted, and I often get asked about putting up some kind of interactive content. Unfortunately I don't get the time for a regular blog update. But I have come up with a more interesting idea from my point of view. I'll be setting up what will basically be a song page. On it will be links to a specific song. Plus information about the tune itself. Things like, what inspired it, Instrumentation used to record it, etc. The idea being, in sharing my process. To hopefully help and maybe even inspire others with their own works. It's still in the planning process, namely in my head lol. But it will be active by next week, in the meantime people Stay well Hi all, just a quick update to the Radio interview page.
I received a number of requests from people to hear the songs. So I have placed links to each tune on the page. I will be posting these tunes to video at some time in the close future. For now as a short term expedient. The links will take you to a Sound click player. Enjoy Radio Interview Page Hi all, hope things are treating you well. I have been kind of busy since The book was published earlier last month.
I went onto a local radio station and had an interview and gave a live performance. It was hosted by the very talented Michelle Ward. The page link will be available at the bottom of this blog. In the meantime, future plans for the site will be a move into music marketing. and there will be more graphic designs coming for the rmd product line very shortly. Thanks for stopping by, and hope you enjoyed your visit all the best RADIO INTERVIEW PAGE Hi all, as stated in my previous post It's now been published and the link page can be found in the page listings My second book on music theory written from the guitarists perspective. The circle of fifths is a very useful theory tool This little book shows not only the applications but also how to make one using a couple of major scale layouts and a guitar fret board diagram. The applications include how to transpose songs to different keys How to find scale notes in all major keys. plus more.  |
