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ARTICLE BELOW (from www.writerblocks.com)

TOP 5 Clues you might be an artist living in the dinosaur age
by traycee lynn

1.You do not have a myspace page. – Sure you may not like myspace. You might not even like the internet, but record companies do and if you have any kind of buzz, that is one of the first places A&R’s are going to look to size you up. For example, how many hits do you have, what does your music sound like, what kind of feedback and comments are people saying about you, what do you look like, and so on. We have all heard of the stories about Bad Boy recording artist Cassie, Interscope recording artist Soulja Boy, and others that have landed recording contracts and other opportunities based on their myspace page alone. The reality is that the music industry has changed. It has gone digital and if you have not adapted yet, you might be an artist living in the dinosaur age.


2. You are planning to mail a demo to a record company – Not only do most record companies look down and often trash unsolicited demos, they also rely more heavily on your digital presence. Last year, record sales dropped significantly while digital sales through iTunes went up, and are projected to increase by 22% in 2008. So building a presence on iTunes and making ringtone sales are great ways to get your “demo” out there. The theory is that your independent digital presence allows record companies to get a sneak peak, or a sample of how well you might do if they were to put some major dollars behind you. And if you put yourself in their shoes, would you take a gamble on a demo you received in the mail OR would you rather take a gamble on a self-made star who is selling music and already has at least a third of the work done for you?

3. Your idea of radio ends with FM and AM channels – There are two major types of radio formats: analog radio and satellite radio. Analog radio is what we know to be AM and FM radio. It operates by sending out radio frequencies through waveform data that only reaches about 30 to 40 miles from their source (which means once you are outside of that source, the signal breaks and static enters). Satellite radio is the new age radio where crisp and clear signals are broadcasted at about 22,000 miles, which means you can practically drive from coast to coast without changing the channel. Speaking of channels, there are hundreds of channels to choose from – which means, as an artist, you have more options, and more dj’s to submit your work to via internet.


4. You rely on one source for music tracks – Is your favorite producer or musician unavailable, or too expensive? No problem, there are tons of online sources where you can listen to a wide variety of music and purchase music within your budget for your next single, mixtape, or cd. Even rapper 50-cent has a single that was first launched on sites like MyBeatShop.com, Rocbattle, Soundclick and more.


5. You are waiting to “get signed” to make a video – Again, record companies want as much of a preview that they can get from your digital presence. Adding video to your catalog gives people a chance to see you in another realm, for example: do you have personality, stage presence, humor, and so on. YouTube is an internet tool that artists can use to their advantage. If you do not have enough money to put together an indie video, try recording one of your performances, or interviews. In this digital age, you no longer have to wait to “get signed,” you can take some initiative and test the waters yourself.