New Berklee Press Book Provides On-Line Strategies for Musicians
 December 11, 2001
Technology breakthroughs, driven by gargantuan music appetites around the world, have put the Internet at center stage in the evolution of a whole new music business. All of the music promotion and distribution changes in the past will seem like baby steps compared to the enormous transformation fueled by the digitization of music. The Musician's Guide To the Internet, by Peter Spellman, from Berklee Press, publishing arm of the Berklee College of Music, offers a detailed and complete guide to self-promotion on the Internet.
Without a doubt, the Net is having an enormous impact on everything musical, from revitalizing dormant music careers to galvanizing global fan bases--from providing new DIY avenues for major-level artists to sparking unlikely yet rich musical collaborations. The Internet is sparking opportunities for musicians that would not be possible without it and Peter Spellman reveals all of these secrets to any musician seeking a fulltime career 'in the business'.
Peter states, "The impact of what the Internet can offer musicians seeking a career in music can be best represented when I put out word via e-mail that I was looking for Net success stories for this book. I received one reply in particular that clearly illustrates all topics that are explored. The message came from a 20-year old Norwegian college student named Oystein Ramfjord. Oystein provides a remarkable list of musical triumphs after just one year on the Internet."
As of May 2001, Oystein had:
- Made over $40,000 from CD sales and downloads using MP3.com;
- Had over 800,000 downloads and sold over 800 CDs;
- Licensed several songs to a CNN documentary;
- Licensed one song to a compilation CD that includes established artists Mike Oldfield, Vangelis, Enigma, and Brian Eno;
- Signed an exclusive license agreement with Neurodisc Records for one album (distributed through EMI);
- Entered into collaboration with a commercial ad agency for the use of his music in several TV commercials and on Web sites;
- Licensed songs for an upcoming computer game, which will be released internationally;
- Been approached by several independent record labels;
- Been offered to score a U.S. film (his first), which he agreed to do for $17,000 plus 50 percent of the publishing.
CD sales, jingle writing gigs, computer game scoring, label interest, film scoring, and licensing deals--all from the Net!
Ramfjord states, "In 1999, I regarded my dreams of being a full-time composer/producer as completely unrealistic. Everything on this list has happened only because of the Internet. Without it, I'm pretty sure I'd be nowhere."
The Musician's Guide to the Internet, covers Net Basics, Getting Started as a Net-Global Artist, Getting Listed in the Free Search Engines and Directories , Communicating via E-Mail with Fans, Teammates, and Customers, Sharing, Selling, and Licensing Your Music On-Line, Webcasting Your Shows via Virtual Nightclubs and Other On-Line Venues, Broadcasting Over Internet Radio, Signing a Deal with Off-Line and On-Line Record Labels, Using the Net as a Library of Music Career Guidance, Tips for Expanding Your On-Line Presence, and Looking Backward, Seeing Forward: Gazing Into the Crystal Web.
"When discussing anything Internet-related," states Peter, "We need to remember that everything is moving at breakneck speed. Anything written about Net technology and developments today will probably be old news tomorrow. Fortunately, the book is only the beginning. It's sister Web site (URL available in the book), acts as an 'extended book,' providing continual updates of the stories and techniques fist discussed in the hard-copy version. Along with a new success story every month, the reader will find a discussion forum where they may share their own successes (or just ask a question), the latest news about how Net technology is impacting the music business, and a continually updated directory of Net resources to feed your Internet intelligence.
For more information, visit their web site at www.berkleepress.com. |
