Together we are loud: Sync music to create one large speaker.    [tools / music / life hacks / mobile / app] We’ve all been there: You want to play a song for someone and while everyone has an iPhone, no one can actually hear what’s playing from a single iPhone. Enter Seedio. Seedio is an app (which costs $3) that broadcasts your tunes to other neighboring iPhones (that also have Seedio) using Wifi to create one synchronized speaker. Very simple, but very smart. I’ve got Gangnam Style all cued up - Ready when you are ;)  High-res

Together we are loud: Sync music to create one large speaker.    
[tools / music / life hacks / mobile / app]

We’ve all been there: You want to play a song for someone and while everyone has an iPhone, no one can actually hear what’s playing from a single iPhone. Enter Seedio. Seedio is an app (which costs $3) that broadcasts your tunes to other neighboring iPhones (that also have Seedio) using Wifi to create one synchronized speaker. Very simple, but very smart. I’ve got Gangnam Style all cued up - Ready when you are ;) 

How much does an artist make from a single stream of a song on iTunes Match and Spotify?  [music / entertainment / business] The short answer? Not much. And when you factor in the cost of distribution services, artists need over 15k plays of their songs just to break even. As Panzarino points out, these numbers aren’t new, but still serve as a great reminder to buy music directly from the artists whenever possible. 

How much does an artist make from a single stream of a song on iTunes Match and Spotify?  
[music / entertainment / business]

The short answer? Not much. And when you factor in the cost of distribution services, artists need over 15k plays of their songs just to break even. As Panzarino points out, these numbers aren’t new, but still serve as a great reminder to buy music directly from the artists whenever possible. 

Gangnam style, dissected: The subversive message within South Korea’s music video sensation.  
[Creativity / Music / Culture / Entertainment]

When I first posted this video on Facebook on August 1st, it received a mere 5 likes. I thought it was just me who thought it was amazing, but turns out the rest of the world has been impressed too: The PSY’s Gangnam Style video has racked up 133MM+ views to date (and the views are still rising.) If you haven’t watched the video, you’ll need to start there. If you’ve watched the video, and find yourself wanting to sing along or wondering if there’s a hidden meaning in the song, you’ll want to read this breakdown by The Atlantic. (Thanks, Billy!)

Stop motion in an Excel doc.  
[Arts / Music / Technology / Entertainment]

Using Excel cells shaded different colors, “Mystery Guitar Man” has created a stop motion music video. It kind of reminds me of this ACDC thing from a few years back that was created to break through firewalls of corporate environments. You’ll have to see ‘em for yourself. Totally awesome. 

united we fail: we all hit play.

united we failReblogged from united we fail

Don’t push my buttons: A-Trak on the new DJ culture. 

A-Trak challenges those “DJs” who just hit play on a CD set and asks, “In today’s context, wouldn’t it be fair to say that the holy grail is a live performance that has the flexibility to integrate true improvisation? That is the ultimate win-win.” Interesting commentary from an artist who is very much a part of the community.

(He also cites this post from Deadmau5)

deadmau5:

its no secret. when it comes to “live” performance of EDM… that’s about the most it seems you can do anyway. It’s not about performance art, its not about talent either (really its not) In fact, let me do you and the rest of the EDM world button pushers who fuckin hate me for telling you how it…

Is Jay-Z’s 99 problems legally accurate? A law professor explains in a line-by-line reading.

I’m usually happy to pick either side of a debate - But if we’re arguing about Jay-Z, I’d have to say that 99 Problems is one of his best songs ever. A catchy rap that you can sing along to… And apparently it’s truthful about Jay’s early days. (Yep, I went with Jay. He was paying my salary from 2007-2009 so I’m taking the first name liberty.) But is it legally accurate? Insightful and interesting, a law professor dissects the lyrics.

Letter to Emily White at NPR All Songs Considered. | The Trichordist

Letter to Emily White at NPR All Songs Considered.

For those of you who missed it, a recent college grad, who happens to be interning at NPR’s All Songs Considered wrote a guest blog post about not paying for music. [NPR argues it’s about not paying for albums/physical objects, but I remain unconvinced.] My dad is in the music industry - so to pay or not to pay has a pretty straightforward answer in my book: Pay. Always, always pay. If musicians sell their songs, pay for them. And if they are giving them away, pay anyway. Pay in tweets, in praise, in an email to a friend. But the answer wasn’t always clear to me, especially when Napster first came out- And I, too, am guilty of downloading music without paying for it. Not much, but I’m not proud of it. David Lowery tackles the generational divide while showing Emily why her story just doesn’t add up.