Its a blog created by one of South Africa's top music producer and industry player, Beatmaker. It's a place were those who are curious about music can come freely ask music related questions or music business questions! He is after all The man of choice. "The Music Intellect Warrior".
So for those who read my blog and are talented vocalists here is an opportunity for you to be on a hot track to be on a compilation of a hot dj... granted the song is hot! You post a sample of a vocal on here. I make comments about it then select who makes it to the album. I'm recording the vocals on the week of the 11th. So post your vocals as a comment, no more than 3 minutes! Good Luck!
There are so many sites on the internet that claim to be able to giving you a break. Some are genuine and some are a waste of money. However some have proven to work for a producer/songwriter who is hoping to have the international market, specifically America be part of their trade. I look at 4 sites that i think they are resources that are valuable for life:
No. 4
http://www.songu.com
This site is mostly for the songwriter/composer. It is not only a place to network and find cowriters but it also has courses that allow you to improve your songwriting. They also often have hits for you to check out.
No. 3
http://www.songquarters.com
This is one of the sites I started using when i was trying to break into the US. This site also comes with hitquarters which is another good networking tool. This site has the exact addresses of A&R guys and also updates A&R's activities per year. Its a good platform to be on and access. Its worth every penny i've ever spent on it. The articles about other songwriters and industry players are just as great.
No.2
http://www.dynamicproducer.com
This website is mostly geared to Urban music. Never the less its a valid and one of the best networking sites i've ever come across on the net. They help you help yourself. They don't deliver it on the silver platter for you they show you how to work for it so that when you get it, its real. Felicia who's the founder has done an amazing job and we've seen members of this networking group produce records for the best in the business.
No.1
http://www.pmpworldwide.com
This is my number one site for getting out there. Costs some money for a South African cat but a lot of top producers and songwriters in the world are on this site. It is owned by one of the top A&R guys in the world. He started this while working for Bad Boy.. You can also use this for networking and showcasing yourself to the world!
In closing at the end all this sites just provide an opportunity its up to you to perfect the skill of networking and your work.
So you all I'm not a bitch ass nigger. But this time i will be one.
One of the founders of Pirate Bay (http://piratebay.com/) Peter Sunde has been reported as one of the keynote speakers at iWeek conference (http://www.iweek.co.za/). Which happens to start the same day as Moshito 2009 2nd - 5th September (http://www.moshito.com).
So while the music industry will be discussing papers in improving their business in making sure that more money is made by the creators and owners of the music; Peter Sunde will be busy be teaching South African Internet Service Providers how to make it possible for music to be downloaded for free.
Wow so the guy learns how to create IP (Intellectual Property) then he intern wants other IP's to be free. I wonder if he would be ok if he spoke for free for the rest of his life or if we all had access to use his investment account for holidays in the Bahamas.
I don't think this guy should be let in to speak in the country. I think he must be refused a VISA and I know other people that think he should go fly! He is poison who is going to let big business make money from advertisers because of the traffic that they will be conducting since people would easily and freely take a song you created for FREE!
By the way even when its month end they will be smiling taking their partners to dinner listening to your FREE music!
Why should everyone make money of music indirectly while the creators and owners of music can't??!! So if you believe this guy shouldn't come to South Africa sign your name... This is my personal opinion not that of Sony ATV, NORM or Moshito.
Its that time of the year again that if you are in house and kwaito genres of music, or generally urban you should be going to this conference. SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE - http://www.samc.dj
The project originally inspired by the Miami Music Conference is one of the most exciting events in music calender. I suggest that you go to the website and register.
This movie was out in the US on the 3rd of October 2008 so my US readers might think this is just too late. However this is another master piece from Fernando Meirelles. This film achieves what Legend tried to achieve and its by far better a film.
I recently got to watch the film, what i can mainly say about the music in the film is WOW, beautiful work!
As much as music had an essential part in the film, the silence was as efficient. The omission of musical scenes in some key parts of the movie just made the emotion be attracted with every element of the film. It further helped the composer, Marco Antônio Guimarães (as Uakti), deliver a sophisticated artistic score but yet engaging to a none musician.
The special moment in the film is the moment of hope in Ward 1, when the music piece used is a soothing vocal and guitar piece with a South American influence. The sound appears to come from a am radio then fading in a proper audible music piece. Once again the silence that existed before this allowed this piece to just shine.
Amazingly I haven't picked up any credits for a music supervisor on this, so i'm assuming the beautiful work of placement was mainly done by the director while the producers dealt with the business side of things. If you are an upcoming composer/arranger it would be helpful to you to own this movie, just like you should own Beautiful Mind.
Watch the trailer:
Here are other credits from the music department:
Artur Andrés .... musician: flute and wind instruments Kevin Banks .... additional music editor Alexandre Barros .... musician: English horn Leandro Calazans .... music recording assistant Cláudio Costa .... music executive producer Lucas Decina .... music recording assistant Daniela Godinho .... musician: Solo voice Marco Antônio Guimarães .... musician: stringed instruments Elias Issa .... music recording engineer Édila Lopes .... music production assistant Alexandre Martins .... music mixing engineer Décio Ramos .... musician: percussion Paulo Santos .... musician: percussion
Credits courtesy of http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861689/fullcredits#cast
Just few weeks ago Mo' on his Yfm show opened a discussion about Kwaito, a subject of debate that has been on everyone's lips in the past few years in the music business. Firstly lets get something straight KWAITO IS NOT DEAD.
You need to understand what kwaito is before you can even make such a statement as Kwaito is dead. Most of you I find you funny as you were all dancing to 2 by 2 or LVovo's first album!
Kwaito is a lifestyle that was born out of townships, that translated itself into music. A genre that was pioneered by the likes of Arthur Mafokate, Kalawa, Mdu Masilela and Jazzmee. You will realised that I wrote Jazzmee and Kalawa separately. There is a strong history of that label. One is that Kalawa was once Christos, Osacar and Don Laka. Jazzmee was once the Trompies crew.
It is also important to note that from the beginning of kwaito house has played a very influential role. From Ba ba sa batleng kuku ba phahamise matsogo to Makwere, house was in there. It evolved with each generation just like Hip Hop in America. We've seen the influence of Jazz from Mdu, the influence of Afro from Joe Nina, the influence of classical, hip hop and Jazz from TKZee. Crowded Crew taking hip hop influences using them on house beats and creating their own lingo. Now that is special.
Since then the genre has grown, hip hop has consistently influenced how the genre sounds. If you wanna track it well here is a list, Senyaka, TKZee, Crowded Crew, Zola, Mandoza all have always had a hip hop track on their albums before Hip Hop was fully recognized in South Africa. So I'm not gonna go into the Kwaito Hip Hop debate. But merely going to say KWAITO IS NOT DEAD.
WHY?
Well, record of the year was 2 by 2 at the SAMA's 2009, Moneymaker was an equal contender, the year before But' Ngihamba nawe was selling of Kwaito elements, Bricks' is still creating some hot material, New kids like Toll Bhiza are being played around the country, Andy Magazz's new single has no questions. I'm not going to even mention Big Nuz.. Oh I just did.. Well you all probably going to say but its house! Then I will refer you to the top of this post. Kwaito was originally based on house with the influence of hip hop.
As much as the genre has a lot it can improve don't be stuck in the old ways of doing things. Grow with the genre!
And more importantly its a lifestyle - Pro Kid, Sliquor, Sugarsmax, Merafi... Dress more like how Kwaito Acts used to dress...
Here is a toast of Kwaito:
Trompies ft. Lebo Mathosa - Magasman
Arthur Mafokate - Oyi Oyi (featuring Lebo Mathosa in the video)
Since this is the first of the Music and Picture Review articles I'd like to take the opportunity to just outline shortly how i will be approaching this column.
I will purely be looking at the music in the picture how it was used by the music supervisor, look at the compositions by the composer at hand and also let you know who are the characters behind the work. So this week I look at the music in Duplicity.
Brian Ross (Crossing Over, The Killing Room, From Mexico with Love, Michael Clayton, License to Wed, Black Irish) was the music supervisor for this film. James Newton Howard (ER, The Dark Night, Liar Liar, The Interpreter) provided the film with original score. The two made a great team as each scene either scored or original pieces composed to complete a sequence or scene, you would see how well the music was utilized.
Of course praises goes to the music supervisor for being able to source the perfect piece for each scene that needed music. The opening scene is based in Dubai carries a live music feel that is none intrusive but yet puts a proper setting for the scene. This is the most crucial scene in this film at it sets up the characters' Ray Covel (Clive Owen) and Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts). If you don't pay attention what happens with this two in the opening scenes, you are probably not going to get what is goin on with their relationship.
Immediately after that sequence of scenes comes one that introduces two other characters that don't appear a lot in the film but their relationship is the basis of trade embarrassment that Ray and Claire suffer at the end. The characters are Tom Wilkinson (Howard Tully) and Paul Giamatti (Richard Garsik). This scene is a comic scene and I think the music saved it. The composition allowed the editor to execute what seemed unnecessary but yet effective to introduce the rivalry of Tom and Paul.
With the pieces that were composed for the film I love the way the usage of traditional scoring is used together with modern ideas. The mixes are also so beautiful and speak to the scenes in a special way i.e you feel like you are there. You can always tell which part of the world they've sent you to, by merely being attentive to the music.
The scenes that Ray and Claire revive their passion in Rome, just make you want to fall in love again or be locked away with your lover as soon as you leave the movie house.
The pieces that were employed here, make you want to experience the beauty of Rome yet the composer didn't try too hard to make you feel that you are in Rome. Of course the landscape must have made it much more attractive for one to want to be in Rome or in the Bahamas as in a later scene in the movie.
Brian must have had a hard time, together with the director, finalizing which pieces are totally appropriate to be used in the film because whatever was used needed to leave you still understanding or following the story line. In conclusion besides me loving the film I think the music was just of class and Brian Ross outdid himself on this film.
Watch the trailer review from http://www.trailerhits.com
courtesy of http://www.trailerhits.com and YouTube
Here are the rest of the music related credits in the movie:
Ryeland Allison .... composer: additional music Pete Anthony .... conductor Pete Anthony .... orchestrator Jeff Atmajian .... orchestrator Brad Dechter .... orchestrator Braden Kimball .... assistant scoring mixer Larry Mah .... digital score recordist Alan Meyerson .... music scoring mixer Satnam Ramgotra .... musician: percussion Brian Ross .... music supervisor Peter Rotter .... orchestra contractor Steven L. Smith .... music preparation Stuart Michael Thomas .... musical score arrangements Matthew J. Ward .... additional score recordings
Credits References from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135487/fullcredits#cast
