Fabrizio Paterlini

I gave a first read to Music 3.0 from Bobby Owinsky - are are some notes i made during the reading of the book:

1. Releasing music for free is not enough
And i defenetely agree with that. According to Owinsky giving away music for free is a part of a global strategy that uses free music simply as a tool. Instead of the old "media" marketing strategy (mainly radios and -m-TVs), 3.0 musicians use music as a marketing tool. By releasing for free a potential "infinte" products (our music, which should be infinte..) we expand our fan base. 
And.. yes, in my opinion it works. I mean, releasing free music is not enough. For example, some times ago i released a set of free music on my SoundCloud page and it's has been streamed almost 1000 times in a week. And that's good, i mean. But it was streamed. Do you want to know how many download i got? Only 20. Why? Because, basically, majority of listeners simply stream music. Expecially if is the first time they listen to it. 

2. Relations and tribes
The author, after reviewing the last 50 years of usual music business, develops an interesting analysis on who the main actors are in this new scenario. And guess what? Tribes won. Tribe, or fanbase, or fans, indicate a group of passionate listeners that follow whatever the artist (you) will release. And not only are avid consumer of your music, but they share it with their friend. The good point here is: no matter how big your tribe is. You can have a tribe composed by 3 person... and this will be a good point to start. Taking care and feeding the relation between the artist and his tribe is defenetely a new thing in this new music frame. And this is a real break point if compared to the past. In the past the artist was in the "hands" of the record labels (at least in the very early years) and there was no way to directly communicate with him/her. Now things changed a lot: the direct relation is a key component of Music 3.0 business. 

3. Case study
Another good part relates what some "big shoot" made out there. In particular, the author focuses on the NIN Trent Reznor experiment with Ghost I-IV album and Radiohead's "In rainbow" pay what you want release. We all know these stories, and we all think "Well, it's easy if you are Radiohead or NIN", and probably that's true. But also remember that these two artists came from the "old school" of music business and for them it perfectly worked. Basically they had everything to lose in approaching this new DIY method. So... yes, it was probably easy with such huge fanbases, but also it's interesting and inspiring to learn what they did and how they performed. 

4. Signing a contract?
At the end, Owinsky makes a list of some good reason that should lead the artist to sign a contract with major labels. And you know what? Except for some rare cases, there is none. At least, talking personally and at this stage of my "music career" path - I am not saying that it's wrong to sign a contract with a major record label, i am saying that differentely from the past we can choose. If we ever reach a resonant tribe, if our music will be on the table of some record company out there it will mean that the most difficult part will be already done. It means that our music run fast on the net and even faster during the live shows. At that point, who needs a record label?

More feedback about to come. In the meantime, i am REALLY curious to read YOUR comments on this :)

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So i just finished reading (again) a free and quite short ebook from Derek Sivers (founder of CDBaby and much more).
Differentely from other books i've red in the past, this one is not focused at all on promotions startegies, marketing advices, tips and tricks to sell more copies. It mainly talks about relations. People. "Go know people" is the main advice Derek is giving us. In the internet era, where everything seems to happen online, Derek is pointing straight to the importance of human relations, face to face.

Three years ago (almost four, actually!) i completely became a devoted on-line musician. And, in a certain way, it worked quite well! My energies were fully committed in spreading my music as much as possible using the social networks, meeting people online, using my official site.. Everything i did was clearly in that direction. Now, after three full piano solo album, i can give an high level look to what i did and i am really satisfied with it. I met a lot of great new friends on the net and i am even surprised to see how my music growth in terms of plays and sales.

But then it came the difficult part, finding a live spot to actually play my music. And here it was a completely "no way" road. I mean almost zero, a lot of efforts for zero results. So I suddenly stop searching, it was evident that there was something missing. I started to think to the whole thing from a more relaxed point of view and now i understand which part of all the story was missing. I was missing the importance of meeting and knowing people also off-line. So here is my lesson learned: if something will happen, if my music career will take the famous next step, most likely will be thanks to someone i KNOW. And i mean, know in person. Sometimes the net is simply not enough.

www.fabriziopaterlini.com
www.fabriziopaterlinirecords.com

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"Do what you can do best" - since i've been reading "What would Google do?" by Jeff Jarvis, I started thinking that this was the right way to approach things, especially when talking about business.

So, i started applying this philosophy to music business in general, and my latest release "Fragments Found" strictly follows this line - I did what I believe I can do best (composing music and playing it) and I "outsourced" all the rest (graphic design, digital distribution, etc).
I learnt a lot of things in publishing my music under my own imprint, but being conscious of my limits helped me in improve the whole process.

I started, then, to imagine how this "Do what you can do best" style (which I like!) may match with another philosophy I accepted and currently practice: the "Do It Yourself" strategy.

Seems these two ways of approaching music business are one the opposite of the other, right? Well, maybe it could be at first sight - but, as usually happens, it depends!
I would say that these two approaches are definitely in contrast only if we believe we can do everything alone. I mean, it maybe that someone is extremely gifted and, besides being a brilliant musician, is also a great designer, an excellent booking agent, an awesome web site builder (and i would say i know few of them...!).
But, generally speaking, this is not the case. Expecially if we are paying our bills with a day-job and we are spending nights and spare time in our music-projects.

The two approaches, otherwise, come quite closer when we intend "DIY" as "Decide It Yourself". Don't you see the difference? First of all, this implies a great consciousness of our limits. And this is always a good thing: when your art and your self-development both help each other, then things give the most you can expect. Then, frustrations may decrease. I am a good musician but i can not design my covers? No problem, I choose the designer and I choose the covers he will propose me. Don't have time to follow all the practice for registering our music in our local PROs? No problem, I out-source it to the CD manufacturer. I will choose the right one.

This will cost us money, that's true. I am not saying that we have to outsource everything (of course!), but waiting to have a good budget maybe a good idea. Do not misunderstand me: when we want to do things, things usually happens. In my "Viandanze" release I did EVERYTHING without outsourcing and.. I made it.
But I had more spare time to dedicate to my music, I had a lower budget (I crowd-founded it, so I was strictly linked to what i received from fans) and I was still learning a lot of things. And, moreover, I forgot some important steps in promoting the album as.. I hadn't any time to think as I was so involved with all the single steps of the production! Approaching the business in this way, helps you to feel less pressure and to focus our efforts in what really matters  - the quality of our music.

So, for example, here is the comparison bewteen what I decided to outsource for my last "Fragments Found" release and what I did myself:

1. Composing and playing music: I did it;

2. Selecting the titles and which songs to include in the release: I did it;

3. Concept and design of the cover: I choosed a good designer;

4. I choosed a professional studio and outsourced to the sound engineer the recording and the mastering;

5. Press release: I did it

6. Distribution of the press release digitally and to local newspaper: I did it;

7. Digital Distribution: CD Baby did it for me;

8. Sending press kits to magazine and blogs: I did it

See? I am still in control of everything (at least I am trying..) but having someone in help surely gave me the opportunity to better plan the promotion of  the album. So, one step further has been done in respect of my second release.

And for the future?

I am still in the process of learning, so everyday I add one little "brick" to my experience, but so far this are the lines which I will probably follow:

a. Press kits: I did the most myself (photos, demo CD and packaging) - I outsourced to a professional copywriter the written part of it (bio).

b. Live concerts: AH! here comes the pain. I am learning in these days that the "do it yourself" approach does not work (at least for me). So, naturally,
here comes the decision: I will outsource it. But here, again, my experience comes in help: I still need time to get a booking agent who will meet my expectations (and of course, who wants to work with me!).

c. Press releases and distribution: I will do it again myself. It seemed it worked well for my latest release, so I will repeat it.

d. Rights on my music: I will keep them, all.

Now, I am curious to know your thoughts on this - what are you doing alone and what are you outsourcing? Have you any experience or ideas to share?

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Few month ago I went to the recording studio i usually record my piano music with, for my "Fragments Found" sessions. It's such a great place, full of inspiration!
The sound engineer, an acclaimed musician and a real master in recording, also works as a free-lancer for one of the big major label out there.

During the mastering phase of my "Fragments Found" album, we had a long chat about music business, careers, major labels, live shows and everything goes aroung these matters.

I explained him what I was learning in my adventure as "Independent Musician 2.0" and how the most difficult part in all this was to find some venue to play my music.

So, I asked him a tip or (as he plays with some real big shots out there) knew someone that would help me in opening some concerts or finding some small clubs to play in. Yes, I was asking for a sort of booking agent, i guess.

Well, he told me that, at this point, I had to invest my efforts to share even more my music, as no real "good" booking agents would ever dealt with me, yet.
And i can understand that. I red an interesting article from Derek Sivers once, in which he said that if you are looking for a real good booking agent to help you in finding some real good gigs the answer is that you surely won't find one. And this is what it is, i mean, it's a part of the game. Of course I need more audience, and it was good for me to have a so "direct" tip from such a great experienced musician.
Finding live clubs for my 2011 will be my major committment!

Then he said something interesting.
He said "But if you will sell thousands of copies of one of your album - then you can go straight to one major label and negotiate a contract!"

And here is when my "independent" mind came out!
"If I will sell thousands of copies, it will be a good enough reason to keep staying indepentent", I said!

And this is one of the key aspects, I guess, of what's going on the music business scene in these years.

In the future, more and more musicians will think like that. We have all the tool for sharing our music, meeting new people, finding some right place to play in - why should we share all this with someone else?
As of today, proabably the fastest way to find the right keys to unlock some important doors are still in the hands of a few. I mean, we have to be honest and well aware of that.
But, the new approach based on the power of the internet, will give everything to us independent musicians.

It's just a matter of time, hard work and patience.  

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Back in 2007 I released my first album, “Viaggi in aeromobile”.
I was so surprised I could compose music and even more that I was about to release a CD that i rushed into music business with no information at all.
That excited me a lot, I spent al lot of years listening to CDs from others and now it was my turn to release one!
So I was extremely happy, but yet linked to the “traditional” model (I mean I was born in 1973, what would you expect…?!) so I looked for a label. A friend suggested me a small Italian independent label and I immediately contacted the owner.
I knew that these guys work with emerging musicians, so I called them sure I was doing the right thing.
Having a label would mean receiving help in managing all the papers behind an official release, contacting the discs manufacturer, solving all the issues related to our local PRO.
My music had been accepted and, as a part of the deal, I had to share a 50% of my rights with the label (which is usual, working with labels).
No contract has been signed, I was totally a “newbie” and not prepared in doing music business with anyone.
So things went on, “Viaggi in aeromobile” was released and everything happened as it had to.
I wasn’t dissatisfied with this experience, at the end I obtained what I wanted at that time (I wanted to hold my new CD in my hands) and the label also was, as they were sharing with me the rights on my songs.
Everyone happy, then?

Not exactly.

If we see the whole thing in a short term overview… well, yes everyone is happy. But in middle term – long term no one will have benefits from this situation.
I did not choose to start a long lasting collaboration with this label, nor did I clearly state any “contractual” terms for the management of my music. As far as I know, both of us (me and the label) can decide whether or not to put the CD on digital store, the price that will be set and if any copyright must be applied. As there is no contractual agreement and we both share the 50% of the rights, we all are in charge of doing everything we think is right to sell/promote my CD. Such a mess, huh?
There surely will be a day in which I will ask back my 50% of rights and who knows how it’s going to end.
To put in other words, my hurry in having a CD with my name on it let other people the rights to partially manage my music. This, by the way, is how current music business model works between artists that choose to issue their work under independent or major labels.

In 2008 I started working at my second release together with an intense studying of the music business in its classic form (publishing and copyrights) and in this new “era” in which different forms of distribution of digital contents are developing (creative commons and netlabels, for example).

While reading books and sharing opinions using the social networks, I had clearer in my mind that what I did for my first release had never to happen again. I mean, I am not saying it was wrong to contact a traditional label for distributing my music, I am just saying I had not enough information on how this model works to make a good choice. And information plays a big role, here.

After few months, early in 2009, I ended up with the idea of setting up my own label and distribute directly my music both physical and digital. It was in May 2009, that I “founded” my own imprint “Fabrizio Paterlini Records”, but still I had to understand the real added value in what I was doing.

In December 2009 I released “Viandanze” my second official work and I personally followed each step of the deal. From the artwork side, to the manufacturer, to the papers to handle a physical CDs release. I was working to my first release ever in my “catalogue” (FPR_01), but still I was doing that as a musician.
As I did not want to incur in the same mistakes done in the past, I decided to put my name on the disc as “label” and to retain all the upcoming rights (creative commons or traditional copyrights, or whatever). It was an high stress period, as I did not plan everything in advance, but things followed one to the other like mad dogs, apparently with no control.

But it was a great lesson.
I was starting to learn that the important part wasn’t only on the “legal” share of rights in music distribution. I was, for the first time, managing my product, my image and my identity through the persons that supported me in producing Viandanze (which, by the way, has been founded through donations from fans) as well as with new friends I was connecting with.
Even if I hadn’t it as clearer as I have it now, I decided to take all the control in how to present my music to the world. Everything was upon me, good decisions and bad ones.
“Viandanze” gave me a good encouragement as it has been really appreciated among my audience and the good feedback they gave me made me understand I was on the right path.

It was not until last spring that something really changed in my approach of being independent. Even if I set up my label in 2009, for the first time early this year I told myself: “Hey, I am my label!”
This, that maybe sound stupid since I actually founded it, had a great impact on the way I structured the whole approach in my upcoming “Fragments Found” release.

First of all, I clearly split the two roles I was playing in this game: the musician/composer and the label manager (yes - that is!).

As a composer, my first objective was to do my best in writing and playing my music and selecting the songs for the new album. I took care of hiring the same studio in which I recorded “Viandanze” and I worked hard to be satisfied with the sound of my piano.

As a label manager, I started planning the release – when, who, what, where.
I wrote my own press release and sent it to traditional media (local newspapers as a starting point) using my new logo (which I personally designed and outsourced only for the part I can’t do – transforming from my drawings to jpg) on the press release itself.

I contacted a professional design studio for the concept and realisation of the CD cover.

I sent some CDs for airplays to local radios, presenting myself as an independent label manager and not as an independent musician. I learned how these CDs should look like, what kind of information I should provide to the radio personnel, I made them looking professional. And, believe me, it makes the difference. I mean, I don’t know if my music will be played on such radios, but it surely makes the difference on how you feel doing professional things and not improvising something you don’t know (keep the improvising part when you play music…!)

I am currently preparing press kits to send to a list of contacts I started to collect in last 6 months.

At the end, I took the control on every single detail on how my “Fabrizio Paterlini Records” releases should present themselves to the world. Plus, I will have the control on how to distribute my new album. And I am not saying I want the control on everything: I will encourage sharing my music as much as possible between my fans and their friends, so it’s evident I don’t’ want to control how my music is shared. But I want the control on all the aspects involving the quality in what I do, to make sure my fans get the best I could do.

Yes, it’s a lot of work to do. Much more than outsourcing all these tasks to traditional labels.
But think on how this will positively impact your music carrier: first of all you learn by doing, directly in the field. No middlemen, you are your label both in the creative and “administration” part.
Then, a lot of opportunities will be suddenly opened for you and your and your music, at least all the opportunities the small independent labels has. You can network with them, makes connections, attend to conferences as a small label manager… there’s a totally new world in front of us!

So, at the end, be creative, be professional, be your label.

To be continued.

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Ahhh..!! Time to relax!
In August Italy is closed for vacation and so I will either!

I'll be back at the end of the month, i need to re-charge my batteries.. this autumn will bring some good and interesting news..!

See you soon!

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And here's an interesting issue.

I often hear musicians complain that they just don't play enough live and that is mainly booking agents' fault, as thay concentrate their efforts only on artists who have a certain audience.
Well, here's a first news: agents concentrate their efforts only on artists who have a (numerically speaking) audience.

In fact, the answer to be given to those who ask "Where can I find a good agent that will provide me a good number of dates," is "Nowhere." There is no good agent (defined as able to procure dates prestigious and perhaps with large audience) if you have no audience!
The concept seems obvious, but in facts, it is not.

All of us, myself included, at the beginning of our music adventure, believed that the process is more or less like this: you just call or send emails to well-known booking agencies, saying "Hey! Give me a chance, after all you are powerful and I just need to play in front a big crowd to make it! " And, i mean, that is good, because it means that we strongly believe in our music, right?

Well, here is the second news: it does exactly work at the opposite! And it's a hard and long way (at least for most of us).
As Hugh MacLeod says in "Ignore Everybody", if your business plan is to be suddenly discovered by some big shot, well.. it probably fail" as this is, more or less, how it should be.

Our efforts as "new independent musicians" must focus on the here and now "- or "What can I do now to promote my music?" The answer is: make it known to as many people as possible.
In the chart above, I tried to summarize the way "ideal" that should lead us to have concerts. The key is having an audience and this is the direction we should direct our efforts.
When the wave (or the "buzz") will be high enough, then we will be contacted. For a review, a concert, an opening... small things, at the beginning. As much as our music runs over the net, will start running also in "real" world and people start asking for us to play in their town.

Once again, the key is to have enough visibility - attention goes a long way!

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So here we are.
I want to release my third full album and, with the experience of the first 2, i'm now in the position for giving some useful tips for other musicians that are now thinking to do the same.

1. Gather all the new music. I usually record all my "ideas" while playing the piano and save them with generic names on them. Then, after months, i listen and select carefully the ideas "worth" working on. This is the very first step. You can't go anywhere without new music you are satisfied with.

2. Plan the studio sessions. I have a reference here, a professional studio i worked in also for my previous release. Usually i need to book a couple of month in advance in order to have the date. So, planning the recording session maybe a good idea even if now all the songs are not "perfect". There's time to work on that and having a date helps to be more efficient on the development of the music.

3. Start thinking on "when" the release date will be set. In my experience, it usually takes something like 6 months of work to have everything set up. And i mean also a good marketing activity in promoting the new album. So be sure to consider also this time, when planning a realistic date.

4. While you are refining your music, start thinking to the graphical issues (artwork) of your new release. Will it be a digital only release? Or a release with a very limited run of physical CDs? Will it be the "classic" 1,000 copies? This decision, clearly impact all the artwork activities. A digital release is usually faster to plan and realize. If you are enogh skillled with Photoshop or Gimp you can even think to do-it-yourself also for the CD cover. You don't need any template to send to the CD printing company and this will save you time. So, if you still haven't decided whether it will be a digital or physical, well.. this is the time!

5. Ok, now the music is in advanced development, it's time to think to... titles. I usually have more than "one single" title for each song. And selecting good titles (both for the album and for the single songs) is an activity that may be time consuming. I usually give a lot importance to titles, i want them to be evocative and give a meaning to the music you will be listening. So, while you are contacting some designers for the artwork of the CD, start working on this issue also.

6. If the decision on point number 4 went on the physical CDs, it's now time to evaluate WHO will duplicate it. And here is another key activity. If you are doing this for the first time, be prepared to ask estimates to several companies out there. There are few specializes in short runs, most of them will start working (and being affordable too) only with amounts which range from 500 and up. There's also an interesting option in case you decide to have very-short limited edition of your new album which consist in hand-made packaging. I find it interesting even if more time consuming (of course!).

7. Time to RECORD!! (and to put your hand on the master!)

8. Once you spent hours and hours to listen to your brand new release and to be happy in finding how much you love your sound (!), it's time to give an end to the point number 3: SET a release date and start working ONLY on promoting your release and to finalize all the activity to put everything in place. Send, as soon as possible, all the artwork and the master to the CD manufactoring company.

9. Consider that (if you use some aggregators for digital distribution) it will take at least 3 weeks for your release to be on iTunes, so move accordingly.

10. Be aware of your national regulations! In Italy (even if you are not a member of any collection society) you must follow some procedure in order to sell your CD in Italy. It's not complicated, but it takes TIME and TIME is the most valuable resource (much more than money) as all of us are in time shortage! ;)

And that's it! (more or less..).
Enjoy the incredible feeling of holding in your hands your first CD. 

 

Picture by Aaron Beall (www.abeall.com)

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Few days ago i bought a new CD issues by a major label by an Italian band i am a fan of.
It was a long time since i bought the last one since it's months that i buy (real) indie music online.

I spent 18 euros (!) and this is what i had:

1. a plastic jewel box CD packaging (!), with poor booklet inside. And i mean, besides lyrics, not "easter eggs" on instruments played, funny tales and all that information we love to find in booklet. Just a usual "old" booklet with some photos, lyrics and thousand of names in the "thanks to" section.

2. The sound: even if (of course) the sound is perfect, it's far away from being alive. I mean, tons of post-productions completely cover the "soul" of the songs, as all the guitars play just like ten thousands of guitars out there and so do the drums.

3. A stupid "copy-protection" that made difficult to rip the CD even in my iTunes library.

So the answer to my question "CD or not CD?" at this condition is a black labelled "NO THANKS".

CD will probably loose maket shares again in the future, younger kids probably do not even know what a CD is right now, so i don't see how they will be able to buy one in their future. However, surely, this process is accelerated by the "standard-poor-all alike" CD packagings that majors keep printing.

So, my dear new independent musicians, be aware! I am not saying not to print CDs at all, but i am saying to do something that is worth the money fans will spend in buying your finished products.
Forget about standard jewel-box cases, but look to the more elegant digi-pack or digifile, take care of the appearence of your CD, of the quality of the paper, give your fans a truly rich booklet, with good pictures and tales, poems and whatever you feel will be appreciated (sign it, for example!). Think of what YOU would have seen when you bought CDs from your favourite bands during the 90's.

As music will be more and more digital, start giving something "unique" - you don't need to sell 100,000 copies, after all. 1000 is more than enough, but let them be some memorable 1000!

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