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Archive for the ‘Music Tv’ Category

The borderline between the PC and TV becomes greyer these days as the TV Screens becomes of better picture quality, design and functionalities built into them.

At the same time the Pc’s becomes more and more advanced and can utilize better screens as well.

Several of the TV producers offer screens with internet connections and wireless network options. This will provide the consumers with a huge amount of options.

Science Fiction movies from the 80s and 90s showed us the TV as the hub of information all from ordering food to look at the weather and become a knowledge center. This is today maybe not so far from the reality. The TV set has had a very strong position in the homes of the people, and has acted as the entertainment center for the family. Today this position has been challenged by better and better computers with larger and larger screens, and the option to connect to larger TV screens. The TV sets fights back and has become stronger in the home arena again as it can provide entertainment as well as useful information.

Wireless confusion

Terms like medialink, Internet-TV, Wireless and so on are words the producers are using in their marketing campaigns to reach you as a customer. These expressions can confuse even the most informed person and it is not easy to find out what are these functions provided.

There are today mainly two types of “wireless” screens in the market. The most common type is the screens which are using wireless transfer to connect to your home network and get access to internet and other services.

The other type is screens that use wireless technology for video transfer. It is also possible for a TV screen to have both options built in, both wireless network and wireless video transfer between the screen and the video unit.

The most advanced flat screens today have become so thin that there is hardly room for any contacts on them any longer. At the same time our demands for options to connect increases. The solution to this challenge is to move the TV receiver into a separate unit to enable a as thin as possible screen. You only need a signal cable between the unit and the screen and power to get going. Some producers like Phillips transfers the power and signal in the same cable even.

The most advanced screens from Sony and Panasonic use wireless signal transfer.

Wireless video transfer

A connection between the screen and the receiver is made and the screen on the wall is no more than a monitor with one simple video input.

The TV receiver and all control electronics are all in the separate unit. In some cases the screen will have IR (Infrared) receiver so it can transmit the remote control signals to the unit where all the commands are executed.

The purpose of the wireless transfer is first of all to make a visual elegant and discrete TV screen solution. A minimum of cords makes it easier to create an elegant installation in any type of room and setting. The wireless transmission makes it possible to place the TV receiver away from the screen, and you can have the TV receiver in a cabinet with the blue-ray player and other electronics somewhere as the super thin screen can be installed on the wall as an elegant installation.

To transfer wireless HD-video is no simple task as it requires a high bandwidth and transmission capacity. So far the producers have only succeeded in transferring video signals up to 1920 x 1080i (interlaced) resolution. This is good enough for HD resolution transmissions, but will produce a reduction in quality of pictures produced by a blue-ray player. Video signals from the blue-ray player will require a high bit rate and a resolution of 1920 x 1080p (progressive). 

Today’s wireless models must be able to at least in theory to sacrifice some of the picture quality to achieve design and practical advantages.

Sony KDL-ZX1 is one of the first TV screens on the market with wireless video signal transmission in 1080i quality. The new top model from Panasonic in the Z1-series also use wireless transmission of video, so called WirelessHD.

TV with wireless network

The TV use Wi-Fi technology to connect to the local network. From this the TV can log into internet and offer a series of interactive services as news, weather forecasts and YouTube videos.

When the TV becomes part of your home network it can be used to show your photo collection, show home videos and play music which is stored on your computer.

TV sets with built-in internet has so far limited processing speed and can not be used for heavy duty software like computer games and so on. The functionality is also limited by the commands you can perform via the remote control unit, and that is in most cases say simple navigation through menus.

Some TV sets do not have built-in Wi-Fi though and only offers Ethernet cable connection. But these units usually have a separate USB connection which can be used to connect a USB unit that connects them to the wireless network.

The new 7-series LED TV’s from Samsung has apart from superb picture quality functionalities like Medi@2.0 which boosts internet services (widgets) and streaming of photos, video and music over the network.

PC-TV

Some producers have gone even further and integrated a more or less full blooded PC within the TV set itself. While the TV sets with built-in network limits itself to simple and TV oriented media functions, the PC-TV can be used as a regular PC. The TV will have a built-in operating system like a normal PC has like Windows or similar and is controlled by a mouse and keyboard like a normal PC.

A PC-TV is powerful enough to perform the same tasks as a stationary or laptop PC can do. The difference is that you can surf on the internet , perform document handling, gaming and watch video on a much larger and better screen than you can from the normal PC.

Panasonic offers the web function called CAST on several of its latest models. The CAST function gives access to Youtube, news, weather forecast and video services from online partners of Panasonic.

The PC-TV from Crea is one of the first TV sets on the market with an integrated PC in it. Crea Kronos has a built-in Intel Atom Processor, 80 Gb hard disk, 1GB RAM and Windows Vista Operating system which is controlled by mouse and keyboard. To ensure optimal picture quality the PC is connected through one of the HDMI inputs which eases video and movie transmissions. 

Where does the border go?

The border between the PC and TV is not as clear as it was just some few years back. Both units begin to be capable of doing what the other is doing. Lots of the same tasks can be done in either one of them. The difference between the PC and TV is easiest described by the expressions “lean backward”. The PC is most suited to tasks that require you to lean forward like work, word processing, e-mail, and search for information. As when it comes to entertainment like movies and TV shows, you will most likely lean backwards in the coach or a good chair and rater use the remote control to seek the entertainment you wish to indulge yourself into.

 

Can you Talk the Talk?

I’ve worked in film and video for the last several years and have always been the one to place most of the music in commercials and TV shows I work on. What’s surprised me throughout my career is discovering some musicians who know how to talk the talk, and some who don’t. In my line of work, I would never know if a musician was a college student or a seasoned professional, provided they packaged their work and presented themselves correctly. So how can I tell? What do I hear?

Consequences of Not Talking the Talk:

The talk isn’t always verbal, sometimes it comes in non verbal cues. They may not have a label on their CD or it’s crinkled or smudged or looks like it was run off from my Apple II C computer in 1985. Presentation is important in that I should look at a CD in my hands and not even notice it. I don’t want to think twice about it. And if I do notice it, the artwork is either amazing or it looks like a five year old put it together.

Jewel cases are often cracked. Perhaps this happened in route, but it’s easy enough to buy a few padded envelopes to take care of this. And actually I prefer cases with spines so I can group the CD’s I like together. This makes it difficult to do with skinny cases. They get lost in the shuffle, I have to take them off the shelf to see what they’re called and ultimately they fade away into a jumble of discarded music.

I like CD’s that come in groups. A mini box set of tracks for commercials and TV. The variety is what matters. A rock, pop, hip-hop, acoustic, and mellow collection of CD’s makes life easier. I’m not forced to listen to the same thing over and over again. The single CD’s that come in from musicians give me pause. The music might be fantastic and I wonder when they’re going to send more. I often work with the same clients over and over again and they don’t want to hear the same selection of music for every spot or show we do. I need fresh variety and the musicians who keep sending me their work are the ones who succeed.

Another headache I frequently encounter is when the tracks aren’t laid out to spec. A simple beat of tone two seconds before the song starts would suffice and without it, my job is twice as hard. Maybe the play list or the duration of the song is missing from the jacket and I’ll have no idea if I’m working with :30 tracks or 2:00 tracks. If I’m in a rush, I’ll just skip over it completely and go onto the next CD.

And when the talk does come in verbal cues, that’s the ultimate telltale sign. I might call a musician to find out if they have other work that sounds similar to a track I like. Maybe I just need the tempo quickened or a little more percussion. The musician will often blurt out “How much am I going to get paid?” before my clients have even decided if they want to use the track at all. It’s not uncommon for a track to be used on a commercial until right before it airs. We may nix it because the melody needs to be reworked or the client may change their mind at the last minute. A seasoned musician would know this. They would understand payment isn’t even discussed by me at all, that the producer on a commercial sends out all the contracts and payment.

Or, in their excitement they’ll gush on about how this is the first time they’re music has ever been bought and you can practically hear the tears bubbling over. While this is all very special, for them, I don’t really have time for it. Throw yourself a party instead.

The Professionals:

But when I come across a professional, I know it. They’re calm, they know the drill, they’re happy to accommodate a fast turn around. They don’t gasp when I say I need it the next day, or even in a few hours. And if they can’t accommodate, they’re direct about it. They don’t stammer. They tell me when they can get it to me if at all. And if they can’t help me out at all, they offer to send more tracks over as soon as they can for future use and wish me luck on my project.

I can tell from these professionals that they didn’t just end up trying to compose for TV and commercials by chance. They researched it, they set up shop to specifically cater to my industry. Sure, they may be in a band and looking at their work for hire as a day job until they get signed, but they never let me know that. They don’t make me feel as though they’re doing me a big favor by lowering their standards for my product and client. They exude experience, whether they have it or not.

Their CD’s are laid out to industry expectation. I know how long their tracks are, they don’t name them obscure names like A Farewell to John Lennon. Instead they’re called what they sound like. Jazzy Nights and Acoustic Melodies. Although not the most creative names, I like knowing I can flip over the CD and immediately recognize if this track might work just based on its name.

But more importantly I feel their confidence and faith in themselves. There’s nothing worse than working with a musician who is unsteady on their own feet. Selecting music is a small part of my day. I might spend a half an hour in my week looking through CD’s and I want it to work. I want to hear your best, I want to know that when I press play I might find the perfect track. If a musician makes my life easier, that’s when I know I’m working with a professional.

http://yourmusicheard.com

These days, there is a great amount of good music being created and made available to the public. The internet has certainly been a great tool to that end. With all this music out there, today’s artists, songwriters and composers may feel that they are but tiny fish in a huge ocean. But there is a whole industry that exists that many people aren’t even aware of that makes this ocean a whole lot smaller.

Have you ever watched a TV show, commercial or a movie, or heard a radio commercial and wondered where the background music came from? Certainly there are scores of composers for hire who custom compose music on a per project basis. However, this can at times be too expensive for the project’s budget. As a result, there are two similar yet separate industries that exist to fill the need for pre-cleared hassle-free and inexpensive music, and each specializes in their own field.

1) Songs for Film & TV. The Pre-cleared Song industry will represent independent songs on behalf of the artist and pitch their material where appropriate. Uses include, films, TV shows and radio / television commercials. One of the places to promote your music for these uses is “museeks.com“. Not only do they offer you your own free ‘artist’ page, but they also give you the opportunity to have your songs considered for use in the film and TV industries. You can find out more information by visiting www.museeks.com and look for ‘Artist Signup’. Another great site to check to promote your songs for these uses is ‘Taxi’ at www.taxi.com

2) Instrumental “Production Music”. The Production Music industry puts together collections of instrumental music and makes it available to the film, TV, and media industry for easy, hassle free use. Uses include films, TV shows and commercials, radio spots, documentaries, corporate videos, multi-media presentations, and many others.

Songs for film, TV and commercials is a narrow niche that is extremely complicated in terms of negotiating a fee structure. Some of the considerations are as follows: Will the movie containing the song be a limited release film or will it be a general release across North America or the world? Will the video be released for sale or rent 6 months after the theater release? How many copies will be made, and in what territories will they be available? Will the film be translated into a foreign language in the future? Will it be shown as a re-run 5, 10 15 or 20 years from now on late night TV? Will it be shown on airlines as entertainment? Will the song be included on a “soundtrack CD” and sold in stores? Each of these uses has its own fee and must be itemized in the Contract, so it is best left up to people who specialize in this field to do the negotiating.

Basically, producers look for songs that are in sync with the same message that their production is trying to convey. For example, a song for a car commercial will have to project the image of freedom and independence, attitude, affluence or whatever other feelings they want you to imagine by owning that car. Similarly, songs for films or TV shows have to fit the scene where they will be used. I recently had a producer contact me who was looking for a sexy jazz vocal piece for a scene in a film where the lead actors were walking through a smoky bar. The music has to create the mood of the scene in the mind of the viewer. I have also had many requests for songs that were “positive and uplifting” without being religious. “America The Beautiful” is a prime example of this type of song.

Many people ask, “why don’t producers simply use popular songs from CD’s available in stores”? They can, but it will cost them a lot of time in securing permission as well as a considerable amount of money. (Microsoft reportedly paid The Rolling Stones seven figures to use a small snippet of their song “Start Me Up” in a TV commercial). They could even be refused permission regardless of cost. Permission would have to be sought from two different parties; the publisher (owner of the copyright in the actual music) and from the record company (owner of the copyright in the recording).

Instrumental production music is similar to the song industry except that it is easier to get music placed as there are many more opportunities available. Production music companies press CDs of instrumental music (all styles) and offer it to producers in 3 different ways:

1) Blanket License – For an annual fee, the producer has the unlimited right to use the music on a lease basis for a specified term.

2) Laserdrop License – Music is made available to the producer on a “pay-per-use” basis, and he must pay a set fee each time he uses music provided by the company.

3) Buy-Out License – The producer purchases the CD’s of production music outright, and the purchase price includes the right to unlimited use of the music forever.

In each of the above cases, the producer is still required to submit cue sheets and report usage to the appropriate performance rights society for all public performance of any production containing the music. This allows both the composer and the publisher to collect performance royalties. This reporting does not involve an additional fee to the producer.

What is “Copyright”? It is the protection given by the state (governing body of each country) to those who create intellectual property such as literary works, plays, musical compositions, etc. “Copyright” itself includes three separate and distinct rights:

1) Mechanical Rights – The right to make copies (tapes, CD’s, videos, etc) of copyrighted works. No person can make a mechanical reproduction of a copyrighted musical work without the permission of the copyright owner.

2) Synchronization Rights – The right to synchronize, re-record or utilize a musical recording in timed relation with a visual image or another sound or voice. This would include all forms of radio or TV commercials, shows, motion pictures, videos, etc.

3) Performance Rights – The right to perform musical works in public through radio, television, concert halls, restaurants and bars, background music systems (banks, grocery stores, elevators), and so on. Radio and TV stations pay an annual fee to the performance rights societies (such as BMI, ASCAP, SOCAN, PRS etc) for the right to perform music over the air. From the data that these societies receive from stations (i.e. cue sheets), the relevant composers and publishers get their appropriate shares of performing fees (residuals) which is paid out from the pool of funds collected. The performing rights societies are part of an international network of affiliates which exchange cue sheets and program information and collect and distribute performing fees to composers and publishers around the world.

What does it take to have your music considered? Here’s the Criteria:

* Your songs or instrumental music must be professionally recorded and mastered, and be of top quality.

* You must own your own Publishing, Copyright and Master Recording. In other words, you have not assigned these rights to any other person or company.

* You must have agreements/release forms with the producer, performers, studio etc that you control all rights and that they have no claim to any income that may be generated as a result of the performance or use of your song or instrumental music.

* You must acknowledge that your song or composition is completely original, and that you did not copy any part from any other source. All samples (if used in your music) must be pre-cleared and royalty-free.

I hope that this article has been beneficial in helping you to understand this segment of the music industry. If you have i
nstrumental music that you would like to be considered for inclusion in a production music library, simply do a web search for “production music” and read each site for their submission policies.

In future articles, I will cover issues related to public domain and copyright protection.

Good Luck to all of you, and always keep faith in yourself and trust that the Universe will guide you in the right direction!