Tips on Choosing a Studio
What to look for when deciding where to record and what to expect from a recording studio. We will discuss everything from what an artist(s) should seek in a facility to what to expect from their engineer. Every studio runs differently but there are certain things artists should consider when choosing a place to record.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes
When choosing a studio there is a lot to acknowledge. We will discuss how to understand the rates that a studio gives you. Even though you might find a lower priced studio compared to others their may be costs down the line that an artist didn’t expect. We will talk about the mistakes that can be avoided and in the end save you money and also make sure your project has the proper turn around.
Preparation to Record
Once an artist(s) chooses a studio there is much they can do on their end to prepare. This can not only save money but also assure they produce the best project possible. How an artist(s) should prepare their instruments to record but how they should prepare mentally. It is a lot of hard work but we also want to recognize that it is also something fun!

Learn the most effective means of marketing your music- from myspace to print advertising to PR methods to promotional comps, this panel will explore which methods will work best for your label and artists.

Today’s top independent labels are not only surviving but thriving. What are their secrets? Join them in a discussion about the state of the industry and what an Indy label needs to do in order to survive a cut-throat industry.

TV, radio, film, ringtones, gaming, and licensing are present more now than ever. Industry professionals will discuss how to license music properly in order to maximize revenue potential. Learn about various licensing laws and contracts. A must see panel for every artist and label owner in the business.

This year everyone was buzzing with environmental chatter and the music industry was no different! Artists are touring using only green methods and labels are now using biodegradable packaging. Music business initiatives in the environmental field are gaining traction, most notably in the touring and recording fields. The Industry is rallying around conservation efforts in an unprecedented way. Listen to some of the professionals leading this movement in an open forum.

Having the right representation can make or break your mainstay in the industry so choosing the right manager is one of the most important career decisions an artist makes. Learn from Industry veterans about how to choose the manager that best suits your needs.

A discussion of the process of securing distribution for an independent band
What is distribution: “creating demand” versus “facilitating access”
Timing for an independent release
Handling territorial rights
Advertising and promotion
Deciding between a straight distribution deal versus a Manufacturing & Distribution deal
cost management
Pitfalls to avoid

Discuss the process of securing distribution for a DJ
What is distribution: “creating demand” versus “facilitating access”
Timing for an independent release
Handling territorial rights
Advertising and promotion
Deciding between a straight distribution deal versus a Manufacturing & Distribution deal
cost management
Pitfalls to avoid

Discuss the best scenario for recording your music. Is it live or is it…?

Interact with top producers, programmers and re-mixers doing what they do best. What should you charge for a remix? What is reasonable to pay for a remix? How do you decide whether or not to accept a remix offer? Learn dos and don’ts from the experts!

This panel will tackle the changes in how people are being exposed to music. Access, distribution and dissemination of both music and information, plus discuss the innovative advances in technology ushering in this dramatic shift that’s transforming the music and broadcast industry.

Think the music industry embodies the “It’s not what you know but, who you know” idea? Learn tips and strategies from industry veterans on how to network your way to success. Tap in to successful networking strategies from these networking divas.

Ever wonder why Tom’s band always has a huge fan base there to see them play? Or why Dick’s party is always packed. And how does Jane sell all of those CDs? Well Spot would tell you, it’s all about marketing and promoting what it is you have to offer people! Join some of the big dogs of the industry as they discuss ways to promote, market and make your ventures successful.

Music, its artists and message permeate all aspects of modern culture from social undertones to politics and fashion. Partnerships between artists and products push the influence of cultural icons to an ever-greater reach thus contributing to and in many cases eclipsing, perhaps even circumventing, all traditional notions of what we call “artist development”. This will cover various levels of sponsorship / partnership for your events, artist product endorsements and the cross pollination between Music, Fashion, Film, Television, and so much more…

Make money off your music! Learn how to protect your songs, programs, and ideas effectively. What are the pros and cons of publishing under a label or independently? How do you make sure that your agency is recouping royalties? Can you copyright your songs years after the release date? This panel takes an in-depth look at copyright laws and publishing agreements.

Professionals from around the country evaluate radio as a vehicle for developing artists and audiences. How are the current developments at broadcast, satellite and internet radio affecting radio’s ability to break artists and sell records? Once you get your record on the air, how do you keep it in rotation? How to draw & sustain listeners? This panel will also discuss the rapid changes in radio. The structural differences between terrestrial and satellite radio. Also, groundbreaking ideas and experiments in internet radio.

Have a great idea for a film but no budget? Expert suggestions from those that have come up with a way to realize your dream film without nightmare costs. How do you pay for your film? This is perhaps the most daunting and important question to every filmmaker, but there is no one clear answer. Come talk with producers, developers and grant-writers about the various ways you can find the money you need to make a movie. Find that funding, because the funding won’t accidentally find you.

The stage is set, the lights are on, the stars are ready to play and there you are with your camera rolling! Delight in the escapades both on & off the stage that these photographers have been witness to while capturing bands, DJs & fans on film.

Or at least in a good one! So often performers use snapshots taken by their friends & fans to promote themselves on their myspace page, their website or for interviews & promo pieces. And so often these pictures show as the amateur photographer which also shows as amateur for the performer. Professional photographers know how to work with concert lighting, low light conditions - as well as know how to use programs to enhance their work. Learn how having pictures taken by a professional photographer can transform your image into a professional one also.

A candid discussion about the trials & tribulations of being a woman in the entertainment industry from maintaining your integrity to using your female wiles to getting things done!

Sleek, streamlined & smooth or funky, chunky & hard? Which design is going to sell your album/CD, party or product? Discover the difference design can make for what you’re selling in this discussion with cutting edge designers.

A guide to making tracks in Apple Logic, Ableton Live, Propellerheads Reason and Pro Tools.

The phenomenon now known as blogging was little more than the writing of online diaries. Blogging is now changing the media world!
Experts agree that blogs are an effective tool for advertising and can be very successful as a means of self promotion.
Join veteran bloggers as they discuss what to blog about, how to catch people’s attention through your blogs, where to place them and more.

JaWar, Author – Music Industry Connection Books, talks about the new music business record label & using tools to make money online while creating multiple streams of revenue in the music industry.

Part 1: Live the Dream: Ravi truly does “live the dream.” He’ll take you vicariously to the stages of Madison Square Garden, David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, and even Washington, DC for a White House Christmas party! Then, venture into the big time studios where the hottest session players make the most memorable recordings. His story will inspire you and show you how to “live the dream” for yourself.
Part 2: Electric Guitarology: The dream begins with the music, and the music begins with the instrument. Ravi will walk you through the electric guitar world. Discover designs, bodies, electronics and other characteristics that differentiate one from another. Learn to evaluate which “axe” will work best for you, and how to get the best value for your money.
Part 3: Tonal Recall: Once armed with instruments, the fun really begins. Ravi will create and record songs using selected guitars and state-of-the-art home recording tools and techniques. Discover the power of stacking electric guitars in a multitrack recording and the finesse with which it can be done. Then, sit back and instantly recall the magic, wrapped up in a tapestry of tone.
Part 4: Test Drives: The proof is in the pudding, as they say. After Ravi’s presentation, it’s time for the audience to try these instruments on for size. Ravi will work with you personally to find the guitar that speaks your language. This individual attention and the opportunity to put the instrument through your own tests will make “Instant Guitarification” the beginning of a lifetime of musical gratification.

Want to be successful in the TV/film business? Learn the skill set you must have to give you the competitive edge. Book time with former Director of Development, East Coast for NBC and five-time Emmy nominated producer and Emmy honored writer, Barbara J. Garshman. Learn how to “mine” your creativity to develop unique ideas that you can turn into industry standard treatments that will sell.

The history and evolution of House and Electronic music.
This visually dynamic show includes 2 video projections working simultaneously together to create an unusual performance featuring the digital turntable mastery of Jesse Saunders as he takes the audience and dance floor on a musical journey through the history to the present of HOUSE and Electronic Music. The show appeals to all demographics (18-64). House Music has been a part of our lives for more than 20 years. It’s influenced how we dance all over the world. That makes this unique show a sell-out in any venue. A never before experienced show that can’t be missed! It’s a LIVE DOCUMENTARY that the audience participates in and watches unfold before their very eyes. It’s educational and entertaining. A must see for anyone who loves to dance.
The timeline begins in the 1970’s and continue until present day. Utilizes the story from Jesse Saunders:rsquo; book “House Music…The Real Story” as the reference.

We live in a world of diminishing integrity. Capitalism has spun out of control and is turning us into a lowest common denominator society. The artistic community is caught in the tide with not enough of us swimming upstream. Society no longer recognizes true value.
We can change that.
Decreasing appreciation for the arts (and fewer schools teaching art and music) is grossly affecting our well being as a society. We Artists potentially have an equal voice to Corporate America, and therefore a huge opportunity and responsibility to the public at large. If Corporate America recognizes social responsibility and we embrace the opportunity to educate by breaking new artistic ground, Society will once again recognize true value and everyone can live in a “Culture of Integrity.”
We have the gift to create, inspire, and shape the world through our work. Corporate America (I include the government) relies on rhetoric. No one should tell the public how to think, but Artists can provide colorful canvases or musical vibrations that inspire free minded people to think for themselves and rediscover what truly drives their happiness.
The dilemma lies in Maintaining Artistic Integrity while Running Your Career as a Business.” As impossible as it seems, it is more attainable now than ever before. Many big businesses are imploding (particularly in the music industry), creating a vortex in which we can rise and actually prosper while having a positive effect on society. That’s where integrity comes in - if we remain honest with the audience and true to ourselves, we are doing society a great service. We can educate and inspire the public to reach new cultural heights.

A brief historical timeline from 1996-2008
The talk/seminar/roundtable will briefly highlight the climate of the music industry, the country and explain the phenomenon behind the fracture in Hip Hop once it went Mainstream. Looking at the growing popularity of the genre, coupled with key legislation and the onset of new technologies, the conditions were ripe for the culture to move in a new direction and turn in on it self resulting in the establishment of boutique, DIY record labels, and media sources that would largely exist outside of the mainstream circuit of the music.
As the mass commercialization and mainstreaming of the music occurred, independent hip hop rose as an answer and counterbalance to it. This resulted in a more diverse experimental and at times nostalgic sound. Hired Gun explores briefly the key players and factors involved in the creation of “independent” labels such as Project Blowed, SoleSides (now Quannum), Definitive Jux, Rawkus, Fondle’em and Stones Throw. Through this lens, we will look at some of the careers of individuals such as Slug of Atmosphere, BlackStar, Aceyalone, EL-P and others. From here we ask the question, where are we now? where do we go? and what potentially is the future of independent hip hop music?