Bridging the Gap: The Untrained Artist vs. the Polished Musician

Last fall, the University of Southern California Thornton School Of Music announced its new bachelor of music in pop music performance degree program which will begin in the fall semester of 2009. This unique degree is the first of its kind in the United States and may very well take the competitive edge that embodies this music school to a whole new level. In a time where raw, untamed talent can rise to the top under the umbrella of competitions like American Idol, maybe this program will bridge that gap between the untrained artist and the polished musician. For instance, American Idol winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood were not too spectacular when they were competing on the Fox network show. But after just a few months of intense vocal training post-Idol, their vocal chops had completely transformed. They had become controlled, musically articulate, and their sense of pitch was fine-tuned. It seems as though they now have the tools to help them understand how their voices work.

In David Ng’s recent article, “USC Thornton School of Music announces expansion, new degrees,” I was inclined to offer my thoughts on this news as well as reference the relevance of a program such as this. Additionally, I found a post by blogger Stuart Heritage titled “ACM Entertainer Award Won By…A Woman? Mercy!” in which he describes how reality TV stars like those on American Idol are “infiltrating” the music world not by using their musical abilities, but through their television appeal. Below, I have included my comments to these articles as well as the links to their websites.


“USC Thornton School of Music announces expansion, new degrees”
Comment

Thank you Mr. Ng for writing this article about USC’s Thornton School expansion and new music programs. An expansion of 50% must provide the Thornton community with much needed space for its musicians and faculty. Having spent time on the USC campus, the music school has always seemed relatively small despite the very competitive atmosphere it bolsters. I wonder if the new facilities will allow the school to foster new performance ensembles as well, given the news of the new pop music degree.

This fresh degree program seems like a very positive move by the Thornton School. So many young artists who have not yet grasped their raw talent or refined their skills have a unique opportunity now to really move forward and learn how their abilities work. I believe this can serve as a bridge for so many eager, driven musicians who may not have the groundwork as of now, but can build upon their talents in an academic setting. The public has seen artists such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who may have not had the best vocal skills when they were on American Idol, but who have learned how to control their voices after the show and flourish because of professional training. USC’s new program can offer these pop musicians and vocalists a fantastic opportunity to refine their skills through intense training, much like the classical musicians in the school, and graduate with abilities that they did not have before.

“ACM Entertainer Award Won By…A Woman? Mercy!”
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I appreciate your animated take on this year’s ACM awards show. I would have to disagree with your assessment that Carrie Underwood’s win is something to cause worry within the industry. You comically note that she “a) never takes her clothes off, b) never eats delicious meat and c) never reveals any personal secrets about herself whatsoever.” You also infer that her American Idol win is something that is alarming in the fact that it was a reality TV show she competed on and because of that platform, her established stardom is making her “infiltrate” the ACM awards. I cannot say I am a fan of country music myself, however, Ms. Underwood has come a long way since her stint on the Fox network show.

What once sounded untamed and raw now sounds controlled, effortless, and oftentimes brilliant. As a classical musician, it is a breath of fresh air to see how intense musical training can transform an otherwise decent singer into a strong, graceful, and impressive vocalist. It is unfair to assume that her rise to fame from her past on television is the sole reason for a major win at the ACM awards show. I watched her performances at the event and it is hard to argue that there is anything else but talent that is keeping her on top. Even you yourself reference her lack of interest in confessing personal secrets, something that many young female singers indeed do for publicity. I look forward to seeing her progress even more in the coming years.

Endless Refills on This Prescription: A Courtship Between Music and Medicine?

Everyone seems to have those days or maybe even weeks where the stress overflows, getting a decent night of sleep is a luxury, and feeling moodier than usual is commonplace. As a student, there are several special moments in each semester where tests, papers, and marathon study sessions take their toll. It is these very matters that have driven me to pop in the earphones and listen to music much more than usual. Music helps alleviate some of the anxiety and has the ability to lift the spirit as well. In previous posts, I have kept an eye on where the music industry is heading and how musicians adapt to the times. It is my goal in this post to explore an area that many people take for granted – the power music has over us as a culture and its effects on us as individuals. Although music provides a consistent avenue of comfort for many, including myself, is this a form of therapy that can be incorporated into modern medicine while considering logistical and possible health coverage complexities?

As a musician, it is difficult to escape the reality that I enjoy music because it has a way of playing off on my moods and vice-versa. Attitude and temperament do play an important role in our lives and overall well-being, but enough of a role to explore how music and frame of mind can work together? Dr. Michael F. Roizen, chief wellness officer of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, explains “Listening to finer music and attending concerts on a consistent basis makes your real age about four years younger. Whether that’s due to stress relief or other properties, we see decreases in all-cause mortality, reflecting slower aging of arteries as well as cancer-related and environmental factors. Attending sports events like soccer or football offers none of these benefits.” While this new field of study lacks substantial evidence at this juncture, it is apparent that an exciting conversation has begun in the medical community. Vera Brandes, the director of the research program in music and medicine at the Paracelsus Private Medical University in Salzburg strongly believes in the power of music. Brandes identifies herself as the “first musical pharmacologist.” “In that capacity she is developing medication in the form of music, dispensed as a prescription” according to The New York Times. Upon a visit to your physician, a prescription of music may be given. Sounds a bit wild, but there have been studies that support the notion that music can really alter a person's physical well-being in a very positive way. This recent interest in the healing powers of music has helped drive a new website called Sourcetone.com, which aims to connect emotional well-being to selected music tracks according to current moods. It is in a beta-phase currently, but the content and focus of the website is evident.

In Finland, neuroscientists worked together with music therapists and found that stroke patients recovered substantially faster when listening to music after experiencing a stroke. “Our research shows for the first time that listening to music during this crucial period can enhance cognitive recovery and prevent negative mood,” says Teppo Sarkamo, a doctoral student at the University of Helsinki. “We found that three months after the stroke, verbal memory improved from the first week post-stroke by 60% in music listeners…" he explains. "Similarly, focused attention -- the ability to control and perform mental operations and resolve conflicts among responses -- improved by 17% in music listeners, but no improvement was observed in audio-book listeners and non-listeners.” Statistics at this level really do amplify the thought that music should integrate with medicine, but it is difficult to forget about the other intricacies that come with medicine – such as health coverage, insurance, referrals to specialists, and so on.

Vera Brandes' new program is intriguing, but there is little mention of how music prescriptions will be given out and if this kind of therapy will be covered by insurance companies. As a new venture, it is important to think about the possible conflicts down the road, especially if evidence does lean substantially in favor of a fusion between medicine and music. Another fascinating facet to this issue is that if doctors and researchers are taking this seriously and throwing money behind studies, can this be a unique market for musicians to offer a helping hand while making a living as well? Live music seems to be a favorite among avid music fans because it brings fans one big step closer to those positive feelings they get while listening to headphones at home. If scientists are looking to really explore the effects of music, why not enlist vocalists or musicians to perform regularly for patients? Much like children’s hospitals around the country that support learning, laughter, and growth in the hospital, let us think about the possibility of bringing live music to the bed-side. Celebrities and musicians have travelled abroad for tours among the military bases and hospitals to raise morale, so this is not such an extreme idea.

Obviously, it would be a logistical nightmare to have someone belting out Celine Dion in ICU, so the live music therapy would need to happen when a patient is much more stable and progressing steadily already. Thinking beyond the hospital setting, when someone has sung to me, even karaoke surprisingly, it makes me feel embarrassed but it feels great when someone does it nonetheless. Even when people sing someone Happy Birthday, it elicits a genuinely warm response. As for the data and support that is still needed in this field, it is obvious that more time is needed before there is a definite reason to blend music in with the medical field. However, it does seem thus far that music certainly does affect people’s moods, which can also affect a person’s recovery and general well-being. The day-to-day occurrences that we take for granted, such as silly moments when a loved one sings for another or when a friend embarrasses someone by singing karaoke to them in front of a crowd – it is these moments that we need to learn from and find the possibility of honing-in on this positive power. It is hard to argue that people do not feel special or find enjoyment when someone makes the effort to raise your spirits, especially when you are ill.

Making a Comeback: New Chapters for Veteran Artists

This week I aspired to find fresh news stories about recording artists who are trying to capture the public’s attention, not through the dramatic happenings in their personal lives (i.e. the Rihanna/Chris Brown frenzy), but through pure ingenuity. It seems Veteran R&B singer Macy Gray and superstar Prince have both decided to make distinct career moves this spring in an effort to invigorate their fans as well as attract a few more. Ms. Gray will be heading to the University of California in Los Angeles to gain marketing perspective from students for her upcoming album, which she financed herself. Also, Prince has made the decision to release a three-disc CD set (two new albums plus a third by his protégé, Bria Valente) exclusively through mega-retailer Target for just $11.98. These stories are intriguing wherein both recording artists are trying to revitalize their careers by directly approaching their demographic base. Macy Gray’s choice seems expertly executed, given that she is seeking advice in an environment which celebrates thought and innovation. She used her own money to create this album, why not ask young people, who are hungry for fresh material, for direction and ideas? In a similar effort to show some humility to his base, Prince has created a collection which would easily sell for $25 to $30, if not more on Apple’s ever-popular iTunes store. Instead, he signed an exclusive deal with discount-giant Target to sell the entire set for $12. His audience tends to attract an older crowd in relation to Ms. Gray's which can play in his favor in this instance because the retailer has a solid 30 and up customer following, while consistently keeping the younger generation's attention. In “Prince goes to Target: You don't have to be rich to rule his world,” Margeaux Watson exemplifies the type of “iTunes/digital customer only” reaction I was looking for after I first read of Prince’s deal with Target. She ultimately asks her readers if this deal is a good idea and elicits quite the response. The Los Angeles Times’ Pop & Hiss blog entry "Macy Gray heads back to school: Singer slated to guest at UCLA Extension course" aptly shines a light on the college course at UCLA which gives students the opportunity to craft a marketing plan for Ms. Gray as part of their final. I found this article by veteran blogger Todd Martens to be particularly informative, offering insight on how artists and executives are looking toward the future and eliciting feedback from the public. Below, you will find my comments to these blog entries.

“Prince goes to Target: You don't have to be rich to rule his world”
Comment

Margeaux, you ask your readers: “Do you think this is a good idea?” Releasing an album exclusively with a retailer such as Target is a genius move on Prince’s part and a true steal in this economy – a total of 3 discs (essentially 3 albums) for the mere price of $12? Although I respectfully disagree with the majority of your post on this topic, I must admit I have never been a die-hard fan myself. From a marketing perspective however, I must argue – selling an album solely through a popular retailer such as Target is an excellent business decision on a number of fronts. Target has a large consumer base and Prince has a strong foundation in the music industry – in an economic climate such as this, converging a big-name retailer with a superstar artist seems completely appropriate, if not natural. This contract with Target reveals his appreciation, in my opinion, of his fans and allows his audience to expand. How many successful recording artists have the opportunity to truly save their fans a buck and still pour out respectable music?

It is also important to discuss the closures of most mega music stores such as Tower and most recently, the Virgin chain. Now Target, Bestbuy, and Wal-Mart have taken the place of the music-only stores that many of us grew up with. Moreover, these 3 retailers have all signed similar deals (the Christina Aguilera and Target deal to name one) with other musicians over the past few years and despite iTunes’ popularity, people are still leaving the house to buy cds. The convenience factor of which you reference when you say “I'm so addicted to iTunes that I can't even remember the last time I purchased an actual physical CD, though I'm pretty certain I didn't get it at Target” is understandable, but not completely relatable. Many music lovers buy both digital copies of music and physical cds, especially when special editions or collections are released. Also, fans do not usually take burned cds of their digital tunes to concerts or releases to be signed – it’s an American pastime of which many fans have held onto for some time now to have official cds signed. As I am not a big fan of Prince, as stated above, it is hard to disregard this superb move he made with Target. Music aside, with a price tag of $11.98, it is hard for anyone to argue that he is not reaching out to his demographic and giving the cash-conscious consumer a bargain.

"Macy Gray heads back to school: Singer slated to guest at UCLA Extension course"
Comment

I appreciate the thorough and revealing journalism you offer here on UCLA’s Extension course, where Macy Gray will be a guest lecturer this spring. An educational institution where students can interact with a recording artist and be heard as well as respected is an intriguing concept. On some levels, I would imagine the experience to be a bit surreal to take such an active role in an artist’s album release. This platform seems as though it may serve both student and artist equally. The extensive list of industry insiders who will take part in this course reads like a who’s who of the music industry. My impression is that industry executives are very open and receptive to change, if not fresh ideas at the very least. I think it is an admirable decision for Ms. Gray and other artists to step down and have a face-to-face conversation with the public about their music and its direction.

The presence of such an elite executive body poses a question: If these executives are taking part in a course that has college and non-college students, are they using this outlet to gain perspective on where the public wants to go with music? It would seem as though this is the case after reading some of Professor Jeffrey Jampol’s responses to your questions. More often than not, media outlets put their focus on the superficialities that surround major recording artists. This brief report shows a side of the music industry the public has not seen in the past – executives and artists sitting down to have a candid discussion about the direction of music with the ultimate goal that everyone at the table can walk away with something at the end of the day.

Ticketmaster: A Possibility to Expand?

The controversial merger between Ticketmaster, which controls ticketing at major venues across the country, and artist manager Live Nation has live-entertainment fans across the country fuming. For years, Ticketmaster has been known to tack on a plethora of extra fees when a consumer makes an online or phone purchase. Between service fees, processing fees, pick-up-in-person fees, and even print-the-ticket-at-home fees – this company has received heavy criticism for these practices over the years.

Recently, Bruce Springsteen fans complained to New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram about Ticketmaster’s ploy to force fans into paying $200 to $5,000 for $65 to $95 concert tickets. It seems that Ticketmaster’s main Web site indicated there were no tickets available for Springsteen’s upcoming concerts at the Meadowlands. The solution? Ticketmaster directed fans to its subsidiary, TicketsNow, which was charging outrageous prices for each ticket. When the rock star learned about this situation, he immediately condemned the company for ripping off his fans, saying he was “furious.”

“The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you,” Springsteen said. “We condemn this practice.”

Ticketmaster did not admit to any tricks or unethical practices, but issued an apology and has agreed to pay $350,000 to compensate ticket holders.

The merger with Live Nation has Congress concerned that if the two come together to form one major company it will essentially monopolize the industry. CEOs for the two companies did not convince Senators last week that the merger would lower concert ticket prices for the consumer.

“I am disturbed by your unwillingness to discuss the main reason for the merger,” Senator Herb Kohl said to Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff.

Another twist in this story is the fact that Live Nation dropped Ticketmaster as its ticketing vendor just one month ago – selling tickets to its own events and directly competing with Ticketmaster. Unfortunately, their initial venture into ticket sales did not go so well. Live Nation’s website had technical mishaps, error messages, and many people could not purchase tickets.

David Colker, Tiffany Hsu and Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times argue:

“If there’s no merger and Live Nation succeeds in its ticketing venture, the company could put a significant dent in Ticketmaster’s business.”

This seems to be a point worth discussing – especially when Live Nation did not really put a full-force effort into this new business of selling tickets.

In the Times article, Scott Devitt, an analyst at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co is interviewed as saying:

“Because Live Nation owns its own ticket platform, they would not be sharing fees with Ticketmaster. This had the potential to lower consumer fees. With this possible merger, it takes away the only competition from a ticketing standpoint.”

This is a valid argument, especially when you have such a high number of consumer complaints regarding Ticketmaster’s business practices and enormous fees. There is such discourse on the internet, that ticketmastersucks.org was established. The site offers consumers information regarding current legal troubles Ticketmaster is dealing with, as well as an opportunity to vent your own problems you have experienced when purchasing tickets through the company.

Should these two companies be allowed to merge? Only the Justice Department can block such a move. One important issue that should be on the minds of Congress and our elected officials is in this down economy, consumers are strapped for extra cash and when they want to enjoy a live-entertainment event, competition is celebrated and embraced. People like the idea of being able to shop around to find a good deal. When its time to hit “Checkout” on a ticketing website, the last thing anyone wants to see is the cost of their ticket skyrocketting because of special fees.

There is just something fundamentally wrong when you buy a $12 ticket, have to pay an extra $7.50 service charge, and a final charge of $2.50 to print the ticket yourself.

Leaks: Fix Them or Let Them Flow?

Oh the blunders of the music industry – Kelly Clarkson’s much anticipated new album “All I Ever Wanted” with a release date of March 10th has been leaked. Her album has spread like wild-fire over P2P networks over the past week and the incident has garnered a significant amount of attention. According to Rolling Stone, the Norwegian division of Apple’s iTunes is to blame for this incident. Ms. Clarkson is not the only artist who has been affected by these “missteps” in the industry – the band U2, for the second consecutive time has had one of their new albums released early. Universal Australia began selling digital tracks from their new album “No Line on the Horizon” more than 2 weeks ahead of schedule. These situations make many music-lovers question the carefully orchestrated process of releasing albums as well as the meticulous and confidential aspects of how an artist’s music is unveiled. Are these situations really mistakes or is this all precisely planned to create hype and media attention? This week I decided to delve into the blogosphere to read what people were thinking about this situation. In The Los Angeles Times music blog entry titled “Kelly Clarkson's 'All I Ever Wanted' leaks early. Thanks, Apple?” Todd Martens discusses this debacle. Additionally, EdibleApple.com offers a take on the matter. Below, you will find my responses to these entries, which can also be found on their respective blogs.

“Kelly Clarkson's 'All I Ever Wanted' leaks early. Thanks, Apple?”

Comment

It is refreshing to see a well-rounded take on this Kelly Clarkson leak. The intriguing aspect of these “mistakes” is that you hardly hear of an album being leaked that ends up being a total flop. Ms. Clarkson’s last album was highly anticipated as well, but there were no problems in its distribution. I wonder if this has anything to do with the content in that album. The previous album “My December” turned out to be a disappointment on several levels – Kelly wanted to take more artistic freedom, she had a semi-falling-out with Clive Davis over the direction of her music, and the hype was all around her. Yet, with all of the media attention before the release of her previous album, no early circulation or major leak occurred. Since “All I Ever Wanted” has made it around the internet this past week, the reviews are extremely positive – a stark contrast to the first weeks of her previous album’s reactions. Having heard the album in its entirety on YouTube, it’s definitely apparent that her music has essentially taken a U-turn and embraced 2004’s “Breakaway” rock/pop vibe. Another important fact you talk about are the album’s “mini events” that took place over the past few weeks when little snippets of information were released. It is difficult to know exactly how the whole release process is planned and executed, but thus far, it seems that this leak has sparked a very positive reaction with her fans. The music is refreshing, new but familiar, and more mainstream – all aspects that were lacking in her previous album. If this was all one big accident, which I remain skeptical that this was indeed an error, Kelly Clarkson and her label should milk it for everything its worth before the official release date on March 10th. Her 1st single on this album already made history on the Billboard charts – jumping from practically last to #1 in a mere week. Positive reviews by the listening public before an album is released can only fuel the hype and make music-lovers that much more interested.

“iTunes leaks Kelly Clarkson’s new album weeks before its release”

Comment

You have hit the nail on the head in regards to the irony of this leak surrounding Norway’s division of iTunes. Norway’s adamant pursuit to obtain DRM-free songs on iTunes really draws attention to this leak and its ironies. You also write “…an album leak is probably the last thing the former American Idol winner needs.” As much as I would want to agree with this statement generally speaking, I tend to disagree in this particular situation. With the whole played-out chronology of the “All I Ever Wanted” release, the pseudo-events offering a glimpse into the album’s cover and lyrics in the past weeks, and the historical jump her single made from almost last on the Billboard charts to #1 in just a week – this album is heading towards success already. After listening to the new album in its entirety on YouTube, it seems as though Ms. Clarkson has reverted to the pop/rock sound that made her 2nd album “Breakaway” so catchy and profitable. It’s almost as though she’s offering an acknowledgement to Clive Davis (who she turned away from in her last compilation) in this album, judging by the tone she has taken and the pop sound making more of an appearance this time around. If this leak was truly an accident all-around, then maybe all of the early and very positive reviews by the public are exactly what Kelly Clarkson needs to continue where she left off with 2004’s “Breakaway.”

The Envelope Please: The Award for Best Pre-Recorded Live Performance Goes to…

Over the past month, Americans have had the opportunity to view exciting events such as the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama and the Super Bowl. As contrasting as these events may seem, they have one thing in common – each offered stellar live performances by big-name musicians and recording artists. The list of entertainers reads as a who’s who in the music business – Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Faith Hill, Yo-Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman to name a few. Each artist may represent a specific genre of music, but every one of them engaged in and defended a controversial practice known as lip-synching. The contentious issue of lip-synching has been a sensitive one for a number of years. Singer Ashlee Simpson’s very embarrassing lip-synch mishap on Saturday Night Live in 2004 thrust the whole pretend-live-singing scenario into the spotlight. The incident seen here hurt Ashlee as well as the Saturday Night Live show because SNL is known for embracing the unexpected, and of course for always being “live.” Why do musicians lip-synch or fake-perform in front of audiences? The answers performers offer to this question are just as creative as the musical offerings of which they are known for. They sometimes cite stressed vocal chords, the difficulties of both singing and dancing or even admit that a smooth performance is desired with no technical hiccups. It is essential to point out that many of the explanations often sound lofty, patronizing, and borderline comical. Although some musicians defend lip-synching or pretend-performing, others oppose the practice and question the legitimacy of appearing in front of an audience to play make-believe.

At the presidential inauguration, the theme of “change” seemed to highlight the day, not solely by the use of speeches and literal displays of the power change, but by the ceremony itself which offered unique poetry readings and musical performances. It seemed as though the arts were being celebrated in a fresh, yet calculated way. Dignified ceremonies such as these require exact precision and careful timing. As the program is live, there are bound to be slip-ups here and there – it is to be expected in this type of setting. Surprisingly, the poetry readings and musical numbers went relatively fluidly. Aretha Franklin's My Country ‘Tis of Thee was careful and simplistic overall, never embellishing or adding much personal style beyond her natural tone. The string quartet performance led by Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman was much more musical in terms of phrasing – a seemingly effortless and impressive performance all around. This would be extremely difficult to accomplish in temperatures so low given that a string musician relies on meticulous finger movements touching very thin strings. The only real glitch in the ceremony took place when Chief Justice John Roberts mixed up the words in the presidential oath. For a live event, there really was not anything out of the ordinary that occurred. As the day concluded, details emerged that the string quartet performance was not live, but a pre-recorded track. The performers were literally fake-playing or miming in a seemingly live scenario. The New York Times interviewed both Itzhak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma about the inauguration performance. “It would have been a disaster if we had done it any other way,” said Mr. Perlman, referencing the weather conditions in Washington D.C. and why they fake-played to a pre-recorded track. “What we were there for was to really serve the moment,” explained Mr. Ma. As a musician, I can understand that a performance on stringed instruments in this particular situation would be nearly impossible to execute properly. Given that fact, is mime-playing in front of millions of people showing respect to music as an art? Or is this an exception because it is for the presidential inauguration? And if this is an exception, who says a cellist’s important debut at Carnegie Hall should or should not have a pre-recorded track playing in the background while he pretend-plays Bach’s Solo Cello Suites on stage? These questions all fly around this grey area – where the musician is on stage physically moving around but acting as a puppet to soundwaves all to trick the audience into believing they heard sheer perfection.

In her first major performance in months, Jennifer Hudson wowed millions of people when she opened the Super Bowl singing The Star Spangled Banner. Her interpretation was flawless, passionate, and thoughtful. In a stressful setting such as this, Ms. Hudson seemed un-phased and determined, never missing a note and embellishing ever so slightly, never to spoil the famous melody. The crowd was engulfed in her presentation, knowing this was Ms. Hudson’s first appearance since losing close family members in the recent months. Eric Felton, a singer, trombonist, and columnist for The Wall Street Journal writes: “There was nary a catch in her voice, no unwanted, creeping tremolo. In fact, her vocal performance was remarkable in its near-perfection -- or would have been remarkable had she actually been performing. Instead, the voice we heard was from a track she had prepared in a studio well in advance. So much for high drama.” The show’s producer Rickey Minor admitted to the Associated Press that Ms. Hudson and also singer Faith Hill both lip-synched their performances to pre-recorded tracks. "That's the right way to do it," justifies Minor. "There's too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance." Never recommend any artist to perform live? What ever happened to the professional industry standard that states "you are only as good as your last performance?" If an artist cannot put their best foot forward under a live setting, then maybe they should not be appearing under the pretense of performing live in the first place. Audiences can discern between and forgive glitches involving microphones or speakers versus a bad musical performance. It is condescending and even disrespetful to take the public for granted and deceive them into believing they listened to a fantastic live performance when lip-synching is involved.

The illuminating part about these fake-performance scenarios also is the fact that the details are given after the events have taken place, and the producers or artists try to persuade everyone to think that there is no other way to do it and it is completely acceptable. If this is standard operating procedure, then why not divulge the truth beforehand? When fans buy tickets to see Britney Spears or Miley Cyrus, it is safe to say that most know there will be lip-synching involved either in whole or part at these concerts – these performers do not shy away from talking about this truth and yet they remain very successful. It is curious to see the marketing strategy behind events where the details of mime-singing or playing come to light after the event has ended. It is becoming so ridiculous when the details emerge after performances that commercials and advertisements should just be honest from the get-go to avoid embarrassment later: “Appearing live, moving their mouths to pre-recorded tracks!” The public pays money to attend performances because they yearn for the live concert experience. Controversies such as this lip-synching debacle cross an ethical line which has been a standard for a number of decades. These puppet-moving musicians may be smiling on stage, but the audience is beginning to see the strings now.

First Post: A Brief Introduction

As a rookie in the blogosphere, it is a personal goal to earn a presence in the online community discussing issues related to music. The art of music is one that is constantly evolving and as a fellow musician, it is difficult even for me at times to discern where exactly the industry will venture next. This blog will focus on several facets of the art, gathering viewpoints from blogs such as Pop & Hiss and Alex Ross: The Rest Is Noise to periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times to name a few. In the process to find credible and well-rounded material, I am guided by the Webby and IMSA criteria as well as search engines such as Google in my research. The chosen guidelines exemplify an effort to choose sites that are not only intelligent, but also maneuverable, accessible, and incorporate opinions with thoughtful structure. The Webby criteria addresses content, structure, navigation, virtual design, functionality, interactivity, and overall experience. Although every component may not be met in every website I lead you to, it is important to note that the overall experience essentially serves as the driving force in regards to content. The IMSA concentrates on blogs based on depth, usefulness, and bias, alongside other criteria. I encourage users to offer constructive feedback and opinions to my postings, as I am very much new to this atmosphere and open to all points of view. I appreciate your time and look forward to creating a unique blog in the online community.