“Linkie Winkie is a bit of a social experiment and we want to see what happens. We’re not going to tell you much about it, except that its a very altruistic little site and loves to be talked about.

So if you can work out what it does, and get your timing right, then Linkie Winkie might help you out for a while.”

From what we can tell, by giving a shout out to Linkie Winkie, they will in turn to give you a shout out. How it does this, is still a mystery, but one blog discusses the effect of Linkie Winkie, while the other provides a bit on who is behind the experiment.

I’ll provide an update here if anything comes of this, but participating in a social experiment of the web 2.0 variety just seemed like a fun think to do on a Friday evening.

1. The RIAA has sued more than 20,000 music fans for file sharing, yet file sharing continues to rapidly increase both online and offline.? When will you stop suing music fans?
2. The RIAA has sued over 20,000 music fans for file sharing, who have on average paid a $3,750 settlement.? That’s over $75,000,000.? Has any money collected from your lawsuits gone to pay actual artists? Where’s all that money going?
3. The RIAA has sued over 20,000 music fans for file sharing.? Recently, an RIAA representative reportedly suggested that “students drop out of college or go to community college in order to be able to afford [P2P lawsuit] settlements.” Do you stand by this advice? Is this really good advice for our children’s futures?
4. The RIAA said that it only went after individual file sharers because you couldn’t go after P2P system creators. After the Supreme Court’s Grokster decision, shouldn’t you stop going after music fans?
5. Major entertainment companies have repeatedly brought lawsuits to block new technologies, including the VCR, Digital Audio Tape recorders, the first MP3 player, the ReplayTV PVR, and now P2P software. Why is your industry so hostile to new technologies?
6. DRM has clearly failed to stop songs from getting on file sharing networks, but it does prevent me from moving lawfully purchased music onto my iPod and other portable devices.? Unlike the major record labels, many popular indie labels offer mp3 downloads through sites like eMusic.? Why won’t you let fans purchase mp3s as well?
7. The RIAA says that it doesn’t mind if I rip CDs to my personal computer and put them on my iPod.? Do I need your permission to do this or can I legally do it even if you object?
8. Recording off the radio is clearly permitted by copyright law and something Americans have done for over 25 years, but the RIAA supports legislation restricting devices that record from digital radio. Why are you against TiVo for radio?
9. Sony BMG recently implemented a DRM technology that damaged users’ computers.? But for independent researchers’ analyses, this serious flaw may have gone undiscovered. After this scandal, will record labels allow any computer scientist or security expert to examine these products and agree not to sue them under the DMCA?

Video

1. The major movie studios have been enjoying some of their most profitable years in history over the past five years. Can you cite to any specific studies that prove noncommercial file sharing among fans, as opposed to commercial DVD piracy, has hurt the studios’ bottom line in any significant way?
2. Is it legal for me to bypass CSS DVD encryption in order to skip the “unskippable” previews at the beginning of so many DVDs? Why should I have to be forced to watch these ads when I already bought the DVD?
3. Is it legal for me to skip the commercials when I play back time-shifted TV recordings on my TiVo or other PVR? How is this different than getting up and going to the bathroom?
4. Why are there region-code restrictions on DVDs? How does this prevent copyright infringement? Is it illegal for me to buy or and use a region-free DVD player, or to modify a DVD player to be region-free?
5. In several lawsuits, the MPAA has repeatedly said that it’s illegal to make a back-up of a DVD that I purchased.? Why is this illegal?
6. Is it ever legal for me to use software like DVD Shrink or Handbrake to rip a digital copy of a DVD I own onto a video iPod or my laptop? What if I want clips to use for a class report? Or if a teacher wants to include a clip in a PowerPoint slide?
7. Is there anything illegal about copying TV shows I’ve recorded off the air onto my video iPod?
8. If the MPAA-backed “broadcast flag” bill passes, I won’t be able to move recorded TV content digitally to my current video iPod.? Why should TV studios get to take away my ability to lawfully time- and space-shift?
9. Major entertainment companies have repeatedly brought lawsuits to block new technologies, including the VCR, Digital Audio Tape recorders, the first MP3 player, the ReplayTV PVR, and now P2P software. Why is your industry so hostile to new technologies?
10. Hollywood is pushing legislation to “plug the analog hole.” These restrictions won’t keep copyrighted video off of file sharing networks, but they will block me from excerpting a recorded TV show for a school report or using tools like the Slingbox to send recorded TV shows to myself over the Internet.? Why are you trying to restrict these legitimae uses?

Questions posed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Reprinted with permission. Spotted on Boing Boing and Digg.

Ever since we launched our record label, the number of come-ons we receive from new artists (as opposed to artists we know and already have our eye on) has steadily increased. The avalanche of appeals from both talented and not-so-talented artists is both overwhelming and exciting. However, a pattern has emerged lately that I feel needs to get addressed. This pattern is largely made up of a mix of bad habits and laziness, coupled with a lack of knowledge about what it takes to properly promote yourself. In response, Polyvibe

Entertainment Group offers up the following tips for how to approach us (and anyone) about your creative project with more effectiveness.

• Formulate a full message. In other words, don’t send something out until you’ve spent sufficient time actually formulating what you want to say and ensuring that what you are saying is landing for the other person the way you intend. This means that you should craft a message that clearly states who you are, what kind of music (or other art) you create, what’s special about it, and why they should care. Write and Re-write it until it’s right. It will never be perfect, but if you’ve covered all your bases you’ll be in good shape.
• Stay On Topic. Take a page from political play books, and always stay on message. In other words, put together a total package. Every footprint you leave in the world should be reinforcing the same message. By all means tailor your message for your audience, but it should have a common theme running through it. This also applies to your visual communications as well. Everything you put out should have a similar look and feel, and include your logo or other unique graphics. Re-use and Re-mix the same colors, layouts and other distinct elements, whether you’re designing your web site, a newsletter to your fans, or a One Sheet you’re sending out to the press and promoters.
• Define Your Message. In order to stay on topic, first you need to figure out what your message is. One of the things that we do internally for our artists, and is provide them a worksheet in which to figure out what the message is. We adopted this worksheet from questions we wanted answered, and from information we got from Bob Baker’s “Guerrilla Music Marketing”. It’s an interesting process but what it brings to light is even more useful. It’s an exploration of what drives you as an artist, and forces you to connect with your fans by discovering what it is about you that inspires them to support what you’re up to in the world.
• Get a One Sheet. If this list was numbered, this would be #1. Think of a One Sheet as your musical resume. In one or two pages, you should be able to clearly state what your music sounds like, why your are unique, and why I should pay attention. List your biggest successes so far. Include links to your best tracks, and to your websites. In short, it should summarize your message and present that information in such a way that it literally turns heads, and motivates the reader to want to learn more. Here’s a decent template you can start with, that explains all the basics and has spots for everything that you’ll want to include. You should create a One Sheet for various purposes – including but not limited to: Seeking Distribution (the example provided above), Booking and Gigs (concentrate on what’s special about your live shows, and de-emphasize, but include information about any of your releases), and General Purpose (expand the info on your sound as well as you, and your accomplishments).
• Educate yourself about music marketing. You’ve already started doing that by reading this blog, and subscribing to our RSS feed and/or Newsletter. There are tons of books out there, so you need to start diving in and buying some of these books. Also, sites like Rhino’s R-Zine, Bob Baker’s Buzz Factor, and The Indie Bible newsletter, will also help get your marketing chops up to where they need to be. Marketing is an art, not a science, so be prepared for lots of trial and error, but if you present yourself in a clear, concise and professional manner, you will get noticed.
• Respect your self, and your audience. This can’t be stressed enough. All the bad habits, missing or misinformation, and laziness add up to a lack of respect. This is just how it comes across, even if it’s not intentional. If you don’t have enough respect for yourself to tell me about your project in a way that gets me excited, then how do you expect to have any results? You took the time to craft the music, arrange all of the elements, and get your master just how you like it… so don’t skimp on the time required to promote yourself. Remember, you’re not selling yourself, or even your music. You’re selling the experience, the headspace you and your music puts the listener in. If you’re inspired enough to make it, then take the time to put together a strong message that moves the reader to want to listen to your music. Plain and simple.

In the day and age of a 1:1 ratio of Content Maker to Content Consumer, you’ve got to do more than write a catchy hook to get noticed. If you’re approaching Record Labels to get signed, propositioning Press Contacts for reviews, or contacting Promoters and Club Owners to book you for gigs, then you obviously want to be taken seriously. And if that’s the case, then put on your game face, and suit up. Making music is only half the battle.

If after reading this you are still interested in submitting your music to be considered for release on Polyvibe Records, then put the above advice to work, and send us a One Sheet (PDF preferred), with links to your 5 best tracks and your websites, to press@polyvi.be. We’ll reply to each one of them, but you better come

correct if you want us to take notice. We look forward to your submissions!

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spotted on boing boing

• “These days, most DJs can be contacted by e-mail. I’ve occasionally received e-mails from bands offering their music. I always listen to stuff that people send directly to me, and I’ve definitely ended up playing some of it.”
• “Simply calling up and asking DJs to play the CD will work pretty good, if you can put in the hours necessary to call lots of stations.”
• “A station member sorts the stuff into genres, and it’s put into a new music section. DJs look through the new music selection and play whatever strikes them as cool.” (Lesson: Make sure your style of music is crystal clear to whomever opens your package.)
• “Putting a big sticker on the front cover that says “SOUNDS LIKE:” helps. Compare yourself to heavily played college radio music.”
• “List the tracks you think are the best and describe them in basic terms (poppy folk, folky slowcore, whatever).”
• “Don’t use the words ‘lush’ or ‘soundscape’ anywhere on your promo material.”
• “(Point out) your best track. No music director has the time to skip through six tracks — they’re probably doing it between classes, or while they’re eating lunch.”

Read the whole thing at the Ask MetaFilter discussion raging right now.

Any conversation about digital media (also known as content) seems to focus on what to charge people, and how to control the services presented by content providers (including a desire by the major labels to continue to control the cost of music as if they were selling fuel).

The more artistically inclined probably find terms like content and product to be a horrible way to describe art and expression. This conflict in perception drives the heart of the digital music revolution, and the birth of post capitalism for artists.

How can you put a price on art? Apparently, it’s pretty easy to put a price on anything. In a true free market economy, the artists that evoke the greatest response and move the most people would always be the most successful. Mostly because people want to support things they believe in, make them feel good, and are fun. And all you have to do is look at the last one hundred years of recorded music to see how free this market has been.

My understand of ‘point’ in the fiscal sense is that points are percentages. Like when a major label gives you 6 points per track, and then you find out it’s 6 cents. On your own album. The obfuscation of literal meaning through fancy words has been a powerful ally in the way people have been exploited for a long time (-). We should call it the price of music instead. We talk that way about water, radio waves, and the written word, so why not music? Or we could talk about price points for oil, but then we’d all be spending too much time wondering where all that money is going. The true invisible hand of economics is the one that tries to turn our head away from the important issues, and focus on the ones the ‘majors’ want us to see.

Perceived value is the cornerstone of the future music as a revenue stream for artists. The idea that something is only worth what we are willing to give up for it. It doesn’t really matter if it’s time or money; the important thing is that it’s worth it to us. Myspace didn’t get bought by NewsCorp because it was a novel idea, but because the platform of Myspace was perceived as valuable. That’s the same reason the MPAA and the RIAA had Pirate Bay taken down (with the help of the US State Department).

It’s sort of a testament to the power of free press that the issue of the monetary value of music is driven by what people are paying for it, and not what people are making from it. It’s almost enough to make you think the average ‘music consumer’ sees the choice between music as no different than buying brand name or generic cola at the store.

Then again, maybe if it didn’t cost a dollar for a DRM encoded piece of music that only played on one platform, and the only format that has no signal loss is not catching on (http://flac.sourceforge.net/), maybe the price shouldn’t be so high.

If the price of a digital album, with no tangible product (and sometimes incomplete art) was lower, and if the artists were getting a fair share of the price, then maybe people would get the point and buy more music.

Then everyone would be happy, because no one would have to absorb the cost of breakage on physical albums (a cost usually relegated to the artists by major labels, sometimes even on digital releases).

The real price point questions should be things like: How many points does the artist get on the price?

Isn’t the point of having all of this fantastic musical technology to bring down the price of creating and releasing an album?

If the music is good, won’t people get the point, and pay a fair price for it?

Since people are paying no price but time and effort to find good music for free, shouldn’t the record industry stop trying to dictate people’s tastes and get the point that people want what they want?

And, most importantly: When will corporate multinational conglomerates get the point that music is the soundtrack of our lives, and that it’s priceless?

The Rules Of Indie Rock Success:

Rule #1: Put a hot girl on keyboard or bass.

Rule #2: Cover Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”

The quote, which comes from Music Blog ‘My Old Kentucky Blog‘ is like many of the music bloggers out there. Most are just documenting their own experience in the musical landscape. A quick read of his sidebar lists such diverse artists as Amon Tobin, Modest Mouse, El-P, Ben Folds and Gang of Four. These are excellent opportunities for independent artists and labels to get their music out to the new taste makers. Most of the blogs have contact information (including mailing addresses) to send music to, and if they’re anything like every music lover on the planet, welcome receiving free music. Obviously you want to pair the music with their tastes, and give them shout outs and back links on your site, but other than that, treating these bloggers like your other press contacts is in your best interest. This means don’t just drop ship them a box of CDs, introduce yourself (by email), include one-sheets and other info they can use in their write ups, and then send them the CDs if they show interest. Only by building a relationship with them can you expect to create a report that will carry over in to how well they receive your music.
Music fans are reading these blogs for clues on what’s hot and worth checking out. By browsing these sites yourself, and using The Trip Wire site as a jumping off point, you are sure to find a literal treasure trove of people hungry for new music.
originally published on dr.xnlb.com

originally published on dr.xnlb.com