Hi, I finished the track “Rapid Arc” this week which is a really different mix of trip hop and industrial music with a few vocal samples from Majella thrown in. This could be cool just to listen to or play in a podcast, as royalty free music for games, action videos, sideshows, presentations or whatever else that calls for uptempo wild music.

Free Download Royalty Free Music: RapidArc.MP3

Speaking of games check out this killer HD video game montage that used my song “Crawled Out of a Grave” by Daniel over at the ClearCut83 YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fml2CtMOuT0

Also I added a whole new section to my site with over 6,000 free games you can play at DanoSongs.com/Games.

That’s it for now, have a great week. Peace, Dan-O

CC: andypowe11 on flickr.com

This week I put together this acoustic techno piece with a spy sounding instrumental called “Violet Shrine”:

Acoustic Guitar Free Download: Violet Shrine.MP3

Also, Phil Marchand (philmarchand.com) used my song “Crawled Out of a Grave” as royalty free background music in his amazing, full of action outdoor adventure videos showing a mountain rope rescue, raft guide training and skiing tours.

Photographer Teymur Madjderey included my pop rock instrumental “The Wire” in his video documentary of a workshop which took place in Venice, Italty. It’s part of a blog post that also has some magnificent pictures of Venice which I could not stop looking at.

The folks at Blue Muse Publishing.com let me know that my tracks made it to the top 20 on Blue Muse Independent Radio. They are the publisher for JD Wood who I interviewed and who I think is a special talent.

Plus I got booked at the Androgyny Gallery on 5 Mulberry St in New Paltz, NY (845 256-0620) to do an acoustic guitar and vocals show on Sunday July 12th, 3-6 pm. I do a mix of classic and modern rock hits, jazz standards and my original songs.

Taltopia.com - Fans Choose “Shame” or “Fame”

Hi, this has been a very exciting week. Author Leann Marshall used my song “Silk” in her trailer for her SciFi book The Starfish People which was Winner of the 2008 IPPY Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing. I interviewed her in my music technology blog where you can find her Website and the video.

If you just subscribed recently, you already know this…I also put my MP3s into two new collections in zip files so people can download many of the songs at once from my site. I have been getting lots of downloads of these on peer 2 peer torrent networks, and “index of” searches, which is fun to see. Here are the links:

Silent Castle.zip - 8 of my pop, rock and techno songs with vocals. The same as on my home page, but in one download, like an album.

Dreaming in Science.zip - All instrumentals with alternative, light rock and moody electronic tunes.

I recommend TugZip if you need a program to unzip these files, just check out their site to learn how to use zip files. It’s just like opening any other file once you get the free program.

Free MP3 Download: Ambershire,MP3 - an experimental instrumental piece from the new collection I put together using Chinese instruments.

These are all free and royalty free to use or share with just a link back to my site.

Also, I was reading about Taltopia on CNN’s “Young People Who Rock” blog this week and decided to give the site a try. It’s another online “idol” style site where you get to place your vote. I checked into their Web statistics too, before bothering with signing up, and it turns out that this site’s weekly visitors have been skyrocketing. It’s free to sign up and I have already gotten some “fans” - so far so good.

All the best, have a great week.

Peace,

Dan

Hey, this week I’ve been listening to a bunch of musicsubmit.com artists and getting in touch with them to ask some questions about their approach to making and performing music. You can check out JD Wood, DJ Dazed and Nila Kay on my interview blog. Then visit their Websites to listen to some music that I really love and recommend.

Next I have been doing some fun collaborations with visitors of my site. Siobhan Hallett used my royalty free song “Rescue Me” in her student film on YouTube. I had a great email exchange with Per Erik Grønvik about the future of the music industry that I posted here in my music technology blog. He also suggested I redo my homepage to feature my own items like my CD and SongMix eBook and I did.

Ooh-chan wrote me a really nice note about how he used my instrumental MP3 “The Art of Gardens” as background music in a video for “Imbiss Fuga”, a restaurant she is promoting. The Opferman Motors YouTube channel also contacted me to do a rock instrumental for their motorcycle videos which leads me to this week’s royalty free rock instrumental songs download I produced called “The Wire”:

Free MP3 Download: The Wire.Mp3
(Creative Commons Royalty Free w/ Attribution Link to DanoSongs.com)

I also joined OurStage.com which I have been hearing about lately. Its a way for fans to get free music downloads and also vote on artists - kind of like an online American Idol.

Speaking of American Idol, I can’t believe they kicked Allison Iraheta off. She is awesome and I hope she does a CD.

Thanks for visiting and reading!

Peace,

Dan-O

Today I’m listening to JD Wood’s new pop rock songs. His music came to me through musicsubmit.com and I immediately loved the tunes.

JD has that rare combination of truly great songs, an amazing voice, superior skills on multiple instruments all brought together with killer production.

He is really is an outstanding talent and I highly recommend checking out the CD:

Album: In My Dreams Listen to CD: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jdwood

I got to ask JD Wood some questions about his approach to writing, recording and performing. It turns out that he came to his current place with music mostly through trial, error and experience.

Your tracks are really well produced, and I see you have lots of experience as a producer. How did you learn all the technical and audio engineering skills that you need to create great recordings?

To be honest, I am mostly self taught. At the age of 16 I started schooling in electronics, but this had nothing to do with music at all. Later I decided that making music should be my way. For sure, I’ve had several idols and opportunities to look over the shoulder of well known recording and mixing engineers but most things were learned by doing.

Who else was involved with recording “In My Dreams”, where was it done and how did you go about putting together the project with everyone?

While I know many musicians who were willing to help me with this project, there were only guitarists on this particular album. Every other instrument is played or programmed by me. So the arrangement, producing process and mixing, so as the mastering are done in my own little studio in Aschaffenburg, Germany without any help.

As a producer do you stick with certain song writing principals that apply to your clients as well as yourself?

Oh, I find inspiration in different ways. I don’t always come up with a line first and put music around it. Sometimes, I write the music and put the lyrics to it. Sometimes sounds (even by mistake) can inspire me for a song, so I don’t have a fixed strategy for writing a song.

Are you a naturally good singer or have you taken voice lessons and do you practice and warm up as a vocalist?

I never had lessons but for sure I have friends that are singers who sometimes gave me a little help. I was playing trumpet for a long time and so I had the right breathing technique already. Yes, I warm up but I do this by choosing the right listing of the songs. I start with something that I can sing very easily and then I increase the difficulty.

What advice would you offer to other musicians in terms of writing, recording and producing the best album possible?

This is a difficult one. First it was just important to know for myself what I liked about my own music. Eventually, it becomes important to reach out to others. Perhaps the most important thing: Put all your heart into it and if you think your abilities might not be enough, don’t be too proud to ask others for help and opinions (no close friends or relatives, they might only tell you what you want to hear, what not always what is the best for the product) …. At least you don’t want to be the only one to listen to your music. Having feedback from others becomes part of the process of growing as an artist, I think.

Again, I really think you should take a listen to his album. Then sign up to get more reviews and interviews from the best artists I find!

Peace,

Dan-O

This is a recent note from a reader who found my creative commons production music library. This video for a restaurant is a great example of why I offer my music hassle free, with just a link back, through my email newsletter…

Hello Dan-O,

I just finished making a video clip using your song and uploaded to youtube. I saw your note mentioned about your curiosity. So, I send you this email to let you know how and what I used your music for.

My name is Ooh and I’m doing my thesis for my master’s degree about digital marketing for a small restaurant in Germany. It’s a small Okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) restaurant for max. 12 guests in Dusseldorf, Germany. Its name is “Japan Imbiss Fuga”. Imbiss in german language means small size restaurant. It’s kind of a snack bar which is not exactly a real restaurant where people can sit and eat at the big table.

The restaurant’s been opened for 2 years. Their shop doesn’t locate in a business area. Anyway, they serve very very good food. I love their food and want to help them out with marketing. I also need a topic for my thesis. Our needs just match.

I started a website, a blog, email services and now a youtube channel for publicity, but everything is in german language as the target customers are Germans. My concept goes for “low-cost budget” since they can’t afford a lot of investment for their small restaurant. So, I have to keep things free and legal, but effective.

I found your wonderful songs by chance while I was headaching looking for a royalty free music to use legally. Thousands thanks for your kindness. You really save my life. hehehe I used “The Art of Gardens (Instrument)” as a background music in a video clip. Here is the link to youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETNj68F-Pe8 It’s about how to make a Fuga-style Okonomiyaki . For Germans, Okonomiyaki is really exotic. They have no idea what it is. Video clip will help explaining a concept of Okonomiyaki to them.

Our website is www.imbiss-fuga.110mb.com. I’ll embed this clip to the website soon. And of course, I’ll give you credit for your song on the site also. I plan to make some other videos later, I may need your songs again. I do hope that you will allow us (me and Japan Imbiss Fuga) to continue using your songs.

Vielen Dank or “thank you so much” for your talent and kindness to people like us.

Kind regards,
Ooh-chan (Japan Imbiss Fuga Team)

Thanks for visiting and if you are interested in getting free, royalty free music just sign up for my service and check out the home page!

Peace,

Dan-O

Hi, right now I’m listening to DJ Dazed’s DREAMDAZE project and digging the exploratory electronic sounds. He digs deep into a wide range of styles and pulls out dreamlike productions.

I’m into looping myself and so I asked the DJ a few questions because I was curious about his approach to pc-based electronic experimental music creation and how to make a live performance of it.

Artist: DREAMDAZE by DJ Dazed

Website: http://www.dreamdaze.org

Buy CD: The Harvest Of Exact Calculations

What specific software do you use to create your music? What kinds of sources do you use for loops? Do you record any of your own loops?

I use various software packages to create my music: Ableton Live (mainly) but also Sound Forge, Traktor DJ and Acid. For sounds, I usually tweak Sony loops, but I also generate some myself from the VSTs included with Ableton and from scratch using my Novation X Station. All the loops (even the ones I generate myself), I end up cutting up endlessly, running through filters and plug-ins.

Do you ever perform your music live and what challenges have you run into performing electronic music?

Besides the audio component of my show, I focus on a strong visual and performance element as well. It’s kinda boring to watch a guy and his laptop sit around on stage.

On the audio side, depending on the show, I use either Ableton Live or Traktor DJ. With Live, I actually compose live onstage - either new versions of my existing songs or entirely new compositions. I find Ableton Live works really well for my IDM, drum-n-bass and down-tempo sets. When performing live with Traktor, I use the four turntable set-up to blend loops together (not songs); this gives a more ambient and/or ambient-techno feel…kind of like The Orb in style.

On the visual side, I use Arkaos to do live video mixing through a couple of projectors. I tend to use a lot of video clips from stag movies, furries, freaks, cartoons, cult movies, odd geometric animations, German experimental video from the 60s, etc. If you’ve seen any old Dada art video, you’ll get the idea (floating eyes, close-up’s of faces, swirling geometric patterns, people behaving badly in costume).

On the performance side, I incorporate costumes, lighting, lasers, smoke machines, etc. I perform dressed in a white robe in white face paint behind a white monolith - while on stilts. So on stage I’m 8′ tall and the video projects over me.

Basically my challenges performing electronic music live tend to be that I’m too busy (music mixing, video mixing, smoke machine triggering…and try to keep moving and engaging the audience).

How would you recommend a person get started with creating electronic music?

To get started creating electronic music, I suggest downloading the free version of Acid then downloading ALL the sample loops from their web site. Then check back weekly for their free 8-packs. This will keep you busy for a LONG time. I also suggest reading up (online or in books) on song structure. And then just play play play with the software, samples and structures - and have some fun!

What artists have you listened to lately that have given you new ideas you want to try out?

Everytime I listen to Aphex Twin I get a new idea. I don’t remember the song I listened to now, but the next night I cranked out an Aphex-style podcast (180 BPM, cut up drums, noisy pads). It was a lot of fun.

Some ideas I’d like to try out on the performance front would be to incorporate AirFX and a KaosPad (and maybe a theremin) into my show somehow.

How do you go about composing pieces, do you have any basic methods?

My mom was a music teacher until she retired. Even her very simple (early) feedback to me of “do everything in 4s” was helpful. It just makes the song sound “right”. That is unless you’re trying make it sound “not right” or add unexpected results to the song…then, of course, you might substitute some thing on the “3″ or replace the “4″ with an odd sound/loop/effect for a transition, etc - that’s what I love about laptop music…the quick cuts, the unexpected and often amusing surprise samples - I’m a big fan of Wagon Christ/Luke Vibert for this reason.

I also play with Velva (www.velva9000.com) and the music we do there we call “song-based electronica” because we use regular song structures like ABABCABB and all electronic instruments (z-tar, custom made instruments, circuit bent toys, lots of f/x pedals, laptop).