Music

Many people have inquired about my music selections for the RCV videos. Excellent!!! I can break it down into three broad, yet concise categories:

1) Music I own, have licensed, created, produced or been given permission to use. I usually hammer my talented musician friends with requests until they throw in the towel and agree. This also includes "music" I have created via Apple Garage Band. Of the 71 scores currently accompanying RCVman moving images, a somewhat embarrassing 9.7% fall into this category. PLEASE note, that if (and when) I have the time, I will significantly increase this ratio. As a perfect example, I wrote a rather 'interesting' little number yesterday. Three chords, key of A, with a twisted minor 7th bridge that defies logic. The difference between me on the couch with my Yamaha acoustic, and mastering to today's quality standards is about 50 hours of studio time. No got amigo. Additionally, PLEASE let me state here and now my philosophy on the next category. "Using" other people music. This may stimulate serious debate, but here it is, without a net. There is no charge for watching RCVman videos. I am not making a profit off of some one else's music. MOF, in most cases what I really doing is promoting obscure, forgotten, little known or previously unheard tunes to an altogether new audience. Is that a service or a crime? Do you think that Bela Fleck would object to me using one of his beautiful tunes to show young, healthy folks having wholesome fun and being good role models to an audience that otherwise would have never known of him? The real issue is that while Bela wouldn't object, his record label might. After all they are in it for the gold, and feel that this use deserves a royalty payment, sometimes into the thousands of dollars. No can do, senor.

2) iTunes from musicians other than Warmer Music Group (WMG). These slimy bastards actually spent millions of dollars developing software that detects one of their licensed acts when used on YouTube and automatically disables the audio. This has caused quite a stir as you can imagine. To be fair, the jury is still out as to who is really to blame in the power struggle for pennies (actually millions), WMG or Google themselves. The point being that if you are going to post to YouTube DO NOT use a WMG artist or song. Sony, otoh, has the right idea, they (developing similar software) ID the tune and artist with a clean little lower third drop down box and ask if you want to buy the song at iTunes. Wow, everybody wins! I have many times had comments saying 'thanks for using that old (pick one) song, I forgot what a great tune that is, and yes, I plucked down the .99 and bought it'. How cool is that? How fascist is WMG?

3) I use the second method 90.3% of the time because, well, I am a guitar/drum/banjo/piano/synth/kazoo hacker with limited time to produce music and there is so much good stuff out there just waiting to be heard. By you.

As another perfect example, here is an absolutely incredible live performance by contributors to the Calgary 70.3 piece posted just yesterday, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. I would have used this song instead of Big Country, but this true musical gem is not available ANYWHERE.

Don't you feel better already? And hey, there is no charge. Thank you Bela, Edgar and Sony.