HTML Code for Musical Notes

Aren’t there times when you want to burst into song while you’re typing along in Twitter? Well, here’s the html code so you can sing along:

[Note: Use the characters within the quotation marks, and remove the spaces in between the characters]

“& # 9 8 3 3 ;” produces ♩ (quarter note)
“& # 9 8 3 4 ;” produces ♪ (eighth note)
“& # 9 8 3 5 ;” produces ♫ (beamed pair of eighth notes)
“& # 9 8 3 6 ;” produces ♬ (beamed pair of sixteenth notes)
“& # 9 8 3 7 ;” produces ♭ (flat accidental)
“& # 9 8 3 8 ;” produces ♮ (natural accidental)
“& # 9 8 3 9 ;” produces ♯ (sharp accidental)

Says Uncle Fredo at Grapefeed.com, “This code may show up as boxes or question marks on some browsers, but they appeared fine for me in current versions of Internet Explorer (Windows only), Firefox (Windows & Mac), Safari (Windows & Mac), Opera (Windows & Mac), and Camino (Mac only)”.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Book Your Own Gig: Have a House Concert

Performing often is important to keep your stage chops in good form, but some artists are unable to do shows as often as they would like. In some cases, there might not be enough venues in town that showcase your style of music, such as hip-hop or bluegrass. Or perhaps you’re under 21, and are too young to perform in places that serve alcohol. Or perhaps you need to build a larger audience before you can get a club gig. If you fall into any of these categories, there are still ways to get yourself out there: have a house concert.

What’s a house concert? Basically, it’s a performance that you give in someone’s home. I’ve done a couple of house concerts myself, and I’ve found them to be a lot of fun. The host (you or another music lover) chooses a date, and invites friends over to hear you play. The friends pay for entry (or at least donate to a tip jar if you feel weird about that), and they have the option to buy your CDs and join your mailing list. Great, huh?

House concert audiences are fantastic because they’re there to actually listen to your music. An intimate listening room vibe is created, and there’s often a lot of love in the room, which we performers need People sitting on couches, the floor, or at a picnic are relaxed and receptive. They also have the opportunity to really hear your lyrics, as well as experience your personality. Afterwards, the event becomes a party where you can connect with your listeners for as long as you want. That’s my kind of gig!

I was reminded about house concerts when I came across an awesome article about house concerts by Madalyn Sklar. Madalyn is the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians (”cuz chicks rock!”). Among other things, Madalyn is a music business coach & consultant and blogs at Madalyn’s Music Biz Blog, which is where I found inspiration for today’s blog post.

Additional inspiration came from a video from a teenage singer named Sara Niemietz, who started a “Living Room” series of performances on YouTube. She sounds great in a living room, and I’m sure that her voice will sound awesome in a club. But for now, she’s winning worldwide fans from her home. Below is a clip from one of her house concerts (notice audience members sitting on the staircase!).

One of my favorite parts of this video is at the end when a family member says to the camera: “The Living Room Series is getting bigger! Now there are people in the living room!”

Sara Niemietz - People Get Ready - LIVE @ The Living Room

For even more info on House Concerts, you can also check out
The Complete Guide to House Concerts by Nyree Belleville

Popularity: 9% [?]

Music Management: Should You Ever Trade Up?

Yesterday’s Lefsetz Letter blog talks about switching music management:

“I’m fascinated by Usher firing Benny Medina and returning to his mother for management. The question arises…should you stay with who got you there, or switch allegiance to the big swinging dick?”

Lefsetz brings up a good point. Your first manager will most likely have tons of passion, which can make up for experience. But once you reach your goal of success, should you trade up for a Big Gun manager?

Popularity: 12% [?]

Should You Use Auto Friend Adders in MySpace, et al?

In the world of social media, I understand that everyone wants to have a lot of “friends”. This has opened up a new world for software development that has the ability to add friends for you, and send messages to your friends without you having to do too much.

I admit, I even bought a friend adder product myself a few years ago. I knew of other musicians using it, and I was jealous of their friend numbers. But I just couldn’t bring myself to install it. My conscience wouldn’t let me, and it wasn’t just because auto friend adders are against the “Terms of Service” of most social media websites. In my opinion, using auto friend adders is basically gaming your friend numbers, and it just doesn’t feel kosher to me.

I know that everyone has other things they need to do with their time, like write songs and rehearse, but I believe that building your friend lists should be organic - like the way you make friends in real life.

My friend Carmelina uses MySpace as her main social media website, and she has amassed over 16,000 friends, and over 270,000 plays of her song “Mueve Las Caderas” (Move Your Hips) the old fashioned way. She has a full-time job, and plenty other things going on in her life, but she swears that she only dedicates an hour a day to making new friends, and connecting with old ones. Consistency and time management are her methods of choice, and they seem to be working. (By the way, I sing backup vocals in “Mueve Las Caderas”, which you can listen to here)

That’s just my two pennies, which was inspired by a great blog post by Andrew Dubber at New Music Strategies that gives his two pennies. Check out his blog here and don’t be afraid to chime in with your own opinion on this debate.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Glen Campbell Reinvents Himself with New CD of Contemporary Covers

While checking out the Stereogum blog today, I learned that country music legend Glen Campbell is coming out with a contemporary covers record:

“Country Music Hall of Famer, “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Gentle On My Mind” crooner, True Grit actor, ex-host of The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and all-around music legend Glen Campbell has himself a contemporary covers collection…On Meet Glen Campbell, the septuagenarian gives U2, Foo Fighters, the Replacements, John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Travis, and the Velvet Underground, among others, the Campbell treatment.”

Here’s the video trailer from YouTube:

Meet Glen Campbell CD

Track List

1 “Sing” (Travis)
02 “Walls” (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
03 “Angel Dream” (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
04 “Times Like These” (Foo Fighters)
05 “These Days” (Jackson Browne)
06 “Sadly Beautiful” (The Replacements)
07 “All I Want Is You” (U2)
08 “Jesus” (Velvet Underground)
09 “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” (Green Day)
10 “Grow Old With Me” (John Lennon)

Meet Glen Campbell is out August 5th on Capitol Records.

Popularity: 20% [?]

What Song Was Number One on the Day You Were Born?

Here’s something different. Have you ever wondered what song was popular when you were born (or for any other date)?

Enter in the date, and your choice of country (US, UK, and Aus), and This Day in Music will answer that burning question.

Try it here.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Digital Media Is The New Hip Hop - Quincy “QD3″ Jones III

Quincy “QD3″ Jones (son of musician/producer Quincy Jones)

I love the blogosphere, can I tell you? I just found a great article about digital media is the future from musician/producer Quincy Jones’ son, Quincy “QD3″ Jones. Wow.

In QD3’s blog, he writes: “I can see artists figuring out a way to go direct to consumer, creating sites and virtual worlds where they can present their undiluted vision to their audience (with user input of course). Upon building a nice-sized audience, they may possibly have their albums and videos underwritten by brands that feel their products are aligned with the creative direction of the artists.

Instead of pre-packaged albums, perhaps the artists upload songs, videos, and taped live shows periodically on their site as they finish them, and you, the consumer, can create your own track listing. Imagine your favorite group periodically releasing songs, using your input in part to make creative decisions, and thus having a more personal relationship with their fans. That could be pretty cool.”

That is poetry! Read the rest of his post from his QD3 Blog here:

Popularity: 26% [?]

My New Music Blog Crush: Confessions of a Music Addict

So here I am, minding my own business, trolling through the music blogosphere, and what do I find? A music blog titled “Confessions of a Music Addict”, whose founder and contributors are fabulous females.

Very cool site, and today’s featured video, “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis, was totally inspired by this music blog. Or perhaps, I’m just not feeling particularly original today. Regardless, check out this video, and my new favorite music blog, Confessions of a Music Addict!  

Popularity: 16% [?]

What is it about Jennifer Lopez?

Seriously, I was not planning to blog about Jennifer Lopez today.

But while surfing the blogosphere for inspiration this morning, I found a site called JLo Stalker, which featured one of my favorite Jennifer Lopez videos, “Get Right”. As it happens, I watched JLo’s movie Monster-in-Law last night on TBS. JLo plays a temp engaged to marry a brain surgeon (Michael Vartan), whose disapproving mother is Jane Fonda. This funny movie also features comedienne Wanda Sykes who steals all the scenes. Nothing like a sassy black woman to tell it like it is!

Anyway, I like this video because JLo plays a bunch of different characters. And I learned from JLoStalker that the little girl playing Jennifer’s cute little sister is Marc Anthony’s daughter (pre Dayonara Torres) - who’s now her stepdaughter.

So while I’m in a Jennifer Lopez state of mind, here’s “Get Right” courtesy of YouTube. Enjoy!

Popularity: 18% [?]

New Music: Etienne de Rocher

Today I toured the music blog Indie Muse and stumbled upon a cool singer/songwriter named Etienne de Rocher. Okay, his photo did grab my attention first, but after checking out his tunes, I’m digging his music too. I’m not always good at coming up with soundalikes for you lazy folks out there, but he reminds me a little of a funky Jeff Buckley. But with these things, it’s always better for you to check it out and decide for yourself.

I also went to Etienne’s MySpace page, and listened to “The Lizard Song” a couple of times:

“I went backstage one day, to meet Beck
I gave him my record, he did not care a speck
Kept on talkin to some dude about touring in Germany
I was unhappy, so I went home

I took it so hard…”

Catchy and clever (and cute) - sign me up!!!

Learn more about Etienne de Rocher’s self-titled indie CD at his site.

Popularity: 17% [?]