Underground Mix --- The Vision

Hello there! For anyone who is following this blog my name is Devon DeVries. I own/operate/direct/manage Underground Mix... I feel it is time to lay out the refreshed vision of this company. It is very simple!!!

The vision of UM is to empower and equip the independent music community through education and film/tv licensing. We work closely with music users listening to their needs and resourcing them with exactly what they are looking for.

Working with strangers is tough...so let me introduce myself!!! I have a Bachelors of Commercial Music from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Yes, my background is in performance... I understand creative thinking / songwriting / studio work etc. etc. I have an additional emphasis in Music Business from the same university. While in school I interned at ASCAP for a year. After graduation my now wife and I moved to Los Angeles where we lived for almost 6 years. While in LA I worked at Paramount Pictures. My first job was as low as you can get booking the scoring stage on the lot!!! Humbling but very cool too!! Amazing to watch a 102 piece orchestra dive into a score!!! Not long after this I moved over into the TV Music dept. doing clearance and licensing. After about 2 years there I began working for a British music company in LA pitching their music for Film/TV placement. This included the studios, ad agencies, post houses, gaming, industrial and anything and everything else in between that used music! It was right after this that Underground Mix was birthed.

I have a passion to see the independent music community learn to function in this business and NOT be taken advantage of in the process. If you are an indie band or artists you should send me your music to check out. You can go to http://underground-mix.com and at the bottom of the homepage there is a place to submit mp3's for review. I look forward to hearing from you!

Devon

Existing Indie Songs for Commercials

Brand development is a highlight of my job with Underground Mix. One of our tag lines is "We are listening...We are creating." Yes, we ARE listening to the needs of our clients and our bands and artists are creating the music of tomorrow on a daily basis. If you feel you have a song that would fit a certain product perfectly...send it my way. Remember... "We are listening...YOU are creating!!"

http://underground-mix.com

Does a songwriter/artist need a publisher?

A good friend of mine who happens to be a songwriter/artist asked me this very question this morning. Does a songwriter who is an artist NEED a publisher? What role could they potentially play in my career?

1. The quick answer is that NO a songwriter artist does not NEED a publisher. If you are strictly a songwriter a publisher can be very benneficial to your career in terms of song placement, setting up co-writing sessions and making you write outside of your comfort zone.
2. Some publishers are in the business of "Artist Development." They may find a talented songwriter/artist and offer them a deal to develop them as a songwriter and an artist and in turn pitch you to their contacts at major labels etc. This can be a very cool thing...just remember that they aren't offering this for nothing. Expect to have them ask for 100% of your publishing plus a finders fee upon the execution of your record deal.
3. Another option is to form your own publishing company through ASCAP or BMI. Trust me when I say that your songs...if GREAT will speak for themselves to major labels. Keep playing out and exposing your music to a wide variety of listeners. It is hard work, but remember... a GREAT song will get a buzz! Sometimes these publishers hear your GREAT song and want a piece of the action before someone else gets it!

KEEP WRITING!

Independent Investors

As an independent musician there is the dielmma of how do I afford to make my own record? Should I make a record? Is it time to make a record? How many songs? How much is it? How many do I press? What is a reasonalble recording budget?

These are all very valid questions that MUST be answered...honestly, these are only the tip of the iceberg so to speak when dealing with independently released records. Bear with me for a moment...lets say a close friend all of a sudden says..."I have an extra $25K laying around. I love your music and know that it would sell like hotcakes and your career would skyrocket if we did this!!!" What a great opportunity!!! Or is it?

This person may or may not have expectations in terms of involvement in your career, making their money back, marketing ect. Be very careful.

A great indie investor :
1. Can stand to lose their investment and not lose thier home, car or wife.
2. Sincerely desires to see your career grow.
3. Wants to operate as a silent partner/ not a record label.
4. Understands the uniqueness of the independent music business or is cool with giving you the reins.
5. Buries their expectations the minute they write the check.
6. Puts realistic expectations of recoupment they may have in writing.


A questionable investor:
1. Starts with great intensions but then reads an article on how to start a record label and decides you need to be his/her first artist.
2. Knows zero about the music business
3. Is greedy
4. Wants creative control
5. Is cool with a hand shake
5. Wants to own your publishing/masters.

The music business is a big sea full of life and exciting things...be careful of the occasional shark(whether they know they are being a shark or not!!!)

Beyonce wrote that????

Are you confused about who wrote your songs? Do you co-write your songs with anyone? The article linked below sheds some light on the reasons why you need to establish in writing who owns what. It is so easy to "claim" you wrote something. Beyonce does!!!

Make sure that your songs are registered to your publishing entity with your PRO (Performing Rights Organization) and your writers share as well. Then register the songs with the Federal Copywrite Office. This will relieve any doubt as to who wrote what and when. The business of being creative takes time, but it will pay off in the end...literally!

I have already met with to many independent musicians who DO NOT have any of their songs registered with ASCAP or BMI to a publishing company. News flash...you can be your own publisher. Just sign up!!!

Beyonce Claims Songwriter Credit

Indie Music Marketing

So often as creative people we find ourselves wrapped up into the creative process and forget about the marketing of our creativity! This is a common thread in the independent music community. Lets face it...we would all want to make a living with music. We are 100% into writing music and recording it but are a little "lazy" if you will at marketing ourselves and our music. Below I've listed 3 quick marketing strategies that ALL growing bands/artists should take full advantage of outside of regular gigging...

• Web presence. Have you posted your image, songs, bio, gig dates on purevolume.com, myspace.com, starpolish.com etc. ? Do you have your own website. Are you googleable?!!

• Do you have a few of your songs pressed on a disc and placed in a paper slip sleeve with a plastic window to give away for free? Press about 1000 and get going!!!

• Seek out independent magazines that reflect your interests. Not necessarily even a music magazine. Most indie mags that have content about current culture have a music section. Contact them and find a way to gain some publicity.

Why Mainstream Radio is Horrible

Ever wonder why the same songs are played over and over again on the radio. Not only the same songs...but really bad songs? Here is the answer!!!!

Bad business with Major Labels and Radio

Independent bands that are amazing will never be heard on a larger scale as long as major record labels are paying off the program directors and DJ's to spin their records. Shame on them!