The Most Heard, Least Known Composers In America
For those in the industry, you know that mastering a song takes time and effort. Record producer Rick Rubin requested an iTunes-specific master on the latest Red Hot Chili Peppers release, I’m With You. The song now has three formats one for iTunes, one for CD, and one for Vinyl. Although unusual now, this trio of formats, may soon become mainstream. Which format do you prefer – tell us your thoughts! http://bit.ly/qBN4iC
… is a 22 one hour episode television series following talented singer songwriters as they chase their dreams across the Lone Star State. Debuts all across America beginning September 22.
When it comes to writing music for a documentary series, reality show, film or even the network news, the process is always the same. In order to create a piece that fits your client best, it is essential to determine what sound your client is looking for. It is best to sit down with your client and ask them essential questions such as: What image are you wishing to convey through the music, what is your target demographic and what is your marketing objective? Asking these questions and filling in the details makes it all the easier to give them the perfect sound.
When clients describe in words what they want their show to sound like, certain key words come up and immediately give you a direction in which to go with the sound. Words like “hard hitting” or “family-oriented” automatically trigger certain notes and musical patterns that can be used. In time, you will develop a musical short-hand with descriptive words. Then you add in your skills, your art and your science to convey the client’s image the way they want it conveyed … but do so through music.
When it comes to news music specifically, each station is different but often has a similar goal in terms of sound. For this reason, music packages need to span a range of moods while working throughout the broadcast day. Each package must have morning, breaking news, sports and weather themes that appeal to the same targeted demographic, but does so dynamically. For example, a good news package for NBC would effectively appeal to people all over the county in multiple markets, but not have a generic sound. It should be appropriately fitted to the needs of the NBC station it represents, as well as the demographic which it wishes to reach.
The question that remains is how do you convey an emotion to a certain type of person through music? What one person may see as emotional and heart wrenching, another person might see as sappy and cheesy. They go hand in hand, which is why it is so important to not only know what mood or overall feel each client is going for, but whom they are trying to reach. This is what good music does. It manipulates the emotions – but only works if the intended audience is targeted properly.
There’s nothing new about the sonic brand, it’s been going on for tens of thousands of years. Think about the rooster crowing, the thunder from the lightning. All these things are basically the foundation of what a sonic brand is: They evoke an emotional response when somebody hears it.
What a sonic brand really does is evoke something in your brain that says, “Hey, go do this,” or “Get ready for that,” or “Watch out!” So when you heard thunder, you’d go into the cave for shelter, or when you heard the rooster crowing you knew it was time to get up and go to work plowing the fields. Or your brain would be able to differentiate between whether you were hearing a snake in the grass, or just the wind.
That’s the relationship from a psychological, scientific perspective of what sound does. It’s interesting because the only way sound can work that way is if it’s connected to something that happens over and over again: It’s the repetition of sound that causes us to say, “I need to go and do this now.”
Fast forward to today when you’ve got wide-reaching sonic signatures, like the ones my company has done for the Weather Channel or CNN Headline News. I don’t think these came about because mankind one day just said, “OK, we’re going to take a sound and exploit it.” It was obviously an evolutionary process. Because it went from being just nature to everything around us: the whistle of a train coming into a station, an alarm clock, a boiling coffee pot, your Blackberry, car keys in the ignition…you name it. If you made a list of all the sound signals you heard throughout the day, from the moment you woke up until you went to bed, it would be unbelievably long – you can’t consciously think about all the ways you use sounds in your life.
But at some point our tendency to associate sounds with events and reactions was recognized as, “We can use this to get people to remember our products or services.”
In the commercial aspect, many times a listener feels like they hate a sonic brand, and they’ll say, “I don’t want to hear that again.” But as we point out in some of our presentations, “Sometimes you love it. Sometimes you hate it. And sometimes you hate that you love it!”
Heard a great unknown singer-songwriter? indie band? We’re looking for them.
Send us a track (stephenarnold@stephenarnoldmusic.com) and each month we will post and everyone will vote. The winner will recieve a very cool guitar from Stephen’s collection.
All entries must be received via email by 30th of each month. Winner will be annouced 7 days later.
Kool stuff from your friends at SAM.
At last week’s PromaxBDA conference in New York City we gave away more cool stuff, including 2 guitars (one ‘Hendrix’ model Strat, and a Tom Petty autographed Telecaster), as well as some awesome leather jackets & boots, and even a copy of Stephen Arnold’s forthcoming book “A Story of Six Strings.”
Congratulations to all our winners:
• Elizabeth Massip of Bravo won the Fender Telecaster autographed by Tom Petty.
• Dave Hirschberg of Telemundo took home the Hendrix replica Fender Strat.
• Terry Gallagher of Discovery nabbed the female leather jacket and boots
• Chad Reed of Golf Channel will soon be sporting the King Ranch leather jacket.
• John Dance of CNN won a copy Stephen Arnold’s book “A Story of Six Strings”
Stephen Arnold (left) with guitar winners Dave Hirschberg of Telemundo (center); and Elizabeth Massip of Bravo.
Check out our latest innovation — “Locals Only™” – an entirely new user/client-sourced music package and platform that provides clients with music branding that constantly evolves and refreshes. Tapping the efficiency of social media applications, ”Locals Only” is a unique, private community that shares in the use and creation of branded music content.
Check out this article from TV Newscheck.com and this one from Broadcasting & Cable.
And if you’re heading to NYC this week for PromaxBDA, stop by our display at the Grand Ballroom entrance on the 3rd fl. We’ll be giving away 2 guitars including a Telecaster autographed by Tom Petty and a one-of-a-kind ”Hendrix” strat. Details are here.
Be sure to stop by our display at this year’s PROMAX in New York at the Grand Ballroom Entrance, 3rd Floor. We’ll be giving away five amazing items: A one of a kind, “Hendrix” replica Fender Strat, a Fender Telecaster autographed by Tom Petty, two beautiful Texas leather jackets, and Stephen’s book “A Story of Six Strings.” Drawing this Thursday, June 30th, 12:30pm. Details Here!
Also, Stephen & Chad will be speaking in two great sessions. Be sure to stop by for “Marketing Genius” on Wednesday and “Music, Sound Design and the Art of Sonic Branding” on Thursday.
Stephen Arnold – Marketing Genius Session
Wednesday, June 29th, 5pm
Grand BallroomJoin a panel of industry-leading opinion makers as they take on judging the industry’s best promotions and marketing campaigns. In this insightful and entertaining session, marketing and creative executives present their original briefs, show the resulting works and brace for the candid feedback from those behind some of the biggest brands out there.
Moderator:
To Be AnnouncedJudges:
Susan Credle, CCO, Leo Burnett USA
Judah Friedlander, Comedian & Actor, 30 Rock
John Miller, CMO, NBC Universal Television Group; Head, NBC Sports AgencyPresenters:
Stephen Arnold, President, Stephen Arnold Music
Bruce Brauer, SVP, Creative Services/Advertising & Promotions/Marketing Agency, CBS Television Stations Group
Bear Fisher, SVP, Creative Director, E! & Style Networks
Terence Lee, Founder, Principal & Creative Director, ROGER
Chad Cook – Music, Sound Design and the Art of Sonic Branding
Thursday, June 30th at 11:30amPromaxBDA BOOTCAMP 2011
America’s Hall IIMusic, Sound Design and the Art of Sonic Branding
You’ve got killer copy and eye-popping graphics – but alone those are not going to cut it. Music is the most effective way to reach your audience, allowing consumers to emotionally connect to your message and brand. Hear from an expert in the art of sonic branding, original music/sound design and the use of licensed music open your mind and ears to the science of choosing the right music for your promos and branding.
Speakers:
Chad Cook, VP, Creative Director, Stephen Arnold Music
John Dance, Senior Writer/Producer, On-Air Promotion/Marketing, CNN
Mary Jo Smith, Creative Director, Alternative & Comedy Series, ABC Entertainment Marketing
What happened in Vegas is NOT staying in Vegas. Here are some more photos from last week’s PROMAX Station Summit.
Our giveaway winners with Stephen Arnold (right)
Billboard Top 100
