Categories
Uncategorized

Navasio

Navasio March has been a crazy busy month. It’s taken me this long to actually write a post about my new album. Sure, I mentioned that RPM was done weeks ago, but never got to follow up with details on Navasio.

Navasio features 5 songs which provide 36 minutes of music. I recorded all of the guitars, bass, and vocals myself, and some of the cymbals. I used a variety of drum loops and samples as well.

So now it’s out there. You can find a page for the album at rasterweb.net/music. There are various links there, which I will outline below:

  • CD Baby: You can buy an actual CD (with a cover, and case and everything) from CD Baby. Great for people who like physical media, or really want to support what I’ve done with a cash money contribution. I have no idea if I will ever sell one, but it will be interesting to see what happens. Interesting enough, the album seems to get at least a few hits every day there. That may just be because it’s still new. The real reason to put it on CD Baby is because you can get it distributed to Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, and the iTunes store. CD Baby is a great company, so putting there is a neat thing to do.

  • Amie Street: Currently you can “buy” the album for $0.00 – what a deal! Amie Street has an interesting business model. As more people discover your music and download/purchase it, the price goes up. The idea is that the artist is rewarded proportionately by how popular their music is. (My 2008 album is available for 27 cents, which should tell you the concept works quite well.)

  • Jamendo: These guys are a community of free, legal and unlimited music published under Creative Commons licenses. Yes, Navasio is published under a Creative Commons license. Jamendo has all sorts of “partner programs” which could help your music get used in other ways. Background music, ringtones, webradio play… Weird stuff, but hey, I like promoting Creative Commons, so it’s all good.

  • RPM Challenge: The whole reason I record an album in Frbruary is because of the RPM Challenge. They provide a jukebox where people can hear (and possibly download) your music. Works for me…

  • Last.fm: It’s interesting to see how many people might “scrobble” my songs, but it’s also possible to put songs on Last.fm for people to download, so I did. I’m guessing 95% of the “scrobbles” there are from me, but that’s ok.

  • Facebook: Now, if any of my 4 fans even want the inside scoop, this is the place to get it! You too can become a fan of “Pete Prodoehl” on Facebook, which honestly sounds a little silly to me, but hey, it’s all part of the grand experiment.

What’s that? No… you won’t find it on Myspace, because I pretty much hate Myspace. I know, if I was in a real band who had to promote themselves, I’m sure it would be added to the list. And I’m sure there are other places as well, but I mainly chose my favorites to use.

Making music is pretty much just a “hobby” of mine (though I have also done it professionally) and I like to share it with others, and make it available for people at no cost, but also provide the option of people being able to pay for it if they wish to. That’s what this is all about. So feel free to visit rasterweb.net/music and find a place you can get Navasio from…

(TO DO: I really need a post about how things have changed compared to 20 years ago for indie bands putting out a release…)

Categories
Uncategorized

Pondering

Pondering

I’ve been playing with HDR photography and tone mapping a bit…

Categories
Audio Channel Uncategorized

Bucketworks Radio Commercial

Occasionally at Z2 Marketing, I engineer radio commercials. If you still listen to commercial radio, you may have heard one of them!

Well yesterday I was communicating with Jenn from Bucketworks, and we somehow came up with an idea to create a radio commercial for Bucketworks. Gabe agreed to be the voice, and Dana from Z2 Marketing re-wrote Gabe’s script, which was loosely based on my idea, which was way too long (but very amusing) so the results is below…

I love the fact that an idea can go from concept to completion within just a few hours. Granted, it helps when you have all the facilities at your disposal, and people willing to help. When creative people work together, good things can happen.

You can download an MP3 of this commercial, or an alternate version with no background music.

If you do a podcast, or a radio show, we’d love for you to play it. Thanks!





Categories
Uncategorized

EXPERT

EXPERT

Everyone needs an expert…. I am that expert!

Categories
Uncategorized

Design like you mean it…

Hey, did you see that new logo for the Wisconsin Tourism Department? Did you make a snarky comment, or just come straight out say say “it sucks!”? Probably…

Wisconsin

But, like most things… I’m sure there is more to the story.

I often speak about the difference between art and design. Yes, there is a difference. An artist creates work to satisfy themselves, while the designer creates work to satisfy the client. You could say the artist is their own client, which is why artists die poor. Designers, on the other hand, try to create work that is great, work they can be proud of, work that solves problems… but ultimately, the client makes the decisions.

So, when you hear that some company got $50,000 for a lame logo that totally sucks, you are outraged, and you make fun of it, and call it a “rip off” and say that your third grader could do better. While these things may be true, there are always other things to consider.

I can almost guarantee the State of Wisconsin did not just write a check to some company for $50,000 and a week later got this amazing logo in an email. You’ve dealt with government, right? The project probably took 3 years, and involved dozens of people, none of which agreed on anything. I’m sure there were better ideas that were scrapped, and there may be a whole campaign involving radio, tv, and print that is part of the $50,000. (Which would actually be a pretty tiny campaign.)There may have even been multiple people tagged as the “decision maker” throughout the process, which may have changed every month, or week, or maybe even the classic “design by committee” where a group of 20 people all had to agree on one thing, and ultimately, this was the outcome. (Hint: there’s a reason Steve Jobs makes all the decisions at Apple.)

Oh, not to mention, there are usually specific requirements a company has to meet to work with government organizations, including things like who owns the company, what involvement the company has with other organizations… you know, bureaucracy stuff. It’s what government is known for!

The designers I know, the ones who still have a passion for design, and haven’t just given up yet, love to be proud of their work, and want what they feel is best for the client… but at the end of the day, the client is the customer, and the customer is always right… right? (OK, the customer is not always right, but with the economic situation today, most companies are not in a position to fire their clients.)

If you’ve worked in the design industry, you’ve probably created work for a client that you didn’t like, or actually hated, but the client loved it, so you delivered it. It’s not going in your portfolio, and you don’t admit you designed it, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes…

And if you’re wondering… yes, I too think this logo stinks, but I blame the client.

(Disclaimer: I’ve worked in the design industry for many years, and am currently working with Z2 Marketing. I have a BFA in Graphic Design, but my titles have never included the word “designer” in them.)