Flipside

flipside ezine spring 2019

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Letter from the Editors What’s the Hype?

Noah in the Open

How to Start a Band

Music as a Whole

Basic Music Theory

What Alt Music are You?

Toss that Boss

Music Production

What Music Production Software Should I Use?

Evolution of Alternative

Tour Dates

C o n te n ts

Letter

from the

Editors

Dear Reader, There are infinite definitions and types of music, and new innovation continues to push the boundaries of the everyday sounds that we listen to. Music itself is universal, and there is a genre that appeals to everybody.

Our goal at Flipside is to further explore one of the fastest-growing and richest categories of music: alternative. Alternative music is a broad, catch-all term for many independent artists and songs outside of “mainstream� music, and it has a long history of evolution from many different elements of earlier genres. Our magazine aims to give you a comprehensive idea of alternative music by taking you from the its very beginnings to its modern form.

This issue of Flipside also features first-hand accounts from several bands and artists themselves to give you a genuine, real-life perspective about alternative and breaks down the ways that they produce and perform their music with contemporary music production technology.

See you on the flipside!

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Danielle Gu “I can’t believe we don’t use bandsaws in ezine.”

Mia broussard “I miss Ms. Moore.”

Saeyoun lee “Cannibalism is techincally legal if both sides consent.”

SyLVie daines “I can’t go a day in ezine without eating Panda Puffs.”

YEN VO “I broke God’s legs to be where I am today.”

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WHAT’S THE

Courtesy of Mia Broussard

Two feet mesmerizes the crowd at the Frank Erwin center in Austin

by Mia Broussard

HYPE?

An Explanation Of the Genre with a few too many defnitions It’s hard to classify something that’s the opposite of every definition. When someone says alternative music, one would think the music they’re referring to doesn’t fit into a category. But there’s still a song playing in their head; people understand the term. So why is it so hard to put into words?

To define anything, one should first look at its history.

Alternative got its start in the late 1970s. Back then, its sound only lived through teen rock bands and college students’ basements. It had a name too: proto-punk. Nothing really tied together the proto-punk

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sound, but it was all that was needed to begin the alternative movement. In the 80s, independent record companies began to make their own sound, one that had strayed far from the futuristic, proto-punk days. The Red Hot Chili Peppers portrayed this sound perfectly.

They released their first album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, in 1984. Although a song would occasionally reach mainstream radio, alternative mostly stayed an underground phenomenon.

“Alternative changes over time depending on what the music of the decade sounds like,” Elena Martinez, a student

at Bowie High School says.

Alternative’s history well reflects this statement.

The 1990s saw the true rise of alternative, starting with the massively influential band Nirvana. They released their breakthrough album, Nevermind, in 1991. The 1990s brought a whole new meaning to the phrase. Alternative meant songs that went against the gradient; songs that carved out their own sound. In the time period, that meant heavy guitar and aggressive vocals. But in the late 1990s, a different kind of alternative started to grow.

Artists like Beck brought out the more aesthetically pleasing side of alternative, now known as indie. Modern alternative seems to hold all these definitions and more. “[Alternative music] is when a band or person plays music that fits into genre of their own making” Stella Solaas, a student at Bowie High School, said. “[It’s a ] specific [genre] because each alternative band or song is its own thing.”

She has the common opinion that alternative has a specific style and sound that is exhibited in all of its music and is the opposite of pop. So what happens when alternative becomes the norm?

When Beck’s first album, Golden Feelings, was released in 1993, he created a new genre of music that was widely unheard of. It was defined by light vocals and an almost psychedelic style of music.

Today, most people recognize

Courtesy of Flickr Kurt Cobain

that sound as indie, and it’s all over the Billboard Top 100.

When asked what artists and genres are considered indie, Martinez replied “Billie Eilish”. “[Indie] music isn’t just hippie music...indie music is more than that” she continued, “It depends on the song.”

“[Alternative music] is when a band or person plays music that fits into genre of their own making”

Billie Eilish, an artist that represents all of the typical indie characteristics in her music, commonly releases songs at the top of the pop charts. So does this mean indie is no longer alternative? If the answer is yes, it means that alternative is a specific sound that does not change, and bands can

Courtesy of Teen Vouge Billie Eillish

move in and out of it. If the answer is no, it means that alternative is a flexible term that can follow style of music. “[Alternative is] music that’s hard to classify into a certain genre, but it leans toward the genre that it’s hard to classify in.”

Martinez said, and most people tend to agree with her.

Many people think alternative is still the ‘other’ box, and that an alternative song is simply the opposite of whatever’s popular. If what’s popular can change, so can the definition of alternative.

“Alternative...evolves[s] to fit what [alternative] artists are playing” Solaas says.

For example, Panic at the Disco is a well known pop punk band. The band was formed in 2005, and released their newest album, Pray for the Wicked, in June last year. They have consistently changed their sound with each album,

Courtesy of AllMusic Beck

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Elaborate light shows from Panic at the Disco’s set at the Frank Erwin Center

Courtesy of Mia Broussard

and flirted with many different genres, but have always fallen into the alternative category.

This suggests alternative is a flexible term. Martinez goes on to say that it is its “own kind of undefined genre which we can classify as alternative.” This is the fluid version of alternative; the one that suggests alternative itself changes over time.

sub genres under its wing.

Artists like Imagine Dragons have brought the heavier, aggressive side of alternative to the forefront, while Lorde

states, “they all have some underlying factor, besides the artist that sings the songs”.

So how does one define the instrumentals of alternative? “I “They all have some honestly think a lot underlying factor of instruments can be used in different besdies the artist that ways,” Martinez says, sings the songs” “so what one person considers to be alternative, it can have all sorts of instruments. I and Billie Eilish represent the think guitars, drums and softer indie side. However, pianos sound alternative.”

Over the past ten years, one of the most elusive things about the genre is it’s alternative has become Based on the artists nominated increasingly popular. It is one sound. Each artist writes in in the category Grammy Award of the most diverse sectors their own interpretation of for Best Alternative Music the genre, but as Martinez of music, with a multitude of

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Confetti showers the crowd at Panic at the Disco’s set at the Frank Erwin Center

Courtesy of Mia Broussard

Album, alternative features heavy guitar, prominent vocals and more complex lyrics than most pop songs. Most of the bands that won this award fit into the sub genres of alternative rock and grunge. Throughout the years this category existed, its style of music has stayed relatively the same, which suggests the specific definition of alternative.

“Alternative music is music that leans toward rock or sometimes Punk, maybe a little bit on the pop Spectrum” Martinez says.

It would seem alternative is an alternative phrase in itself. To summerize my interviewees’

opinions, alternative used to be a sound designed to go against the gradient, but it’s become its own style that’s full of remnants of what used to be avant-garde.

“Alternative music is music that leads toward rock or sometimes punk” But there is an underlying message in this definition.

If you view society through the thick-rimmed glasses of alternative, you can see a gradual acceptance and love grow for the things people don’t understand. A growth in tolerance, beautifully portrayed through music.

Alternative Record breakers

The Flaming lips - Most live

concerts in 24 hours

Beating a record previously held by Jay-Z, the Oklahoma eccentrics played eight shows in eight cities,

Charlie Simpson - Coldest concert

Simpson played a full 15 minute set in -30˚C temperatures in a remote village dubbed the ‘Pole of Cold’ in Siberia

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Noah in the Open

A Young Local Band and Evolving Culture in Music

by Danielle Gu A voice sings out over the audience and the reverberations of the bass and the keyboard ring out in the auditorium as the microphone’s echo fades out.

At first look, this might just be another local Austin band, but Noah in the Open is dedicated to producing high-quality, unique music.

Noah Levine, a student at Vandegrift High School, is the lead musician of local band Noah in the Open. He has released two EPs, “Sounds from Within” and “Feel” at the ages of 14 and 15 respectively, and he also performs at a variety of local venues in Austin.

The band regularly plays music across multiple genres of music, and he now also plays all of the instruments on background tracks for recordings including bass guitar, drums, keyboard and voice. However, bass player Anna Grace Travis, drummer Riley Wingo, guitarist Paris Foster, keyboard player Tommy Luquet and occasionally

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saxophonist Pranav Batra help cover parts for live shows. The band actively utilizes different music streaming services and social media to promote themselves, and this reflects larger analyzed trends across the music industry.

“So I picked up the guitar when I was 9,” Levine said.

“Mainly just cause my dad played a little — just little songs here and there — and I wanted to pick it up. My mom introduced me to Bruce Springsteen when I was very little, and I loved what he did and wanted to

learn how to play.”

Levine has been playing music since his childhood at the Austin School of Rock Levine smiles into the microphone as he sings. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

Noah in the Open performs together at their first show. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

where he first began to learn the guitar. Through concerts and lessons, he started to gain performance experience at events hosted by the school and learn more about the music performance industry from private lesson teachers, and this eventually motivated him to start Noah in the Open.

Levine even believes that “the ability to perform really gave [him] a taste of what [he] wanted to do.”

Even though Levine has been playing music for a long time, he still had to learn many new skills as the lead musician of Noah in the Open: “The way I used to be with the music school, we’d put on a performance and the director would introduce us,” Levine said.

“But in this case, it’s my band and I’m in front, so I have to put on a good image next to the audience and not make a fool out of the band pretty much.”

The main difference between

playing at a recital and performing as an independent group is the relationship to the audience. With a music school, the director is the head of the performance who handles all the logistics and introduction of the band, but this responsibility instead falls to the lead musician of a group at an independent performance. Despite the high

“I loved what he did and wanted to learn how to play.”

requirements, however, Noah in the Open has still performed at many different venues.

“I initially wanted to start playing in bars and stuff downtown because I used to do that with another group,” Levine said about the venues he likes best.

“But the thing about the type of music I play, it’s not really the right setting for the stuff that I do. So I love playing any sort of festival or outdoor avenue.”

Bars are some of the most common locations for a band to perform, and they are beneficial in that they allow a large group of people to hear your music in a distinctive atmosphere.

However, Noah in the Open now mainly plays at festival or outdoor venues with other more formal performances because Levine thinks that “[the bar is] not really the right setting” for the types of music that the band mainly plays. In addition, Noah in the Open has also performed at TedxYouth@ Austin, which is a local showcase for contemporary and interesting ideas within society.

“The Ted Talk thing was really formal and more geared towards the program’s needs than ours,” Levine said. “There was a lot of stress, so I don’t know if I’d do that again, I probably would, but I would keep a lot of things under my terms. [That’s why] I like outdoor venues [because] it has a very open feel, it doesn’t force you to stick around and it let’s anybody who wants to come around and listen do that.”

In the same vein, even though the band has a distinct style, Levine doesn’t identify the music he composes within one genre.

“That’s always a hard question for me, I’ve been asked that a lot… [but] I actually don’t like

Noah Levine (center) plays his guitar while performing at TedxYouth@Austin. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

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Noah in the Open stands together dressed in all black. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

that question,” Levine said, “Because I don’t like to classify myself to one genre of music because I’ll make what I wanna make.”

The band actually uses their musical flexibility as an added advantage as well in order to broaden their general audience and draw in people who like different styles. Furthermore, even though the individual genre of music varies, both EPs have the same sound balance of vocals and background tracks that feature similar instruments that produce comparable atmospheres. Levine looks up to and has taken elements of inspiration from many artists within their songs from Eric Johnson to John Mayer and even online resources.

Levine is not alone in his use of many new media platforms to both learn music as well as share it. This new movement towards the use of technology is only

a part of larger developments and cultural trends.

“When I was obsessed, I didn’t want to sit down with the teacher and learn it. I sat down at it playing on YouTube for hours and hours on end and

“When I was obsessed, I didn’t want to sit down with the teacher and learn it.” learned learned it by ear,” Levine reminisced. “It’s cool [because] I trained my ear in [a] certain way.”

Technology in particular has made it much easier for people to access the music of others in order to more easily gather inspiration or find new music. Using websites such as YouTube, Levine was able to teach himself many different

guitar solos outside of private lessons by listening alone, and he was able to learn a much larger quantity of music than during private lessons alone.

The combination of amount of practice on learning to play by ear he gained as well as the imitation of other artists’ styles have influenced Levine’s music throughout his composition and performance as his style has also adapted in the same direction.

“Technology specifically has been a big part into creating this cultural diffusion within cultural ties,” Sonia Seeman, University of Texas ethnomusicology professor, said. “And also influence in music as well as just other structures.”

Overall, technology has helped globalize genres of music as well as increase worldwide exposure to music from different countries by making it much easier to access that music.

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“I think technology has certainly made a difference in the ability to sample sources of sound... more and more is using borrowed material in a way that is meant to sort of distance the past or draw contrast between contemporary day and the past,” Alison Maggart, University of Texas professor of musical borrowing and musicology, said. “Though sometimes it can just be kind of fun.”

As reflected in Levine’s musical learning from YouTube, artists from around the world are able to “borrow” music and implement some of the same techniques within their own music. This allows for different artists to share musical ideas, collaborate, or improve their own style of playing without having to move locations.

“For example, [to see] an Indian film song in the United States you don’t even need to travel to see that anymore,” Seeman commented. “You can see it on Netflix.”

Cultural diffusion has proliferated within these countries because the increased cultural contact allows for greater cultural understanding as well. These new genres of music that are being introduced allow for better communication of one’s community within newer generations. Furthermore, the exposure to a wide variety of cultures can change the aspects of cultural ties, which changes how elements of cultures can be expressed.

However, media has created not only a proliferation in cultures, but in the amount of music produced as well.

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Noah in the Open looks out over the audience as the TedxYouth performance. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

“Small groups actually now gain an advantage within modern day society because they don’t need to immediately create their own groups or get a record label as long as people online like their music,” Seeman said.

The wide availability of technology has allowed the general public to also produce

“Technology has certainly made a difference in the ability to sample sources of sound.” their own music through a plethora of new music production software and social media. This has even helped develop musical genres in new directions as the broad category of alternative develops. It gives broader access to music overall because it also helps people who don’t have access to music

school or lessons still produce songs in an efficient manner.

“One can get a hold of a number of different technologies that really require very little specialized knowledge at first,” Maggart said. “So you don’t even need to know how to read music for example to be able to make really interesting music on different programs like Ableton Live, or Pro Tools or Logic.”

Noah in the Open is just one example of a group that incorporates technology such as music production and social media in their songwriting and music promotion. To start the process of producing a song, however, Levine first begins with creating an idea for the composition.

“Sometimes when I’m feeling something emotionally that I really just need to get out and I’ll write a song about it,” Levine said, “When I write it like that

Noah Levine (center) concentrates on the music as he performs. Photo courtesy of Ray Swartz.

but if I’m if I’m writing solely based off of a feeling of what’s going on then that’s that’s gonna be that’s that’s gonna be the more spiritual part of my songs that are coming out.”

Each songwriter has a different process for writing and composing music, but Levine uses two main methods to create his songs. The first method is more spontaneous and is based upon more improve style focus on emotions, and the second is more methodical as it works up from a basic set of lyrics as a base to a full song. After the song is written, Levine then uses multiple music production softwares to produce the song.

He currently uses Logic Pro because it is both professional and an easily available Apple software, but Levine originally used GarageBand for a long time as well for it’s straightforward learning curve.

“I mean your average five year old could use it,” Levine even commented,

“And it’s not very hard.”

After Levine produces his music, he then uses many music streaming and social media platforms to promote or advertise the release.

“I mean Instagram has been the main thing for me…[and] that’s been the main domain advertising platform that I’ve been using other than word of mouth,” Levine said, “As far as music goes I’ve released my music through a distributor though. I submit my music to them and they put my music on apple music. I use Spotify [too].”

Instagram and other social media platforms are especially useful for smaller artists because it allows them to gain wider recognition and promote their music to a larger audience, but on the flip side, it is also but it also makes it harder for the public to determine what music is good as the amount of musical content online proliferates.

“There’s a plus side and a minus side to the to the whole technology aspect of the music world. Because yes it allows me to get my name out there more...but the problem with that is everyone’s doing that,” Levine said. “So the internet is flooded and flooded over and over with these musicians who we think they’re think they’re the ones you know whether they are or they’re not is irrelevant...If you can get yourself out there but it’s really easy to get lost lost in the sea.”

Despite some of the challenges that Levine has faced, he is still optimistic about the future of Noah in the Open: “I think we have a really good thing going on..and being in a group that could really be something is very cool,” Levine said, “And I think that if I stay on top of it I could lead this group to something pretty impressive.” Overall, as Noah in the Open keeps performing and growing, they will continue to stand out within Austin.

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How to start a band

Starting a band is difficult task for anyone and a confusing process to begin. There are many steps involved in both the planning and performing that can be difficult to follow, so if you’ve ever wanted to be the head of your own musical group, then all you have to do is follow these steps to your success!

by Danielle Gu

1. ASK

Ask around within friends, acquantaines, or even online in your area to find and reach out to potential members! Make sure to contact people who play a variety of instruments to help fill roles within the band.

2. Brainstorm Brainstorm with other members of the band and decide on a general music genre, inspiration (who you want to sound like) and where you envision the band going! Make sure to detail everything carefully so there is no diagreement or confusion.

3. ADvertise

Put up advertisements to both fill any empty slots and let people know about your new band! Make certain that the type of band you are and your contact info is clearly listed.

Information provided by

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Lee Johnson from www. ourpastimes.com, Noah Levine, and SonicBids Blog

4. Rehearse Find a rehearsal space! It’s time to get this show on the road and plan times to meet as well as where!

The location is key to the focus of the band, so be sure to pick a calm and professional space.

5. jam Now that al the logistics are sorted out, start playing together.

Lots of practice with the band will help you become more accustomed to playing together and see if everyone works well together as a group.

6. compose When you’ve rehearsed and played together a little, start to write your own music. Pick one method of writing songs that works with your band, wither with just one person or collaboratively. Try to take inspiration from other bands that you previously thought of.

7. perform After all that hard work, it’s time to get recognized! Ask around at local music venues to get booked for a show, even if it’s only a small performance. School events can also help increase exposure and recognition.

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Music as a Whole by seiyeon Lee

Photo courtesy to Skunk Manhattan.

music and different musicians’ varying experiences Music and musicians vary from person to person.

All musicians have their own stories, which may be hinted at by their style and performances. However, due to the nature of performers and people of similar careers, they may not be able to fully express

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themselves, sticking to a persona that they may have developed for the stage. As Skunk Manhattan, musician and frontman of A Good Rogering states, “... the romanticised versions of all these iconic rock stars and the stories and all these fascinating things is part of what makes it so cool, along with the music, but a lot of that iis for show.”

Like any kind of media that

includes creativity in it, music carries along a deeper meaning or depth.

Depending on whether you are a professional or simply a hobbyist, there are many ways and experiences you may have with music. Even within professionals, there are many different types of professional musicians, ranging from soloists, to bands, to non vocalist musicians, all of which would bring a different colour to the world of music.

There are differences between playing alone and with a group, each with their pros and cons. “It’s really gratifying for lots of people to play whatever instruments by themselves, it’s enjoyable and fun and a hobby, but for me, it was always something I wanted to do right from the start, to get in a band and

play music and perform,” Manhattan said. “Sometimes it’s really exciting and you’re being creative with other people...but sometimes it feels stagnant or there’s turmoil in the band, or someone’s not carrying their weight.”

This comes to show how much teamwork is necessary in any kind of work that involves cooperation between others. Although some may find being in a band as an ideal career or something that can be only fun, there can easily be disagreements between band members and this can cause the group to not be able to cooperate.

“Being a good capable musician is obviously a necessity, but I would say more importantly, it’s the character of the people you are working with.”

Manhattan said. “It doesn’t matter how good somebody is if they’re not a cool person, or if they’re a nightmare to work with.” This also adds to how much teamwork is a valued

trait if you are to work with anyone, including in music.

However, there may be slight differences with different styles of music as well.

“It doesn’t matter how good somebody is if they’re not a cool person, or if they’re a nightmare to work with.”

“The first thing about going into a rehearsal like that before a concert is that you have to know your part really solidly.” pianist and educator Dr. Scott Donald said. “You have to know everything about what you’re playing and then bereally familar with what the orchestra is supposed to be playing, and how you

fit with the orchestra.”

In a more instrumental ensemble such as an orchestra, there are normally more people present than the amount of people who would be in a band. In an orchestra of that size, the conductor is the person leading everyone, and to be in sinc, the orchestra members must follow what the conductor says as well as knowing how they harmonise with the other sections.

“You have to do your homework going into that, so when you sit down, you know what’s going to happen and you know that you’re ready for that conductor to say ‘Hey, we’re going to do this and there’.” Donald said. “As part of that, the conductor has to know their job too.

They’re the ones that really control the environment and the tempo on everything.”

While performing music is one thing, it’s creation itself can be a long process that is not dictated by any formal rule.

Photo courtesy to Laurie Armstrong.

Manhattan taking a photoshoot, posing with his guitar in a swamp in Louisiana

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“I don’t feel like I ever had a methodical way of approaching it that sometimes you really just get in the zone and you start being creative.” Manhattan said. “I think a lot of times getting into that place and starting is the hardest part.”

As creativity cannot be forced, this is a likely possibility for people who are creators of a sort, whether it is in music, art, writing, or something else. A forced piece may not be as good, but sometimes this is needed.

“When you have to do things, your hand is forced and you get the job done.” This shows that sometimes, as musicians do perform and, depending on the person, create music for a living, there still is an aspect to it where you need “I think if I go back and start listening to something and I keep wanting to listen to it and hear it over and over, that it tells me that it’s good,” Manhattan said. “At least it’s good to me and if it’s good to me, someone else is probably going to like it that’s what I found too. Even sometimes when I write something and I’m like ‘I don’t know, it’s a little cheesy”, and all of a sudden, lots of people are 22 | Flipside — Spring Ezine 2019

like ‘Oh I love that song, it’s one of my favourite songs’.”

This shows the aspects of music that the creator should not create a music that they themselves do not enjoy either, as this would ruin the creative aspects or destroy the entertainment in performing the song. Rather than forcing

“I think if I go back and start listening to something and I keep wanting to listen to it and hear it over and over, that it tells me that it’s good,”

oneself to create music that they may not like themselves in hopes of reaching a greater audience, it could be better to create music that you enjoy and can truly put your heart and soul into.

“I, on my personal opinion, believe people should do what’s in their hearts and create what you love

because somewhere out there, someone will resonate with it.” Manhattan said.

This comes to show how there is thought that is put into creating music, and how it is not only a fun career to hold.

Music, especially playing with a group, has importance in working with others well, as well as being able to know what you are doing while performing. The creative part of music shouldn’t be ignored though, as music is meant to be another way of telling stories, using sound and notes. Music can inspire many as well, and cause others to be more exposed to and open to a career path where you can truly express yourself.

If used right, music is an outlet that one can let out their true feelings and thoughts, even if you create or perform it as a hobby and not a full time job.

Even if others may not be listening to what you have created, the process of creating music is just as important as the final result. telling stories, using sound and notes. Music can inspire many as well, and cause others to be more exposed to and open to a career path where you can truly express yourself.

Photo courtesy to YES Academy.

Scott Donald posing in a studio with his piano for a professional photo.

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START

Are you usually shy around people, but eventually get out of your shell when you are able to do what you like when given the opportunity?

No Are you outgoing and prefer to “go with the flow� instead of waiting for opportunity to arise?

Yes Maybe

Yes No

Do you creative p whether

Do you consid an emotiona

u believe that you’re a person in your freetime, it be in any form of art?

der yourself al person?

Yes No

Courtesy to Craig Strickland

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Toss That Boss!

Manager’s also need to manage their temper.

By: Yen Vo

Many know the

characteristics that implies to be a good manager and team leader, for he must obtain positive work ethics and integrity to speak to team members with the end goal of teamwork in the mind. If there were to be a negative boss in position, both business and workers will suffer poorly and only will the workers be motivated with paychecks.

Instead of explaining more on what it takes to be a good leader, here is what it takes to remove a terrible boss from their positions, or at least lead him to understand his actions.

Usually bands threat to break up and go on hiatus or a short leave to be a solo artist, yet if these bands have created a one hit album or so on, they usually return as bittersweet as it may be.

As always, money is at stake 28 | Flipside — Spring Ezine 2019

Courtesy of Lansing State Journal

on the table when it comes with breaking up a famous band. Another may be that there are too much bickering or drifting between the group, causing everyone to decide that it is best to go on their separate ways.

Compromise and agreement is important is any group, but if a toxic rock leader is around instead neglects this and persuades them to continue for his benefits instead of the bandmates. In the end, multiple rock bands disperse due to lack of popularity of Rock’n’Roll in the media, that even a forceful manager can’t stop from happening.

From the Forbes article it quotes “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers” and taking a survey for people to take, ultimately this quote is true. A huge part of employers complaints towards these bosses is

for not being recognized for their efforts, or feeling overworked and less awarded. Two thirds of the group states that having a good relationship with the manager satisfies their needs to be seen as a person, but this doesn’t always work out well to those who aren’t inept with relationship skills.

Most people will hop off from the site to another if the opportunity is given.

For the purpose of this article, terrible rock management will be compared with business managers.

From the website Investopedia, nearly 30% of first time businesses end up failing after the first year or two, whereas a whopping 66% end up failing in a matter of 10 years or less.

Many aspects prove to how businesses do not last long:

“People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers” - forbes.com

The manager. It is already difficult for a person to manage money for supplies and keep the workers wages consistent as it never comes easily, but in many cases the boss does not own up to his poor managing and puts that blame onto their workers. Doing so of course causes more conflict than it does help.

The clear difference between a manager and leader is that a manager observes that someone is able to do their job correctly. Though there are some that even fear that their workers are doing far too well, causing the manager to either have to share power with the person or be demoted as the others’ promoted. This conflict causes manager’s to see workers as inferior although workers are only doing their job.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

Colonel Tom Parker: Elvis Presley’s manager, they two worked together to create and sold many of Presley’s music. Due to Parker being an illegal immigrant of America, he never allowed Preseley to perform abroad. Once the Beatles surpassed Presley’s works, Preseley’s income dropped and his health deterioated over time, by then Parker hardly seen Presley til his death.

Albert Grossman: Allen Klein:

Courtesy of Pop Expresso Flipside — Spring Ezine 2019 | 29

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Aragorn Eissler discusses and helps his students with music production at Kealing Middle School.

Music Production How the universalization of music production has impacted alternative music

by Sylvie Daines

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The world as we know it is changing quickly and music is changing with it. One of the forces adapting music the most is the technology, and alternative music in particular is being adapted the fastest. The digital age has brought much into music and musical artists, for the better or the worse.

Music production and the digital age in general have allowed for all artists and bands, even ones with little money, to easily get a start in the music scene. Alternative bands are usually less popular than other genres and it’s harder for them to get a start because of the lack of listeners, and the amount of money needed can scare small and poor bands off; however, music production and the Internet have reduced this starting price by having cheap or even free ways of creating, editing and publishing music.

Despite this, once these bands start, it’s a lot harder for them to make any money because it’s much more easy than it used to be to get music for free using software like Spotify and SoundCloud, which pay artists a lot less than they need or deserve.

“I think music production changed alternative music in particular by allowing the bands and artists to easily create music,” Will Pollack, a senior in local Austin band, Court Jester said. “Everybody can make music nowadays.

Before you would have to pay money… but now anybody can make music easily with free or cheap software and publish your music for free.”

A msuic production studio at Aragorn Eissler’s classroom.

Music production softwares, or Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), today are easily accessible, have simple layouts easy to figure out and have many pre-made sounds so the user doesn’t have to purchase their own instruments. Drums, guitars, piano, bass, and other physical instruments cost significantly more and take much more skill, practice and time to use than the digital instruments that all DAWs provide.

These digital instruments are simple and easily recorded.

There’s a wide range of these instruments so that you can get exactly what you want, and it goes even further than that by allowing you to add effects

and even edit the instruments themselves. You don’t have to be able to play the piano or guitar to make music how you want with these instruments, and that makes creating music easily accessible to everyone everywhere.

Ableton Live, an expensive DAW, has a physical version of these digital instruments called a Push, with many buttons and knobs to make it even easier to use these instruments. “It allows us to get started right away making drumbeats and making melodies without having to take piano lessons or guitar lessons,” Aragorn Eissler, a music production teacher at Kealing Middle School

“It just allows us to get right into making music.”

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Court Jester performs togeter with drummer Finn Rafferty (middle) and guitarist Will Pollack (right)

said. “It just allows us to get right into making music.”

Many DAWs have different versions of this Ableton Push, such as Novation’s Launchpad Pro or the Akai MPD. Ableton Live specializes in live performances and so the Push is simple, quick, and straightforward to customize.

You can make a single knob do exactly what you want and change multiple effects and instruments exactly as you want all at once. It could take a while to set up for the performance, but once you’re ready, everything will go smoothly.

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“[DAWs] definitely support live music. So many people are creating and so many people are DJing live performances of their own music. They first produce the music in the software and then they DJ it to the crowd,” Eissler said.

“I do [think that takes zaway from the live music experience], but people seem to enjoy it anyways.”

Many people love to see bands’ live performances for the person-on-person interactions, the crowd, the lights, and just the overall experience, but a lot of the times the actual

music is worse quality than it is in recorded versions. The artists take an enormous amount of time to get the recorded song to sound exactly how they want, recording parts over and over to get it perfect, as well as adding and editing effects, but this amount of precision is nearly impossible when performing music live. As software evolves, you can get closer, but you only have one try to get the whole song right, which can make the song sound much worse than the recorded and published version.

DAWs have definitely

evolved over the years, but they can still improve.

“All of the music production softwares combined have everything you could ever want, but each individual one has problems,” Pollack said. “All of the different companies individually need to evolve so that you can have just one music production software you can use for everything; if I bought all of the softwares I know of I would be completely happy but I can’t just buy one and have everything I want.”

DAWs, as Pollack said, need

to improve individually so you can be satisfied with just one, but even the fact that all of them combined can do exactly what you would like is fascinating to think about.

Anything that you would like

“So many people are creating and so many people are DJing live performances of their own music.” to do with your music you can do, and even if there isn’t a digital instrument for what you want, you can create your own or get one off of the Internet.

Modern technology has greatly evolved alternative music as we know it and brought it to be what it is today by impacting who can create music and how they can create that music.

It has allowed more artists and bands to create music for cheaper and allowed them to create the exact music they want to. In Eissler’s words, “music production just enables the artists to create in any way they want to.”

So many people are creating and so many people are DJing live performances of their own music.

Photos courtesy of Spotify and Instagram

Will Pollack plays the guitar at a show with his band, Court Jester

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What music production start If you’re wanting to start to use music production in the songs and albums you create and you’re wondering which one you should use, just take this quiz and learn!

It asks basic questions about the prominent characteristics of different softwares to find the best fit for you.

Garage band is a music production software that comes free with all apple computers. It’s a really good beginner software and comes with both MIDI recording and pre-recorded materials.

garage band

I have music production experience no I am willing to pay to get a better software no I have a... mac windows

Audacity isn’t specifically a music production software (Digital Audio Workstation or DAW) but is a Digital Audio Editor or DAE, which means that it doesn’t have all of the capabilities of a “workstation” but it can still be used to make music. It has no builtin pre-recordings like most DAWs have, but it makes it very easy for you to edit your own recordings to perfection. Because this is its speciality, you can edit in many audio forms such as WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP2 or MP3 audio files. You can change speed and pitch, mix sounds together and convert tapes and records into digital recordings.

audacity

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yes

yes

software should I use? courtesy of DWM Press

I have a...

mac

windows

LOGIC PRO

I want to perform my music live yes

Logic pro is an iOS-only software, which makes it easily integretable with other Apple products like iTunes, but it means you can only use it if you have a Mac. This software has a compex interface and isn’t reccomended for beginners.

no

fL studio

courtesy of Facebook Albeton live is an entry-level or professional music proudction software that specializes in helping you create music quickly, so that you’re able to do it live on stage.

You can also make music beforehand, and it makes it quickly accessible and editable.

ableton live

FL Studio, previously known as Fruity Loops, is a music production software good for both beginners and advanced users. One of its most recognized features is its sampler. You can easily and quickly put in samples and edit them. information provided by Aragorn Eissler, Will Pollack and Rob Mayzes from musiconamission.com.

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Evolution of Alternative It’s more of a Family tree but whatever

-Mark Josephson, Executive Director of the New Music Seminar speaking in 1988

2000

The 2000s saw the rise of emo and punk rock. This sound it highlighted the agressive sounds and vocals of its predecesors.

Gerard Way of My Cheical Romance Courtesy of The Klavir

Kurt Cobain, lead singer of the band Nirvana.

Grunge rock soared in popularity throughout the 90s.

This movement was lead by Nirvana, and trademarked by heavy guitar and agressive vocals

alternative Rock Subgernres -Pop punk -roots rock -alt hip hop - electronic rock -electronic alt

“Alternative isn’t new wave any more, it’s a disposition of mind. Alternative music is any kind of music that has the potential to reach a wider audience.”

“Words are more powerful than some noises.

Noises won’t last long.. and people don’t realise that.”

- punk

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- Billie Eilish

1990

THE GRE

At the cusp of the nineties, alter own genre...with a few Courtesy of Variety

2010 Modern Grunge and alternative rock are some of the most lively categories of music to date. Althugh they commonly feature guitar and prominant vocals, each band holds its own unique sound.

Although pop dominates the charts, alternative carries the richest

JJ Julius Son, lead singer of band Kaleo

Courtesy of Paige Parson

1970

1980

The Red Hot Chili Peppers preform at the Grammys.

They, along with bands such as Jane’s Addiction and Nine Inch Nails, helped showcase the diversity seen across the genre

courtesy of the Grammys

Throughout the eighties , alternative lived in college radio stations and independent record labels. Although the occasional song would reach the mainstream media, alternative remained an underground phenomenon.

A Fender classic series

The roots of found in music had stlye with

1990

EAT DIVIDE

2000 Courtesy of Dan Garcia

Beck, a Grammy winning indie artist.

rnative began to evolve into it’s w to many definitons

Coortesy of DiscoverMucis

Taking a softer approach, Indie Rock began to grow 90s. Their sound was a mix of phycadelic rock and the lighter side of classic alternative rock.

2010

Bille Eilish, an independent Indie Arstist

The Indie style has had a large influence on modern pop and alternative. Arists like Lorde and Bille Eilish have helped it develope it’s own unique vocal sound, often referred to as the ‘indie girl voice’. Modern Indie usually features softer vocals and more influence on electronic sounds.

the gerne are the 1970s. This a garage band heavy influence

Courtesy of ssense. com

Britt Daniel, lead singer of the Band Spoon

Throughout the 2000s, Indie created it’s own niche in the alternative scene, with it’s own unique indie sound.

Indie subgenres -Indie Pop -Electro pop - experamental pop -experamental rock -pycadelic Alt “The duty of youth is to challenge corruption.”

-Kurt Cobain,

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Tour Dates red hot chili peppers

Beck August 16 Osaka, Japan August 17 Tokyo, Japan September 22 Singapore, Singapore

Courtesy of nme.com

Courtesy of Radio X

Billie Eilish

Courtesy of Stereeo.com

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May 25 Middlesbrough, UK May 29 San Francisco, CA May 31 Portland, OR

imagine Dragons

July 11 Ridgefield, WA July 13 George, WA July 16 Mountain View, CA

Panic at The Disco

June 21 Dover, DE October 3 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Courtesy of XPN/The Key

Lovelytheband May 24, Napa, PA June 2 Florence, Italy August 4 Canton, OH

Courtesy of

Courtesy of AZCentral

Centennilight

May 21 Los Angeles, CA May 22 San Francisco, CA May 23 Sacramento, CA

alt Rock indie rock alt pop indie po new wave hardecore punk post-p hop britpop college rock dream p rock math rock neo-psychedelia nu gaze post-britpop post-grunge revival alternative metal alternat dance ska punk alternative r&b

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Courtesy of Gettyimages

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Courtesy of Pinterest