Staying connected with Music Associations to protect your music!

It has always been a dream of mine to work in the music industry! However I feel like everyone should understand the issues that can affect this industry and what associations are set in place to help. The Internet has changed the way we buy and listen to music. The changes have had both positive and negative effects on the industry. Many would say that the industry is having trouble, while others think that the Internet has help enhance the industry and brought new technology. The Internet has greatly enhanced piracy and influenced the use of online radio. Two major issues that the industry is facing are, downloading and streaming. The Internet has increased piracy problems in the music industry by making it easier to get music. Piracy is defined as illegally making copies of copyright material without getting permission (Colons English Dictionary).  A company that can help with this issue is called RIAA.

The Recording Industry Associations of America (RIAA) is an organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major companies. Their job is to help protect the music, artist and company’s rights, weather it is illegal downloading, sales or breaking certain laws. The RIAA members are a combination of record labels. Downloading has always been an issue in the entertainment industry. According to The Recording Industry Association of America, “The Internet offers music lovers virtually limitless possibilities” (riaa.com). Many consumers have taken on the mind frame of, why pay when you can get it for free! Downloading was convenient and you could do it at anytime or place. I am honest to say that I had that same mind frame until recently when I stated educating myself on these issues. I was very unaware of how it was affecting the artist and companies that I love and wanted to work for. I began to read more about companies like RIAA that are set in place to protect our music industry and artist.

The RIAA has other companies that are connecting with them to help artist and other entertainers protect their products and services. One that I am very aware of is Broadcast Music Inc or BMI. This company helps with collecting fees and paying out royalties to people who composed, distributed or published the music. Overall BMI is set in place to make sure that your song gets license and if it is used by anyone that you collect your royalties. The company also offers other programs and resources like career building and song writing support.

Although I am not personally an artist I feel that everyone should be connected to this association, because we should be aware of the issues that is affecting the music industry. I work with different artist everyday and for me to not be aware of these issues is saying I do not care about my artist. Please educate your self on your rights and get all your music licensed. Also please tell your friends, family and associates to stop downloading and purchase the music that these artist, composers and producers have worked so hard on. In the end the music industry is the way it is because of its fans so lets help it grow and become stronger. If you want to know more about RIAA and BMI click on the links below.

RIAA

http://www.riaa.com

BMI

http://www.bmi.com

My analysis on how to live before you die speech

How to live before you die by Steve Jobs (TED.com)

Listening to the speech that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University commencement was very inspirational.  For many of you that may not know Steve Jobs, he is the CEO and Co-Founder of Apple and Pixar. Some would not consider him their most favorable person, but he has created some of the best technology that we use today and that was all because he thought outside the box. He did not settle and adapt to what the society wanted but did what made him happy. However in his speech to the graduating class of 2005, he encourages them to pursue their dreams and do not allow the setbacks in life to stop you, but use them as opportunity to do better. Steve tells three stories in his life that could have set him back but instead, he used them as stepping stoles to learn and do better.

The first story that Steve told was about connecting the dots! He explains how his mom put him up for adoption and felt like people that have a college education should adopt him. However, when he was born, the family that planned on adopting him decided they didn’t want him but wanted a girl! Later, a nice family finally adopted Steve. He went to college at the age of 17 to Reed College, but only attended for 6 months before he dropped out. Then he explains how he was tired of taking classes that he did not like, so he continue to stay on campus with friends and take classes that only interest him.  He was very interested in calligraphy and he learned as much as possible and he found it fascinating.  The moral of this story is that with all the trials and tribulations that he went through he still did not give up. He continued to educate himself and take classes that were of interest and because he did that he was able to create the computer we all love which is the Mac. This computer has multiple typefaces with different fonts, and this is all because he dropped in on the right type of class and didn’t give up because of his circumstances. Steve jobs states, “ it was impossible to look at the dots forwards, but it was very clear looking backwards at them ten years later”.

The second story he talks about is the love and loss!  This story explains how he began his career at an early age with his partner Woz. They developed the product Apple in Steve’s parents garage and after years of hard work they grew this product and company to estimated $2 billion with over 4000 employees. He explains that he was successful and very happy but all that changed when he got fired from apple! He was confused on how he could get fired from the company he started! The issue was that he hired someone that he though would be good to run his company but as the company grew, both there ideas and values began to collide and they had a falling out. Well the Board of Directors for the company ended up siding with the other guy and Steve was let go. He was humiliated and hurt, however he did not allow that to get him down because he still loved what he did. So what he did was start over and that allowed him to become focus and creative. Over time he started a company called Next, then create the company Pixar and got married. The funny part is that Apple bought his company Next and he returned to apple. The life lesson in this story is that none of this would have not happen if he did not get fired from Apple. He states, that sometimes like with come at you with a brick, but don’t lose faith! (TED.com) He kept going on because he loved what he did and did not allow the downfall to change that.

The last story is about death! In this story he explains how he was diagnosed with cancer and how the doctor told him he had a tumor on his pancreas.  He was explain that this was a cancer that was incurable and that he should go home and get his affairs in order, because he was going to die. However there is nothing to hard for God! He begins to explain how he went back for a biopsy. The results showed that he had a rare form of pancreatic cancer that was curable with surgery. He got the surgery and is here to tell his story. Overall he explains that no one wants to die. He explains that no body wants to die however we all share the same destiny. He also says that death is a way of clearing out the old to bring in the new. We must live our life to the fullest and now allow death to live it for us.

Overall this speech was very inspirational to me because he showed how is life had a lot of ups and downs but he did not allow his self to live someone else life. He lived and loved his own life and followed his destiny. I feel that for anyone trying to go into their dream field, you should utilize what Steve Jobs said in this speech. Do not give up and keep the faith that things will work. Sometime our destiny has some curves in it but as long as we go with the flow we will get to the final destination of success. If you want to know more about Steve Jobs and this speech you can check it out at www.ted.com or click the link below.

Steve Jobs: How to live before you die | Video on TED.com