Monday, February 20, 2012

Rock Artist Kristen Faulconer joins a host of celebrities for the Saban Free Clinic benefit at the Flappers Comedy Club premiere of "The Izzy Show" in Burbank

(L-R) Jeremy Steel, Kristen Faulconer, Jourdan Steel
and Meeghan Henry, the Asian teen pop singer Miss
 Asia" on the red carpet at Flappers Comedy Club.
(This story first appeared on Technorati: Technology is the Sound of Music Says Rock Artist Kristen Faulconer Rock Artist Kristen Faulconer talks about the good,bad and ugly of music technology in MusicRead more: http://technorati.com/people/gmcquade/#ixzz1mwx924vK
On the red carpet for a benefit in Burbank, CA, we talked to Rock Artist Kristen Faulconer, who is working on an album called, Phoenix coming out this fall.

No longer do we rely on a big record player or visit record stores to buy our music. Today, the information technology revolution has brought music to the 21st Century where you can not only sample music Online; you can buy it, too.
Rock Artist Kirsten Faulconer gets awaits the red carpet in Burbank.
“The technology on music is overwhelming, and so are the advancements in the last few years,” said Faulconer. “Technology has revolutionized the way we make market and listen to our music.”
Faulconer points our due to advancements in technology her new song “DollHouse” being released on Thursday (Feb. 23, 2012) for example, has been remixed by famous DJs in Europe, and five of the remix all sound different on iTunes and Amazon.
Kristen Faulconer with Zach Callison
(Disney's Sofia the First)
Technology for music could be labeled as any form of technology, which helps a musician to create their music. “The effect of technology on music is amazing and sometimes overwhelming,” explained Faulconer. “There have been some major advancements just in the last few year that have revolutionized the way we make, market and listen to music.” 
Rock Artist Kristen Faulconer with Actress Ava Allan
She’s right, too. Only a few years ago, usually book stores with music sections allowed everyone to listen before buying a new album or cd.  Today, consumers go online and listen to the music on the artist’s website, iTunes and Amazon. The evolution of synthesizers, computer technology and sample music has changed the way music is now produced globally. High speed access not only for independent music producers, but for the music fans has pushed the envelope beyond control of music buying.
Now, unlike a few years ago, independent artist, who had difficult times building a fan base have many social media outlets from Reverbnation to other music member sites like Music Connection, which converged from a magazine about music to a music members social network.

The most noticeable setback of technology is the fact that the music industry has been severely damaged by peer-to-peer music sharing programs. According to Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen A. Trutanich piracy costs the industry $5.2 billion last year.
Kristen Faulconer on the red carpet at Flappers
These Peer-to-Peer network applications allow people to download any music they want. As more and more people are being hooked on these apps, music sales take a dive putting a lot of people out of work and business.  
The music industry technology has prompted the influx of illegal downloading and resulting in Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA) fining students for illegal music downloads on campus. 
A new anti-piracy legislation ( California SB 550) that was recently signed by California Governor Jerry Brown will help reduce music and movie piracy by allowing inspections and verification to ensure that large-scale disc replicating plants are complying with California anti-piracy laws. That law took effect January 1, 2012.
Last December Trutanich told the media that “counterfeit goods cost the retail sector $2 billion in losses and $5.2 billion in overall lost revenue to the Los Angeles County economy in 2005. He also noted that piracy costs the Los Angeles economy 106,000 jobs across nine sectors, for a total of $4.4 billion in lost wages each year. Counterfeiters typically do not pay sales taxes, which depletes the City's General Fund. 
On a more positive note, lesser known bands and musicians today enjoy the new technology that allows fan members to share images, songs and even music videos with a click of a mouse. Even a Grammy winner this year said they did not need fancy computers and studios to produce their hit song, which was done in their garage.
Kristen Faulconer has started a "Revolution Against Abuse"
Also pictured Summer Bernal at S.O. Soterik
For the most part the music industry is dominated by a few major record companies, such as Warner (United States), and BMG (United States), Universal (United States), Sony (based in Japan) and EMI (United Kingdom). As Faulconer noted technology has had a great impact on the music industry in both good and bad ways. For independent artists it opens the doors for more opportunities for tightened budgets or in many cases no budgets for marketing and publicity.
The advance of digital quality has also move the music business into a whole new world of quality and sound like never before. Even classic rock like the Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Warrant, Ratt, Saints of the Underground, Alice Cooper Band never sounded better. Even American Idol Judge Steve Tyler would like agree it’s time for independent artists to “Dream On.”
The music industry has eased up in publishing music as highly developed devices are replacing real musicians, but while it saves the music industry a lot of money it also eliminates jobs. If music technology can do for the employment industry what it has done for the quality of sound, we’ll all be singing “Happy Days Are Hear, Again.”

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