New Technologies, New Music

• The history of music as Product
  • Record labels controlling all aspects of music
  • The coming of the digital age
  • Definitions of Indy
  • The importance of playing independent music
• Payola, Plugola, and the Law
• Locating and Obtaining independent music
  • Using technology to expand the role of Independents
  • Online and real-world resources for finding independent music
  • Common file formats for music (mp3, mp4, .wav)
  • Broadcast Standard file formats (lossy vs. lossless, compressed vs. uncompressed)
  • Checking lyrics for appropriate, legal content
• Building a digital library
  • Acquiring and ingesting music
  • Ripping and Playback software
  • ID3 data
  • Storing and curating digital music
  • Adjusting playback settings (fades and levels)
  • Searching the library and sharing digital music
  • Low-cost vs. High-cost options of digital audio delivery systems
  • Reporting playlists for different purposes
• Legal lessons on copyright and reporting
  • The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
• Restrictions on…
  • Archiving
  • Advance announcement of playlists
  • Number of songs that can be played by the same artist in a given hour
• The Digital Infrastructure
  • First steps with a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
  • Software: Disk Warrior, Norton, Diskeeper, Automator
  • Hardware: soundcards, external hard drives, servers
  • Storage systems, backups, and syncs
  • Equipment maintenance and security
  • Power and Cooling
• Broadening musical options for the entire station
  • Promoting Indy music to all staff from all programming areas
  • Featuring Indy music across all technological platforms

Curriculum Writer:  Gregg McVicar, RadioCamp LLC.  Gregg is an independent producer, audio consultant, and host of the daily national music program UnderCurrents.  He is also senior producer of the program A World of Possibilities.

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