WHAT IS LP, EP ?

LP vs. EP

In the music world, there are some technical terms and abbreviations that need to be known.  Two such abbreviations or terms, aside from albums and singles, are LP and EP.  LP is the abbreviation for a long playing record (long play / long player), while EP is the abbreviation for extended play.

An EP, derived from the name extended, contains only a small number of songs.  There may be three, or at most five, singles. Conversely, the LP is synonymous to a full album.  These descriptions were the ones practically used for vinyl records.  Up until the 1980′s, vinyl records were said to be the primary medium used to promote an artist’s new set of music tracks.  These were directly sent to radio stations, and also to music clubs.

In this aspect, purely recorded EPs were used for the purpose of giving only a handful of people the overview of an artist’s new line of songs.  This also served as publicity, or a part of an entire promotional tour (campaign) for the artist.  The success of using these EPs was evident, as major record labels began manufacturing colored vinyl records for the public’s general consumption and sale.

Today, with the advent of CD and DVD technology, some bonus tracks have been added to what had been originally identified as music singles.  A vinyl record that initially contained 1 or 2 songs (a single), has now become EPs with the addition of more songs (extras, demos and probably remixes) with the aid of more storage space in the said disks.  For commercial purposes though, the music label companies insist on using the term ‘music singles with added bonus tracks’ to make the record more attractive to the buying public.  According to some sources however, these EPs have also been regarded as a form of mini album.

Similarly, because vinyl records have now been replaced with the newer disks as the main medium of music distribution, the term LP is slowly being erased with the common use of the term ‘album’ (pertaining to the one sided disks).  Although there may be as many tracks contained in LPs as in the full albums, LPs, back then, usually pertained to the two sided vinyl records wherein one side represented one half of the album, and the other side finished the remaining half.  These records were about a foot in diameter, and are 33 rpm.  These were said to be the domineering medium of distribution from 1948 to the latter part of the 1980′s.

1. With regards to vinyl record formats, LP stands for long playing record (like a full album), while EP stands for extended play (like music singles with added bonus tracks).

2. LP basically has more music tracks compared to EP.

EP, versus, LP really?

Banging it out

EP versus LP - this is a question that is creating a lot of chatter throughout the scrambling music industry. Old school - versus - new school. Old school says, an EP won't create enough buzz. They say radio won't pay as much attention to an EP, as an LP. An EP is good only for promotional purposes... Retail won't stock EP’s. It costs just as much to print EP’s. This is only a small part of the chatter among old school thinkers.

New school thinkers say, old school needs to catch up with the times. I consider myself a new school thinker, however I’m still in class. So, here’s what I’ve learned as I’m working on my undergraduate degree at "Street-Smart U”.
1. CD sales are on the decline
2. CD’s will not exist in a few years
3. Single song downloads are on the rise
4. Due to downloads, your ROI is going to be less
5. The industry as a whole is leaning towards EP’s
6. The general move is the DIYers can’t afford LP’s
One thing we do know for sure is, the industry is changing, it’s changing fast, and if you don’t want to get left in the dust you had better be ready for the change.
 
What does this have to do with the digital age?

The digital age is changing the face of the music industry forever. Where do we go, what do we do? These are the questions being asked, from the newbie, to the record execute, to radio, to infinity and beyond! Where do the answers lie? All of the answers have not come to the surface yet. However we are seeing with a lot more clarity, and it is getting clearer and clearer every day. So join us, as as we explore this complicated issue, and learn together where our future is leading us.

We would really love to hear your comments on this ever changing issue.

Let's learn together!!!!!!!!!

The music time bomb has exploded

The music industry is going through a shakeup.  Revenue from music sales has declined from more than $14.6 billion in 1999 to $6.3 billion a decade later.  Conventional wisdom holds that the rise of the Internet’s popularity is at the heart of this phenomenon, and the evidence mostly indicates that this view is correct.

Online stores like iTunes, along with an abundance of file-sharing and user-driven sites like YouTube, have changed the rules for marketing, selling, and distributing music.  To be sure, there are factors that complicate this narrative.  The 1990s likely saw a significant one-time boost in music sales as customers replaced vinyl records and cassette tapes with CDs.  Moreover, two recessions during the 2000s certainly did not help the industry.  Still, it is likely that technology, above all else, transformed the music business.  Record companies must adapt quickly or further risk becoming dinosaurs in an ever-changing commercial landscape. 

As illegal file sharing began to draw the ire of musicians and record companies, legal downloads became a growing business, as well.  Apple Inc. introduced its iPod music player in 2001, the dominant offering to this day; it added its iTunes online music store in 2003.  According to the NPD Group, a market research firm, the number of Internet users paying for downloads totaled 36 million in 2009, with online downloads accounting for 33 percent of music tracks purchased in the United States that year.  Digital sales rose between 2007 and 2009 despite the recession. 

Now that the bomb has exploded, and we have surveyed the damage, what do we do to help the wounded?  Who are the wounded?  Is there hope for them?  Is the internet the bomb, or the savior of the music business?  These are questions we must ask ourselves.  If we don't assess the damage and begin to take intentional action for the Arts, I believe we will see a watered down version, and lose the once thriving freedom of creativity.  The Arts community will lose its freedom from lack of funding due to unpaid royalties, and from its personal properties being given away through the internet.

We must take responsibility for our part in this ongoing dilemma.  Support the Arts, you just may be one of them!

The next american idol

OK, you asked.
For the past four years, American Idol has had a white streak of winners.  
Four white males in a row.  Its hard to believe.  As a white male myself,
I suppose I’m happy for these guys, but I am ready for something new
and I think America is too.  In 2008, record sales for David Cook were
an impressive 280,000 in his first week, placing at No. 3 on the Billboard Charts.

The next year the humble Kris Allen came out of the box selling 80,000 records in
performed Jennifer Hudson’s “You Pulled Me Through,” receiving a standing
ovation from the judges.  He’s got a gift that really sets him apart and I hope he
makes it to the finals.  Another early stand out this year is the
sweet and humble Hollie Cavanagh who took on the challenge
of singing “Reflection” by Christina Aguillera.  
Her early elimination before the viewer-voting rounds last season left
the then-17 year old in tears.  Jennifer Lopez predicted a year ago that
if young Cavanagh returned, she could come out on top.  This past week
Lopez reiterated her prediction and said that she stands by it, telling
Cavanagh that she is “going to be one of our front runners.”  
Its an exciting and new year.  I love American Idol and I love
watching live performances.  That being said, I’m ready for
some variety, for some different looks and some different talent
to really sweep it away this year.  Here’s to hoping America
votes that way too :)
         
                                                    Jacob Burton

Digital shift effects /AMP ON D.L.

Digital Shift Effects

RIAA'S and AMP'S POSITION  ON DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

This is commonly known as “piracy,” but that’s too benign of a term to adequately describe the toll that music theft takes on the enormous cast of industry players working behind the scenes to bring music to your ears.  That cast includes songwriters, recording artists, audio engineers, computer technicians, talent scouts and marketing specialists, producers, publishers and countless others. 

While downloading one song may not feel like that serious of a crime, the accumulative impact of millions of songs downloaded illegally – and without any compensation to all the people who helped to create that song and bring it to fans – is devastating.

The law is quite clear here, and fortunately legal downloading is easy and doesn’t cost much. Music companies have licensed hundreds of digital partners offering download and subscription services, music video streaming, cable and satellite radio services, Internet radio webcasting, social networking music services, video-on-demand, podcasts, CD kiosks and digital jukeboxes, mobile products such as ringbacks, ringtones, wallpapers, audio and video downloads and more.  In fact, according to the global music trade body IFPI, there are now more than 13 million licensed tracks available on more than 400 different services worldwide.  That’s great news for music fans and the industry alike.


Once again there's no need to beat this topic up.  We tend to want to blame all of the download sites for this dilemma.  The fact of the matter is, if the public was not to use these sites, we would not be having this discussion.  The future of  the quality of music is very gloomy if our attitudes don't change.  If the writers, artists etc. can't make a living at their craft, they will find something else to do.  It's nice to get free stuff.  However there's a difference between stealing and free!!!!!