Edmund's Community Corner

Please Shut Up
In light of all of the rhetoric and nonsense surrounding the possibly future Islamic Community Center in lower Manhattan from people who LIVE OUTSIDE OF NYC, and thus will not be affected, I felt it is my duty as a Native New Yorker living in NYC to speak up. I have comprised a list; take a look below.

Please shut up...

1. If you do not live in New York City.
2. If you are a bigot and a racist.
3. If you believe Christianity teaches you to hate anyone who is not Christian.
4. If you are not aware that there are at least 5 other mosques within the same vicinity. 
5. If you believe President Obama is a Muslim.
6. If you believe the U.S. Constitution only applies to you and people who think like you. 
7. If rule one applies to you, or NO ONE you directly knew or are related to perished in the WTC attacks.
8. If you are a career protester; because no one takes you seriously.
9. If you get your news from only one source.
10. If you believe the United States is the center of the universe.

Edmund's Technoblasts

HTC Evo 4G
The talk of the town for the moment is HTC's Evo, the first 4G offering exclusively available on Sprint. I have had this phone for about a week and I can say that I am very pleased. Boasting a 4.3 in LCD display, the Evo sports the largest screen on a U.S. mobile phone to date. The phone weighs 6oz, at .5in thick, 4.8in high and 2.6in wide. I have to admit that the phone has weight to it whenever I have it in hand, though I do not experience the reported wrist fatigue that iPad users have complained about. Included on the back is a kickstand so you can watch videos hands free (great for air travel) and use the device as a digital alarm clock. Also on board is Android 2.1 with HTC Sense with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor powering everything. Detailed specs are here. One caveat is the fact that 4G coverage is not widely available and being forced to pay a $10 "premium data" surcharge is definitely not palatable. However, the capabilities of the phone outweigh that small caveat, and Sprint plans to roll out 4G coverage to all major U.S. markets in the near future. Keep in mind that Sprint is the only U.S. mobile carrier with unlimited data plans. AT&T and Verizon have ceased unlimited data plans, only offering capped plans at tiered prices. Personally, the capped option would not have worked for me. I stream a lot of video and audio content on a regular basis as well as upload from my smart phone so it would not have been advantageous to continue with AT&T. $69.99 plus the $10 fee brings the base total to $79.99. Once taxes (NYC) and fees are tabulated my monthly total is approx $98/mo, which is about $15 cheaper than what I was paying with AT&T using a Blackberry Bold. Even if you were not planning on purchasing an Evo, Sprint is still the better option when it comes to smart phones. Back to the Evo. The Evo has two cameras. There is a 1.3 MP front facing camera that will allowing for voice conferencing and low-res self portraits. The back camera is 8MP and also records 720P HD video. Featured on the phone is HTC's Qik application. Qik allows you to seamlessly share video across multiple social networks as well as specific people you select from your contacts list. YouTube HQ is included so you can watch HD video on the brilliant 4.3 in screen. Sprint TV is robust and is a nice added feature especially during playoff time. Full episodes of prime time shows does not hurt either. Google is said to be releasing Froyo (Android 2.2) in the coming months. Notable attributes is the ability to use your device as a HotSpot, bypassing Sprint charging you $29.99 to use their HotSpot option. Other attributes include Adobe Flash 10.1, free syncing via cloud technology, as well as improved social networking capabilities. HTC, however is known to be slow to offer Android updates to their phones, but they have promised that this will not be the case with the Evo 4G; time will tell. Overall the HTC Evo 4G is currently the must have device. All of the features that are packed into this device make it one that can survive the voracious technology appetite of late; which causes the disease of obsolescence rather quickly. Once Sprint rolls out 4G nationwide, the full capabilities of the Evo will be realized.

My rating for this device is 4 stars out of a possible 5. The fifth star may come once 4G is rolled out to the NYC metro area.

Quick note: Many people have intimated issues with battery life. I did notice a significant lack of battery life until I installed a free app (Advanced Task Killer), which improved my battery life by 40%.

Edmund

Comments and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.

Edmund's Technoblasts

HTC EVO 4G
Quick Rundown

Here are some of the quick facts:

Carrier: Sprint
Price: $299, $199 after rebate (2 yr contract required)
Display: 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen

Operating System: Android 2.1

UI (User Interface): HTC Sense

Back Camera: 8 mega pixels

Front Facing Camera: 1.3 mega pixels

Hot Spot capability*: Yes, however at launch not free. Will possibly be free when Froyo comes.

Kickstand to view media and use as Alarm clock

Click here for more info on specs

Edmund's Entertainment Corner

Entertainment: It's a Business

Becoming a Professional Recording Artist


Read Part I: Before You Embark

Read Part II: Taking the Stage

Recording your Demo/Promo CD

Patience is key when embarking on a new career. Having mastered networking and performing, you are now ready to record a demo. Remember, regardless of which artist aspect you choose (Producer, Performer, or Songwriter) it is imperative you record a demo. Earlier in this series I talked about networking and building organic relationships. Now is the time to utilize those connections. Many people will tell you that your Demo does not need to be professionally recorded (meaning in a professional studio), but I disagree. Granted, your demo does not need to be as slick and commercial as an album but should be pretty damn close. Always put your best foot forward. Also, what better way to get familiar and comfortable with recording in a studio than doing just that. Visit various studios, talk to producers and other singers/songwriters to find out who they worked with and what their experience was. Contrary to what most people will try to get you to believe; You are hiring Them. Ensure you vet at least 3 to 5 choices so you are making an informed decision and not just an emotional one.  Always do your homework-I cannot stress this enough.

Singer/Performer
Let us take a look at the Singer/and or Songwriter first. If you want to focus on being a singer in the beginning; there is nothing wrong with that-however, I suggest graduating to singer/songwriter when you feel ready. The first thing you want to do as a singer is find a producer. You want a producer even if you are going to be singing cover songs. A knowledgeable producer will be able to pull from you the performance that will make your Demo quality. If you are lucky, the producer may be aligned with a songwriter who is looking to showcase their songs just as you are looking to showcase your voice. If not, covers always work (American Idol anyone?). Approach your demo as a mini album; although you are only putting 3 songs on this, it should still be cohesive. Regardless of which type of performer you are, Singer, MC, Rapper, Band, your demo should consist of a mainstream song-this should be your best song, a fun/party song, and a ballad (within the parameters of your genre). Recording music in a studio is not easy-I would argue performing live is easier because you have more leeway it terms of precision-multiple hours singing the same thing different ways over and over again until everyone "feels" it's right takes a lot of physical and mental stamina. Keep in mind that it is not cheap either. As mentioned earlier, do your homework, you should not be paying $400/hr to record a demo. With that said, make sure you go in prepared and ready to work. Be a professional at all times. Grab attention early by placing your best song first, then your next best song, etc. Although  most who review your music may not have the time or patience to "discuss" your music, always be prepared to talk about how why you selected your songs, what your inspiration was for the songs, who your target audience is, and what type of artist/writer you want to be (All this should come easy to you, since it would be second nature by now-right?). Next week's post will focus on producers followed by MCs and Rappers-there is a difference.

Edmund

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Edmund's Entertainment Corner

Entertainment: It's a Business

Becoming a Professional Recording Artist


Read Part I: Before You Embark

Taking the Stage
Now that you have made some informal connections and become part of a community; it is time to begin shaping yourself as a professional recording artist. By now you should have numerous songs written, and plenty of concepts to  use as a base for new material. Your focus now should be honing your live performance and preparing to record a CD sampler or Demo. Prior to performing regularly, take time out to join a Performance Rights Organization (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC); better to get some simple tasks out of the way rather than having someone else "deal" with them later for you. I will go into detail of what these organizations offer you in my next post. Utilize your connections to garner choice/preferential placement at performance venues. The more performances you do, the more you grow as an artist; adding value to your repertoire, which will give you leverage when the time is right. The purpose of live performances is to connect with your fans, and therefore you must use as many tools possible with respect to growing your fan base-don't forget to get email addresses for those who attend your shows, it's a great way to follow up and retain fans. Websites such as Myspace.com (use the music option), iLike.com,  Facebook.com, and Bebo.com offer free profiles that will bolster your connection to your fans and even help you gain new ones. You can also use services such as Reverbnation.com, and Sonicbids.com to find more venues for performing. As you do these live shows, you will find out which songs would be best to include on your Demo. Recognizing that you are on a journey and not zipping by a drive thru will help you immensely. Delusions of grandeur are a hindrance and will do more harm than good. This is not the time to look for and hire booking agents, look for sponsorship deals,publicist and all the other "amenities" afforded to more established artists. Remember, the idea is to make these people seek YOU out, not you hounding them to give you a chance. Use the business to your advantage, do not have the business take advantage of you. Along with talent, connections, and perseverance, the key to making it in entertainment is preparation. Creating a set list, stage layout, fee structure, building relationships with venues, etc. are common ways of preparation. Live shows also help you determine whether you enjoy that aspect of the business; if not, you may decide that you would rather be a songwriter or producer than a performing artist. Knowing this early on will save you headaches, heartbreaks and most importantly time and money. Regardless of which option you choose, a Demo is still necessary. My next post will cover the three different options you can choose from as an artist-songwriter, recording artist, and producer as well as ways of getting your content to your fans.

--Edmund Starbanks