The New Hampshire Music scene

go sing already: Openmics.org

2007-12-01T14:27:00.001-05:00

If you live in NH and want to get your work out there but don't know where to start, try looking at openmikes.org. They have a list of every venue that has open mics in the area. I looked up where I live and there is someplace to perform every night of the week, every day of the month. It's a great way to hone your performance skills.

Here's an example list I made up for my area:

Rap Scene, here? New Hampshire Rap artists

2007-06-22T09:08:00.000-05:00

Rap is traditionally considered an art form most appreciated by the black population. New Hampshire's black population is 1% of ~1.3 million people (130,000), somwhat smaller than average. New Hampshire has a number of rap artists, but they're likely as not to be white. In any case, a good rap artist is rare in NH, and the best artists sell out their shows.

Among the top 60 of 300 in NH are the following (according to myspace)

DJ Danger http://www.myspace.com/djdanger187

Philo Tha Don is an indie (mexican style) http://www.myspace.com/filoakaphilo

Justin from Ovacast (smooth style)
http://www.myspace.com/mcovercast

Granite state puts on quite a show, and apparently great parties too.
http://www.myspace.com/granitestate

Illa Metaphors has a nice global fanbase and plays locally.
http://www.myspace.com/illametaphors

Monkey Biz (Ape S**t)
http://www.myspace.com/apeshitmonkeybiz

EsBlitz
http://www.myspace.com/esblitz

Quiet AKillez
http://www.myspace.com/blacoct

Filthy Fellaz
http://www.myspace.com/vostylssunny

Psikwable
http://www.myspace.com/psikwable

African Death Row
http://www.myspace.com/africandeathrow is still working on his material.

Young Movement
http://www.myspace.com/marcusblackmusic has appeared on a mixtape

CrisCo
http://www.myspace.com/criscostayhot

Gate City Squad
http://www.myspace.com/gatecitysquad

The Riot
http://www.myspace.com/theriot813 has a great way with the fans.

Bam
http://www.myspace.com/bammusicnh is just having fun.

Da Saint
http://www.myspace.com/unmercifulsonz

Flipstyle
http://www.myspace.com/MOVA

JD
http://www.myspace.com/jotadeezy still working on his material

B1 - Soular Prominence
http://www.myspace.com/Soularprominence

P Rovah
http://www.myspace.com/provah

Albanian Street Kings
http://www.myspace.com/albanianstreetkings

Chip City
http://www.myspace.com/sickchipcity

CyberShock Media (beatmaker)
http://www.myspace.com/cybershockmedia

Museum of Science play in portsmouth
http://www.myspace.com/mostheband
They are an instrumental group with rap influences

FlowFactory,DominicanFlow
http://www.myspace.com/dominicanflowthereal
Have a unique sound, but no info.

Family Recordz
http://www.myspace.com/familyrecordz
Also have a unique sound, but again, no info.

Prophets of Homysyde
http://www.myspace.com/homysydesolutionz are just having fun.

Trapp Star Records G Spot Music & Clothing
http://www.myspace.com/tsrgspot is a DJ

And that's roundup for the real artists from the top 60 in rap. The rest were fan sites.

If you ever want to perform in NH, be sure to contact the popular locals like Granite State, DJ Danger, and Illa Metaphors.

How many people will come to my gig?

2007-06-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire has a spread out music scene. The closest you can get to a city scene is in one of the larger towns of Concord, Nashua, Manchester, or Portsmouth.

Concord has a population of 42,000.
Nashua has a popultaion of around 87,000.
Manchester has a population of around 110,000.
Portsmouth has a population of around 20,000.* I include Portsmouth because it is a tourist stop in the summer, where people go to sit on a very rocky beach on the little sliver of coast that New Hampshire has.

If you recall my previous population statistics of new hampshire , you'll find that 23% are under 18. If you say a similar amount is between 18 and 36 (your primary market for major genres), then you come up with this kind of fan base:

Concord: 9,660 people (of all musical interests who might have money and transportation) served by at least 7 venues.
Nashua: 20,010 people served by at least 17 venues.
Manchester: 25,300 people served by at least 33 venues.
Portsmouth: 4,600 people served by at least 8 venues, and probably more down by the beach.

There's also a mountain scene, but I am not covering it here because the locations are far apart, generally separated by ... you guessed it ... mountains.

Now, even if you have an established fan base, these next numbers will tell you why you shouldn't play too often in a single town. Let's take those numbers above and do some more math.

I assume that 3 bands can play at a venue in a week (for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).
I assume that a person will go out once a week to a venue, and that 25% will not go out at all and only 25% will go to a venue on any given week. I also assume that a person will not go to the same venue twice. This is optimistic. From these assumptions, this is what happens:

In Concord, 21 bands will be playing somewhere over the course of a week.
Up to 2415 people will go out to see them, with 115 people going to a given gig.

In Nashua, 51 bands will be playing somewhere over the course of a week.
Up to 5003 people will go out to see them, with 98 people going to a given gig.

In Manchester, 91 bands will be playing somewhere over the course of a week.
Up to 6325 people will go out to see them, with an average of 64 people going to a given gig.

In Portsmouth, 24 bands will be playing somewhere over the course of a week.
Up to 1150 people *not* from out of town will go out to see them, with an average of 48 people going to a given gig. I don't have the figures for the summer crowds, so I can't tell you much about the visitor scene.

Now, the smart venue owners of Manchester have a problem. They need at least 100 people to go to their venues to make it worth it. But the local population only supports an average of 64 people per venue. There are too many venues! They can't make money doing that. So what do they do? They pass the cost on to the band and limit the number of times the band can play in town. Or they don't pay you at all. This has several implications:

Some venues attract few people.
Some venues don't pay, obviously.
You need to have an established fan base you can call on before booking a gig.
You cannot play the same gig week after week and expect a higher than average turnout. The magic wears off.
A mailing list is key.

I like to think of a gig as a party with your friends. The logistics are similar. You need lots of friends (and their friends) that you can invite to your party. You can't have a party every night with the same people; it gets old.

What other people say about the NH music scene

2007-06-10T08:17:00.000-05:00

This post is about what other people are saying about the music scene in new hampshire:

The Hippo is one of a few New Hampshire's source for entertainment. If you play here, you should definitely advertise in this paper. They have a neat article which lists many of the music venues in new hampshire:

Ready to Rock? Cover bands, original music and more in the local music scene, http://www.hippopress.com/061012/cover.html

Apparently, breaking into the scene if you are a new band can be a bit of a struggle, and pay to play is not unheard of. Milly's tavern is one such place, and if you don't have an established fan base, you won't make any money off the experience. Cover bands apparently do well, though.

Another site that has information about the venues in New Hampshire is
NewHampshire.com.

Music in the Big City or in the Little City?

2007-06-07T12:43:00.000-05:00

While I was on Future Producers, someone mentioned that statistics gathered in more rural areas such as New Hampshire will vary substantially from cities like New York City. And this is quite true. These statistics will not apply to a big city band. Here are some comparisons with New York City:

New York City's population is 8 times larger than all of New Hampshire, excluding day workers. I assume that the population doubles due to tourism and day workers. So the real figure is closer 16 times larger than all of New Hampshire.

The black population of NYC is 28%. In New Hampshire, it's 1%. So the type of music preferred here is going to be a bit different.

New Hampshire has about 1,200 bands listed. New York has well over 26,000 bands listed on MySpace and based on my limited counting of New York bands, there could easily be some 50,000 bands in New York (MySpace makes it hard to find all the bands in a large city or state; only 1000 per letter are listed). Now, as with New Hampshire bands, a great number will turn out to be non-bands. But several observations come out of these figures:

* You can play to a new audience every day in NYC, that's why Broadway plays can stay put in NYC, but only stay for a few days in New Hampshire. That's the day worker/tourism factor.

* There's more competition in NYC. That's right. More competition for the same lunch. with 50,000 bands going after 16 million people, the band to people ratio is around 1:320. In New Hampshire, it's 1:830 This leads to the next figure. Are people 3 times more supportive of bands in NYC than in NH? maybe, but on any given night, the number of venues is fixed and in the musical game of chairs, it looks like bands have to fight for a chair.

* The bands are going to be better in NYC. This is where the phrase "if you can make it here (i.e. NYC) you can make it anywhere" takes on new meaning. There aren't more opportunities in NYC, there's more competition! Again, this is due to the math. So, if you can play a regular scene in NYC, you'll do fine when you tour because just to get on the stage in NY means you have to fight off a few bands just as worthy as you for the spot.

* It's easier to learn the craft out in the country, if this next statistic is at all accurate: There are 112 open mic locations listed near New York City (as identified by OpenMikes.org ) versus 27 open mics near Manchester, New Hampshire. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the NYC figure, but that's a long way from the 430 or so you would expect, given the size of the population.

* Transportation is more of an issue in rural states than in the city. Let's face it, if you live in a big city, you can have a large audience night after night and you don't have to move much or even tour. But out in the country, the audiences are smaller, and touring at least regionally is required if you want to have financial success.

Anyway, I was a little surprised by these figures and I hope I've opened your eyes a little on the big city versus little city music scene. See you next time!

new hampshire music new york

What reviewing other peoples' music can tell you

2007-05-30T19:42:00.001-05:00

I just spent a couple of days at www.GarageBand.com writing reviews for electronica music. And it was an eye-opening experience. Here's how it works, you can have 1 of your songs reviewed if you review 30 songs or 15 pairs. The higher a song rates, the higher it ranks. So I write up reviews of 30 electronica and ambient songs. And the range of quality between the top and bottom is staggering. At the bottom, people are learning fruity loops, don't have a handle on what a good melody is, and what a good mix sounds like. As you move up the ranks, you start to hear songs that have better sounds, but the melody is still bad. Later you hear that the mix is better, and the melody is a little better, but still bad. The most highly ranked songs *have a good melody*. So for all you experiemental electronica artists out there, listen up! If you want to have popular songs, you need to work on your melody most of all. Upbeat songs are generally better received than dirges, with one exception: if the song is not upbeat, and is emotional or compelling, then that song will reach the top of the chart. You can still experiment and be interesting to listen to at the same time.

I have to say, that by the end of a day ranking atonal random and emotionally meaningless pieces, I was so fed up, I clicked on "Surprise me" and reviewed a dance track. I was *so* relieved to get a song with a melody.

As you go even further up the charts to the top, you start to notice the seemingly obvious things being done right: singing with passion. Having a melody worth remembering. Having a decent mic and a good room to record in. Having a good mix. Having the right instruments, and not too many. Mastering the song. Apparently, it's hard for an indie to do all these things right at once.

Incidentally, the news isn't all bad. I listened to a hollywood produced pop track too. It was radio ready and everything was perfect - the singer, the mix, the players, even the song seem polished. And yet it was not compelling. And it was a little too plastic and sounded like other work already on the market. Editorially speaking, it was not new. There's a limit to what the best studio can do to a song. Making a compelling song is truly rare.
So don't give up!
Good luck and happy songwriting!

new hampshire music reviews

12 Steps to advancing your Electronica Music Career

2007-05-28T13:49:00.000-05:00

Well, most electronica artists don’t have a career in mind when they write their music, at least according to my studies

Here are ways to advance in the electronica world:

1. If you don’t have material, write enough for an EP. Then make some CDs and tell people about it.
2. If you have material, make a CD and tell people about it.
3. Make some songs your friends like. If your friends hate your music, they won’t buy your CDs or go to your gigs. And they are the start of any musical career.
4. Try to gig, even if it’s just at a friends apartment. And tell people both when its going to be and after it happened. I found out people gigged after people mention it even though the artist does not say anything directly. Very poor marketing.
5. Try to get on your local college radio with your best work.
6. Upgrade your sounds. There is a huge difference in sound between amateurs and pro level music, even in experimental/electronica.
7. Have your CD professionally mastered. Again, there’s a huge difference in sound.
8. If you’re going to record live sounds (instruments or vocals), be careful of the room acoustics.
9. People like a good beat. Make sure there are some tracks on your CD that are club worthy in addition to your experimental stuff.
10. Don’t give up. Many artists don’t give their sound a chance to develop and quit too early.
11. Remember that music is a service to the listener, not just yourself. If you want to sell your music, you need to understand what your music sells and make sure that your webpage clearly says what it is.
12. Put some melody in it. Electronica music that is more melodic is easier to recall, easier to relate to and easier to dance to, and thus more likely to get played more than once.

new hampshire music electronica tips

New Hampshire's Electronica Artist Statistics

2007-05-28T13:10:00.001-05:00

The electronica artists of New Hampshire are a creative bunch, and the musical styles varied widely, from rock to experimental, from folk to metal, to ambient and new age, from chaotic to melodic. Electronica lends itself to creative and non-conformist music and most works fell into a formless category where one never knows what the next passage will contain and so you have to just keep on listening to see where you end up.

As such, most composers and producers seem content to play with the nature of sound, and the statistics bear this out:

I covered some 140 bands in the Electronica genre. Of these 34 (24%) were not real artists (fan sites and the like). Incidentally, you could easily tell a fan site from a local artist even if you weren't familiar with the original, because fan sites always had better quality sounds and mastering than the locals. And this held true except for perhaps the very best of the artists.

Of the remaining artists, 90 turned out to be electronica artists. The remaining artists were really from other genres with electronica influences. Of those 90 artists, 68 (76%) were just having fun making songs and did not gig, appear on Radio/TV/Film and did not produce a CD of their work and mention it. There may be artists who have mix tapes or demo CDs for sale, but they did not mention it and weren't counted. A number of artists put their songs up and then lose interest; a fair number of myspace pages are untended a year after being updated.

In sharp contrast with the bluegrass groups I studied earlier, electronica artists are a shy bunch and only 13 (14%) actually have gigs and mention it. TV, Film, and Radio elude electronica artists, with only Didge Therepy and Amethyste (%2) making inroads on TV or Film. No Artist (0%) mentioned radio play of any kind. Perhaps it's because so few, only 16 (18%), get as far as making a CD. A mere 6 (7%) sell CDs AND Gig and mention it.

new hampshire music electronica statistics

The Flavors of Electronic Music in New Hampshire, part 3

2007-05-27T20:42:00.000-05:00

We know bring our attention to the last of the electronica artists of New Hampshire.

Améthyste (myspace) is New Hampshire's most prominent "new age" artist. Her distinctive vocal style is very ambient and laid back, great for the romantic setting. She has several CDs and is currently working on a movie.

Old School House (myspace) has a style suitable for the dance floor. He calls it "classic", and it has flavors of house, electronica and trance.

Brendan Carey Block (myspace) is an electronica artist with an upbeat ambient style combined with virtuoso volin work. The result combines flavors of modern rock with folk. Definitely worth a listen.

Justin Dyer Project (myspace) tries hard to be invisible (at least his web page is), but his brand of electronica has more of a progressive rock style, and it's really well done. You can really read his page, but his music is worth a listen.

KID SOL-UM (myspace) is an industrial electronica artist. He's still working on his material.

Plymouth Murder Squad (myspace) is a rap artist with small electronica influences and quite a story teller.

ATROA (myspace) is a hardcore electronica artist. Driving beats mixed with interesting riffs, definitely worth a listen.

Hardcore Ravers (myspace) produces a trance like dance music. And it's electronica. It's worth a listen, one of the better electronica artists in New Hampshire.

If that's not your cup of tea, try HARDHOUSE GENERATION 2 (myspace), another pair of DJs making driving beats. It's got an industrial feel, with lots of samples. Also worth a listen. Quite possibly the only Electronica artist who understands marketing.

Atlantique (myspace) is one of several bands sung with Amethyste. This particular band plays healing ambient themes against melodic synthesized backdrops. If you like beautiful Electronica music, give this band a listen.

Joe Hemp / Didge Therapy ("myspace), I've already covered once, but since it is one of the most popular New Hampshire electronica bands, I'll mention it again. And as one of the few gigging electronica acts, you can go see them on June 9th, 2007 at 1:00P at
The Eye of the Hawk in Rye, New Hampshire. Their sound is exotic and unique. Definitely worth hearing.

Sublinear (myspace) layers choral and experimental sounds over lush soundscapes. It has a very ambient feel to it, though it is not as melodic as some other artists. Worth a Listen. I couldn't find a CD mention, though.

holymoses3000 (myspace) is an alternative band with indie and electronica influences. He's still working on his material.

Tim from Office Supply (myspace is part of a rock band with some electronica influences. Apparently, Tim learned how to use the keyboard at Best Buy. You'll have to read his bio to get the whole story. They have a new album coming out soon.

Josh Harris (myspace) is a DJ who can mix like the best of them. His work is great for the dance floor.

Kelley Polar (myspace) is a band who plays euro 80's style pop music with electronica synth backdrops. He is the most popular band with electronia influences in New Hampshire, and it's not hard to hear why. Definitely worth listening to.

Cyndi Looper (myspace ) make more classic electronica/Trance music. And people like it.

Picnic Casket (myspace) is a one man electronica band with rock style. AJ's self-described style is "catchy and epic". It's got a great sound, you can hear live or just buy his CD.

And that's all the mentionable electronica style artists on myspace. There were others, but most of the others were pirated fan sites of artists from other states.

The Flavors of Electronic in New Hampshire, part 2

2007-05-27T17:48:00.000-05:00

I now move on to the next tier of electronica style artists on myspace.

Graphite Placenta (myspace) is an artist with ideas in need of a band. If you like to play industrial rock, this could be for you.

RhVibe (myspace) is an indie label rock band. I didn't catch any electronica influences in their work. They have a great vibe though. No word on where they gig.

Chondrule (myspace) produces trancelike music.

TBD (myspace) produces electronica music with a lot of sound experimentation and not a lot of melodic content.

The Frowzy (myspace) is a DJ who remixes content and also does a lot of experimentation with samples.

Hazelnut Huckleberry (myspace) does a lot of experimentation with different sounds. Some of it is more metal in flavor. Most of it is just strange.

Temporarily Insane (myspace) is among the rare women that produce electronica music and admit it. Her sound is a refreshing combination of soul, hip hop and dance with electronica influences.

This Doctors Doctor (myspace) produces electronica music with an ambient style. He's still working on his material.

Deep Thought (myspace) produces ambient electronica music. This is what I think of when I think of traditional electronica, combining elements of trance with ambient melodies against a compelling beat. Worth a listen.

Techono Reformers (myspace is an electronica artist who combines experimental sounds with orchestral.

Graham Miller (myspace) is an electronica artist with a heart. He is currently using his album as a means to raise money for www.stopglobalwarming.org. His sound combines rock, hip hop with orchestral touches here and there. Worth a listen.

miSogynoId (myspace) is a rock/metal electronica artist who does a lot of experimentation. His music has an industrial feel to it.

Carmen Caruso (myspace) is an artist who combines vocals with ambient melodic sounds and experimentation. She's still working on her material.

Brian Parnham (myspace) is an electronica artist who creates atmospheric textures and exotic sounds. Definitely worth listening to.

THC-- Trashua Heights Crew (myspace) produces breakbeat style electronica with elements of Super NES and orchestral sounds thrown in for good measure, THC is more melodic and compelling than most electronica beats. Worth a listen.

Iw (myspace) is relatively prolific as far as electronica artists go. He has made several ambient albums that you can download from his myspace page. His style is very ambient.

Code Name Condor (myspace) is a punk rock band with electronica influences.

Open Mic Night Music Foundry (myspace) is an electronica band with rock and super NES influences. It's more melodic than most electronica. They are still working on their material.

X3N0 (myspace) is an electronia/trance band. There is lots of movie quotes mixed into a trance beat.

The Twombley Spiders (myspace) is an electronica artist who combines vocals with a "Yes" type sound along with experimental sounds and melodies.

italian ice (myspace) is an electronica artist who produces great beats backed by thin synth melodies.

East (myspace) is an electronica breakbeat DJ, best I can tell, and his music is fore the dance floor. Worth a listen, if you can find it on his page. If not, go see him live. Couldn't find his schedule though.

Los Border Coyotes (myspace">myspace) is a hard to classify band, combining elements of rock, pop, R&B and the Love Boat. It's not really an electronica band.

GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD! (myspace) is a grindcore band with no discernable electronica influences as far as I could tell.

Anthony from 7th Street Garage (myspace) is part of a dance electronica duo. It's not clear where they DJ, but they have a sound you can definitely dance to.

Manus Obscura (myspace) is a trance rock band with Euro flavors. They are currently practicing for their live venues. It should be worth seeing.

Habitat (myspace) is an electronica artist who combines rock with the pleasing sounds of Ryan Farish. Definitely worth a listen.

E-603 (myspace is a DJ who knows how to mix. He starts with great material and switches it up for a fresh new take on new old favorites, often combined. Worth a listen, definitely dance floor worthy. He doesn't say where he shows, though.

DJ Kreation (myspace does music as a hobby, but he's one of the best electronica musicians in New Hampshire. He has a great understanding of dance beats and instrumentation and has a talent for changing the music at the right point. Definitely worth a listen.

Just DerekJames. (myspace is a beat producer. He's got a great beat and interesting use of electronica-type sounds.

Great Romances Of The 18th Century (myspace) is a new electronica band with potential. They are still working on their material.

Binary Star(myspace) is an electronica artist who combines rock beats with and indie melodic sound.

Electric Aneurysm (myspace is an electronic artist whose sound include simple melodies against prominent beats.

Club Axxs (myspace) is a club, not an artist, but you can see your favorites there. It's in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Nocturnal Vybz (myspace) is an electronica band that plays driving beats with trance influences. It's great for the dance club scene.

The Flavors of Electronica in New Hampshire, Part 1

2007-05-26T23:31:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire has over 100 Electronica style bands.

When I think of Electronica, I don't expect there to be much in the way of vocals, but it turns out that a lot of MySpace artists use Electronica to indicate the synthesized sounds in their instrumentation.

There's quite a variety of sounds to be found, from metal to jazz. Most of these artists haven't gotten serious about their work enough to keep their pages up to date, produce an album and put it up for sale, or gig and tell.

N Holo K (myspace) has an electronica sound combining rock beats with strings, and he's got a demo album out by now. Unfortunately he hasn't updated his page in a long time, so we don't know how it turned out.

Felt Tip Pen (myspace) is an electronica group which combines elements of experimental sound, movie clips, against hip hop beats.

Ulysses Campbell (myspace) is a vocalist whose sound is more indie with electronica and psychedelic influences.

Courtney (myspace) performs with electrocab, below.

NESticular Trauma (myspace is unusual for New Hampshire electronica bands as he has clear metal influences which he deftly combines with NES sounds.

Electrocab (myspace) is a band with an experimental sound, combining elements of Jazz, unique sounds, and electronic organs.

JUSTICE 3000 (myspace) makes perfect msuci for Doctor Who episodes. He's still learning his craft.

travis bickle's mohawk...(myspace is an electronica artist who likes to play with loud sounds. Very experimental.

Spawn Campers (myspace) have a sound that emphasizes beat over melody. He's still working out his material.

Too Bad for You (myspace) is really an indie rock band with slight electronica influences. It's great for casual listening. Unfortunately they don't list any of their gigs and their real website is gone.

Sad Science (myspace) produces an electronica style mixed with electric guitar.

Yve (myspace is a singer songwriter in search of a band. Her sound has electronia influences. Her voice is well suited to the dark moody style she sings.

Greg (myspace produces rock with electronica influences.

Flapjack Muncher (myspace) plays a lot with sounds. It's very unique. He's doing it for fun.

DJ Stove(myspace) is a DJ who makes electronica beats suitable for the club scene. He seems pretty active in his music scene, involved with gigs as well as booking and promotion.

Svend (myspace) is completely different from most electronica artists. His piano work is quite elegant. You'll have to go to his main website to hear his other work, which is also quite nice. Very peaceful.

the evil genius (myspace) sound is more genius than evil, as his band name implies. His sound is ambience combined with just enough tension to make it interesting. He doesn't have an album out, but go have a listen anyway.

New Folder (myspace) is still working on his craft. He has some good ideas that would be better with better instruments. It's got a Super NES feel to it right now.

Jeff (myspace) is learning the craft. He's got better ideas than a number of other electronica artists I've heard. Good Luck, Jeff. But please change the picture; it really grates.

Andrew Greene (myspace) is really a Jazz artist with some electronica influences. But It's mostly Jazz.

El Hache 2 (myspace) is an ambient artist with an rock sound. It would make a decent backdrop for movies.

Phenix (myspace has an ambient sound that has a slight jazz feel to it combined with electric guitars. He's still working on his material.

Josh Byra (myspace) was more of an indie singer, but now he's part of Icelab, a group with a more elctronica/Trance sound. And he was the first artist who actually seems to gig and mentions shows you can go to. Amazing.

Soul Forge (myspace) is a DJ who remixes "non-lyrical songs". He's probably out DJing somewhere, he's just not telling us where.

Volden (myspace) has a sound that is very different from most electronica artists. Instead of going for the ambient or dance feel, he has a metal sound. He's still working on his material.

Big Boy Productions (myspace is an artist who is making beats using an electronic/ hip hop style. Very easy to rap/sing over. He's still working on his material.

The National Institute of Mental Health (myspace) is an electronic band that has been around a while. They are no longer together and have moved on to other things. But their music has a hypnotic ambient feel to it.

The Jitsu Brothers (myspace) were pretty ambitious and went ahead and created an album without doing local market research. Sadly for them, the market didn't bite. Perhaps it wasn't electronica thatdidn't sell, but rather their particular brand of it didn't fit in in their circle.

The Mobius Strip (myspace) combines the sound of electric guitars against a hypnotic beat. They only have 1 song.

Flavors of the Revolution (myspace) is a band with a laid back, experimental sound. They are still working on their album.

Tiny Like Small (myspace )is not really electronica; it's more of an indie sound. That's why he's moved his band page, I guess.

Juggernaut's (myspace) electronica has a circus-like Rock quality to it.

DJ Duquette (myspace) is a DJ who remixes Dance tracks, and the results are definitely dance worthy.

Not Until Now (myspace) is not really an electronica band; it's more alternative, but he is until he gets his vocals on his tracks.

Norova (myspace) has a sound I'd expect to hear if I were getting on a space ship. It's an intriguing mix of Rock, experimental and classical sounds in a calming way.

The New Folders (myspace) sound has a video game/Final Fantasy feel to it.

Poisson Rouge's (myspace) sound has a more ambient feel to it.

I already wrote about Electric Didge Therepy (here)

Double Trouble (myspace) is an Electronica group with a Dance/Pop feel to it.

Justin Walker's (myspace Electronica sound has a definite Jazz feel.

Intravenous Flytrap's (myspace) "Break Apart"' has a Pink Floyd feel.

Karmic (myspace) is true electronica with varied textures of instruments and a laid back feel.

Pure Synthetic Sound (myspace) is a Electronica/Trance artist, with a bit of a rock flavor. He doesn't have much to say about his aspirations, so we'll have to check back another day to see how he's doing.

Mindmelter ( ) is a true Electronica Artist with a love of distorting sounds. He's still working on his first CD.

Afternoon (myspace) is more of a rock band with Electronica influences. He's still working on his material and production technique.

DJ Chill (myspace is a DJ; he takes familiar songs and remixes them. His style is more Electronica/Dance and seems a good fit for the clubs. He doesn't list where he DJs though, too bad.

Baby Ruthless (myspace) is going for a more industrial sound, but she is still learning her craft.

quietesque's (myspace) sound is more experimental and has a certain emptiness to it.

Manfights and Medics (myspace) mixes some vocals with an electronic beat. It's somewhere between between rock and dance. They are still working on their material.

20 Easy Steps to Advance your Music Career

2007-05-24T12:15:00.000-05:00

Well, I learned a lot about the various states of people's music careers in Bluegrass from my bluegrass research. So here are the ways to advance your music career in 20 easy steps:

1. You need to put your songs on your website, even if you have no CD.
2. You need to write something coherent about your music.
3. You need to put any shows or even the intent to show somewhere on your page.
4. You need to try to get on the radio, even if its only 1, and write about it on your website.
5. You need to make a CD and say that you have one for sale. And let people buy it.
6. It’s the unusual acts that are getting on TV. And charity events.
7. Try for a festival eventually.
8. Anyone can do an open mic.
9. Videos are not important if they suck. Get a tripod.
10. Put up a picture of your band.
11. Any film credit is good, even a free one.
12. You need to do a little work to get friends on myspace.
13. Most real band pages don’t have many friends, and that’s okay.
14. A concert on your porch is better than none at all and makes for interesting reading.
15. If you’re just starting out, do a bunch of open-mics.
16. If you do open mics, upgrade to regular acts in the same venues.
17. If you do regular venues, do some festivals.
18. If you do festivals, get to know bands in mainstream genres and try to open for them.
19. You can gig a lot if you want to, or just a little.
20. Have confidence in yourself and have fun.

tips advance music career

MySpace Statistics for New Hampshire Blue Grass Artists

2007-05-23T18:50:00.001-05:00

I finished going through all the Bluegrass artists in New Hampshire, and here is what I found as of May 23rd, 2007:

There are 24 New Hampshire bands and artists that play Bluegrass style.
A solid 50% (12) of those artists fool around, while the other 50% (12) are serious. What I mean by that is that 50% of bluegrass artists haven't produced a CD or played a gig and told the world about it. 4% received radio play (that's 1) and 4% (again 1) recieved TV/film notice and mentioned it.

On myspace, 63 bands list bluegrass as an influence, but a number (39 in all) didn't have detectable influences or were someone's joke band that didn't have any music.

I was very surprised at the mismash of websites and the shocking lack of color taste that often produced pages with unreadable text. And these were gigging bands! Also, not everyone uses the "shows" feature on myspace when they have gigs. A user doesn't want to have to work hard to find out if you're playing somewhere or if you have a CD for sale. It should be listed on the front page!

Of the bluegrass bands that I heard, all had a professional sound and some played regionally as well as internationally, and even some of the bands just fooling around sounded great; they should start gigging. Only one band (Truffle) plays with a superstar act and mentioned it, and I suspect that the genre has as much to do with it as anything. Truffle's rock slant lends itself to larger venues because there are more Rock groupies than traditional Bluegrass groupies.

Overall, 65% of the bands I have covered are fooling around, and 33% are not really bands or artists at all.

new hampshire music myspace bluegrass statistics bands

Blue Grass in New Hampshire, Part 2

2007-05-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

Jeff Burt (myspace) is guitarist who plays in several bluegrass bands like the excellent Estes Boys and has a definite bluegrass feel. He didn't post his schedule up so I don't know where he might play next. He has appeared on 91.9 WUMB (Boston).
12:00 PM, and it's free!

The Jack Pine Holdouts (myspace)is a band with a nice deep bluegrass sound. Mike English builds his own instruments and they sound wonderful. You can catch them at their next show on August 3, 2007 at Downtown Plymouth Main St., Plymouth, New Hampshire at 12pm. They're great. Go see them!

Jon Cumming (myspace) is a great singer/banjo player, and he's probably playing bluegrass tunes somewhere. Unfortunately, he doesn't maintain his site, so I can't tell you much more.

Rachel Funk (myspace) is more of a country singer than bluegrass, at least from what I heard. She hasn't got her act together because she hasn't posted any shows or music on myspace.

Parker Hill Road (myspace) has been playing their style of country bluegrass in New England for eight years. They don't have any show information, so you'll have to ask if you want to hear them play. Hopefully, they'll fix their website so we can find them play because they are really excellent.

Frosty Morn (myspace) is a funny artist who has a great bluegrass sound. Unfortunately for bluegrass fans, he's keeping his performances in his home. I look forward to his career advancement any day now.

Chuck Grisby and the Musky Bandits (myspace) is a great bluegrass band with a limited gig area. They have a great sound and I hope to see them play live somewhere, because they really should. Until then, you have to visit their back porch.

Bow Junction (myspace) has an exciting mix of bluegrass, country and folk and you can catch them on June 8th at the Sunapee Coffee House at 72 Main Street in Sunapee, New Hampshire. Definitely worth a listen if you like Bluegrass.

Dan Morgan (myspace) is a great acoustic guitarist who is looking for a home base. He's definitely got a great folk sound and would fit in on the acoustic scene all over New Hampshire.

The Plourd Family Quartet (myspace) is a gospel style band with bluegrass influences. You can find them spreading the good news in churches, nursing homes, and convention across new hampshire. They have appeared on the radio in an interview on Crosstalk Live, Radio Station WVFA - 90.5 FM. They even have a CD.

Kacey Pelletier (myspace)is an acoustic artist with a folk style. She's got a great sound, with a few kinks, and I'm sure that in time she will be a fantastic addition to the live scene in New Hampshire. I look forward to seeing her music progress and some reports of any live shows.

Cole Coburn & The Coburn Gang (myspace) has a great, polished country sound, so I was a little surprised that I didn't see any of his shows listed on his website. Probably an oversight. In the mean time, you'll have to check out his website to hear him.

The Marcy Hill Band (myspace) has a tight bluegrass sound. The harmonies are excellent. You can tell they've played a lot together. Anyway, you can find them at Harlow's Pub on June 16th in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Unfortunately, they won't tell you when they'll be there.

Bruce Simonds (myspace) is a country singer with some bluegrass influences in his sound. He's got a great songwriting craft. He also completely undersells his skills on his website. I hope he gets on the performance scene soon, because he's really talented.

Red Quill Productions (myspace) is not really a band, but rather a production company who is able to make bluegrass music and video, if you need it.

new hampshire music myspace

Bluegrass Bands Part 1

2007-05-23T09:47:00.000-05:00

One of the most traveled Blue Grass bands from New Hampshire is Truffle (myspace). I wouldn't call it traditional blue grass. Instead it is an electric mix of Rock, Blue Grass, R&B and Soul. They've headline with many international acts such as Little Feat, Phish, The Band, Dave Matthew’s Band, David Lindley, The Radiators, and Blues Traveler. You can catch them at the Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on June 1st,2007 at 9:00 pm.

A more traditional irish bluegrass band is The Makem & Spain Brothers (myspace). They have a tight a'cappella feel. You can catch Tommy Makem at the Cleveland Irish Festival on July 20-22, 2007 in Concord New Hampshire.

The Stillhouse Jammers(myspace) are a true bluegrass band. You've have a foot stomping good time with songs like "Grumpy Old Banjo". You can catch them in action on June, 3 2007 for Cancer Survivor Day at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital in Keene, New Hampshire at 12:30P.

The Back Shed String Band (myspace) couldn't provide any music to listen to yet, as they're still working on their website. But you can catch them in person at June, 2 2007 at Pike Town Hall, Pike, New Hampshire at 7:30 pm

Cordwood (myspace) is a country bluegrass band that has a real New England Feel. You can catch them at the The Blue Mermaid from 9:00 pm to closing on June 22,2007 in Portsmouth, NH.

April Hobart (myspace) is an acoustic artist with bluegrass influences. She plays for a lot of private parties, but you can catch her at Aug 11 2007 at 2:00P at the Richmond Blueberry/Fiddle Festival in Swanzey, New Hampshire.

Tim Cahill (myspace) is a laid back acoustic group. I didn't hear more than touch of blue grass in his music. You'll have to go south to Boston to hear him, as he doesn't have any gigs in New Hampshire any time soon.

Dag (myspace) is an acoustic artist who has a bit of a country blues feel, mixed with some blue grass style. You can find her at the American Legion in Rochester, New Hampshire on June, 9 2007 at 5:30 PM.

Steve Roy (myspace) will be appearing at Hermano's w/ Joe Gattuso and PJ Donahue on July 19,2007. His acoustic style blends folk with definite bluegrass influences.

Old Time Dave Talmage (myspace) is a great acoustic artist. He's got a nice sound. He didn't put up any show info, so I don't know where he might be playing.

Death Punch Morning (myspace) is really a rock band but some of their songs (number 6, for example) have a bluegrass feel mixed with trumpets. They haven't updated their show info, so I don't know where they are playing. It's a good group though.

Brown Hill (myspace) looks like they have a fresh sound, a new kind kind of bluegrass rock band. Why? Most bluegrass bands don't have any females singing! Unfortunately they don't put up much information on their myspace and their regular website isn't up yet. But you can catch them in action on June, 2 2007 at the Berely House on Main ST., Concord, New Hampshire at 9pm.

Kyle Carey (myspace)is an acoustic artist originally from Alaska. Her style is beautiful, and I look forward to hearing more about her when she gets through school.

The Monadnock Mountain Boys (myspace) is a mouthful if you haven't lived in New Hampshire. They have a great bluegrass sound, but are always looking for a place to play.

Of the Fallen myspace is really a metal band, and I didn't catch any bluegrass influences. When they have more material, I'll listen some more. They have had band "issues" and haven't had a recent show posted.

Neptune's Car (myspace) is an acoustic duo with country and bluegrass influences. They don't have any shows listed or CDs out so you'll have to settle for their myspace page.

Here come the Celts: Celtic Music in New Hampshire

2007-05-22T20:15:00.000-05:00

If you know any Celtic artists, you've probably heard of the famous Enya and also Loreena Mckennitt, but have you heard of New Hampshire's own Celtic artists?

Jessie Gagne-Hall (myspace) is an excellent fiddle player for Wake the Neighbors. They're not playing a concert in New Hampshire soon, but you can catch up with her at the Sandy Island Suzuki Camp on June, 26-30, 2007 in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire.

P.S. It's a camp, not a concert.

Electronic Sunshine (myspace) is another New Hampshire artist with celtic ideas, although I heard more rock, acoustic, and electronic infliences in his music. He's still working on his material.

Jim Tyrrell (myspace) is an indie musician who plays a blend of acoustic rock and irish ballads. You'll be sure have a good time wherever he plays. Speaking of which, his next show is at Totem Pole Campground on May, 26 2007 in Ossipee, New Hampshire at 7:30 pm. Check him out.

In the interest of completeness, there were 3 other so-called "celtic" artists, but they didn't really reach the fooling around state of affairs. Finish those web pages folks!

So, where are all the gospel singers in New Hampshire?

2007-05-22T11:53:00.000-05:00

I must admit that I was a little surprised with my gospel search, as I was with my earlier planetarium search (article here) that I was not able to find many dedicated NH musicians even though there's a local radio station that just does gospel. I know they're out there but where are they? I'm not too worried, because there's still Christian and Christian Rap to be covered another day.

Real Gospel in New Hampshire

2007-05-22T11:34:00.000-05:00

If you want to listen to real gospel in New Hampshire, check out Dawn Boyer (myspace) Her song "Death came a 'Knockin" is awesome. Dawn is part of the gospel choir Rock My Soul. Have a listen!
She needs to update her shows though so people can find her.

The Furious Five

2007-05-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

The Furious Five (myspace) is a new rock band and they listed as gospel but really play Guns-N-Roses type rock. They're still in high school, and they play well together. I hope they have more on their website soon so I can better describe their music. The guitarist is excellent. They don't have any published shows yet either so we'll have to wait for more information.

Preaching the Gospel through Music in New Hampshire

2007-05-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire sports at least one Gospel radio station - 91.1 out of Concord.

We have 3 native gospel artists saving souls one at a time.

First up is Eric Donnelly, who performs on the keyboard with the Rock My Soul Gospel Choir from Maine. His (myspace music is a fantastic collection of upbeat smooth funky jazz. And he's playing on June 2-3, 2007 at Ashworth by the sea at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. So go see him.

Radio Stations of NH

2007-05-21T20:59:00.000-05:00

Here's a list of all the radio stations of NH:

Belmont - WNHI 93.3 FM

Claremont - WHDQ Q106

Concord - WEVO 89.1 FM (NPR)

Concord - WJYY 105.5 FM

Concord - WKXL 1450 AM

Concord - WOTX FM 102.3

Concord - WSPS 90.5

Concord - WVNH 91.1 NH Gospel Radio

Conway - WMWV 93.5 FM

Dover - WDER 1320 AM

Dover - WOKQ 97.5 FM

Durham - WUNH 91.3 FM

Exeter - WERZ 107.1 FM

Farmington - WZEN 106.5 FM

Franklin - WFTN-94.1FM

Gilford - WBHG-101.5FM

Hanover - WDCR 1340 AM (Dartmouth College)

Hanover - WFRD 99 (Dartmouth College)

Hampton - Shark 105.3FM & 102.1FM

Henniker - WNNH 99.1 FM

Hooksett - WCNH-FM Classical 94.7

Keene - WKNH 93.1 FM (Keene State College)

Laconia - WEZS 1350 AM

Lebanon - WXXK 100.5 FM

Lebanon - XL 92.3 FM

Manchester - WGIR 101.1 FM

Manchester - WZID 95.7 FM

Moultonboro - WSCY-FM

Nashua - WHOB 106.3 FM

Nashua - WSMN 1590 AM

New London - WNTK 99.7 FM

North Conway - WMWV 93.5 FM

Plymouth - WPCR 91.7FM (Plymouth State University)

Plymouth - WPNH-FM The Planet

Portsmouth - WHEB 100.3FM

Portsmouth - WSCA-LP 106.1 FM - Portsmouth Community Radio

Wolfeboro - WASR 1420 AM

new hampshire music radio stations college commercial

Who's Getting Radio Play? Hip Hop/Rap/R&B

2007-05-21T16:31:00.000-05:00

Can you spit like DJ Danger (myspace) Keep your eye on him, he fires up the mic against some seriously powerful beats. And he's getting some radio play in New Hampshire and Mass.

He's got a mix party coming up on June 1st:
June, 1 2007 at ROCCOS
253 Wilson st, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101
Just $5.00 at the door...

Free Live Music in Mancester, New Hampshire

2007-05-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

I was digging on myspace today and I'm amazed at how hard it is to answer the question:
what new hampshire artists are playing live?

Anyway, here's today's 'free live music' plug of the day.
I recommend checking out Building James (myspace).

They're playing at Milly's Tavern in Mancester at 7:30pm on May 29th, 2007.
They have a great acoustic ( they call it 'power pop') sound with strong melodies and catchy tunes. They have a pretty tight sound. So go see it.

Milly's Tavern is at:
500 Commercial St in Manchester, New Hampshire 03101

Robert D (myspace)is doing his keyboard magic at the Breezeway Pub on May 21-22, 2007. A veritable jack of all trades - he'll play what you like, just ask!

Breezeway Pub is at:
14 Pearl Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101

Where are the planetarium musicians?

2007-05-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire boasts *six* planetariums. Who knew there were that many? The most well know is the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium. The rest are school related:

Christa McAuliffe Planetarium
3 Institute Drive
Concord, NH 03301

Keene State College Planetarium
229 Main Street
Keene, NH 03435

Nashua Senior High School Planetarium
Riverside Drive
Nashua, NH 03062

Oyster River Planetarium
Oyster River High School
Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

Plymouth State College Planetarium
Nat. Science Dept. Boyd Hall
Plymouth, NH 03264

Salem High School Planetarium
Geremonty Drive
Salem, NH 03079

With 6 planetariums, I figured there must be at least 6 ambient or eletronic
musicians in New Hampshire specializing in creating and selling planetarium music even if they are students in High School or College.

I found zero, and I was looking. Now I know that there are many planetariumesque songs from artists out there living in the granite state - I've heard them. But if I were holding a party at a Planetarium and I wanted someone to play planetarium style music, where would I look? If I wanted to commission a new show, where would I go?

It turns out I'm not going to find a New Hampshire artist. I'm going to find an artist from Atlanta, Georgia, and his name is John Serrie. His music (myspace) is definitely for the planetarium. Blast off! But he's also going to get the job because when I look up planeterium music I can actually find him.

Tip of the day: if you've got music that fills a niche, make sure that someone can find it. Electronic and ambient musicians of New Hampshire with space music alert: If you've got some space music laying around, make sure it comes up when you type in "planetarium music". And contact those planeteriums, too!

Music as Service: Jazz sells shoes

2007-05-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

I recently went to a large shoe store and happily spent a good deal of time there searching every isle for the perfect shoe for me. Whilst on this rare journey, I couldn't help but notice the jazz music playing in the background. Jazz music is perfect for selling shoes because it's unrushed tempo and relaxing atmosphere encourages shoe shoppers like myself to stick around for a long time buying shoes.

When you make your music, it helps to know who is best served by it. Country music sells steak. Jazz sells elegant living - and shoes. Children's music sells birthday parties and day care centers. Dance music sells clubs. Acoustic and folk music sell drinks.

If you produce music and you don't know where to gig, consider the successful tour of this band: "Joe Hemp/Didge Therepy" (myspace link) based out of Portsmouth. The exotic sounds of this band may not sell shoes, but apparently, they they do sell herbal products, yoga, and new age living based on their tour info. Their sound is very unique. Check them out.

What does your music sell?

music sells shoes new hampshire NH

5 Facts about the New Hampshire Music Microcosm

2007-05-20T18:09:00.001-05:00

In my previous post I ranted about the many hands that take precious cash away from a musician. In this post I'm going to describe the New Hampshire music scene. The state is so small, that research is straightforward, and it can serve as a test bed for whether you're going to be successful marketing your music in your area.

Some music facts about New Hampshire:

1) Fans - New Hampshire has a population of 1.3 million
about 23% are under 18
about 12% are over 65
This is roughly in line with the rest of the country

2) Advertisers using your music (radio and TV) -
about 5 TV stations
and 38 radio stations
about 30 newspapers (all kinds)

3) Gig sponsors/restaurant and club owners
there are 2650 restaurants of all kinds
39 different wedding venues
55 live theatres

4) Film, and TV
There are 90 production and advertising agencies in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has its own film festival

5) There are 1126 bands registered with myspace in New Hampshire with countless others wandering forth from the Boston area and beyond. Assuming an average of 4 members per band, 1 out of 300 people in New Hampshire is in a band! Did you think that is a lot? Consider that there are 3 million myspace bands, and the US has a population of 300 million. Apparently, everyone wants to be in a band. There's probably less competition in this state than in others.

facts about new hampshire music stats

WARNING: The Music Money Sink

2007-05-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

I've been writing music for a long time. In the beginning, I was just doing it for fun, a ditty here and there, for me own personal enjoyment, or for friends and family. If your family is like mine and music is an unusual talent, then they probably gush with praise that anything sounds even remotely decent.

After a while, I thought my music was *almost* good enough to be professional. And here is where the money sink begins...

I could write professional music if I had a scoring program.
I could make professional sounds if I had an orchestra on hand. Hmm.. That's not possible. Maybe if I could buy just a few (one!) professional instruments.
I could sound better if I hired a professional teacher.
I could record my awesome piece in a pro studio and sell it everywhere and I'll be rich!

Then reality sets in and you think maybe you're not the next Sting or Britney.
Nah, why waste the money, I'll mix and record it myself!

And so the sounds of many cash registers begin to play. You buy the instrument. Or worse, you don't think you're good enough to play pro yet, then you need something to play for you... MIDI to the rescue! But wait...MIDI doesn't play sound, you have to buy the sounds. So you buy a sound library. Then you need to buy a mixer. Gonna rap? You need a microphone. What? No sound? Hey, it needs a pre-amp. And all the while you're hearing about this thing we call mastering and so you need speakers. What! Basic speakers aren't good enough? What's a monitor? And on and on it goes.

If you've managed to get as far as making a CD without spending all your summer's earnings, then the real money hole begins. No one but your mom knows you have a CD. You need to promote it and play gigs. Hands come out of the woodwork to promote you or sign you or book and manage your tour, lawyers will help you manage your contracts for a fee...

This brings me to music fact #1:
It is easier to make money off a musician than as a musician. At every stage of your career, someone is waiting to take your money "to further your musical career".

A fellow blogger wrote about what was wrong with the industry, and I won't dispute the facts (
Whats Wrong with the Music Industry in One Long Sentence (annotated) )

But the real problem in this digital era is the music marketing and promotion sales and distribution business is hugely inefficient for the average musician.

Here are the people who can give a musician money if they choose:
Gig sponsors/restaurant and club owners
Fans
Advertisers using your music (radio and TV)
Film, and TV music directors
public radio

Here are some of the people who take a piece of every dollar you earn if you let them:
the government (taxes)
lawyers (contracts)
producers (mixing your CD)
labels (they help you sell, you give them what you earn)
promoters (radio, gig)
distributors (CD sales)
credit card companies (CD sales)
CD printers (making the CD)
promotional supplies (posters and the like)
managers (get you gigs for a %)
mastering houses (make your CD radio ready)
internet distributors (CD sales)
TV and radio advertisers

Got it? Put another way:
(Money coming in) - (music industry overhead) = (not a lot usually)

music make money sink

So you Thought you Wanted to be a Musician

2007-05-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

So, you've got the itch to make music? I know I do. Anyway, this blog is about the musicians of New Hampshire and the state of the music market in the state. I hope you find some of it to be useful and find some interesting music too.