Archive for April, 2010

PostHeaderIcon How to get underground music on the radio

When all is said and done radio still packs quite a punch for underground music or commercial stuff. I know it’s the age of the Internet and most people will listen to the content of their iPods rather than that of the radio stations.  However there are still those that prefer the human interaction that a DJ offers and the fact that they don’t exactly know what song will be played next while at the same time keeping informed about the new music that’s coming out.  Let’s not forget the people that are stuck for long periods of time commuting back and forth to work.  A lot of them will have the radio on.  I am not talking here only about the top 40, commercial stations.  There are plenty of smaller radio stations and specialty radio shows that cater to niche markets. Getting your music played on the radio still matters and can be very beneficial for your career.

Over the past couple of years radio has changed a lot. A lot of stations have consolidated under big conglomerates such as Clear Channel. There has been a growing emphasis on playing what the people want to hear and catering to the sponsors that provide the station’s income through their advertisements.

So how do you, the underground artist, get on the radio? Well, there are a lot of ways but first you have to ask yourself a simple question: What are you trying to accomplish with your airplay and what’s your budget? Trying to get promotion for your tour is a different from promoting your album. Your musical style (for example rock or hiphop) will also play a big part in choosing the right promo method. For underground music you will probably be looking for specialty shows and college radio stations.

You can DiY or you can use different services and target the stations and radio shows you are trying to hit. If you need to have a more professional job done and don’t have a lot of experience in the radio business, you’ll probably want to hire a radio promoter to do the job for you. This isn’t cheap as it can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars for a campaign. Obviously if you are just starting out you’ll probably want to keep the budget very low while still getting the biggest bang for your buck . The job of the radio promoter is to send the packages which contain your CD and a brief one-sheet and to follow up with the radio station. This might seem very simple and you might wonder why can’t you send these packages and contact the radio station yourself. You can but your result will be limited.

Let’s start by dispelling a common myth. If you think that the DJ controls songs that get played on the air then you are in for a rude awakening. In most cases it’s the station’s program director (PD) that calls the shots.

Most of the time a radio promoter will have already established a relationship with the PD at the station you are trying to get airplay from.

If you are trying to hit specialty radio shows, then in most cases you can get away with professional looking CDRs. If on the other hand you are trying to go for more commercial radio stations then you must have glass mastered CDs. Remember to put your best tracks first. If you think that a PD has time to go through three/four mediocre tracks in order to get to the good track you are dead wrong.

College radio stations are a strange beast. Some of their specialty shows will accept CDRs while the main programming will probably not go for anything less than a professional CD. This of course depends on college and the popularity of the radio station.

If you are going to try and do the radio promotion yourself and you can’t find any information on their website on how to submit your music then it’s best to get in touch with the radio station via e-mail.

You can easily get a list of radio stations by doing a bit of net research. Don’t use the shotgun method and send stuff out indiscriminately. Do the research and find out what shows would fit best and how you can contact them. In most cases, with some persistence, you will be able to find out how they would like the material to be sent to them. The easiest way to get your material straight into the garbage is to send it to the wrong show or person at the station.

Remember that there are also many internet radio stations and their number is growing every day and it’s a little easier to get in touch with them and get your music played. Also keep in mind that it’s not only about the songs. Some of the specialty shows might actually request an interview. Be prepared and don’t forget to mention your website and upcoming events or albums that you have out…. plug, plug, plug.

If you decide to go the full nine yards and hire a radio promoter then do your homework and make sure you appoint the right person for the job. Most radio promoters will specialize in certain musical styles (rap, r&b, metal, industrial, hip music, etc…) For example don’t hire a rock guy to do a hiphop job!

If you plan it well and know what you’re aiming for, then radio can play a crucial role in getting your band/music out there. Remember to do your homework before you start and good luck.

PostHeaderIcon Lap Band Surgery

Lap Band Surgery: – if you are in trouble with physical activities because you are trouble cause of weight and you have some problems to walk and sit. Ok don’t think more there are several options for losing weight like diet pills, weight loss supplements, magnetic therapy, exercise and water therapy etc. but Lap band surgery is the best surgery for weight loss. Lap band surgery is also so good alternative for losing weight, but all surgeries are not so good. There is a miracle weight loss surgery known as lap band surgery. The surgery is very beneficial for losing weight due to its amazing capacity.

Lap band surgery is basically works on the theory of consuming capacity; person consume less food definitely lose weight. This is the main concept of this miracle surgery. You will find to get ride up from weight after lap band surgery. You will benefit after lap band surgery. Lap band surgery is placed in such a position so that it creates a pouch of around 10ml, i.e. it moderates the consuming capacity of stomach to 10ml. There are two modes through lap band is placed inside abdomen over the stomach. The first one is open surgery; it is the traditional way for surgery. In this a single loans incision is made on the abdomen for the placement of lap band. The second mode is laparoscopic. In this five small holes are made on the abdomen. These holes are used to insert instrument, lap band and for performing the operation. After compilation of lap band surgery the lap band is adjusted.

Now when the patient starts eating food; eat food until the pouch is filled. As the pouch filled the patient feels fulfill and stops further eating food. Resulted the patient consume less food and resulted lose weight. Lap band surgery is actually it purely based on scientific way of losing weight. The best thing with this surgery is, it is the safest surgery for losing healthy weight. The result of lap band surgery is very excited. Generally the patient feels the result after the single week of lap band surgery. In next 3 to 4 weeks the patient starts proper losing weight. Within six months to one year the obese person fully lose weight and gain healthy weight. The actual time duration of weight loss is depends on body structure of patient.
Nowadays there are very varieties of fat loss surgeries to choose from but some of them surgeries give disadvantages for physical and the man is danger of disease. But the lap band surgery is best available for physical weight loses. Lap band surgery should be carefully weight lose before making a decision. With rapid progress in the field of medicine, lap band surgical technique has also become more skilled and effective today. Though they do lead to substantial weight loss this is brought about more due to restricted intake of calories or because the body absorbs less of the food eaten.
Stomach stapling is another technique that has been around for sometime. Expert surgeon creates a small hole to operation through lap band surgery the body instead of opening up the patient. The negative effects of such surgery can include a risk of bleeding though the chances are few. Patients can however become ill if they consume more than the recommended amounts of food and have nutritional deficiencies that can become a lifelong issue. Instead of puncturing the stomach, physicians can instead install an adjustable lap band around the patients stomach so that it makes it possible for them to adjust the effect as the patient loses weight.
For lap band procedure to be successful, close medical observation is recommended for the patient’s health because rapid weight loss will lead to many hormonal changes. Lap band Surgery that is conducted for weight loss are termed Geriatric surgery and the procedure itself has several names such as Biliopancreatic Diversion. Lap band surgery is important for those considering surgery for weight loss to carefully look into the pros and cons of the procedure. If you have made the decision to go in for weight loss surgery you should consult experienced surgeons. But for some committing themselves to improving their diet and lifestyle in order to lose weight seems like a much better option than other surgery.
Being overweight you trouble, and that is not just because people look down on larger individuals. It is also difficult to find attractive clothes and no smart cause of fat. They do not make large purchases; enjoy good health, play sports. Fortunately, for those individuals who are overweight and cannot seem to find a way to lose the weight through dieting or exercise, then lap band surgery might be available option. There is a wide variety for weight loses, individuals should weight the risks and benefits and make the wisest choice regarding going ahead with weight lose lap band surgery in the light of these results.

When individuals lose weight there are many benefits including lower blood pressure, decreased risk for heart disease and diabetes, increased self esteem, self confidence and many other benefits as well. So, if you are considering any of the weight lose through by lap band surgery option. You now know the benefits that you will more than likely receive before. Most people are successful through lap band surgery and exercise. A smaller number need the addition of medication. A small percentage fails in all of those methods. So the big question is what should those who are overweight do to get back to an acceptable weight? The lap band surgery usually can be placed with a laparoscopic surgery. The lap band surgery results in a small pocket at the top of the stomach.
The end result of the lap band surgery is that you feel full after eating a small amount. It is even possible to place a band that is adjustable so that you can vary the size of the pocket and opening.
Benefits of lap band surgery
1 No cutting of the stomach
2 No stapling of the stomach
3 Calibrated pouch and stoma size
4 Can be adjusted to patient’s needs after surgery with no operation to adjust the stoma
5 Laparoscopic removal possible
6 fully reversible
7 Short hospital stay (does not exceed 48 hours)