Over the past year, Trap music has become the fastest growing genre of music. The overall music production of this genre consists of elements taken from predominantly Down South Hip Hop, House and Dubstep. This new style of music has been making quite a buzz in the music industry with new producers, dj’s and artists popping up daily.

This pairing of EDM (electronic dance music) and Hip Hop has turned out to be quite the perfect match. Two genres that had previously been on completely different sides of the spectrum are now working together to bring a new energy and sound to the club scene. We now have Hip Hop producers/artists working with EDM producers creating an exciting new genre of music.

With this sudden surge of this style of production, we have been blessed to hear great new music from artists such as RL Grime, Flosstradamus, and Baauer. As with any new trend, we also have to filter out all the generic “Trap Remixes” and tracks that seem to flood websites such as Soundcloud on a daily basis. I’ve seen well known producers as well as bedroom producers make miserable attempts in creating Trap Music.

The question that now looms for Trap Music is whether it will have any longevity. Is this just another trend that will fade away? Does this genre of music have what it takes to last for years to come?

I feel that Trap Music has the potential to last. I feel this way based off the fact that the genre has roots in Hip Hop. Because of this, there are familiar sounds used in its production that can be recognized by even the newest listeners. Nightclubs are a good way to gauge any given genre of music. Dj’s will play music that keeps the energy levels high in nightclubs. Trap Music might be relatively new in the clubs, but many of the sounds used in its production come from Hip Hop tracks that have been playing in clubs for years.

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Now it is no longer necessary for aspiring musicians to even be signed to a label, be it and indie or a major. With the birth of web 2.0 it is possible for artist to be visible within their market with the use of online tools to map out some form of PR strategy. We are no longer restricted to hearing new artists via radio play and the record store’s new artist sections. In today’s society everybody is online with their own individual online presence enabling them to interact with the masses through the use of social media, which includes social networks, websites and Apps. This now means that as an artist you have an audience of maximum reach as there are no limits to your distribution.

A couple of UK artist we can see that heavily use online PR within the urban scene includes the likes of, Wiley, Skepta, JME, Lethal Bizzle and the list continues. These artists use social media including Twitter, Facebook and official websites to interact with fans and keep them up to date on new releases, tours, competitions, merchandise availability and also to show the world that they are human through normal interaction and conversation with their fan base.

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The rise of Lorde and electronic dance music, or EDM, across the world has brought a new level of attention to music festivals in the country of New Zealand. The country is currently producing a number of leading popular musicians and acts and is the birthplace of the latest worldwide pop sensation, Lorde(1). The music scene supported the rise of acts Gotye, The Naked and Famous and Mt. Eden.

Music Festivals NZ

Music festivals have experienced the subsequent rise in attendance and prominence as well(2). They’ve been able to attract larger acts to the country both as openers for their own success stories and artists who are looking to make a wave in a new market. This has been especially prevalent in the dance music world, with prominent EDM acts such as Chet Faker, Peking Duk, Poniiboi and Hardwell headlining events in the country.

Because of this, a survey was conducted bout the various music festivals that have or are occurring in New Zealand this year and it shows that more people than ever are getting off the fence when it comes to attending the music festivals NZ throws. Over 30% of people surveyed said that they actually attend festivals, while just over 20% say that they do not normally attend, but they do check the line-ups. Those people are sure to find their way into music festivals because of the ever-larger names that New Zealand continues to attract!

Most Popular Music Festivals

The Rhythm and Vines (2) festival continues to be the most popular of all of the music festivals NZ holds with 13% of people surveyed saying that they look forward to it every year. The BW Summer Festival comes in second on this festival survey. Over 32% of people have not chosen a favourite music festival.

Favourite Music Acts

With all of the big names that have been coming to festivals in New Zealand lately, it is also difficult for people to pick a favourite act from any of these festivals. The festival survey found that three of the top five acts at festivals in New Zealand were from the dance genre – Chet Faker(3), Peking Duk(4) and Flume(5) – indicating that EDM is perhaps the most popular genre of music when it comes to festivals. The survey also had Maxwell and Bastille as the other top two acts that people enjoy.

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The first DJ we caught was Nicky Romero. A great energy to open our Ultra weekend! Then came Avicii with a strange set. Super strong start, everyone was rocking out SO hard. Great energy, great lightshow and then… live folk-inspired music. It was good, whatever it was. And it certainly proved Avicii could live mix quite well, only I felt it went on too long. The crowd become more and more confused about what was happening. People started to leave, wondering where their dance-beats went. Our crew stayed, enjoying the show. By the 5th folky song I turned to my boyfriend and said “Alright, that’s enough. It’s good and everything but I want to dance to some EDM. That’s what we paid all that money for.” I respect his new music and the courage to premiere it there. I just think it went on for too long and had too much “folk with a little EDM” rather than “EDM with a little folk.” I wasn’t the only one. Some tweet I read were far less forgiving! Avicii eventually had to defend himself via Facebook, although many were not convinced. I’m curious to hear the new stuff in a different environment though. I think I might like it.

Someone that demands a mention is none other that Mr. Tijs Verwest, also known as Tiesto, who finished off Friday night at Ultra. He really knows how to play a crowd. It’s a journey, really. He pulls you up and takes you places you totally don’t expect and then suddenly he’s dropped it in some dub-house breakdown that I’ve never heard before but LOVED! It had to be good, especially since he got on the mic and said “expect the unexpected ultra!” and boy he did he deliver! Tiesto closed it down so strong on Friday I felt like he was closing down the festival. He never half-asses a set and I’ve seen him four times! Great set.

The return of Deadmau5 on Saturday was insane. I had never seen him before even though I’ve been listening to him for years. It was surreal hearing my favourite songs come to life and watching everyone dance to them. The light show was also incredible! Some were bored with what they called the “same old Deadmau5” but for me, it was flawless! Other Saturday highlight were Calvin Harris, who was so much fun to listen to and groove with friends and strangers alike. Although in EDM, no one is a stranger. Fatboy Slim is always a highlight for me. I love his wackiness, repeated vocals, fun and unapologetic style and the visuals are always unique. I also caught a little dubstep with Doctor P, Flux Pavillion, Zed’s Dead and my favourite dub-master Bassnectar.

Then came my 12-hour day with ASOT600MIA! Unreal. Started the day with Tritonal and W&W, then left ASOT to check out NERVO, Zedd, and Porter Robinson. While I enjoy all those artists, I would have been delighted to stay at ASOT600 all day. I was brought nearly to tears almost immediately. There’s just something about Trance that moves you.

About halfway through Porter Robinson we left so we could get in the VIP line early to see Above & Beyond and Armin van Buuren. See, the VIP tickets were awesome but at certain times the capacity for the VIP section would fill up and you had to wait ages to get it. We were in line for over an hour and Above & Beyond had already played half their set by the time we got in. We weren’t concerned though, no one disappointed!!! This was my first time seeing Above & Beyond and it was amazing. So much connection with the crowd, so much love!! They had words coming up on their video screen throughout the set that were so beautiful and inspiring it brought tears to my eyes throughout the set. I truly felt connected to every person at that stage. Armin is my #1 DJ so I was euphoric about seeing him for the fourth time! He played his new single “This is What it Feels Like” feat. Trevor Guthrie and it was soooo beautiful! I’ve been listening to it on YouTube on repeat. Judge me.

After Armin we headed for the Main Stage to see the much-anticipated final performance by Swedish House Mafia. It was fun and emotion-filled, but I was quite tired so I didn’t fight the crowd to get close or anything. I just danced closer to the back with my friends and boyfriend and then bolted for the exit by the last note!!

Luckily we were staying at the Inter Continental right across the street so we didn’t have to bother with taxis or trains. Something we will do every year if we can!! The view of the festival from our room was priceless.

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Notation Programs VS DAWs

Notation programs are software used to create sheet music. You would need to know how to read and write music to use it. DAWs or Digital Audio Workstations are stronger for producing professional sounding audio. The amount of sounds libraries, virtual instruments and effects are endless. DAWs have more powerful ways to manipulate notes and sounds than Notation programs.

How do I decide which type of program to choose?

Generally, if you want to create great sounding audio, use a DAW. Alternatively, if you want to compose for live instruments, an orchestra, choir and won’t need to record your tracks in a studio, plus you’re game in music notation, choose a notation program.

Best Notation Programs for Music Composition

Finale

Finale is the cream of the crop in music notation programs and is used professionally by sheet music creators. The printed music at your local music store would most likely be made using Finale. The learning curve is a little high though, with tons of features. It may be too complicated for beginners but you can try Finale Notepad first which is a free, easier version to use.

Sibelius

The main competitor to Finale, Sibelius is great for all types of composers. Finale targets the traditionalists, and Sibelius the more general audience. Maybe too bold of a statement, but Sibelius tends to be popular with media composers such as film and video game music composers. The interface is very easy to learn and use, and is more beginner-friendly.

MuseScore

MuseScore is the best free notation program out there. It has a lot of features and is considered equal to the full blown programs such as Finale and Sibelius. A little hard to learn for the beginner, but will greatly pay off considering this is a free program with full capabilities.

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In the recent few years free EDM music downloads are making a boom on the Internet, and this genre has become the first preference all music lovers. Basically music is a blend of elements like Dubstep and Down South Hip Hop. Having a unique style of its own, this genre is hitting top charts of new evolving DJs, producers and artists popping up daily. Therefore there is no surprise in the fact that this genre has outgrown as a rage amongst masses of people that prefers only trap musicout in the parties, clubs and underground gigs. What makes this music genre so unique and so popular is that trap styling are flexible to be injected into any type or style of music thus giving a broader array of choices to music lovers. No wonder how this new budding genre has literally trapped people much faster that already well-known electro and dubstep music styles.

Noticing this emerging popularity every passing day the question that now looms is how long will this craze last? Will it be just like many trends that come and go until the next new thing is invented? Or will it create a strong foothold in the music industry and also amongst the crowd?

However there is a much higher probability seen for trap music 2013 to last longer. Having its roots in hip hop, Trap Music is definitely made up just the way people want it. People can relate to this music style even if they are new listeners. Knowing the fact that the night clubs have been the best way to gauge the potential of every new genre style, has definitely become the favorites of all the DJ’s. So overall an exciting growth is already been witnessed in the present scenario and much likely this music genre is going to stay for very long.

Another thing which is playing a great role in elevating the standards and liking of music among the crowds are the free EDM music downloads offered on the web by many music websites. This has made easier and convenient for all the music lovers to listen to their favorite tracks anytime and anywhere. This is indeed one very big trend that is followed by masses across the globe.

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Music centers can break out in the must unlikely places. Take the small Balearic Island of Ibiza, for example. When people think of island vacations, they likely picture sandy beaches, rolling waves, and drinking cool beverages under the hot sun. In other words, they dream about enjoying the great outdoors.

However, it’s the great indoors, instead, that makes Ibiza a coveted destination for dance music aficionados all over the world.

Much like latter day world explorers, hippies arrived in Ibiza in the ’60s, bringing with them musical styles not yet heard in Spain. And in 1973, Pacha Ibiza, the island’s first pivotal club, began to attract music-loving night owls. Soon after, rising musicians from around the globe were flocking to this sonic melting pot, and eventually many other popular night spots took root, including Es Paradis and Amnesia.

In the ’90s, dance music began to evolve at a rapid rate, similar to the way the internet and personal computers started fast-forwarding our culture into its brave new future. And when the electronic dance movement started to take shape via house, trance, techno and other keyboard and computerized styles, DJs in the Ibiza club scene took on the role of turntablest agents of change. There’s even a genre named after the island, called Balearic Beat, and this indigenous Ibiza music is notable for its strong grooves, which are mixed in with distinctly Spanish influences.

One of Ibiza’s best known performers is Jens Gad, who was featured prominently on Enigma’s recordings. Tiësto, another Ibiza regular, was the first DJ to perform at the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 2004. Paul van Dyk may be from East Berlin, but his electronic dance music always goes over extremely in Ibiza. John Digweed regularly performs at hot spots, such as Space, and hosts his own radio show, Transitions. Other notable DJs include Above and Beyond, who are appreciated for their uplifting trance sounds, also host the radio show Trance Around the World and have had residencies at Cream, A&B, and others. Markus Schulz is also from Germany, and like many of his DJ contemporaries, hosts his own radio show, which is called Global DJ Broadcast.

Ibiza is more than just a DJs paradise, however, as nearly any and all musical varieties are now openly welcomed there. It’s so eclectic in fact many clubs designate rooms solely for certain musical styles, which range from Latin and garage, to R&B and hip-hop. Live music is also alive and well in the Ibiza calendar, as Kaiser Chiefs, The Arctic Monkeys, and Kasabian have all made notable island ventures, brandishing electric guitars, instead of turntables and various electronic wizardry. Much like major creative cities, such as New York, London, and Los Angeles, Ibiza attracts visitors from around the world. These other major metropolises may dwarf the island, size-wise, but Ibiza’s adventurous sense of experimentation makes it just as important as any other music capital. Those with ears to hear that want to explore the great indoors must put Ibiza on their travel itinerary.
This article was written by John McElborough. Find out more about Ibiza and book your room at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel – Ibiza’s number one music hotel for clubbers on loveibiza.net.

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Lady Gaga has really revolutionized pop music at the end of decade with her perfect timing and the Fame really brings disco-pop and yes, even electro pop to life. While Pink, Christina, Beyonce and company are releasing their albums and singles, Gaga has already cemented herself as not only one of the fastest emerging female artists in history, but also as a pop culture icon and one of the biggest favorites of disc jockeys.

She is a staple of pop culture continuing come up with new concepts. Gaga sings (live too!), dances, combines music and fashion, designs her own stage, plays an actual instrument (true musician), and most of all, actually writes her own material. Her strengths have produced a million wannabe’s that want to dance like Gaga or sing like Gaga. She’s such incredible entertainer that disc jockeys can’t wait to see what she gives next.

Gaga can tear the house down sitting on a stool with a mic in her hand or do a full out dance routine and knock others dead. What Alexander McQueen did for fashion, Gaga is doing to dance music. The most amazing with Lady Gaga is that she can change style, whether ballad or pop dance which makes her the new Queen Of Pop. Gaga will continue her career the same way Madonna has. She is a marketing machine for her amazing concerts and the disc jockey who need danceable hits to play.

One thing you all have to admit finally is that Lady Gaga really shook up Top 40 into liking electronic/dance music and abandoning the aggressive sounds of hip-hop in the early and mid 2000s.

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By 1992 the Hardcore scene, or also known as the Rave scene was huge and rife all over the UK. Crowds of people in their thousands would flock in to empty warehouses and open land for illegal raves to take drugs and dance to hardcore for up to 10 hours at a time. Of Course there were legal raves such as the famous fantasia which started up 1991 and they in fact counted 30,000 people at One Step Beyond! This really was the beginning of the club and dance scene that we know so much about today. There were so many big name producers such as The Prodigy releasing ‘You Love’ back in 1991 which is one of the biggest dance tracks of all time. Various other big name British producers such as SL2 with ‘Way in my Brain’ and of course one of the most famous acts ‘The Ratpack’ with ‘Searchin’ for My Rizla” who really did bring Hip Hop in to the mix with their vocal and sound samples. Old Skool had become commercial and ‘Searchin for My Rizla’ went straight to number one beating massive acts such as Madonna and Kriss Kross to the number one spot in the charts. Most radio stations didn’t add ‘Searchin for my Rizla’ to their play-list as it was blatantly a song about taking drugs! When dance music finds its way in to the commercial scene it can sometimes mean the end of the underground scene where Hardcore was at the start of the 1990’s and this was evident with the release of Sesame Street – hardcore mix. This Old Skool sound and beat is timeless and still used in today’s dance songs and main steam pop records.

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Knowing where and how to get the best return for your dollar and your time is the key to maximizing exposure and sales. Here are six ways to effectively market your dance music online:

1. Distribution. The first step in marketing music online is making it available for purchase. CD Baby offers one of the easiest, most comprehensive ways of distributing music online. Through their extensive partner network, this site allows everyone from absolute beginners to pros to sell their MP3s everywhere from iTunes to Facebook.

2. Search Engine Marketing. Getting a website online is another key step but not just any site will do. To be effective, a site should incorporate pages that are built around keywords that are commonly searched in the niche market being targeted. For a dance artist, the broadest niche would be “dance music”. This could be subdivided even further to “club music,” “house music,” “electronic dance music,” “electronica,” etc. Sitesell includes all the tools to research a niche market and build a site that organically targets people searching on relevant keywords.

3. Social Media. The biggest social media sites are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and MySpace. Set up artist pages on the sites that are most heavily used by your target market. For music fans, this would likely be Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. Interact with fans on these sites, engage them, and share news of interest. Posts links to the main website and other social media sites.

4. Press Releases. Thanks to the internet, news releases are no longer just for journalists. They can now be used to reach fans directly with news of an upcoming single or show. Find good reasons to send them all the time to keep fans engaged. Use keyword rich copy and link back to the website.

5. Blogging. A blog is a great place to post ideas big and small. Engage fans by commenting on music news of the day, posting career updates, telling insider stories, and sharing photos, videos, and songs. Focus on the dance music niche and label posts with appropriate keywords.

6. Video. Videos are powerful tools for promoting music. YouTube is now the internet’s second most used search engine after Google. Posting to YouTube and other video sharing sites will expose your videos to millions of users. Tag videos using niche relevant keywords for maximum exposure and link directly to your website from the description.

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