VS Planet Radio

New Station Gives Power to the Planeteers

Remember the glory days of mainstream radio before corporate America took over? Don Henley does. "When I started in the music business, music was important and vital to our culture," he told New York Newsday recently. "Artists connected with their fans. Record labels signed cutting-edge artists, and FM radio offered an incredible variety of music. Our culture was enriched, and the music business was healthy and strong. . . . Radio stations used to be local and diverse. Deejays programmed their shows and developed relationships with artists. Today, stations are centrally programmed by their corporate owners, and airplay is essentially bought rather than earned."

One of the most inspiring "workarounds" to today's corporate broadcast barrier is Internet radio. Of particular interest and relevance to the Roland recording community is a new station called VS-Planet Radio. What is it exactly, and how can you become a part?

VS-Planet Radio (VSPR) launched on December 3, 2003. Derived from VSplanet.com, an international online community dedicated to the Roland VS platform, VSPR is an Internet radio station that spotlights independent artists from the VS-Planet community. It features a variety of shows, and even has its own charts/ratings system. "VSPR broadcasts 24/7 across the global Internet," explains Program Director Terry Walker. "Currently there are over 190 eligible artists signed up for airplay. VSPR's role is to recognize and promote artistic expression in our community. Many VS-Planet Artists, and the indie community in general, feel it's also about finally having a voice and bypassing what they feel is an outdated music industry business model. A lot of people are bored with the music that's being put out by the big five record labels. I've always agreed that 'MTV killed the radio star.' Maybe the Internet will resurrect him/her again. Whatever happens with the future of music, VS-Planet will be there."

Want to become a featured artist on VSPR? Here's how.

First, you must become a premium member of VS-Planet (details at VSplanet.com). Upon joining, you're provided with an Artist page, where you can upload songs, a photo, and information about yourself. "When you upload a track to your artist webpage," says VS-Planet, "you are, in effect, adding the track to the VS-Planet music depository. VSPR will only consider tracks uploaded to the VS-Planet music depository for rotation and airplay. Every song that is uploaded to an artist webpage is eligible for rotation on our broadcast server. It's the artist's responsibility to upload their best tracks to their webpage; currently, an artist can upload up to eight songs to their page. From the control panel, the artist can check-mark three tracks that she/he considers their best choice for inclusion into VSPR rotation."

Uploading and check-marking songs doesn't guarantee that your music will be added to the VSPR playlist, however. "VSPR station programmers reserve the right to determine how many tracks per artist are placed into rotation — usually between one and three, with multiple tracks (more than one) being the exception rather than the rule."

The operators of VSPR have a clear vision for the station's future: "We have been developing the site, and putting the infrastructure in place to make VS-Planet/VSPR a premier music venue on the Net," says Paul Olito, Director of VS-Planet Operations. "In the future, we plan to include a record label and a music publishing and distribution system — including CDs and a pay-per-download model adopted from WeedShare [weedshare.com], which allows people to play before they pay." In addition to building the station's profile on the web, Paul says a major goal of VSPR is to expand to XM satellite radio in the future.

VSPR Artist Spotlight

Let's take a look at a few of the artists currently in rotation on VSPR — complete with bios, testimonials, and a few VS-recording tips!

 

Andy McClellan (a.k.a. Silversmith)

Artist Bio: I've been playing music for about 40 years, and professionally for about 35 of those. It started out for me as Beatles and folk music, but has since included rock, R&B, country, jazz, and bluegrass. My main instrument is guitar, but I also play stand-up and electric bass, 5-string banjo, lap steel, and hand percussion. Currently my live gigs are primarily of the "bar-band covers" variety, but my studio material is all original, mostly acoustic.

VSPR Testimonial: VSPR has gotten my name and music out there for people to hear. It has shown me that there is, in fact, a large community of people just like me making music. VSPR is a "genre-free" zone. The listeners and the artists involved have no problem hearing a variety of styles ranging from hard rock, jazz, metal, country, bluegrass, and even classical. As such, it's given a musical home to people who might not otherwise get airplay . . . like me.

It's a treat for me to host the show Songs that Make You Smile, because it gives me the opportunity to put together sets of music from different genres that may be thematically linked.

VS Tips: (1) I have a couple of customized compression patches for tracking various acoustic instruments that I use all the time. That way, when the muse visits, I can be tracking within minutes. I also use an MTK template. Both of these patches were arrived at just by experimentation. (2) I use Auto-Punch for everything. Features that reduce the amount of engineering are always a good thing for the one-person studio. (3) I optimize after every take. (4) Most important tip/trick: VSplanet.com as a resource for tips and tricks.

 

Chris Flynn

Artist Bio: I have a band called Art in America, as well as various projects with musicians I have either known for a while, or met through the VS Planet and VSPR radio. Art in America recorded one LP back in 1983 for CBS/Epic, produced by Eddy Offord. We charted on the Billboard Pop charts, and did fairly well with airplay. Art in America was unique in the sense that we were a rock band with a full-sized concert pedal harp, played by my sister Shishonee Flynn. We have been writing and recording as a band ever since. I also have a plethora of different musical styles and songs — from ballads to experimental to classical to loop-based recordings. No rules, no set way of doing things. It's pretty cool to be able to finish a tune and then beam it up to VS-Planet for inclusion on VSPR radio. No middle man. Just me, my 1680, and the radio.

VSPR Testimonial: I met a great songwriter (Mitch Crane) as a result of hearing each other's tunes on VSPR. I've been doing some work with him for the last few months.

The advances made in technology have made it possible for every undiscovered bedroom genius to write and record songs at home, and then upload these songs into the Internet universe. I never wanted money or fame. Scratch that — yes I did. But as I got older, my goals changed to just wanting to be heard. I am now able to share my music on VSPR with the world. How cool is that?

VS Tip: [Subtractive mixing advice] I once got some very good constructive feedback on VSPR about squeezing too many tracks into a particular song. Upon taking the suggestions to heart, I ended up deciding that bass, drums, and one guitar allowed the song to breathe, and the melody then came back to life.

 

Doug Robinson

Artist Bio: I have played piano, drums, and bass professionally since I was about 12. I love music, and though my main style has been jazz, I have ecumenical tastes and hopefully that comes through in everything I play. Even though I play several instruments, I consider myself a composer first and foremost. I have seven solo CDs, including my most recent one: Two Days in November, featuring my trio Jazzooo. It was recorded 100-percent on my VS-2480 by Dan "Dot" Richards in my home studio — ambitious, because it was basically three guys playing live with minimal isolation. It sounds pretty great!

In the past, VSPR has featured cuts from two of my jazz albums, featuring great players such as Peter Erskine and Mike Stern playing my compositions (I'm also playing keys on these projects). People tend to think of me as strictly a jazzer, but in a few weeks they are going to get a big surprise, when my first vocal project debuts.

Beyond that, I've scored an indie feature film and produced other VS albums. As for new projects, there are three CDs in the pipeline right now. By the end of the year I will release Michelle Abby's new album, which we've been chipping away at for over a year now. Michelle's vocal chops are sensational.

VSPR Testimonial: It has been a blast to throw music up there and get feedback from Planeteers the same night. I've sold quite a few CDs to people who heard me for the first time on VSPR. Beyond that aspect, I find myself listening to it for the sheer pleasure of discovering indie music that doesn't necessarily strive to be in-step with today's fads and trends. Some of the work is amateurish but fascinating, and some of it is flat-out inspiring to me as a writer. And it also confirms my belief that there is absolutely no shortage of great players in the world! VSPR has also allowed me to make comments about other peoples' arrangements and give them another perspective.

VS Tip: The most valuable tool on the VS-2480 is Automix,, in my opinion. The way I look at it, mixing is actually a function of arranging, and Automix allows you to fine-tune everything from volume levels to pan location.

 

Mike Musgrove

Artist Bio: I'm currently putting together several blues/jazz tunes and hope to finish a CD this year. Although I don't expect the project to be financially rewarding, it will undoubtedly open a few doors for me locally. Most importantly though, I never got to do a CD back in the '80s and now, thanks to technology and VS-Planet, I'm finally getting around to it. It's all on my terms and my pace. It sounds corny, but VS-Planet really has improved the quality of my life and given me some new directions and things to look forward to.

VSPR Testimonial: The reaction and support from the VS community has been positive, and it helps keep me going. VSPR has been a significant event for me for several reasons. First and foremost, I find almost all the music to be interesting. There are a wide range of people and talent, from seasoned pros to hobbyists. It's interesting to hear everyone's ideas, both musical and recording, and learn from it. The music spans from bluegrass to metal to jazz and everything in between.

Secondly, it has given me a reason to play. I suspect there are many people in my situation that used to play "back in the day," whose lives have taken them away from music. Playing in a bar band is not at all appealing to me at this stage of my life. In VS-Planet and VSPR I have been given talented colleagues, an audience, support, and encouragement. It has made playing guitar once again an important and rewarding part of my life.

Thirdly, the VSPR format, which is all original music, has forced me to write some tunes. I doubt I'd have tried to write anything without VSPR. Now that I'm thinking in those terms its a lot of fun. This aspect is augmented by the fact that there are a lot of talented people on VS-Planet to bounce ideas back and forth with.

VS Tip: Probably the biggest tip I could give anybody is to avail themselves of the vast knowledge on the VS Planet website. I have been bailed out of countless snafus by some great folks there. I have also met people from all over the country to collaborate with on various projects. I live in Texas, but am currently working on collaborations with people in Utah, Vancouver, California, Massachusetts, Portland, and Oklahoma. The digital realm makes it incredibly easy to send project files back and forth. That has opened up all kinds of new paths.

Another big tip would be to hit the [RECORD] button. Put down any ideas that come into your head, even if it's a scratch guitar with a click track. Adding more tracks and turning an idea into a song can be done at any time and you never know when the muse is going to come around.

 

Terry Walker

Artist Bio: I've been playing in bands, well, it seems like forever and a day. The band I'm currently in, GAWS, has been together now for almost seven years. We're basically a rock/hard rock, '70s/'80s-style band. We play only original material, and we love it. We write music to satisfy ourselves and our fans. We're not afraid to experiment with something new, but we don't feel like we need to keep up with any trend. What you hear is what you get. We're long past worrying about a major label deal, which takes a lot of pressure off of us as a band, and that lets the fun shine through. And if you've ever hung out with us, you know fun is the key word here! It's all about the music, and enjoying what we're doing. Lately we've seen more young people getting into our music, which always surprises and flatters us. I think people are getting back to their roots musically, and they just wanna rock again — which is great for us, because we never stopped!

VSPR Testimonial: I loved the idea of VSPR the first moment I heard of it. I knew right then I wanted to be involved with getting this up and running. The V-Studio user finally would have a supportive outlet to get their songs heard by the masses, and with the introduction of VSPR we've challenged the Planet artist's to work harder at putting out quality songs. The bar has risen many times over the past several months. I'm truly amazed at the quality of the recordings, the musicianship, and dedication by the users to do the best possible job of playing and engineering that they can do. The sky seems to be the limit, and I think our artists, and members in general, are pushing their V-Studios past the limits that the designers originally intended. And that's a good thing! It keeps both the user and Roland constantly thinking about how can we make this even better. VSPR, hopefully will continue to grow, and someday be a force to be reckoned with in the Internet world of music. I think we have a support network unique to any other net-based radio station. We all support one another, instead of seeing other artists as the competition. And you simply can't beat the talent in the VSPR community. Where else can you hear such a wide variety of music? Anything from bluegrass gospel to heavy metal mixed in one bag. There's something for everyone on VSPR, and I think that's the key to our success. Then there are the individual shows on VSPR. The Silversmith Show hosted by Andy McClellan has really taken off here on the Planet. Andy is a very talented DJ, as well as a great musician, and we're lucky to have his dedication to putting out a great show each week. The King Neptune Album Hour features a whole album of music from our Premium Artists, which runs each week as material permits. Imagine that, what station plays an entire album from an Artist, every day for a whole week? Only here on VSPR. VS-Planet Radio Rocks!

The members of VS-Planet has been very supportive of VSPR, and we can't thank everyone enough for helping make this happen. It does take a Village to get something like this up and running, as it's not an easy chore. But there's no greater community out there, nor one more deserving than the people who live at VS-Planet. Any success we have, we owe it to them for supporting us.

VSPR has changed the way I think about recording. Before I submit a song to the Scouts at VSPR, I want it to be as good as my engineering and talent allows. Before I post a song now, I think, because the bar is constantly being raised. I want my best work on VSPR, and I strive to make my songs, quality wise, as good as the rest of the tunes in rotation. The bar is high, but we'll all get there together.

VS Tip: The main tip I could offer a beginner would be to be patient, don't try to learn everything at once. Pace yourself. Read all you can about your respective machine, about recording, and hit that red button as often as you can!