Updated: 12 July 2004
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Performer Membership Details

Index
  Introduction
  Web 101
  Description & Guidelines
  Cost
  Recording & Distribution of CDs
  Questionnaire

Introduction
The Black Rose Acoustic Society (BRAS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education, performance, enjoyment and preservation of all types of traditional acoustic music in the Black Forest and Colorado Springs area. The BRAS Web site is located on the Internet at http://www.blackroseacoustic.org where information is available on BRAS upcoming performances, area acoustical music events, reviews of the latest acoustic music CD releases, and an abundance of general information intended to educate the Internet public around the globe and in the local area on acoustic music happenings.

The Black Rose Acoustic Society now offers Performer Memberships for local Performers where you will be able to support BRAS events and boost your performing career for annual dues of $35. These memberships are for any size act, from solos to bands, and will offer the following benefits:

  • Individual Black Rose Acoustic Society Membership privileges for each member of your group.

  • A listing in the Black Rose Acoustic Society newsletter and Web site for a full year in our new Performer Members listing section.

  • You’ll also get up to 3 Mbytes of space on our Web site (enough for your profile, photos, schedule and sound clips). You can either provide your Web page design or work with Jeff Smith, the Black Rose Web Developer, to produce the Web pages appropriate for your group.

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Web 101
Not sure what this Web page stuff is all about or how it could help your group? Here is a brief Web-101 to give you more information.

In the most simple sense, the Internet is nothing more than millions of computers connected through a variety of methods from all over the world that allow people to share information. This information is typically plain text, graphics, photos, sound-samples, or software programs. The most common means of getting to this shared information on the Internet is through a software application known as a "Web browser". The PC user will run this Web browser while the their computer is dialed into the Internet (often through an agency known as an Internet Service Provider). Unlike a book that is usually read in a specific order, the Web's system of navigating allows a reader to jump from page to page by clicking on information highlighted through the Web browser application. This information may be linked to other Web pages in the user's area or to any other shared information around the world.

As an example, the Black Rose Acoustic Society provides a wide variety of information to readers through it's Web site:

  • Schedule & details of upcoming performances

  • Music samples of a performer's work

  • Links to detailed information about performers

  • Reviews of recently released CDs and ability to purchase directly from Web

  • Other educational information related to acoustic music

  • Links to other acoustic music Web sites

Just think of the Web as a huge version of your local library that never closes, allows you to read from the comfort of your home anytime, and doesn't have anyone telling you to shush!

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Description and Guidelines
With the Black Rose Acoustic Society Performer Membership, you will maintain the benefits of your regular membership as well as get your group's name in the newsletter and Web site for a year and get your group's presence made known to World Wide Web. You may provide your previously designed Web pages to be placed on the Black Rose Acoustic Society Web site. Or, for the cost of a donation to your favorite local charity, those Web pages will be designed and maintained for you.

Should you choose to have your Web pages designed, the following services will be provided:

  1. Photos, trademarks, etc. - Any photos, logos, trademarks, etc., for your group may be duplicated in electronic form to include in your Web pages. Either black & white or color photos are reproducible with the appropriate permissions.

  2. A Performer Profile will be included for your group which documents your musical style, quotes from reviewers, promoters, individual bio's, list of venues played, recordings, etc.

  3. Music reviews will be included detailing what tapes and CDs have been produced, where these recordings are available and, if desired, a small sound bite of your music in electronic format for the Web browser to sample. The Black Rose Acoustic Society does not currently offer the ability to purchase music online directly through their Web site but this is a future expectation. When available, this would allow the Web browser to purchase your music online using a credit card just as if they were to walk into the local recording shop.

  4. Booking and service information will be included showing your group's schedule and who to contact if performances or other services are required.

It should be noted that while many Web sites on the Internet provide intense, eye-catching, high-graphic features to catch the attention of the Web browser, the focus for the Black Rose Web site and related Performer Membership pages will be centered on basic communication in an easy-to-read format that is suitable for most newer and older PC systems. Some graphics will be included in the mostly-text content.

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Costs
The cost of the Performer Membership is $35/year if all Web pages and related material (i.e., graphics, music samples, documents, etc.) are supplied. This includes up to 3 Mbytes of storage space on the Black Rose Acoustic Society Web site. Web page updates will be provided on a monthly basis as new material is received.

If development of Web pages is required (including related graphics and sound samples) Web page development services will be provided at no charge. Instead, the Performers will be encouraged to donate what they may have paid for these services (estimate $50 or more) to a local charity of their choice.

In addition to the benefits of the Performer Membership, Web page development will include:

  1. Working with the Performer in developing Web pages to best represent the group’s image and skills.

  2. Photos, images, logos, etc., will be converted to electronic format.

  3. Performer profiles will be developed based on your input.

  4. Recording information and samples will be converted to electronic format using either cassette tapes or CDs. See additional detail below on Recording and Distribution of CDs.

  5. Booking information will be coordinated, including free email access if required. (e.g., OurCoolBand@blackroseacoustic.org)

This service includes ongoing maintenance of one change per month on any of the Web page content included in the original services.

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Recording and Distribution of CDs
The Black Rose Acoustic Society will assist you in posting samples of your music in MP3 format on our Web site. These samples are typically 1 minute in length and playable using a number of different free software tools (see http://www.mp3.com for details). BRAS is looking into the distribution of Performer CDs through MP3 - details will be announced here when available.

You may also want to look into the use of Folk Web for offering sound samples of your CDs to Web browsers. This allows any Web browser to play larger samples of your CDs in less time than typical methods (WAV files) using technologies known as RealAudio and MP3.

Folk Web also provides the capability for the Performer to sell their CDs online so that any Web browser may purchase your music over the Web using a secure credit card transaction.

All instructions for submitting a CD are explained on the Folk Web site but basically how it works is similar to a consignment model. You send them a CD, they review it and, if accepted, send you an agreement defining the details of all business transactions. You will receive quarterly payments on any products sold.

To sign up for the Folk Web service, or if you have further questions on this process, please contact the Folk Web Music Director, Matt Smith, at:

WebPrimitives
P.O. Box 390889
Cambridge, MA 02139
617.497.6645
email: info@folkweb.com

Links to your recording information on Folk Web will be placed directly on your Black Rose Performer Web pages so that you may still refer your fans to your Black Rose Acoustic Web site (e.g., http://www.blackroseacoustic.org/OurCoolBand) for all information about your group and your music. 

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Questionnaire
In order to assist in the development of your Performer Web pages, please provide the following information. Answers may be provided either in electronic format, emailed to:

Jeff Smith - jeffsmith1@adelphia.net

or through printed material mailed or delivered to:

Jeff Smith
3865 Thundercloud Dr
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Please call (719) 473-3660 if you have any questions or would like additional information. Answer the questions below which would benefit your group. Draft copies and/or samples of Web pages will be provided for your review prior to publishing on the Web.

  1. Does any member of your group have access to a computer?

  2. Does any member of your group have access to email or the World Wide Web/Internet? If so, please list the name(s) and email address(es).

  3. Does your group use any special logos, graphics, font styles, etc.? If so, please provide samples of all in either electronic or printed form.

  4. Would you like to publish individual and/or group photos on your Web page? If so, please provide samples of all in either electronic or printed form. Also provide photo credits where appropriate. Photos will be returned.

  5. Please provide detailed background of your group. Include musical style, venues played, how and when you came together, personalities, individual member profiles, etc. Any information you'd like to provide that would give the public a better understanding of who you are and what you do may be published.

  6. Please provide details of past reviews, promotions, or press your group has received.

  7. Please refer to the information above on recording and distribution of CDs for sound samples and distributing your recordings online.

  8. Please provide information on bookings for your group. Include current schedule, contact, other details as appropriate.

  9. Please provide any additional information about your group that you would like to publish on your Performer Web pages.

  10. Would you like to know how many times your Web pages are reviewed (index page only)? For example, this page was viewed by 300 people.

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