Apple Is Tripling The Length Of Song Previews On iTunes

Apple Is To Let You Preview Songs On iTunes Three Times More Extensively

Apple Is To Let You Preview Songs On iTunes Three Times More Extensively

Nothing to complain about here, really. If you are based in the US, you will soon be able to listen to 90-second previews instead of the 30-second clips that can be sampled right now on iTunes.

This is the letter that Apple itself has sent to record labels:

“We are pleased to let you know that we are preparing to increase the length of music previews from 30 seconds to 90 seconds on the iTunes Store in the United States. We believe that giving potential customers more time to listen to your music will lead to more purchases.”

Erykah Badu Gets A Sample Clearance From Paul McCartney Using Twitter

This story makes it clear how much of a tool for instant communication and collaboration Twitter really is. It involves Erykah Badu (the Queen of Neo Soul) and Paul McCartney. The African-American musician was looking for last-minute clearance for a sample from the song “Arrow Through Me”, penned by the former Beatle and included on Wings’ final album “Back To The Egg” (1979).

In a bid to connect with Macca, she decided to tweet out and see if her luck was in, and if someone could connect her with Sir Paul McCartney. It turned out the tweet was picked up by Lenny Kravitz, who is friends with McCartney’s daughter Stella. She made the connection with Paul, who approved the usage of the sample on the spot.

Erykah Badu Gets A Sample Clearance From Paul McCartney Using Twitter

Erykah Badu Gets A Sample Clearance From Paul McCartney Using Twitter

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Nadav Poraz (WhoSampled) – Interview (Part 1)

Today I have the pleasure to interview Mr. Nadav Poraz from WhoSampled.com, the community site that revolves around sampling and cover songs which I reviewed last week. Nadav kindly answered the following questions about his site, the response it has had so far and what the future holds in store. Continue reading

Who Sampled – Resources For Musicians

WhoSampled

Name: WhoSampled

URL: http://www.whosampled.com

Music that is based on other music has always been a hot issue. There is a thin, almost invisible line separating inspiration from imitation. I think it all originated in the literary world – there are titles like “Wide Sargasso Sea” in which the novelist (Jean Rhys) based her whole book on a character or incident from another author’s book – in this case, Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”. On “Wide Sargasso Sea” Rhys did an amazing job, and explained what went into the creation of the “Madwoman in the attic” from her own vantage point. Continue reading