My current research project explores K-pop fandom and multi-cultural understanding in Australia following a 2016 grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Australia-Korea Foundation. I have also published on the new music industries, various Asian pop musics, music for the screen, and music technology and performance. I have taught in areas including music production, radio production, digital media, and music technology and performance.
International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR), 2013
Contemporary artists embarking on a musical career enter into a highly competitive and complex en... more Contemporary artists embarking on a musical career enter into a highly competitive and complex environment. Whereas the pre-digital music industries consisted of de-finable streams of income and markers of achievement, such as live performance opportunities, record deals, royalties, and radio play, today's music industries involve multiple platforms and strategies that artists need to engage with. Defining "success" in this new environment goes beyond standard definitions of financial independence or peer respect (Letts 2013). Success is contingent on planning for and leveraging numerous smaller successes in areas including developing "Do It Your-self" (DIY) and management skills and engaging in funding opportunities such as government grants. Artists may also employ crowdfunding or alternate means for raising capital, engaging with fans via social media, managing their online identities and personas, utilising online music video, and expanding into overseas markets in order to maintain financial viability. This research draws on a series of focus groups with artists and industry practitioners within the Australian music industries, and considers the diverse contemporary approaches that artists take in order to achieve success in their careers. 1 Diane Hughes is Senior Lecturer in Vocal Studies. She has an extensive background in contemporary singing and pedagogy. Her work within the industry has involved artist development and recording. Research interests include vocal artistry, vocal processing, expressive techniques and performance, and career development in the music industries (diane.hughes@mq.edu.au). Sarah Keith is Lecturer in Music Production. Her research includes: contemporary music production, particularly of the voice; East Asian pop music performance and music video; Australian popular music culture and media; developing musical industries; and documentary film and sound (sarah.keith@mq.edu.au). Guy Morrow is Lecturer in Arts Practice and Management. His research includes: music, design and innovation in the music industry; managing creativity; entrepreneurship, start up management and collaborative creativity; and music video production (guy.morrow@mq.edu.au). Mark Evans is Associate Professor. He is series editor for Genre, Music and Sound series (Equinox Publishing), considering the role of sound in various genres of feature films, and has research interests in film and television sound, religious music, spatiality and popular music (mark.evans@mq.edu.au). Denis Crowdy is Senior Lecturer in Music. His research interests encompass popular and commercial music in Melanesia, particularly Papua New Guinea; music production aesthetics; virtual home studio practices; critical eco-musicology; cross-cultural and hybrid musics; and copyright and musical ownership (denis.crowdy@mq.edu.au).
In Japanese pop music (J-pop), girls and their voices are marked by a distinct set of identifiers... more In Japanese pop music (J-pop), girls and their voices are marked by a distinct set of identifiers. This paper examines the construction of girls' voices and identities in J-pop, using AKB48, Sakura Gakuin, and Babymetal as examples.
Australia is home to one of the most concentrated supermarket sectors in the world, and the pract... more Australia is home to one of the most concentrated supermarket sectors in the world, and the practices of the ‘big two’ supermarkets have far-reaching consequences on food production and retail at the local level. This article surveys key issues in Coles and Woolworths’ effect on the food retail and production sectors, and looks at how these supermarkets have adapted in recent years to concerns and criticisms, as well as recent moves towards addressing these criticisms. Over the past decade, several important shifts have occurred which suggest an evolving consumer consciousness and increasing discontent with the corporatised supermarket sector. A primary concern is lack of competition, which reduces incentives to keep prices low for consumers; furthermore, these supermarkets have also been charged with wielding substantial buyer power, resulting in lower prices paid to suppliers. Quality of produce is a further issue, while the rise of private label goods such as milk is concerning for both suppliers and retail competitors. This discontent has led to an ideological opposition to these supermarkets, resulting in public campaigns to prevent their entry into towns and suburbs. Finally, new developments by Coles and Woolworths to improve their reputations, although still at an early stage, are examined.
This article initially examines a basic question for popular music studies: is a band a startup? ... more This article initially examines a basic question for popular music studies: is a band a startup? It offers a definition of a startup and argues that some bands can be considered ‘startups’ because of the ambiguity surrounding the term ‘novel’ in definitions of artistic creativity. Because of this ambiguity, some bands are operating in circumstances of extreme uncertainty. Using this argument, this article will then examine the following question: what is the nature of the relationship between these startups and the cultural intermediaries that constitute the music industries? This research draws on a series of focus groups with artists and industry practitioners, and from interviews with practitioners within the music industries, and it presents a new way of conceptualizing career development within the new music industries.
Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on …, 2009
Deviate generates multiple streams of melodic and rhythmic output in real-time, according to user... more Deviate generates multiple streams of melodic and rhythmic output in real-time, according to user-specified control parameters. This performance system has been implemented using Max 5 [1] within the genre of popular contemporary electronic music, incorporating ...
This article examines the creative implications of technological processing of the voice with reg... more This article examines the creative implications of technological processing of the voice with regard to normative modes of performance. Vocal production, in an acoustic context, is subject to a range of stylistic and timbral inflections by the vocalist. Once recorded, the voice can additionally be treated with multiple digital effects which change sonic aspects including loudness and frequency, pitch/contour, formants, temporal features, and so on. Substantial digital processing of the recorde voice results in an artefact which is effectively unperformable. This complicates conventional vocal aesthetics, where the skill of the performer is central. This chapter examines the Japanese group Perfume and the singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu as case studies.
This research-based book outlines career models for artists, methods of creative engagement, arti... more This research-based book outlines career models for artists, methods of creative engagement, artistic options including individuality and branding, production practices, the realities of being a musician in the new industries, and implications for popular music education. Due to the profound effects of the digitisation of music, the music industries have undergone rapid transformation. The former record label dominated industry has been supplanted by new industries, including digital aggregators, strategists and online platforms. These new music industries now facilitate ‘direct’ access to both artists and their music. While such accessibility and the potential for artist exposure have never been greater, the challenge to stand out or to even navigate a musical career pathway is formidable. A useful resource for musicians and educators, this text highlights the ways in which the new music industries facilitate increased opportunities for 21st Century popular musicians to collaborate, communicate and interact with others interested in their music.
SBS PopAsia is an Australian music video television show produced by the Special Broadcasting Ser... more SBS PopAsia is an Australian music video television show produced by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a national public service broadcaster. Originally a two-hour Sunday morning program, the show expanded in 2013 to three hours of prime-time broadcast across Saturday and Sunday evenings on SBS2, one of the broadcaster’s four digital television stations. Using the tagline “Non-stop Asian Pop”, this program builds on the success of the pre-existing 24-hour SBS PopAsia digital radio station. Its programming roster consists primarily of music videos, including new and popular releases from Asian artists. South Korean music predominates, although videos from countries including Japan, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam are also shown. These videos are occasionally interspersed with short original features such as brief primers on selected artists, interviews, and on-location pieces from cultural and pop music events.
International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR), 2013
Contemporary artists embarking on a musical career enter into a highly competitive and complex en... more Contemporary artists embarking on a musical career enter into a highly competitive and complex environment. Whereas the pre-digital music industries consisted of de-finable streams of income and markers of achievement, such as live performance opportunities, record deals, royalties, and radio play, today's music industries involve multiple platforms and strategies that artists need to engage with. Defining "success" in this new environment goes beyond standard definitions of financial independence or peer respect (Letts 2013). Success is contingent on planning for and leveraging numerous smaller successes in areas including developing "Do It Your-self" (DIY) and management skills and engaging in funding opportunities such as government grants. Artists may also employ crowdfunding or alternate means for raising capital, engaging with fans via social media, managing their online identities and personas, utilising online music video, and expanding into overseas markets in order to maintain financial viability. This research draws on a series of focus groups with artists and industry practitioners within the Australian music industries, and considers the diverse contemporary approaches that artists take in order to achieve success in their careers. 1 Diane Hughes is Senior Lecturer in Vocal Studies. She has an extensive background in contemporary singing and pedagogy. Her work within the industry has involved artist development and recording. Research interests include vocal artistry, vocal processing, expressive techniques and performance, and career development in the music industries (diane.hughes@mq.edu.au). Sarah Keith is Lecturer in Music Production. Her research includes: contemporary music production, particularly of the voice; East Asian pop music performance and music video; Australian popular music culture and media; developing musical industries; and documentary film and sound (sarah.keith@mq.edu.au). Guy Morrow is Lecturer in Arts Practice and Management. His research includes: music, design and innovation in the music industry; managing creativity; entrepreneurship, start up management and collaborative creativity; and music video production (guy.morrow@mq.edu.au). Mark Evans is Associate Professor. He is series editor for Genre, Music and Sound series (Equinox Publishing), considering the role of sound in various genres of feature films, and has research interests in film and television sound, religious music, spatiality and popular music (mark.evans@mq.edu.au). Denis Crowdy is Senior Lecturer in Music. His research interests encompass popular and commercial music in Melanesia, particularly Papua New Guinea; music production aesthetics; virtual home studio practices; critical eco-musicology; cross-cultural and hybrid musics; and copyright and musical ownership (denis.crowdy@mq.edu.au).
In Japanese pop music (J-pop), girls and their voices are marked by a distinct set of identifiers... more In Japanese pop music (J-pop), girls and their voices are marked by a distinct set of identifiers. This paper examines the construction of girls' voices and identities in J-pop, using AKB48, Sakura Gakuin, and Babymetal as examples.
Australia is home to one of the most concentrated supermarket sectors in the world, and the pract... more Australia is home to one of the most concentrated supermarket sectors in the world, and the practices of the ‘big two’ supermarkets have far-reaching consequences on food production and retail at the local level. This article surveys key issues in Coles and Woolworths’ effect on the food retail and production sectors, and looks at how these supermarkets have adapted in recent years to concerns and criticisms, as well as recent moves towards addressing these criticisms. Over the past decade, several important shifts have occurred which suggest an evolving consumer consciousness and increasing discontent with the corporatised supermarket sector. A primary concern is lack of competition, which reduces incentives to keep prices low for consumers; furthermore, these supermarkets have also been charged with wielding substantial buyer power, resulting in lower prices paid to suppliers. Quality of produce is a further issue, while the rise of private label goods such as milk is concerning for both suppliers and retail competitors. This discontent has led to an ideological opposition to these supermarkets, resulting in public campaigns to prevent their entry into towns and suburbs. Finally, new developments by Coles and Woolworths to improve their reputations, although still at an early stage, are examined.
This article initially examines a basic question for popular music studies: is a band a startup? ... more This article initially examines a basic question for popular music studies: is a band a startup? It offers a definition of a startup and argues that some bands can be considered ‘startups’ because of the ambiguity surrounding the term ‘novel’ in definitions of artistic creativity. Because of this ambiguity, some bands are operating in circumstances of extreme uncertainty. Using this argument, this article will then examine the following question: what is the nature of the relationship between these startups and the cultural intermediaries that constitute the music industries? This research draws on a series of focus groups with artists and industry practitioners, and from interviews with practitioners within the music industries, and it presents a new way of conceptualizing career development within the new music industries.
Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on …, 2009
Deviate generates multiple streams of melodic and rhythmic output in real-time, according to user... more Deviate generates multiple streams of melodic and rhythmic output in real-time, according to user-specified control parameters. This performance system has been implemented using Max 5 [1] within the genre of popular contemporary electronic music, incorporating ...
This article examines the creative implications of technological processing of the voice with reg... more This article examines the creative implications of technological processing of the voice with regard to normative modes of performance. Vocal production, in an acoustic context, is subject to a range of stylistic and timbral inflections by the vocalist. Once recorded, the voice can additionally be treated with multiple digital effects which change sonic aspects including loudness and frequency, pitch/contour, formants, temporal features, and so on. Substantial digital processing of the recorde voice results in an artefact which is effectively unperformable. This complicates conventional vocal aesthetics, where the skill of the performer is central. This chapter examines the Japanese group Perfume and the singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu as case studies.
This research-based book outlines career models for artists, methods of creative engagement, arti... more This research-based book outlines career models for artists, methods of creative engagement, artistic options including individuality and branding, production practices, the realities of being a musician in the new industries, and implications for popular music education. Due to the profound effects of the digitisation of music, the music industries have undergone rapid transformation. The former record label dominated industry has been supplanted by new industries, including digital aggregators, strategists and online platforms. These new music industries now facilitate ‘direct’ access to both artists and their music. While such accessibility and the potential for artist exposure have never been greater, the challenge to stand out or to even navigate a musical career pathway is formidable. A useful resource for musicians and educators, this text highlights the ways in which the new music industries facilitate increased opportunities for 21st Century popular musicians to collaborate, communicate and interact with others interested in their music.
SBS PopAsia is an Australian music video television show produced by the Special Broadcasting Ser... more SBS PopAsia is an Australian music video television show produced by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a national public service broadcaster. Originally a two-hour Sunday morning program, the show expanded in 2013 to three hours of prime-time broadcast across Saturday and Sunday evenings on SBS2, one of the broadcaster’s four digital television stations. Using the tagline “Non-stop Asian Pop”, this program builds on the success of the pre-existing 24-hour SBS PopAsia digital radio station. Its programming roster consists primarily of music videos, including new and popular releases from Asian artists. South Korean music predominates, although videos from countries including Japan, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam are also shown. These videos are occasionally interspersed with short original features such as brief primers on selected artists, interviews, and on-location pieces from cultural and pop music events.
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