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SEVEN NEW FETE STAGES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR STAGE-HOPPING LIST

by Rogin Losa

Fete de la Musique is the ultimate festival for musicians and audiences alike. This music festival in June 17 is a free for all event. With it’s genre-based stages, cheap food, and booze, this day is the ultimate adventure for local audiophiles. And what’s Fete without a little stage hopping?

Here’s a little 101 on Fete if you’re new to it. You have the great and the constants: Blues Soul Funk, Bedroom Beats, Rock, Reggae, and the infamous Indie stage. But have you heard of the newest ones this year that are bringing the awesome and the weird? We got all the details straight from the productions’ organizing them. Get your fingers ready to click ‘going’ for we rounded it all up for you!

7.  Basement Stage (Finders Keepers)

The modern speakeeasy, Finders Keepers, is fusing the old school with new beats. Looking for this place is already an adventure within itself. If you want the old school jive of hip hop— this is the basement to be at. Match that with the bar’s laidback atmosphere, it’s cool mysterious vibe, and the best handcrafted drinks. This stage is bringing Netflix’s The Getdown to life. We have Carmela Ramirez, Marketing Executive of Finders Keepers to give us the lowdown.

EXPECT THIS: The Basement Stage is will feature DJ sets by Abdel Aziz and Roy de Borja, plus live performances by hip-hop duo Dante & Amigo and electronic artist Earl of Manila.

STAY IF YOU WANT: A mix of artists you can dance, groove and getdown to - whether spinning your familiar favourite tracks or perfoming their orignals.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR:   It's perfect for lovers of electronic beats, hiphop, and r&b. Loosely inspired by Netflix series The Getdown - Finders Keepers wants to have an old school vibe with songs, not only of the past but also the present and future. Anyone who loves music and wants to getdown with us should come to our stage at Fete dela Musique!

CLICK GOING HERE.

6. UNKNWN Stage (UNKNWN)

UNKNWN started last 2016 and collaborates for the growth in quality for music driven event experiences locally. There’s a lot to expect from this young organization. They’re known for producing parties at unexpected locations and curate the overall experience; from set design, visuals and most importantly, music. What to expect in music is a bit unknwn to us. But to unveil some of that mystery, their production manager, Celine Ferros decided to help us out.

EXPECT THIS: First off, our venue—The Social on Ebro is brand new and will only launch the week of Fete de la Musique. This will be interesting for people keen on food parks and craft beer. It's a cool place to hangout in the heart of Poblacion, Makati. Second, you may expect all UNKNWN residents to be playing groovy records all night. Third, we are decorating the place with that special UNKNWN touch. Fourth, we will be giving away our infamous abanicos. And lastly, a fun and inclusive vibe from the UNKNWN community.

STAY IF YOU WANT: The music to keep you groovin'.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: It’s perfect for people who want to have fun dancing, at the same time chillin' with friends. Also perfect for people who want to discover underground music.

CLICK GOING HERE.

5. Mount Zion Stage (Puro Vida)

Kick it at the beach while being in the concrete jungle of Makati. Puro Vida Manila is one of the stages that’s bringing you the best of reggae. There’s so much to see and hear at their first year in Fete. To give you an insight on what they have in store, we had one of Puro Vida’s owners Renato Robles to transport you to the tropical grooves of paradise.

EXPECT THIS: You can expect a different vibe from what you're used to see in the festival. This will be our first year to participate and we aim for Pura Vida to trasnport you to a beach far away from the city filled with great people, unique artists and the best vibes.

STAY IF YOU WANT: The homey and warm feeling of a beach party filled with the best local and international reggae acts in a friendly and chill environment! There’s Coffee Break Island, Supermikki, Lady I, DJ Lion from Jamaica and many more in Mount Zion.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: Everyone who wants to have a little break from the city to unwind, meet new people and dance while listening to the greatest reggae hits.

CLICK GOING HERE.

4. Disco Mathilde Stage (Bar Mathilde)

What else is there to describe the funkiness that could fuel the soul train to run again? Disco Mathilde’s event description says it all…

• 2 mounded tablespoons of je ne sais quoi

• Half a liter of early funk

• Quarter ounce of vintage soul

• A heaping scoop of uptempo vibes

• Attractive drink specials, to taste

If that’s not enough to get your disco balls spinning, let Bar Mathilde co-owner, Roy Murakami help you ease up.

EXPECT THIS: The stage is going to be a low-key affair, like a lot of the vibe of our place: a live band sandwiched between 2 DJs. It'll feel more like a house party with early funk, vintage soul, and a lot of cool upbeat rarities, with a live band of the same ilk between two DJ sets. We'll probably up the vibe as the night gets later.

STAY IF YOU WANT: Our place and our stage is going to feel like a low-key house party with a killer set going on. No drama. No douchebags. Just killer music, solid drinks, and good people. Proper.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: All the awesome people out there that know a good thing when they hear and see and taste it – those that can chill out with similar dressed-down top-shelf people that don't feel the need for any kind of pretension. If our lineup and our venue sound like your slice of bread, we're happy to have y'all swing on by.

CLICK GOING HERE.

3. CIRCUS STAGE (20:20 and XX XX)

This is probably one of the coolest or weirdest stage ever in local Fete history. Like UNKNWN, there’s not much detail to what they have in store for their first year. They do have the equation of circus, dance, music and art performances. Why don’t we check the funhouse out with the people from 20:20 and XX XX?

EXPECT THIS: Electrifying dance floor music ranging from house, techno and nu-disco at XX XX. Party rocking DJ sets ranging from pop, rnb, hip hop, 80s, new wave, funk at 20:20.

STAY IF YOU WANT: Awesome party vibes. We'll have live circus performances. It’s a monthly concept we do where we showcase live performances over 3 stages.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: For people who want to taste quality drinks, paired with quality music DJ sets.

CLICK GOING HERE.

2. New Wave Stage (Acceler8)

Let’s go do a Marty Mcfly and go back in time. Grab your boomboxes and raise them up high. If you want your life to be a John Hughes movie, this is the place to be at. Acceler8 is throwing the ultimate New Wave throwback to the 80s. We have Acceler8’s Marketing Officer, Ludwig Alejandro, to take us back to the future of this stage.

EXPECT THIS:  Throwback from the 80’s. This stage is for the people who appreciates the tune of The Smiths, Tears For Fears, The Cure, Depeche Mode and the like. This won’t be a cover stage however. This stage will showcase local bands that will highlight the style and diversity of New Wave.

STAY IF YOU WANT: Definitely good music and free/cheap booze.

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: This is perfect for anyone who wants to have a good time and a smooth ride back to the 80’s.

CLICK GOING HERE.

1. Rock N Roll Stage (Rough Stuff Entertainment)

This stage is probably the Rock Stage’s cooler older brother…except he’s technically the younger one.  This is the first stage of it’s kind in our local Fete De La Musique. Expect a wave of nostalgia and an overdose of sexy as they bring the golden age of Rock n Roll at The Roadhouse Manila Bay. We have Chana Mongaya, account manager of Rough Stuff, to excite us even further.

EXPECT THIS: Music buffs shall expect heavy doses of sexy, riff maddening guitar driven rock show. This stage is surely going to bring nostalgia to all of us. It offers a fusion of Southern Rock, Blues, Funk, and Progressive original music in the styles of The Beatles to Guns N' Roses, and everything in between.” she said.

STAY IF YOU’RE DOWN FOR: Our headliners Razorback and Kjwan fit the rock n' roll bill like a glove. Supported by the diversity of our talented pool of upcoming rock n' roll artists such as Gin Rum N’ Truth, Whiskey Version, Hey Moonshine, and Black Wolf Gypsies. In addition, our female-fronted bands (whom have been sonic scientists since birth) will bang your head like a metronome with their funky grooves and vocal prowess.This is the return of rock n’ roll in the new generation’s perspective.

Also, there are raffle prices! Who wants to take home a guitar signed by the main acts? (Thanks to our sponsor SQOE Guitars Philippines) We are also eyeing on inviting a rock n roll icon! Guess who?

THE STAGE IS PERFECT FOR: It’s perfect for the Rock N Roll enthusiasts, peace lovers, the unorthodox, free-spirited souls, short of being modern local hippies that have voices to speak, live their beliefs and just have a good time. It’s a stage with no discernment of gender, age, or social status. No labels but just pure music and 100% Rock N' Roll.

CLICK GOING HERE.

[watupph]

Underage Gigging and You

by PLS10 Photo by General Miss A

"Underage gigging? But I'm not a kid anymore!"

Says you, who have to come up with a detailed PowerPoint presentation why you should be allowed to go home late at night, because your band is playing a gig at some bar with supposedly many people in the audience. Yes, you aren't a kid anymore, but to your parents, you still are. While you are still living under their roof, I'm afraid that you will have to go by their rules (most of the time). This is for all the "kids" like me who want to pursue the giglyf but can't fully do so because "Strict ang parents ko."

I've been playing in gigs for a few years now, and sometimes in secret. I've started gigging with my band when I was in my fourth year in college (I'm currently enrolled in a 5-year course). There were a lot of gigs I've secretly played in with my band because they were on a school night. As I'm about to graduate, I'd like to share a few tips for the kids who want to gig.

1. Fix your logistics.

When you need to ask permission from your parents, know your set time and call time before approaching them. Create a plan on how you're going to and getting home from the gig. If they want you to be at home at a particular time, try your best to meet the agreement. Update them whenever you can. Every detail is important. I know that this can be a very grueling task, but your parents will always think about your safety.

*Takas Gigs - I'm not encouraging or recommending this, but if your parents don't allow weekday gigs though you just really want to play music, and you're able to find a way to pursue your passion without letting them know, make sure you come home in one piece. Planning is more crucial when you're going to do this without the knowledge of your parents. Un-tag yourself from photos. Check your Facebook privacy settings. Be very careful. If you don't want the hassle, don't do the takas gigs.

2. Don't neglect your studies.

Seriously. A lot of parents will discourage their kid to pursue their music dreams because of the fear that they will end up dropping out of school. If you have an 8 AM class the next day, try to leave right after you play. If the gig producer tells you to play past midnight when you have an early class the following day, try to request for an earlier set time. Trust me, your parents will have a hard time understanding the gig life at first, but by studying well, you will gain your parents' confidence in your ability to balance all your activities.

*Pro-Tip - If you have an exam the next day, you can study before your band's set. I've done this a few times. It takes a lot of discipline, but it will be worth it.

3. Work with ethics.

This will set you apart from the rest. I cannot stress this enough. Plot dates. Be on time. Being late beyond 15mins is unacceptable. Work well with your bandmates. Respond to your band's group chat. Attend practices prepared. Do your part. Be respectful to your band mates and everyone in the scene. Hindi to "banda-banda lang." A lot of people look down on what we do because of this state of mind. Erase the stigma by being professional.

*A little something from experience - If you are ALWAYS inexcusably late, your bandmates will start to keep a negative image of you. If you're going to be late, let everyone know at least a day or a few hours before the schedule. Don't be the extra hassle everyone else had to deal with. Remember, if you're late, you will be disrespecting everyone's time. If you have a habit of being late, I suggest you change that now or else, your bandmates might have to let you go. No one wants that.

4. Focus on improving your skills.

If you want your band to go far, don't settle with the knowledge and skills you have at the moment. This will not only limit your growth, but also that of your band. This will not only frustrate you, but will also hinder your bandmates from improving their skills. You all want to move forward and grow together, so don't be the extra weight everyone else will have to pull.

*When your band is arranging a new song, and the leading arranger of the band asks you to, for example, do a little extra on the guitar, please do it. Don't just say yes and show up at the next practice doing the same thing you did last time.

5. Remember: Balance is key.

This is the last but most important tip of all the tips I've mentioned. Balance. Is. Key. Everyone is busy, but find time to spend with people you love even when your schedule is full. Spend time with your family. Spend time with your friends. Find a chance to take care of yourself whenever you can.

* My dad would sometimes guilt-trip me when I'm hardly home. Try to spend as much time with your family as possible, so no one in your family would guilt-trip you. They just miss you.

Everything I've mentioned is just a few of the things you need to take note. There are still a lot to discover on your own through experience.

Have tips to share? Hit us up in our ask box and we’ll get to you!

[watupph]

PUG-ISIPAN NATIN: IAN PENN’S SINGLE, “WATER FROM THE CREEK”

by Jay-R Cortes

Local artist Ian Penn releases first single, Water from the Creek from his debut album of the same name. Simple, lukewarm, and with a three-piece band taking the helm behind him; it’s a different yet an all-too-familiar evolution from a rather minimalist musician.

LEFT BRAIN SAYS: Ian Penn, now back with a new song, delves into uncharted territory (in his own musical career) and builds a band to back him up in this song, as well as in the first album. During an interview earlier this year, Penn stated that he’s always listening to everything around him, and that each song he writes won’t be in the same breath as the next one. 

This is clearly a prime testament to that, and it shows clear artistic growth as opposed to a stripped-down acoustic outfit that he established in his EP Wild Abandon. On a technical standpoint, the song starts off on an acoustic guitar progression that quickly transitions into full band outfit. The rhythm section, never too flashy or empowering, builds a calculated no-frills backbone for the song, while another guitar finds footing on simple riffs that give off distinct moments, building up momentum for a well-balanced blues-influenced solo after the second chorus, which sweetly paves the path for a harmonica interlude from Ian himself. 

Lastly, Ian gives off a narrative vocal style that is sweet but not shallow, as he coos us into a story under the guise of a three-minute song. Production wise, Nick Lazaro of Moonwlk does it justice, providing clean production which is still rough around the edges, giving a natural feel. There isn’t anything too loud going on behind the screen, but in this way, it just works exactly right, with simple layers easy to absorb.

Pug rating: 🐶 🐶🐶  

RIGHT BRAIN SAYS: It’s amazing to see how a few well-written verses can speak volumes if done right. If Wild Abandon are the serenades, then first single, Water from the Creek is the heartfelt love letter—the first of many. Penn sings with a soothing persona all throughout, beginning with a small dose of nostalgic musings before revealing the longing theme, and that this is in fact, in ways more than one, a love song. 

Be it for the memories of the town that molded you, taking life with a gentle approach, or simply missing someone whom you once connected with, the song is a delicate ode delivered with sincerity. Penn has always been an old soul lyrically, and while there’s nothing revolutionary here, he delivers with lyrics like “I have done my very best/Just to see you once again” and “Running back home where we used to dream” that his message gets across quite easily. Here is an artist who is true to form, and who hits home with every chord strummed, no matter how many times we’ve all heard it before. 

The themes of longing and reminiscing softly float all throughout up to the part where Penn sings “Well I don’t know/Then I must know,” where afterwards the song starts shifting towards one of slight wonder and gusto to find out. We’ve all heard acoustic artists taking a shot far away from their home, but Ian Penn actually entails authenticity. That and his solemn charm, is sure to make more waves soon. Nothing too flashy or hard-hitting, but a great starter all the same. More to come.

Pug Rating: 🐶🐶🐶🐶

OVERALL PUG RATING: It’s a TOP PUG that’s totally worth listening to. Place it in your Spotify and hit the repeat button hard. This single might be old news to some, but boy, it’s still worth hearing. If the Summer vibes don’t hit you home with this one, then what will? 

LISTEN HERE // ORDER ‘WATER FROM THE CREEK’ CD HERE

[watupph]

Build a Durable, ‘El Cheapo’ Pedal board with Bike Chains and Scrap Wood

Photos and words by Arthur Francis Diaz Piccio

We all love pedals. But for the ‘gigging’ musician, setting them up can be a huge pain in the neck without some sort of board to keep them organized. There are plenty of options off-the-shelf, but most of them are either overpriced or overkill. Probably even worse, many of them require you to remove the rubber pads under your pedals in order to attach an often unreliable piece of Velcro. This devalues your pedals for resale and could likely fall apart during transport.

The pedal hack we’re laying out here could help prevent those issues from happening, helping you keep your pedals securely on your board while preserving their value on the secondhand market.  This hack is suited for musicians who’ve already decided on their optimal signal chain layout based on both tone and convenience. But if you’re still constantly switching pedals around, this could be more inconvenient compared to the more popular velcro method.

Advantages:

Preserves the resale value of your pedals.

Rock solid compared to velcro. You can even flip the board upside-down if you want.

Much cheaper than any store-bought pedal board.

Much more customizable. 

Disadvantages:

Not for the brand-conscious.

Not recommended for pedal newbies, who are still finding their ideal signal chain.

Things you will need:

Pedals

Any available pedal power system and cables

Bike chains (recommended) or shampoo bottles/reusable plastic food containers 

Bike chain de-linker

Small wood screws

Screwdrivers

Scrap wood or any suitable board material.

Secondhand briefcase or messenger bag

Cleaning cloth (optional)

Step 1. Lay out your gear and your tools on a soft cloth.

You don’t really have to do this, but doing so will prevent screws from rolling around and falling to the floor, only to be rediscovered by your bare feet when you get up in the middle of the night to pee. A soft cloth will also prevent the scuffs you’re trying to minimize on your pedal.

This is the rubber pad we’re trying to preserve. You could remove it and store it somewhere. But chances are you will lose it because that’s just the kind of person you are.

Here’s a short length of bike chain and a de-linking tool. Together they cost less than P250 (approx. $5) and will provide you with several pedal boards worth of bike links. Many of us already have broken bike chains and de-linking tools, but the lowest of losers have someone they can borrow or beg these from.

Notice there are 5 different parts in a typical bike chain. More on that later.

This de linker is a lifetime investment. This is for P150 (approx. $3)

The de-linker has a puncher and place to set your bike chain in.

Step 2: Set your chain in the de-linking tool

Place the bike chain into your de-linker like so. The pin (also called a rivet) has to be in the center.

Step 3: Remove the pins.

Align the chain pin with the puncher  and twist the lever until the tool holds the chain securely.

Position the entire thing over the cloth (more on that later). As you twist the lever, the puncher moves forward, loosening the chain’s pin in the center. Punching the pin out requires a significant amount of force, but thanks to the leverage the tool provides, even a child can do it.

The pin will pop out of the hole at the end of your tool. Having the cloth underneath will catch the pin, so you’ll have less of a headache cleaning up later.

Here’s the extracted pin.  Spin the tool lever in the opposite direction to release the chain links.

Step 4: Repeat above as needed

Repeat the above process another time with the inner part of the chain and you should get these parts.  Notice that one of the inner links has a raised lip. Depending on your pedal’s design you might want to use or avoid this one. You can discard the pin and the rollers/spacers but keep all the spaces just in case. You could also use them as a DIY spacer for a bass string tree, if you would prefer.

Step 5: Check the pedal screw design.

Unfortunately, this DIY method will not work out “of the box” for Digitech, Hardwire, and TC Electronic pedals that use T5 or similar screws, unless you buy extra-long replacements with the proper heads and flanging. For 90% of other brands though, you should be in business. Take note that you can also do this process with pedal power supplies as well.

Step 6: Unscrew one corner on your pedal.

Use only the correct sized screwdrivers to prevent loose threads and keep screw heads from stripping out.

Step 7: Choose the right links!

Now, we have to select the appropriate links to attach to the board. Notice the screw is a bit shallow, so we need to choose the link that allows the maximum amount of screw thread to remain in the pedal.  If the screw hole is slightly recessed like with MXR and Joyo pedals, the link with the lip may be the best choice. With most pedals, this is not a big deal. But with Digitech, Hardwire, and TC Electronic pedals, the issue with them is that their stock screw heads are extremely recessed and are not as flat as standard. You can always buy replacement screws with a longer shaft and a flatter head, but these can be a pain to track down.  

A workaround that still preserves value is to use zip ties, but those are annoying -- so whatever.  You can also use plastic cut and shaped from shampoo bottles and similar containers – especially if your pedal or power brick screw holes are side-mounted rather than at the bottom. More on that later.

Step 8: Check thread depth.

Perfect! More than enough threads to work with. On the off chance that the screw shaft is not long enough to grip onto your pedal properly, you may have to take the screw to a hardware store to find a version with a longer shaft, but the same diameter.

Step 9: Test bike chain link security

Secure the bike link to your pedal like so, but don’t over-tighten. Otherwise, you might strip the threads. If it feels secure, you should be fine.

Step 10: Repeat as many times as needed

Most of the time, you only really need two chain links. We recommend putting more, but considering, this is a perfect fit on the Boss Bass Chorus, two shall be fine. With some Artec pedals, its recommended to add more as the threads didn’t seem to be quite deep enough, The screws were slightly flanged. In these cases, you can add plumber’s tape or a drop of nail polish to the screw threads to tighten them. For this example though, it’s not necessary.

Step 11: Pedal Tetris

Hopefully, you already know what order you want your pedals in. Otherwise, test different pedal and signal chain combinations before embarking on this project.  This board is an P88 ($2) trivet for casseroles that we bought from a Saizen (a 100 yen store).

Pedals are more durable than most of us give them credit for. However, their power input pins and ¼” jacks can vulnerable to breakage if you apply leveraged force into them, which straight input plugs unfortunately provide loads off.  

In the example board, we only have access to a daisy chain with straight plugs and a wall wart. Angled plugs will help keep the board compact, but in this case, we don’t have much of a choice. We have to work with what we’ve got. Notice in the example that the power plug juts out of the board area. We want to avoid this as much as possible to prevent straining the inputs.

It’s best to loosen all the pedals from your board, if you’re attaching a new pedal to an already existing board. This will allow you to maximize your options. This is also an opportunity to fix spacing issues with your old layout.  

Notice on the other pedals, we used the plastic cut from cracker boxes and shampoo bottles instead of bike links. This is almost as good, but looks less neat, and you really do need at least 3-4 tabs for security. Plastic tabs are also a viable option if your pedal or power brick screw holes are side-mounted rather than at the bottom.

The conventional layout is unacceptable as the power input will still be hanging outside the board. We want them inside the board as much as possible to minimize damage. Note that we used a pancake plug on the MXR Bass OD audio cable to prevent snagging. But this will be moot, later.

In any case, this is the time to choose and build/buy the correct length power and audio cables you plan to use with your board.

Here we decided that the Boss Bass Chorus’s signal outputs should facing “up”, relative to the board, rather than to the left as is conventional. This will prevent the power plugs from snagging in our pedal case and damaging the fragile power inputs.

If you have pedals with multiple inputs and outputs, be sure to position them so you have clearance to still use them with an angled plug. Here we are testing the clearance for auxiliary output on the tuner, which can be useful for bi-amping.

We also moved the tuner towards the center of the board as the power input used to snag a lot with the old set up, and necessitated removing after every use, which is kind of a pain.

Step 12. Time to screw!

When all your pedals (and pedal power supplies, if available) are aligned as needed and when all your cables have an acceptable amount of slack (so you can do basic maintenance easily), screw the bike links to the wood with a screwdriver you don’t mind getting abused.

Using screwdrivers this way can be harsh on the point bits, especially if they’re used to screw into harder types of wood. The board we’re using is made from pine, so it’s soft enough that our screwdriver won’t encounter much resistance. If your pedal board is made from harder woods, consider drilling first before attaching your screws.

Not pretty, but it works. This same pine board has been though hundreds of practice sessions and gigs in the past three years.

Step 13: Check your handiwork.

Plug in your power supply and test everything to make sure everything works properly. Be sure you are able to easily remove cables without needing to detach your pedals from the board.

We found this bag in a secondhand shop (known locally as ukay-ukays or rilip). It’s a perfect fit for our pedal board.  Cheap used laptop bags and briefcases abound, for around P200-P600 ($4-$12). Bring a measuring tape and be sure to account for total depth of the board with the pedals. It’s a bonus if the bag has a space for your cables and other essentials. We got this one for P200($4).

The front of the pedals are pretty darn durable, so even without padding, your gear should be fine and scuff free. But if the setup bothers you, you can stuff a piece of foam in there. Check your power and audio cables aren’t snagging on the edges of your enclosure.

Step 14: Rock and/or Roll

Voila, your DIY pedal board is ready! With this setup, you aren’t restricted to a specific placement like with the popular Boss and Behringer pedal boards.

Other things you can do with this DIY step:

If you know how to build your own power and audio cables, you can give them enough length (at the cost of signal capacitance, aka “tone suck”) so you can thread them under the slats for a neater appearance. Personally, tone suck is less of an issue than convenience and ergonomics in 99% of live settings.

If you are a singer who also plays guitar, you can split your board so you can get closer to the microphone. This would be the case if the venue does not provide boom stands. This way you can keep your gigging layout more ergonomic, as more than two pedals deep on single large boards can result in a pedal-dance cha-cha nightmare.

You can build a separate board for your amp’s preamp and another one for the effects loop.

You can easily build an all-modulation board so you can easily use your favorite modulation effects with instruments other than guitar – even with keyboards and mic preamps – without too the pain of constantly disconnecting your specialized guitar-centric pedals. (Advanced protip: Your modulation effects will take a line-level signal)

Some may prefer an angled board. You may add a piece of scrap wood under the top part of your board to achieve this.

Have any questions about this pugpayo article? Drop us an ask in our ask box or send a message on our Facebook page.

[watupph]

Step by Step

Words by Rogin Mae Losa Photo from WAT UP page

A huge howl for our fellow underdogs! We haven’t been active for a while. We have lots of reasons for it: bugs, malware, and of course, adulting. That would change tonight this April 13 2017, during this lenten season. Apart from the week being filled to the brim with feeling spiritually sorry for ourselves, it’s also known for resurrections. And before Jesus Christ rises again, we would like to bring this blog back to life once again.

For the moment, this would be the WATUP site’s temporary home as we fix bugs and issues within the site. The blog will continue to be giving your updates and insight about the local music scene. Of course, we would also give you the inside scoop on what’s next for WATUP. Everyone who had messaged and emailed us in hopes to write for the site will receive a response soon enough.

Watch us rebuild ourselves become better. Let’s share experiences and learn from each other. After all, that’s the point of the production isn’t it? So we would like to put a spotlight on ‘pugpayo’ this week. May it be on copyrighting, building your pedal board, or re-assessing your relationship with that indie artist in your life. 

Everything starts with a simple step. 

Click follow, like our Facebook page, and support your fellow underdogs here at WAT UP! 

[watupph]

LOCAL SONG COPYRIGHTING 101

by Burn Mercado cinemagraph from heteroheroine

Let’s say an eighteen year old musician recorded an EP. He went to a gig and fan-boy’ed his heart out. This drove him to submit the CD of his EP to his idol. After five years, he heard a familiar song on the radio. That’s when he realized something. “That is my song.” he cried. But then his conscience replied, “No. You didn’t copyright it.”

Some of us have been there. Maybe most of you are just about to go there. All we want to do is just to write songs, record it decently, and then distribute it ourselves at first. We thought of putting out online, maybe giving them to friends, or selling it on our gigs. But before that could happen, one must copyright them in order to avoid their craft being stolen or copied. The worst thing that could happen is to have your hard work taken away from you, especially if you’re just starting out. To avoid this kind of dilemma, here is the process on how you can copyright your songs locally. Disclaimer: Under the law, you have copyright over your material upon writing it.

To substantiate, you have to go under these steps.

1. Have the essential files with you Have a music sheet of your song; the notation of it and chords + lyrics. Make sure to print two copies. They even accept it if you’re just going to submit the lyrics and a CD containing the final version of the songs.

2. Fill up the forms needed After gathering all the proof that your song is indeed yours, print the copyright application form from the National Library website. Next, you have to fill up the form and then have it notarized.

3. Send all of it (+a minimal fee) You have to proceed at the 5/F East Wing, NLP Building, T.M. Kalaw Avenue, Manila, Philippines. The director will check it and instruct you to pay 200 pesos at the cashier (1st floor) and buy “STAMPS” at the 2nd floor. Stamps costs 30 pesos.

4. And now we wait... Go back to the 5th floor. Submit the receipt and stamps, then the director will give you a claim stub. They will instruct you to come back after 30 days.

To download the requirements, application form, and to know more about copyright, this link will help: http://web.nlp.gov.ph/nlp/?q=node/646

That’s all you need to know in copyrighting your songs! It might sound like an unnecessary ‘adulting’ duty, but it’s all part of the business side of the art itself. Want to know more about copyrighting and the music scene? Drop us an ask here on our blog or message us on our Facebook account. See you on the scene, underdogs!

[watupph]

Supporting Your Indie Musician Partner: Tolerating vs. Supporting

by Hope San Pedro Photo of Fabrizio Moretti and Binki Shapiro 

You don’t have to be an independent artist to know that having a relationship with one is one heck of a ride. Imagine being in a rodeo with a really good music, picturesque setting, and an  enchanting story to hold on to. But you’re on a really wild seat that’s almost impossible to stay on to.

Let’s face it; achieving a dream is not a walk in the park. Being with someone who is determined to get to that goal is even more complicated. But some people get through it. How? Well, we can’t answer everything now. But with some advice from the strongest people in the scene, here’s an ‘artehcle’ that might just clear the most confusing line of all time — supporting and tolerating.

Jump in or stay dry

Say your partner is into experimenting lately and they’re very passionate about it. Good? Great! But the thing is you never really liked the genre they’re in now. How do you go about it? Our friends say that letting them be without even trying to understand it for the sake of letting them do their thing is plain tolerating. Supporting would have been listening to their new material and letting them know your thoughts on it.

Supporting would be taking their new thing in with an open mind. You won’t die giving it a try, would you? Making an extra effort for your relationship is an essential part of growing together. After all, if you love them,  it wouldn’t feel like exerting effort at all.

Step yes, step no

There’s no point in drawing boxes after boxes to contain your thoughts towards your partner and yourself. Your partner is your partner for a reason, telling them what you really think should not feel like an obstacle course. You shouldn’t skip things to keep the illusion that everything is well if it is not. Sweeping issues under the rug would only go so long. According to our friends, shrugging things off constantly and never bringing them up is tolerating.

Leaving them to be their own person is a beautiful thing to do but letting your thoughts rot in your head could probably be the biggest reason if your relationship should ever end. Being honest would help you as much as it would benefit the connection you have.

Your relationship should not be a game of lines and turns. Straight it up, love. Honesty is still the best policy.

Here comes the cop

When your partner is making all the wrong turns and is putting everyone connected to them at risk because of unapologetic nonsense reasons. You might turn a blind eye on it because it might raise hell. But if you do this, you are not just harming yourself, you’re also harming your partner. Keeping your mouth shut just to keep “peace and order” in a relationship down right tolerating.

It is given that calling out or talking to your partner about sensitive issues could be nerve wrecking, but you’ve got to put on your best foot forward, and hope they love you enough to listen to you.

This does not mean you can be rude to them or boss them around, of course. You’re not allowed to decide for them. Yes, you can be vocal about your opinions on the things they do, especially if it harms other people.

Tolerating and supporting are too hard to tell apart until you have learned to accept the fact that being in a relationship means being an important part of someone. When a part of you is not functioning well, you support it until it works properly again.

If you truly and genuinely love a person, you would always want to help them be their best, not just in their art but as well as their being. It would an amazing thing to see your most favorite person shine brighter when you help polish each other.

Don’t give up on that diamond, love.