Ross Riskin, of Orange, performs for Tech Talk.
Technology is music to one area musician’s ears.
Ross Riskin, of Orange, frequents area cafés and music centers throughout New England and New York with his acoustic, quiet alternative sounds that he both writes and performs. He said he has been compared with John Mayer, Third Eye Blind and Matchbox Twenty.
“I write songs about the events that have taken place in my life and how they have made me feel. I write songs about girls, friends, love, death and pretty much everything,” he said in a recent interview with Tech Talk.
Social media and the Web have helped him to capture and share his music, he said.
“Technology has a played a huge role in my efforts to gain exposure in the Indie music scene,” Riskin said. “I have been able to reach thousands of people all over the world that would not have been possible without the use of technology.”
The rapid advances in recording interfaces and software have allowed him to record his original music in home studio, he said.
“Technology has helped me become a better marketer, distributor, producer and musician,” Riskin said.
He recently released his first full-length album, “Keep Moving.”
“It describes my journey from the past, through the present, and into the future,” Riskin told Tech Talk. “It reflects my strong belief that no matter what choices you make, good and bad things will happen. Some things in life can be controlled and some things can’t. Sometimes all you have to do is keep moving.”
In an effort to get his music to potential audiences, Riskin, who has been writing and recording music since the eighth grade, has utilized Web 2.0 methods to both market and distribute his soothing sounds.
“The main services I have been utilizing for marketing have been Facebook, Twitter and MySpace,” he said. “These sites are free, global and easy to manage.”
Riskin said he could easily get the word out about new releases and updates to thousands of fans through these outlets within sounds.
“For my media distribution, I use four primary services: iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and Digstation,” he said. “While iTunes and Amazon might be better known, CD Baby and Digstation are in most ways more artist friendly. CD Baby is the largest independent music distributor that allows artists to sell both digital and physical copies of their albums along with setting their own selling prices for them. Digstation is also a large independent distributor that allows artists to set their own selling prices and amazingly collect 100 percent of the sales.”
Riskin said he will begin utilizing YouTube more over the summer.
“I believe YouTube is one of the best places to gain exposure for anyone, especially musicians,” he said.
Riskin is offering a special perk to Tech Talk readers. Readers can download two free tracks off of “Keep Moving” for free.
As technology continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly allow more artists to record, edit and distribute their pieces with the general public. Which, as Martha Stewart would say, it’s a very good thing.
