OffKey

This week, we’re tackling a pressing topic at a time like this: how artists are adjusting in the context of COVID-19. For musicians, artists, tour teams, and other team members, the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 has led to cancellations and postponements of virtually all gigs, tours, and festivals for at least the next couple months.  This has resulted in a major upheaval in both music creators’ ability to earn a livi...

This week, we're continuing down the path of royalty collections, looking at how the recording artist gets paid when their songs are played. I had the pleasure of speaking with Martin Gangnier from Re:Sound, Matt Craig from MROC, and Andrew Karis from ACTRA-RACS to learn about royalty collections on the master side. We discussed Canada's royalty collections system, how usage data is collected, and how tariff rates are determined. I...

This week on OffKey, we're turning to a big topic for any songwriter looking to build and sustain a career in music: royalty collections. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mike McCarty and Holly Fagan-Lacoste from SOCAN and Rebecca Webster from CMRRA to learn about how the songwriter gets paid when their songs are played. We discussed how royalty rates are determined, how usage data is collected, and why these organizations are s...

This week on OffKey, we're looking at a key part of Canada's music industry: funding. In Canada, there are numerous grants offered by public and private organizations that artists can apply to for funding costs associated with recording, promotion, and touring. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jimmy Leitch from Music BC, Steve Love from Music PEI, and Karina Moldovan from FACTOR to learn more about the initiatives and funding pr...

For our first episode of 2020, we’re looking at a very special field in the world of music: music therapy. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Erica Tetzel and Taryn Stephenson from Music Heals, a non-profit based in Vancouver that raises awareness and supports music therapy programs across Canada with the goal of increasing access to music therapy services. I also spoke with Ruth Eckhoff, a music therapist in Norway wit...

This week on OffKey, we're looking at the various players on the Recording Artist's team. Our guests this week include: Brian Hetherman, founder of Curve Music and Cerberus Artist Management; Byron Pascoe, an entertainment lawyer at Edwards Creative Law; Jonathan Simkin, founder of 604 Records; Savannah Wellman from Tiny Kingdom Music; and Jeff Wolpert, an engineer and producer at Desert Fish Studios and educator at the University ...

This week on OffKey, we're looking at a key player on the Songwriter's Team: the Music Publisher. Featured in this episode are the insights and expertise of: Norman Arnold, a composer and producer based in LA with experience working for Warner Bros., Disney, NBC, CNN, and more; Mark Jowett, the co-founder of Nettwerk Music Group and head of A&R and Publishing; Karen Kosowski, songwriter and producer based in Nashville; and Byro...

This week, we spoke with MAKUTA and I M U R, two independent bands from the east and west coasts who have built their careers and fanbase from the ground up. We talked about songwriting, self-promotion, live shows and touring, and the "DIY" nature of building a career. Thank you to Doug, Jane, Aleata, and Rose from MAKUTA and Jenny and Amine from I M U R for sharing their insights and experiences. I hope you enjoy our conversations...

This week on OffKey, we’re looking at our next character in the creation of music: the Recording Artist. In this episode, we learned from the expertise of: Andrew Karis from ACTRA-RACS; Byron Pascoe, an entertainment lawyer at Edwards Law; Jeff Wolpert, an engineer and producer at Desert Fish Studios and educator at the University of Toronto; Mateo Palmisano, composer and producer at Xitmuse; and Matt Craig from MROC. We explored w...

This week on OffKey, we’re looking at our first character in the storyline of the creation of music: the Songwriter. Featured in this episode are the insights of: Kathryn Calder, of The New Pornographers, Frontperson, and Oscar St. Records; Karen Kosowski, songwriter and producer based in Nashville; Mateo Palmisano, composer and producer of Xitmuse; Jonathan Simkin, founder of 604 Records; and Mike McCarty & Holly Fagan from SO...

This week, we're featuring an interview with Mateo Palmisano, a writer, recording and mixing engineer, producer, composer and music production educator who has over a decade of experience working on both the recording side and composition side of music across North America and beyond. Mateo’s commitment to creating accessible educational content aligns so well with the goal of OffKey, so I decided it would be fitting to feature his...

OffKey's third season will be turning down a new path, moving on from the “who” question towards the “how-to," with the goal of creating an educational resource for industry newcomers like myself. Join me as I explore the ins-and-outs of the music industry from the perspective of two key players in the creation of music: the Songwriter & Recording Artist. This week, I had the privilege of speaking with and learning from: Götz B...

This week we're taking a look back at this past season of OffKey, and talking with Taliya Seidman-Wright who will be taking over the project! We're so excited about this next development and the future of the podcast, and I hope that you enjoy our chat as much as I did! It's been a pleasure working on OffKey, and I really appreciate all of your support! -- Linh Sa

Photo for cover art by Danny Zhang

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We have reached the second season finale of OffKey! While it’s bitter-sweet to see this season come to an end as it also means the end of my time at Membran Labs, I am so excited to announce that I will be passing the project off to my best friend, the ever so talented Taliya Seidman-Wright! Make sure you subscribe to OffKey on your favourite listening platform where I’ll be back on the podcast one last time to pass the mic over to...

This week on OffKey we're chatting with Racquel Villagante, who is an A&R Rep for SOCAN. We talked about how she arrived at her role at SOCAN from getting a psych degree at UBC to working as a settlement worker to working for Nimbus school of recording and media and everything in between. We also talked about the importance of mentorship and the role that mentors have had in her career. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much...

For this week’s episode of OffKey, Victoria musician Fintan was kind enough to stop by the studio to chat about his career! We touched on everything from when he first learned to play the accordion, to busking with his family band, to getting a complete walk through both the story and musical evolution of his EP Then We Fall. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

Cover photo by Florence May, episode music by Fintan.&n...

This week on OffKey we're chatting with Brittany Ayton, who is the City Director of Sofar Sounds Vancouver. Many of our past OffKey guests including Kirsten Ludwig, David Ward, Blonde Diamond, Haley Blais, and Jasper Sloan Yip have played Sofar shows in the past so it was so nice chatting with one of the driving forces behind the Vancouver chapter of the project! I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. 

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For this week’s episode of OffKey, musician Noah Derksen stopped by the studio while on the west coast leg of his Canadian tour for the second part of his album America, Dreaming. We talked about how he got his start in the music industry, the inspirations behind the album, and some of the differences between the Canadian and American music industries. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

Cover Image via https://www....

This week on OffKey I’m chatting with Lisa Logutenkow, Vice President of Bedlam Music Management and Dine Alone Records, and the Vice President of The Orchard Canada, a music distribution company. From studying sciences at The University of Toronto to managing artists such as Alexisonfire, Bedouin Soundclash, and City and Colour, Lisa has had such an incredible career in the music industry and so many wonderful stories to share! I ...