.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

When was the last time you bought a CD or received one as a present? With the increasing ease of iTunes, how many people are actually getting out and buying CDs when they could get easily download the albums on their computers at the press of a button? How many people are taking the easy option of buying Itunes vouchers as a present rather than choosing a CD for a friend?

It poses the question, how much longer will CDs be around?

Digital sales are on the rise. Best selling artist Adele has sold 1.4 million digital copies of her album ’21′ so far this year, which is the highest ever digital sales of an album. These sales also represent around third of the total 3.7 million copies she has sold. Eminem’s album has also had over a million digital sales, with many other artists’ albums getting near to the one million mark as well.

Overall album sales, which include CDs and digital downloads, are on the increase this year for the first time in about a decade, showing that the music industry is beginning to recover from the recession. For the first half of 2011, digital sales accounted for a third of all sales, which is up 5% on last year. Album sales overall are up just over 2 million in the same period.

Over the last 60 years, the music industry has survived many changes. LPs were introduced in 1948, and were in common use even after CDs were introduced in 1983, as initially CDs were considered too expensive an option. LPs were collected by many a music fan who enjoyed the artistic covers often as much as the music. They remained popular until they were eventually phased out, losing sales to both cassettes and CDs as prices for newer technology decreased; although a strong second hand market remains amongst DJs and music enthusiasts.

Cassette tapes were used alongside both LPs and CDs from the early 1970s until the late 1990s and were made popular by their use in Walkmans, for the first time allowing a portable way of listening to music. The inferior quality of cassettes and their tenancy to stretch and get caught up in the mechanism led the music industry to look for a more durable replacement that would not degrade over time.  CDs seemed to be the answer, they were portable, could store a larger amount of music in a lightweight format, and were easier to use.

CDs though have had their problems and are now considered by many to be a cumbersome and outdated format. They require the purchaser to make the effort of going to a shop or waiting for the CD to be delivered as well as needing to be stored carefully so they don’t get scratched. Once purchased many CDs are usually put straight onto the computer so that the album or songs can be transferred onto people’s iPods or music players.  This makes the actual CD quickly redundant and therefore not valued.

As it becomes easier and cheaper to download a vast range of music and transfer the music between different devices, CDs may be losing their appeal. While some people still prefer to actually have a physical product and enjoy reading the material that accompanies the CD, in today’s age of instance gratification, the ability to have new music accessible any time, outweighs, for many people, any benefits that a CD may have.

We have seen how new technology has made earlier musical formats seem outdated, causing them to lose their popularity and eventually get phased out. If history repeats itself CDs could easily go the same way as LPs and cassettes. How long will it be before CDs are entirely replaced by digital sales?

How is AS level music going so far?

It’s fun so far. We have 5 lessons a week, 3 of which we spend on learning the syllabus, and listening and analysing music – so far we’ve listened to Renaissance music and a bit of Classical music, Neoclassicism, and Romantic Music. The other two lessons a week are spend doing composition, which makes up part of our music coursework.

How did you enjoy GCSE music?

It was about the difficulty I was expecting it to be, so it was challenging but not overly so. The coursework did become a bit time consuming towards the end, as it was difficult trying to find the time to finish it all off! My favourite part of the course was part of the coursework. We had to do two performances, a solo piece and an ensemble piece. The ensemble piece was my favourite part, as I really enjoyed working in a group like that.

Have you got any advice for Year 10s who have just started their music GCSE course? Give the readers your 5 top tips.

• Listen to as wide a range of music as possible, really listen around your set pieces.
• Stay on top of your composition, and try to finish it as early as possible, as it will really save you time later
• Practice as much as you can, and you will really improve quickly.
• Don’t be scared of Mr. Zambonini
• Play in groups when possible, it will help to improve your musicianship and teamwork

Which instruments do you play and what is your favourite?

I play the flute and piano, for which I am taking my Grade 8 in May this year. I don’t know what my favourite of the two is, as piano music is definitely harder, but flute playing requires more skill, as you have to create your own sound, so it is very different to the piano.

Finally, what ensembles do you play in?

I play in piano ensemble, senior orchestra and flute choir. I have been playing in flute choir since Year 7, first in the Junior Flute Choir and now in the Senior Flute Choir since Year 10. I would say that flute choir is my favourite ensemble.

October 1st

1954, – The UK ‘Top 12′ Pop Chart became a Top 20 Chart.1977  – Elton John became the first musician to be honoured in New York City’s Madison Square Hall Of Fame.

1988 – Bon Jovi scored their first UK No.1 album with ‘New Jersey’, their fourth release.

1997 – Robbie Williams kicked off a 14-date UK tour at Norwich UEA, tickets cost £11.00, and support band The Supernaturals.

1985 – Born on this day, Dizzee Rascal (Dylan Kwabena Mills), British rapper, songwriter and record producer.2009 UK No.1 single ‘Holiday’.

October 2^nd

1971 – John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ LP entered the US album chart, where it will reach No.3.

1983 – Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler was at No.1 on the US singles chart with the Jim Steinman written and produced track ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’. It made her the only Welsh artist to score a US No.1.

2002 – Robbie Williams signed the most lucrative British record deal in history when he signed with EMI records for £80m. Asked what he was going to do with money Robbie said, “I’m going to count it all.”

1973 – Born on this day, Lene G Nystrom, Aqua, (1997 UK No.1 single ‘Barbie Girl’)

October 3rd

1992 – Abba scored their ninth UK No.1 album with ‘Gold- Greatest Hits.’

1999 – Tom Jones went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Reload’, making the singer the oldest artist to score a UK No.1 album with new material

October 4^th

1963 – The Beatles made their first appearance on the UK ITV pop show ‘Ready Steady Go!’

October 5^th

1974 – Olivia Newton-John started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Honestly Love You’, the singers first of five US chart toppers

2000 – UK TV show Top Of The Pops issued a Top 40 chart based on singles that had spent the longest time on the UK chart. No.3 was ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra, No.2 ‘She Loves You’, The Beatles and No.1 ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes To Hollywood’.2008 – Pink started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘So What’, the singers third UK No.1 hit.

1985 – Born on this day, Nicola Roberts, vocals, Girls Aloud, (2002 UK No.1 single ‘Sound Of The Underground’, and over 20 UK Top 20 singles.)

October 6^th

1979 – Buzzcocks, supported by Joy Division appeared at the Odeon Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, tickets £2.50

October 7^th

1978 – The film soundtrack to ‘Grease’ featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John started a 13-week run at No.1 on the UK chart.

1978 – Born on this day, Alesha Dixon, Mis- Teeq, (2001 UK No.2 single ‘All I Want’).

Within D.C, there is an abundance of talent. Round every corner is a boy or girl who could very well grow up to be a world leader, a talented musician, an artist or a sportsman. Without exception, one extremely talented student within our school is Rob Miller: a fantastic singer, guitarist and songwriter with a unique style who deserves to be heard. Rob is extremely humble about his talent which makes him all the more special and he was kind enough to talk to the newspaper about his original songs and his feelings towards music in general.

How old were you when music began having an impact in your life?

I must have been about 13 and a half because, for Christmas, my parents and I went half and half on a new guitar. I started off with having some lessons but didn’t really take to them so I decided to teach myself. I focused on looking at learning the basic chords and things like that and then for the harder pieces, I watched the artists playing on YouTube videos so that I could pick up the music that way.

Was there something in particular that influenced you to start?

Can’t say that I am sure what influenced me in the first place but I had always had it in my mind that I wanted to play an instrument and the guitar appealed to me. My neighbor had a broken, 3 string guitar and you could say that I just really enjoyed the instrument even when it was broken like that.

You have already made so many positive steps towards getting yourself heard. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Touring and performing for live audiences?

Well obviously I would love to tour and get the chance to perform my songs in front of people but I think my music will stay as more of a hobby and an interest- performing at open mics and such. It’s up to people to decide how good I am but I’m not counting on anything like that and I’ve never been sure if I’m quite good enough. I doubt I’ll ever stop playing because it’s my way of unwinding and having fun but my music hasn’t influenced my decisions about Universities or anything. I have my own recording equipment so music facilities didn’t play any major part in my choice.

Those who know you are aware of your love of Newton Faulkner- any favourite songs by him?

A pretty impossible question but I would have to say at the moment, the final track on his new album called ‘I’m not giving up yet’. I think it’s special because normally he uses loads of different instruments on his album like strings and bass and such but this song is just on acoustic guitar which makes it work so well. It’s just such a meaningful song and has a great vocal spectrum which actually makes it quite hard for me to sing.

You have a big fan base within Dubai. How many are there exactly?

On YouTube, I have just over 250 following my music and then on Facebook, over 500. It’s not as much as other YouTube artists but I am very pleased with the support I get from people both in and out of the school community.

What is your new C.D made up of?

It’s made up of my own original material, so, songs where I have written the original music and the words. I am planning on releasing a cover album but that would be for free. It would be a good way for people who don’t know me to hear what I can do for free and then decide whether or not they would want to spend the money on my original work. It’s also because I wouldn’t feel right making money from songs that other people have written.

What is your favourite song that you have covered?

I recorded the duet ‘Falling Slowly’ with Tara Mehranzabad which was really good fun and we put in lots of different things like piano and strings, so I would have to say that was my favourite.

And what about your songs; do you have a favourite?

Out of my songs, if any it would have to be ‘Love Song for No One’. It’s probably because I just had a lot of fun doing it. It was played with me on Guitar and Dylan Price on Drums and it started off as a bit of improvisation and just ended up sounding really good.

Rob’s C.D has been released. It’s called ‘Good Enough’ and can be purchased on Amazon and there is no doubt that he has what it takes to affect people with his music and this is not the last we have heard of Rob Miller.

Lily Schuck