I have just about wrapped up my soundtrack work on There Came an Echo and have recently moved on to RJCD4 work (RJCD4 = 50% TCAE soundtrack + 50% newbbbeats2014!). Hope to post some legit music updates very soon. I have about 20 tunes I'm sorting through, picking out album material and just playing around.Here's a fun animation using one of my tunes for TCAE:
Now for the not-so-fun stuff.. If you want to read about the situation with copyright claims being placed on videos with my music and what I'm doing about it (please read if you have a YouTube license with me), click below to read more:
Updated on 1/31/2014:
If you use my music on your YouTube and noticed a copyright claim recently, that’s because I was automatically put in a program to monetize videos that use my music (it's not a strike against your account, they're just trying to make money). It was a massive rollout by YouTube and other parties. It’s a mess right now for a lot of people, and I’ve personally been trying to get out of it for several days.
What you need to do if you have purchased a license from me is dispute the claim and show them your license when they request that. What I don’t like is it puts the burden of disputing claims on people that have the right to use certain tunes, and that’s the main reason I’m getting out for now, not to mention the fact I wasn't given a choice. YouTube needs a whitelist feature that the artist or publisher has direct control over. I do think music adds value to video, and I might subscribe to a service like this when it’s fair to the artists and YouTube users (Audiam, for example, allows artists to pay people to use their music! That's brilliant, and a nice thing to do..). For now, thanks for your patience on that. It'll clear up soon.
1/8/2014 update: Took me two weeks to determine I couldn't get out of the YouTube program unless I ended my publishing agreement. I initiated that last week and I'm still waiting to hear back.
1/9/2014 long update: Today, I took down my YouTube licensing page until TuneCore lets me out of their publishing program. I was informed that they will not honor any YouTube license from my store from as far back as May 1, 2013 (my signup date w/ TuneCore Publishing). In December of 2013, they slipped in the new YouTube copyright stuff into the contract and they're backdating it to my signup date. At this point, in my emails with TuneCore reps, they are politely referring to their policy and not taking anything else into consideration. TuneCore hasn't answered any of my emails about making an exception, even considering I'm on my way out of the program. This means that some of you with a valid YouTube license (from May 1, 2013 on) might still be getting copyright notices until someone in their office processes my termination. Today, 13 days after I requested out, I was told that they will be sending me confirmation of my termination request in a few days. I replied and asked if we could go ahead and stop the YouTube claims but didn't hear back.
1/16/2014 update: My "termination confirmation" came and it was TuneCore informing me that I'll be released from their deal in September of 2014. I have emailed them four days in a row, kindly asking for clarification on when the YouTube claims will stop. At this point, they're not answering any of my questions. They must be terribly busy, but I'm continuing to try to work this out.
1/31/2014 update: I have resolved all of the copyright claim stuff. If your videos were affected, INDMUSIC should slowly be withdrawing the claims, but I'd say give this a bit of time as I'm sure it's quite a process. At least it's in motion, or will be early next week. Whew.
If you buy 2 or more physical CD's, I will unwrap the plastic and sign them
There Came an Echo is slated for Q2 2014. Does this mean that we won't see RJCD4 before then?
Can't wait for RJCD4 and the music updates. Keep up the good work RJ.
Thanks, LBW!! I hope to get my album stuff done at the same exact time as the TCAE release, and I think they're shooting for mid-2014. Last I heard/saw, the development was moving along great and the art looked awesome. I'll know more in the springtime I think.
Looking forward to TCAE and RJCD4, that video just got me super pumped for both. 2014 looks like it'll be a great year, keep it up man!
RJ, bro. It's time for a clip or better yet a hello youtubes. Honestly, I just want to hear what you're working on. It doesn't have to be much. Happy to hear you are making progress but dish some out on soundcloud or YouTube or whatever.
I know it, and thanks! I'm trying to decide what's album material and also what stuff would sound fun as a 30-45 second clip for Soundcloud. It'll be soon, though! ;)
Hey RJ! Glad to see you're still kicking around man. Been wondering where you were at and had hoped you were still busy with music. Can't wait for the new album. :)
Happy Holidays/ New Year Ronald! Looking forward to the upcoming tunes! Your previous stuff never gets old either, I still have them stuck on repeat! Take it easy~
After years of following you I am FINALLY purchasing all your stuff now (so slack, I know.) Keep up the good work, my friend. You are simply awesome!
Looking forward to it!!! I'm not a gamer,but I think it's really awesome this stuff you've been working on. Happy New Year!
Thanks a lot man. I just discovered your music and I love it. Also thanks a million that I could use your music for youtube outros and intros. Most people don't do that,if I start a youtube account I'll be sure to mention you! Keep up the good work. :D
Aaaaaand here come the suits trying to f$:^% up a good thing. What do I see? Jenkees handling it like a boss, with class. Good luck and keep the pressure on them. I found your music because you let someone else use it for their motocross video years ago.
And this is why you do not sign a record label. You don't need em man.
Just wanted so say I'm a huge fan and thanks a ton for not being evil regarding the Content ID system. :P
I'm not sure, but this could be the greatest thing that's ever happened in the history of the universe, this ungainly vexation of our hero. For it has put into ITALIC and BOLD the unassailable truth of Ronald Jenkees.
You have to wonder what kind of powers these guys thought they had, keeping the Crown Prince of the Keys at bay whilst they work their terrible deeds, messing with his fawning public like they were just people sitting on a trolley car with nowhere to go but down.
Oh, the battle raged on. For a while. Meanwhile, RJ stayed just out of reach, poking and prodding with those electric fingers of his, flinging email missiles with reckless abandon and looking sleek in a t-shirt and jeans while he does it.
They come in all sizes, don't they? The villains that populate our planet, looking for superheroes to vanquish, never heeding the lessons told from the beginning of time right up till the comic books and movies of today: in the end, the villains always lose.
Sure, they spend a good deal of time cackling and rubbing their hands together, but at the end they all lie in a decrepit heap on the streets of history, forced to watch as our hero, Ronald Jenkees, rolls slowly by in a tricked out Lincoln Continental, leading a miles-long conga line that is the non-stop Ronald Jenkees parade through life. Oh, see how he shines?
Shed a tear for TC, the latest to fall at RJ's feet while that endless shower of confetti slowly sashays down, burying them under 10 feet of glittering processed trees, one more lump in the graveyard of broken dreams populated by those who dared harsh RJ's gig.
How much better to join that joyful troupe, RJ's Conga Line of Love, even if you are bringing up the rear. Yes, this is the secret the villains fail to discover until it is too late, heeding as they always do that siren call of certain doom in the power and light of his irresistible wall of sound.
Simply reading about this copyright mess makes my head hurt. I can't imagine dealing with it and trying to resolve the matter. You have my sympathy. On a happier note, very much looking forward to CD4!
Man, love your music. you are such a talented musician/producer/alleargasm man guy. its like i feel your mind has so much beautiful music going on and you just project those out in your tracks. just wish I could be in your mind and listen to your concert in it. would be so fricken awesome man. hella mad props to you. watching your videos of you playing is amazing. can see the power and intensity in you, and as a listener its a feeling cant describe! just love it man! keep it going, cant wait for 2014 and later!!!!!!!!!!
Jake, I have almost NO idea how to function as a human being any longer. Not after reading what you just wrote.
You are to psychedelic drugs what Ronald Jenkees is to the universe: the one unifying force, the reason it all works, and the unattainable precipice on which Complete Understanding of Everything rests.
If I could eat Chinese food the way you devour the transcendent tunes of Ronald Jenkees, I'd soon be too fat to care. Pretty soon I'd just sit here and think about it.
And that would be a shame.
I have a quick question.. Can I use your music as background audio for say.. a Live stream or something? Is that alright or do I need to do something?
How about 'Guitar Sound II'?
Hey RJ i sent u an email but maybe this is better... You inspired me to learn guitar. I want a 88 key keyboard that can play real piano (weighted keys) and guitar sounds, on a budget. Any suggestions on what to get for someone starting out?
Haha oops i meant inspired me to play keyboards. I already know the guitar...
Hey Ronald,
Just stopped by to see what's going on with your music. I've got all your albums to date and look forward to your new release Q2 2014.
Like your intro on There Came an ECHO...keep creating!
Ronald, none of this youtube stuff really affects me, but I still found it interesting. More importantly, I have to say you are a class act for taking the position you did on this. Kudos, and keep doing what you do! Your music makes a lot of people very happy, myself included.
Do what you do Brother. Follow your silver thread. You weave a tapestry that clothes us followers. Keep believing. We believe in you.
I am a big fan of the idea that if you hear a clip of music, and you want to know where it's from, there should be algorithms that connect you with the source. That's absolutely great tech. It's like the difference between having a search engine or not having one.
But I am completely opposed to the idea that if someone uses material from somewhere else to remix and make a video that it might be censored. There's so many dystopian scenarios... like there's a really important political video you're making but you didn't take into account that you were wearing an Adidas T-shirt... then the video gets taken down because you're violating their "intellectual property rights" by having the logo in your video.
If someone uses your music in a video then you have a right to get a notification. And if there's monetization involved, you deserve a cut of that. In a post-scarcity economy, though, it would be only the awareness of where things came from that was important so there was a "truth in advertising". I could write for hours about this! (Sometimes I do :-/).
But cheers to you for standing up to the people who are manipulating the system and backdating contracts *after the fact*. Screw them!
Anxiously awaiting RJCD4 from the maestro of keyboards. Although the raps... um... maybe there is room for improvement in the rapping area. I'll still listen to them, though, and check in on your progress. We all start somewhere, right? :-)
Is there copyright crap the reason you quit uploading videos? Because we miss them! Soundcloud only is boring, we need you back on YT! I personally think your 'Disorganised fun' album was the best. Especially throwing with fire, disorganised fun and guitar sound! They are on my iPod and I listen to them a lot :D
I'm pleased that you're standing up to the "suits" Iman old guy, probably different than most of your fan demographic. Like, over 50 old. I'm a truck driver, over the road kind. I Heard "Guitar Sound" through spotify last year, and am hooked. Most excellen tunes for driving hours at a time. Thank you!!!