Hi! Podington Bear is the nom de plume of me, Chad Crouch. I make instrumental music that I enjoy sharing freely, while seeking exposure and income through licensing. My podcast, Music For Misc. is a half hour themed journey through my recordings, now in its fourth season. Interview With FMA’s Radio Free Culture Podcast
Listen to the interview, which covers my history as music creator, Creative Commons adherent, and Free Music Archive contributor here:
Correction:
In the interview I discuss my first exposure to the concept of Creative Commons, an article in Wired Magazine. My memory that the creator of Creative Commons had ties to Wired was wrong. (Perhaps I was crossing my wires with the "long tail" concept.) Anyway, Creative Commons did get an awareness boost from a cover article in a 2004 edition of Wired that also featured a CD of artists (The Beastie Boys, David Byrne...) willing to have their works remixed within the new Creative Commons legal framework.
Creative Commons was founded in 2001 by law professor Lawrence Lessig, Hal Abelson, and Eric Eldred to address a problem created by antiquated copyright laws in the U.S. and around the world. In an era where it was becoming easier to share works via the Internet, copyright law seemed to be moving in the other direction by increasing term limits and restrictions on reuse.
Interview, Miscellaneous Milestones & Updates.
Hello folks,
Just a brief post to let you all know I'm finally getting my head back in the game. Expect some new music and podcasts soon.
Of note:
• I recently did an interview for the site Vox Electro. Read the interview here.
• There's a sale going on at hush records.com. Find the lowest price ever on my Box Set.
• I recently uploaded the entire Sound Of Picture production Library to Bandcamp, with a few new collections: Duets, Marimba, Vibrophone, Chimes & Bells, and Solo Instruments. These songs are performed very naturally, so the tempos breathe. Great for videography. And now it's all downloadable for free in CD quality or your favorite file type! To see some video work that caught my eye and incorporates my music, head over to soundofpicture.com and click on any of the portfolio categories. Here's one that I thought was stunning:
It opens with my track "Corridor"
• Earlier this year I broke the one million download milestone at freemusicarchive.org! I'm sure this had a lot to do with the encouraging response to my new Sound of Picture License Shop. In the last six months I've sold over 200 licenses directly to producers. Thanks FMA, and thanks shop customers! I'll be making improvements to the site and the collection in the coming month!
Lastly, I'd like to thank This Americans Life for continuing to introducing my music to their listening audience. Unfortunately they don't provide programming notes, so for those who might be searching Google, here's where my songs can be heard from a few recent show episodes
513: 129 Cars at 107:25 "Vibe Drive"
509: It Says So Right Here at 58:41 "Filaments"
507: Confessions at 31:19 "Dry Air"
503: I Was Just Trying To Help at 4:50 "Vibe Drive", 22:50 "Happiness Is", 29:50 "Proliferate"
504: How I Got Into College at 8:45 "Filaments"
Podington Bear on This American Life.
This American Life 492: Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde
On the show this week, after the prologue:
Vibe Drive
Find this and almost 500 more great tracks to use in your creative work at soundofpicture.com!
The Sound of Picture Production Library!
Sound of Picture Production Library Part 1 (700mb zip folder)
Sound of Picture Production Library Part 2 (700mb zip folder)
Sound of Picture Production Library Part 3 (800mb zip folder)
The Production Library features 500 instrumental cues (songs) sorted by keywords from Podington Bear. They are free to use for non-commercial works, and easily licensed for commercial uses. Find out more at soundofpicture.com.
Smaller collections:
This American Life
Podington Bear could be heard on a great episode of This American Life this week:
This American Life 490: Trends With Benefits
These are the cuts that can be heard.
Soundtrack for new iOS game Swing King!
From the hit factory publisher of Angry Birds, a new iOS game hit the market just yesterday, featuring a soundtrack from Podington Bear!
Swing King!
"If you like physics-based puzzle games, this is one that is well worth your time, as it features fun gameplay, beautiful visuals, and a fantastic soundtrack" - TouchGen.net
I'm excited for opportunity for a lot of new people to hear my songs while enjoying such a gorgeous, and whimsical game that is both familiar and fresh in its gameplay. Check it out in the iTunes App Store and if you like it, tell a friend!
This American Life 481: This Week
As heard on TAL at the end of act six. "It's almost as if the sleeping is that much sweeter when you have to get up, or you think you have to get up, and then you don't."
Dry Air
Ep 8: Music For A Bike Ride
Ep 8: Music For A Bike Ride (with commentary)
Ep 7: Music For A Bike Ride (music only)
Featuring the tracks "Biplane", "Let's Bike!", "Simple To Operate", "Bicycle Thief" (Blanket Music), "Breezin", "LaDiDay", Streetbeat Heat", "Now Son", "Gravy", "Wishing Well Wheel"
Music Appearing in ‘This American Life - Live’
In a simulcast live event "beamed to 650 movie theaters on two continents" This American Life did a few things that wouldn't translate to radio with their latest show, themed "When The Invisible Becomes Visible"
The live event featured five pieces of music from Podington Bear. (It is unknown which, if any will make it to the radio version, likely to arrive this weekend.)
The Ryan Knighton introduction segment
from the album Egress, available free at The Free Music Archive
(This is one of my favorite songs that I've composed from beginning to end, and a good introduction to Podington Bear)
Going Forward Looking Back
from The Sound of Picture Production Library, available at soundofpicture.com
Vibe Drive
from The Sound of Picture Production Library, available at soundofpicture.com
From the Vivian Maier photographer segment:
Dry Air
from The Sound of Picture Production Library, available at soundofpicture.com
Cm
from The Sound of Picture Production Library, available at soundofpicture.com
New to Podington Bear? Check out the podcast. Download heaps of music to use in your own creative work. Or consider supporting a regular musical bear with a purchase from hushrecords.com or iTunes.
Get the box set (135 full songs on 10 CDs) on sale for only $17.99 from hushrecords.com or only $11.99 at iTunes.