Behind the Notes (www.behindthenotes.com) is new website which hosts video documentaries with renowned musicians sharing insight into the creative process of making music.

The content is designed for an audience of musicians and music enthusiasts who are interested in seeing first hand how great musicians do their thing. “It’s like when all the notes are right, but then there’s just something else, cause if it was just about the notes – anybody can play the notes” [Branford Marsalis]

“We asked ourselves, ‘What would our audience want to discuss if they had the chance to sit down, one on one with their favourite musician?’ This is narrowcasting, where we aim to give less people more of what they really want – we are not interested in celebrity exposés, just performances and discussion about the music directly from the guys who created it.” [Martin Gibbons– Director]

Rapid advancements in broadband technology are allowing people the freedom to choose what they want to watch and when they want to watch it. Behind the Notes has teamed up with Australian based video streaming provider Vividas to deliver the content in full screen TV quality – no additional hardware, set top box or software is required, it streams straight to your computer. This technology allows the viewer to be totally immersed in the viewing experience while still having all the interactive functionality of a website with a range of information, forums, links and other interesting material to support the videos.

Featured artists include: Dominic Miller, John Patitucci, Vernon Reid, David Gilmore, Horacio Hernandez and Speech from Arrested Development.

How it Works

Each documentary has a 4-5 minute free preview. These previews are entertaining and engaging on their own. In combination with all of the other free content on site they provide a rich and rewarding experience without the need to part with any money.

The full features run for approximately half an hour plus live performances. Viewers have the option to purchase premium viewing time in 30, 60 and 120 minute units. This premium viewing time allows access to all of the video content on the site. It’s a unique concept which couples free and paid for content with a payment system that allows the user total flexibility as to what they watch and when.

Background

Behind the Notes is the result of an idea that morphed through many phases. The concept was originally for a cartoon character to be used in a music teaching program for primary school children. One thing lead to another. The primary school children gave way to the wider musical community and the cartoons were replaced by real people. And not just any real people…

The whole concept rests on the idea that those who are best placed to pass on the musical tradition are not teachers or middlemen or even cartoon characters. They are the working musicians who have created the music that people know and appreciate.

Through various contacts developed the story began to unfold. Countless phone calls and emails to musicians and their ‘people’ became filming trips from London to New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Bordeaux and Frankfurt.

Now the platform is set and ready to grow with the regular addition of new artists to the site. To experience this content please visit www.behindthenotes.com.