Culminating	
  Experience	
  Reflective	
  Paper	
  
Vanessa	
  Martinez	
  -­	
  June	
  27,	
  2014	
  
	
  
1)	
  Culminating	
  experience	
  project	
  summary	
  of	
  project	
  that	
  was	
  completed	
  
For	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience,	
  I	
  wrote	
  a	
  research	
  paper	
  surrounding	
  my	
  
thesis	
  statement	
  that	
  the	
  business	
  practices	
  of	
  the	
  companies	
  within	
  the	
  commercial	
  
music	
  industry	
  have	
  killed	
  creativity	
  in	
  music.	
  To	
  defend	
  my	
  statement,	
  I	
  researched	
  
the	
  careers	
  of	
  5	
  artists	
  that	
  embody	
  the	
  true	
  spirit	
  of	
  creativity	
  within	
  their	
  work.	
  
The	
  artists	
  that	
  I	
  researched,	
  Captain	
  Beeefheart,	
  Frank	
  Zappa,	
  Kool	
  Keith,	
  Outkast,	
  
and	
  Lupe	
  Fiasco	
  represent	
  various	
  genres	
  and	
  span	
  6	
  decades	
  within	
  the	
  music	
  
industry.	
  For	
  my	
  paper,	
  I	
  focused	
  on	
  the	
  negative	
  aspects	
  of	
  their	
  careers,	
  including	
  
lawsuits,	
  unfavorable	
  record	
  deals,	
  and	
  the	
  industry’s	
  response	
  to	
  their	
  creative	
  
exploits	
  and	
  actions.	
  	
  
Throughout	
  my	
  paper,	
  I	
  noticed	
  that	
  across	
  the	
  board,	
  creativity	
  was	
  ignored,	
  
leaving	
  money	
  on	
  the	
  table	
  time	
  and	
  time	
  again.	
  I	
  make	
  the	
  argument	
  that	
  if	
  the	
  
industry	
  valued	
  creativity,	
  trusted	
  their	
  artists,	
  and	
  gave	
  them	
  more	
  creative	
  
control,	
  there	
  would	
  be	
  a	
  larger	
  possibility	
  for	
  successful	
  records.	
  The	
  better	
  one	
  
treats	
  their	
  artist,	
  the	
  better	
  the	
  product.	
  I	
  further	
  argue	
  that	
  the	
  industry’s	
  
currently	
  volatile	
  state	
  is	
  not	
  simply	
  due	
  to	
  piracy,	
  but	
  rather,	
  in	
  conjunction	
  with	
  
decreasing	
  consumer	
  loyalty	
  in	
  direct	
  response	
  to	
  the	
  recognition	
  of	
  such	
  creative	
  
neglect	
  at	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  record	
  labels.	
  My	
  research	
  paper	
  asserts	
  my	
  opinion	
  that	
  a	
  
renewal	
  of	
  creative	
  freedom	
  within	
  the	
  music	
  industry	
  will	
  allow	
  for	
  more	
  variety	
  
and	
  a	
  more	
  diverse	
  culture.	
  	
  	
  

	
  
2)	
  Results:	
  how	
  the	
  project	
  did	
  and	
  did	
  not	
  align	
  with	
  expectations	
  	
  
Despite	
  being	
  a	
  business	
  student,	
  I	
  am	
  first	
  and	
  foremost	
  a	
  musician.	
  Upon	
  
starting	
  the	
  Global	
  Entertainment	
  program,	
  my	
  academic	
  goal	
  was	
  to	
  build	
  upon	
  my	
  
undergraduate	
  Music	
  Business	
  degree	
  to	
  further	
  supplement	
  my	
  musicianship	
  and	
  
creativity	
  with	
  a	
  strong	
  business	
  background.	
  Initially	
  I	
  had	
  intentions	
  of	
  working	
  
on	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  extremely	
  passionate	
  about	
  and	
  would	
  help	
  me	
  with	
  my	
  
future	
  endeavors	
  for	
  the	
  duration	
  of	
  the	
  program.	
  However,	
  I	
  was	
  unfortunately	
  
unable	
  to	
  accomplish	
  this	
  goal	
  due	
  to	
  restraints	
  from	
  my	
  advisor.	
  
Beginning	
  with	
  the	
  proposal	
  process,	
  the	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  project	
  
drastically	
  underwhelmed	
  all	
  of	
  my	
  expectations	
  coming	
  into	
  the	
  program.	
  The	
  
proposal	
  process,	
  which	
  I	
  figured	
  would	
  be	
  extremely	
  straightforward	
  and	
  simple,	
  
was	
  much	
  longer	
  than	
  I	
  anticipated,	
  as	
  I	
  was	
  met	
  with	
  numerous	
  difficulties.	
  I	
  
thought	
  the	
  program	
  was	
  going	
  to	
  be	
  more	
  open	
  to	
  the	
  unique	
  ideas	
  and	
  
backgrounds	
  of	
  the	
  students	
  and	
  be	
  more	
  encouraging	
  of	
  and	
  truly	
  support	
  its	
  
student	
  body’s	
  goals.	
  I	
  also	
  was	
  under	
  the	
  impression	
  that	
  since	
  we	
  are	
  in	
  a	
  Music	
  
Business	
  program	
  from	
  an	
  extremely	
  music-­‐centric	
  institution	
  like	
  Berklee,	
  there	
  
would	
  be	
  much	
  more	
  music	
  involved.	
  All	
  in	
  all,	
  however,	
  this	
  program	
  felt	
  like	
  a	
  
generic	
  business	
  program,	
  having	
  little	
  to	
  do	
  with	
  music,	
  which	
  was	
  ultimately	
  
reflected	
  on	
  the	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  as	
  well.	
  In	
  my	
  experience,	
  it	
  is	
  possible	
  to	
  
successfully	
  pair	
  music	
  and	
  business.	
  Throughout	
  my	
  studies	
  and	
  professional	
  
experience,	
  I	
  have	
  encountered	
  many	
  musicians,	
  professionals,	
  and	
  students	
  alike	
  
that	
  operate	
  under	
  this	
  natural	
  inclination.	
  Most	
  of	
  the	
  leading	
  professionals	
  in	
  the	
  

	
  

2	
  

industry	
  are	
  able	
  to	
  do	
  just	
  that,	
  a	
  trait	
  that	
  I	
  believe	
  is	
  key	
  in	
  the	
  success	
  of	
  these	
  
individuals.	
  	
  
The	
  process	
  of	
  actually	
  settling	
  on	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  my	
  advisor	
  approved	
  of	
  was	
  
much	
  longer	
  than	
  anticipated.	
  Well	
  beyond	
  the	
  halfway	
  point	
  of	
  the	
  program,	
  I	
  was	
  
still	
  in	
  the	
  proposal	
  process,	
  unable	
  to	
  actually	
  begin	
  working	
  on	
  the	
  project.	
  I	
  also	
  
expected	
  more	
  profound	
  guidance	
  and	
  to	
  develop	
  a	
  relationship	
  with	
  my	
  advisor,	
  
ultimately	
  looking	
  to	
  him	
  as	
  a	
  mentor.	
  Unfortunately,	
  this	
  was	
  not	
  the	
  case.	
  I	
  would	
  
have	
  loved	
  to	
  receive	
  more	
  support	
  with	
  my	
  ideas	
  and	
  goals	
  and	
  reflect	
  positively	
  
on	
  the	
  experience.	
  Not	
  a	
  single	
  one	
  of	
  my	
  ambitious	
  expectations	
  were	
  met	
  over	
  the	
  
course	
  of	
  this	
  project,	
  leading	
  to	
  an	
  extremely	
  frustrating	
  experience.	
  	
  
	
  
3)	
  Plan	
  of	
  action/	
  process:	
  where	
  project	
  met	
  expectations	
  and	
  where	
  it	
  
needed	
  to	
  be	
  revised	
  during	
  execution.	
  
Initially,	
  I	
  wanted	
  to	
  complete	
  an	
  operational	
  CE	
  that	
  included	
  an	
  album	
  
release,	
  the	
  establishment	
  of	
  my	
  brand	
  as	
  a	
  musician,	
  the	
  implementation	
  of	
  a	
  social	
  
media	
  campaign,	
  multiple	
  live	
  performances,	
  and	
  the	
  creation	
  of	
  a	
  web-­‐based	
  drum	
  
sample	
  platform	
  that	
  I	
  would	
  use	
  as	
  a	
  means	
  of	
  promotion,	
  education,	
  and	
  the	
  
advancement	
  of	
  creativity.	
  Upon	
  proposing	
  this	
  project,	
  I	
  was	
  told	
  that	
  an	
  
operational	
  CE	
  of	
  an	
  album	
  release	
  and	
  promotion	
  wasn’t	
  for	
  the	
  GEMB	
  students	
  
and	
  that	
  it	
  was	
  a	
  mistake	
  to	
  include	
  that	
  option	
  in	
  the	
  slides	
  that	
  explained	
  the	
  
project	
  to	
  us	
  at	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  year.	
  I	
  was	
  also	
  told	
  that	
  all	
  of	
  my	
  practical	
  ideas	
  
listed	
  wouldn’t	
  be	
  enough	
  work	
  for	
  a	
  CE	
  project.	
  I	
  still	
  struggle	
  to	
  understand	
  this	
  

	
  

3	
  

thought	
  process,	
  as	
  my	
  initial	
  idea	
  entailed	
  much	
  more	
  work	
  than	
  any	
  other	
  project	
  
idea	
  that	
  was	
  encouraged	
  by	
  my	
  advisor.	
  	
  
Ultimately,	
  I	
  was	
  eventually	
  encouraged	
  repeatedly	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  only	
  one	
  
aspect	
  of	
  my	
  original	
  idea,	
  the	
  drum	
  sample	
  platform	
  I	
  was	
  initially	
  intending	
  to	
  use	
  
as	
  a	
  promotional	
  medium.	
  Despite	
  my	
  vision	
  for	
  this	
  platform	
  as	
  promotional,	
  I	
  was	
  
repeatedly	
  pushed	
  toward	
  changing	
  this	
  idea	
  into	
  a	
  business,	
  one	
  that	
  would	
  
generate	
  revenue.	
  Ultimately,	
  at	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  my	
  advisor,	
  my	
  CE	
  went	
  from	
  my	
  ideal	
  
project	
  of	
  focusing	
  on	
  music	
  and	
  the	
  promotion	
  of	
  creative	
  ideas	
  to	
  one	
  that	
  was	
  
entirely	
  focused	
  on	
  money.	
  	
  
I	
  was	
  very	
  skeptical	
  when	
  considering	
  this	
  new	
  option,	
  but	
  trusted	
  in	
  the	
  CE’s	
  
advisory	
  system	
  and	
  explored	
  this	
  option.	
  The	
  platform,	
  as	
  initially	
  created,	
  was	
  to	
  
consist	
  of	
  a	
  sample	
  library	
  comprised	
  of	
  breakbeats,	
  live	
  recordings	
  of	
  me	
  playing	
  
drum	
  grooves.	
  The	
  main	
  premise	
  of	
  the	
  platform	
  was	
  that	
  I	
  would	
  work	
  under	
  
creative	
  commons,	
  opting	
  to	
  give	
  away	
  the	
  breaks	
  for	
  free	
  to	
  musicians	
  and	
  
producers,	
  only	
  asking	
  for	
  artistic	
  credit	
  in	
  return.	
  My	
  goal	
  with	
  this	
  platform	
  was	
  to	
  
become	
  an	
  influencer	
  and	
  seek	
  out	
  sponsorships,	
  studio	
  gigs,	
  live	
  gigs,	
  and	
  teaching	
  
jobs.	
  I	
  spent	
  many	
  of	
  the	
  initial	
  months	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  working	
  on	
  the	
  actual	
  
development	
  of	
  this	
  platform,	
  only	
  to	
  have	
  it	
  condensed	
  into	
  a	
  business	
  plan,	
  despite	
  
my	
  assertions	
  that	
  it	
  was	
  not	
  technically	
  a	
  revenue	
  generating	
  business.	
  My	
  goals	
  
and	
  ideas	
  of	
  the	
  platform	
  as	
  a	
  means	
  of	
  promotion	
  were	
  simply	
  negated	
  by	
  my	
  
advisor	
  with	
  statements	
  such	
  as,	
  “you’ll	
  find	
  a	
  way	
  to	
  monetize.”	
  No	
  attention	
  was	
  
paid	
  by	
  my	
  advisor	
  and	
  the	
  program	
  to	
  the	
  fact	
  that	
  I	
  did	
  not	
  want	
  to	
  monetize	
  this	
  
platform,	
  pushing	
  me	
  into	
  a	
  business	
  plan	
  that	
  I	
  did	
  not	
  want	
  to	
  write.	
  

	
  

4	
  

I	
  was	
  constantly	
  being	
  pushed	
  in	
  a	
  direction	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  unhappy	
  with	
  when	
  it	
  
came	
  to	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  this	
  business	
  plan.	
  After	
  my	
  mock	
  presentations	
  and	
  
initial	
  feedback	
  from	
  classmates,	
  I	
  came	
  to	
  the	
  conclusion	
  that	
  this	
  project	
  was	
  way	
  
too	
  far	
  from	
  what	
  it	
  was	
  intended	
  to	
  be	
  and	
  how	
  I	
  envision	
  it	
  in	
  reality.	
  Needing	
  to	
  
make	
  the	
  most	
  of	
  my	
  significant	
  investment	
  in	
  this	
  academic	
  program,	
  I	
  chose	
  to	
  
take	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  leave	
  with	
  a	
  CE	
  that	
  better	
  reflected	
  my	
  goals,	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  
proud	
  of,	
  and	
  that	
  contributed	
  positively	
  to	
  the	
  seeking	
  of	
  future	
  opportunities	
  
within	
  education.	
  
With	
  these	
  educational	
  goals	
  in	
  mind,	
  I	
  was	
  simultaneously	
  researching	
  for	
  a	
  
piece	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  writing,	
  with	
  the	
  ultimate	
  goal	
  of	
  getting	
  published	
  in	
  a	
  music	
  
business	
  publication.	
  For	
  the	
  purposes	
  of	
  this	
  paper,	
  I	
  followed	
  my	
  passion	
  for	
  
creativity,	
  a	
  constant	
  theme	
  in	
  the	
  multiple	
  CE	
  ideas	
  that	
  I	
  proposed	
  this	
  year,	
  and	
  
decided	
  to	
  write	
  a	
  piece	
  about	
  the	
  state	
  of	
  creativity	
  in	
  the	
  music	
  industry.	
  I	
  was	
  
inspired	
  to	
  write	
  this	
  piece	
  while	
  listening	
  to	
  my	
  favorite	
  musicians	
  and	
  reflecting	
  
upon	
  their	
  careers,	
  which	
  have	
  unfortunately	
  been	
  defined	
  by	
  conflicts	
  with	
  record	
  
labels	
  and	
  an	
  overall	
  stifling	
  of	
  creativity.	
  Another	
  goal	
  of	
  this	
  paper	
  was	
  to	
  not	
  lean	
  
solely	
  on	
  pathos,	
  but	
  with	
  a	
  strong	
  balance	
  of	
  the	
  emotional	
  component	
  of	
  the	
  
argument	
  with	
  supporting	
  music	
  industry	
  research	
  and	
  knowledge.	
  I	
  feel	
  that	
  my	
  
paper	
  has	
  a	
  strong	
  topical	
  balance	
  of	
  creativity,	
  musicality,	
  and	
  music	
  industry	
  study	
  
that	
  I	
  feel	
  would	
  be	
  most	
  representative	
  of	
  and	
  supported	
  by	
  a	
  Music	
  Business	
  
educational	
  program	
  at	
  a	
  music	
  institution	
  like	
  Berklee	
  College	
  of	
  Music.	
  I	
  feel	
  that	
  
this	
  piece	
  is	
  a	
  much	
  better	
  reflection	
  of	
  my	
  personality,	
  my	
  background,	
  and	
  my	
  
studies	
  here	
  at	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  that	
  will	
  ultimately	
  help	
  me	
  with	
  my	
  future	
  

	
  

5	
  

endeavors.	
  Unfortunately,	
  the	
  arrival	
  at	
  this	
  positive	
  outcome	
  was	
  filled	
  with	
  
negativity	
  and	
  disrespect	
  at	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  my	
  advisor	
  that	
  has	
  left	
  me	
  with	
  an	
  
extremely	
  negative	
  view	
  on	
  the	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  project	
  as	
  a	
  whole.	
  	
  
	
  
4)	
  Next	
  steps:	
  if	
  the	
  project	
  were	
  to	
  continue,	
  what	
  would	
  the	
  next	
  phase	
  
entail?	
  
The	
  next	
  phase	
  includes	
  me	
  revising	
  this	
  paper,	
  continuing	
  to	
  improve	
  its	
  
content,	
  and	
  opening	
  the	
  piece	
  up	
  to	
  trusted	
  individuals	
  who	
  could	
  give	
  me	
  feedback	
  
and	
  editing	
  support.	
  I	
  will	
  also	
  be	
  receiving	
  feedback	
  from	
  individuals	
  whom	
  I	
  
respect	
  professionally	
  and	
  educationally.	
  I	
  will	
  then	
  attempt	
  to	
  get	
  the	
  piece	
  
published.	
  	
  
	
  
5)	
  Contribution	
  to	
  the	
  discipline	
  or	
  profession	
  
The	
  approach	
  I	
  took	
  on	
  this	
  paper	
  proposes	
  an	
  alternative	
  way	
  to	
  solve	
  the	
  
various	
  issues	
  facing	
  the	
  music	
  industry.	
  As	
  I	
  mentioned	
  in	
  the	
  piece,	
  it	
  is	
  easy	
  to	
  
blame	
  industry	
  issues	
  on	
  piracy,	
  streaming	
  platforms,	
  and	
  technological	
  
advancement.	
  I	
  propose	
  that	
  if	
  industry	
  professionals	
  trust	
  their	
  artists	
  and	
  their	
  
creativity,	
  there	
  will	
  smoother	
  transactions	
  and	
  more	
  successful	
  projects.	
  Both	
  sides	
  
of	
  the	
  table	
  will	
  benefit	
  from	
  allowing	
  the	
  musician	
  to	
  have	
  creative	
  control	
  of	
  their	
  
own	
  art.	
  It	
  is	
  my	
  hope	
  that	
  this	
  piece	
  will	
  be	
  instrumental	
  in	
  opening	
  up	
  this	
  
dialogue	
  within	
  the	
  music	
  industry,	
  eventually	
  playing	
  a	
  role	
  in	
  the	
  advancement	
  of	
  
creativity,	
  which	
  was	
  one	
  of	
  my	
  running	
  goals	
  for	
  the	
  duration	
  of	
  the	
  Culminating	
  
Experience	
  project.	
  

	
  

6	
  

	
  
6)	
  Impact	
  on	
  the	
  student	
  completing	
  the	
  work	
  	
  	
  
This	
  research	
  paper	
  has	
  been	
  the	
  perfect	
  marriage	
  of	
  music,	
  creativity,	
  and	
  
business.	
  I	
  have	
  been	
  allowed	
  to	
  analytically	
  listen	
  to	
  some	
  pieces	
  that	
  are	
  without	
  a	
  
doubt	
  classics	
  within	
  the	
  history	
  of	
  music,	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  learn	
  about	
  the	
  careers,	
  
struggles,	
  and	
  music	
  industry	
  dealings	
  of	
  many	
  of	
  my	
  favorite	
  and	
  most	
  respected	
  
musicians.	
  This	
  project	
  has	
  also	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  leave	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  with	
  a	
  
document	
  that	
  is	
  a	
  sample	
  of	
  my	
  writing	
  skills.	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  much	
  more	
  positive	
  
outcome	
  than	
  my	
  previous	
  project,	
  which	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  discarded	
  of	
  upon	
  
graduation.	
  	
  
In	
  this	
  document	
  my	
  opinion	
  on	
  the	
  importance	
  of	
  creativity	
  is	
  expressed	
  as	
  
well	
  as	
  my	
  knowledge	
  of	
  the	
  music	
  industry.	
  This	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  piece	
  I	
  can	
  share	
  with	
  
potential	
  employers	
  if	
  need	
  be.	
  Given	
  my	
  significant	
  investment	
  in	
  my	
  education	
  at	
  
Berklee	
  Valencia,	
  I	
  could	
  not	
  have	
  afforded	
  to	
  leave	
  here	
  with	
  a	
  waste	
  of	
  a	
  project,	
  
like	
  my	
  business	
  plan	
  was.	
  My	
  research	
  paper	
  gave	
  me	
  the	
  important	
  opportunity	
  to	
  
actually	
  make	
  something	
  out	
  of	
  my	
  time	
  here,	
  an	
  opportunity	
  that	
  I	
  could	
  not	
  pass	
  
up	
  when	
  deciding	
  on	
  my	
  CE	
  topic.	
  	
  

	
  

7