So is anyone here an artist? in a band? on a label? working towards something like that? do you perform?
lets have a thread to talk about that kind of stuff.
>I'll start off with a query-
so, tips for getting a release heard?
I'm getting close to finishing a 4 song EP, and I want to release it, the goal is mainly to get signed to a [small] label just to cover recording costs and get more support, as opposed to trying to do anything and everything all alone.
thoughts?
I mean, how would people even know i had "released" it?
posting it on facebook or some shit seems terribly ineffective, even if i had more than 100 facebook friends.
(pic unrelated)
>>54818529
the best way ive found online is to send it to blogs that cover your genre of music. if you can get your stuff on a blog with a decent following, doesnt have to be big or anything, people will notice because they already follow and trust that blog or website or whatever. it might take a really long time though, it might never happen.
ive made and self released albums that no one knew about, but somehow they find their way to torrenting websites, then people download it, they like it, spread it around and then blogs and reviewers email me about it.
so maybe another thing is to know your niche, do what you do well, and if its good, though it may take a long time, someone will find it. but dont listen to me, im nobody.
>>54818689
blogs, huh? okay, okay.
your advice is worthwhile anon!
I'm making pop-ish stuff, like....Queen or Elton John-esque piano pop sort of music.
so it's pretty broad in category, if you wanted to call it "rock" you could, "indie" you could, hell, it could maybe even slide into R&B, although it'd be an awkward fit.
how have you found blogs to which you could submit?
i think that's probably going to be the toughest thing for me.
i've decided to release some music videos/short fills along with the music, so maybe that will be my saving grace.
>>54819258
Here's what you do before you even release the album. you take a marketing/business course. Music/entertainment is all about learning how to market yourself doesn't matter how good your album sounds.If youre boring as fuck.
Always pick the genre thats getting the most attention and just put "experimental" besides that.
>>54819346
I've actually taken several music business courses, and studied up on that stuff, I know what I can do when I hgave a little bit of traction, but I wasn't sure how to get that traction I need for leeway and leverage, do you know what I mean?
I have directions and i know how and where to go with a car.....but I don't have the car to begin with, do you know what I mean?
>Always pick the genre thats getting the most attention and just put "experimental" besides that.
...I'm not sure i'm certain if I understand exactly what you mean.
do you mind expounding on that?
>>54818529
>the goal is mainly to get signed to a [small] label just to cover recording costs and get more support, as opposed to trying to do anything and everything all alone.
missed this part. you can look for a promoter to send your demo or EP or even finished album to labels.
it's not guarunteed obviously, and you'll have to pay them to do it, but they'll set you up with press sheets and the idea is that they use their relationships with these labels to give you a better chance of getting your music heard. better than sending in demos unsolicited at least.
>>54819501
yeah, I've considered going that route, but it seems almost pointless to do it without having any of my own traction, because then I have absolutely no leverage when it comes to making a deal, do you know what I mean?
bump
i know there are other artists on /mu/
one more
>>54820205
the only thing in common is that they sleep at night. sensational.
I'm currently working on an EP as a solo artist.
The title of my solo project is Free Radio Europe as of right now, but I want to change the name possibly.
My EP im working on is about summers in southwest michigan basically and the feeling of emptyness and depression but like your fine with it.
It's going to sound somewhat like Sufjan mixed with Ben folds 5
>>54822201
and hows that going for you thus far?
do you have any fans?
whats your end goal?
etc
I am
Not signed, not really trying to get signed anyways
Have a few demos released, am saving up money to get into a studio to record an album
Do around 1-2 shows a month, just did one on the 29th of march actually
>>54819258
>how have you found blogs to which you could submit?
not him but try hype machine and look into the blog directory.
Blogs that cover a track of your gets gets on hype machine.
>>54819675
huh?
Traction comes up with the record label or the promoter showing your stuff around. Unless you mean hardcore DIY traction which takes longer.
>>54822605
what kind of music do you make?
>>54822677
>Traction comes up with the record label or the promoter showing your stuff around. Unless you mean hardcore DIY traction which takes longer.
well, what i mean is this, if I'm a complete unknown or whatever, i have no bargaining chips at all.
i'm not trying to start a bidding war or something, and although a decent sized fanbase or something would be nice, what I MAINLY want is a platform/access to tools.
i want an indie label so i can get flipped to a major label, do you know what i mean?
i mean, in recent history, I consider the Weeknd, who did pretty okay on his own, but i don't know what exactly is strategy was, or how he executed it.
>>54822618
hype machine was first place i thought to look actually, but trying to navigate the blog list is confusing me atm, i wanted to target the "smaller" blogs first, before the big ones, but i have yet to discern which is which, do you follow?
>>54822995
>well, what i mean is this, if I'm a complete unknown or whatever, i have no bargaining chips at all.
yeah, you're right. but that's where you are, so unless you can change that ono your own, that's the way it is.
>>54823147
right.......which is try my intention is to get attention and such......
i feel like we're miscommunicating on some level
>>54822995
sort of.
>the weeknd
He had his stuff co-signed by Drake pretty much from the tart.
>>54822995
>but i have yet to discern which is which,
The big blogs are the ones you first see pop up.
. The absolutely big ones get thousands of followers.
The smaller blogs are from around 300 and less.
My friends are pretty terrible fans, so a few months ago I decided that I really wanted to perform in front of strangers. My friend has a larger (or an existent) fanbase so he was doing a radio interview and he need me to be a camera operator for that.
To cut a long story short, I learned about an open mic through that and have been performing at it about once a week ever since. I've met a lot of awesome people through that including one who I'm making music with now. I'm hoping to build upon that this summer and start doing gigs all over the city on a regular basis.
Why did I write all of this..
>>54823586
>He had his stuff co-signed by Drake pretty much from the tart.
oh, is that the case?
i wasn't aware of that, I thought the Drake co-sign came much later.
welp.....
>The big blogs are the ones you first see pop up.
thanks! that makes sense, i'll probably scroll to the bottom of the page and then work my way up I guess.
>>54823627
hey man, sharing experiences is good!
I've been considering trying an open mic, but my stuff is all piano, and if i go alone, it's gonna turn into a "singer-songwriter" ish performance, which isn't what I want.
how many people go to the open mic?
>>54823676
>hey man, sharing experiences is good!
>I've been considering trying an open mic, but my stuff is all piano, and if i go alone, it's gonna turn into a "singer-songwriter" ish performance, which isn't what I want.
The funny thing is: I make hip-hop. I go there with an acoustic bass and it works for some reason. Then again, I've always wanted to be considered a "singer/songwriter" so there's that.
>how many people go to the open mic?
On average: about 30
>>54823865
whoa, thats funny
so like, do you sing, or rap?
what you've described actually sounds REALLY interesting, honestly.
30 people is a decent turnout.
>>54818529
>so, tips for getting a release heard?
easy pay blogs to mention your shit
spam your shitty album on /mu/ reddit everyday
>>54823910
>so like, do you sing, or rap?
Both. As I move forward, I'll do them more interchangeably but lean more on the singing side if that makes any sense. I wanna be able to just make the whole performing with a bass my thing because I love it.
>what you've described actually sounds REALLY interesting, honestly.
Thank you. I ripped off Lauren Hill's Unplugged session if you're interested in understanding what an actually good version of it sounds like.
>30 people is a decent turnout.
Yeah. Intimate enough that I'm not immobilized by my nervousness yet big enough to feel like I'm performing for an audience.
I'm telling you all of this to consider it as an option if you're ever interested in giving it a test drive.
I posted my stuff on /b/ and reddit and withing a week I had 15,000 listens. Because of that I was featured on Bandcamp frontpage multiple times, started a relationship with the curator, eventually ended up getting into contact with the label he worked at before and now I'm signing a contract next week for a deal. Its half hustling your shit online like a motherfucker half knowing the right people.
>>54824060
i see, thats cool man.
aahhh, lauren hill's unplugged session...okay, i get it now.
i ain't heard that in a long time man. takes me back.
>I'm telling you all of this to consider it as an option if you're ever interested in giving it a test drive.
i appreciate that. i've definitely considered it in the past, and i much prefer performing for strangers, over people i know.
I'll have to find the open mic events in my area and give it a shot.
>>54824111
bruh, thats pretty cool.
where did you post it on reddit?
posting on /b/.....how did that go?
did your thread have traction right away?
>>54824145
I had a story that had a hook to it, got laid off, took 6 months of unemployment and made my first real effort making music. Never took my self seriously, finally tried. It was pay what you want, or free. People on /b/ were fucking awesome, giving me 20 bucks for a 5 song EP, I made 300 bucks in a week in a half. Posted it on /futurebeat/ on reddit, not such a huge sub that it would disappear quick, not so small that nobody would see it, to date its the number 5 or 6 post of all time on that sub. The week I released it I was literally in front of my computer 6 hours a day just hustling and spamming that shit. Don't post your stuff in /mu/ people here are just waiting to troll and give you shit because you didn't post in a BC or SC thread, and if you do its just a circle jerk of other musicians looking for listens, not actual listeners that are looking for new music.
ITT: No one actually posting their music
>>54824286
https://soundcloud.com/thatfood/sets/coils
>>54824286
https://soundcloud.com/spookyblack/corbin-worn-prod-by-wedidit-thestand4rd
>>54824286
now whyd you have to go and do that
>>54824286
https://soundcloud.com/willisearlbeal/sets/a-place-that-doesnt-exist
>>54823676
>I thought the Drake co-sign came much later.
nope before his debut mixtape Drake posted his singles on his blog. Had to had some connects.
>>54824018
Are there any actual blogs such as Gorilla vs Bear that are pay for play?
>>54822995
>what kind of music do you make?
I produce and rap/sing
>>54824331
>https://soundcloud.com/spookyblack/corbin-worn-prod-by-wedidit-thestand4rd
What was your role in this, if you're being serious?
>>54824286
http://greyglass.bandcamp.com/releases
r8 h8 I don't care
>>54824774
my name is shlohmo
>>54822140
that doesn't really apply to Kafka though
>>54824853
test
>>54824145
Hopefully everything works out for you.
>>54824250
Dude, that is awesome. Like seriously...
>>54824722
https://soundcloud.com/dextro-nac
This is my music
>>54818689
>send it to blogs that cover your genre of music
I don't think anyone has a blog for the genres I do...
>>54823627
yo what state are you in?
>>54824286
y u do this?
actually posting music wasn't the point, now it'll degrade into a shitty soundcloud thread.
>>54824250
>I had a story that had a hook to it, got laid off, took 6 months of unemployment and made my first real effort making music
what do you mean?
is that what you told /b/?
interesting though, good on you man, that all sounds awesome as fuck; i'm definitely going to borrow some of your technique there, those were brilliant ideas.
>>54825160
what do you make?
>>54824492
>nope before his debut mixtape Drake posted his singles on his blog. Had to had some connects.
disappointing.
well, i guess that chain of attack is ruled out; i have very few relevant contacts; i know a couple people on the tech side of things, in regards to promo and business I'm more or less on my own...which is fine with me; it'll be nice to say "i built this house all by myself, fuck off".
This is gonna be one big circle jerk
fuck this
>>54822543
I have plenty of hometown fans. Lots of people say I sound like coldplay which pisses me off though. They mean it in a nice "my pleb ears have not heard any Sufjan" way though.
I'm still writing, and I need better mics unless I want to go for bedroom recording.
I got a hook up with a recording studio though
>>54828278
Life is a circle jerk, you're either in or out, buddy
Sure, I'll share some advice.
Someone mentioned blogs? Oversaturated. Even just 4 years ago, you could get plenty of write-ups by submitting your own stuff. Not so much anymore unless you go through a label or PR company. It's mostly because bloggers with any following don't have the time to listen to self-solicited music, let alone feature it. Everybody wants to be heard, but fewer and fewer people have the time or patience to listen. It's kind of like that saying, there's more poets in the world than people reading poetry.
Honestly, trying to get your music heard online by people halfway across the world is a fruitless endeavor. Your time would be much better spent building a local following by getting involved in the local music scene. Go to other artists' shows and make connections, even if they play different music. They'll return the favor when you perform. Local press and radio obviously want to support the local scene, so that's your next step. If you don't live where there's a local music scene, move. If you can't move to where there's a scene, you're making excuses, or you're one of a hundred million hobbyists.
>>54828762
so you're saying that blogs(the "new way") to do stuff is no longer an option, and things have returned to the old way (local shows and touring)?
...........seems awkward
>>54828903
I'm saying it's only a worthwhile option if you willing to hire a PR agency. That's a risk, of course, as they're not cheap and there's little guarantee you'll get more than a handful of write-ups. Sending out the same email to 300 blogs and just changing the email address and blog name will get you nowhere.
Playing local shows has and always will be a foundation to be heard. Touring outside of your region is only worth it if you already have a fanbase where you're playing, or you're opening for another band that has an established fanbase at the tour stops. Obviously either one is a tough enough goal to achieve alone.
