Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

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jasinski
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by jasinski » Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:52 am

Think of how many submissions well known labels get. Soundcloud makes that process even more depersoanlized. I imagine a response via that method would be quite exceptional. In my experience getting recognition and success, assuming you have decent quality work, is part luck and the rest is networking (who you know). Not giving up year after year increases the likelyhood that this might happen but it may be in a way you weren't expecting.
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Sarrova-Q
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Sarrova-Q » Mon Jan 16, 2012 9:40 am

am wrote:but if you believe your music is awesome, why not just hire a publicist who has a track record of doing publicity for artists in a similar genre to your own? There are plenty of people (usually ex-label promo people) who you can pay to do this for you.

It's best to have something substantial to publicise like an album release, tour and video, and have all the necessary promotional tools to go with it: art/photo/media releases etc... and a story that blogs/media can connect to.

Sure, you have to spend a bit of cash... but if you signed with a label, you'd be paying for it out of future royalties anyway...
Sounds like a good idea, I'll look around to find someone in my area.
Problem is that many of those promoters are good in the commercial scene but I don't know what they can do if the music is more aimed to a certain audience.
What I make is not Guetta/Avicii stuff but more like Stephan Bodzin/Oliver Huntemann/Apparat/...
My friends music is a bit more commercial and another friend makes nasty techno tracks :)
I would be happy to pay someone if they can really realize things but there are a lot of promoters promising you everything and in the end you lose your money and don't get anywhere.
jasinski wrote:Think of how many submissions well known labels get. Soundcloud makes that process even more depersoanlized. I imagine a response via that method would be quite exceptional. In my experience getting recognition and success, assuming you have decent quality work, is part luck and the rest is networking (who you know). Not giving up year after year increases the likelyhood that this might happen but it may be in a way you weren't expecting.
You're absolutely right, networking seems to be REALLY important and I'm well aware of that.
My problem is that labels provide you with a dropbox but never check what's in it. What's the point of that?
I guess Soundcloud's Dropbox is just a way of rejecting 1000's of demo's that would otherwise get send to their mailbox.
I just don't think that's decent of them. If they don't check their Dropbox, they shouldn't have one imo.

Thanks for the reactions so far, keep 'em coming :)
Oh one more question: do you guys think it's necessary for an electronic music producer to also do DJ sets instead of live performances?
I noticed it's getting difficult not to do that, because DJ's get booked way more than live acts (really sad imho, I love live sets way more than a dj set).
Also that's in fact the same strange thing for DJ's: where I live, DJ's NEED to produce their own tracks otherwise they don't get taken seriously.
What's up with that?! That is exactly why you hear so many crap music, just because they have to produce without having the experience to do that.

Komodovaran
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Komodovaran » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:04 am

Sarrova-Q wrote:
Komodovaran wrote: You know, how to be the next Steve Angello, Tiësto, Guetta, Avicii, etc? Any tips on that? I've been meaning to try for some time but I haven't quite nailed that famous-with-the-famous-with-the-pros sound yet. Maybe I need to detune my sub bass more?
That's pretty low, Komodovaran.
I know you meant it as a joke but there is really no point in making me look like a total idiot.
8O 8O 8O

I wasn't even targeting you, sorry. It was more like an open "how to make fame-sound?" joke for everyone. My apologies. I'm used to people giving and taking low blows in the Lounge section :D


I've DJed a couple of times, and made a couple of mediocre jingles. I know nothing about anything. I can understand that it's hard. I read in the newspaper that DJs are selling out, because everyone wants to be famous, playing 2 records in sync at 130 BPM, so much that they're offering to work for free, everywhere. It's almost impossible to make a living as a musician unless you happen to hit the mega monster smash hit or win X-factor. :x

Sarrova-Q
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Sarrova-Q » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:51 am

Komodovaran wrote: I wasn't even targeting you, sorry. It was more like an open "how to make fame-sound?" joke for everyone. My apologies. I'm used to people giving and taking low blows in the Lounge section :D

I've DJed a couple of times, and made a couple of mediocre jingles. I know nothing about anything. I can understand that it's hard. I read in the newspaper that DJs are selling out, because everyone wants to be famous, playing 2 records in sync at 130 BPM, so much that they're offering to work for free, everywhere. It's almost impossible to make a living as a musician unless you happen to hit the mega monster smash hit or win X-factor. :x
Ah okay, sorry my bad I probably took that more harsh then you meant it to be - non verbal communication you know :S
Thanks for replying and making that clear.
I know what you mean, I guess there are so many musicians/wannabe DJ's right now, it's hard to get the good stuff on top.

Komodovaran
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Komodovaran » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:13 am

Sarcasm just wasn't meant for text :P

Maybe we should flip the letters, write with animal symbols or something, to signify that its sarcasm.

pepezabala
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by pepezabala » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:37 am

Muzik 4 Machines wrote:
beats me wrote:You need to play live and/or DJ and that's where it starts.

The days of getting big just by producing music in your bedroom are over.
were there even a time when producing music in a bedroom without playing out worked?
i cant seem to remember a time like that in 20 years of production and gigging
skrillex? the guy says he produced his ep in his bedroom, put it out on beatport and got famous for it.

beats me
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by beats me » Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:29 pm

Komodovaran wrote:I've DJed a couple of times, and made a couple of mediocre jingles. I know nothing about anything. I can understand that it's hard. I read in the newspaper that DJs are selling out, because everyone wants to be famous, playing 2 records in sync at 130 BPM, so much that they're offering to work for free, everywhere. It's almost impossible to make a living as a musician unless you happen to hit the mega monster smash hit or win X-factor. :x

When I was a kid and you wanted some money you got a paper route. Now adults are doing paper routes and kids are DJing clothes stores and hair salons. ‘Nough said.

But also we're past the days of rock star DJs, thankfully. Now it's all about the producer doing a DJ type set of their songs while hoping nobody notices their controllers aren't even connected.

Sarrova-Q
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Sarrova-Q » Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:41 pm

Exactly and vice versa: all about the DJ doing a "live set" or the DJ "producing" his own tracks which brings me back to my previous question:
Sarrova-Q wrote:Thanks for the reactions so far, keep 'em coming :)
Oh one more question: do you guys think it's necessary for an electronic music producer to also do DJ sets instead of live performances?
I noticed it's getting difficult not to do that, because DJ's get booked way more than live acts (really sad imho, I love live sets way more than a dj set).
Also that's in fact the same strange thing for DJ's: where I live, DJ's NEED to produce their own tracks otherwise they don't get taken seriously.
What's up with that?! That is exactly why you hear so many crap music, just because they have to produce without having the experience to do that.

beats me
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by beats me » Mon Jan 16, 2012 5:02 pm

Probably the best approach is to do a live set that could pass for a DJ set as far as what’s coming out of the speakers. The problem is there’s a lot of electronica written that wasn’t meant to pack a dance floor, but you could probably still find gigs in more chill locations like bars or restaurant bars that are more conducive to conversation than dancing. Get your own thing going. It’s a start.

Mint Invader
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Mint Invader » Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:30 pm

Honestly, if you make REALLY good music. People will talk about it, industry people will talk about it, then you get feet in doors.
Because Whatever.

jasinski
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by jasinski » Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:28 pm

Sarrova-Q wrote:
am wrote:
You're absolutely right, networking seems to be REALLY important and I'm well aware of that.
My problem is that labels provide you with a dropbox but never check what's in it. What's the point of that?
I guess Soundcloud's Dropbox is just a way of rejecting 1000's of demo's that would otherwise get send to their mailbox.
I just don't think that's decent of them. If they don't check their Dropbox, they shouldn't have one imo.
I imagine they have someone assigned to listen to tracks that come in. They probably give them about 10-20 seconds of attention each. I bet popular labels get 100s or 1000s a month. Most of which are probably quite amateur. Also factor in personal taste and the 'sound' that the label is looking for. It probably takes something really unique or stellar for an established label to take notice. And they aren't going to respond to 1000s of people each month to let them know they were rejected.
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Sarrova-Q
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Sarrova-Q » Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:54 pm

jasinski wrote:
Sarrova-Q wrote:
am wrote:
You're absolutely right, networking seems to be REALLY important and I'm well aware of that.
My problem is that labels provide you with a dropbox but never check what's in it. What's the point of that?
I guess Soundcloud's Dropbox is just a way of rejecting 1000's of demo's that would otherwise get send to their mailbox.
I just don't think that's decent of them. If they don't check their Dropbox, they shouldn't have one imo.
I imagine they have someone assigned to listen to tracks that come in. They probably give them about 10-20 seconds of attention each. I bet popular labels get 100s or 1000s a month. Most of which are probably quite amateur. Also factor in personal taste and the 'sound' that the label is looking for. It probably takes something really unique or stellar for an established label to take notice. And they aren't going to respond to 1000s of people each month to let them know they were rejected.
No no, you missed my point.
They DON'T listen to it - at all!
I uploaded some demo's as private upload (so only the label can see and hear them) and after more then 3 months they have 0 listens.
That's what I'm upset about. I'm not waiting for a response I just want them to check it once.
If they don't bother what's in their mailbox then don't let people post tracks in it.
Just tell on your site you're not accepting demo's at this moment in time.
That's way nicer then letting people believe you will listen to the demo's that get dropped and not giving a f.ck.

Mint Invader
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Mint Invader » Mon Jan 16, 2012 9:33 pm

Dude, label promo is like a black hole. 1 million and one wannabee producers sending in c list and d list material. B list stuff gets brushed over. And a list already got a name by itself AND IS WORTH THEIR TIME AND MONEY.

And most people give a track 10 seconds these days. I know I do when I scrub through music. And Ive been in the room for promo email time with a couple labels.
Because Whatever.

Sarrova-Q
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Sarrova-Q » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:23 pm

Okay okay :) agreed with all of you.

Label stuff aside, let's get back to the original topic: tips to spread the word, to get a buzz around your name.

I'm not so sure btw that making top quality music (I'm not only making this thread for me, so I'm not pretending to be an awesome producer ;) ) guarantees big label releases and international parties like some of you think.
I honestly think that is only truth when you make mainstream commercial stuff (in most of the cases) .
Again, I know people who make awesome professionally sounding music but because they're not promoting themselves well enough, nobody knows them.
They create a buzz of course but it stays rather local and they're trying to connect with the right people, trying to find how to get more known.

So here are the tips so far:
beats me wrote:You need to play live and/or DJ and that's where it starts.
Donnie wrote:Try to get a little more viral on Soundcloud etc. Follow others, pass your tracks around, join groups and get others listening to your music. Sure performing is a big part of it, and even having small gigs means you are starting to get out there, but 'getting zero listens' is a completely different problem. In the end if people start to notice your music artists and labels will too.
8O wrote:Sarrova-Q - you definitely need a huge banner image and link to your music in your forum signature... that's the key to artistic, personal and sexual success...
^ More as a joke, but there's some truth in it you know
am wrote:the thing that labels have going for them is a track record of promotion.... but if you believe your music is awesome, why not just hire a publicist who has a track record of doing publicity for artists in a similar genre to your own? There are plenty of people (usually ex-label promo people) who you can pay to do this for you.
It's best to have something substantial to publicise like an album release, tour and video, and have all the necessary promotional tools to go with it: art/photo/media releases etc... and a story that blogs/media can connect to.
See? This is what makes it a perfect thread for later reference.
I'm sure I will not be the only one that wants to know more about promoting your stuff / networking / how to get more involved in todays music industry.
- but it seems some people are afraid to ask how to do this thinking that other people will see them as total beginners
I think that's a wrong attitude. I'm willing to learn from anybody who has some good advice.

Thanks so far for all these great tips and keep them coming!
Oh and I really hope you guys don't think I'm imagining myself as the next big producer that wants to be famous and make lots of money LOL :) .
I know it has to start somewhere, and again this thread should be for all people who don't have a clue how to promote themselves.
And I assure you - promoting your music is important - even if your music is top quality.
Oh and I know there are way too many beginning artists screaming they're the next big thing so maybe that's why this thread can bring up some mixed feelings and strong reactions?
Anyway, moving on ...

One thing I'm still questioning is if a producer also needs to be able to to DJ sets?
Because it's much easier to get booked as a DJ and that can be good on itself to promote your own music not?

shuutobi
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by shuutobi » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:59 pm

Muzik 4 Machines wrote:
am wrote: but if you believe your music is awesome, why not just hire a publicist who has a track record of doing publicity for artists in a similar genre to your own? There are plenty of people (usually ex-label promo people) who you can pay to do this for you.
cause it's fucking expensive, to get that kind of service i would need to sell all my hardware and even then, it might not be enough(there is probably 20K$ in it)(and then music would be over as i wouldnt have anything to gig with

thatS' why it's nice to be signed, they take care of hte shitty part of the business hile you make the music without worrying about how to pay the rent next month or what you will eat tomorrow
Read:
http://www.negativland.com/albini.html

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