Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

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Muzik 4 Machines
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Muzik 4 Machines » Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:52 am

read that years ago, i meant a smaller label, not a major, nobody in their right mind would want to get raped by a major

jasinski
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by jasinski » Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:11 am

Sarrova-Q wrote:
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.
I see, you are right. I forgot that point. That is weird. Maybe they use the Dropbox as a reference pool for when times are slow? Or maybe it's there for their network of friends to send the, stuff and they just ignore the unknown senders. I agree. That does seem weird though,

I'm no label but I'd love to hear your work if you got a link?
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Forge.
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by Forge. » Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:44 am

Sarrova-Q wrote: 3. You could try a very small label but what's in it for you? If no one checks out that label you will not get heard and you still won't get these important gigs (nobody knows that label).
4. ?!
)
this is where you are looking at it the wrong way. You have to start somewhere. Those bigger labels get sent huge numbers of demos and it's pretty unlikely they will sign a complete unknown. If you have 10 releases on small labels you are going to look much more interesting to them.

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

Post by Mint Invader » Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:14 pm

Tips? Embrace the social network platforms and engage with people.

Talk to fans, talk to other artists, talk on twitter.

And make a fuck ton of music, for free, or for release, or otherwise. Monthly you should have projects completed, previews on the web, and stuff to sell/give away.

Build a meager fan base while exponentially working on your stuff. Play crap local shows (More for practice than anything).
Because Whatever.

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

Post by Sarrova-Q » Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:36 pm

Forge. wrote:this is where you are looking at it the wrong way. You have to start somewhere. Those bigger labels get sent huge numbers of demos and it's pretty unlikely they will sign a complete unknown. If you have 10 releases on small labels you are going to look much more interesting to them.
You're absolutely right, that wasn't very realistic of me.
I must agree it's better to start small and build your way up.
But again if labels offer you the option to drop your demo on Soundcloud, you would think they have no problem getting demo's from unknown artists.
Brings me back to my original statement: Labels should not advertise their Soundcloud Dropbox if they never listen to the unknown artists who drop their music in it.

Mint Invader: Great tips! Appreciate it!

sporkles
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by sporkles » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:01 pm

Any thoughts on how to proceed if you want a label to hear your track? Should you hold off on uploading it to your Soundcloud account and send the track directly to the label, or would it - generally speaking - be OK if you upload it and send the link to the label?

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

Post by Mint Invader » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:26 pm

sporkles wrote:Any thoughts on how to proceed if you want a label to hear your track? Should you hold off on uploading it to your Soundcloud account and send the track directly to the label, or would it - generally speaking - be OK if you upload it and send the link to the label?
They usually have instructions as to what they want.
Because Whatever.

stonee
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by stonee » Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:56 pm

the music business isn't quite what it used to be. very rarely does someone just get picked up because they're "good". its all about marketing now. if you want to make it any further in the music industry now, you are way better off taking a course in social media and marketing instead of honing up your production skills.
you need to decide on an image, you need a hook that will make people remember you. you have to spend money on getting these things done properly. you need photo shoots (and not you're GF with her powershot standing over your second hand decks).
most importantly of all, you have to tell people that you are as good as you are, have have the stuff to back it up. its all about getting as many ears as possible, and eventually you will find the right ones.
I would argue that buying electronic music these days isn't as much about selling the music as buying into a style or brand. you want to set your self up with a style or brand that people will want to buy into. that's where the real success will be. weather you decide to jump in a stream that's already flowing *cough*dubstep*cough* or decide to take the difficult long road to creating your own thing. the future means giving away free tracks to attract people to buy t-shirts with your logo on it, and get them to you're shows, and make them buy "Dartmouthian"(in my case) and not just that track by Dartmouthian.

imo, these are the things that labels are supposed to do. but really, labels are only a level up from what you're trying to do. labels are trying to create their own brand and image that people will buy into. for the most part, they aren't the end all be all of music anymore. they're just another tool to help you get ears and eyes to your style.

personally, after a bit of effort of trying to hit labels, I realized that not many of the labels really hold up to my expectations and wouldn't really be a help for what I wanted out of a label. so I gathered up like minded artists that I was close to, who had experience in all the fields that I needed help in, and we formed Laser Squid Records. we may not be breaking beatport top 10's yet, but I have a solid group of people and a name i can rely on to help me as an artist. and by helping the label grow, I'm helping my music grow as well.

I believe the general rule of business, that it take 5 years of slogging through the negative to reach any profit, still applies to music. success now a days is no longer as easy as getting picked up by a label.

ikeaboy
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by ikeaboy » Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:02 pm

Mint Invader wrote:Tips? Embrace the social network platforms and engage with people.

Talk to fans, talk to other artists, talk on twitter.

And make a fuck ton of music, for free, or for release, or otherwise. Monthly you should have projects completed, previews on the web, and stuff to sell/give away.

Build a meager fan base while exponentially working on your stuff. Play crap local shows (More for practice than anything).
This is it. This is also what I find difficult as I'm a precious bastard when it comes to my own music. I look back at how I sat on tracks for years at a time waiting for the right release opportunity when I should have just got it out there and moved on to the next track which may of been better. It's a hard time to not be especially prolific.

supamonsta
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Re: Labels and SoundCloud Dropbox ... FAIL

Post by supamonsta » Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:24 am

why not starting here with a link in your signature?

then we go and listen to your music, then, maybe, some of us will buzz it somewhere if we like it a lot...

buzz buzz buzz

See : in this thread, you are asked at least 2 times to give a link to your music, and you do not give.

you gotta GIVE GIVE GIVE your music to be heard.

begin small, with small people, allow you to grow!

good luck


ps: for your question about DJing or not DJing (VS real live acts), I can't really answer. DO what's best for you. If you can enjoy DJing your tracks, do it. If you love Live acts, then stick with raw electric live...

all depends on what you're expecting with your productions : earn your life? then go commercial, and go DJing your tracks among commercial bombs... But if that"s the plan, you've got to be very talented also... not in the creative way, but in the strategy, commercial plans, buzzing your stuff and sucking lots of cocks. oops, sorry for that last sentence :mrgreen:

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