Ableton Forum

Selling music allows me to help fund further uniqueness.

Other - I don't believe people should buy my music.

There's loads of good, free music out there. Some is free because people pirate it. Some is legally free, and really good.

People want to create, and share their creations with others. That's cool, and with respect to music, cheap technology and increasing leisure time means this trend will only continue.

If you want to make money, it's probably better to create something a bit more in demand than yet another mp3 file. Even if that mp3 is a really good tune, you're just adding to an already vastly saturated market.

Some seem to think performances are the way to make money, but that market is utterly saturated too; at least on the small festival circuit the promoters rarely have enough money to pay artists.

So get more creative, or get into film or advertising or something, or get (dare I suggest) a worthwhile day job..?

A great topic. Though you have confused it a bit as "Why I think people should buy my music?" and "Why should I sell my music?" are two slightly different topics.

The first question brings up the whole free market supply and demand debate which, though interesting, is a bit above my pay grade.

Anyway, I will take on the latter question. I could say the reason I don't sell music is artistic integrity but really it is purely out of practicality.

I have been putting out albums for about 20 years in various forms, 7 inch, cassette, CD, online. I never bothered collecting money because all my friends were broke musicians like me and I really just wanted them to hear what I do in the studio.

Other- I don't think anyone should buy my music, because none of it's finished!

Well, there's the other stuff ive done in bands... The last band people should buy cuz Bob at the record label has only broke even (if that?), not made anything for all his hard work, we split up so couldn't tour and promote it any more. Then the band before that you can download for free.

savyurrecords wrote:A great topic. Though you have confused it a bit as "Why I think people should buy my music?" and "Why should I sell my music?" are two slightly different topics.

The first question brings up the whole free market supply and demand debate which, though interesting, is a bit above my pay grade.

Anyway, I will take on the latter question. I could say the reason I don't sell music is artistic integrity but really it is purely out of practicality.

I have been putting out albums for about 20 years in various forms, 7 inch, cassette, CD, online. I never bothered collecting money because all my friends were broke musicians like me and I really just wanted them to hear what I do in the studio.

not at all you're actually saying what I'm talking about, its just that most people in the thread think I'm asking why people think they should buy music, but I'm not, I'm asking why you the artist yourself think people should buy your music, there must be a reason from our standpoint as the one creating the music to compel us to go from creating a piece of music to then making it available for purchase, and we've got to be thinking something like, 'they should buy it because I design such great patches that my disc is worth buying, or I sang so well that I think it raises the value of this disc from zero- to - now it's worth ten dollars, or the beat I made is so good that not only is it worth listening to but someone should pay to listen to it repeatedly etc.....

I'm just trying to find out what everybody making their music available for sale is basing the value on?

starving student wrote: I'm just trying to find out what everybody making their music available for sale is basing the value on?

Hard work, skill, distraction, entertainment, Investment, authenticity, unique individuality and because it fooking rocks the shit!



Hd

heavensdaw wrote:

starving student wrote: I'm just trying to find out what everybody making their music available for sale is basing the value on?

Hard work, skill, distraction, entertainment, Investment, authenticity, unique individuality and because it fooking rocks the shit!



Hd

no doubt my friend no doubt
so you see what I'm getting at.

starving student wrote:

heavensdaw wrote:

starving student wrote: I'm just trying to find out what everybody making their music available for sale is basing the value on?

Hard work, skill, distraction, entertainment, Investment, authenticity, unique individuality and because it fooking rocks the shit!

Hd

no doubt my friend no doubt
so you see what I'm getting at.

I see what you're getting at too, but there's so much free music out there that has all of those things.

Previously I have attempted some sales, mainly to gain artistic credibility more than anything else.

I have been convinced not to sell, for the time being, because I've got some free netlabel releases in the pipeline, which will likely get much, much wider distribution for being free, and artist exposure is way more important to me than a few hundred quid right now. If I ever get tens of thousands of fans, then I might look at selling music again.

starving student wrote:but how do you quantify that first line

You can make it a relative problem, and if you aren't sure your music deserves to be heard, then I guess following my logic would lead to you being unsure if you deserve to be paid.
If you are sure, it becomes an easier problem.

If you'll only accept concrete evidence, the more obvious it is you have a following, the more obvious it is you should be paid.
You'll probably want to argue for the stuff that isn't so popular. Like, who knows? "Glenn Branca deserves to be paid less than Vanilla Ice?"
But we should remember the context of the question, and that we're dealing with "quantifying" the market value of someone's music. Not intrinsic value, but cold, lifeless monetary value.

What it comes down to, is if you make music that people want, you should be able to make money from it.
If not, our climate for the arts will only allow people rich enough to invest their time and their minds to them without having to live a third-world lifestyle.
We already seem to have something very much like the above.
And the way I see it, we can either work out our petty philosophical hangups and work on some practical objectives, or we can just accept that the privileged are the face of our culture.

Music should be bought at a high price only for commercial reasons (i.e. use in advertising)...but in the case of phisycal albums: music should be bought because there is long hours of work, training, and brain storming behind each project...and of course the cost of printing the medium.

if you don't have a medium (netlabelism) music should be bought for the reasons above reducing the price...then it is the decision of the artist to have it out for free.

but one important think is: live set should be done only if paid!!!!

my 2 pence.

bassik wrote:but one important think is: live set should be done only if paid!!!!

Personally I'll play just because I want to. Though if the promoter happens to be making any money off the gig, then I'd say I'm entitled to my fair share of it.

ciw wrote:

bassik wrote:but one important think is: live set should be done only if paid!!!!

Personally I'll play just because I want to. Though if the promoter happens to be making any money off the gig, then I'd say I'm entitled to my fair share of it.

Freedom of choice is undisputable but please answer my question:

if you have worked on your live set for months and you have bought all that gear you have, wouldn't be good to have a reward of your work and time spent on the project?

I am not talking big money here but just few pennies from the revenue the venue will have for tickets/bar and the promoter for his work.

bassik wrote: Freedom of choice is undisputable but please answer my question:

ok...

if you have worked on your live set for months and you have bought all that gear you have, wouldn't be good to have a reward of your work and time spent on the project?

Yes, it would be nice (and I have worked on my live set for months). But for most of the events I have played at, the promoter hasn't had anything much to spare. Having been a promoter as well in the past I know the score - the alternative music scene is highly competitive. Like I said, if money is being made, then it's a matter of fairness that I should get some -- so if I'm ever playing for promoters who make £££ then they can pay for it, sure.

I also love rock climbing. I have spent much money on equipment and time developing my skills in this pursuit. I don't expect anyone to pay me as a reward.

Er, so in response to the thread title then, here's my reason. I think people should buy my music if they in turn are using it to make money. Also, in smaller quantities, because they have required me to burn petrol in order to turn up and play.

Meanwhile I think they should book me to play at awesome parties, money or no, because my set is more live than most edm, and ranges from floaty and trancey to comic and banging!

com

I wouldn't pay for my music