Promoting Our Music

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:20 pm

Anyone wanna contribute ideas to this thread? How do we overcome the obstacles? The majors can use big $$. What do we do?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:10 pm

yeah, you can sell, promote and buy it - at once and simulaneously as the same person

Just like the German producer, who is (currently) suspected to have 'improved' chart positions of his artists by self-buying.
They've checked sales date and time in some larger shops and found bulk sales of literally hundreds of copies of the same CD within minutes and then no sales at all for days.

but the sidenotes were more interesting:
due to heavy filesharing you need only 5000 copies (about 80 million habitants here) sold to enter either top20 or top40 (can't remember exactly)

the girl (artist from one of those idol shows - what else) affected most by the story was interviewed: 'NO' she said, 'I cannot imagine him to have bought the disks, not at all - he doesn't even have the money to do this... headshaking in disbelieve
cut - camera turn - bottom up perspective:
a red Ferrari describes a soft curve around the cam, door opens and off jumps Mr. Smart Producer...

and finally, as the cream on the cake - Miss Teeny-Fan, yet age 20:
of course we fans want her records high in the charts - yes, it's usual for us to buy the disk 10 to 20 times, depends on the money available right at the moment...
me slackjaw

it's not considered a single case btw - so what about promoting what ?

cheers, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2005-04-11 21:13 ]

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:31 am

It obviously must work, or they wouldn't do it. Thanks for the good advice, I'll remember it when I'm loaded. Anybody know what airtime costs for a single on the big radio networks?

Also, I'd certainly have no qualms about asking 50 people to ring a radio station and request my song.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:42 am

well, my contribution above was more of an amusement

but since they've made it a main theme in the news here (another quote was Ronan Keating needed just 214 copies to enter top100), there's something to learn from it...

the 'traditional' way of selling records is certainly over the top.
In that context you'd even earn more by selling your own stuff during gigs.

looks like the 'big' money (if any) is made by licensing and ring-toning, merchandizing, ads and co-careers in film and TV.
requires a video and a chart position, as does airplay on big stations, no matter how much you pay...

probably not related to music at all, is it ?

Which on the other hand opens the market for new ideas and customers, if both the traditonal seller/buyer relationship (see above) is broken up.
the internet is a kind of catalyst for shure, but it's also affordable technology that enables you to do your own production and distribution.

Yesterday I stumbled across the site of a photographer - Nestor 'stole' a pic for illustration in the 'objectivity and consciousness' thread

The pics (and their presentation) were excellent in my opinion and sold via ShareIt.
If I were in need for a nice photograph, I'd seriously consider this guy's stuff.

As I would with a lot of what's introduced here in the music formum - if it was available as a product.
For me (personally) that's an important aspect, the musical facts alone (as mp3 track) is only half of the key to my wallet

One cannot market stuff as 'general' as music exactly targeted over the internet, it's not called wide web for no reason.
You have to be at the right corner in the right moment and be distinct and attractive, oops, now it's going clichee again...

cheers, Tom

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:52 am

On 2005-04-12 08:42, astroman wrote:
You have to be at the right corner in the right moment and be distinct and attractive,

he's talking about selling music; ah well maybe selling music is the same as selling sex

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:26 am

Wot.....we're gonna get f.....d eventually?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:45 am

On 2005-04-12 08:52, legros wrote:
...ah well maybe selling music is the same as selling sex

not music, but records

have a look at cover design and stories...

Mikka, it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it... even Frank Zappa was 'Only in it for the Money'

cheers, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2005-04-12 09:46 ]

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:49 am

Tongue in cheek, Astroman. Language subtleties often don't transfer.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:54 am

hey last year i started a rock & roll band to get a chick.. worked like a charm. Then i dismissed the band and restarted another one with that chick as lead singer. We're getting more popular now

but the music hasn't changed that much

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:17 am

Nestor 'stole' a pic for illustration in the 'objectivity and consciousness' thread

I feel guelty now

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:19 am

I think that Krizz gave us a simple, but good advice once: "Take everyday half an hour to promote your music, and kiip at it"

This thread has come and go many times in the Z, and this is alwyas like this. You feel frustrated, then you come and say, what could I do? But we don't take enough time for it, I know, we musicians are like this, we like music, no bussiness.

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:31 pm

Oops. I might have slept through some of that...or my alzheimers is kicking in...

maket · Post by **maket** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:07 pm

<<< MAKET IS THE BEST >>>

[ This Message was edited by: maket on 2005-04-15 16:08 ]

Post by **hubird** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 6:33 pm

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 5:48 am

You'll have to excuse me... I'm repeating topics here from before I got ill. I'm living in Puxatawney.............

skwawks · Post by **skwawks** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:06 am

Yes Astroman that has happened in my time in Australia . it is possible to buy a significant position on the "charts" .The samples used to be taken [possibly still are...] from a"known"selection of shops and all you have to do is buy a lot of a song release there and 'bingo' you are in the zone of being a significant event .That is all you need ...the problem is backing it up of course but even in the short term you may make money!!!

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:38 am

Long ago, there was a serious proposition to do a PlanetZ release, with songs composed by our members here. The problem was that there were too many different stiles. Somebody said we could do several releases with gathering different stiles. Finally the idea was a bit of a disappointment, as many of us were ready for the challenge, but nothing happened. I still think this could one day, be a good thing to do, perhaps not in terms of earning much money, but in terms of professionalism.

I think several releases using, lets say, 70% of SCOPE devices, would also be a tremendous help for CWA in terms of boosting their platform, what at the end of the day, helps everybody, as we all are going to see more plug-in releases and work done.

I am no proposing anything right now, as I am too busy with things to do, but in the future it could perhaps be a good thing.

That would also promote ourselves as composers, as this CDs could easily travel the entire world, as we are from very many different countries and cities, this is already not too bad, is it?

We could do matches of musicians to work together, more an less like this:

4 people per CD
Two songs each (15 minutes is the limit for the two songs for each participant)
One final song build by the “four”, via de internet, using the same platform of SCOPE. This song cannot be longer than 10 minutes altogether.

There we have a CD for release with about 70 minutes of music, made in collaboration. This release could be published here in the Z, with John’s permission, promoted with a little web page we can build ourselves, liked to the Z too.

I would like to name it whatever you like, but referring to the Z. For instance:

The Z Force

The Z Enterprise

The Z Innovation

The Z Project

Etc., using the stile and colours of the Z, as I said, previous asking John’s permission, of course.

We have done already a little song, long time ago, and there were a couple more that came in, with great expectation. What I can remember is that we had great fun with all this, it was great to do it together, and of course, we learned much as we all had to mix our way of working with SFP.

Well, that’s it, just an idea we could possibly develop, in the following months, if you like.

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:14 am

Hubird could probably be the post production man – if you like the idea of course – as he is very good at mixing and final production. I have heard some of his works, and despite I don’t like much dance music, but in rare exceptions, I think his mixing outcome is rather high quality.

Post by **hubird** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:07 pm

Thanks for trust, but too much honor

Sure I wanne do that

It's a pleasure to compile and -where needed- master a cd in Emagic-now-Apple Waveburner, as you have two stereo tracks with file amplitude viewing, crossing curves, and all VST's applicable, per track, per several tracks, and per all

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:07 pm

That would be great, I hope we come to something tangible in the near future... And for this, I hope I can get a more stable economical situation myself, so to participate in full. Cheers

I would like to know what others have to say about this anyway.