Recommend some labels a fellow EKTer should send a demo to

  On 4/30/2010 at 8:55 PM, vamos scorcho said:

dude lube you're definitely right. i need to tone that down

You won't. You've said that you're going to tone it down 3-4 times now (and counting) and you haven't.

Anyway, moving on.

There is still merit to be signed to a label. You get increased exposure alongside other more well known artists, or from having the stamp of approval from a known label head. You get a lot of the business side handled for you so you can focus on music.

Physical releases still have some importance. Some well known web sites and print magazines will only review your release if there is a physical version of it. A physical copy also shows that some one believed in the music enough to invest in manufacturing it, give it proper mastering etc. Overall it's an advantage to being on a net-label only.

As far as getting signed, I would recommend making music that you genuinely like and would be willing to buy and support. Be honest to yourself about the quality of the music you make. Maybe you're not ready. Network with like-minded artists. Promote them and they will promote you back and connect you with others. As mentioned earlier, play live or DJ. Be prepared for criticism and failure - in most cases those are necessary steps.

Don't sell yourself short. If you find value in your music, then don't have it all available on your web site for free download. Be selective with whom you give tracks to for free. DJs, blogs and those who can promote it may be a good idea. Make sure you have your best tracks available online to stream. If you want a label to sell and promote your music, then don't have the music you want signed already available for sale on iTunes, Beatport etc.

Keep some mystery about yourself as an artist. Don't blog about your new dog or politics and philosophy on your artist blog or Myspace artist page. Separate your personal life from your music life. Many labels are looking to discover a "blank slate" or at least a diamond in the ruff that they can mold, develop and market to some extent.

Be honest and realistic about the existing or potential market for your music. If you're making esoteric music, like noise or something, or a style of music with a high ratio of artists to fans (IDM), there is a good chance you can only get so far. Be okay with that.

Or ignore my advice. What do I know.

some excellent advice in the above post. thank you

Yeah good advice scones & much love placidburp

So I set up a powerplay campaign on last.fm this morning, no plays yet. I chose the song Crater Life and picked to target listeners of these artists:

Afrika Bambaataa

DMX Krew

Drexciya

Dopplereffekt

Model 500

Japanese Telecom

Mandroid

Gosub

The Exaltics

Impakt

Any other artists you think I should put in there?

I hope I didn't waste 20 dollars.

Excellent topic. It's been on my mind lately as well. Lot's of good stuff in this thread... I'm as lost as the rest of you... but I'd just like to add this anecdote, as it really influenced me.

My favorite composer, is Philip Glass. I had listened to him for awhile before I had done any research into his biography. To me, he was just some famous composer... taken as a given.

But then I read that he was a cab driver, a plumber, and a furniture mover. Not only that, he didn't even begin to make money off of his music, until he was 41 years old. He was looked down upon by many, and yet he just kept writing his music, and performing it, uncompromisingly. He just believed in himself. Eventually he was recognized for what he did, and now he is one of the most famous living composers, more successful than most can ever dream of. It should also be noted, that he never had a manager, or any of that. He made his own label, and ran it all. He never had to compromise.

Does this mean that everyone will succeed if they follow that formula? No. That's not the point. The point is that I really don't think he was looking for "success", because any semi-intelligent, half talented person can figure out how to sell out, and if that is what he was looking for, he wouldn't have been cleaning peoples shit out of toilets, breaking his back moving furniture, and busing people around the city, for 20 years of his adult life. He did those things, because they did one thing: paid his bills, so he could work on his music. He was prepared to continue that lifestyle to do it. The success came naturally.

Good post Kcinsu, I didn't know that about him. I really enjoy his work, even the Candyman soundtrack which I think is amazing. That was my first exposure to his music as a kid, and the main reason I loved that movie and remember it to this day.

I'm not looking for fame, or fortune. I just want to continue making music, enjoy making it and have people enjoy listening to it as much as I do. I am probably my number one fan and also my number one critic. My dream is just to hold a piece of vinyl in my hand with my music etched into it. I haven't played live yet, I'm a bit nervous about it but also really fucking excited. I want to hear my music on those huge speakers and move the crowd.

So yeah, my musical dreams: Release on Vinyl, play live and rock the crowd and leave an impression on them and have my music be heard and enjoyed.

  Quote

I hope I didn't waste 20 dollars.

Sounds sappy, but I reckon it'd be worth it if just one person listens to your music who otherwise would not have found it. After all, it would be dumb to quantify it: "Each person is worth X dollars, so when People*X/20 > 1, it will have been worth it!"

  On 4/30/2010 at 7:40 PM, Lube Saibot said:

  On 4/30/2010 at 7:36 PM, vamos scorcho said:

i don't understand why you target me and me only, you're nice to everyone else. it's like i have some personality trait that you despise.

 

there you go buddy

you cannot stand his hopeful attitude. you regard him as naive, but really, it digs up bitter memories

  On 5/1/2010 at 5:13 AM, Spore said:

I'm not looking for fame, or fortune. I just want to continue making music, enjoy making it and have people enjoy listening to it as much as I do.

This.

The netlabel thing can be quite rewarding and a decent place to start really. I've got a couple of CDs out on labels I've helped run and it's always exciting when I get the occasional sale from someone I don't actually know - a review in The Wire got me a couple - and I don't care about profits from it at all. I've put out a couple of EPs on netlabels this year and have had hundreds of downloads, which is obviously much better and whenever I feel a bit shitty, I look at the current totals and think 'that many people have chosen to download my music'. Helps me smile. This year I've got an mp3 release coming out through a pretty big name site, and a CDr, and a couple more netlabel releases. I'm still a 'nobody', but as long as people are listening in numbers that make it worthwhile putting stuff out in some format or another then all is well. When I get a few hundred quid together I'm going to press up some proper copies of one of that mp3 release and give them away/sell them at gigs. That way I've got something physical to show from it too. While it'd be amazing to have a 'proper' label sign me and promote my album, I'm more than happy with what I'm doing now.

The live thing is very true, and something that's a pain in the arse as I have absolutely no contacts in the electronic music scene around where I live and don't really know how to get involved. I haven't played live in five years and would really love to get back on it again. Anyone know any tips there?

I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on any of this, but I will add my two cents:

Think about your visual marketing/branding as well. The internet is largely a visual interface, so it helps to have some kind of consistent visual presence whenever your music is presented somewhere. Logos, colors, design consistency. Whatever helps the prospective fans remember you.

  On 4/30/2010 at 5:00 PM, hautlle said:

We all need to band together and start pimping each other out! If you have a facebook/myspace etc, and you enjoy someones music here use that tool to let other people know! I know acidburp has mentioned my track/put up links, and I just pimped "The Swarm", I'm trying to return the favor. WATMM is a huge resource that really has more potential. Help your brethren out!

I play the hell out of WATMM music for just about everyone I can, though it's mostly because there are a lot of great artists on here.

Also, this became a big debate/discussion, which is cool as it's informative, but I think it's humorous that no labels have been recommended. I'm a hop, skip, and a jump away from having my EP done, and I'd personally like to have a list of labels to check out and see if I want to slap their name on it somewhere.

I googled it. I figure IDM is what most on here would be considering.

http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Shopping_and_Services/Music/Labels/By_Genre/Electronic/IDM/

(lol?)

http://musicmoz.org/Record_Labels/By_Style/I.D.M./

http://www.google.com/Top/Arts/Music/Styles/E/Electronica/I.D.M./

i've long felt that while i don't need a label, there is a void that needs filling. i alternate between being shy and being absolutely unable to stand people. i do programming for a living and spend my spare time with synths. the "going out and networking" thing is something i am, quite frankly, abysmal at. i'd rather just write more music.

i think RDJ lucked out with that grant wilson-claridge dude. i need someone like him. i'd love to cut a deal with some charismatic lad/lass to go out and get my albums into record stores, find venues for me, schmooze on myspace, etc. fuck contracts and nitpicking; split any money made 50/50. i'd want veto power, but i'd also hope i never had to use it, as the ideal person would be on the same wavelength as me. a simple, mutually beneficial relationship, with clear duties and boundaries.

  On 6/15/2010 at 10:23 AM, hahathhat said:

i'd love to cut a deal with some charismatic lad/lass to go out and get my albums into record stores, find venues for me, schmooze on myspace, etc. fuck contracts and nitpicking; split any money made 50/50. i'd want veto power, but i'd also hope i never had to use it, as the ideal person would be on the same wavelength as me. a simple, mutually beneficial relationship, with clear duties and boundaries.

What you're after is a manager. Except for the first thing, for that you want a distributor.