tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post3027522591969041730..comments2011-06-05T22:39:42.538-07:00Comments on Oliver Arditi: Monday Musings: My Report And Frothing Rant From MusicConnexOlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14783796952662927044noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-1945943610642429112011-04-28T05:59:50.794-07:002011-04-28T05:59:50.794-07:00I think online platforms can remain useful to DIY ...I think online platforms can remain useful to DIY musicians when they hit big numbers; of course it depends on the specific platform and artist, but volume is definitely a good thing with hosting sites for instance, because it means a) that it's unlikely to wither and die under you, and b) end users are likely to find it familiar.<br /><br />Spam is obviously an issue with MySpace, but my biggest issues with it are a) how badly it works, b) the way my entire computer slows down when I have a profile open (ok that's a subset of 'a' really) and c) the blatant way they shove ads at you right in front of the player controls. The whole site could be made so much better without having to do a great deal, but they have obviously become completely disconnected from their users.<br /><br />I think what I learned at the conference was not to expect any platform to really do anything for you: they're just like your local pub, a potential place to get heard, make some fans and sell some merch. But it's still all up to you. I would advise bands starting out to:<br /><br />1. get their music hosted somewhere good (Bandcamp is ace because it has a clean easy interface, and can be used to distribute for free, for a donation of choice, for above a set minimum or for a set price; you can also sell your physical product off the same page as your download, and anyone can stream your music without downloading. They take a cut, but it's orders of magnitude less than iTunes)<br /><br />2. start where your fans are, most likely Facebook in the first instance, as your friends and family will be your first fans. If you have an established following but no online presence (unlikely but possible these days) you just have to make sure you promote your online profiles at gigs.<br /><br />3. DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET! BY which I don't mean get on every single site out there, you'll just kill yourself keeping up. I mean, don't leave yourself unable to cope with any one platform folding, because they all will eventually. If you use Wordpress to power your main site, then you can migrate it to another host easily: if you use a proprietary profile somewhere, it might offer a lot of advantages, but you're at the mercy of its owners.<br /><br />4. This is a big subject and I've never done it myself, so don't take my word for it, go and read shit on the intarwebz! Ask people! Go to http://www.shemakeswar.com/ and marvel at the sheer diversity of marketing and merchandising strategies one woman can implement!Olihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14783796952662927044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-13436158380787005132011-04-28T05:35:32.269-07:002011-04-28T05:35:32.269-07:00Interesting read Oli - sounds like a good event.
...Interesting read Oli - sounds like a good event.<br /><br />The problem with new platforms is that they're not really of any use unless there are enough people using that platform to make it worthwhile. When it is popular enough, it very quickly becomes over-crowded and anonymous.<br /><br />It seems that there's an increasingly limited window where a platform is popular enough to make it worthwhile and useful to musicians and music fans but isn't too spammy - MySpace was the perfect example of this. <br /><br />As a general rule, when the corporate world starts to catch on to something, it's probably the beginning of the end. The other general rule in my experience seems to be if anybody is asking for money for involvement in a platform, the platform itself is either on the way out or too much in its infancy to be of any real use.<br /><br />After taking it all in at the conference, where would you advise musicians to start online with self-promotion of new bands/projects these days?Barry Dallmanhttp://playjazz.blog.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-15679157831189720642011-04-26T14:01:36.232-07:002011-04-26T14:01:36.232-07:00@Anon: I didn't get to the Spotify session, bu...@Anon: I didn't get to the Spotify session, but my understanding is that their (mysteriously variable) per stream revenues offer a worthwhile result only to artists with a huge profile. If you can get your music in there as a DIY artist that's still a good thing though, on the basis that people hearing your music is never a bad thing.<br /><br />@James: there were so many new platforms that I could have easily written 5k words giving a brief summary of each. Mostly they were just offering to take your money though... By the way, I took your advice on the blog theme!<br /><br />@ Jay: McDonnell you crazy bastard! Thanks for that very thoughtful response. I agree that those big numbers are going to be much harder to come by in the future, and i certainly hope that's the case because all that adulation and craziness has never been good for music. Like you say, it's easy to go DIY if you already have a profile: I'm on the lookout for the first generation of acts to build a good income from the ground up.<br /><br />Thanks for commenting everybody: keep 'em coming!Olihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14783796952662927044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-34541747527849487152011-04-26T12:44:40.176-07:002011-04-26T12:44:40.176-07:00Part of the problem, I think, is that we're so...Part of the problem, I think, is that we're so used to the old major-label system of doing things that, now that these music corporations are fading slowly, is that so many musicians are waiting for the next model to jump on that will make them at least semi-rich.<br /><br />I don't think we're going to see very many artists selling millions and millions of records, at least not as a normal, regular thing. Major labels are suffering more because fans have access to so much more, and are less inclined to follow whatever trend the companies decide is "hip" at the moment. <br /><br />Since DIY became a noticeable trend, the idea was that you sacrifice the financial backing of a major label for a better connection and more control of your own product. It's only recently that much has been said about having a more solid, direct connection to your fans, something that can be a benefit to the DIY musician's income and personal satisfaction.<br /><br />I think that now to the near future, the important question to find answers to redefines what we as musicians consider "success" in music. I would settle for making as much in one year as I do at my regular job, because if I have 100 fans, and they're all communicating with me and giving me just enough of a revenue to be able to focus full time on that relationship, that to me would be a musical success. But I don't think dreaming of being a global rock star is really realistic at this point. If you want more than a small group of fans, then you have to balance your art with your promotion. Become a local Rock Star first. Then push out and become maybe a Regional Rock Star....who knows? We need to see this example happen, and not established acts saying "fuck you" to their labels and going it on their own (good on them, but hey....they've already got the money). -- jason m norwoodjason m norwoodhttp://thehopemansion.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-12955296636520694462011-04-26T08:19:42.975-07:002011-04-26T08:19:42.975-07:00Thanks Oli, just the kind of recap I want to read....Thanks Oli, just the kind of recap I want to read. Interesting to know how up-to-date (or not) presenters are. And thanks for the evaluation of the new platforms -- going to check that out.James Beaudreauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11088692326828963333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-37963155419855369912011-04-26T00:58:42.071-07:002011-04-26T00:58:42.071-07:00Did you go to the Spotify talk? I asked him some ...Did you go to the Spotify talk? I asked him some sticky question regarding transparency and how much revenue the artist gets - didn't or couldn't give me answers. Think they need to look at this aspect of their business, if the artist doesn't get a clear idea of revenue, how is that attractive to the artistAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-68930692767647697852011-04-26T00:39:06.197-07:002011-04-26T00:39:06.197-07:00HI Iain, thanks for commenting! If you mean audio ...HI Iain, thanks for commenting! If you mean audio hosting sites, that people can stream and download your music from, I would recommend Soundcloud, or if you want to charge for it flexibly, in return for a very modest percentage, Bandcamp is excellent, and extremely good from the purchaser's perspective.Olihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14783796952662927044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-580409125185804059.post-81734465011556360362011-04-25T17:31:35.806-07:002011-04-25T17:31:35.806-07:00Very Interesting , especially to someone like me w...Very Interesting , especially to someone like me who is currently 'in the market' for a lot of the services you discuss. It's certainly true that there is an independent&ethically based-shaped hole in what's currently availiable in download services for artistes. -At least as far as I'm aware.Iain Collinsnoreply@blogger.com