On 9/2/20 8:06 AM, Len Ovens wrote:
On Wed, 2 Sep 2020, Louigi Verona wrote:
I would like to discuss a couple of things here: the illusion of a music
release and distribution platforms.
All very good points. I could add a few points:
1) Todays music favours an unknown musician making a backing track for
a newly known singer.
Well, I have a friend that's a singer/songwriter. He writes commercial
pop/hiphop music. He's not a musician - plays no instruments whatever.
He doesn't hire any musicians, either. He puts everything else together
using VTS and software.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rYv2c6Cyqw
https://www.amazon.com/Diverse-Dreams-Logan/dp/B004HKJ6KY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1313693545&sr=1-1
I don't believe he's ever made any money from music. He wants to, but
nothing so far. Not so easy for someone living in Hawaii that doesn't do
Hawaiian music!
This is what I hear most on the radio. The singer seems to be the new
talent for the month and when they can ask for more money... the next
one steps up. In general I can not tell one from the other. The fact
that it has airplay indicates to me that the marketing is done by a
"label". A band, even less a new band, has almost no chance. Yet I
enjoy the interaction a band brings. Marketing is important and worth
paying for in this case I think... in the same way having a second
party do mastering can make a difference.
I think that making personal connections with fans is far more important
than anything else.
I'm a writer (poetry, fiction) and can tell you that publishers do
little or no marketing unless you're already a risen superstar. If
you've already established your own "marketing platform" (blog,
Twitter/FB/Instagram/et al) with an established following and email
newsletter distribution, etc - they'll look more kindly at your book
when you submit it. Otherwise, your book has to be really great.
Otherwise, they won't take it.
One advantage of being a writer vs a performing musician is it takes a
lot less equipment to write a book. ;)
Musically, playing live is fun. I also like being able to put things
together at home by myself. :)
2) Superstars are a myth. They are top to bottom marketing. I have not
yet been anywhere that does not have local talent as good as anything
that comes to town for a one nighter at high price or has airplay.
Calling a small number of people "super" is just a way of getting the
best return on investment. Go watch/listen to your local talent, the
cover charge is worth it. If you as an artist are not doing anything
live, you should be (we are talking about singles and albums here not
sound tracks or jingles which are different animals).
Superstars are often frauds. Especially in some genres like pop music.
For any superstar voice performing somewhere (in the days when live
performances in front of audiences weren't virus-spreaders), there are
probably a thousand lesser-known or unknown singers that are better or
at least as good.
Example: When my sister was in high school, she had a high school friend
(Karen) that sang country music. Remember the famous country song "Stand
By Your Man" sung by Tammy Wynette:? My sister's friend sang rings
around Ms Wynette. Karen was an awesome singer. She had performed
professionally with her first husband until she divorced him at age 16.
Anyway, anyone like me doesn't know the first thing about marketing...
even enough to know if someone offering that service is any good or not.
Me, neither.
--
David W. Jones
gnome@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
authenticity, honesty, community
http://dancingtreefrog.com
"My password is the last 8 digits of π."
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