Re: state of the music business
Eugene
location: Maryland
listening to: Alexander Scriabin-The Solo Piano Works, Maria Lettberg
registered: 1999.08.12
posts: 3540
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I think it's easier to record, distribute and perform, but harder to earn a living at it, or become "successful" if that is one's goal. But for just getting your music "out there", it's gotta be a LOT easier than the old days. In fact there is an entire industry now founded on giving wannabees, and unknown talent a chance to be heard.
If you can't afford a real recording studio (and many studios have affordable packages), and have decent home gear with computer-based recording software (ProTools, Sonar, Cubase, Acid Pro, DigiPerformer, Logic..take your pick), you can get a superb sound. Then all that is required is proper mixing and mastering. Affordable Mastering packages abound. The next level ie.distribution, is not difficult for limited distribution; you can't get the type of distribution on your own you can get with a label deal, but you can still get it out for public consumption. Options include a site called CD Baby, which will take your mastered and packaged CD and put it up on their site. They only list you, you would have to link your web site to them to be able to have people find and then buy your CD. But, CD baby hardly takes anything off the top, you get over 70% or something like that. OASIS CD is another helpful site. If you send them a mixed recording, they will even do the mastering for you, do artwork if you don't have it, and package your CD in a very polished, and professional manner, then list you as an artist. They will even put a couple of tracks of your stuff, if it's good on one of their "samplers". They also can lead a musician to contacts in the music industry. TAXI is an A and R service to which you can pitch songs (if you're a writer). They will screen the song, and if they like what they hear, forward it to an interested party, be it a publisher, label or known recording artist. So...there are LOTS of avenues, more than ever existed. I research this quite a bit..but do I do it? .. NO. I still just strum in my living room,play the odd open mic, mainly cause everytine I think about trying to get it "out there" or doing this for money, it kills the joy I get in just creating. I have zero drive to do the "bidness" part. But, hope this information is useful to you Cleanup. All the sites are easy to find on the net.
E
Eugene
(view)
I think it's easier to record, distribute and perform, but harder to earn a living at it, or become "successful" if that is one's goal. But for just getting your music "out there", it's gotta be a LOT easier than the old days. In fact there is an entire industry now founded on giving wannabees, and unknown talent a chance to be heard.
If you can't afford a real recording studio (and many studios have affordable packages), and have decent home gear with computer-based recording software (ProTools, Sonar, Cubase, Acid Pro, DigiPerformer, Logic..take your pick), you can get a superb sound. Then all that is required is proper mixing and mastering. Affordable Mastering packages abound. The next level ie.distribution, is not difficult for limited distribution; you can't get the type of distribution on your own you can get with a label deal, but you can still get it out for public consumption. Options include a site called CD Baby, which will take your mastered and packaged CD and put it up on their site. They only list you, you would have to link your web site to them to be able to have people find and then buy your CD. But, CD baby hardly takes anything off the top, you get over 70% or something like that. OASIS CD is another helpful site. If you send them a mixed recording, they will even do the mastering for you, do artwork if you don't have it, and package your CD in a very polished, and professional manner, then list you as an artist. They will even put a couple of tracks of your stuff, if it's good on one of their "samplers". They also can lead a musician to contacts in the music industry. TAXI is an A and R service to which you can pitch songs (if you're a writer). They will screen the song, and if they like what they hear, forward it to an interested party, be it a publisher, label or known recording artist. So...there are LOTS of avenues, more than ever existed. I research this quite a bit..but do I do it? .. NO. I still just strum in my living room,play the odd open mic, mainly cause everytine I think about trying to get it "out there" or doing this for money, it kills the joy I get in just creating. I have zero drive to do the "bidness" part. But, hope this information is useful to you Cleanup. All the sites are easy to find on the net.
