[microsound] Thoughtless idiots who masquerade as supporters of small labels (isjtar)

Mon May 9 11:20:21 EDT 2011

This thread touches on issues that many of us on here face, though with
differing attitudes and emotions on what the best approach may be. Making
art/music for-its-own-sake vs. making a living vs. getting heard vs. getting
paid have all been on my mind for years. (BTW, I think this *is* appropriate
discussion for this list as the halo activities around making music).
Sometimes it's a lonely venture to produce, promote and love the music we
must make.

If it's the leaking that has you most upset, I'd recommend eliminating the
weak links in the distribution and promotion chain: physical duplication and
promo copies are typically where leaks occur. Consider not sending out
physical promo/review copies but provide streaming-only versions via
Bandcamp and/or Soundcloud (though these can be ripped as well. Rule of
thumb: if it's digital, it's rip-able. Also, ANYTHING is copyable by those
determined to do so -- just look at the vinyl/cassette rippers and book
scanners. One person's sharing is another person's piracy).

Better yet, consider any listener a potential reviewer and make the previews
public. What we as a cottage industry may have lost in potential revenue we
could gain in social capital and network effects. Some may resent copying,
but being widely distributed may bring a release a larger audience with more
potential connections/feedback/revenue.

If it's the costs to produce a product that have you down, consider a
crowd-funded approach for a project (e.g. Kickstarter.com) to minimize your
upfront costs and ensure you have a paying audience (it only gets made if
people commit their support, and they get more perks for greater commitment
of support). Personally I wouldn't buy a physical CD since I listen to music
on my computer and iOS devices, but I would consider purchasing a project on
cassette or vinyl, both for it being unique and the experience of
listening.

There is such a glut of available music online (from free netlabels and
self-publishers, file sharing and pirate sites and on and on), it's
difficult to get heard let alone sold. Plus as stated already, the
shelf-life of a new release is in hours, days and weeks any more, because
people have such vast music libraries and attention is scarce. I'd consider
myself flattered if I was ever pirated (though that probably doesn't take
the sting out of it for you). For example, I worked for months on my 2010
album of ambient and minimal pieces to only ever sell ONE copy. For me,
number of listens/likes/links has supplanted sales/revenue as goals. A
release's carrying capacity isn't just in number of units moved but the
amount of potential exposure. I realize the perspective may be different for
a label than an artist. YMMV.

Jeffrey Melton aka nofi, The Silent Stars

On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 1:18 AM, <microsound-request at or8.net> wrote:

>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 07:18:10 +0200
> From: isjtar <list at isjtar.org>
> To: microsound at microsound.org
> Subject: Re: [microsound] [microsound-announce] (amb) Thoughtless
>        idiots who      masquerade as supporters of small labels
> Message-ID: <33BAF211-30A9-4F13-A10C-5FFC1FF6185C at isjtar.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> personally, I don't spend money on music anymore (to listen to that is)
>
> however, if there would be a subscription service with a large selection of
> obscure stuff, I'd really dig that.
> experimental stuff with it's extreme highs and lows really fit this model
> as you don't take the same "risk" as buying an album.
> with some community features it would also help me find things, don't have
> the time anymore to be really "into it" if you know what I mean.
>
> then secondly, David, the amounts you're talking about are so low, can you
> not get some type of grant or a fundraising?
>
>
>
>
> On 08 May 2011, at 16:56, David Newman wrote:
>
> > I have never illegally downloaded music - fact.
> >
> > David Newman
> >
> > http://www.audiomoves.com | Audiomoves > Digital audio solutions
> >
> > http://www.audiobulb.com | Audiobulb Records > Exploratory music
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Maya R. Odinezenko [mailto:maya at elevatorium.org]
> > Sent: 08 May 2011 15:43
> > To: David Newman
> > Cc: <idm at hyperreal.org>; ambient; <
> microsound-announce at microsound.nexthop.net>
> > Subject: Re: (amb) Thoughtless idiots who masquerade as supporters of
> small labels
> >
> > No, I am not naive.
> > I've been in the industry and I know how it is.
> >
> > You're taking this way too personally, as in the person deliberately
> planned to hurt you and specifically you only.
> >
> > People do not share for an ego boost.  They share bc they want people to
> hear what they feel is great music.  And they will buy the CD.  If they
> don't buy today, they will tomorrow.  They *WILL* always buy.  For those who
> don't buy this release, they'll buy the next one.  However, as long as one
> puts out quality, they'll always be able to sell it.
> >
> > Do not think like a major label, bc look at the state they're all in.
>  They cry and cry and still make cookie cutter crap.
> >
> > For the love of music, please get off your high horse and calm down.  I
> bet you've downloaded music before.  You cannot say you didn't, bc anyone
> who owns a computer and has a brain downloads music.
> >
> > A ton of people in the industry download music.
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On May 7, 2011, at 12:08 PM, "David Newman" <dwnewman at clara.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Maya
> >>
> >> You are so naive
> >>
> >> The artist has made the music over a course of years. It is ambient
> music.
> >>
> >> He has worked on his craft to the point where a label is prepared to
> invest in getting it made into a CD, promoted and sold.
> >>
> >> I don't do this for the money - I do it for the love of the music. I
> work hours and hours and hours per week on it. As well as hold down my main
> job. I do it out of love for the music.
> >>
> >> But if I invest ?900 and don't receive a near break even return then I
> go out of business and the music is not released.... the smaller labels get
> forced out and we are left with myspace unsigned and the majors.
> >>
> >>
> >> David Newman
> >>
> >> http://www.audiomoves.com | Audiomoves > Digital audio solutions
> >>
> >> http://www.audiobulb.com | Audiobulb Records > Exploratory music
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> From: Maya R. Odinezenko [mailto:maya at elevatorium.org]
> >> Sent: 07 May 2011 16:11
> >> To: David Newman
> >> Cc: <idm at hyperreal.org>; ambient; <
> microsound-announce at microsound.nexthop.net>
> >> Subject: Re: (amb) Thoughtless idiots who masquerade as supporters of
> small labels
> >>
> >> Honestly, I really wouldn't complain.
> >>
> >> I know this will come off as harsh, but it really bothers me people use
> this list more for promoting their own stuff than just talking about ambient
> music.
> >>
> >> You're already investing in making music, but it sounds like you're
> involved more fir making some sort if cash flow as opposed to just making
> music for the sake of art/the love of it.
> >>
> >> If I were a musician, I'd be flattered my music was being shared.  At
> least it's good enough to be shared.  If people dig it, they will buy it.
>  There are a ton of artists I invested in after I downloaded their stuff.
> >>
> >> The investment is there for you, don't blame file sharing for losing
> sales.  Maybe people want to try before they buy, bc technology in this day
> and age allows them to do so.
> >>
> >> Just saying.
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >> On May 7, 2011, at 9:27 AM, "David Newman" <dwnewman at clara.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> To the thoughtless idiots....
> >>>
> >>> So here I am 3 weeks from the release of a beautiful album by A Dancing
> Beggar.
> >>>
> >>> http://www.audiobulb.com/albums/AB036/AB036.htm
> >>>
> >>> The album has been sent out as per usual to 120 reviewers on our promo
> list. One or more of these people who purport to support independent music
> and small labels has uploaded the album onto every file sharing platform
> there is.
> >>>
> >>> So it's out - people can help themselves for free. The ?200 I spent on
> postage won't get recouped, the ?750 I spent on making the CD won't get
> recouped.
> >>>
> >>> Some people think it's easy balancing the books if you are a record
> small record company - I can tell you it is not. I only made 500 of these
> and if I don't get close to ?900 back I can see Audiobulb sinking/closing
> for good.
> >>>
> >>> So you may be thinking why am I ranting at you? Well I don't know who
> has done this - they hide behind stupid names in Fileshare etc - but whoever
> you are - you are selfish, thoughtless and stupid.
> >>>
> >>> David Newman
> >>>
> >>> http://www.audiomoves.com | Audiomoves > Digital audio solutions
> >>>
> >>> http://www.audiobulb.com | Audiobulb Records > Exploratory music
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> No virus found in this message.
> >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> >> Version: 10.0.1321 / Virus Database: 1500/3621 - Release Date: 05/06/11
> >>
> >
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> >
> > _______________________________________________
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-- 
jeffrey melton | p.o.box 10231 | fort wayne, IN | 46851-0231 | USA
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