Mailman1971
Moderator
I believe the villain term is "Cursed! Foiled again!"Bob Savage":9xee5jdy said:
But I am a product of 70's cartoons.
But I am a product of 70's cartoons.
Mailman1971
Moderator
Found us.....Heritage Softail":2ysramtl said:
http://bobanddan.com/
Bob is the one with the hair since I shave my head.
Looks like we make a pretty good team eh Bob? Pretty Zanny morning show right? Love the Gags we pull on the listeners.
kasperjensen
New member
Artists have always been ripped off. Even 'back in the good old days' there weren't that many making extreme amounts of money. Just like today! Quite a few artists are doing incredibly well for themselves, and then there are millions who aren't. I don't believe it has changed that much.
What has changed is the way you make that money. Today it's geared much more towards live shows and film/tv placements, rather that counting on album sales. Having said that... Ask Lady Gaga, Bieber, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Nickelback, Brad Paisley, etc etc. It may not be the music you are playing that is selling, but music is still selling.
It's quite sad that people don't think they should write music, or become discouraged for any reason whatsoever.
You should write music because you can't stop writing music. If you go into it expecting to be compensated in the 6 zero's range, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. There are plenty of better ways to make money.
Who says you have to have to dominate the world to be a success? If you open a clothing store, and you are making a decent profit then I would consider that a success. You don't have to become a 1000+ store chain.
What has changed is the way you make that money. Today it's geared much more towards live shows and film/tv placements, rather that counting on album sales. Having said that... Ask Lady Gaga, Bieber, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Nickelback, Brad Paisley, etc etc. It may not be the music you are playing that is selling, but music is still selling.
It's quite sad that people don't think they should write music, or become discouraged for any reason whatsoever.
You should write music because you can't stop writing music. If you go into it expecting to be compensated in the 6 zero's range, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. There are plenty of better ways to make money.
Who says you have to have to dominate the world to be a success? If you open a clothing store, and you are making a decent profit then I would consider that a success. You don't have to become a 1000+ store chain.
Michi
Active member
kasperjensen":1sx3urni said:
very well said!
S
straycat113
New member
Great topic and thread! I am personally 100% opposed to those who steal music from artist, as that is exactly what it is stealing. Just because someone is sitting at home with a keyboard doing it it is no different then going into a music store and shoving a CD down your pants. Only difference is it will be much harder explaining what your intentions were as well as the embarrassment. There is a whole generation who feel they are entitled to it and led to believe they are doing nothing wrong-well they are. I may be in the minority here but the major labels are needed more now then at any other time in history, but as Townshend wrote -"Meet the new boss same as the old boss". I honestly believed that some of greatest artist who ever lived who knew what it was like to get screwed and ripped off by the major labels would of founded a few with the intentions of protecting artist rights, in a way the Beatles tried to do when they formed Apple in the 60's. The problem with Apple was that they were 4 guys in their 20's with the right intentions but no sense for the business end. The people making the big money today are basically the writers not the artist. Take all those fluff shows like American Idol-The Voice and X-Factor for those not aware the winner has to sign a 10 year contract and they sure as hell are not getting to perform their own music. That is why when Kelly Clarkson got big enough she was able to hire lawyers and opt out of her contract. Since Hip-Hop has been the music of choice for almost two decades I have to give them credit for acknowledging they did not need major labels, so you had all these young top rappers who just formed their own companies and hung a sign on the door that said-CEO! Unlike other genres of music and major labels that are just a bunch of suits who dont know shit from shinola about music just sales, these guys knew what too look for in their genre. Another place is Nashville which has not missed a beat in any decade, and have been using the same successful recipe they always have. In fact country has just about laid to rest the "Beer on the bar and Biscuits on the table" corny ass way of writing, and has morphed more into Eagles style classic rock. They still have Platinum and Gold selling artist, soldout arena shows, and still employee killer ace session players- So they are doing something right. Rock music is the music that seems to have suffered the most and it basically had to do with greed! Now this is where most guys think I may have lost my mind when I said good major companies were needed more then ever lol. But I am certain just about everyone on this forum who is around my age "51", 90% of the music they listen to daily is from the 60's to through the 90's. I know there are a ton of really talented guitarist out there as I can put on Youtube and watch 17 year old kids with chops to die for all day long, but they have almost a video game mental approach to playing. It seems the art of writing a good 4 minute song of substance is becoming a lost art, and keeping it real we all can only listen to so much instrumental playing before it gets tiresome. That is why Eddie VanHalen will always stand head and shoulders over the players of the late 70's and 80's because the guy knew how to write and put his amazing skills inside a song you could sing. The 80's can arguably be called the decade with the most technically proficient guitarist ever, as even the shitiest bands had excellent lead players. It was the bad immature lyrics of no substance that eventually allowed Grunge to kill them off, with garage band musicianship but dark lyrics kids could connect with. So at the present good writing skills have never been needed more as the musicianship is their, but where do you go to find new music? That is the catch-22 of the internet as anyone can upload their music, but who has the time to sift through a million artist? That is why record companies have talent scouts so they can weed through the really bad shit, and keeping it real there are tons of terrible so called artist on the internet. What a lot of guys may not comprehend is that stupid game Guitar Hero may actually of been a blessing in disguise, as for two years I refused to buy it for my teenage sons. The way I looked at it was why waste your time with a video game when you can learn the real thing. I finally caved in and bought it for them at Christmas about 4 or 5 years ago and would have 5 to 8 teenagers in the house daily upstairs playing it. I then started to hear the Hip-Hop stop playing in the house and my boys playing VanHalen, Aerosmith-Ozzy- The Beatles and so on and so forth. I live in NY and almost every friend of mine has a teenage son who is in a band or plays an instrument and they all love Classic Rock and Metal. It is only going to be a matter of time before a bunch of young guys from somewhere come up with a fresh sound and start a whole new movement. Anyone who watched the Grammy's this year I would have to believe got the sense Rap may finally be on it's way out, as there was very little of it and all the acts played live and there was a heavy variety of styles. So I would tell anyone to keep on writing your own material, you may by now be too old to do it yourself but it may kick off your kids career or find itself on some other artists album.
T
TrueTone500
Banned
New member
^^^ This! ^^^
I agree with 100% of everything you've stated here. Yours is the most lucid, realistic, and productive perspective I've heard on this subject.
I agree with 100% of everything you've stated here. Yours is the most lucid, realistic, and productive perspective I've heard on this subject.
GuitarGuyLP
Active member
Lots of great comments in here, but there seems to be an overall dark view of things. I personally look at creating music as a fun hobby. My inspiration comes in peaks, and valleys. If I am going through a time where I have no inspiration I change something up. But gear changes as easy as they are can sometimes give me inspiration for a couple of weeks/months what really gets my creativity going is jamming with new people. I just find it difficult to find local musicians who like me have a career, and are laid back, and up for jamming once, maybe twice a week, having some beers, and just making a fun afternoon out of it. There always seems to be one guy in the band who wants to practice three, or four times a week, and try to "make it". I find this takes all the fun, and creativity out of it, and it can start to feel like a job, and not a way to blow off some steam, and have some fun. In my last band I think our biggest (only) fan was the Pizza guy who always wanted us to play one full song for him when he showed up with the pizzas.
I know that I am only talking for myself, but if I put too much time, and effort into music I don't enjoy it as much. I will also say that taking a month, or two completely away from music can really give you a new perspective, and take some of the pressure off. If you are forcing yourself to write, or play it will show up in your music. Let it flow, don't force it, and have a good time. That is what music is all about.
I know that I am only talking for myself, but if I put too much time, and effort into music I don't enjoy it as much. I will also say that taking a month, or two completely away from music can really give you a new perspective, and take some of the pressure off. If you are forcing yourself to write, or play it will show up in your music. Let it flow, don't force it, and have a good time. That is what music is all about.
D
dirtyfunkg
Well-known member
There are already new "rock" sounds out there, even if they aren't necessarily as heavy. Especially in the more progressive side, there's a whole math rock thing going on that, for my specific tastes, is kind of cool. In a way Tool, the Mars Volta, Mr. Bungle, and even the Dillinger Escape Plan kind of paved the way for other bands to move forward. Bands like Tara Melos, Hella, Don Caballero, etc. They're not big, but it's a new sound. It probably will never become popular because it's not really dancy, but the Fall of Troy had something going with that that was actually salable if not just a little early for its time. But, this topic has digressed into a conversation on the state of the music industry.
To answer the OP, the point is you gotta do what you feel you gotta do (or not do). I write and perform only originals because I don't have it in my heart to do covers. It just doesn't seem like fun to me. Performing music I wrote is exhilarating. Being told we have a unique sound is nice too. The audience can sense whether or not you're having fun, and if you're having fun, they will have fun, and that gives everyone the opportunity to feed off of it. If you're not having fun... well, neither are they, and they will leave because they can see through that. If you want to play covers and that's what you will have fun doing, then do it and have fun. If none of it sounds like fun, then the answer is simple: don't do it.
As far as the recording and releasing stuff... to me I don't really care so much how people get the music, I just care that people are listening. Part of that is actually to assign a value to your music. Most bands don't make money with music they put online, they make money off of CD's and LP's (yes!) they sell at a show. Get a CDBaby account, get the card scanner and app for tracking sales, and sell your stuff like that. People are a lot more inclined to buy music right after seeing you, especially if buying with a card is possible since it's rare for people to actually carry cash these days. They want something to take home and they want to listen to it on the way home... granted it depends on how well you play live. Another benefit of the CDBaby app is that it tracks purchases and that data goes to SoundScan.
The money is in touring. You put your music out there and even encourage stealing (singles are for this purpose especially) to an extent so that you can increase the draw at your shows when you're out touring. Then you sell T-shirts, shot glasses, whatever merch you're hawking, and of course physical copies of your music. This is the model now. And it takes a little while before your band can actually draw well, but it does start to happen as you build the buzz. Draw 100 people for your band to a show on a $10 cover, you take $700 alone through that, then add in maybe a conservative $100 profit on merchandise. Subtract $200 for gas and other expenses between tour stops and your band made a $600 profit in a day. Not exactly a lot of money, but for a touring band with limited expenses, it's not too bad. Say it's a 4 member band. You do that an average of about 21 times per month for 12 months, that gives you close to $40,000 in income. Not ideal if you have a family to support, but let's be honest, if you're a touring musician you probably aren't in that position.
To answer the OP, the point is you gotta do what you feel you gotta do (or not do). I write and perform only originals because I don't have it in my heart to do covers. It just doesn't seem like fun to me. Performing music I wrote is exhilarating. Being told we have a unique sound is nice too. The audience can sense whether or not you're having fun, and if you're having fun, they will have fun, and that gives everyone the opportunity to feed off of it. If you're not having fun... well, neither are they, and they will leave because they can see through that. If you want to play covers and that's what you will have fun doing, then do it and have fun. If none of it sounds like fun, then the answer is simple: don't do it.
As far as the recording and releasing stuff... to me I don't really care so much how people get the music, I just care that people are listening. Part of that is actually to assign a value to your music. Most bands don't make money with music they put online, they make money off of CD's and LP's (yes!) they sell at a show. Get a CDBaby account, get the card scanner and app for tracking sales, and sell your stuff like that. People are a lot more inclined to buy music right after seeing you, especially if buying with a card is possible since it's rare for people to actually carry cash these days. They want something to take home and they want to listen to it on the way home... granted it depends on how well you play live. Another benefit of the CDBaby app is that it tracks purchases and that data goes to SoundScan.
The money is in touring. You put your music out there and even encourage stealing (singles are for this purpose especially) to an extent so that you can increase the draw at your shows when you're out touring. Then you sell T-shirts, shot glasses, whatever merch you're hawking, and of course physical copies of your music. This is the model now. And it takes a little while before your band can actually draw well, but it does start to happen as you build the buzz. Draw 100 people for your band to a show on a $10 cover, you take $700 alone through that, then add in maybe a conservative $100 profit on merchandise. Subtract $200 for gas and other expenses between tour stops and your band made a $600 profit in a day. Not exactly a lot of money, but for a touring band with limited expenses, it's not too bad. Say it's a 4 member band. You do that an average of about 21 times per month for 12 months, that gives you close to $40,000 in income. Not ideal if you have a family to support, but let's be honest, if you're a touring musician you probably aren't in that position.