Writing originals... What's the point?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TrueTone500
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Shawn Lutz":skq81ffn said:
in a digital world you can only sell one copy too.

the landscape is what it is. You don't need to spend a million dollars on a high quality production in a studio when you could do it yourself at home. You don't need to be signed to a major label, do an indie yourself and be your own boss ;) burn copies to sell at your shows and song downloads that can be purchased.

The bigger stop gap for original music is actually finding enough places who have original artists...its all cover bands and tribute bands.
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I disagree slightly. If you care about your recorded work, a proper studio with a decent producer will net you some damn good results. Sadly, any chump with a £200 MBox and a pirate copy of Cubase is suddenly a recording engineer. It's rare to find any really talented engineers these days.

Also, while I agree selling your music at shows - be they burned, pressed or digital copies - is how everyone starts. It's when you start branching out to larger markets, trying to get some advertising going to net the bigger shows, trying to grow the brand, you need the capital a label provides behind you. It's not a hard and fast rule, but denegrating an artist for relying on that mode of representation is akin to telling disabled people they don't need wheelchairs as lying on a skateboard will do the same thing!

The main reason that clubs who book original bands are on serious declines is because of the amount of timewasting bands out there. I mean, do you really want to venture out on a Friday night to see poorly played music by people with bad sounding gear who collectively know about 4-5 chords? Sadly, that was the swansong of the originals circuit for me and, from recent experience, it's not got that much better.

Like I say though, no one size fits all, there are of course exceptions.
 
TrueTone500":2ghndfeb said:
" but writing originals has always been my passion".
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Seems like you already answered your own question. Now, if "making it" surpasses you passion to just write original material, I can see your quandary.
 
satannica":mr67quxx said:
Shawn Lutz":mr67quxx said:
in a digital world you can only sell one copy too.

the landscape is what it is. You don't need to spend a million dollars on a high quality production in a studio when you could do it yourself at home. You don't need to be signed to a major label, do an indie yourself and be your own boss ;) burn copies to sell at your shows and song downloads that can be purchased.

The bigger stop gap for original music is actually finding enough places who have original artists...its all cover bands and tribute bands.
Click to expand...

I disagree slightly. If you care about your recorded work, a proper studio with a decent producer will net you some damn good results. Sadly, any chump with a £200 MBox and a pirate copy of Cubase is suddenly a recording engineer. It's rare to find any really talented engineers these days.

Also, while I agree selling your music at shows - be they burned, pressed or digital copies - is how everyone starts. It's when you start branching out to larger markets, trying to get some advertising going to net the bigger shows, trying to grow the brand, you need the capital a label provides behind you. It's not a hard and fast rule, but denegrating an artist for relying on that mode of representation is akin to telling disabled people they don't need wheelchairs as lying on a skateboard will do the same thing!

The main reason that clubs who book original bands are on serious declines is because of the amount of timewasting bands out there. I mean, do you really want to venture out on a Friday night to see poorly played music by people with bad sounding gear who collectively know about 4-5 chords? Sadly, that was the swansong of the originals circuit for me and, from recent experience, it's not got that much better.

Like I say though, no one size fits all, there are of course exceptions.
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As others have said, you'd better be playing/writing for the love of it or it will fail. It is all but impossible to have careers in the same vein bands from the 70' and 80's however, done right, the artist/band now owns everything and can reach profitability with smaller numbers. The era of music leading to crazy wealth is over, but there is money to be made, it requires a different approach.
 
I play to make it big and receive the planetary admiration I deserve...I'm about to blow up anytime now...anytime...
 
I play originals. I am one of the chumps with a good interface and DAW who is all about DIY. We give our music away to attract folks to come out to shows. Almost every show I have done with this band has been with national acts in our genre (pop punk) with Nother coming in 2 weeks.

We aren't looking to "make it". More interested in playing and having a good time. We're a bit more party vibe than serious. Just want folks to have fun when they see us.
 
You're right -- the model has changed. Your music is a marketing tool to get people to come see you (buy tickets) on tour. Only touring bands make money these days.
 
Writing songs or any creative endeavor is (to me), if it's within you just has to come out and manifest itself regardless of monetary worth.

If you need to attach monetary worth to justify the activity then I could see why you are frustrated...
 
I do it just because I love it. I like to challenge myself and try to become a better musician through writing originals. I've done tons of gigs with cover bands and original bands, but just in the last 2-3 years have I started gigging with my instrumental originals. It has far become the funnest gigs I've done and I wish I would have done it a long time ago. I did a gig last nite, there was probably 15-20 people in the bar. They were a great crowd, but right after a dude came up and told me how he had a stupid crazy work day and really appreciated what we were doing and our playing made him really happy - that type of thing makes it all worth it for me - as well as it just being fun to do.
 
From my point of view, digital technology has all but destroyed the music industry. It is however good to hear from those of you who have not become jaded like I have... Keep the dream alive. :)
 
Like most art, folks write because it's something we are just inclined to do. Whether you consider it worth the effort and expense to share it with others on a large scale is a different matter, and there's really no wrong answer to that one....
 
Bob Savage":1q7rklt3 said:
Shark Diver":1q7rklt3 said:
But don't be the girl from Oklahoma getting off the bus on Hollywood and Vine thinking you're going to be the next Marilyn - might as well play the lottery.
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Brah, don't be harshin' my gig so hard... core, cruster.
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;)


guitarmike":1q7rklt3 said:
The era of music leading to crazy wealth is over
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Someone should tell Billionaire Lady Gaga that.
 
I understand completely
i have been working a quite a few albums, just released one through prog rock records last October
don't believe I'll make any money from it
all the money I ever made went into it, and now I'm continuing the cycle

I sometimes wish I didn't care...I would have more money for sure
regardless of whether it's pointless
music is greater and from a higher power than anything here on earth
whether or not it's a way to make money...it existed long before money existed
I prefer listening to native American music etc.. because of that very same point

I will take it one step further
music for the sake of money, what's the point? u make some cash...have some fun (maybe)... but is it timeless?
I;ll take classical, jazz and folk music any day over music that is highly marketed
 
I would guess there is a larger pile of original music that never made a dime than original music that did. Even before the internet.

I do think there is a better chance of your original work making money today than previously. Certainly not as much money had you "made it big", but far greater chance of making a little bit without getting into the "big" category.
 
TrueTone500":1aawxjca said:
From my point of view, digital technology has all but destroyed the music industry. It is however good to hear from those of you who have not become jaded like I have... Keep the dream alive. :)
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People stealing did it.

Blaming the digital technology for music no longer being profitable is like blaming guns for a murder instead of the person. It is people, not some technology.

You said that since you could not make money on it, it was pointless. Your passion is money, in that case. It wasn't until the recording industry came along that musicians got rich and famous like that.

Figure out what you really want and go for that. I wanted a good life and job, and to play music for fun and personal satisfaction.

It's out there, you just have to figure out what you really want deep down. Would you rather fail seeking what you want, or succeed being kinda happy...
 
I never enjoyed music as much as I did when I stopped trying to get paid for it. It was sucking all of the fun out of it, for me. YMMV of course, but I don't regret 'selling out' for a company job one bit. I still get to play, at my leisure, and I can afford the stuff I only dreamed about when making next to nothing. Whether 10,000 people get to hear it at a time or just my neighbors (through the garage door and walls) I don't even care anymore.
 
Heritage Softail":15dsdw2w said:
TrueTone500":15dsdw2w said:
From my point of view, digital technology has all but destroyed the music industry. It is however good to hear from those of you who have not become jaded like I have... Keep the dream alive. :)
Click to expand...

People stealing did it.

Blaming the digital technology for music no longer being profitable is like blaming guns for a murder instead of the person. It is people, not some technology.

You said that since you could not make money on it, it was pointless. Your passion is money, in that case. It wasn't until the recording industry came along that musicians got rich and famous like that.

Figure out what you really want and go for that. I wanted a good life and job, and to play music for fun and personal satisfaction.

It's out there, you just have to figure out what you really want deep down. Would you rather fail seeking what you want, or succeed being kinda happy...
Click to expand...

i dont think ive ever made it all the way through one of your posts thanks to the canadian camel toe in the corner. i start reading, and then its "here it comes again!" fek
 
I'm pretty much done with it I think. Just getting people together to play these days seems to be a major effort. Even then, it just doesn't have the same 'buzz' as it once did. I will still enjoy reading the comments here on RT, and I hope that all of you are all successful in whatever endeavors you pursue. I'll be posting some cool pieces of gear here and on ebay. If anyone is interested, please do check them out. :)
 
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