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Hellomusic.com Doesn't Pull Any Punches


ggm1960

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If you're like me you've been inundated over the years with e-mails and so forth that say "post your music here, we're the next big thing, get signed, industry pros, blah blah blah". I don't think much of it anymore and sometimes I post some songs here and there just because I don't really have much else to do with them.

 

My attitude was the same when I got what seemed to be the typical message from hellomusic.com. I didn't think much of it but finally signed up and posted a couple songs after a couple more messages.

 

It's been at least a month, probably more like two, since I posted there but yesterday I recieved something I hadn't expected; reviews of the songs. Not just a brief 'sounds like indie rock' type sentence but a three page PDF file with comments, suggestions and critical analysis. They really let me have it so to speak :facepalm: but still I was impressed with how comprehensive it was. Actually if I'd known they were going to do that I would have been a bit more selective about the songs I uploaded!

 

Both songs got an "average" overall rating. One song got good notice for the lead section/sound but the other one had no stand out qualities at all. I can't access the reports at the moment or I'd give more details.

 

Anyway, the point is, this seems like a great way to get some good songwriting, performance, recording, producing feedback. Some of you are probably already aware but for those who are looking for this kind of thing put on a thick skin and try 'em out!:thu:

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It's pretty bizarre that their sign up system forces you to agree to the conditions BEFORE they will show you the artist agreement. (UPDATE: Correction, it appears you are expected to sign multiple agreements. First an agreement that covers basic membership and, on the next page, an artist submission agreement.)

 

[... EDIT... ] (I pushed through with fake stuff and have copied the actual agreement to a text file for further study. [... EDIT... ] If they want, let 'em sue this guy Sdfg Jklh, who 'agreed' to the sign up agreement only in order to find out what "he" was agreeing to. :D Seriously, though, bizarre.)

 

Also, the termination clause has considerable limitations to termination that leave major parts of the agreement in place -- Sections 1-4, 6(g), 7-22. If you think you've terminated all your agreements with them you may be unpleasantly surprised. Do not commit to an exclusive agreement after terminating from HelloMusic without carefully looking at the many elements of the agreement left in place after this limited "termination."

 

EDIT: As always, the safest course of action before signing a binding legal agreement is to consult an attorney.

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So beyond the byzantine contract problems, what's the purpose of this site?

 

 

Their stated objective is to find placement opportunities for your music. They actually came to my attention a little differently than most because the e-mail that introduced them was from Guitar World magazine with whom I have a subscription.

 

I've heard similar concerns to the ones Blue raises however, perhaps to my own eventual detriment, I don't get too concerned. I'm of the mind that anytime you post compositions to the internet there is the chance that you could get ripped somehow. I'm also of the mind that in a "business" where supply far exceeds demand the chances of people even listening to any of it are astronomical. Whatever the case I continue to write and record simply because I feel compelled to do so without any real concern for how any of it is received.

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I've never been able to trust any placement agency. The music business generally works like other business -- personal contacts are very important. Agencies aren't really the answer, but they do a great job of taking your money. If you want your music to get out there, you'd have a better chance living in a music city. It's still a long shot even then, but using such a service I guess can give you the faintest hope without having to really make an all-or-nothing move to Nashville, New York, or LA. It's certainly cheaper than moving to one of those places.

 

If you have no concern for how your music is received, then why use such a service?

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If you have no concern for how your music is received, then why use such a service?

 

 

I didn't think of it as a "service", it was just another place to post my songs. I had no idea I would be receiving a review (the surprise of which inspired the thread) and I certainly haven't paid them, or them me.

 

I didn't intend for my post to come off as endorsing them or discouraging others from seeking better opportunities elsewhere or whatever. The idea was to inform others who might be of a similar mindset to my own.

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I didn't think of it as a "service", it was just another place to post my songs. I had no idea I would be receiving a review (the surprise of which inspired the thread) and I certainly haven't paid them, or them me.


I didn't intend for my post to come off as endorsing them or discouraging others from seeking better opportunities elsewhere or whatever. The idea was to inform others who might be of a similar mindset to my own.

 

Not to worry on the latter front. I certainly didn't think you were endorsing them.

 

But, frankly, I'm such a cynic that if Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Richard Thompson all walked in here and endorsed them, I'd still be going over the artist's agreement with a fine-tooth comb before signing anything. Caveat signator.

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But, frankly, I'm such a cynic that if Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Richard Thompson all walked in here and endorsed them, I'd
still
be going over the artist's agreement with a fine-tooth comb before signing anything.
Caveat signator.

 

:lol:

:thu:

 

You're more connected, cautious and well-balanced than I am, that's why you're the moderator!

 

One of the first things that came to mind when I got those reviews was how many times I've (we've) seen people come blasting into one of these forums (I'm primarily hanging in Anderton's SSS or Backstage w/ the Band) and their first post will be something like "Check This Out", "Feedback Needed", "The Fabulous Turd Munchers New Album Available Now", "Tell Us What You Think!".

 

These guys need to know about this!

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Those folks blasting through the forum looking for feedback rarely read the forum, except maybe their own threads. How are they going to know about this placement opportunity?

 

Where did they tell you they would place your songs?

 

It's good to have b2b to comb through the fine print!

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Well now I'm home and can post some of the highlights, this is the e-mail msg:

 

 

We've listened to your release, The Only Game, and we've compiled our Hello Music Screening Team's reactions into a custom Music Feedback Report for you.


Our goal at Hello Music is to give you real feedback from music industry professionals for every release you submit. Not everyone has access to people in the music industry, and even if you do, you know it can be tough to get someone to give your music a decent listen and get back to you with their thoughts.


That's why we created this Music Feedback Report as a free service for all Hello Music artists. To level the playing field and help you learn more about your music and what opportunities are available out there for you.


Rest assured, this report was created specifically for you. Hello Music will not share this report without your permission. We hope you think of it as a tool to improve your music or help you better focus your efforts on areas that will take your music career to the next level.


This link connects you to your Music Feedback Report.


We stand behind what we say in this report. But remember, we are human beings listening to music and our opinions are inherently subjective, meaning we might have gotten some of it wrong. Even the best trained and most experienced ears can miss the next superstar! Feel free to take this advice and run with it, or ignore it completely and keep on keeping on.


Again, thank you for sending us your release. We hope you keep submitting more music and we'll keep giving you feedback - AND connecting you with fantastic opportunities.


Sincerely,

The Hello Music Team

 

 

Here's a couple highlights from the report which is actually 7 pages:

 

 

Genre Classification:

Alternative

Style Classification:

Alt-Country Alternative Rock Alt-Pop

Excellent Qualities:

Performance

Instruments - Lead

Production

Arrangement / Instrumentation

Qualities That Need Work:

Performance

Timing / Togetherness Vocals - Lead

Songwriting

Chorus Song Structure

Production

Production Quality

Potential Opportunities:

Digital Distribution Internet Radio Airplay Touring - Showcase

 

 

 

Our Screening Team heard aspects of these well-known artists in your release:

Bruce Springsteen

John Fogerty

John Mellencamp

Steve Miller Band

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Tommy Tutone

 

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Well now I'm home and can post some of the highlights, this is the e-mail msg:




Here's a couple highlights from the report which is actually 7 pages:

That looks helpful. I see you scored twice with production. (Excellent, but needs work. ;) ) Of course, that's the problem with checklist type analysis. But you say the whole thing is 7 pages long? So the above is just an absract then? 7 pages -- that's pretty in depth. Is that for all your submissions or just one song?

 

 

 

Actually, one great thing about using a checklist is you tend to cover the bases. In fact, maybe that would be a good idea for a discussion thread, crowdsourcing ideas on what might go on a feedback/critique checklist.

 

You know... sometimes you want to give feedback on a track, but you aren't sure where to begin. Other times you may write at some length about some aspects but ignore others. (This latter is, I know, a common failing of mine.) Of course, one doesn't want to get into pro forma stuff... but, yeah, it might be nice to have a sort of suggested checklist posted somewhere. (I'm going to be redoing the rules/resources sticky thread to make it easier to navigate and find specific resources and topics.)

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Is that for all your submissions or just one song?

Each review is 7 pages but the first one is a cover sheet, much of a sheet is wasted with a graph of where I rate, some parts are rather generic explainations of things and there's some other wasted space.

 

This, of course, is the better of the two.:)

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I got that sense, too, but as long as the chunks are well chosen, I don't see a problem with some prefab aspects to the answers -- especially things like disclaimers and explainers. I mean, I probably ought to find a macro plug in for things like, "I don't normally give extended comments on lyrics unless they're posted somewhere, but..." :D

 

 

I've known a few people who thought a couple paragraphs from a screener at Taxi was worth the money ($300/yr+$5 a song, I think), even without getting anything forwarded. Hey, at least they didn't lie to the guy. I could imagine a similar outfit stringing people along. You know, Las year I had two songs forwarded but nothing picked up... this might just be my lucky year. But from what I've heard, Taxi doesn't do that. That said, I'm too much a cheapskate to have people tell me stuff I already know. ;)

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Well, it is what it is. I'm sure there's a certain amount of cut and paste but I certainly have the impression that they listened. I'm sure they have a huge pile of songs they're listening too which only makes it all the harder to stand out. I can't help but think they're bound to get overwhelmed at some point.

 

The criticism seemed constructive to me; they offered advice and pointed to examples and youtube videos that teach, and to illustrate points. Even though I got a spanking it was an unexpected, helpful and eye opening surprise.

 

In the big picture I'm a minnow in the ocean and the odds against me being anything "special" are astronomical. That's why I just do it because I enjoy it. I'm writing these songs/lyrics, playing all the instruments and doing all the singing. I do the recording, mixing and mastering with just the software that I have (Logic Pro 9 in this case). I don't have any outside influence, professional guidance or even fellow band members to rely on for suggestions or opinions.

 

So all things considered I'm glad I signed up there and I just wanted to share what I experienced.

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