Getting noticed when you're a bedroom studio band...

[daddymack]

It still begs the question...why do you need to "play live" to succeed? So why does having lots of alcoholic friends and relatives validate your bedroom recording artistry?

Because how else do you reach out to people?

The internet is a giant cold expanse, like deep space.

Even if you have the greatest songs EVER, how do people find them? Withougt getting someone else involved with your music, you can't expand. On the internet, there is soo much crap, no one can possibly be expected to stumble on you. You have to make a concerted effort, even as a solo, and go out and be seen in person, where people congregate.

I don't know if this happens anywhere else, but LA being the market it is, I laugh every time I see late night ads on cable for 'bands' touting their new CD release, but no gig list is offered, so you know there is no 'band'. Some guy just dumped his life savings into a scattershot attempt to mass market himself.

Epic Fail? 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time

I have never heard of this working...ask Angelyne how much she has spent over the years, and where it has gotten her in the Entertainment Industry.

[BlueStrat]

 

I don't know what the hell I'm doing. All I know is that I can't stop writing stupid songs. I think my stupid songs are pretty kickass, though. I wish Rick Rubin would call me.

 

 

I think some of your songs are quite good.

[Thrustin]

 

I think some of your songs are quite good.

 

 

Thanks, man. I'm doin' my best.

[damajackal]

This is a tough question. I am a musical comedian so I play a lot of comedy clubs and that's where I try to sell my albums and get people clicking through to my website (www.rhunekincaid.com, shameless plug) to buy mp3s.

 

The biggest hurdle I usually face is that even the most enthusiastic fan I make has just been raped to the tune of $30-70 by the comedy club and it's 2-drink minimum, valet parking, etc... The ticket sales, which I might see a part of, are about 5-10% of my fan's expenses for the evening. After all of that, who wants to buy a $5 CD? Not me.

 

It's kind of tragic. I think my bedroom recordings are half-decently arranged and produced, but all people ever hear is my solo comedy show which is in every possible way, musically inferior.

 

*sniffle*

 

I need the venue to get me people to play to, but I need venues that are kinder to my potential customers.

[richardmac]

That IS an interesting problem. Huh. Here's my gut instinct - if you play humorous songs, there are TONS of bars and clubs that would love to have you. But my guess would be that they're not going to pay you what you make in a comedy club. Just a guess. But if they love you at a bar or club you'll sell a lot of CD's, especially if you're only charging 5 bucks. So you might make less money but sell more CD's. But then again I have no idea what one would make at a comedy club. But from the sound of it, a lot more than a bar...

 

But wait - I just went and checked out your web page. You ARE funny. Probably too funny to be playing in some bar somewhere. I'd stick to the comedy clubs. If they're not buying at the club, maybe pass out or have available something free (business card, flyer with funny joke on it, whatever) that has your web address, then pimp the hell out the CD on the site, more so than you are now. Sidenote suggestion - I'd consider using bandcamp over dignation, because it's a better experience for the viewer IMHO, but take with grain of salt. Good luck, though, and keep plugging away!

[Dancebass]

Not playing live = dry humping.

[richardmac]

 

Not playing live = dry humping.

 

 

LOL! It's TRUE! I was a one man "bedroom band" for several years before I decided "the hell with it, I'll go out and play solo if I have to." And it was a really smart decision. It MAKES you a better musician. Anyone who claims otherwise isn't playing live gigs. It also messes with your head. You'd better be ready to put your ego in your back pocket. Some nights you will have attractive women telling you that you are soooo talented. And other nights you will be 100% ignored and in some cases given dirty looks or worse. And some nights you'll have tons of people cheering, and other nights you'll be playing for a few people who are totally ignoring you.

[Blackwatch]

Not playing live = dry humping.

 

 

[flatfinger]

 

and other nights you'll be playing for a few people who are totally ignoring you.

 

 

... "If I only had a dollar for every song I sung...

or every time I had to play, while people sat there drunk"

 

 

 

 

CCR , "Stuck in Lodi Again":thu:

[damajackal]

That IS an interesting problem. Huh. Here's my gut instinct - if you play humorous songs, there are TONS of bars and clubs that would love to have you. But my guess would be that they're not going to pay you what you make in a comedy club. Just a guess. But if they love you at a bar or club you'll sell a lot of CD's, especially if you're only charging 5 bucks. So you might make less money but sell more CD's. But then again I have no idea what one would make at a comedy club. But from the sound of it, a lot more than a bar... But wait - I just went and checked out your web page. You ARE funny. Probably too funny to be playing in some bar somewhere. I'd stick to the comedy clubs. If they're not buying at the club, maybe pass out or have available something free (business card, flyer with funny joke on it, whatever) that has your web address, then pimp the hell out the CD on the site, more so than you are now. Sidenote suggestion - I'd consider using bandcamp over dignation, because it's a better experience for the viewer IMHO, but take with grain of salt. Good luck, though, and keep plugging away!

 

Making money at a comedy club is hit and miss. A lot of the time, the producers are just looking out for themselves and trying to fill the venue and sell drinks, which leads to a bad post-show economy for me.

 

I give out custom guitar picks with my website on it.

 

What do you like about bandcamp? Is it 100% royalties? It seems weird that it lets people stream your entire album without buying it. I'm also not understanding their "How much it costs." They take a percentage out of SOME artists downloads? Maybe I'm just paranoid.

[Kramerguy]

This reminds me of that TV commercial where the tennis star is about to hit the ball and all these whackos come running onto the court swinging wildly.. and then the announcer is like "when everyone throws themselves out there, how does the true talent stand out"? (paraphrased)

 

So, mr. bedroom recorder.. first off, when you made the album, did you demo the songs to people you didn't know (friends and family LIE and say they like it, even when they don't)? Did you re-arrange the songs based on the demos? Did you hire a producer to help with the sound, arrangements, vision?

 

Did you hire an engineer to master the album to reach it's most dynamic potential?

 

Making an album on sonic or cakewalk just isn't enough. I think everyone else said it all already.

[Metalman X]

Oi...I'm in the same boat here. Trying to promote my own stuff. Just trying to find alternative avenues to promotion and whatnot.

 

Seriously...I miss playing live, but truth is, what I do is not flavor of the month stuff, and well, one of the reasons I go it solo now is I got fed up with trying to find people within even the same ballpark as what inspires me (nevermind the fact that most people I come across are younger guys with heart, but no focus, or guys my age...25-30...too busy with work and starting families to put the time in to take this seriously). So live performance, for me, is probably out of the question at this juncture. Solo gigs? Well....I really wouldn't even know where to begin trying to play the music I do solo. I mean, I could, but it'd become something totally different than what I really intend it to be in the first place.

 

I mean, can you see this being played in a quiet coffee shop setting?

 

[YOUTUBE]Wlxb3wIzhUs[/YOUTUBE]

 

 

I AM however starting to look into ways I can get my music into movie soundtracks. Even if it's some low/no budget college student production....who knows? I'm told alot of my material has a very dark, ambient soundtrack like vibe, so I'm thinking it could be another angle to work.

 

 

I guess what I'm getting at is....yes, it's an over saturated market, and what can one do to really stand out, and have a shot when A) The music doesn't fit any current trends (or even past ones for that matter?) and B) Forming a live band is basically totally not feasible lest one pay out of pocket for people who are even semi competent, willing to show up, and be professional? (hard to do when you live paycheck to paycheck, have a mortgage, student loans, and can barely afford to invest in a $50 pedal let alone a group of 4-6 dudes on a regular gigging basis)

 

I guess the only real answer is keep plugging away, be creative, and hope to sell like five or six CD's a year?

[Poker99]

Live music is the future?

 

How can it be the future? Its harder and harder to get paid, because so many bands are ready to play for free! Promoters don't give a damn about us being good or not, they know other bands can take our place. Play gigs in front of 20 people who don't know about you in crappy bars won't change a damn thing to your carreer. You'll just end up losing money and your health.

 

Honestly, I have no solution. lol

[Scafeets]

 

Hello all. I'm a man whose made an album and released it (thru Tunecore). I have a nice website ( www.airport85.co.uk ) and the songs are all pretty chipper and can be listened to it through there. I use Facebook and Twitter to promote, and have spent the last few weeks emailing and posting to every blog, magazine and radio station going. I'm exhausted. And I just can't get a break. Anyone got any advice? Cheers

 

 

Hey Airport85:

I hope all this cynicism didn't drive you away after only one post on H-C. As you no doubt have surmised, this is a tough room that has a tendency to bark at noob posters who do any self-promotion.

You have a great website, some nice songs (I like Back Down at lot) and a terrific video (Nightcrossing).

 

I will not pile on with more "get your ass out and perform" advice, but will point out that, as an artist, you are headed into some very rough terrain if you don't. Think about the progenitors of the studio-only approach. I can think of a few examples: Klaatu, Alan Parsons and George Martin. Parsons and Martin would have gone broke if they didn't produce other people. I don't know if Klaatu ever made any money, but I think they finally left the studio to try.

You have skills as a producer, songwriter, director, artist....

Based on what you have presented on your website, I think you can succeed at any of them. Putting that energy into promotion and marketing will pay dividends, so don't let the rough treatment here deter you.

[sventvkg]

Truth.

 

not me I've never done anything on full time basis other than music (except for The Army) for a living and I'm happy Never tried to be famous, just good. Now I'm trying to make some things happen with my own music but I've been busting my ass writing and have never stopped improving. Never had a desire to have a "job" I have done some other things on the side though in the studio, school, and a couple years in the Army because I wanted to do it while I was young. Other then that it's been music. I'm not beaten down by this business at all. It's what you make of it.

 

That said, being able to rise above the Din is almost impossible unless your music is at the very top of quality. If you can get to that point, then go out and play some gigs in a place like Nashville, try to get some publishing happening, licensing through Taxi, publishers, etc etc..If you have that you MIGHT be able to rise above the din....I wouldn't worry about anything other then trying to be {censored}ing GREAT...It's ALL ABOUT THE SONG.

[Dessalines]

Move to the living room.

 

Actually the correct answer is play out. Even then there is so much competition, (see this forum & a million others), that is so fierce, that it won't pay to bother unless it's an act of true love.

 

Most musicians lead lives of quiet, desperate, cynicism.

[michael_B]

Frankly, due to total lack of interested local musicians, I'm going the looping route. Maybe my music sucks, or maybe all the local musicians do, either way you have to get out there. Granted, I probably should have structured the music differently on my last release If I knew I wouldn't be able to find anybody to play it, but then I suppose that's why I ended up recording all the instruments myself to begin with.

 

I've tossed the electric guitar for the time being as well...

[grace_slick]

I am a spare bedroom musician who has lofty dreams of somehow having my stuff heard, noticed and liked by someone and then living a life of blissful anonymity but with enough popularity to not have to work in a boring office job to pay the bills. *total state of insane denial*

[Dancebass]

How bout trying to "get noticed" when you're packing out clubs on weekend nights for 2 years????

 

Get noticed by what???

 

There is nothing to get noticed by. Well.....girls maybe? That's about it!

[daddymack]

^The trick is, if you are doing that, you should be getting some local press coverage at least...and if you aren't, then get off your ass and go get it. Then trade on the press to get you into the festival circuit, fairs, etc.

[Dancebass]

 

^The trick is, if you are doing that, you should be getting some local press coverage at least...and if you aren't, then get off your ass and go get it. Then trade on the press to get you into the festival circuit, fairs, etc.

 

 

Well, you would think so wouldn't ya? Sometimes things don't work that way. We have a press that doesn't actually cover the local music scene. We have a press that is romantic about the idea of our town having a signature sound like "Seattle" did in the past.

 

They have decided what that sound is going to be and anything outside that genre is blacklisted. We get press still, but it's from small blogs and such. Luckily we get treated fairly out of town. So that's our focus for now.

[Scafeets]

 

Well, you would think so wouldn't ya? Sometimes things don't work that way. We have a press that doesn't actually cover the local music scene. We have a press that is romantic about the idea of our town having a signature sound like "Seattle" did in the past. They have decided what that sound is going to be and anything outside that genre is blacklisted. We get press still, but it's from small blogs and such. Luckily we get treated fairly out of town. So that's our focus for now.

 

You're complaining about Atlanta??!! Compared to most places, y'all have it easy. Creative Loafing does a great job promoting local bands in print and online. WRAS, College Underground Radio and WREK are very tuned into the local scene and super-receptive to local talent.Even the mainstream AJC covers music better than most big-city papers.

I know a lot of musicians in a lot of trendy "scene" towns that would trade places in a minute for the kind of access you can get in Atlanta.

[Dancebass]

 

You're complaining about Atlanta??!!

 

 

No, not really. I can't complain, especially when it comes to the volume of options that we have. There's just some silliness that goes on here sometimes. Same as other places I'm sure, but we could have a much better scene if the "in-town" hip music press didn't look down it's nose at some of the bands out in the suburbs that draw 10X the number of people.

 

I say this, and I'm in one of the "in-town" bands, so it's not all sour grapes on my part. I just think the press here desperately wants the city to be thought of as "artsy" and that's the angle they take on everything. Fear of being seen as Georgia rednecks causes them to overcompensate and they miss the boat on most of the bands that eventually break from here.

 

For example they'll spend 5 years pushing some avant-garde art project on everyone that never really goes anywhere, then fail to give a band like Mastodon any coverage at all until after they've already toured the country opening for Slayer three times!! That's HUGE!!! Any other town that I've ever lived in would be freaking out if they had a local metal band touring the world with Slayer. Here? Not a single word until they were too big to ignore any further. It happens ALL THE TIME around here though.

[Nijyo]

No, not really. I can't complain, especially when it comes to the volume of options that we have. There's just some silliness that goes on here sometimes. Same as other places I'm sure, but we could have a much better scene if the "in-town" hip music press didn't look down it's nose at some of the bands out in the suburbs that draw 10X the number of people. I say this, and I'm in one of the "in-town" bands, so it's not all sour grapes on my part. I just think the press here desperately wants the city to be thought of as "artsy" and that's the angle they take on everything. Fear of being seen as Georgia rednecks causes them to overcompensate and they miss the boat on most of the bands that eventually break from here. For example they'll spend 5 years pushing some avant-garde art project on everyone that never really goes anywhere, then fail to give a band like Mastodon any coverage at all until after they've already toured the country opening for Slayer three times!! That's HUGE!!! Any other town that I've ever lived in would be freaking out if they had a local metal band touring the world with Slayer. Here? Not a single word until they were too big to ignore any further. It happens ALL THE TIME around here though.

 

Maybe they think about Mastodon what I think about Mastodon.... :bor:

[Dancebass]

Maybe they think about Mastodon what I think about Mastodon.... :bor:

 

I could go along with that if it was their job to have an opinion. Their job is to cover the local music scene. They do it poorly.