Dear musicians, do I sound like a scam???

[starlite]

I would like to hear from the musicians who have their myspace page. I used to play in a band (some 30 years ago ) and with my lack of talent, music never materialized as my career. Recently I started an internet talk radio, and it hit me that maybe I can help local aspiring musicians to reach more listeners through my web site. I know how hard it is to be heard, so I thought my web site would be a helpful medium for them to promote their music. So, I did a search on myspace for musicians in Kansas, and sent out the following message to them.

 

Title: A new web site for Kansas musicians I live in Manhattan and teach marketing at K-State. I'm setting up a new internet talk radio site, and also a sister site for Kansas musicians to give them more exposure. They are both non-profit sites with no ads or anything. I don't make any money out of them. It's just my hobby. Here is what I do. You send me your songs in mp3 files, I play it on my internet radio talk shows, and also put it on the Kansas music web site. You can specify whether you want to make them available for download or not. If not, the songs are just streamed on demand. I provide a link to your web site or myspace page, and time to time, I ask Kansas musicians to appear on my shows as guests as well. Check out the sites and let me know if you want to be featured on my sites. www.crazyprof.com (internet talk radio site) littleapplemusic.crazyprof.com (Kansas music site) I look forward to hearing from you! Best, Yun-Oh Whang The Crazy Professor

 

Now I have ZERO response. The messages are flagged as "read", but no one seems to be interested. It is puzzling to me because I don't think there is anything to lose for the musicians.

 

Here are my questions. Does my message sound like a scam??? I disclosed my identity, job, and the web site address, so I thought it would read genuine. And if they visit the web site, they would know I don't get any financial or other gain out of them and their music is not the core of the web site (the talk shows are). I have a separate Kansas music site as a subdomain, but it is something I designed to help the musicians, nothing more.

 

I am asking this because I'm kinda new to this whole myspace era, and there was another thread about a similar request. The OP of that thread suspected a scam, so it hit me that maybe what I'm doing might sound that way as well. Do you guys get this kind of message all the time? Is it something you would just ignore?

 

I'm just trying to do something for the community, and now I feel that I don't quite understand how things work in promoting music online.

 

Any pointers/feedback/experience would be greatly appreciated. I just want to understand what I'm doing wrong. If what I'm trying to do is not something of value to musicians, I can just take down the music portion of the site, so feel free to criticize my idea. I don't want to spend more time on it if it doesn't help anyone.

[BlueStrat]

No one wants to do it because more people have heard my cat fart than have listened to internet radio. It's an idea whose day may yet come but so far hasn't.

[starlite]

It just hit me that I have to kill you all because you all know my true identity...

[starlite]

No one wants to do it because more people have heard my cat fart than have listened to internet radio. It's an idea whose day may yet come but so far hasn't.

 

I see your point, and I completely agree on the lack of interest in internet radio. But, I was more puzzled by the music subdomain site that basically serves as a music library of the local musicians. I don't think it would hurt to have their music on there. I'm a marketing guy, so maybe I'm buying too much into the concept of "being everywhere you can"... I thought it would be a great venue with virtually no cost to promote their music, and I guess I was too optimistic...

[sabriel9v]

No one wants to do it because more people have heard my cat fart than have listened to internet radio.

 

Internet radio is leaps and bounds ahead of mainstream terrestrial radio...it's just better in all aspects. To the OP, maybe you could build up some sort of reputation through a music/radio blog site. If you can accumulate a decent sized fanbase through the blog, your fans will naturally want to hear your radio station.

[BlueStrat]

Internet radio is leaps and bounds ahead of mainstream terrestrial radio...it's just better in all aspects. To the OP, maybe you could build up some sort of reputation through a music/radio blog site. If you can accumulate a decent sized fanbase through the blog, your fans will naturally want to hear your radio station.

 

Maybe It's better, but that isn't really the point. I just don't know a single person who listens to it. Satellite? yes. Maybe it's because I work in a field that doesn't allow people to sit in front of computers all day, and when they do, there's usually something else going on. And that's the Achilles heel with internet radio: you have to be on the internet to listen to it. Which leaves out driving, jogging, biking, or for most people, listening at work.

[sabriel9v]

Maybe It's better, but that isn't really the point. I just don't know a single person who listens to it. Satellite? yes. Maybe it's because I work in a field that doesn't allow people to sit in front of computers all day, and when they do, there's usually something else going on. And that's the Achilles heel with internet radio: you have to be on the internet to listen to it. Which leaves out driving, jogging, biking, or for most people, listening at work.

 

Ahh, I thought you were referring to all non-terrestrial radio. I still feel that while Internet radio may be unpopular, it's not a shabby medium or realm in which one can further their business interests. You can access the Internet a variety of ways via mobile phone, blackberry, whatever...you don't just need a computer to do it anymore. But of course, I remain a staunch fan of Internet radio...I learned about a lot of great music through Internet radio and don't regret any of my guilty last fm and Pandora pleasures

[BlueStrat]

Ahh, I thought you were referring to all non-terrestrial radio. I still feel that while Internet radio may be unpopular, it's not a shabby medium or realm in which one can further their business interests. You can access the Internet a variety of ways via mobile phone, blackberry, whatever...you don't just need a computer to do it anymore. But of course, I remain a staunch fan of Internet radio...I learned about a lot of great music through Internet radio and don't regret any of my guilty last fm and Pandora pleasures

 

I like it, too....when I'm sitting in front of my computer. I listen to a blues channel or two (Hmmm...sounds like the name of band of a friend of mine...). I just wish I could get it everywhere elseand have it be practical and sound good.

 

We listen to satellite radio all the time at work in the shop.

[starlite]

Hey guys, I appreciate your comments, but I would like to go back to the issue at hand... I don't care that much about the internat radio part regarding the lack of interest from musicians. I know being played during my shows would not be of big help. What puzzles me more is the lack of interest in having their music on the littleapplemusic.crazyprof.com subdomain. It is designed to be a music library just like myspace, but just for Kansas musicians. I hoped that it would serve as a place fellow Kansans can go to check out the local bands and their gig schedule. If people like the music, they would go to their gigs, and hopefully buy their CDs. That was the whole point...

 

Musicians have nothing to lose, it doesn't cost them anything... I'm just trying to provide a free venue for on-demand streaming, but no interest. That's what puzzles me... Any idea what I'm doing/thinking wrong?

[nerol1st]

Personally I would rather join a weekly published podcast show than an internet radio show.

 

It's not that I have hate for internet radio, it's just a podcast can be loaded into an ipod and listened to whenever ya know?

[soundwave106]

Maybe It's better, but that isn't really the point. I just don't know a single person who listens to it.

 

Hmmm. I know less people who use the old-style Shoutcast services, but even there, there are about 4000-5000 people continuously listening to SomaFM's Groove Salad, for instance, and the eurotrance channel on DI.FM gets 3000ish or so. Probably better than many college radio or community stations. Then there's Pandora, which is half Internet radio and half a music discovery service. I know quite a bit of people who use that; you can't exactly measure how many people listen to each station there, because each station is unique. Last.FM seems to be popular with the Myspace social networking generation, similar sort of deal there.

 

As far as the original poster is concerned, this would've been a great idea in the old days of the Internet. These days, people connect via Myspace or other social networks these days, and I imagine many bands don't see the point. Plus, if your scene is like my scene, too many bands care about no band but themselves, and greet other bands with genuine hostility.

[Poker99]

starlite,

 

If you enjoy what you do and have the time, go seek for bands. A lot of them give some mp3 for free. Download them, and put them on your show. We, as musicians, get so much offer from everyone (most of them scams) and have so much to do that we most of the time will pass on those kind of offer that gives us only limited exposure and no real income.

[sabriel9v]

 

As far as the original poster is concerned, this would've been a great idea in the old days of the Internet. These days, people connect via Myspace or other social networks these days, and I imagine many bands don't see the point. Plus, if your scene is like my scene, too many bands care about no band but themselves, and greet other bands with genuine hostility.

 

 

+50 To the OP, you can always generate some sort of hype via a music blog. A blog that specifically caters to the Kansas scene, but other scenes as well. With that blog, you can simply post material by artists that you're interested. Hopefully, other people and bands will share the same interests and you can build a fanbase.

[BlueStrat]

 

What puzzles me more is the lack of interest in having their music on the littleapplemusic.crazyprof.com subdomain. It is designed to be a music library just like myspace, but just for Kansas musicians. I hoped that it would serve as a place fellow Kansans can go to check out the local bands and their gig schedule. If people like the music, they would go to their gigs, and hopefully buy their CDs. That was the whole point... Musicians have nothing to lose, it doesn't cost them anything... I'm just trying to provide a free venue for on-demand streaming, but no interest. That's what puzzles me... Any idea what I'm doing/thinking wrong?

 

 

 

Are you advertising on TV and in print media (entertainment sections of newspapers)? Maybe the problem is no one knows you exist. I have 3 young adult kids, and all of them grab the entertainment weekly out of the paper on Friday afternoon to see what's going on for the weekend- who's playing where, what movies are on,and events.

 

Maybe one problem is that you're too narrowly focused? Because outside of a handful of rabid music fans, the only people who seem to follow who's playing where are other musicians in bands. My kids and their friends, anyway, like to see what their options are comprehensively, be it clubs, film, live theater or festivals and events. Sure, they have bands they like, but I don't think any of my kids have bands they follow around.

[slight-return]

Here are my questions. Does my message sound like a scam???

 

I guess in short Id say - "Yes"

 

I don't mean to, in any way, imply that it is a scam, I just can see how it could get dismissed as scam/spam type stuff.

That's the problem, we've grown accustomed to it and we are going to make (sometimes our machines make) quick judgements and aren't going to research the validity deeply b/c there's just too much of it (spam) out there

 

The "deposed leaders" of a number of smaller countries have also supplied their names/personal info so that I can help them access $15,000,000 in offshore accounts -- just putting up that sort of info isn't going to get you very far (hell, Ive recieved emails...from myself! -- spoofed "froms")

 

If not scam, it can still read like spam (which I suppose it is)

 

 

I'm not sure I hve a whole lot of helpful advise (esp on a comprehensive strategy), but here are some thoughts on th myspace type issues

 

I think you are going to need a softer sell

 

Perhaps you could try just setting up a myspace acct tailored to your webshow ("the *** myspace page" ) then go back and just do a "friend request" to those kansas musicians...so you are soliciting anything, rather, establishing a presence

then let the 'customer come into the shop'

 

instead of explaining "the deal" in the message, put information about that on the myspace page . Then, if you want to contact people, you can do it with more of a feel like (just a rough example)

 

"Hey, I noticed you are in the Kansas music scene. I'm also into getting people aware and out in Kansasian ? music...when you get a minute, check out what I'm doing over at (the myspace page which can then get em to the web content)

 

 

eh, just a thought -- If I were to get the contact as you mention, I probably would open it, and delete it with merely a cursory read...just b/c the style and format triggers my mental filters

[BlueStrat]

Kansas music scene.

Now why does that sound like an oxymoron?

 

:poke:

 

 

[Deeprig9]

I lost all respect for Bluestrat. Sure, I agree 100% with his opinion on the subject, be he's apparently a cat person.

[Deeprig9]

If I got that in my in-box, and I lived in Kansas, I'd at least message you back with more questions. There is alot of spam, but some of it is worth checking into, out of boredom if nothing else. I can't believe you've gotten no responses. How many bands did you send this to? Perhaps type an individual message to each band so it isn't a form letter.

[BlueStrat]

I lost all respect for Bluestrat. Sure, I agree 100% with his opinion on the subject, be he's apparently a cat person.

 

Why do you hate kittens?

[Deeprig9]

Shark bait is cute in it's infancy, but dogs retain their cuteness, and loyalty.

 

 

That's right, I'm so insecure that I need a dumb animal to reinforce my sense of self-worth, daily.

 

 

 

[Instrospection]

 

Plus, if your scene is like my scene, too many bands care about no band but themselves, and greet other bands with genuine hostility.

 

 

Yup--I think that pertains to our scene as well: if you're bad, it's almost like you're embraced by bands, because you're not perceived as threatening. I know for a fact that when you aim for worldwide recognition, most people here balk at that....it's like a club where you have to be bad or play by the same rules, in order to gain acceptance. Anonymous. Conforming. But even that can backfire--if you're too much the same, you're too much of competition

 

The same thing happens when you're actually good. The "not wanting to get blown off the stage" thing happens to bands that don't embrace friendly competition and wanting to have to elevate their game. So the scene gets stuck in really bland, mediocre cornerstones of people who think that they're the best band around, when maybe they're the best band on their block.....because there's no other bands on their block. I've seen people and scenes turn their backs on other bands that I thought were great, but they didn't play the right political games. Often, the industry, even on the smallest level possible, functions with so many bull{censored} politics in pandering to audiences and scenes. Maybe not everywhere, but definetely here. If you're too different or too much the same--and too good at being the same--you lose, flat out.

[Deeprig9]

Hey guys, I appreciate your comments, but I would like to go back to the issue at hand... I don't care that much about the internat radio part regarding the lack of interest from musicians. I know being played during my shows would not be of big help. What puzzles me more is the lack of interest in having their music on the littleapplemusic.crazyprof.com subdomain. It is designed to be a music library just like myspace, but just for Kansas musicians. I hoped that it would serve as a place fellow Kansans can go to check out the local bands and their gig schedule. If people like the music, they would go to their gigs, and hopefully buy their CDs. That was the whole point... Musicians have nothing to lose, it doesn't cost them anything... I'm just trying to provide a free venue for on-demand streaming, but no interest. That's what puzzles me... Any idea what I'm doing/thinking wrong?

 

We already have myspace and other established free services to serve the purpose you are providing. If someone wants to know all about Kansas bands, they can search Kansas Bands on myspace. Your product doesn't meet any desired demand, you are trying to supply something there isn't a demand for, and you wonder why you can't get clients? Are you a democrat? No offense.... that's just how I read it.

 

As far as internet radio, I don't know anything about internet radio, niether does anyone I know, so that may be part of the problem, as others have already stated.

[Instrospection]

 

No one wants to do it because more people have heard my cat fart than have listened to internet radio. It's an idea whose day may yet come but so far hasn't.

 

 

Yeah, really, that's the crux of it....there's little or no interest. I even did my own campus radio show a few years back, and let me tell you, there wasn't a helluva lot of interest. There was definetely people listening and enjoying the music, but no one was going to the shows that i'd help put on by touring bands. Maybe 1 or 2, but that was about it. And I had friends that did great radio shows where they could play whatever they wanted--and they didn't have much interest In order to reach people either, it's this weird grey area....because people are not listening to radio, they're not checking out internet radio, MTV is dead, MySpace is still there but is nearly dead, too.

 

Even for the promos for our next album, if someone says that they have a podcast, i'll just tell them, "to tell you the truth, no one really has much of an audience for that". We've got some actual radio play in Belgium recently (and for some reason, our 2nd royalty cheque that we got for last year....yesterday...was nearly as much as the 1st), but you have to wonder what even radio play nets you in the end, as i'm trying to figure it out for myself. You can even get 100 plays, and that's $9.10, if you go on the 9.1 cent royalties that bands get. I'm not sure how it works for their royalty payments, but the rewards for bands that even hit actual radio aren't exactly "greener grasses".

[starlite]

Thank you for your input, guys~ I think I understand a little more about what people see in the message I sent out. I guess I was naive to think that people would welcome the idea of having an extra venue to promote their music.

 

Like I said earlier, it's my money-spending hobby, not a revenue earning business, so it's not a big deal. Now I will be patient and take slow steps. I have a few musicians who sent me their CDs/mp3 files, so that's a good start. (They are not the ones I contacted on myspace. They saw my announcement at a guitar shop in town.)

[sabriel9v]

 

Thank you for your input, guys~ I think I understand a little more about what people see in the message I sent out. I guess I was naive to think that people would welcome the idea of having an extra venue to promote their music. Like I said earlier, it's my money-spending hobby, not a revenue earning business, so it's not a big deal. Now I will be patient and take slow steps. I have a few musicians who sent me their CDs/mp3 files, so that's a good start. (They are not the ones I contacted on myspace. They saw my announcement at a guitar shop in town.)

 

 

I can't recall if you said this, but what type of material are you looking to play?