Why Aren't You Top 40?

[fluffy_little_something]

Honestly? Lack of talent!

Same here Not just talent, also ambition, a message, and a good-looking black singer

Same here.

But mostly lack of time.

I'm too busy being Bottom 7 Billion

Time is not the problem here, I have lots of spare time, but I am not really comfortable enough with the whole software stuff. Often I just program patches, but never get to make music with them. It's almost as if I avoided to turn on the DAW, maybe because I know it won't lead to anything worth mentioning.

Another reason is that I don't know other people with the same taste of music who would work together with me. Nor do I know people who would write lyrics for me (as a non-native speaker I don't want to write lyrics, I have heard other embarrassing examples of that). Not to mention that the sound and style I like are totally outdated, but I could not make music the way it sounds today, it would just not be me.

And age of course, there is a time for everything. When I was the right age, I was poor and couldn't afford piano lessens, etc. And of course there was no software back then, everything was expensive hardware. And now I am too old. And gee, I was so terribly shy when I was young, having to give a speech before class almost gave me panic attacks. I could never have sung or played in front of people, everyone staring at me...

One thing I noticed which has really taken a lot of my creativity and motivation away recently was having sold the digital piano because of the move, so that I only had the 32-key controller left. When I still had the full keyboard I really sat down and worked out chord sequences. On the 32-key controller that was just not possible, or at least very clumsy. I am glad I will have at least a 49-key controller soon, maybe that will motivate me again

For those who want to become starts, I heard there are programs that analyze melodies and say what the chances are they will be successful by appealing to the masses

[bmrzycki]

Music is purely a hobby for me, an outlet for life. Doing something for money completely changes the thing you're doing. It would be so stressful to be told "be creative, now make us an album for next March". No thanks.

It also helps that I'm crap at it too.

[NickMo]

It's not necessarily detrimental to be paid to be creative and therefore be under pressure. A. deadline stops you procrastinating and gives you focus. And the fact you are being paid for it can mean that you have more time to be creative because you don't need to spend so much time trying to earn money. The down side is that your work will be put out there for all to hear even if you yourself are not happy with what you produced.

When I was a teenager, loads of my friends and acquaintances wanted to make it in music, mainly as recording artists, songwriters or fronting a band. 20 years on and most have failed in this aim. Many still do music and have a great time doing it but earn no money from it. A couple have had songs played on BBC radio 1 etc but have still barely earned a penny from music. I can only think of three of my earlier acquaintances who have actually made a career and some decent money from music. One by doing remixes, another by doing the live sound for a famous band, and another by putting on parties and booking DJs who are more famous/talented than he is. So I guess if you want to make it in music you have to widen your aims from just 'being in the top 40'.

Another thought: I could see pretty early on that the odds of creative success were poor, so I had a plan B to earn a living another way. But maybe those successful top 40 producers and stars are those people who are so driven that they wouldn't even for a minute consider having a plan B.

[XorXisT]

Honestly? Lack of talent!

Same here Not just talent, also ambition, a message, and a good-looking black singer

Same here.

But mostly lack of time.

I'm too busy being Bottom 7 Billion

For those who want to become starts, I heard there are programs that analyze melodies and say what the chances are they will be successful by appealing to the masses

Please share!

[fluffy_little_something]

http://www.gizmag.com/predicting-hit-songs/20939/

[JCJR]

Well, the ambition to be a star singer, either with or without also playing an instrument, would require different qualifications and need different promotion compared to becoming a star instrumentalist or writer. Though all those positions are coveted by far more people than will ever succeed. Bulldog perserverance with exceptional salesmanship are relevant to raising the odds of rising to the top in any niche.

Dunno the rewards of a pure writing career nowadays. I don't keep up with it. In the past some folks made a pretty good income writing. Another old buddy had been "staff piano player" for a very successful nashville writer back in the day. Almost daily demo sessions for just the one writer.

He was of the opinion that unless you are unbelievably prolific, you don't have good prospects writing. Write at least one song per day, deliver demos to the publisher in lots of 20 or more at a time. Of which the publisher might keep one or two, and eventually place even fewer on released albums. He was of the opinion that a fella who only rarely cranks out a "masterpiece" hasn't much of a chance based on odds alone.

And you not only have to be a GOOD writer or performer, you have to constantly keep trying to sell the stuff you are cranking out.

[XorXisT]

http://www.gizmag.com/predicting-hit-songs/20939/

Thanks!

"A major problem with this system for budding songwriters is that (so far) it can only measure the characteristics of a fully constructed piece of music".

That's my problem! Can't measure 8 bar loops!

[DJ Warmonger]

Okay, I got to finally finish this track and release it... then make 50 more. That's my plan and it has no weak points, in fact.

Beatport top40 is easier to reach than one would thought, charts change every day.

[vurt]

because I dont care about such things.

[RunBeerRun]

Ok now my mind is changed, I'm a new (dead) man.

[The_Hidden_Goose]

I don't even know what is in the top 40 these days.

With the internet letting me find the music I'm likely to like without wading through a tonne of stuff I don't, and not really watcghing TV or seeing adverts very much with browser addons and such...The top 40 might as well not exist to me.

The only thing that really keeps me even vaguely aware of current trends that I don't like are all the sample and preset libs that focus a lot on certain types of music that I'm likely to come across at places like this.

I don't make danceable music. I don't make singable songs. I don't make anthemic rock. What's left for the top 40 these days?

[JCJR]

In the usa top 40 seems alive and well, though I usually pay it no mind. All that is necessary is to turn on the radio and scan the local stations. Or watch star search type boring programs.

When I made live music for a living had to pay attention to it, because the average customer of live music for some reason wishes to hear what he has already heard many times before. There are rarer customers who want to hear new, but so rare as to be cherished when found.

So if the task is to pay the rent by making live music, it is easiest to accomplish the task by playing what people have been pre-brainwashed into liking.

Perhaps one factor is that the average person may be somewhat interested in music, but by the nature of being a socialized human is more interested in stories and human personalities. So good looking people with "interesting" stories and personalities tend to on average make music more "interesting to the masses". Sometimes called showmanship. The same music will be perceived better if accompanied by handsome people projecting emotion and jumping around a lot, showing a lot of energy.

Long ago played at a club owned by quite a character, an old greek immigrant who had earned what he had the hard way. He said, "you guys sound good but you need a monkey." "We need a monkey?" "Yeah, you need a monkey to stand in front, sing and dance and jump around so the people will know you sound good."

[ghettosynth]

Long ago played at a club owned by quite a character, an old greek immigrant who had earned what he had the hard way. He said, "you guys sound good but you need a monkey." "We need a monkey?" "Yeah, you need a monkey to stand in front, sing and dance and jump around so the people will know you sound good."

Yep, you need a monkey, for best effect, get a monkey with dirty pillows.

[ATS]

I got number one in electronic at Soundclick for about 2 weeks with "Take Me To The Sun"

I feel that was a pretty good accomplishment and I made the song in one day.

[trimph1]

because I dont care about such things.

Me neither.