SOUNDHYPE / FIVE HYPE (SCAM)

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Hello everyone, i want to share with you my experience in the last month of dealing with music "experts" and "promoters"

Sorry about the super long post :)

As an aspiring artist that's looking for the right opportunity for promotion and marketing i used the internet recently to check out the scene through self proclaimed "experts"

I stumbled on a few websites that promote your music and get you "likes" depending on the amount you pay, and its understandable that some people like this method of promotion. I really wasn't looking for fame or for an "instant contract" all i wanted is to be heard by a professional and get some feedback.

And that's exactly what i found, a few companies online will have experts and professionals listen to your music and either give you feedback or if your music is good you might be lucky enough to be hand selected by them
and that is where MusicXray aka music x-ray at http://www.musicxray.com/ comes in which claims to be the "21st century A&R" and the bridge between independent artists like my self and labels

I saw a post on music xray by SoundHype / Five Hype at http://www.soundhype.com / http://fivehype.com which from their about us page is all about discovering new artists, booking shows and knowing the right people http://soundhype.com/about/ which is exactly what i want.
their post said to submit your music to be reviewed by professionals with the possibility of it being featured.
SoundHype charged me $20 to listen to my track.
my track was selected by SoundHype within 24 hours of submission, and that's when they started asking for more money to "promote" my track, $500 before they would even tell me what are the details of what they do.

the details of what happened are in the copy/paste below, i want to make sure that no one else fell for what these guys do and how they bait you with dreams and hope and sounding professional and once they know you can't be milked their tone changes to the extreme even threatening to ruin my name with all the labels and everyone in the business by abusing his interns to slander a name because i mentioned i would tell people about my experience with them.

the post on music xray has now been deleted but i do have a screenshot of it below





On Feb 5, 2014, at 12:23 PM,

Andrew Provost wrote:

Hi my name is Andrew, I work for SoundHype. 

We have selected your music onmusicxray.com and would like to get a little more information about your track. 
1. The BPM 
2. Story: What message were you trying to convey
3. Mood: What kind of mood will the track put you in. (sexy, calm, smooth etc.)
4. Genre 
5. Instrumentation: What did you use to produce this track (synthesizer, piano, keyboard etc.) 
6. Professional Organization- a) BMI b) ASCAP or other.
7. Copyright Licensing 
8. Songwriter
9. Composer/ Producer
10. Recording Studio
11. Lyrics (if applicable)
12. Instrumental 
13. Downloadable Track

-- 
Andrew Provost
Five Hype / SoundHype

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Date: Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 1:39 PM
From: AB1 
Subject: Re: Music Xray- SoundHype



Hi Andrew,

Thank you for selecting my song Deltitnu. I am very happy and excited! 

Here's the answer for your questions:

1) 127 BPM
2) I want to take you on a happy emotional roller coaster 
3) Happy, Excited or Make you dance.
4) Dance / EDM / House
5) I produced this song from scratch. I have my midi keyboard, my MacBook Pro and my headphones. I use vst synths and play everything on the keyboard. I use Cubase for my DAW.
6) ASCAP 
7) All rights of the song belongs to me.
8) myself (Abed Albarq aka. AB1)
9) myself (Abed Albarq aka. AB1)
10) recorded at my home studio
11) N/A
12) www.soundcloud.com/ab-1-1
13) www.soundcloud.com/ab-1-1

I have a lot more tracks like this and I am about to post a new song in a few days that will blow everyone's mind :)

I hope I answered your questions. Please let me know what is the next step from here for which I am very excited.

Thank you again.

AB1

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Feb 11
AB1 to andrew





Hi Andrew,

I'm  just following up with you. It's been a week since I responded to your email. I just want to know what is the next step with SoundHype and how long does your company usually takes to be in full contact with me.

Your response is highly appreciated.

Best regards,

AB1

http://www.soundcloud.com/ab-1-1

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Feb 17
AB1 to andrew




Hi Andrew,

This is AB1, it's been almost 2 weeks since the last email I received from you. And I am now wondering if you are going to be in contact with me!

I called you, left you a message and emailed you last week and I still didn't hear back from you. 

I dealt with other companies that scammed me at the end and I hope this is not one of those. This will be the last email I send and I hope to hear back from you by the end of this week.

Best regards,

AB1

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AB1
Feb 21

to sam

Hi Sam,

I was given your email by Andrew Provost from Sound Hype.

My Track got selected by your company, and its been over 2 weeks with no contact about what is the next step.

Please contact me as soon as possible to let me know what is the next step from here.

Regards,

AB1

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AB1 to KO

Feb 26 (2 days ago)


Hi K. O,


I was given your email by Andrew Provost from Sound Hype.

My Track got selected over 3 weeks ago by your company on music x-Ray.

My song got selected on Music X-ray by soundhype.


Andrew emailed me about my song sheet and he said that you should go over some marketing plans with me.

Please contact me as soon as possible to let me know what is the next step from here.

Regards,

AB1
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Kardinal Klay (R.O) to AB1

Feb 26 (2 days ago)



Here is everything we offer. We do payment plans / monthly retainers / and include instrumentals for you to record to and original hooks for you to release.

Custom pitch packet / sales sheet for the single (we need high quality images and questionnaires filled out)
Custom designed email blast to

music blogs (350),
A & R (100),
record label executives (300),
film / TV contacts (100),
and music fans (50k total emails)
Twitter (20k)
Facebook (5k)
Adrian Swish (Alumni Music Group) mixtape (gets 8k - 10k downloads each time)
Social Media Syndication - Pinterest / Linkedin / Reddit / StumbleUpon etc - 20k
Google+ direct message blast 2,000
A & R Panel Sound Hype Review and feedback/Add onto Denver Sound Hype Events.



*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 26 (2 days ago)


Can you please explain to me the details of the amounts to pay and how does everything work for me.

Thank you

AB1




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Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 26

The Package is $500 which will be paid through Paypal. We start working as soon as we receive it back.

*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 26 (2 days ago)


I'm very sorry, but your answer is still very short and not clear. Please explain to me what was the point of my song getting selected by you on music x-Ray? I paid $20 and it said that if you like what you hear you will conduct an interview with me and feature my song on your website.nothing about paying an additional $500. This is completely different than what you said. Please find attached what you said on music x-Ray.
11.png

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Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 26


You talked to somebody else on music x-ray. Im following up about the marketing services we offer. Its a pitch package we have going for artist and producers. Not just anyone gets to work with us, your work has to be reviewed by a member of our team then broken down by A&Rs (Adrian Swish,Mike Downey) to have the opportunity to be promoted further with Sound Hype.

*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 26


I might be interested in your offer but first, can you please direct me to the person who handles the Music X-ray department.

I want to find out about the interview and getting my music featured on your website first for which my song got selected for that reason.


Thank you,


*********************************************************************************************************
Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 26


Yes, I handle everything going forward. I create and manage the post from pitch engine onto our Sound Hype site. I send out the questions for interview as well. We will handle all PR & Marketing for you as well as provide free prouduction from our Soundcloud beat pg.(soundcloud.com/soundhype)

*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 27 (1 day ago)


That's great. When can we start?


*********************************************************************************************************
Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 27


I can send over the invoice then once its received we get to work!


*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 27


I thought when my track got selected on music x-ray, I was getting an interview and to featured on your website without paying any additional fees.

Do I have to pay before you can work with me?


*********************************************************************************************************
Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 27


Yes..Im sorry thats the vibe you were given. We have a process for the artist we work with. After we decide we will work with an artist, we give you detail then let you make the decision on working with us. Once you decide you're ready to move forward we send you an invoice through Paypal and get to work.


*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 28


I'm sorry but I got the correct vibe from what you posted on music x-Ray but obviously it's a scam!

I didn't see anywhere that said pay us $20 and if we like your music we will charge a fee of $500 so we can work with you. This is not acceptable. And you will definitely hear from me on blogs and I will take you to small claims for totally scamming me and getting me excited for nothing!

It's not about the money. It's about the principal! You should not lie to people to make money. There are other ways to make your company grow. By doing what you claim to do!

I will also have a petition against your company for everyone that got scammed like me to get their money back!

Regards,

AB1

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Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 28


Haa! No scam here! Do as you please I explained the process fully! If taking it to the blogs is the route you want to take it will not work in your favor. I would never want to stoop down to that childish act but there will be an exception for this disrespect. I will make sure our interns email every music industry contact,blog,record labels,promoter, and A&R and make sure you get what you put out! Negativity! There are no scams in our services, So if you decline working with us do that for you! Not everybody else.


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AB1 to Kardinal

Feb 28


your threatening methods are not going to scare me. I have a mojor label that i'm working with now. so go ahead and tell the world about me and i will do the same about your scam to make money. this is not childish. when you scam someone its not funny.

I will proceed to small claims and we will find out who will win! I have a copy of all our conversations over emails and over text. I will blast them all over the internet as well as presenting it to the judge!

Good Luck trying to destroy my reputation.

see you in court


*********************************************************************************************************
Kardinal Klay to AB1

Feb 28


Cool. Enjoy your day!

*********************************************************************************************************
AB1 to Kardinal Klay
Feb 28

Same goes to you!

*********************************************************************************************************
Kardinal Klay to AB1
Feb 28


Much appreciated.
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TL;DR scam artists feed on the need to succeed, soundhype.com tries to milk you for over $500 to get you some listens and likes online when they claim to be much more!!
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I don't know what to say.
Sounds like rash reactions from the both of you :shrug: maybe I misread something.

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Hi Ntom, Thank you for the reply. Its not really a rash :) its just not fair when a company tells you pay us $20 to have us hear your song, and if we like it we will conduct an interview and feature your song on our website. then you find out that even if they like your music. you would still have to pay them an additional $500 to start any kind of work with them. they did not even offer to refund my money back. I'm just warning everyone not to fall in the same trap with them because there is nothing on their post that said that there will be additional fees before they can work with the artist.

Thank you,

AB1

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So for $20 you were expecting them to work with you, conduct an interview, feature you on their website and promote you to record companies?
My main tools: Kontakt, Omnisphere, Samplemodeling + Audio Modeling. Akai VIP = godsend. Tari's libraries also rock.

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Well, they write on their homepage that they offer marketing packages, and this one costs $500.

Anyway, I wouldn't pay $500 for sending out spam...
Soundhype wrote:Custom pitch packet / sales sheet for the single (we need high quality images and questionnaires filled out)
Custom designed email blast to

music blogs (350),
A & R (100),
record label executives (300),
film / TV contacts (100),
and music fans (50k total emails)
Twitter (20k)
Facebook (5k)
Adrian Swish (Alumni Music Group) mixtape (gets 8k - 10k downloads each time)
Social Media Syndication - Pinterest / Linkedin / Reddit / StumbleUpon etc - 20k
Google+ direct message blast 2,000
A & R Panel Sound Hype Review and feedback/Add onto Denver Sound Hype Events.

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I think I can see how it might have fallen as a misunderstanding, and while I am not saying they aren't to blame as they could have made it a lot more clear what to expect, I also think maybe you were a bit hasty in your choice.
It happened to me somewhat recently: not naming the site, but I signed up to it expecting a different kind of service, paid $27, and because I didn't research how well they conduct their service...well I feel like I got burned.

HOWEVER; once again, I'm not trying to take their side, and should, for whatever reason by that I am looking for such a service for my music, I will be sure to avoid them, because while their home page may have created simple misunderstanding, their conduct was very rash, and is just not the people I would want to deal with. Although, it made me laugh, it sounded like a kids attempt at an ultimatum

"yeah....well......I have a big mean man eating snake at home and I'm gonna put him in your house, you big meanie!"

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