How would one tackle this market? As an electronic musician in Philadelphia who does NOT play live, I have had very little success promoting my music, despite the fact that it has been received well (almost all 5/5 reviews on CDbaby, lots of positive feedback here at KVR, etc). I am at my wit's end, to be honest - someone recommended to me recently that I try to advertise to European audiences.
Does anyone have some ideas on how I could do this? Or any general promotion tips? I'm pretty desperate.
Reaching European audiences?
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- KVRAF
- 4707 posts since 16 Mar, 2004 from Columbia, MD
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- KVRian
- 508 posts since 6 Jun, 2004
I think you'll have to come to Europe. Honestly speaking American electronic artists are viewed with as suspect at the best of times, I couldn't see you ever reaching a European audience without at least coming to Europe.
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- KVRian
- 1178 posts since 24 Jan, 2003 from the hilly bit in Lincs, UK
How about offering to remix some tracks from known artists based in Europe?
Mild-mannered web designer by day - tired web designer by night.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4707 posts since 16 Mar, 2004 from Columbia, MD
What good would me physically being there do? Again, I don't play live. People don't see me HERE, either.Equilibrium wrote:I think you'll have to come to Europe. Honestly speaking American electronic artists are viewed with as suspect at the best of times, I couldn't see you ever reaching a European audience without at least coming to Europe.
Gargoyle; interesting idea. Do you have any particular artists in mind? I work mainly in a big beat/breakbeat style with some trip hop + trance influences.
Last edited by zircon on Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 9064 posts since 1 Aug, 2003
I'm European. For a small fee, I will be your audience. I have lots of experience: many CDs, many gigs...
I find it hard to find an audience aswell, not having a live show. If you really want to get noticed: go live.
Otherwise, there's web sites, radio (Studio Brussel has a weekly demo competition), magazines...
Don't hold your breath though. Friends of mine know the guy that picks the tunes for some of the best Belgian radio shows, and the guy is almost collapsing under his workload - which therefor doesn't include web music, just the official releases. There's just too much music nowadays, just think of all the talent here and at the Auditorium.
There is one trick you could try. Look at the hit parade: 95% of it is pure crap! So, why not make some crap music? Just push it out
I find it hard to find an audience aswell, not having a live show. If you really want to get noticed: go live.
Otherwise, there's web sites, radio (Studio Brussel has a weekly demo competition), magazines...
Don't hold your breath though. Friends of mine know the guy that picks the tunes for some of the best Belgian radio shows, and the guy is almost collapsing under his workload - which therefor doesn't include web music, just the official releases. There's just too much music nowadays, just think of all the talent here and at the Auditorium.
There is one trick you could try. Look at the hit parade: 95% of it is pure crap! So, why not make some crap music? Just push it out
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- KVRian
- 1178 posts since 24 Jan, 2003 from the hilly bit in Lincs, UK
Zircon, not a genre I'm massively au fait with but I'm sure someone else here might have some ideas. Are there are any online magazines or "proper" magazines that you can find which might be of use? I know in the genres that I like (ebm/electro/darkwave) there are a few...
Mild-mannered web designer by day - tired web designer by night.
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- Banned
- 541 posts since 17 Nov, 2002
Yep, the not live thing is VERY tough (I know 
)... You might want to explore other avenues to getting your music OUT there.
eg. Film/TV and dare I say it, advertising (eek!) Production companies
Good Luck (<- don't forget this is a major factor)
)... You might want to explore other avenues to getting your music OUT there.eg. Film/TV and dare I say it, advertising (eek!) Production companies
Good Luck (<- don't forget this is a major factor)
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4707 posts since 16 Mar, 2004 from Columbia, MD
I'm already working with production companies, if you mean music that is written for compilations and sold for commercial purposes. Film/TV I've attempted (through Taxi) but had no luck, plus it was too expensive. Got my money back and now I'm looking for other opportunities.
Gargoyle; nope, I've scoured the internet and for whatever reason, no one seems to care about this genre. Even though artists like TCM have sold millions of CDs worldwide.. maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. If you find something PLEASE let me know!
Gargoyle; nope, I've scoured the internet and for whatever reason, no one seems to care about this genre. Even though artists like TCM have sold millions of CDs worldwide.. maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. If you find something PLEASE let me know!
Shreddage 3 Stratus: Next generation Kontakt Player guitar, now available!
Impact Soundworks - Cinematic sounds, world instruments, electric guitars, synths, percussion, plugins + more!
Impact Soundworks - Cinematic sounds, world instruments, electric guitars, synths, percussion, plugins + more!
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- KVRian
- 1161 posts since 22 Feb, 2004 from Seattle, WA
Unfortunatly, big beat has kinda had it's day in the sun and the sun set. Not to say that what you're doing is bad but it's not a commercial draw like it used to be.
At some of the laptop battles in Seattle there's a girl that gets up there, does big beat, and pretty much gets voted down after her first song. Such is the nature of music and marketing. For a sound/style to be popular and to get picked up it has to be current. That's the case in most electronic music anyhow.
If you focus more on the trip-hop aspects you might have more luck.
Just my 0.02 and my observation.
At some of the laptop battles in Seattle there's a girl that gets up there, does big beat, and pretty much gets voted down after her first song. Such is the nature of music and marketing. For a sound/style to be popular and to get picked up it has to be current. That's the case in most electronic music anyhow.
If you focus more on the trip-hop aspects you might have more luck.
Just my 0.02 and my observation.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4707 posts since 16 Mar, 2004 from Columbia, MD
Well.. take a listen to some of my stuff. I'm very bad at genres. I do know that I have gotten an overwhelmingly positive response to it. No one yet has said my music is stale or the sun has set on it or whatever. I know people enjoy it, my problem is getting it to more people.
http://www.cdbaby.com/zircon2
or just search on iTunes for "Impulse Prime".
edit; a couple FULL tracks, just to give you a better idea. (you might have to copy + paste)
http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/zirc ... action.mp3
http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/zirc ... rglass.mp3
http://www.cdbaby.com/zircon2
or just search on iTunes for "Impulse Prime".
edit; a couple FULL tracks, just to give you a better idea. (you might have to copy + paste)
http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/zirc ... action.mp3
http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/zirc ... rglass.mp3
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- KVRian
- 1161 posts since 22 Feb, 2004 from Seattle, WA
It's not bad, not to my taste, but not bad.
What's your aversion to playing out? I can't even tell you how many doors that's opened for me personally. I don't like to play out all that much but it greatly increases awareness of what you do and you would be surprised how many influential people that you don't even know are there.
What's your aversion to playing out? I can't even tell you how many doors that's opened for me personally. I don't like to play out all that much but it greatly increases awareness of what you do and you would be surprised how many influential people that you don't even know are there.
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- KVRAF
- 2029 posts since 21 Jul, 2004
Start your own label and get some cool artists that play live and put yourself on there as well. Then make them sell your CDs at gigs and stuff. Actually thats probably not gonna work that well, nevermind.
Do not lick the fablanky
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4707 posts since 16 Mar, 2004 from Columbia, MD
For one thing, I'm a quiet person. I don't have an in-your-face personality. I like working in the studio. I don't go to concerts or even parties. Just not my thing. So the live atmosphere is definitely not where I'm comfortable. In addition, my time is very limited as a full-time college student that also does other stuff with music + sound. My original electronic music only really represents part of what I do, and as much as I love it, I realize it's not going to be a main income source. I just want to maximize its potential and that's where my problem is right now.butter wrote:It's not bad, not to my taste, but not bad.
What's your aversion to playing out? I can't even tell you how many doors that's opened for me personally. I don't like to play out all that much but it greatly increases awareness of what you do and you would be surprised how many influential people that you don't even know are there.
Starting a label is something I've considered, but I don't think I'd have the time to do it.
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- KVRian
- 1161 posts since 22 Feb, 2004 from Seattle, WA
Well, you'll be behind a laptop right? How in your face can a person be with a laptop (with a few exceptions)? Not very much. So I wouldn't worry about that. I do have an "in-your-face" kind of personality but unless I hop on a mic, it really doesn't matter cause I'm planted behind said laptop.zircon wrote:For one thing, I'm a quiet person. I don't have an in-your-face personality. I like working in the studio. I don't go to concerts or even parties. Just not my thing. So the live atmosphere is definitely not where I'm comfortable. In addition, my time is very limited as a full-time college student that also does other stuff with music + sound. My original electronic music only really represents part of what I do, and as much as I love it, I realize it's not going to be a main income source. I just want to maximize its potential and that's where my problem is right now.butter wrote:It's not bad, not to my taste, but not bad.
What's your aversion to playing out? I can't even tell you how many doors that's opened for me personally. I don't like to play out all that much but it greatly increases awareness of what you do and you would be surprised how many influential people that you don't even know are there.
Starting a label is something I've considered, but I don't think I'd have the time to do it.
If you are really looking to maximize the potential of your music you have to be willing to take risks and that might be one of those. If you're not willing to take risks, it's not going to go anywhere. This is coming from personal experience here. It's just the path to growth. Dealing with adversity = strength.