Hello everybody.
I'm sorry if this question has been beaten to death on this board already, but I have a serious problem with my music.
I released an album a couple of months ago and I'm planning to release another one early next year.
I've been polishing my tunes daily for a couple years and will proceed doing so.
Now, the problem is nobody listens to my music. AT ALL.
I worked my ass off sending the demo out to labels before the release, then to blogs after the release (it was released on a local label that doesn't really have any audience outside the local community), then to journalists, then again to blogs... One blog even wrote about me.
Still the SoundCloud counter is barely moving.
How do I get these freaking plays? I don't want to participate in the 'buy SoundCloud plays' trickery, I want real plays that would mean that real people are listening to my music.
I totally understand that my music might not be the best hit, but I think it deserves more than 20 plays a song anyways...
I'm ready to work really hard and put in like 10 hours a day just for promotion, but I just don't know what to do.
All I want is people to check out my music.
Thank you all very much in advance for useful input!
Seriously, how do you do it? Growing fanbase?
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- KVRer
- 18 posts since 15 Oct, 2014
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- Rad Grandad
- 38041 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
I dont 
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.
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- KVRAF
- 16977 posts since 23 Jun, 2010 from north of London ON
If you want to be "popular" you will need a lot more musical chops of various sorts. And outlets. And appearances in various places.
Being a studio hermit is not for wimps...
Work at it.
Many artists took years before they got noticed.
Be patient.
Being a studio hermit is not for wimps...
Work at it.
Many artists took years before they got noticed.
Be patient.
Barry
If a billion people believe a stupid thing it is still a stupid thing
If a billion people believe a stupid thing it is still a stupid thing
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 15 Oct, 2014
I'm far from a wimp and not a studio hermit at all, but I also live in a place where not many things are happening in electronic music scene, so that kind of limits my efforts to the internet.
Still, I also see a lot of artists that have a much bigger fanbase than me (they're still far from "popular", but at least there actually are people listening to their music) who also live in distant areas.
I also understand that it could take 'ages' - and I'm willing to go that path, but I'm looking for practical advice of certain actions that I could take.
Please people, take it seriously, I'm very desperate and looking for ways to solve my problem. This means very much to me.
Thank you very much!
Still, I also see a lot of artists that have a much bigger fanbase than me (they're still far from "popular", but at least there actually are people listening to their music) who also live in distant areas.
I also understand that it could take 'ages' - and I'm willing to go that path, but I'm looking for practical advice of certain actions that I could take.
Please people, take it seriously, I'm very desperate and looking for ways to solve my problem. This means very much to me.
Thank you very much!
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- addled muppet weed
- 111329 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
hire a promoter
get an agent
get an agent
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- KVRAF
- 1794 posts since 9 Apr, 2011
Alternative sources of views can be surprisingly helpful - Buzzfeed copped a free song of mine once and a bunch of people came in to listen to it. Send your music to places that need it in an environment beyond just music consumption. Videos, movies, indie games, TED Talks, whatever. It might help break out of the promotional rut.
"musician."
http://soundcloud.com/nine-of-kings
http://soundcloud.com/nine-of-kings
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- KVRAF
- 8413 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
Wheres your SC i'll check it out.forsaken87 wrote:I'm far from a wimp and not a studio hermit at all, but I also live in a place where not many things are happening in electronic music scene, so that kind of limits my efforts to the internet.
Still, I also see a lot of artists that have a much bigger fanbase than me (they're still far from "popular", but at least there actually are people listening to their music) who also live in distant areas.
I also understand that it could take 'ages' - and I'm willing to go that path, but I'm looking for practical advice of certain actions that I could take.
Please people, take it seriously, I'm very desperate and looking for ways to solve my problem. This means very much to me.
Thank you very much!
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- KVRAF
- 2357 posts since 24 Nov, 2012
If you are expecting something back from making music you will probably be disappointed. Keeping at it is the best way to build an audience - for almost everyone that means keeping at it for years without getting disappointed enough to stop. But you have not put your soundcloud link here for us to find - that would be good to do almost everytime you are on the net where you can put it in a signature or similar without being too pushy.
Also I have found reddit a good source of listens - probably the best I have come across. There are all sorts of subreddits - but you won't get any comments, plenty of listens though
Also I have found reddit a good source of listens - probably the best I have come across. There are all sorts of subreddits - but you won't get any comments, plenty of listens though
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- KVRAF
- 4329 posts since 26 Jun, 2004
If your primary purpose in making music is to make music people will listen to, and you are succeeding in making it, then the only thing you have to do is shove it in peoples' faces, endlessly.
But, whether you are in it for the fans or in it for the music, either way:
If you dont love just doing it, its not worth doing. Period.
I dont think its true. Of course, that might just be due to my personal experience.
Imo, regardless of talent, skill, genre, whatever- self promotion, and sickening amounts of it, are necessary for any real 'success'.
But, whether you are in it for the fans or in it for the music, either way:
Thats just how it is.woggle wrote:If you are expecting something back from making music you will probably be disappointed.
If you dont love just doing it, its not worth doing. Period.
That is... nice. It would be nice.woggle wrote:Keeping at it is the best way to build an audience - for almost everyone that means keeping at it for years without getting disappointed enough to stop.
I dont think its true. Of course, that might just be due to my personal experience.
Imo, regardless of talent, skill, genre, whatever- self promotion, and sickening amounts of it, are necessary for any real 'success'.
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- KVRAF
- 4056 posts since 8 Jan, 2005 from Hamilton, New Zealand
This is not necessarily going to be what you want to hear, but:
making recorded music is a lost cause as far as getting publicity and free exposure goes - those days are gone. They died when piracy came in in full force in 2000, and the death-rattle would've been about 2001 from my recollection.
Before that you had several flourishing online 'new artist' sources like mp3.com (the former one) and riffage, IUMA. But once people could - very easily - get the music they'd already heard on the radio or through friends for free, it diminished the stature of free music entirely, and people became far less likely to listen to something just because it was free. The situation has not gotten better since then, unfortunately...
But that's not to say you can't get noticed, amongst the millions of other musicians who're also doing exactly what you're doing to try and get noticed. But you're also competing with established artists, as well as internet nobodies who've somehow managed to get a following over the years. There are no pay-grade separations of listening now - it's all in one big clusterfuck.
You are doing the right thing in terms of getting your stuff out there. There isn't anything I can think of that's more effective. However you might want to get your stuff on different sites - pay the $20 fee and use http://distrokid.com to get your stuff on itunes, etc.
That's if your stuff is actually produced well and worth listening to.
I would post your sc account on this thread and ask for people's honest feedback as to whether you're actually 'there yet' of if you need more time to develop your style/production skills. There's no point chasing stuff if your stuff isn't within that societal median bell-curve of 'good'.
Cheers-
making recorded music is a lost cause as far as getting publicity and free exposure goes - those days are gone. They died when piracy came in in full force in 2000, and the death-rattle would've been about 2001 from my recollection.
Before that you had several flourishing online 'new artist' sources like mp3.com (the former one) and riffage, IUMA. But once people could - very easily - get the music they'd already heard on the radio or through friends for free, it diminished the stature of free music entirely, and people became far less likely to listen to something just because it was free. The situation has not gotten better since then, unfortunately...
But that's not to say you can't get noticed, amongst the millions of other musicians who're also doing exactly what you're doing to try and get noticed. But you're also competing with established artists, as well as internet nobodies who've somehow managed to get a following over the years. There are no pay-grade separations of listening now - it's all in one big clusterfuck.
You are doing the right thing in terms of getting your stuff out there. There isn't anything I can think of that's more effective. However you might want to get your stuff on different sites - pay the $20 fee and use http://distrokid.com to get your stuff on itunes, etc.
That's if your stuff is actually produced well and worth listening to.
I would post your sc account on this thread and ask for people's honest feedback as to whether you're actually 'there yet' of if you need more time to develop your style/production skills. There's no point chasing stuff if your stuff isn't within that societal median bell-curve of 'good'.
Cheers-
I make music: progressive-acoustic | electronica/game-soundtrack work | progressive alt-metal
Win 10/11 Simplifier | Also, Specialized C++ containers
Win 10/11 Simplifier | Also, Specialized C++ containers
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- KVRAF
- 7873 posts since 21 Dec, 2002 from MD USA
Hink wrote:I dont
Yeah I was going to say most people on this site don't care about a fan base. Although I am sure many would love to have more listeners and nice things said about their music; even if they don't admit it.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
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- KVRAF
- 7873 posts since 21 Dec, 2002 from MD USA
You could pay for advertising. Facebook has pretty targeted ads and not too expensive. I am sure there are a ton of other places too. Really you most likely need to spend some more promoting it. Look at the budgets the "pros" have for promoting their albums. Plus they go on tv shows and all to promote. Really hard to compete and even hardly anyone is buying their stuff for the most part. People expect music to be free now.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
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- Banned
- 9890 posts since 14 Nov, 2006
Let's be painfully honest and say even if you did everything on this thread and took all the advice you could from every internet site and every musician you could find, you'll probably never grow your fanbase to your expectations...
That being the case, would you still make music?
Seems like that's the questions you should be asking. I have been writing & recording for many years and have recently started playing in bands with people that have a greater following than I did on my own (I am talking people who get paid to play and have many professionally released recordings) So while I am in 2 projects that are making pro recordings and touring internationally, it has had ZERO impact on the popularity of my solo music, even though I play more solo band gigs now than I did when I started.
Don't expect it's going to happen and then proceed accordingly.
That being the case, would you still make music?
Seems like that's the questions you should be asking. I have been writing & recording for many years and have recently started playing in bands with people that have a greater following than I did on my own (I am talking people who get paid to play and have many professionally released recordings) So while I am in 2 projects that are making pro recordings and touring internationally, it has had ZERO impact on the popularity of my solo music, even though I play more solo band gigs now than I did when I started.
Don't expect it's going to happen and then proceed accordingly.
Last edited by debra1rlo on Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 5948 posts since 19 Jun, 2008 from Melbourne, Australia
This bugs me, sorry for the rant ...
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
You might be one of the first people to put on a party, but if you don't do it who will? It's not going to happen by itself.
Putting on electronic music events is far easier than band night because DJs or even live techno musicians typically have much less equipment. If you can't find a suitable venue, outdoor, free parties are just as easy to set up.
Events like this might require a little investment e.g. hiring a PA and decks, but the point is you can put on an awesome party next weekend with very little effort. Promotion can be a little tricky, but presumably you know at least some other people who would be up for some fun ... get them on board, get them to help spread the message.
Of course, it's your party, so you get to play, right?
Once you get to know more people through these events, you might hook up with people who have lighting rigs and PAs. Each time the event is easier to put on, you build up a fan base for the party. People are hearing your music in context, which creates a (hopefully) positive vibe around your sound.
I'm not saying it's easy like watching TV is easy, but all of this is really quite easy with a little effort.
Basically, the local scene is not going to magic itself in to existence. Someone has to grab it by the short n curlies and make it happen. That person could be you! And what flows from there could be the success you are looking for ... or you find you have a career in event management ... there are so many possibilities if you start now
Why aren't things happening in the local electronic music scene?forsaken87 wrote:... but I also live in a place where not many things are happening in electronic music scene
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
You might be one of the first people to put on a party, but if you don't do it who will? It's not going to happen by itself.
Putting on electronic music events is far easier than band night because DJs or even live techno musicians typically have much less equipment. If you can't find a suitable venue, outdoor, free parties are just as easy to set up.
Events like this might require a little investment e.g. hiring a PA and decks, but the point is you can put on an awesome party next weekend with very little effort. Promotion can be a little tricky, but presumably you know at least some other people who would be up for some fun ... get them on board, get them to help spread the message.
Of course, it's your party, so you get to play, right?
Once you get to know more people through these events, you might hook up with people who have lighting rigs and PAs. Each time the event is easier to put on, you build up a fan base for the party. People are hearing your music in context, which creates a (hopefully) positive vibe around your sound.
I'm not saying it's easy like watching TV is easy, but all of this is really quite easy with a little effort.
Basically, the local scene is not going to magic itself in to existence. Someone has to grab it by the short n curlies and make it happen. That person could be you! And what flows from there could be the success you are looking for ... or you find you have a career in event management ... there are so many possibilities if you start now
... space is the place ...