KVR Audio

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:07 am

As we approach the new year, I’m thinking that one of my resolutions will be to start putting music back out there again. I sorta stopped making music for a while after finishing our last Covalente album 7 years ago, then started making more in the past few years, but most of it has never been heard outside of my studio. In the meantime, I’ve not really kept tabs on how people are sharing their music these days, aside from the obvious streaming services.

I still have my old SoundCloud pages, but I’ve used up my limits for free uploads on both accounts and don’t like SoundCloud enough to pay for the better services. I don’t care about making any money from my music and am usually happy to allow free downloads to the few people who would bother, so the paid services like CDBaby, DistroKid, etc., don’t really appeal to me (but not ruled out by any means). I am a pretty avid/experienced photographer and I dabble in videography, so I plan to create music videos for all future songs featuring singers for YouTube, but I’d also like to explore other avenues for distributing my music.

TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously, so what are you using and recommending these days?

VOODOO U · Post by **VOODOO U** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:48 am

cryophonik wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:07 am I don’t care about making any money from my music and am usually happy to allow free downloads

TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously, so what are you using and recommending these days?

As far as recommendations, right here in KVR's Music Cafe. You'll get more listens than the other music upload sites including the obvious ones.

If you want a large amount of listens here, just respond to threads and let everyone know how wonderful they are.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:04 am

Thanks, but to clarify, I’m asking about places to host and distribute the music. I don’t really care about feedback, or how many listens I get. That said, yes, I plan to share them here again (I used to share them here frequently many years ago, but got out of the habit for some reason).

VOODOO U · Post by **VOODOO U** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:41 am

If you don't care about making money and the amount of listens you get then it doesn't really matter what others use and what you choose right?
It won't matter since you're just posting music up and "be done with it". In that case just use whatever - Bandcamp or Reverbnation etc.
Otherwise, pay for the better service on Soundcloud strictly for hosting, and/or use Youtube.
Then *you* distribute the music by visiting as many sites (forums) where you can post links to your music. Interact with people, join in conversations etc etc.and if you feel the need to get more serious, collect emails so when you have new music you can let those interested know.
It can be non music forums as well. It's all about sincere interaction.
If you have no time for that then just use the obvious. There isn't much out there aside from what's obvious (because the obvioous are the best options atm).
You're not selling and you're not concerned with how many listens you receive so any obvious option works (although CDbaby and the like would be overboard).

enroe · Post by **enroe** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:58 am

cryophonik wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:07 am As we approach the new year, I’m thinking that one of my resolutions will be to start putting music back out there again.

TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously, so what are you using and recommending these days?

Mmmh, Spotify is popular today. If you want to become known,
want to make a breakthrough, finally have fame, honor and
money, then it's always only possible via Spotify.

For Spotify you need a label or distributor who does all the
administrative things and copyrights for you - and who uploads
your songs to Spotify.

In addition, you need a kind of advertising agency that will make
your songs known on Spotify. Tens of thousands of songs are
uploaded to Spotify every day. The noise on Spotify is very, very
high - and without further, highly sophisticated advertising help,
your songs will not be heard on Spotify - let alone noticed by a
powerful sponsor or entrepreneur.

cryophonik wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:07 am I don’t care about making any money from my music and am usually happy to allow free downloads to the few people who would bother, ... I am a pretty avid/experienced photographer and I dabble in videography, so I plan to create music videos for all future songs featuring singers for YouTube, but I’d also like to explore other avenues for distributing my music.

Ok, but you don't want any of that (Spotify and the like).

If you “only” care about the experience with your music, then
why not build your own website? You have full control over the
content, presentation and decoration. And you can optimally
combine your videos or other creative output with your songs.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:29 am

enroe wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:58 am
Ok, but you don't want any of that (Spotify and the like).

Right. Been there, done that. I already have lots of songs on Spotify and Apple Music, some released though labels, others though CDBaby, etc….from 7+ years ago.

enroe wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:58 am If you “only” care about the experience with your music, then
why not build your own website? You have full control over the
content, presentation and decoration. And you can optimally
combine your videos or other creative output with your songs.

I probably should’ve mentioned in my OP that I do have a website that I’ve had for almost 20 years and is woefully out of date, and another one for a now defunct side project that I’ll probably just dismantle. My plan is to look at the current range of offerings for hosting and distributing my music (free, paid, or otherwise), then hopefully use that as a link or embedded player on my own website whenever I eventually get it updated.

In hindsight, I don’t think I worded my OP very clearly. What I’m really looking for is not so much an answer that says “just do this and you’ll be fine”, but rather looking for a discussion of what other people are doing going into 2024, what you like/dislike about it, etc. and I can use that to give me more options to look into. Really, I’m looking for less about me, and more about you guys and what has been working for you in recent years. For example, I was just poking around the web and found LANDR, which I’ve heard of, but never paid attention to since I haven’t bothered looking into any of this in the past 6-7 years. HTH.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:39 am

enroe wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:58 am TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously

Oh, I should also clarify that the bolded part simply means “more seriously” with making my music available again, not making a move at a future in music. I’m 56, have a career that I love (scientist), and music is simply one of my hobbies.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:50 am

When I was sharing my music, I liked BandCamp for the simplicity. It's a bit of a concern now because they may not be around long. A friend of mine pays some trivial amount to be on Soundcloud, it makes him happy, nobody listens to his music in any significant way. Even if you don't care about how many people listen to it or building a following, it's they way people listen to music these days.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:57 am

ghettosynth wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:50 am When I was sharing my music, I liked BandCamp for the simplicity.

Yeah, Bandcamp is one of the few platforms that I didn’t use back then, but now it looks like I missed that opportunity. Funny, though, it reminded me to check and see that I still have a Reverbnation page that I haven’t logged into in like 10 years.

Frantz · Post by **Frantz** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:06 am

Getting your music out there is easy. (Getting people to listen is the real challenge.)

1. I use DistroKid to release to all the streaming services (including many that I've never heard of).

Distrokid covers:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTubeMusic, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok/TikTok Music/Resso/Luna, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Claro Música, Saavn, Boomplay, Anghami, KKBox, NetEase, Tencent, Qobuz, Joox, Kuack Media, Yandex Music, Adaptr, Flo, MediaNet

Outside of Distrokid, I upload to:

2. Bandcamp - Artist friendly with better compensation than the streaming services. (This may change as they have been acquired recently and lots of employees were sacked.)

3. Soundcloud - I uses this to pre-release works in progress for feedback here.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:43 am

You already have hosting for a website? Use that!
Example: http://www.bertkoor.nl/mp3/
You surely can do way better.

/thread

foosnark · Post by **foosnark** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:22 pm

I've been using Bandcamp. I'm concerned about the change in management but am sticking with it unless it utterly collapses (though I'll support whatever action their union wants to take).

I like it because it's got no fees and requires basically zero effort from me, and it's a popular platform.

harryupbabble · Post by **harryupbabble** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:29 pm

soundcloud before but i can't find my password

just youtube now
no new songs for years
i figure i should really learn songwriting first before uploading stuff

mementus · Post by **mementus** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:30 pm

I release my songs on SC and YouTube. The few bots who listen to it are very happy -_-

FranklyFlawless · Post by **FranklyFlawless** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 10:01 pm

cryophonik wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:07 am TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously, so what are you using and recommending these days?

I simply do not share my music at the moment. It is purely improvised, so I can only perform it live. I do not bother recording it, as I am more focused on advancing my musical abilities by practice and analyzing it in real-time. Therefore, both the method of sharing the music and income generated from it are irrelevant.

That being said, when I did consider music distribution several years ago to pursue a career as a musician, my line of thinking was to eliminate all the middlemen involved and to self-host my own website, or to use a platform that does not take a large cut of profits. If I had to follow through with the first option, I would use Faircamp, whereas if I want to pursue the second option, I would probably trust Bandcamp instead.

How are you sharing your music in 2024?