Would anyone be interested in a program?

[mjr]

Would anyone be interested in a computer program that would help you manage your contacts, keep track of your upcoming gigs, keep track of your CD sales, help you organize a "press kit" or a "promo kit", and anything else I can think of?

Thoughts? Unless there's something like that already...

 

[mrT]

So you want to put a managment company in a box?

 

[mjr]

So you want to put a managment company in a box?

Possibly. But it would be for independent musicians. I think with the right input, and the right data, I could do it. I'm just wondering what the demand would be.

 

[TerraMortim]

Would anyone be interested in a computer program that would help you manage your contacts, keep track of your upcoming gigs, keep track of your CD sales, help you organize a "press kit" or a "promo kit", and anything else I can think of?

Thoughts? Unless there's something like that already...

yes...definately. There's a few things out there for studio dudes like that (like Studiometry) but I haven't seen any strictly band, or artist related software for this. I would buy a program like that in a heartbeat provided it wasn't a sky high price.

 

[mrT]

I think the press kit promo thing is a little ambitious. Maybe just buy a bunch of music related java templates and have a web page builder. like an e-press kit maker feature. But all the other stuff is more or less data management and the promo thing is design. It might be awesome though...

 

[mjr]

I think the press kit promo thing is a little ambitious. Maybe just buy a bunch of music related java templates and have a web page builder or some shit. like an e-press kit.

Ok, let's say I leave that press kit piece off.

So, what price would you be willing to pay for an application like this? Just curious.

I'm sure I could do it, I'd just need to figure out what features it should have.

 

[lasagne]

The features you're describing (apart from the press kit) are standard CRM - Customer Relationship Management.

Having said that, a musician-based one is quite a good niche - apart from the fact that most musicians I know either don't have any money or are too disorganised to use a program to manage such things.

Potentially though, a big market.

 

[mjr]

The features you're describing (apart from the press kit) are standard CRM - Customer Relationship Management.

Having said that, a musician-based one is quite a good niche - apart from the fact that most musicians I know either don't have any money or are too disorganised to use a program to manage such things.

Potentially though, a big market.

True, but most CRMs are fairly expensive. And this one would be "niche". I think, though, it might be a good way to help musicians get organized.

 

[danny.guitar]

What language do you plan on making the program in? I could probably help if you needed it but it sounds like a pretty straightforward program to write. Mostly database shit.

I've thought of doing this before but never went through with it.

I think it'd be even better to have a web-based one so people don't have to install the software. But on the other hand, it'd be much faster to do everything via a program instead of a website.

 

[mrT]

I think it'd be even better to have a web-based one so people don't have to install the software. But on the other hand, it'd be much faster to do everything via a program instead of a website.

I like the website idea... but that would open up having to maintain a server wouldn't it?

 

[mjr]

What language do you plan on making the program in? I could probably help if you needed it but it sounds like a pretty straightforward program to write. Mostly database shit.

I've thought of doing this before but never went through with it.

I think it'd be even better to have a web-based one so people don't have to install the software. But on the other hand, it'd be much faster to do everything via a program instead of a website.

Probably C# on the 2.0 Framework. I'd probably use XML instead of a database.

Although the web thing is a good idea.

 

[fraserhutch]

Oh, and don't forget to spend an inordinate amount of your budget on DRM support so that you cannot be said to be asking to have it pirated. In fact, don't expect any reimbursement for your efforts.

 

[mjr]

I like the website idea... but that would open up having to maintain a server wouldn't it?

To a point. And depending on where it was hosted. Of course, I'd have to buy a domain name, write all the code, and have the site hosted. I could buy the domain for fairly cheap, write the code (in any number of languages), and then it would be a matter of finding a hosting company...

But still, if I did the Windows-based (maybe do it in Java, so those who use Linux and/or Macs can use it) I'd need to come up with a fair price...maybe. That would be difficult, too. I don't want to charge $99, when I could have sold a ton more units at $25 (or whatever price).

So what kind of price tag would you put on this? What would you be willing to pay for a system like this?

 

[mjr]

Oh, and don't forget to spend an inordinate amount of your budget on DRM support so that you cannot be said to be asking to have it pirated. In fact, don't expect any reimbursement for your efforts.

I don't follow you here. The software won't be used to pirate songs.

Although if you're talking about making sure that the CD can't be copied, yeah, I'll have to research that.

 

[danny.guitar]

I like the website idea... but that would open up having to maintain a server wouldn't it?

It'd require buying a domain name and a hosting plan. My friend does hosting starting at $2.99/mo.

mjr - I don't know C# or JAVA, so I probably wouldn't be able to help with that anyway. I'm more of a VB guy myself, if you C# people even want to call that a programming language. Just thought I'd ask.

But if you ever want to do a web-based one also then let me know. I could write one in PHP/MySQL pretty easily.

 

[mjr]

It'd require buying a domain name and a hosting plan. My friend does hosting starting at $2.99/mo.

mjr - I don't know C# or JAVA, so I probably wouldn't be able to help with that anyway. I'm more of a VB guy myself, if you C# people even want to call that a programming language. Just thought I'd ask.

But if you ever want to do a web-based one also then let me know. I could write one in PHP/MySQL pretty easily.

What's funny is I'm trying to learn C#. I mainly do VB.NET. I'm also learning Java, but don't really get the opportunity to use it much.

A web-based one would be cool, especially with PHP and MySQL (I'm learning both of those as well).

The only real problems I see with a web-based one are these:

1. What if there's a server problem?
2. How would you charge people (or would this be a free service)?
3. Bandwidth. If it grows quickly, then additional charges would apply.

There are probably more, but those are off the top of my head.

 

[fraserhutch]

Lol, no, I was commenting on the irony of a certain software pirate here proposing what he'd like to see in your program. And one of his stances is that if your program is crackable, or that if you don';t put enough effort into anti-piracy protection then you deserve to be pirated.

I don't follow you here. The software won't be used to pirate songs.

Although if you're talking about making sure that the CD can't be copied, yeah, I'll have to research that.

 

[Mindset]

That would be great, I would definitely use it..

However...

showbiz has programs, and I think that there is also a few others out there
http://www.showbizsolutions.com/
they got 30 day demos of all products.. maybe incorporate a few things