Music, the Internet, Technology, and the Future

[Yippee]

It is very interesting indeed, to watch the changes that the Internet and technology bring to our world of music. Found today were two articles that glaringly point this out:

The first article is titled "Times change, so does the music" dated 10/2/2006 by Dale Roberts.
This article relates Roberts' discovery on how things have changed since he last entered a recording studio. His insight speaks volumes pertaining to - do all these changes necessarily make things better? Music, to Roberts, is meant to be played and shared amongst the living, breathing fellow humans. The emotion of the moment.

The second article is "Indie band hopes to be a real hit in virtual world" dated 10/2/2006 by Adam Sherwin.
Sherwin tells of an all-female British band called the "Hedrons" that will soon host a virtual online fantasy world concert on Second Life. A new way for the indie and unsigned to market themselves? Quite possibly. On Second Life, http://secondlife.com/, users (currently numbering 740K) can create animated characters...of themselves...Thus, the Hedrons will play live in the studio and have the recording synchronized with the animation for a "live virtual" experience. An interesting concept for up and coming artists.

Read both articles, it’s a fascinating world we live in. Where will the music take us?

 

[solo.guitar]

I hate it to be honest. It's nice for bands to have the internet to get their music out, but it also sucks with everyone buying single songs for 99c, listening to crappy MP3s on their stupid iPods, caring more about style/fads than the music, all music sounding the same, etc.

That whole "virtual concert" thing is just fucking retarded. If I want to go see a band play, I'll go to a concert, not watch a bunch of little animated cartoons dance on my screen.

 

[DavidK]

I hate it to be honest. It's nice for bands to have the internet to get their music out, but it also sucks with everyone buying single songs for 99c, listening to crappy MP3s on their stupid iPods, caring more about style/fads than the music, all music sounding the same, etc.

That whole "virtual concert" thing is just fucking retarded. If I want to go see a band play, I'll go to a concert, not watch a bunch of little animated cartoons dance on my screen.

I gotta disagree to an extent. I dont own an ipod or anything close. I thought i-Tunes was stupid. Then my CD got on there and we are selling OK. Now I think it kicks ASSSSSSS!

I do classical crossover stuff, so my stuff isnt exactly a fad Its nice to know that some people are interested, and I would have never been able to reach them before.

 

[mjr]

I gotta disagree to an extent. I dont own an ipod or anything close. I thought i-Tunes was stupid. Then my CD got on there and we are selling OK. Now I think it kicks ASSSSSSS!

I do classical crossover stuff, so my stuff isnt exactly a fad Its nice to know that some people are interested, and I would have never been able to reach them before.

Hopefully, when I get my CD done it'll be up on iTunes. When you go through iTunes, do you only get downloads, or can you order physical media as well?

 

[mjr]

I gotta disagree to an extent. I dont own an ipod or anything close. I thought i-Tunes was stupid. Then my CD got on there and we are selling OK. Now I think it kicks ASSSSSSS!

I do classical crossover stuff, so my stuff isnt exactly a fad Its nice to know that some people are interested, and I would have never been able to reach them before.

I would have to disagree, as well.

Here's my take:

With regard to buying individual songs for 99 cents, I think it's a good idea. How many times have you purchased a CD from a new band (or even an established one), only to find out there are one or two "good" songs on the CD? Sure, the other songs could grow on you, but you get my point. You (or your customer) still have the ability to buy the full-length CD.

I think the changes in technology make things better, to a point. I think it makes things worse in regard to some of the things that are done with people's voices (that "electronic" or "techno" thing you hear them do sometimes), other times, the sound engineer can make the voice sound better.

Also, with some decent software and a computer, people can do their own home recording. Granted, this isn't always a good thing, because then anyone and their dog with the software and a microphone can put stuff out.

Even if you don't take the "home recording" route, the internet can be a great way to get your music out there. If you're in X, and you want people outside of X to listen to, and possibly buy, your music, the internet is great for that!

I don't necessarily like the "dancing cartoon" virtual concert thing. What would be cool, though, would to be an actual "live" virtual concert. I understand it still isn't the same as being there, but you could still pull it off.

I think it's a great thing, overall, for independent musicians. There are a lot of indies out there who don't want to get signed to a major label, and who don't want to put up with the crap, so they do things the indie way. Which is cool!

 

[DavidK]

Hopefully, when I get my CD done it'll be up on iTunes. When you go through iTunes, do you only get downloads, or can you order physical media as well?

Downloads only.

With regard to buying individual songs for 99 cents, I think it's a good idea. How many times have you purchased a CD from a new band (or even an established one), only to find out there are one or two "good" songs on the CD? Sure, the other songs could grow on you, but you get my point. You (or your customer) still have the ability to buy the full-length CD.

Not only that, but a sale is a sale It's HARD to sell anything. In the grand scheme of life, it gets your name known, it gets you an audience, etc. Downloads have gone from a novelty act to a serious player in the biz. One friend of mine really wanted my CD, but she did not want a "hard copy" CD. She waited for i_Tunes and sure enough, she bought the whole CD there.

I am 41 and I dont get it, I am still missing my vinyl records The young folks are all over downloads, they love it. To get any of that demographic is a big deal for a classical geek like me, so I am really happy it is on i-Tunes and we are actually selling.

 

[mrT]

I have a love hate technology relationship. But in the end the good music is always heard. So if all this makes music more obtainable to more people I'm for it. I know I couldn't even touch the quality I can do now with a computer for the same price as it would be without them.

 

[mjr]

Downloads only.



Not only that, but a sale is a sale It's HARD to sell anything. In the grand scheme of life, it gets your name known, it gets you an audience, etc. Downloads have gone from a novelty act to a serious player in the biz. One friend of mine really wanted my CD, but she did not want a "hard copy" CD. She waited for i_Tunes and sure enough, she bought the whole CD there.

I am 41 and I dont get it, I am still missing my vinyl records The young folks are all over downloads, they love it. To get any of that demographic is a big deal for a classical geek like me, so I am really happy it is on i-Tunes and we are actually selling.

Great points. I'm almost 30 (I'll turn the big 3-0 on the 22nd of this month...), but I do remember vinyl and 8-tracks...

You're absolutely right, though. A sale is a sale. Be it a 99 cent download, or a full album purchase.

Once my album is done, I'll be offering both physical media and downloads, as I feel that it's the best way for me to offer the music. If they want the music, but they don't want to wait for a CD to come in the mail, download! Are you with CDBaby's digital distribution? I'm considering doing that as well.

Since you miss your vinyl, you should check out Verbatim's "Digital Vinyl" cds...they look like small, vinyl records on the top, but they're standard CDRs...these are at the front of my list for me to use for my CD...

http://www.verbatim.com/products/pr...pc_parent=76F06320-48F1-485E-8E286B6E0039C276

 

[XLR]

I agree that whetever helps build your audience is good - financially and artistically.

When I'm paying my bills I want to know that I'm making money. But along with that, it matters to me that there are people listening to my music, maybe even touched by it in some way. That's the bigger reward IMO, second only to the actual pleasure of making music.

Tim

 

[DavidK]

Are you with CDBaby's digital distribution? I'm considering doing that as well.

Not really. We have some CDs available at CDBaby but we have a seperate i-tunes arrangement. I have a label deal so we are on just about all the online sites.