VoiceEx
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Posts posted by VoiceEx
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On 4/28/2024 at 3:03 PM, Auburn said:
Unfortunately, with limited resources and very little free time, things are progressing at a snail's pace. It will be a while before I have anything to show for my effort unfortunately... but when I have something, I'll be sure to post it.No worries, take as much time as you need 👍 I dunno about you, but I'd rather wait for a good song to come out, instead of settling for something half baked.
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I'm happy to hear that you enjoy reading my posts, @GregB
You know, its a shame that this thread isn't getting the attention it deserves because this is a very important topic (IMO) 👍
You know, I'm not a fan of Rick Beato's content, but thank you for posting that video! appreciate the irony! lol. Though I would like to point out, there's no need to post their transcription. Most viewers are likely going to watch the video, over 'reading' what's going on in there. Plus. People can enable subtitles 💬
As for your topic. While its true that AI is here to stay, and, lets face it, it will take a piece of the pie. However, at the end of the day - I don't think that the future is as grim as people make it out to be.
Yes, as with any big change, there will be many casualties in the next few years. Not to mention, as I'm sure you'd agree, even the way's of which AI applications are being handled and regulated still leave much to be desired. It is as you said. The genie is out of the bottle and only a fool or a liar would claim to have all the answers.
That being said, since this isn't 2056 (@john lol), I don't see AI completely replacing humans in my lifetime. Plus. The hype will die at some point. And when that happens, if you've already built a human audience for your human content, then I don't think that AI will hinder most people's progress.
To put that in perspective. Let me present you with a question. Since your a musician, would you say, that, you feel as if AI is preventing you from making content or making music? Or, are you perhaps concerned about the possibility that you might over endulge in using AI, to the point where you'd feel as if both your music and your idea's are no longer your own?
This is.. just a wild guess, but.. chances are that those are not your concerns, being as those are elements are entirely in your control 👍
Not to mention, in these times, the number one competition for humans is (still!) other humans. Or, have people forgotten about those in all the commotion? Besides. If generated content was SO GOOD, and if this was what people actually preferred above all else, then, and only THEN, it would be the point where we should just strike a deal with Skynet and get it over with 🤣👍
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4 hours ago, GregB said:
Hi @VoiceEx - thanks for joining in. Another perspective always helps spread the issue for closer inspection.
Yes, horses ARE still ridden, but only as a hobby, and only by a tiny % (at least in the cities/'burbs). Cars replaced horses ... (I originally wrote 'overtook', which is both funny AND true) ... 'overnight', historically speaking.
>> ... if a person ... built an audience ... for its creatorYes ... for LIVE performance, BUT gigs/venues are drying up due to practical commercial reasons. Meaning increased competition amongst the artists for dimishing opportunities.
Always a pleasure, @GregB! I'm glad to be able to contribute in some way!
Its been so long since someone tagged me outside of a PM 🤣👍
The horses v.s cars bit was somewhat of a metaphorical analogy that wasn't meant to be taken 'literally', and it wasn't about technological progress, either. But rather, it was meant to serve as a counter point to the argument I've made about why I don't think that generated content will become a substitute for human content.
Though you're right. Now that I think about it, I suppose I should have made that more clear 👍
Speaking of people's desire to make a human connection. While its true that many avenues require a degree of adaptation in order to work and stay relevant, both the internet, the technology, and how the modern audience is wired these days, have made it possible to build an audience, increase your reach, while turning a profit - All without ever setting foot on an actual stage.
I know that the idea of "content creation" is considered by many artists as being a "dirty" word. As if it somehow "cheapens" or "devalues" the concept of making art. However, I consider that line of thinking as being archaic. Getting on with the times doesn't just mean embracing cool technologies, it also means adapting to the creative landscape and making efficient use of all the possibilities available, while carefully managing your next steps.
The act of 'just' music is simply not enough anymore. That might not sit well for some people, but ignoring that fact is on them.
4 hours ago, GregB said:>> ... generated content becomes the new "norm"
"Hey, Norm!!" (Cheers)
Even in 2023, pre good quality AI, trying to get 'heard' in the streaming multiverse was next to impossible. So take that 2023 situation and dilute it x10 or x100 with AI-generated stuff ... the 'streams' become raging rivers/oceans, themselves solely promoted by the platforms to the exclusion of us mere mortals seeking our fractions of a cent per play.The solution to that problem is simple. Instead of building a lighthouse in an unforgiving ocean, in isolation, where you cannot be seen, perhaps consider building a dam around your own pond until your ready to expand your operation. Streaming services are not the be-all-end-all. It is just one means of service/approach, out of many 👍
4 hours ago, GregB said:Even elephants in the room (and dinosaurs like me) sadly accept the situation. It is what it is.
Animals in nature tend to get eaten if they always stay in once place. Its the one's that migrate and work as a pack who get the lion's share in the long run 👍
4 hours ago, GregB said:Of course, there's one thing I have NOT addressed. Many of these new AI developments like ElevenLabs are not yet available to the general public. Is it just a scam to get investor money? Are all the examples/reviews fake? Can anyone tell anymore? It's a funny old world with some strangely motivated humans.
Your right. They could be scamming and the general public might know none the wiser. Which is my motto is: if thousands of people haven't gotten their hands on it yet and haven't shared their experience working with it, then I consider it a dud. Why jump head first into the fire, when there are plenty of volunteers? 😅
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My opinion about AI is a bit controversial, being as I don't see AI as being the boogeyman that many artists think it is.
To put that in perspective. We are not living in a dystopian nightmare where technology is on over-drive, and where greedy corporations have the ability to mass produce millions of generated artists, at a moment's notice. People talk about AI as if it were a large ominous machine with infinite tentacles, effectively choke holding all indie artists in unison, sucking all revenue and all audiences dry, until there's nothing left but a handful of super-fans that don't know what happened because they don't have access to the internet..
While in reality, even if we had the technology to replace all human involvement, the costs would be immense and it won't be worth it because humans still prefer to be entertained by other humans. Which means that, even if major labels would prefer that generated content becomes the new "norm", that too would require quite a few major leaps of faith and paradigm shifts in society itself. After all, we still ride horses, despite having access to cars. So as far as global brainwashing goes, I'm not impressed 😅👍
Not to mention, I think that if a person puts themselves in a position where a machine can "replace" them entirely, then that likely means that they've built an audience that was only there for the content itself, and not for its creator. Which, if you ask me, is not the brightest of ideas nowadays.
Also. To answer your question @GregB. "Why is no one talking about it in these Forums?". Well your guess is as good as mine 👍
Though I suppose it might be because people tend to avoid talking about the elephants in the room. I could say the same for marketing. Though, it could even be something far more simple. Maybe they don't talk about it because they don't intend to use AI and would prefer to avoid potential arguments in what could easily become a rather heated discussion.
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Welcome to Songstuff @Auburn!
You've mentioned that you love music for its ability to tell stories and that you also "gravitate to the more extreme and violent sub genre". If that's the case then I have a question for you. Speaking as a fictional writer, one that also happens to enjoy exploring gritty sounds and dark concepts, may I ask, is there a way for me to check out some of your work?
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Welcome @Auburn!
Speaking as one of the regular members, I can attest that this place is livelier then it seems on the surface. For example, some members prefer to talk in private, while there are also those who prefer to only focus on their particular areas of interests. Not to mention, there is also the matter of maintaining one's own activity in relation to others.
To put that in perspective, If all a person ever does is create topics that are centered around them, without ever showing the slightest interest in other people and other topics, then chances are that such an individual may not get many responses. After all, Its called a 'community' for a reason.
What I'm trying to say is, the first steps are always the hardest. However, I can tell you from experience, if you take the initiative and give this place a proper chance, you'll find that we have plenty to offer. Much more then you'd expect 👍
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Absolutely. In fact, there are a million things I'd like to do, but can't afford too, due to my working schedule and other responsibilities.
That being said, while its true that I can't afford to listen to music all day, thankfully, me being a musician has never killed the 'magic' for me. Which is why I always make time to listen to music just for fun and its why I still geek out (production wise) when I think something is super cool.
Call me crazy, but I'm on the fence that enjoying something for the sake of enjoying it, helps to keep you fresh. Both on a personal level but also on a professional level. And while its true that re-creating that childhood 'spark' is impossible - I don't think that it should stop artists from taking full advantage of what will always be there.
TLDR:
I think that if listening to music for fun is important to you, then the only person standing in your way, is yourself. For example: After a long day's work, I really enjoy taking nightly/early morning strolls while listening to music.
True, its just an hour or two per-day. However, it is a daily 'dose' that ultimately stacks up (mentally). It gives me a chance to check out new music, revisit old music, or even just listen to audio books and lectures, without ever feeling like having fun is somehow a "waste of my time" 👍
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On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:
John was gracious enough to have an anything goes thread which I liked. All of that ended in name calling. I don't remember calling any names. I have better learned how to handle those things since then, so I handle those things differently. Most forums don't allow name calling. My skin has grown much thicker since then. I would laugh those guys off now.
Are you telling me that we actually had a thread where anyone could simply waltz right in, for no apparent reason, and start yelling at complete strangers, while handing out verbal abuse and snide remarks as if they hot cakes?! 😮 Well as far as ticking time bombs go THAT IS gracious indeed! Practically therapeutic! 🤣👍
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:Musicians are typically a liberal bunch and I knew that going in, basically anything goes but I think everyone has a limit to that especially if it steps on someone else. The outcome of those discussions was probably expected. I have no idea what happened to all of those guys. One is on my FB but maybe he blocked me. For the record I don't argue or enjoy arguing, so it wasn't really fun to go there any more and John closed it down. The other one who referred to himself as a walking gut bag, not sure.
You know, I actually have a rather different take on that situation. While its true that such a thread was obviously going to get closed at some point because removing all filters tends to bring out the worse in people, I also happen to think that thread may have been rather useful. After all, when you give people a free pass to say anything they want, you also get better insight about them. Especially if they go off rails.
And if by chance most if not all the troublemakers and their friends would volunteer to be in the same place.. then.. well.. that would be rather convenient, wouldn't you say? Better than chasing them around, if you catch my drift 😅
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:There are two reasons anyone goes to a critique area and at one time I didn't know what I liked so I was open to letting someone else suggest things. I still am to some extent, but I don't feel I need approval. I could nit any of the top ten hits and find errors. I think there's a page somewhere that has all of the little mistakes hits had in them. AC/DC made some drasitc tempo changes which would not fly today. Most of the time when I upload something I hear all of the stupid things in it. I just made changes recently and I'm not finished yet to a few of my recent ones. That's really what works best for me. Just listening to it and trying to decide if what I heard was bad enough to warrant correction. Since mixing is a bit of an art there are lots of ways to mix an given song in addition to the artistic music decisions. Chances are if I released something in one mix at midnight I will be very sorry the next day, but it's a snap shot of where I was then and shows room for improvement.
There's nothing wrong with finding out what you're okay with. The internet is filled with armchair critics whose advice could potentially be harmful to your production. That's one of the reasons why I personally don't pay much attention to suggestions given to me by people whose own production value leaves much to be desired. I'd rather listen to advice from people that know what they are doing, but also posses an in depth understanding of what would benefit my specific needs.
To put that in perspective, I think that any good producer can give you good advice that's worth taking in, regardless of whether or not you happen to produce the same kind of music as them. However, I find that what's even better, is getting advice from multiple sources, as well as getting advice from producers whose livelihood revolves around specializing in what you're actually into. That way you get the best of multiple worlds.
As for nit picking and finding errors in hits. Have you considered turning that into educational content? Could be fun. I'd give a watch, that's for sure 👍
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:My music is in between showcase and critique so I don't post a lot here lately. I was honored to interview two of the most famous mixing engineers on the planet and have autographed books from both of them. MIke Senior and Bob Katz inventor of the K system. I have read everything in those books and was glued to SOS for years, plus lots of trial and error. I know there's always something new to learn so I'm not saying I am above that, but neither am I by any means an amateur.
Wow that's cool! 😮 Is there somewhere I could read/listen/watch said interview?
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:Well it's nice to meet you here! I would probably not be on forums as much if I were not working a computer job that has frequent times of intermission in waiting for programs to load etc. A forum is a great way to draw in persons we assume have similar or the same interests. I had something like 30,000 posts on the cakewalk forum when bandlab bought them. That's the DAW I cut my teeth on.When the site changed I lost my post count. I'm still there but not as much since I adopted Ableton as my main DAW, and unfortunately Ableton has a terrible forum area IMHO. Maybe similar to Cubase. Like the girl you knew lived down the street you never gave much thought to, and then later got a crush on her, that's how Ableton grew on me. At first I didn't get the concept. Now I won't work in much of anything else. Cubase has lots of capability and I was using it successfully as well, but then I figured Ableton out.
Its nice to meet you too!
I've actually been here since 2019 though my activity varies depending on my work. That's probably why we haven't bumped into each other until now. Not to mention, I mostly hang out in the Musician's Lounge because that's where the fun is for me.
Its interesting that you're an Ableton guy. I am familiar with it I know many people that swear by it. Though personally, I mostly use Nuendo and Pro Tools. They fit my needs nicely and I probably won't switch to anything else in the foreseeable future.
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:I always maybe falsely assumed forums were more about community. I mean really I don't come here for anything other than discussion and sometimes I'll put a track up. I don't need anything here.
You know? I used to feel the same way as you do for a very long time. That is because much like you I didn't come here because I needed something. In fact, you could even say that I was rather hostile at the beginning. However, that was a long time ago. Nowadays I can safely say that this is pretty much the only forum whose community and staff I care for.
And coming from me I think that says alot because my attitude is inquisition-style: "If you don't interest me as a person, you might as well be a fly on the wall. And I expect the same treatment from you". Pretty harsh but also fair 👍
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:I just want to go where I want to go. I don't need anything flashy or necessarily "different".
Same here. Give me interesting people to talk too and I'm golden 👌
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:What is a successful forum?
I don't really know. I wanna say.. an active one? 😅
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:Young people ( that's me too) well sort of
They need a vision.They think they can do it, they just need the tools and those willing to show them. We can't be selling them wind. There is a reality about all of this. If a person likes making music none of those things will really matter. They can be guided, but ultimately it's up to them.
I think that Songstuff has ALOT to offer to musicians of all ages. Though whether or not Songstuff reaches what I believe is its full potential remains to be seen. Though I am rooting for us all and I think that John knows what he is doing. I have faith in him.
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:Sounds about right to me
I would not say a person who doesn't want criticism is weak in some way. If they come here though and post in the songs area they are likely looking for other opinions. It was at one time a habit to come here and post my songs.
Way that I see it, if a person can't handle criticism is a place like this, which has a relatively mature audience, and is very tamed if compared to, lets say, Reddit, social media, Youtube, then how on earth do they expect to deal with a bigger audience? 🤔 I'd worry for their mental well being. I don't like to say it, but I do think that some people are simply not stable enough to share their music.
On 2/13/2024 at 9:42 PM, starise said:I can't sell anything. Probaby because I have no desire to do so.
Success and control- Money and power? Look what that does to most people.
Oh I'm sure that you could. These days practically everything is marketable. Though thankfully I don't think that we'll be seeing here any power hungry billionaires anytime soon 👍
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17 hours ago, starise said:
I shared a few of my musician things to non musicians and yeah, none of them got it.
Imagine you went to the dentist. Then all of a sudden he looks you dead in the eye and starts telling you "gum jokes", or some other cringe inducing nonsense. Now.. I don't know what you would do. But I for one would have asked him to ramp up the gas and put me in a coma. Same idea 🤭👌
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11 hours ago, starise said:
Why thank you. I appreciate the compliment!
11 hours ago, starise said:There were a few here who didn't care for me because we got into a back and forth, but with me that's kind an expectation I have that not everyone agrees with everything. Who knows? In person we may have hit it off wonderfully.
Well if a person is not interested in critique they could simply apply to post in the showcase. Might save them the trouble, no? Or if they are indeed looking for critique, they could specify what sort of feedback they are looking for exactly. That way if they see a response that is irrelevant or even offensive they could call it out 👍
That being said, I must say I am rather curious as to what happened. With your permission, would you be willing to fill me in? (perhaps via PM, if you'd prefer). I find that old drama makes for a fun conversation, if nothing else 😅
11 hours ago, starise said:A word that tends to get used a lot "agenda".
I don't have one. I'm just me and you're just you. If the event was close I would probably attend it. One online site had a zoom meeting on another site I frequent. It was my idea. Most either chickened out or could not fit into a time zone that worked which is the difficulty with having a web site that invites people from all over the world in different zones, and as one of the mods on that other place I can see people droopping in from all over the world. I imagine John has seen it all.
From my limited experience in forums I find that most people that look up forums tend to do so for a reason. As such, it would be fair to say that they want something. Could be critique, sharing for the sake of sharing, business opportunities, promotion, education (etc etc), or even simply as fans wanting to interact with musicians. I could come up with more reasons, but you get the idea.
I don't know what other communities you frequent, though I think its great that you took the initiative and encouraged people to step outside their comfort zone. It would be nice if we had something like that in here. Also. Much like you, if Songstuff would host an event I would indeed try to attend, if given the opportunity.
Though whether or not I would get invited in the first place remains to be seen, I suppose 😅👍
11 hours ago, starise said:Everyone is both like you in some way or ways, and different in others. I place equal value on all. I tend to fit a negative stereotype I don't really typify, so I think it's probably best to get to know me aside from that. I won't even say what that stereotype is, but most know what it is. WE are all individuals with gifts in different areas. Pluses and minuses are in us all.
You've been labeled as a negative stereotype? 😮 I had no idea but man it sounds like you're days here are far more interesting then mine 😅 That being said, if this is the case, I'd like to offer you an interesting perspective in regards to giving feedback.
I don't give feedback to people who I believe are too sensitive to handle it. How can I tell which is which? Its easy: Look into their interactions. People that can't handle criticism wave that red flag loudly and proudly. As such, instead of asking yourself: "But what if I could help them?", its better to move on and focus your energy on the people who are NOT just looking for praise.
11 hours ago, starise said:If you wanted to get into the psychology of some of this, people mostly put their best foot forward. It's human nature. So in meeting people initially we see that best side, or what they percieve to be the best side. Me? I'll put dumb videos of me playing a bouzouki or show a lot more of myself online than many will. I guess it's because I just don't care any more, so long as it isn't rude to anyone else. I never intend that ever.
That's very true. People do try to put their best foot forward. Its also good for business. Though to tell you the truth, personally, when it comes to getting to know people, I have no interest in someone that constantly attempts to project an image of success and control. That's their way of attempting keep people at arm's length and its kinda sad if you think about it 😅
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I hear that 👍 Though to be fair, I know that if I started posting all the things I find as being silly or funny, without any reservations or filter, and on a regular basis, I'm pretty sure that I'd get banned 😅
Another issue I often face in terms of sharing random silly things, is that I find that most music related stuff just isn't that funny. Not to mention, what's funny for a musician might not necessarily be funny to none-musician. Which means that, when I do share something silly, I prefer sharing something that might lead to an interesting discussion that anyone can join in on.
Just my two cents of course 😶
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I'm not too big on memes n' such. However, @starise what you said about keeping things clean got me thinking about a silly thought experiment. And since you haven't specified any restrictions on what constitutes as 'silly', I can only assume that a silly discussion may also be on the table 👍
But before I get into it, please allow me to give you some context.
You see, I have often theorized what it would happen if Songstuff would host an IRL social event, like a meetup or party. I wonder what it might be like, who would attend, who'd get along with who, which personalities are likely to clash, what sort of interesting stories/scandals might be unearthed (etc), and how people's agenda would affect their overall interactions with each other.
Basically, imagine an oldschool industry mixer but exclusively for Songstuff members. That's the general idea. Anyhoo, In the spirit of the thread, I've got a silly question for you 😅 (Obviously, you don't have to answer if you don't want too. I'll understand).
If such an event took place, would you attend? And if you would, are there any particular members you'd like to hang with?
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On 2/9/2024 at 9:52 PM, starise said:
You can think of me as a facilitator that seldom facilitates anything.
AKA, killing you're own thread 👍
To put that in perspective. A guy walks into a bar. He says: "Oh yee humorless husks, which brave soul among you can tell me something funny?". And then he leaves 😅 The moral of the story being, perhaps it would have been a good idea to start by sharing something silly/funny that happened to you and get that ball rolling. It may also be a good idea to Tag people you are on good terms with to encourage participation.
In fact, you could also share funny things that happened to you on Songstuff and spice it up for entertainment value. That too might encourage people to participate.
For example:
"So today I found myself talking with @john about the definition of silliness. 'Premium' content am I right? If that's not a sign that we desperately need young members in here, then I don't know what is! Speaking of killing jokes, I just posted up a song of mine for critique and some rando that never posts any of his own songs gives me a comment that just says 'nope'. I was like, excuse me? context-much? This isn't my day.."
I'm just joking of course, but you get the idea.
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On 2/9/2024 at 9:32 PM, starise said:
I mean, we can't even be silly? I think that's just silly.
I'm always up for silly things 👍 Is there something silly that you'd like to share?
On 2/9/2024 at 9:32 PM, starise said:I kinda knew that but I was trying to keep it clean. Why can't you keep women here? For the record I keep it clean and respectful to all, so women by all means the carpet is rolled for you too. You can trust me at least. Not sure about the rest
I'm a happily married man, so no hitting from me.
Oh it was merely a playful observation about how most of our active members appear to be men. Which is absolutely fine but its also a bit funny IMO. After all, this is a thread for silly things, is it not? 😏 Besides. Even if hypothetically you did hit on members, that would be a you-problem 😅👍
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No no its not German. Its slang. It means: an event or a place at which most of the people present are men, or a group that consists mainly of men (i.e 'Sausage' as in penis). A "dicks only club", if you will. We don't have many females, is what I'm saying 😅👍
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No problem I'm glad I could help 👍 I never spoke with her but she seems nice. Though in the spirit of silliness, while I was skimming through her content, it made wonder why this place is such a sausage fest nowadays 😅
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On 1/25/2024 at 2:36 PM, starise said:
Hey what happened to all of our old posters like Akazia? She doesn't even show up on the members list.
I remember her and she does indeed show up on the members list. Here 👍 I've also briefly looked into some of her back and forth communications with you, particularly in an old song of hers that's called "My Father", where you asked if she'd like to work with you. If you are not able to see any of these links then I suspect you might have been blocked. I can't help you with that, I'm afraid.
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On 1/15/2024 at 3:33 AM, john said:
Somethings I like the way they were, some the way they are, most on how I think they could be. In the past much was limited by who you knew and how much money you had. That still plays an important role, particularly in mainstream music, but I think, the modern age only highlights the reality that musicians always were challenged in getting their music in front of listeners. It is much more obvious now. While the scale is ever increasing, we now have far greater spread of knowledge, incredible reach, tools and better access to detailed metrics than ever before. For a creative, detail oriented mind, tools just amplify what we can do applying our knowledge.
Make sense?
Yeah it makes sense and I couldn't agree more 👍 Though I would like to ask, in terms of how things could be, what do you mean exactly? Like, if you had the power to change what's going on, what would those changes be? i.e what is your vision of an ideal mix between the past and the present?
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On 1/15/2024 at 2:23 AM, GregB said:
The AMOUNT of music is growing faster than the pairs of ears and listening time available to hear it. Arithmetic suggests that any one new track has fewer opportunities to heard.
I completely agree with you on that 👍 In fact, I would also like to point that that overly excessive "content loops" also play a part in all of this. Not only is the amount of music growing faster, but the amount of content that many musicians force themselves to dish out for the sake of appeasing the algorithms is equally to blame (IMO).
On 1/15/2024 at 2:23 AM, GregB said:I have a feeling for the music industry (without understanding it) and I simply acknowledge the raw numbers. End of story.
I'l stop here, take my medication and have a lie down
We are a little different. My interest in the music industry itself and its inner workings grew strictly out of necessity. But you know how it is. We are where we choose to be. You have your pills and I have mine 😅👍
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@john @GregB I hope you don't mind, but I would like to ask you both an interesting question in the spirit of things 👍
Do you prefer how things used to be back in the day, or do you prefer how it goes nowadays? Needless to say, if more people are interested in sharing similar thoughts about this subject: Please join in!
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4 hours ago, john said:
Back in the day, you had to learn to get people to your gigs in order to even book at places that already had a reasonable audience more than once. They all wanted to know you could pull in more of a crowd. More to the point, if you didn’t learn the basics of that, you could be playing to a more or less empty room in a lot of venues.
I used to be in several bands and I can attest that this is very true! I can't tell you how much running around (i.e making connections) and live gigs we had do before we started to build a decent audience. Not to mention, building a good reputation as performers, as well as learning how to handle ourselves efficiently in recording studios. Which back in the day were rather expensive.
There's also the matter of booking gigs outside one's country (i.e long term tours, festivals etc). Which back the day, involved making all kinds of preparations, not to mention, all the sleepless nights you'd be spending making rather expensive phone calls. A small glimpse into a world without the internet 😅👍
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I'm a bit late for the party as usual but hell yeah happy new year everyone!
As for my new year resolution. Music wise, I'd like to fully exercise my creative freedom and get back to working on my own music and art. Its been a very, very long time since i've had that luxury.
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Some of my opinions on these matters are a bit controversial. As such, for the sake of keeping things nice and simple, I will only address specific questions, starting with the biggest one: "Should all music be free?".
The short answer is: Not all of it. However, I also think the idea itself (giving music for free) largely depends on your situation and on how much you rely on selling the music itself as a singular source of income. For example, if the music itself is your only source of income, or if you cannot afford to give your music for free (due to the costs), then, I'd say no. Don't do it.
That being said, if you already have a loyal fan base that supports you, and if you have a dedicated audience that is more or less aware of your circumstances - and if selling the music itself is NOT your only source of income - then I don't see a problem with giving away some of your music for free. In other words: If you can afford to do it and if you go about it tactfully, then I see no harm in it.
On 12/11/2023 at 9:17 PM, john said:Do you still pay for music?
I do 👍
On 12/11/2023 at 9:17 PM, john said:Do you, or would you, sell your music?
As a soon to be retired freelance composer, I am no stranger when it comes to profiting from making music and selling music. However, I do not sell/share/promote/market the finished versions of the music I make for myself, at this point in time. That being said, I'm not 'against' the idea of selling my music, as long as selling my music does not conflict with my moral values as a person and as a content creator.
To put that in perspective, the majority of my content is free and I actively fight to keep it that way. I want my audience to be happy and to feel like they are getting the most out of the experience. And if that means that I won't "maximize profits", then so be it.
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On 12/5/2023 at 1:28 PM, john said:
Practical is an interesting word choice. There's certainly a more pragmatic edge to it. There's a desire for the outcome, but a lack of work within many. Youth has hope, and the huge benefit from the knowledge the internet can bring them... unfortunately they don't always have the necessary work ethic and the world is SO full of distractions. Even the internet is so full of distractions.
Just1L talked about how making music made him feel. So it got me thinking about what it would have been like if I was a kid nowadays. For one, I started getting into art and songwriting before the internet was a 'thing'. So if I would factor in even that one single element as a starting point, the technology and abundance of options we have nowadays would have probably had a profound impact on how I would approach making music.
In fact, its likely that even the music I would make would have probably been different. Hell. I'd probably become a different person altogether. Practically unrecognizable. Would I have even been interested in making music? Who knows.
On 12/5/2023 at 1:28 PM, john said:Those in the middle are a confused mix of the two above. All 3 struggle to know where exactly to spend their time for the best progress towards their vague goals. The middle epitomizes this. So much so that they can stop progress, rabbits in headlights, making little or no progress at all.
When it comes to older generations and those who are struck in between, I'm not the 'type' to say that I think everyone is going to have a happy ending. I think that 7/10 times if a person in those categories hasn't already reached a certain point in their musical journey, then its likely that they will stay where there are, or, in some cases, give up entirely.
You know, its a shame that this thread isn't getting the attention it deserves because this is a very important topic (IMO) 
They need a vision.They think they can do it, they just need the tools and those willing to show them. We can't be selling them wind. There is a reality about all of this. If a person likes making music none of those things will really matter. They can be guided, but ultimately it's up to them.
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Kudos for digging up one of my old threads! I appreciate it!
I wasn't sure if you're looking for something new or old, but it sounds like you might enjoy watching "3 Body Problem" 👍