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LemonCrush

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Posts posted by LemonCrush

    How Do You Get Downloads?!?

    in Music Industry

    Posted

    Visitors to your page need to be conditioned from their first encounter. It starts with how they find your artist page and their expectation when they get there. On many occasions you will not have control of exactly how fans find you, but you should take advantage of how your music is found where you can. The language on your page,

    Language on the page? Most of my fans find me because of my Youtube channel. But when they get to my bandcamp page, they just play the songs and don't download them

    I would ask if your fans are used to getting free downloads or paid?

    I offer everything for free...for the time being. I feel like charging people to enjoy your art and putting your name out there isn't a good idea.

    As mentioned many factors need to be considered. The language and images used on your artist pages, focused on encouraging downloads, using "action statements" which is a fancy way of giving your visitors instructions in a way that they are more likely to be followed (a standard method of marketing and promotion).

    How could I do this? Like, what "action statements"?

    On the internet, or for that matter on mobile phones, one of the key assets in your internet marketing campaign is your mailing list. How you run your mailing list is key to success of the whole venture, though I would now also add social media, as both are ways for you to communicate directly with your fans. The perception of your products, your music, is set via your website, social media, media and the most direct of methods, your mailing list. By being direct you can completely control what you tell your fans, and when you tell your fans. This is exactly how and where you start to condition visitors and fans to be more likely to buy your music or other product. The product has to be framed in a way that makes it highly desirable, with a degree of urgency to their actions.

    Well, how do I get people to sign up for a mailing list? I mean, if they won't download my music enough to download it, why would they care enough to sign up for a mailing list?

    Also, I kinda feel like my Twitter and other sites act as the same thing. My followers see updates and stuff, so it serves the same purpose, right?

    When you release a product of any kind, you do not want to start by selling to a "cold" audience. You want to sell in what is termed a "warm" market, ie the audience are interested in what you say, what you are talking about. It is up to you to heat the market up and GIVE them a strong appetite for your music. In any marketing and promotion this can be enhanced by using PR effectively to attract people already interested in your music, who have already gone to the effort of visiting your website and encouraged to join your mailing list. You can see that each step back in the chain we go we have more to consider, more things to do, in order to effectively convert someone from a listener to a paid downloader.

    I can't get a warm market though. I don't have any fans, and the ones I do "have" don't download anything. Like, I kind of get what I need to do once I HAVE fans, but how do I get them in the first place?

    On that point, it is likely that Songstuff will be bringing out a range of products to help with all this, giving both background psychology of music marketing and detailed individual steps you can follow, covering the entire process. ;)

    Looking forward to it!!

    How Do You Get Downloads?!?

    in Music Industry

    Posted

    So, I've got myself a bandcamp page. And it's linked via my twitter and YouTube and all that.And I get a lot of hits (at least a lot for me), and even a lot of plays. But I can't ever get any downloads.

    I also upload material to newgrounds.com and I have over 200 combined downloads...but on my bandcamp, I can't get any. I know my music is good (as evidenced by the amount of downloads elsewhere and listens, etc), but why don't people download it?

    What Do You Do With Your Songs?

    in Musician's Lounge

    Posted · Edited by LemonCrush

    I write them first, obviously...I have about 5 notebooks full of sketches of riffs, chords, melodies, etc.

    Of ones I really like, I record them.

    Then, from there I decide whether or not they're good enough to put out.

    For my latest record, for example, I've recorded probably 15 (?) songs...with 35 to go. Then I will decide which of those will go on the album...the rest go away on a hard drive...an archive or vault you could say.

    Then I release singles on Youtube, Bandcamp, and Newgrounds.com

    Then I release the albums on Youtube and Bandcamp

    As for promotion, I don't really know how to promote or build fans. So I'm basically releasing music to/for no one :/ But oh well...I do have a tiny amount of fans, but oh well. I'm hoping to reach a wider audience with this next album, I just don't know how I'm gonna do it on the cheap.

    Best Guitar Solos

    in Performance

    Posted

    Prince- I Will

    Prince- Anna Stesia

    Prince- Computer Blue

    Ernie Isley- Taste of Love

    Jimmy Page- Ten Years Gone

    Jimmy Page- You Shook Me

    Eddie Hazel- Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts

    Kirk Hammett- Ride the Lightning

    David Gilmour- Time

    Just a few...

    How Do You Get Inspired?

    in Songwriting

    Posted

    Yeah, trying to solve a dungeon with a giant face-moon falling on the earth isn't the most subtle thing!

    Also, Nobuo Uematsu all the way.

    I can totally respect Uematsu, and his abilities, and his obvious status...

    But it doesn't do much for me...

    How Do You Get Inspired?

    in Songwriting

    Posted

    I totally agree, Lemon. Some of my favorite music EVER has come from games like Zelda (try the song of healing)

    Anyone who thinks that a video games aren't an art form needs to play Final Fantasy 6.

    Yes, Koji Kondo is a genius. In fact, I find most Japanese musicians are really spectacular.

    But I'm not just influenced by the music of old games, but just the art form of their visuals and atmosphere in general. Like I said, I can't really explain how I apply the lessons I learn from games to my music...it's just like...I play Majora's Mask or something, and I get little visual cues and atmospheric ideas from it...somehow. I can't explain it haha

    The Songstuffer On Youtube List

    in Music Industry

    Posted · Edited by LemonCrush

    It's late, so I'll check all you guys out tomorrow

    But check out my channel in my sig. I'll sub you if you sub me :)

    I update every couple weeks. Usually in the form of music discussion, but I upload music there too as well. In fact, I have a whole playlist of stuff you can only hear on YouTube....special stuff for all 13 of my fans haha

    • Like 1

    How Do You Get Inspired?

    in Songwriting

    Posted · Edited by LemonCrush

    Most forms of art inspire me.

    Oddly enough, I often look to visual arts too. For example, on of my favorite visual art pieces is "Pieta" by Michelangelo. When I see it, or other art by masters, I just get motivated, and I apply their work ethic and ideas to my music. Or when I read a really intense comic book, or watch a really good show.,,somehow, and I can't explain how...I apply many of those ideas to my music..

    Also, video games, believe it or not. In fact, these days, I look to video games (older ones anyway) for inspiration. Old video games are a marriage of visuals, sound, and atmosphere...the way the game designers put it all together so perfectly is an artform. And I try to bring that to my music as well. The art of combining atmosphere and different palettes and styles to make something unique. Video game designers, because of the interactive nature of their art, have to do many things, and convey certain atmosphere and feelings through their art. I try to do the same thing.

    I use visual artists views, at least, as influences.

    When I mention these things, people give me "how can video games influence music"....it's hard to explain and I suppose I'd need to go really in depth to explain it. But yeah.

    Country Music?

    in Music Industry

    Posted

    To a great extent, I agree! Most of what I hear doesn't even resemble what I'd consider "country" music.

    Case-in-point....This past Saturday, my wife and I were flippin' channels on TV and stopped for just a moment on a locally broadcast country dance show that's filmed live each week at a local venue. We didn't stay long, but guess what they were playing? A Katy Perry song dance tune!!!!! Someone would have to explain to me exactly how & when Katy Perry techno dance began to qualify as country.

    Anyway....I feel your pain-LOL

    Tom

    Maybe it wasn't a country show?

    Releasing Too Much Material?

    in Music Industry

    Posted

    How much music is too much?

    Is it a bad idea to release music to often when you're trying to build a fanbase? IMO, if you have a fan base built up, it's awesome.

    But if I release an EP or something every few months, is that too much?

    I'm very aware of the fact that actual physical sales are kinda dwindling, and that new, easily accessible material is the way of the future...but how often should one release material? I'm subscribed to many filmakers on youtube, and they release a new video (usually a short) every 3 months or so...

    I'd like to adopt this approach but feel like I may be flooding my channel with too much material...so what do you guys think. I have more than enough material to make this happen, I'm just wondering if I should...

    Personal Or General? Specific Or Broad?

    in Songwriting

    Posted

    Hmmm...

    It just really depends on what's on my mind lately. When I was with my ex fiance, my songs were, for the most part, upbeat. See, at that time, I was an instrumental artist. But the emotions I was feeling was somewhat reflected in the titles. But even still, the songs on my first record, unintentionally, reflected...a kind of upbeat feeling. Even the intense emotional songs were subconsciously played in an upbeat mood.

    However, we broke up this January, instrumental work was not enough. I had to start writing and singing...just to get it all out. I had NEVER sang before, but I just had to to get things off my chest. At first, it was covers that kind of felt like I was feeling. At the time, I was filled with anger and questions. And the covers I started singing (which will probably never release, because I didn't know how to sing yet) reflected that. Possession by Sarah McLaughlin Black by Pearl Jam, Case of You by Joni Mitchell, and even originals of mine like the one called Bitch...all of these reflected what I was feeling.

    Now that the fire has died down, and I'm recording my full length album, things are still on the more hurtful subjects. And it's been remarkably theraputic. This next album...oh boy is it gonna be a doozy. Not only is it my first release foray into singing, but the lyrical content...I think it's relateable, and the few who listen to it (I have almost no fanbase lol) will be able to identify with it. I've never written anything so real before. And if my ex hears it...oh boy lol.

    Getting back on track here, oddly enough, it's only after I've suffered this huge loss and heartbreak, have I really been able to really...write. Lyrics and emotions just flow out of me...sometimes instrumental songs are enough, sometimes I need to sing it. I really enjoy listening to my own work, and honestly, some of the stuff inspired by recent events, is my favorite things I've ever done. I did a song called "Maybe Christmas"...it's simple, understated, loose in structure, but gosh, it feels so real to me you know? And I hope, if and when people hear it, it maybe helps them if they're going through something similar. My whole message with the next record is to target those who went through what I went through, and I wanna reach out and tell them it's okay...

    IDK, I guess I went of on a f*cking tangent there huh? Um, tl;dr version, I find more enjoyment out of listening, writing and recording more personal songs. lol

    • Like 1

    What Do You Want To Do?

    in Songwriting

    Posted · Edited by LemonCrush

    I just want to have fans.

    I could care less about financial gain...It'd be great, but I could care less about money if I had 100,000 subscribers on YouTube..

    That's why I give everything away...for the time being, at least.

    I'll always make it and put it out there, even I have no fans, but gosh, I wish some people liked my stuff.

    What Are Your Favorite Top 10 Albums Of All Time And Why?

    in Musician's Lounge

    Posted · Edited by LemonCrush

    Thanks Lemon Crush for your reply, I have two of your three mentioned albums:Stevie Wonder-Songs In the Key Of Life (his best album)Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy is one of their best albums.

    As for Prince-Signs of the Times which is a double album I believe. I know that this album is critically acclaimed. Is it better than Purple Rain album? Is It pop rock or funk rock?

    Anyway, you know what is good music.

    Well, IMO Stevie is a genius all around. Such amazing mastery of the craft of songwriting. His ability to channel almost any emotion into song form is something I wish I could do...and his subtle yet glaring combination of mixing minor or dark sounding chords in a happy, uplifting song...amazing. Songs In the Key of Life is definitely his best artistically, but I'd enjoy the songs on other albums more.

    Houses of the Holy, I like because it's eclectic, and it reminds me of summertime during my high school years. It's kind of become my traditional summer album.

    Sign Of The Times....I'm kind a Prince fanatic and...historian, you could say hahah. Sign of the Times was his first album after the breakup of The Revolution (his backing band). He'd fired everyone, and went back to his one-man-band ways. It IS a double album...as I understand it, he was working on 3 or so albums at once, and when he disbanded the Revolution, he decided to use the best songs from each, and you have Sign of the Times. It's really awesome and unique It came out in 87, and nothing like the sounds on Signs was like what was happening at the time. The styles of music is weird. The production is sparse...everything has a demo like feel to it. Drums, synth and a vocal...there's loose, funk songs (the title track), good pop rock (Never Take the Place Of Your Man, Play In The Sunshine), straight James Brown-on-acid Funk jams (Housequake), ballads of course (Adore), and even freaky, weird elevator music/funk hybrids (Ballad of Dorothy Parker). I think it's better than Purple Rain. In my opinion, it's one of the last times Prince truly said "to hell with normal pop music" and really just did his own thing...

    It's super influential. It was sampled a lot back in the day, and still is from time to time. You can still hear the influence in today's music. Check it out if you haven't. Even if you don't like Prince, it' still worth listening to, because its cool to see someone stretching the limits of pop music at the time

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