Sup all you Audiosexual's! I know I said i was gonna come through with something interesting but I find that most of the things I wanna say are already on the forum. So it took me a while but I finally decided on something. It's nothing extreme, but it's definitely some decent food for thought. So here it goes, fam!

Lately I've been pondering about how other musicians,producers, songwriters, and mixing engineers perceive their stride into,what is to some, an inevitable part of moving up in the game. While to others it's considered a sacrifice of one's creative freedom or even their core as a human being. What am I talking about, you say? Business in your music journey, thats whats on the menu for this debacle. It seems to me that the more you talk to someone about making it in the biz, the more they are willing to listen to what they feel they should pick up on. But the minute you involve business into the conversation, things will most likely change.

Which I don't personally understand because if your under the notion that music alone is enough to catapult you to where you wanna be..................................Good luck.
In this day an age where music is extremely over saturated, your most likely gonna get unnoticed even if your music is great, in my opinion. Thats not to say that it's impossible going about that way, but the whole point of adding the business prospective to the journey of music is to not let it all fall on mere luck. You guys and gals get my drift? When I say business I mean the whole nine yards and a bag of chips that you have to get with it. Everything from marketing to the way you dress and present yourself should be considered just as important as your music.

Going about it with only music is probably how it worked back in the day, but I feel that things have changed since then. Whether its a good or bad change, that subject is debatable depending on what you value. Which leads me to the two questions this whole topic is all about.......

How do you guys and gals feel about the things you have to do, business wise, to get to where you wanna be in the music game? And do you feel that implementing business into your journey degrades you as an artist in your specific field?

 

well...the question should also be... do I actually wanna make it with music?

for me, the answer is no...I'm not really trying to 'make it'. I do it cuz I enjoy it whether I get a job with it or not...all I need is a decent job to feed me and I am happies *yes*

However, that's not to say music isn't a business these days...it is and has been for 100's of years...

If I do somehow get some attention for my music, I won't be ashamed to take part in the business side...but I would do it intelligently...I will consider passion before money and make sure I have control over what I do...sure that wouldn't make me famous...but fuck being famous...I already am badass...

Honestly it's not really hard to 'breakthrough'...it's tough to make a living out of what you do...and breaking through is the easy way out...

Of course if you are going to do something more underground...it's going to be a looooooooooooooong way...but people have done it and it is hard work...but worthy work...what's the point in validating your self as a 'successful' person if you haven't worked hard for it?

In any cirumstance however, whether you are mainstream, underground or just doing it for whatever...it's all about how well rounded your ideas are and how much control you can maintain...

It's like an essay...if you haven't got any ideas, you're not really doing much with your music...you're just making typical music...

that being said...fuck music...it's not the MOST ESSENTIAL thing to have in the world...

you know what's essential...actually having a fucking home...being able to eat and have water...a place to shit, a cure for cancer...I'd take a doctor who finds a cure for cancer over some random asshole musician any day...especially if she is a hot young intelligent female doc..ok i'll shut up now...

 

Interesting topic...

You have some interesting thoughts, and its true that famous musicians (mostly not producers) are not only selling music, their selling lifestyle, fashion, etc...
I guess you have to be one of the people who enjoy going with the most popular sound. that sound changes, I mean look back. In the nineties all that trance stuff got really popular. Then gangsta rap took over. Later House and that sensless Mainstream EDM got popular, in the last years dubstep (perhabs trap will become more and more mainsream?). That also influenced Pop, the all-time-mainstream-genre...

If you feel good going with these changes, you can get into the biz without worrying. Others have a very personal style and dont want to change it for others, completly fine and repectable with me. Some people just dont hit the right sound, so what? If they like making music, even if its not that good, thats fine too.

I also think getting noticed has more to do with luck than everything else. I mean look how many (good) producers and musicians there are... Also look how many people are already famous in some way or to some group of people. There isnt much space, on the other hand a new music genre can rise in popularity for no reason next week and you could get famous for making that new sound at the right time.

After all, I personally will not get famous with my face or fashion. Im someone who likes his privacy, and I dont like attention of crowds, so if I would get famous I would get famous for music. And if not, whatever.... Still had a good time making that new beat.
Getting in the bit can also mean selling tracks/beats to musicians, you dont get famous for the big crowd, but you make money...

Oh HK, music is essential. A life without water is physicly not possible, a life without music is psychical not possible (at least for me...).
I wouldnt give up music for cured cancer, think Im ignorant. But yeah, I would give a fuck about some random musicians everytime, for cancer and hot girls (doesnt matter if theyr doctors *yes* )

 

I hang my fate in duality. On one side is my music for artistic expression in which I don't compromise even a single bit. Sound, concept, quality, lyrics everything has to be better than perfect.

Then there is my work as a musician for hire. There I do almost everything I can possibility do. I keep both worlds separate. For clients I am upright eloquent type. As an artist I have yet to define my image as I haven't put out any music yet also I am less open to outside influence and take things very personally as opposed to being a musician for clients where I would sell my soul and make songs about zombies having sex.

I don't know if this answers your query.

 

True, in this day and age you have to be a moving circus - at least for most mainstream stuff. But the essence is "keeping it real". What you do and what you express. Flowing through you. Else it wouldn't even be fun. It's about being honest to yourself mostly. Or else, it's you the one not having fun. Except if you're such a giving person that you write music for others' ears (as long as you're not work for hire or so well-known that you can have creative freedom and a particular sound). Also, there is not only "one" room. There are many rooms with different "decorations" (styles, tastes, audiences, groups) and you can fit in a lot of them (smaller or bigger). Finding the space is a combination of things, some out of your reach. Ok, many people are 'trained' to like a certain sound or not be willing to search for something new. (Come on, you know people...) One of the biggest diseases is also ...boredom. And there are musical pieces that talk to the soul of a very wide percentage (they are not just notes and waves, they bring ideas and emotions together). You may not like a melody but how often do you also say "it has no soul", "it's pretentious", "money-grab" etc. You can tell music that is "honest" and heartfelt. Yes, you'll probably need to promote yourself but you don't have to lose it (you). Most likely, there's someone(s) out there who will take it (your soul or your music).

(Plus, something that you thought you hated may actually be fun too)

 

DONE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA0pvsyQXQk&oq=shotty%20horroh%20zom&gs_l=youtube..0.5j0l6.367.6662.0.8193.11.10.0.0.0.0.935.4782.2j1j1j1j0j2j3.10.0.eytns%2Cpt%3D-30%2Cn%3D2%2Cui%3Dll.1.0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.0sxubLtE5wE

 

When I was younger I had those dreams about making it big, being part of 'the biz'. I was in a band and we tried for years to develop our own thing, taking all the gigs we could, sent a bunch of demos to record companies, but didn't really get anywhere.

Then mostly by coincidence I got the chance to write and produce music for TV, and from that moment I placed a lot of my ideals about making music in the closet and focused hard on everything that the business wanted instead. This definitely meant giving up a lot of the creative freedom, and my artistic integrity had to take the backseat (or be put in the trunk) to practical consideration of other ppl's terms and demands.
It was an interesting experience and it was great to actually be able to make a living from working in this field, even though it also was frustrating many times having to deal with crap like tough deadlines, tight budgets, making compromises with or even taking orders from ppl who didn't really know squat about music.

But when I look back now, I can honestly say that the best times I ever had was not when I was part of that business and made some decent money from it. I had way more fun and felt much more satisfaction when I was dirt poor and did a gig with the band in some small pub or club.
It had absolutely nothing to do with fame or fortune, it was just the pure uncut joy of making our own music without any limits or restrictions and sharing that experience with others. So nothing beats that kick in my book.

 

Glad some of you guys were able to share your thoughts on this topic. This isn't the end of me picking yous guys brain, I got some other topics that are on the same level. So I'm hoping you guys can come through again when ever I post one up again.