yessss
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 4 March 2021 17:37 (three years ago) link
I’m working on 1er Gymnopedie again lately after first learning it a couple years ago. At the time I thought “wow, I can totally play this!” Now I’m marginally better at piano and I keep thinking “wow, I completely suck and it’s not actually possible to play the piano”
― Canon in Deez (silby), Thursday, 4 March 2021 18:47 (three years ago) link
Never have I kept up for so long a learning a skill I am so unpredisposed to as piano.
― Canon in Deez (silby), Thursday, 4 March 2021 18:48 (three years ago) link
In another 5 years I expect to be much better at it and yet feel that much worse about how good I am, I love it
Ha, I just came out of (taking) a piano lesson. I have most of that piece down now.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Thursday, 4 March 2021 19:12 (three years ago) link
The room where I keep my music gear has morphed into my wife’s work-from-home office so my amp and the guitars hanging on the wall have turned into her zoom background. Other white middle aged burb dads see this and ask her excitedly about her gear and are disappointed that none of it is hers but belong to a fellow white middle aged burb dad.
― joygoat, Thursday, 4 March 2021 22:20 (three years ago) link
She could totally mess with their heads. "Oh, hell yeah, I shred like a motherfucker. Yngwie learned from me, beeyotches. I run the Klon through the blockhead and I can melt faces in the mixophrygian mode."
― wake me up before you cuomo (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 4 March 2021 22:27 (three years ago) link
We actually joked about me giving her talking points to fake it but after about a minute she absolutely no longer cared and made me stop
― joygoat, Thursday, 4 March 2021 22:33 (three years ago) link
After a 5 year hiatus I've finally put out another EP on my super liw budget TTKK label for Bandcamp Friday: https://t.co/AhADAjPXhv Crunchy house and breaks related oddities. Not sure its ILX material but thats whats been going on in my musical life anyway :)
― (the one with 3 L's) (Willl), Friday, 5 March 2021 09:22 (three years ago) link
Cool shit, thanks!
― DJI, Friday, 5 March 2021 17:56 (three years ago) link
Sick!
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 5 March 2021 18:01 (three years ago) link
cheers!
― (the one with 3 L's) (Willl), Friday, 5 March 2021 23:45 (three years ago) link
oh and *low budget, not liw ;)
So, I'm thinking of starting up my very own Bandcamp but I'm not sure if I have enough of a fanbase yet (I have no fanbase). I'm at the stage in my musical career where my friends are saying nice things about my tunes and a couple of label people who I've shared my stuff with have said they like them, so that's good. However, the only people who hear my music are people I know personally or people who I'm approaching. I'm not moaning here or anything like that, I know that everyone has to go through this when they're starting out.
I realise Bandcamp is free so I've got nothing to lose, but is there any point when you're basically a complete unknown? Do people go searching for artists like that and how do they go about promoting themselves?
― paolo, Sunday, 14 March 2021 18:56 (three years ago) link
Willl/wascal those are good. Didn't you have some dubstep releases back in the day or am I thinking of someone else?
― paolo, Sunday, 14 March 2021 18:59 (three years ago) link
my strategy is just to go ahead and make that bandcamp with zero fans, to send out links to everyone asking them to listen to your music, to throw in physical paintings and other artworks in an attempt to "sweeten" the deal in an attempt to literally pay other people and give them things in order to swindle them into listening to your music and accidentally donating to a mutual aid group that needs money
still zero fans for some reason
― Zach_TBD (Karl Malone), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:20 (three years ago) link
Can’t have fans until people can hear your music hence no fans required for bandcamp creation
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:25 (three years ago) link
Plus, going from 0 to 1 follower is growth so powerful that it breaks math
― Zach_TBD (Karl Malone), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:27 (three years ago) link
all my friends call me a foolthey saylet bandcamp take care of you
― Red Nerussi (Neanderthal), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:28 (three years ago) link
Bandcamp and SoundCloud, where musicians go to promote their music to other musicians who are simultaneously trying to promote their own music.
Like online musicians' groups where you go to promote your gigs to other musicians who are promoting their gigs.
It is Ourobouros, the snake which either its own tail.
That said, it is all fun, I enjoy the camaraderie, and I like it all, but it takes a really powerful booster rocket to break out of the gravitational pull of musos. There is presumably a world out there of potential fans who are, like, normal people, but reaching them remains an eternal mystery.
― imagine flagons (Ye Mad Puffin), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:29 (three years ago) link
Either should be eateth
― imagine flagons (Ye Mad Puffin), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:30 (three years ago) link
You could always go into classical or jazz and ensure that your listeners will always be other musicians.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 19:41 (three years ago) link
Lol, I was wondering who that post was going to be by, thought it would be Jordan.
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 March 2021 20:49 (three years ago) link
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, March 14, 2021 3:41 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
This is also "rock" of any description since maybe 2012-ish tbh
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 20:54 (three years ago) link
Earlier than that surely
― Canon in Deez (silby), Sunday, 14 March 2021 20:57 (three years ago) link
I'm under the vague impression that more "normal people" are using bandcamp and soundcloud now tho. Especially soundcloud
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:00 (three years ago) link
Who were the last rock band whose young fans never went to guitar camp?it's been a minute.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:06 (three years ago) link
I might have guessed Tame Impala but for the countless "what fx pedal should i use to sound like Tame Impala?" threads on internet messageboards.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:13 (three years ago) link
Maybe Paramore
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:17 (three years ago) link
I made a Bandcamp page in 2017 because I made some music and I was proud of it and I liked the idea of something that felt a bit more serious than Soundcloud, which to me is still a bit of a world of unofficial bootlegs and low-bitrate DJ set recordings. I posted the link to my Facebook and Instagram, knowing full well that in my real life I'd be lucky if a dozen people came along to a show to support me, much less actively enjoy the music I make. I'm not reaching anyone who is interested in it because it's their "scene" - they just want to support a pal and take an interest in what I'm doing, the same way I follow twenty different make-up artists I know because it's a kindness to them.
One person I went to school with and hadn't seen in many years gave it a play and liked it and asked me to do some soundtrack work for their exhibitions and installations. It's not like I'm sat here raking it in as a high-profile artist, but getting to turn what was a bedroom hobby into something I could take seriously, it's a buzz.
I put some music up last summer and every Bandcamp Friday last year I shared it again because, why not? I haven't this year because I've had a lot going on. But this month, despite me making no effort, someone found it and bought the music I had put up. Someone who I don't know in real-life - in other words, a person who has no investment or obligation to me as a person, someone who just enjoyed it enough to think that it was worth putting a number in the name-your-price box (when someone buys on Bandcamp, I get told their email address, and it definitely wasn't someone I know). It's a really nice feeling.
I would recommend it 100%. The worst that happens is nobody hears what you do: they're not going to hear it if you don't share and promote your material anyway.
― boxedjoy, Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:20 (three years ago) link
I would guess that Imagine Dragons and 21 Pilots have young non-muso fans but the only kids I interact with are guitar campers, for the most part.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 21:36 (three years ago) link
heh, and they say rock is dead!
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:24 (three years ago) link
You didn't say anything about good rock.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:31 (three years ago) link
https://watt.cashmusic.org/writing/institutionalizationofrock
― Canon in Deez (silby), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:33 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoF_a0-7xVQ
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:42 (three years ago) link
Mary Woronov? Don't think I noticed her tjere before.
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:43 (three years ago) link
I recorded an interpretation of a visual artwork for this project: https://newmusic.org/painting-music-ops-feb-21/ . It will premiere as part of the Mar 19 video. Also going to record a version of the prepared guitar piece from my album for this festival, to premiere virtually on the 26th; also part of the composers' roundtable and one of the guitar orchestras: https://newmusic.org/painting-music-ops-feb-21/ . Still working on a grant application as well.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:50 (three years ago) link
Billy Gibbons is giving the keynote btw.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:52 (three years ago) link
Cool
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:57 (three years ago) link
He's not actually. I'm sure Nels Cline is relieved that the keyboardist from the Hold Steady is looking out for his potential academic career as a rock guitar professor, though.
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:59 (three years ago) link
lol
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 March 2021 22:59 (three years ago) link
it doesn't really bother me at all that rock music isn't mass culture anymore, it's kind of cool and exciting imo
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:02 (three years ago) link
Link for the festival, sorry: http://www.21cguitar.com/
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:06 (three years ago) link
xp don't tell Simon Frith
Lol @ Billy Gibbons keynote
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:11 (three years ago) link
Simon's brother was in Henry Cow!
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:23 (three years ago) link
I'm aware lolI remember reading something he wrote about how disco is objectively better than prog because sociology
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:39 (three years ago) link
Good ol sibling rivalry
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:40 (three years ago) link
I've been known to flippantly attribute his whole career to sibling rivalry. xp!
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:41 (three years ago) link
Lol team Fred here
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 14 March 2021 23:44 (three years ago) link
― to party with our demons (Sund4r), Sunday, March 14, 2021 2:41 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, March 14, 2021 3:4
Lol, my electronic music is definitely purchased primarily by DJs and producers, as far as I can tell. But that's part of what drew me to dance and dance-adjacent music tbh -- DJs actually need copies of music to play, and there's a culture of buying, playing, and sharing it.
I think I posted something like this upthread, but there's nothing to lose by posting releases on Bandcamp. I would just keep expectations low, since like others have said, it's hard to get anyone to pay attention outside your immediate circle. Even with a label and a wider reach, only a small percentage of those who hear about it will take the time to listen, and an even smaller percentage of those will actually buy something on Bandcamp. Tbh it's kind of a miracle that anyone does.
And it's easy to just look at the really successful releases on Bandcamp with hundreds of little squares below the artwork and think that just happens. All the releases look more or less the same after all, you don't see whatever irl scene or label/marketing/etc is behind it.
Anyway boxedjoy is otm, at least something unexpected will happen if you put something out there and maybe send it to a few people you like/respect, especially if you keep doing it. That's been the case for me, and it's always something different.
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 15 March 2021 14:47 (three years ago) link