Sending mastered tracks to a label?

[Sparxy]

How are you wrong? Look at the top 40 UK/US charts. How many of them are dubstep? None. You could argue a few tracks have dubstep elements, but nothing in the charts right now is what anyone in this thread (asides from the deluded... cough cough) would describe as dubstep.

That's why you are wrong.

Do you have ANY IDEA how much dubstep artists earn? There are a few top earners... Skream... Skrillex etc but on average it is nothing like what you think it is.

Dubstep is the new pop scene... what a fucking joke. Yet again you've demonstrated you know absolutely nothing.

[Sparxy]

One more thing... people in here keep banging on about doing music because they love doing it etc. You are preaching the exact oppostie. But let me tell you - when Hatcha, Skream, Plastician and the rest of the Croydon crew started making this stuff called "dubstep" I can fucking bet you they weren't doing it for the money. What i'm saying here is, dubstep is something born out of love, out of a passion for music. If you don't share that, maybe this scene isn't for you?

[kaiori breathe]

Cba joining this discussion btw, Toric is obviously a tool, no point trying to educate or help him as you'll just polarize him further into the position he already holds. So instead of contributing I've compiled some of my favorite Toric quotes:

1., I am ALSO a classical pianist... It's an industry you know

I am ALSO a classical pianist. I haven't hired myself out, but I do play classical piano and I do know a ton of people in THAT industry as well.

1., Playing classical piano isn't an industry.
2., If your tunes on your soundcloud are anything to go by then I'm 98% sure you are not a classical pianist. A classical pianist would have a far greater natural understanding of song structure, harmonic content and melodic phrasing than you display.
3., Pretty much everything written before the 19th Century is boring. Expand your repertoire.

2., Don't believe me, IDGAF! And that's why I'm going to continue arguing for 7 pages on a forum instead of being as successful as I claim I am...

Don't believe me, IDGAF? It doesn't matter if you believe and argument on a forum. What matters is what ACTUALLY happens in the future. I wonder what's going to happen after my success becomes apparent. People sucking up to me?

You sound like a 16 year old kid whos begging his parents to let him drop out of school: "OH MY GAWD MOM I DID MY RESEARCH! I CAN TOTALLY MAKE LOTS OF MONEY AND BE TOTAL ROCKSTAR!"

3., You can't do shit cuz I'm WINNING!

Remember, you can't really do shit about me being successful.

Says the man who's not successful.


4., You've made yourself look foolish

In-fact you can just make yourself look like a fool about it and be the hate & fuel that drives me.

Dude, I hope it does, because I would genuinely rather see you become successful than have to listen to another try hard loser talking big about the fantasy life he doesn't have.

/facepalm.

[pete_bubonic]

For some bizarre reason, I read this whole thread. Sending mastered tracks to labels, to the OP:
I wouldn't bother. Put your best efforts into the mixdown, if you are doing some self promo, getting it to dj's, giving tracks away for free, generate a little hype, then yeah, spend £60 on getting your best 2 tracks mastered (Macc @ Subvert Mastering). IF you've made your best ever track, worked hard on the mixdown, a/b'd with your favourite and influential tracks and people around you not afraid to give honest opinions on your tracks are saying this is the one. That's when you start sending a track to a label.


To the 30k tangent:
I cannot quote Deep Medi sales figures, but I know comparable labels, owners and sales figures. 30k sales for a Deep Medi (or akin) release is madness. Medium to large labels (within the dubstep scene - not ninja tunes/warp etc) would probably be selling in the region of 3k vinyl units and 4-5k digital units for their absolute top selling anthems (we're a small indy and our top selling was 1.7k physical). Sure labels pushing Skrillex or Flux Pavillion might sell upto 8k+ digital (sod all physical) because they're flavour of the month and because of the generation they've tapped into. But 30k, you must be mad. Sure the dubstep mainstream pop acts, Katy B & Magnetic Man are selling these kind of numbers and the stand out releases from Burial. But you reckon Goth Trad, Truth or Cyrus is popping Cristal quite yet?! Come on son. Back in the heyday of DnB, medium size label could shift between 10-15k physical on a solid release. Times have most definitely changed.


To 'labels will sign pre released tracks':
It depends entirely on the situation. 'Phoenix' by Hyetal (originally release on Orca) appeared on his Broadcast album (on Blackacre). Stood Up by Eleven Tigers (originally released on Wigflex) appeared on his Clouds are Mountains album (on Soul Motive). It's certainly not unheard of. However, if we're talking single territory, I and many other label owners I know have turned down pre released material as the simple facts are:
1. I'm out to find something new and unique.
2. It's hard to generate hype about tunes that have already come out
3. We're actually NOT selling 30k units as mentioned, so profit margin would be fuck all.
It's always nice to see an artist who has a little hype around him from previous releases. But unless you're looking for major label interest, it's not necessary, small indies are here to put out the best music they can find, that's the point of what we do.


As for making a ton of money and being out to stack p.
Of course I would love Soul Motive to turn over 30k releases, who wouldn't?! Beserk talk. Until you start to consider what has to happen to hit those sales. Musical integrity needs to take a back seat, relatively large amount of moula need to be invested in promotion, production and distribution, you need to be able to dedicate your working day and beyond to be constantly networking and on the phone. There's always that remote chance of hitting a cheap wonder album/single and catching the right time/mood of facebook and having some viral sensation on your hands. But these are sooo far and few between you'd be mad to hedge your bets on this. So like the other high quality small indies out there, no I'm not in it to line my pockets and I dislike Toric trying to tar us all with his own brush.

Too much air in this thread to address it all directly, but this my own experience.

[__________]

I hope this dude presses 30,000 records of the stuff on his Soundcloud

[atticuh]

I hope this dude presses 30,000 records of the stuff on his Soundcloud

Of course! He has distribution through Sony, don't you know?

He should write a book on how to alienate himself from an entire community; he is very good at that.

[Aufnahmewindwuschel]

is this discussion for real?

[jugo]

well this is a funny thread

why does toric end his posts with -T?
it makes them look like 19th century love letters lol

-J

[oprs]

dont forget guiz, the most succesful way to start a label, is to skype with some homies and be a real moron.

-O

[kaiori breathe]

Protip guise, there is A LOT of money to be made in IDM and I mean A LOT. You just gotta get a sweet business plan that consists of spending 5 hours a day ranting on forums.

-K

[skimpi]

guise you two dont know shit! your long lost great aunt doesnt play piano occasionally, so you know nothing about EDM!

[hifi]

hahahahahaha

[hudson]

Am I the only one who thinks that Toric might be this kid

[hasezwei]

WHY DID I READ THIS THREAD?

oh sorry i mean torics thread of course.

[wizeguy]

Rahhh! pure woffle coming from a certain individual in here! so much in fact that i had to go away and come back to finish reading....
only so much a man can take in one sitting

[pulsar]

I hope this dude presses 30,000 records of the stuff on his Soundcloud

Of course! He has distribution through Sony, don't you know?

He should write a book on how to alienate himself from an entire community; he is very good at that.

i heard that he landed a massive deal with emi, his debut album is expected to go double platinum. apparently they were blown away by that tune in his signature.. and once they'd heard about his track record of releasing his own (unmastered) music, it was a no brainer

[erratech]

Good luck Toric. Ive got a friend who has been playing piano since he was 3 (25 years) and his tunes sound nothing like yours, congrats.

Of course he has releases forthcoming and is playing at a few festivals this year, had an offer to go tour overseas as a keyboardist (which he sacked off so he can do this live thing with me, bless him), did a few years live sound and light tech etc and writes amazing music, improvises things you couldnt dream, and is a genuine person who gets respect because of his professionalism and skill

[jrisreal]

wtf guys...why hating so much? If you don't agree with Tor's ideas, then don't follow them...and then let him go wherever that mentality takes him. And also, who gives a crap whether or not Deep Medi gets 30,000 sales on its releases? It doesn't matter to the topic of this thread.

[jrisreal]

dont forget guiz, the most succesful way to start a label, is to skype with some homies and be a real moron.

-O

What's wrong with Skype? I don't see a problem with having a meeting over skype. Large companies use skype, too.

[wizeguy]

wtf guys...why hating so much? If you don't agree with Tor's ideas, then don't follow them...and then let him go wherever that mentality takes him. And also, who gives a crap whether or not Deep Medi gets 30,000 sales on its releases? It doesn't matter to the topic of this thread.

when individuals feed bullshit to others some may listen (tho doubt it in this case) could have a whole group of idiots believing a load of rubbish and you know how bad that can be...