Advice on getting signed.

[ehbes]

well i'm not the only one who has been signed in here, and i didn't try to make my living just out of music, but you seem to be ignoring the guys who are signed in this thread who DO make their living in music
This isn't just theory, it's experience and pretty much fact in 90% of the cases

So you're signed, but what do you do for a living?

posting on DSF

[deadly_habit]

well i'm not the only one who has been signed in here, and i didn't try to make my living just out of music, but you seem to be ignoring the guys who are signed in this thread who DO make their living in music
This isn't just theory, it's experience and pretty much fact in 90% of the cases

So you're signed, but what do you do for a living?

computer programming, recording, design, regular 9-5 work when need be
bout to be headed back to school soon
music is fun and all, but it incredibly difficult to make a living in, i use it more as a supplemental income at best

[ehbes]

well i'm not the only one who has been signed in here, and i didn't try to make my living just out of music, but you seem to be ignoring the guys who are signed in this thread who DO make their living in music
This isn't just theory, it's experience and pretty much fact in 90% of the cases

So you're signed, but what do you do for a living?

computer programming, recording, design, regular 9-5 work when need be
bout to be headed back to school soon
music is fun and all, but it incredibly difficult to make a living in, i use it more as a supplemental income at best

School for wut

[deadly_habit]

comp sci, in spite of actually knowing how to code and being self taught you need that damn piece of paper to get a decent job

[ehbes]

I no I mean I'm awesome at Operation, but for some reason they say I needs a degre.

But rlly best uf luck

[deadly_habit]

the difference is i've been programming since i was around 12 and when i want to know something i take the initiative to learn it usually with the same books and then some you'd get in a college course or akin. unfortunately there is no equivalency test i can take and skip the coursework on shit i already know and am proficient in, is just a necessary evil that i'm finally getting around to a bit late in life.

oh yeah and even with signings only 1 label has ever actually paid me, so yea there's some perspective on the benefits and why i don't bother with it anymore.

[ehbes]

On the bright side you can be take guy whoa helps all the hot girls with there programming stuff.... If there's any hot programmer out there hit up my man DH

[deadly_habit]

meh i don't wanna deal with girls that age anymore

[ehbes]

On a serious not is learning that stuff hard, if often thought about it as a career

[deadly_habit]

depends on the person and how your brain works/thought process
the simplest way of putting it without getting into the nitty gritty of code is thinking in flow charts to solve your problems

[ehbes]

I follow you homie

[hutyluty]

I've put out tons of records on all sorts of labels

In my first 2 years, I released a 12", 2 full length albums, a triple album (3 x cd), lots of remixes, a special edition EP, etc.. Eight years later, in the past year I released a 12" and a digi EP. It's not that I didn't have opportunities - I just didn't see the point unless the benefits of releasing the music were worth what I considered to be the quality of the music.

He knows from experience. So do I.

Do you wanna take a guess how much thinner this thread would be if it were only replied to by people who actually have released records?

So basically - you are one of those people who has taken a "business course" at some point in your life, but you haven't actually released any records....

In addition to having released records, I have also been a high-level booking agent and radio producer.

I also am a classical cellist, a cello teacher, get compositional commissions from time to time, and I also do freelance audio editing. However, 15 years ago I was making my money from classical quartet gigs and producing the Chicago Symphony.

congratulations on your wonderful music career

an inspiration to us all

[Mad_EP]

congratulations on your wonderful music career

an inspiration to us all

To be honest - most of the time it doesn't feel wonderful. I have had amazing experiences I will never forget - but an ungodly amount of my life has either been 1) spent in the practice room 2) spent in the studio or 3) hustlin' to get my stuff heard.

And no matter how good you are, it is almost inevitable that you have to keep hustlin' over and over again. My brother is a violinist and he was on National Public Radio when he was 14... played Carnegie Hall when he was 18... and even he did a couple years teaching in public (state) primary schools ... cos there was one month where he lost over $8,000 in one month due to properly booked gigs just cancelling and he needed some stability. Now he is about to move to Malaysia to play in a symphony... but with a lot of orchestras being in financial trouble, I doubt he will be there the rest of his life.

[Dystinkt]

I think I've been ignored every time bar three times by people I've sent my stuff two, and each reply was really positive with the person i sent my stuff to either playing my tracks out or looking at signing them in the future when their labels release schedule opens up a bit, but it shows just how competitive the industry is, 95% of the time, i bet the guy didnt even see my emails or messages.

[Towany]

Try labels called LU10 or DLA black audio, I'm signed with the both of them and they are very generous with promotion and you don't have to have artwork or anything cause they do them for ya.

Just putting them out there, best of luck!

[topmo3]

^ lol at your sig, fuck off

to the OP, what does 'alot' sound like? you say you've been producing somethign called 'alot' so i'd like to hear wot it is. i only heard durbstap

[garethom]

Try labels called LU10 or DLA black audio, I'm signed with the both of them and they are very generous with promotion and you don't have to have artwork or anything cause they do them for ya.

Just putting them out there, best of luck!

DLA Black. The label that I once saw have 6 releases in one week, and 10 forthcoming the next.

My mate signed 2 tracks to DLA, got paid something like 49p after a year. The artwork SHOULD be done by the label, but their artwork is all the same with the Artist and Title changed.

Where's this promotion dude, because I've never seen any of it. My mate is currently trying to release those tunes from the label because there is no promo. How can there be when your release comes out in the same week as 9 others? Do they master the tunes (professionally)? Maybe I'm mistaken on something, but this is the exact sort of label I'd stay away from.

[hudson]

Try labels called LU10 or DLA black audio, I'm signed with the both of them and they are very generous with promotion and you don't have to have artwork or anything cause they do them for ya.

Just putting them out there, best of luck!

DLA Black. The label that I once saw have 6 releases in one week, and 10 forthcoming the next.

My mate signed 2 tracks to DLA, got paid something like 49p after a year. The artwork SHOULD be done by the label, but their artwork is all the same with the Artist and Title changed.

Where's this promotion dude, because I've never seen any of it. My mate is currently trying to release those tunes from the label because there is no promo. How can there be when your release comes out in the same week as 9 others? Do they master the tunes (professionally)? Maybe I'm mistaken on something, but this is the exact sort of label I'd stay away from.

Man, fuck those guys, they're exactly what wrong with record labels. They release anything they can get their hands on cuz even if everything they put out only sells one mp3, they put out a million tracks a week and they put no money into the artists so they don't lose anything. The only promotion they do is throwing your shit in the pile of trash that is their soundcloud and even then you're track will be at the bottom of the 5th page the next week. For a label with, like, 400 releases, I only heard of them for the first time when some dude I have on facebook got something signed with them, so obviously they're doing nothing in the way of real promotion. And on top of that they have next to no quality control, half the stuff they put out is total shit. Not like "ugh I hate this genre" shit, but shit production, shit songwriting, shit everything, sounds like it's made by a 10 year old shit. Labels like these are exactly what's wrong with music these days.

That may have sounded bitter or like I'm mad at them cuz they wouldn't release something of mine or whatever, but I assure you that I just hate what they stand for and I've seen naive little newbies get swept up in the excitement of having a release, then disappointed when all the label did was throw their tune on soundcloud with 400 others.

I guess I should give some advice instead of just whining though... Honestly, at the level most of you are at here (the one's asking how to get signed), you're probably best to look for a local label, a good one will really take you under their wing and hook you up. Even if they're just starting up or are still pretty small, the benefit of actually being able to talk to them in person is worth it, they're more honest with you and more likely to actually give a shit about you than some dude from one of these digital labels that "releases" tracks in bulk. Plus it's so much easier and way more fun than sending emails, go to a few local shows and see if the artists are signed to a label (most of the good ones are in many cases), talk to them afterwards, don't be all weird and clingy, just start a friendly conversation, maybe mention your music at some point. Then talk to them again at their next show, add them on facebook or whatever, send them your music, and if they like it, see if they can hook you up with their label. Just take it slowly. If nothing works out, go to the closest town and do the same thing. If you're music is actually good, you should have no problem, you just need to find a label that actually cares about music. You don't have to stay with the small local label forever, but it's a good way to get ready for bigger things. You can spend time finding your sound, playing shows, and getting better at everything, and have someone to back you up and get you connected at the same time. If you manage to make a name for yourself in your city, chances are you'll go on tour, meet people who have connections with bigger labels, etc. etc. and things will keep going from there. It's all about climbing the ladder, not everyone is as lucky as Aviccii or Justin Bieber, it's better to go out and earn your success then just sit back and wait for it to happen.

[JTMMusicuk]

Wish i could sig all of that hudson, good advice

[Sharmaji]

To be honest - most of the time it doesn't feel wonderful. I have had amazing experiences I will never forget - but an ungodly amount of my life has either been 1) spent in the practice room 2) spent in the studio or 3) hustlin' to get my stuff heard.

dude it always feels wonderful

finished a session in Vancouver at 9 last nite, redeye, home at 8am, slept, session noon-4, home now, off to a 7pm-midnight gig, sleep, teaching at 9am, session noon-4, gig tomorrow eve.

basically it feels great because at any given moment i've got either enough beer in me to not feel anything, or enough coffee in me to feel THE FUCKING EARTH ROTATE

(also note that every single one of these things pays more than getting a 12" independently released--pretty much including the sleep)