DIY Music Show & Tell

Comment (paste embed code to include video)

Comment by Martin Davies on October 31, 2011 at 4:05am

Hi from a noob heh heh. First post anywhere on this great site, and this group really caught my eye. Well, my feelings on DIY music pretty much echo Puddleglums below.I've been lucky enough to have had an amazing life as a live musician, and am still crazily busy gigging 3-4 times a week at my ripe old age. As far as writing original songs..the music industry is completely dead..utterly and irrevocably. Young bands coming through today have a wealth of technology at their disposal that we never had, when the only way to ever make it was through the traditional Record Company route. I kind of feel sorry for the new generation though, because as the indudtry dies, so the grip on radio and TV exposure becomes tighter and tighter as the big corporates with their ( sorry) 'produce' that passes for music desperately hangs on to their airtime...airtime only they can afford. It seems as though as the technology for anyone to put a song out on the internet has evolved, the actual chances of it being found have dwindled to almost nil..while the X factors of this world dominate and the Sony's etc decide even more than ever what we will hear on the car radio.... The answer? Switch the radio off and FIND the music on the net!  Young bands today have NO chance of making money through writing classics when 95% of all music downloaded last year was downloaded for nothing...either by artists giving  the songs away, or pirate sites or simple bluetoothing...like we used to do with tape to tape machines! Remember Them?!   Young bands simply have to work their socks off playing live..and pray that money will be made through merchandise.

People EXPECT music for free... but i, like many others think having something personal from the band in a physical sense, like a signed limited vinyl release with photos, buttons etc enclosed, is something still very attractive and hopefully will continue to be a form of income for the more successful new bands.

I could waffle on all day about this, but the short answer for me is..that the internet and facilities for producing high quality original songs mean these are incredible times for musicians..both famous and anonymous..both good times and bad times..but it is there to be embraced and the challenges of making it work are challenges that can be won if you just think outside the box.

I myself just write and record for fun..and am really glad to be able to get my songs heard occasionally..Under no illusions about making money or 'getting anywhere'..those days are gone for me and as i say, i have a great life as a live musician still. The only frustration is actually getting people to listen even if you ARE giving your music away lol. But, yeah, incredible times both good and bad for indie musicians. I personally would never ever give up the freedom to record what i want, how i wanted...The fun of doing it overides ANY business nonsense the 'poor' majors are having to deal with now. Stuff them i say! Let's just enjoy making music!

http://theretrokicks.bandcamp.com/track/excited

Comment by Puddleglum Marshwiggle on August 29, 2011 at 6:02pm

I'm a big fan of independent music and musicians, it is the only way to produce unique and original recordings and be free of interference from the recording industry and the 'business'. It's not about money, if you want to be famous go on X factor, it's about artistry, doing your own thing in your own time and your own way. The internet has been a revelation because it gives us the means to distribute whatever we do, where-as the only way beforehand was to be 'signed' and lose that independence. Those days are gone, it doesn't matter to me if I don't make money out of my music because I am paid in pleasure making it and the value of it isn't found in monetary terms but in the pleasure you get from listening to it. It doesn't even matter if everyone doesn't like what you do, someone, somewhere will and that makes it all worthwhile. Independence is beautifull, freedom is the real 'rock n roll', practise it without prejudice. Peace.

Comment by David Palmer on August 25, 2010 at 6:19pm

Getting late here. So just wanted to add to group with a pointer at my attempt at destabilising the established teen-driven music industry. DIY in total. More later. www.fump3.com - see the movies on http://www.youtube.com/user/FUMP3films dp