Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

http://www.reverbnation.com/soungear

Got a 'fan' notice from this 'band' today. Listen to any of the tunes (if you can) - they're all covers. Take a quick look at the videos - no actual video/photos of any 'band'.
So how does this guy (I'm sure there's no band) get almost 17000 song plays and 6000+ fans?

I know it really doesn't mean much, but if you look at the comments, you have to wonder if this is some network of people who have paid a service to bump up their numbers?

Why pay just take your Five 4 minute songs call up 5 friends ask them each to play your 5 tunes continuously for 12 hours a day for 18 consecutive days.
And Voila! you too can have 16,200 plays.

5x5x3x12x18=16,200
Yeah he's something special alright...

Yes there are Click Trade groups, and services

Way funny...

Today I got a letter in the mail from "Hilltop Records" (Los Angeles)...
They want to steal my...er... They want me to send 4 of my best songs... for review so they can steal the ideas... uhh so they can submit the song themes to their team or professional musicians for copyright infringement... Uh I mean...for professional 'arrangement' , which they'l sell to professional singers etc...

They promise to pay royalties...on anything of mine that gets used. Of course, All i'll have to do is prove that they used my material... Which will be next to impossible if they 'adjust the arrangement' to meet Copyright laws...

It would seem to me, that in ALL cases...if you are not approached about a specific song, and if there's not a serious wad of cash/check in hand...then its all a front and a fraud...or a seriously amateur operation.

Even so, as a songwriter, one should NEVER acquiesce to 'deals'. Every song has quantitative, monetary value...(Some more than others) . There is a real market value...and that's the one you need to stick by... EVerythig else is just smoke screen.

If your not actively promoting yourself in public and on line via your own devices it's very likely your being played.

I get tickled when I see these brags about the so n so service said I'm the number one ring a ling ding dang artist in BFE.

Every one is the number one artist . . . but none of em are getting air time or profiting.

this was (and probably still is) a scam run on ebay 10 years ago-

Seller groups, where they all bought fictitious items from each other but never actually swapped money or merchandise, then would give each other raving reviews. Next thing you know some guy has 10,000 positive reviews.. some were just wanted a jump start into the trust system, while others were there to scam everyone, using the trust system to fool people. Either way, both were gaming the system and should die by slow poison .. (I got ripped off once by a guy with 99.9% positive feedback and over 5k transactions.. Ebay did shut him down tho.. I never got my money back grrr.)

Back then they didn't have seller fees the way they do now, so it costs a lot more to game the system, but I'm sure people still do it.

Reverb is much the same.

I now have them on my spam list and their emails go straight to junk, as I've opted out of every possible "notification" and still get 4+ emails per day junking up my box... I seriously hate reverbnation.

I think you have to explore every option available to get your music heard. I do think if you are putting your music out there, first you need to file a copywright on it.

As far as those outfits wanting your music, what I have seen thru the years is most of them want some money to handle your music to do whatever it is they do, Ive always felt if you have to pay them to just listen or whatever it is they do, its probably not a good thing to do.

But there again, getting your music heard should be the ultimate goal, no matter how you do it.

Paper you have the type songs that to me you should submit to publishing companys that handle the genre of music you write so hopefully they will get it heard by people looking for songs and recording them, of course years ago when I did this they took 50% ownership of your songs to do this. I dont know how it works these days, this was in the early 80s and thru a publishing house in Nashville.

To me its simple, first copywright your music before you put it anywhere.

Dont pay to have it heard.

But put it anywhere it can be heard.

Good Luck

I've made some really good contacts and friends on Reverb, I wouldn't have made them any other way than this. It was just the same on MySpace, where I made a great deal of contacts, some of whom I still hear from after some years, which is fabulous too.

I do not agree with constant changes on Reverb, but I will admit to making friends, nothing wrong it that I hope????? Sometimes it isn't even about music, but I never hear the HATRED I see posted on this Forum sometimes.

Anyway, I'll plug away as they say. I'm very confident, enjoy what I do thoroughly, and am starting to see the side of that big egg break.

What will I become then? A ROOSTER!

Cheers

Chipfryer

jw123 wrote:I think you have to explore every option available to get your music heard. I do think if you are putting your music out there, first you need to file a copywright on it.

As far as those outfits wanting your music, what I have seen thru the years is most of them want some money to handle your music to do whatever it is they do, Ive always felt if you have to pay them to just listen or whatever it is they do, its probably not a good thing to do.

But there again, getting your music heard should be the ultimate goal, no matter how you do it.

Paper you have the type songs that to me you should submit to publishing companys that handle the genre of music you write so hopefully they will get it heard by people looking for songs and recording them, of course years ago when I did this they took 50% ownership of your songs to do this. I dont know how it works these days, this was in the early 80s and thru a publishing house in Nashville.

To me its simple, first copywright your music before you put it anywhere.

Dont pay to have it heard.

But put it anywhere it can be heard.

Good Luck

Very good advice JW... I agree about exposure opportunities...
I think there are proper channels and it prolly requires a boat-load of patience... (That's the achillies heel that marks a lot of musical victoms...is lack of patience)

My chief concern about Online exposure is how marketers front their products and services by using lists of hopeful musicians. Its very exploitative. For example, (I cant prove this) , but I'm quite certain that even band-mix sells its list of members to niche marketers. Those lists help to identify and profile the members for certain product and service opps.... The result is, we see more offers thrown at us (In the name of music) for the type of beer we drink, than for a bonafide interest in our work. (Barring the scammers who sell shovels at the gold rush) If any of it is true, I would say its very tragic and it should be stopped.

Chippy wrote:I've made some really good contacts and friends on Reverb, I wouldn't have made them any other way than this. It was just the same on MySpace, where I made a great deal of contacts, some of whom I still hear from after some years, which is fabulous too.

I do not agree with constant changes on Reverb, but I will admit to making friends, nothing wrong it that I hope????? Sometimes it isn't even about music, but I never hear the HATRED I see posted on this Forum sometimes.

Anyway, I'll plug away as they say. I'm very confident, enjoy what I do thoroughly, and am starting to see the side of that big egg break.

What will I become then? A ROOSTER!

Cheers

Chipfryer

Hey Chip!

I don't know if I would call it hatred, so much as a dislike- I just don't see the point in RN- it's more of a 'for musicians, by musicians' kind of approach. I might meet great musicians there, or here, or elsewhere.

If I'm looking for "fans" though, myspace was the ideal place a few years ago, and now facebook is the replacement, although admittedly less effective, but I blame that on "band spam" for both those sites (as far as local and unknown bands go)..

but anyways.. if I were in an originals project and looking to connect to everyone- being fans, musicians, and opportunities, I'd personally go to sonicbids- The membership isn't all that much, and you do pay for applications to festivals and stuff, but at least it's all legitimate.

Not having to wade thru all the BS now has value to it. Just making a suggestion as to alternatives to RN. As for free alternatives, I don't think we really have a right to complain .. so maybe I've been hard on RN.. I dunno, just don't care for them, free or not.

Hi Kramer,

No worries man, everyone has differing ideas on things. Tam's advice was good advice I think. I'm working on getting my site back together again.

Because this is a forum, one of the few remaining, I think you are more likely to get sound advice here regarding musical things. RN is a different cake frankly, more different than MySpace, even their charts were rigged, as I still think they are on RN for certain people, and for no understandable reason at all.

I know you are in the tech business and study trends too, some on RN are a total enigma, truly. It's something to work with however.... for now.'

I've never heard of sonicbids, thank you, go figure. Sure I'll check them out. I think other musos are the toughest to to break when listening myself, record and radio hear it all, all day long, it'll take something really special to wake those ears up, and I'm rational. (Sort of) And very grounded.

Thanks for the tip bro.
Best.

Chippy

Kramerguy wrote:
Hey Chip!

I don't know if I would call it hatred, so much as a dislike- I just don't see the point in RN- it's more of a 'for musicians, by musicians' kind of approach. I might meet great musicians there, or here, or elsewhere.

If I'm looking for "fans" though, myspace was the ideal place a few years ago, and now facebook is the replacement, although admittedly less effective, but I blame that on "band spam" for both those sites (as far as local and unknown bands go)..

but anyways.. if I were in an originals project and looking to connect to everyone- being fans, musicians, and opportunities, I'd personally go to sonicbids- The membership isn't all that much, and you do pay for applications to festivals and stuff, but at least it's all legitimate.

Not having to wade thru all the BS now has value to it. Just making a suggestion as to alternatives to RN. As for free alternatives, I don't think we really have a right to complain .. so maybe I've been hard on RN.. I dunno, just don't care for them, free or not.

http://snippyads.com/social-traffic/
For a mere $39.00 you too can be popular on Youtube, Soundcloud, FB Twitter etc...
Although RN wasn't one of their Social product offers I'm sure there are other services to meet your need!
Feed the machine!
FN lovely.

I prefer making friends really, after all, anyone in any business that wants to gain a foothold needs at least someone near.
I looked at the "I promise you" sites. Nearly everyone says it because they want your money. same as the Copyright Agency courtesy of America. They want money, but cannot guarantee delivery.... anytime soon. I often wonder sometimes.

Anywho. It's about music I suppose, what you want from it, where you intend it to lead, and where you want to be.

Not griping, having fun, and after all, if it isn't fun, it just ain't worth it.
Cheers and best to all - Chipfryer.

We have been approached to participate in a "tour", apparently by a RN contact.

It does not change my opinion any. It's a tool. And kinda like one of those they advertise on TV

BUT WAIT ! It makes Julian fries TOO !!

And they'll throw in another one free, just pay shipping and handling!