General Music Chat

Hello Mark....

Your idea to market your songs is a great idea. However... what you need to do is organize your goals just a tad better... begin with understanding the market for songs.... for example...

It is important to realize who is in need of songs.... and who isn't. Adult artists generally write their own lyrics. Trying to find an adult artist who is in need of adopting someone elses lyrics is like looking for a needle in a haystack. They are out there... but... finding them is very difficult.

At the same time... teen talent is just the opposite. Teens rarely write their own music.... and most often will rely on covers. Finding a teen artist that writes their own music is just as difficult as finding an adult artist who doesn't.

With this in mind... my advice Mark would be... setup your own website publishing company.... clearly advertising your work... and showing the professionalism of your new company by showing the copyright laws and licenses as offered by your company in protection of any works offered and adopted from your company.

As for sending an artist your work... no... I would suggest that you didn't do that. Each time you distribute your work you allow for the opportunity for infringement. Keep your work organized... and in one place of protection. (that would be my advice... though please consider your own interests)

Best of luck Mark.

I have no clue why you would send your own hard work to someone who can easily rip you off and claim it theirs.
And if you have copyrighted them, then they (agents/reps/whatever) probably wouldn't want anything to do with your copyrighted music. They'd be looking for those amateurs who are willing to suck big fat ones just to have their name typed in font 2 on a CD's ass.

I'm sorry... I will have to disagree with this comment just a little.

Regardless of who Triadster Records gets the lyrics from... whether it be a brand new songwriter just starting out... or a songwriter who has 40 years of experience and 20 awards for best writer... the math is the same....

As a Label... Triadster Records is only obligated (and required), as stated by the current "Statutory Mechanical Royalty Rate" to pay 9.1 cents per song per sold unit (CD). In short... for each CD sold... Triadster Records wouldn't even owe you as much as a dime per song... only 9.1 cents. Only 91 cents per CD if all 10 songs were yours.

In addition... Copyrighted music is very difficult to steal from its owner... "if" they are educated enough in the Copyright Laws. Though there isn't any "International Copyright" system that will protect your music in other countries.... there is however "Treaties" that will act on your behalf. For example.....

In March, 1989, the United States signed a Treatie with the "Berne Convention"... thus joining a union with over 100 other countries to work together to protect Copyrighted material in countries outside the materials registered region.

If your Copyrighted material gets stolen outside of the country it is registered in... then the rightful owner would have to go above their local Copyright Office and appeal to the court under the current Laws and Regulations governing the international protection as suggested by the "Berne Convention", and/or "UCC".

Hope that helps....

$ .091 Damn!
Click Click BANG!

Hello triadster Records,
it is a big subject with many angles to consider I can see.
However, on balance i still feel that when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose, and that taking any opportunities to get your songs out there is a gamble worth taking.
As a current example, this very afternoon I was in a studio with two artists who perform their own work around the county; I was teaching them a song of mine (Sailing to Alabat in profile) that they would like to create a version of and perform as part of their set.
At no point in our session did I wonder if I should get them to sign to some ground rules... I am more than happy to let them have and use the song, and admittedly they are both quite well known to me.
I have quite a few songs and am writing more as we speak, so what happens to this one is not a matter of life or death to me; but letting it out into the world could bring a contact that leads to something, so in my view I had more to gain than to lose.
With fishing, you could dangle your line just above the water for as long as you like and nothing will be able to bite it; drop it in and there is always a bit of a chance!
Mark...........

Regardless of who Triadster Records gets the lyrics from... whether it be a brand new songwriter just starting out... or a songwriter who has 40 years of experience and 20 awards for best writer... the math is the same....

As a Label... Triadster Records is only obligated (and required), as stated by the current "Statutory Mechanical Royalty Rate" to pay 9.1 cents per song per sold unit (CD). In short... for each CD sold... Triadster Records wouldn't even owe you as much as a dime per song... only 9.1 cents. Only 91 cents per CD if all 10 songs were yours.

haha

1. Why so serious? I didn't mention your "label's" name. I haven't even heard of it.

2.

In addition... Copyrighted music is very difficult to steal from its owner...

Which is why I talked bout non-copyrighted pieces of music in the first part. Read my post again.

3.

whether it be a brand new songwriter just starting out... or a songwriter who has 40 years of experience and 20 awards for best writer... the math is the same....

Newcomers to the business can be easily tricked into signing papers that would render these laws you speak of as useless.

While I haven't been "ripped off" before, I've heard tons of stories bout it happening to aspiring musicians who had zero knowledge bout how the business operates. Thinking it was just play at the venue, record the stuff and go back home to kick back.

Regardless of who Triadster Records gets the lyrics from... whether it be a brand new songwriter just starting out... or a songwriter who has 40 years of experience and 20 awards for best writer... the math is the same....

As a Label... Triadster Records is only obligated (and required), as stated by the current "Statutory Mechanical Royalty Rate" to pay 9.1 cents per song per sold unit (CD). In short... for each CD sold... Triadster Records wouldn't even owe you as much as a dime per song... only 9.1 cents. Only 91 cents per CD if all 10 songs were yours.

haha

1. Why so serious? I didn't mention your "label's" name. I haven't even heard of it.

2.

In addition... Copyrighted music is very difficult to steal from its owner...

Which is why I talked bout non-copyrighted pieces of music in the first part. Read my post again.

3.

whether it be a brand new songwriter just starting out... or a songwriter who has 40 years of experience and 20 awards for best writer... the math is the same....

Newcomers to the business can be easily tricked into signing papers that would render these laws you speak of as useless.

While I haven't been "ripped off" before, I've heard tons of stories bout it happening to aspiring musicians who had zero knowledge bout how the business operates. Thinking it was just play at the venue, record the stuff and go back home to kick back.

Hello.... I have to agree with you 100%. I must apologize for not reading properly your post. After re-reading (as you invited) I see where I created the misunderstanding of my offered comments.

It is very easy for someone to be taken advantage of (as you suggested) and it happens on a regular basis.

Once again... thank you for your comments....

Hi Guys,
And I still reckon that if like me you have ended up with nothing and going nowhere with what you have been doing over the years, that it is worth taking a few chances on spec.
If a GENUINE record label invited me to submit some songs I would certainly do it, even without copywriting them... even if a 'wouldbe' or slightly imaginary record label asked me I probably would, because who knows what might evolve from it in time... remember that Richard Branson and Tubular Bells all started in a bedroom?

My project this year is to write and record one or more Christmas songs for the pop charts... and try to release the best one.
The first one is written and I started some studio (attic) preparation work yesterday, though it modulates key three times in the song and means I have loads of chords to get straight in my head.
It needs a peel of descending bells in G major that recur a couple of times... we found some that will do get get a demo going.

As an unknown wanabee this is of course mostly wishful thinking, and if nothing comes of it I will just have a lot of fun doing a style I have not previously got involved with... but my aim is to keep trying different things where previously I was too inclined to sit at home afraid of getting out of my comfort zone!

So keep your spirits up and keep trying I say!
Mark D Phillips................

Hi Guys,
And I still reckon that if like me you have ended up with nothing and going nowhere with what you have been doing over the years, that it is worth taking a few chances on spec.
If a GENUINE record label invited me to submit some songs I would certainly do it, even without copywriting them... even if a 'wouldbe' or slightly imaginary record label asked me I probably would, because who knows what might evolve from it in time... remember that Richard Branson and Tubular Bells all started in a bedroom?

My project this year is to write and record one or more Christmas songs for the pop charts... and try to release the best one.
The first one is written and I started some studio (attic) preparation work yesterday, though it modulates key three times in the song and means I have loads of chords to get straight in my head.
It needs a peel of descending bells in G major that recur a couple of times... we found some that will do get get a demo going.

As an unknown wanabee this is of course mostly wishful thinking, and if nothing comes of it I will just have a lot of fun doing a style I have not previously got involved with... but my aim is to keep trying different things where previously I was too inclined to sit at home afraid of getting out of my comfort zone!

So keep your spirits up and keep trying I say!
Mark D Phillips................

I can't say that I disagree with you Mark. I certainly do see what your saying. And... I do agree that you just never know what can happen if you just simply keeping pushing your ideas out there.

I wish you the best of luck. Hope something positive happens for you.

Hello triad,
If you sit tight on everything you write, mostly you are sitting tight on stuff that's going nowhere whatever happens... being crap!
The only people it is worth getting your best stuff to (professional artists) are people who in most cases would be above stealing it anyway.
Any 'Jonny-nobody' who might steal it can do nothing with it anyway, except perhaps play it at local gigs, and what that does you no harm, except people don't know it is by you!

The problem is the shortness of life: there is no time to sit on stuff for decades thinking one day how you will turn it into hard cash... it ain't going to happen, least not in one short life! So let it go; and if nothing works out just move on and write some more... don't keep pedalling the same crap around year after year.

This is roughly where I have arrived at now that the years ahead are substantially fewer than the years behind; I am not desperate or depending on getting somewhere, but the speculation is quite fun!
Mark....................

Hello triad,
If you sit tight on everything you write, mostly you are sitting tight on stuff that's going nowhere whatever happens... being crap!
The only people it is worth getting your best stuff to (professional artists) are people who in most cases would be above stealing it anyway.
Any 'Jonny-nobody' who might steal it can do nothing with it anyway, except perhaps play it at local gigs, and what that does you no harm, except people don't know it is by you!

The problem is the shortness of life: there is no time to sit on stuff for decades thinking one day how you will turn it into hard cash... it ain't going to happen, least not in one short life! So let it go; and if nothing works out just move on and write some more... don't keep pedalling the same crap around year after year.

This is roughly where I have arrived at now that the years ahead are substantially fewer than the years behind; I am not desperate or depending on getting somewhere, but the speculation is quite fun!
Mark....................

lol Mark... thats interesting logic... the funny part is... your likely closer to being right than wrong lol.

Triadster Records, are you a new and upcoming label, or do you have some references (artists) that you have put to fame that you can devlulge to us?

Triadster Records, are you a new and upcoming label, or do you have some references (artists) that you have put to fame that you can devlulge to us?

Triadster Records is a new Company as of July, 2005... and has since worked with many artists on a short time managerial basis (usually in 3 month agreements) to help them progress to another area of their career.

As of June 19, 2008, Triadster Records began working with another artist on this same 3 month agreement, and 6 months later on Jan. 12/2009 signed her to a Production Agreement... which will extend for the full duration of 2009.

Shelly Starks is a brand new Country/Christian artist new to the industry. Since June 19/2008 (less than 8 months) we have achieved over 11,000 people on her MySpace friend's list, over 6000 posted comments to her profile page, performance on the NBN, 2 hospital (christmas) fund raisers providing ill children with toys for christmas.... and (since Jan. 12/2009) has achieved over 40 CD sales. Lots more to come. (currently working on it).

http://www.myspace.com/shellystarksmusic
http://www.triadsterrecords.com/shellystarks.html

Thank you for your question.

Triadster Records, are you a new and upcoming label, or do you have some references (artists) that you have put to fame that you can devlulge to us?

Triadster Records is a new Company as of July, 2005... and has since worked with many artists on a short time managerial basis (usually in 3 month agreements) to help them progress to another area of their career.

As of June 19, 2008, Triadster Records began working with another artist on this same 3 month agreement, and 6 months later on Jan. 12/2009 signed her to a Production Agreement... which will extend for the full duration of 2009.

Shelly Starks is a brand new Country/Christian artist new to the industry. Since June 19/2008 (less than 8 months) we have achieved over 11,000 people on her MySpace friend's list, over 6000 posted comments to her profile page, performance on the NBN, 2 hospital (christmas) fund raisers providing ill children with toys for christmas.... and (since Jan. 12/2009) has achieved over 40 CD sales. Lots more to come. (currently working on it).

http://www.myspace.com/shellystarksmusic
http://www.triadsterrecords.com/shellystarks.html

Thank you for your question.

First of all. I am in no way trying to be disrespectful. These are just legitimate questions that I haven't felt have been answered or maybe I have just missed them.

First of all, how is the services you offer any different from actually having a musician do the work his or herself? Almost anyone can create a myspace. Does the above artist have a personal website? The 11,000 friends on her myspace. How many of those are just people who just want to add another friend and she just becomes a jumble in the mist of people they added? She has sold 40 CDs. Couldn't she have done the same at small gigs and using CD Baby or other online sources? As for gigs, it's just as easy to get air time on a public broadcasting station, having you gig and bio published in a paper, volunteer a concert at a hospital, retirement home, school (by the way, most schools will pay to have live performers come in if the performers give a small history lesson about the music they are playing). How about a publicity portfolio? With a little research they are really easy to create.

I guess what I am trying to say is how is your services actually going to pay off when many of the people on here are doing these things....or should be doing these things.

I look forward to your answer.

Hello Jessica... thanks for your questions.

To begin... yes.. she is more than capable of achieving on her own all of the achievements she obtained thus far... and i'm not afraid to admit... that Triadster Records played only a small role in those mentioned achievements. However... she's at the beginning of her productions... and has been only signed for a few weeks. Before then... she was only under management.....

I also agree that artists are open to a number of great resources... such as CDBaby, Itunes, Emusic, MySpace, YouTube, etc. etc. ... all of which they don't need a Label for. They can very well accomplish these resources on their own. In addition... as you pointed out.... the artist can also easily contact a Radio Station and achieve a few spins of their new song over a period of a few days.

However... Triadster Records stems far above such resources. I don't like calling radio stations asking if the song can be played a couple times. I prefer to call radio stations and say.... "this is what I want... how much does it cost... here's your cheque". The phone call will result in a 3 month CD sales program costing $5000.

In addition... I don't like booking bar gigs. I prefer to book a Music Hall for about $1500... toss a $5000 camera on the scene... and stream the performance to literally thousands of fans over the internet.... earning ticket sales from both online and offline fans.

Now again... the artist is more than capable of achieving such opportunities..... however... not quite as easily.. or as quickly... as I. And this is simply because... without a Label... artists don't work together. They work independantly of each other.

I can use the revenue from multiple artists to produce an opportunity for those same artists. For example. If I earn even just $100 from sayyyyyyy 15 different artists... that just gave me the price tag of a Music Hall... from which I can earn another $1500 from the Label's share of ticket sales... while providing in full expense a concert opportunity for 3 of those artists... whom may not have had that opportunity without a Label... and surely not a zero expense to them.

The revenue earned from concert 1 ... pays for concert 2... which pays for concert 3... and so on... at absolutely no cost to the artists. A simple initial investment of $1500 for the first concert... from a measily income of just $100 each from multiple artists.... turned out to fund 5 concerts for 15 artists.

BUT ... I have no choice but to agree with you Jessica. There isn't a single thing Triadster Records can do for an artist... that they can't do for themself. As I will further agree... those 15 artists can very well achieve a concert all on their own... assuming that they work together... which if I may add.... is not a common trait for artists who are not being represented by a Label.... they usually prefer to stand alone and promote their music as an individual.

I am more than willing to give that artist back the $100 I earned from them... and let them book their own Music Hall.

Its not just "what" is being accomplished Jessica.... sometimes its also about "how" its being accomplished.... and just as importantly... "who" is paying the bill?

If I didn't answer your question... please feel free to re-ask. Thanks again for your question.

Point taken about egos of some artists. So if a Music Hall is not a possibility and bars are not up to par...which I really believe shouldn't be out due to the fact that there is a perfectly good fan base at most bars, What are your feelings about casinos? Most of the casinos will provide a stage and lighting plus pay the performing artist. Also local theaters are available for smaller a"Music Hall" feel.

Another question; Does the artist have to come with his or her own fan base. If not...what do you do to secure one?