I’ve got a track that i’ve sent around to a couple of labels to get signed, and have had some really positive feedback from one already.
Was just wondering if SA could create and sticky a thread for advice on getting signed.
A few questions that comes to mind are…
Is it ok to send a track around to multiple labels?
What if a situation arises where 2 different labels would like to sign it, have you in theory broken any rules by already having the track out there in other hands?
You should take what they offer you or negotiate? Obviously being unknown to a scene limits your demands from day 1.
As always let’s get everyones opinions on this and create another thread for all kinds of input
for instance some labels will give you 50% 25% or 10%
so with 50% say your track sells for £1.49 per unit that makes you 0.745, you would think but you would be wrong in most cases.
the mp3 distributor will usually charge 25% of the sales for the mp3, that takes it down to £1.1175 per unit, you then get 50% if you are extremely lucky £0.55875 per unit, if you sell 100 units you’ll be lucky to make £60, i read in one of the music mags that the average unknown artist on TID & Audiojelly make a average grand total of £36 per track.
by all means get your track signed matt but find out what they do to promote your music and never expect a lot in return.
Nice one thanks Jon. I realise nowdays it’s near impossible to make a living from music unless it’s completely mainstream or thereabouts. I’m happy just to potentially get a name for myself, after all it costs next to nothing to make music so if you get a few beers with some track sales then so be it
it not impossible to make money you just need to be looking at more than just djing or just producing these days.
if you were gigging two 3 times a week and selling tracks through a good label, possibly having over people coming to you for remixes, production and maybe engineering aswell as maybe having your own night then you’ll be well on your way to making a living from it. it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make a living from it and most of use don’t have that level of dedication in us (not a dig at anyone :))
i know two guys that do this and i know i haven’t got that level of commitment in me, i’ve seen what they go through in one week. i know it would only be a matter of a view weeks before i would be carried to the nut house.
other ways to make a living off music is to start a website but im sure these guys from SA will tell you its not that black and white.
If you know a bunch of half decent artists, you could start your own label and cut out the middle man… Once you get a few good releases under your label, people will start sending you stuff to be signed. Then all you have to do is pick the good from the bad. Again, like Jon said about other things, it’s not that black and white, but you get the jest of it.
there’s always another option of getting together with other artist and hosting your own website where you sell all your own tunes from the site as well as host mixes maybe a radio show with a forum, there are so many angle and ways to get out there but like i said it takes a real committed person to do this.
occasionally there is the odd person who’s luck or pure skill pushes them through with out trying but these are very few and far between.
of course there is the option to “take one for the team” from a famous dj to boost your chances hahaha
What you all are talking about needs to tutorial. Everyone mentioned good advice that I was unaware of. I know most people who are producing are wanting their chance to be on a label or making music as their job. It would be great if SA would teach us a little in regards to how the business works.
Get behind this if you like this idea. Thanks for the advice guys and good question.
Sonic Academys Definitive Guide to getting Tracks Signed
make a really really good track
send it to everyone who you want to put it out.
Seriously tho when you have a really great track its not hard to get it signed… if your making half decent dance floor fillers (like i tend to do most of the time) Its probably better to get some buddies to do a mix and put it out yourself.
Maybe Sonic Should start a label and put all your tracks out? thoughts?
[quote]phil johnston (7/28/2009)[hr]Sonic Academys Definitive Guide to getting Tracks Signed
make a really really good track
send it to everyone who you want to put it out.
Seriously tho when you have a really great track its not hard to get it signed… if your making half decent dance floor fillers (like i tend to do most of the time) Its probably better to get some buddies to do a mix and put it out yourself.
Maybe Sonic Should start a label and put all your tracks out? thoughts?[/quote]
a sonic academy label would be great at least we would know that you guys are in it for good reasons. and not just to sign anyone with no intention of ever promoting the track.
beside which i think a SA would increase the hits to the website as well as peoples dedication to there production knowing they already have a label that they feel they can trust.
The most efficient way is to give it to big name producers/DJ’s you know(assuming you know some). If the right people play your stuff then labels will find you. I wouldn’t waste my time sending tracks to labels without at least having a contact at the label.
Get Tong to play your track…that seems to be the most sure fire way to making a living as a dance producer.
a good example of how to do it is from Sydney Blu:
In 2008, Deadmau5 released Sydney’s debut single ‘Give It Up For Me’ on his Mau5trap [a] label. The track shot straight to No.1 on Beatport and remained in the Top 10 for two months. To date, it remains one of the biggest singles ever to have been released on Beatport. Sydney says, remembering with a smile, “That track was the big lift off of my career. Off the back of that record I got known internationally and got signed to the William Morris talent agency. That’s when I started getting bookings in countries all over.”
Now of course we know she is dating Joel…and “Give It Up For Me” sounds exactly like Deadmau5 if you ask me(and he remixed it as well)…but the method Joel and now Sydney used works. As was mentioned above, better to get your track to the right person than randomly send it to labels who may or may not listen to it. Giving it directly to someone you know who has some pull puts more weight to the track and skips the middle man. Do you think Sydney would have had a hit if she sent it to labels? Possibly but having Joel release it was a MAJOR factor in people noticing it. Having a top track on Beatport is pretty much the rocket ship to overnight success nowadays it seems.
Its all politics in the dance biz… innit?!
Most producers start up their own labels and release their tracks that way once they are known. Until then…network!!
just my 2 cents and what I’m presently trying to do…
I had a friend that sent a track to a hip hop group and they straight ripped it off. You don’t have copywrite to it. They could just steal it from you and put it out on their own label. There are alot of shady people out there.
[quote]howiegroove (7/28/2009)[hr]I had a friend that sent a track to a hip hop group and they straight ripped it off. You don’t have copywrite to it. They could just steal it from you and put it out on their own label. There are alot of shady people out there.[/quote]
DAMN… Thats raw.
I was setting my sights at submitting my works in progress at one specific label that I know has some beatport clout. I have bought the tracks that they have which hit #1 and be in the top ten and I know I can at least match them. But now I’m paranoid!:unsure:
but im sure these guys from SA will tell you its not that black and white.