RTP-area local music and culture

[Joseph Churpek <joseph.churpek AT gmail.com>]

Just one man's opinion...  don't ever beg fans for money. In fact... unless
you can live off it, don't ever even charge for your recorded music.

Gig like crazy. Save gig money. Make your record. Share it with everyone.
Hopefully you get more supporters and the money will come back in the form
of people actually attending shows and if they really like you, you can
start selling other merch like shirts to superfans.

A CD, or record, or tape, or whatever... is two things: 1. A chance to share
your music, that is what it is all about right?. 2. A way to advertise your
live gig.

Why would anyone put a limit on #1 and #2 by putting a price on it? Why add
that barrier for potential listeners?

When it comes down to it... if Mump has enough support to get the disc put
out through kickstarter, good for him. But, rather than worrying about how
he makes it "fair" for the supporters who paid $25 instead $10... I think
instead he just needs to thank them until he's blue in the face, and then
not even charge for his music later. I doubt someone who'd give me $25 to
make a record would be too upset about me trying to share it with as many
people as possible.

On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 9:49 AM, Ross Grady <grady AT ibiblio.org> wrote:

> Yep. In more formalized investment environments, the folks who invest
> upfront expect to get an additional return above and beyond what the random
> shmoes who come along later will get. Kickstarter actually has a blog post
> somewhere aimed at potential project starters which touches on this, but
> it's clearly not required reading, inasmuch as way too many Kickstarter
> projects seem to either go the full-charity route, or at the very least
> seem
> to place a value on intangibles that's probably way too high in the context
> of the local-music economy.
>
> I especially like the ones where, say, small-time local bands who'd be
> lucky
> to draw 30 people at the Cave put something like "personal concert at your
> house!" way up at the top of the prize list.
>
> I guess I should write a New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs piece wherein the
> premium for a $3.00 donation is "I will make and serve you a cup of coffee"
> and for $25 "I will personally take your order and deliver food and
> beverages of your choice* to your table. (*standard menu items only,
> please)"
>
> On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 9:41 AM, James Hepler <hepstyle AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I just have a philosophical question about this kind of kickstarter
> > campaign.  I've thought about trying to do one for some stuff, but here's
> > my
> > obstacle:  If you are going to offer a "free" cd for a $25 donation, are
> > you
> > going to charge the general public $25 as well?  How do you overcome the
> > potential insult of asking for charity and then offering an NPR style
> deal
> > where you end up charging the people kind enough to donate, arguably your
> > biggest fans, more for a product than you plan to charge people who
> didn't
> > donate?  I see the liner note thing, but is that really added value?  It
> > doesn't cost you anything, nor is it more work to add a name to a liner
> > note
> > or put a name in a song.  And if someone gives $20 they get nothing
> > tangible
> > in return?  Someone who gives you $20 at the merch table gets what, two
> > cd's?  A CD and a shirt?
> >
> > I guess this is at the heart of my problem.  All bands are "listener
> > supported", but I see bands as straight up businesses. I won't go to
> parker
> > and otis because they charge 8 bucks for an egg salad sandwich!
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 4:51 PM, Mump <gilbertgeorgeneal AT gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Hello. I'm trying to fund my 4th CD through Kickstarter.com. I set a
> > > goal, if i make it the donations go to my project. if not, not. I
> > > would appreciate any help. You can donate as little as $1 but every
> > > bit helps. Thanks.
> > >
> > > Here's the link to my project. Thanks everyone.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1693912192/no-hard-feelings-my-fourth-album
> > > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Der Weg ist das Ziel
> > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> >
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>