RTP-area local music and culture

[Adam Lindstaedt <alindstaedt AT gmail.com>]

I believe there is value in giving your music away for free since it gives
fans a chance to become familiar with your music without first buying the
album. I lost track of how many cds i bought back in the day only to be
thoroughly disappointed with 13 of the 15 tracks.

When I receive a free album DL, I am much more likely to purchase some sort
of merch from the artist at their show. If they are selling a live recording
of that night, I am even more inclined to buy. And buying directly from the
artist at a show gives them a better profit margin than selling on any
website (Scotty: correct me if I'm wrong).

I would say roughly half the shows I attend are a result of me hearing an
unknown band via a free download that caught my interest. If I never heard
their music before, why would I care if they are coming through town and buy
a ticket to their show?

I do agree that giving your music away for free can be a slippery slope, as
with any free-mium product or service model. Using free music to spark
interest is a good idea only if there is a follow up plan to capitalize on
the listener's new found interest in your music.


On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 12:57 PM, scotty sandwich <
scotty AT deathtofalsehoperecords.com> wrote:

> I don't think there is anything wrong with giving music away for free,
> though I guess since I run a digital donation based label i may biased.
> That being said we've taken unknown artists, released free music, got them
> press and they have moved on to legitimate mid sized indie labels.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 12:52 PM, Joseph Churpek
> <joseph.churpek AT gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > I like this conversation and I see your point, "what does that say about
> > the
> > value of a CD when it is free?"
> >
> > My answer.... "the truth."
> >
> > Remember when you used to hear all the time, "man, my car got broken into
> > and they stole all my cd's." That problem dropped off the earth half a
> > decade ago. The average listener is not a physical copy fetishist, and
> the
> > listeners who are probably prefer wax. For most people now, CD's are the
> > packaging you take home to rip your new mp3's from. (So why not just give
> > out download codes? Because people are lazy... that's another topic).
> >
> > The truth is, unless you're the Beatles and aren't worried about making
> new
> > fans, the value of the CD is all on YOUR end. It's not valuable anymore
> for
> > a listener to own your cd when they don't collect cd's anymore. You just
> > need to get your music in their hands, period. Charging for a CD is now
> > like
> > asking a girl on a date and following up her "yes" with "ok, that'll be
> 10
> > bucks."
> >
> > But I really like your response, and it has pushed me to think even
> further
> > about how to make that disc valuable for them. I say personalize it. If
> > you're giving it out a show, ask their name, write a thank you note on
> it.
> > (I'm not saying Autograph it, Bono). I'm saying to make it valuable by
> > giving it sentimental value that will tie back to a place in time for
> > them... "we" may not be CD collectors anymore, but every tourist town is
> > still full of magnets, snow globes and other kitsch. We like to make our
> > experiences real by having a physical token to prove it. Just a
> thought...
> > a
> > weird one? Yah... but we (musicians) need to be thinking out of the box
> > because the entire music economy changed overnight. Ok choir, sermon
> > over...
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 10:56 AM, James Hepler <hepstyle AT gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > I'm not a fan of giving music away, although I definitely see your
> point.
> > >  I
> > > believe that if you incur expenses to create something, it's fair to
> > expect
> > > compensation for the goods produced.  Then I see shirts for $15 or $25
> > for
> > > one color on Gildan and freak out!  It's all about balance.  I think
> ten
> > > bucks is fair for a CD or a shirt.  We charge $15 for shirts that cost
> us
> > > $11 to make (full color is spensive).  And I think that's fair.  I
> think
> > > for
> > > me the bottom line is, if you give something away then it is YOU saying
> > > your
> > > product has no value.  I don't think that brings people into the fold.
>  I
> > > could be wrong.
> > >
> > > And back to kickstarter, I happily donated money tot he P-90's
> campaign.
> > >  $5
> > > gets you a copy of the EP.  Boom.  Like a presale.
> > >
> > > On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 10:21 AM, Joseph Churpek
> > > <joseph.churpek AT gmail.com>wrote:
> > >
> > > > 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
> > > > >
> > > > -- 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
> >
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>



-- 
Adam Lindstaedt

alindstaedt AT gmail.com
919-889-6982

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