Is it still worth releasing music for DIY/independent artists?

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@fstateaudio yeah and it can be a nice way of bonding with others. and i like my bandcamp collection. your 1st point about shitty platforms 200% agreed

[mosgaard@uddannelse.social]

@elifyalvac last year, for the first time, a version of her Opera Kong Roars Skjalde was performed.

This opera took her 30 years to write, and more than a 100 years before someone found it suitable for concert.

I have so much respect for the trust she had in her work, and it has really inspired me, to start making an archive of my own (not that I presume someone will do an opera 100 years from now, that I write during the next 30 years).

‘Kong Hroars Skjalde’ og de glemte kvinder

Ny opera komponeret af Josefine Opsahl undersøger kærlighedens væsen og den klassiske opera med afsæt i myten om Ekko og Narcissus.

Copenhagen Opera Festival (www.operafestival.dk)

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@logickal much to enjoy as a journey, creatively, and just that can be rewarding. and definitely— i made some of must most special connections through that way of communicating initially, including my partner

[fstateaudio@mastodon.sdf.org]

@elifyalvac That's a good point too. I doubt very much that I'd have made as many music friends if I wasn't releasing stuff, because I'd probably just hide in my cave without that reason not to lol.

[alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com]

@elifyalvac I agree with so many other points here about doing it for yourself and also doing it to help create the world you want to live in.

That said, I have also realized that for myself, not worrying about releasing things in the way they used to be released can be extremely freeing. Meaning, if I don't want to keep working on something until it's completely spit-and-polished and I just want to release it on my YouTube channel or wherever, I can do that and that's okay.

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@mosgaard this. it can be a documentation of your journey, at times like talking to your inner child or your different versions. you capture a time. thank you. i was feeling very discouraged by marketing pr people but we sometimes need to remind our strength and confidence, without giving others power. I don’t want to see it as shitting content every second as people see too much. don’t want to add to that endless flow. would like to continue to release without having to advertise much, which I am doing nowadays

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@alisynthesis Thanks for this!

I’ve stepped onto that stage of not worrying and it definitely makes things much more fun.

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@mosgaard wow! really inspiring. maybe that was one of the reasons that made her a good educator also

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@t3hh indeed, yet more tracks among thousands are not the no. 1 thing the world needs.

[cognessence@social.linux.pizza]

@elifyalvac It's a valid question, imo! Prior to finding Mastodon, I was reaching a point a few years ago where it felt it wasn't worth it - the psychological cost of investing so much in something, knowing it was likely to land in an overloaded void. The paradox of hating to ask people to do anything / to listen - with [strangely] wanting to share. It felt better to just make tracks and send them to a few friends. No disappointment that way (apart from when even they couldn't be bothered to listen. ) You don’t want to impose on anyone; you don’t want to self-advertise - yet the work itself seems to say it wants to meet listeners.

It should perhaps be talked about more, I think, how dispiriting or even traumatic it can be to put out music. (I wrote more about how I felt back then on a forum: https://rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/319131-feeling-like-a-failure/ ) Some people I think are going through that and aren't even admitting it to themselves - they're keeping up something of a picture of success, but cracks are showing. One artist I know eventually had a breakdown over it. Someone could judge that, given other suffering going on, but it is a strange place to navigate psychologically for many sensitive souls. (They didn't want fame or accolades; just the barest acknowledgment.)

It changed with me due to health issues (and other things, including encouragement from certain folks here) - and the basic realisation that it is probably still better to share than not to, in case the albums work for others. I had also seen a fair few people [suddenly] drop dead in recent years - and as mentioned, had my own scares (not to get heavy!) - so there's been a stronger sense of urgency to...actually get to see the music come out. Music as a willing to life, too. Even if some outwardly “bigger" possibilities suggested themselves earlier on in music life, I've killed (or am trying to kill) any set expectations of anything specific happening; the bare fact of it being available, should anyone care to engage, in itself tips it to "worth it."

[tootkotootarov@mstdn.party]

@elifyalvac @Binder

Release music on old media first. CD/cassette/vinyl. In that way there is Proof Of Life. It's physical evidence that your music was released before it was copied endlessly. There are different copyright jurisdictions, and each one operates by a different rule set.

[sordidamok@mastodon.social]

@elifyalvac If you want to make and release music, it's worth it. If you're trying to make money, probably not.

[c_reider@sonomu.club]

@elifyalvac sharing music is actively participating in the community and culture you want to exist in this life.

[sknob@mamot.fr]

@elifyalvac releasing music before the internet was also difficult and thankless, and you were lucky to get it heard. The music scene on the fedi is rich and vibrant and supportive. Check out @nham, #bonkwave, @TheIndieBeat + bandwagon.fm, @audiointerface, @strim, @TIBtv and others. A lot of places to hear great DIY indie music, and to be heard.

[dried@sonomu.club]

@elifyalvac glad that it was such a positive thing for you overall!

[qwyrdo@disabled.social]

@elifyalvac For me it's worth it, even if just one person enjoys what I've put out. If I get a little lucre out of it? I am overjoyed.

And I think I agree with what others have said about "too much music." Yes, great artists get lost in the crowd, but the amount of choice out there is a boon to the world. We can celebrate our shared creativity.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Been releasing music on BandCamp for maybe 5 years and have made over $200 USD. I'm proud of that and happy for listeners.

[dereisenhofer@metalhead.club]

@elifyalvac What do you mean, worth? Should I keep it for myself? I rather give it away for free.

[nielso@digitalcourage.social]

@alisynthesis @elifyalvac

I think now that we have learned that Spotify & Co are pretty much useless for niche music, and also now that AI is about to supersede mainstream music, we as musicians can allow ourselves to be free and do what we want.

[liebach@mastodon.art]

@nielso @alisynthesis @elifyalvac Regarding AI "music", I think it is worth watching Adam Neely's take: https://youtu.be/U8dcFhF0Dlk?si=jD6Kxm-CXqFSJ6l2

AI music might fork from real music, like movies forked from theater. So real music will still exist, like theater still exist. But today theater and movies are seen as different things.

I am not sure how I feel about that.

[thaell@musicians.today]

@elifyalvac if you're releasing it just to share it so people can listen to it : YES absolutely !!

If you're releasing it with the goal of getting rich : no forget that immediately (and you're making music for the wrong reasons anyway)