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

[incentive@mastodon.circlewithadot.net]

@elifyalvac 1000% yes. For starters, most of the music I buy is pretty much DIY, indie, or somehow adjacent.

Also- releasing music, especially as albums/EPs, preserves a great way of presenting your work in contrast to the "album being dead" in the streaming era.

[fstateaudio@mastodon.sdf.org]

@elifyalvac I voted "yes," because I think it's part of building the world we want to live in. I suppose I should specify that I don't think releasing stuff through corporate surveillance platforms is worth much (that is, not much of anything good), but I do think building and contributing to alternate platforms that could be the beginning of something better is worth quite a lot. I'll include Bandcamp in my "yes" because even tho it's part of the "old way," it has been kind of a stepping stone.

[dried@sonomu.club]

@elifyalvac Yes with a few considerations:

- worth it if you want people to listen to your music as a release (doesn't suit all modes of music presentation but maybe it's important to how you want the music to be approached)
- maybe worth it as a marketing tool (increased / repeated visibility, affirms your status as a musician who releases music, etc)
- maybe worth it to appeal to music industry funding bodies who want to see certain types / volumes of recent activity

[toffo@mastodon.social]

@elifyalvac you decide, but...
its good to share something you want to share - as simple as that. its not even about "worth it" - its about doing it for the sake of doing it.
sharing emotions/memories/etc
you should not pressure yourself into not releasing something/releasing something tho. just do what you think is right for you
sometimes even just sharing raw snippets with friends is ok enough for me eh

[t3hh@mastodon.cloud]

@elifyalvac yes, but not all the music and not all the time. It's worthwhile to build your catalogue but everything published will have a life of its own. Also, there is more than 120 000 tracks published daily so there is no real need for more tracks.

However, publishing is a good practice as suggested also by others. It forces you to develop your musical ideas and that's a good muscle to train.

I also think it's fine to have some aces in the sleeve for a different publishing mode.

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@toffo Nice perspective. Thanks. I was asking this more in the context of “too much music”, though. There is too much being shared and put around already. so many things get lost in the crowd. I am always motivated to share my music but I am concerned about potentially adding to bombardment of content people have to see

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@toffo almost like leaving a footprint behind kind of thing but I don’t always feel that ofc. Otherwise, I wouldn’t put stuff out

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@dried Having released music helped me change my life when it was released by a label, changing many things for me including finally changing where I live but I won’t go into too much detail into it. I agree. although a bit unsure about the 2nd part as I am sick and tired of The Wire magazine putting the same stuff all the time

[logickal@ravenation.club]

@elifyalvac I vote yes. Partially because I enjoy the process of creating releases - creating the running order, making the artwork, etc. That’s a highly enjoyable thing for me. Philosophically, I think it’s more to do with the act of creation and putting things out into the world. Music is a form of communication, and even if the audience is limited, you’re always looking to make that connection, which you can’t do if your music is confined to your own speakers.

[mosgaard@uddannelse.social]

@elifyalvac When I look back on my career, the releases I have made, has become highlights of the periods it's released in. And I have periods where I wouldn't release anything, because why should I when it wouldn't sell. But I sooo regret.

You can release for others as a DIY artist, but you should actually mostly do it for yourself. Making a release means taking decisions: Where am I now, what's important for me and how would I like to share it. It's the best way to remember your development.

[logickal@ravenation.club]

@elifyalvac @toffo I’m interested in this concept of “too much”. To me, one of the joys of music is that there is SO MUCH out there, more than I will ever hear all of. And music comes forth from me constantly. I know that it’s likely my own music won’t reach many ears that might enjoy it, but to worry about taking peoples attention away from your art feels like a devaluation of your art.

[toffo@mastodon.social]

@elifyalvac oh, so..
yeah it still makes sense. the more music you have - the better.
it gives people choice on what they want to listen to, after all.
every artist will eventually find sokeone who likes their stuff - good for both sides i think?

its hard in general but becomes easier when you realise that some people are more than willing to find your stuff

[toffo@mastodon.social]

@logickal @elifyalvac yeah thank you thats kinda the way i want to word it but being fatigued doesnt help with communication at all

[mosgaard@uddannelse.social]

@elifyalvac what really made me think of this, was the story of danish composer Tekla Griebel Wandall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekla_Griebel-Wandall

She had some acceptance when she lived (late 1800th start 1900th hundred), but not in anyway to the extent she should been have given. Luckily for us today, she knew this, and during her life she collected letters, articles, reviews, sheetpaper, released music and more, and saved it all in a box, for when people would remember her - and wanted to read about her work.

[elifyalvac@tldr.nettime.org]

@logickal @toffo

[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.