New Release out - but streaming?

[fdesalvo]

CDbaby just released my little EP.  Should be hitting iTunes and Amazon any moment now, but I'm in a pickle, gents.  A pickle!

The last tracks I released (and subsequently pulled) received tons of spins via xbox, rhapsody, etc..tons of spins.  If these were downloads, I could have taken a year off of work to focus on writing.  Instead, these were streaming figures, which pay around $.0001 per spin.  When you look at that figure and realize that by the time the spin count equals the price of a single $.99 download, the track will have entered the "stairway to heaven" burnout zone.

I'm considering offering only downloads, barring any streaming service.  This would reduce my exposure at the expense of any streaming profits, which - let me not kid myself - were enough to support my bi-weekly M&M habit.  Hey, I'm not complaining.  The potential upshot is that people who dig the tracks would have to pay for the mp3; a dying ritual, which is probably near extinction.

Maybe this email is a "what would you do?".  Maybe it's me venting and wishing that things were different, but all I know is I'm going to continue creating and releasing music regardless of the industry's landscape.  I have no choice.

Have any of you had any experience with this?  I feel if I continue allowing my music to stream, no downloads will materialize.  I've asked many people about how they go about acquiring music and the consensus seems to be that no one owns the music they listen to.  What sad times!

 

[Logrinn]

I hear you.

Though I might brighten your day by telling you that last weekend I went with a friend to Copenhagen, visited some cool shops, drank some beer ... and bought some CD's.

I got an Avenged Sevenfold album (Timmsie's got me into this band) and a Joe Satriani album.

Sure, I could have bought them on iTunes, but the quality's not the same plus I felt like owning the albums, helping the record store and the artists.

So, a small silver lining perhaps ...  :icon_thumright:

 

[fdesalvo]

I'll take that!  Maybe I can do a limited 8 track release and go sell em at a swap meet.  :tard:

 

[Logrinn]

I believe you should do like you yourself said, keep on making music, because you have no choice. And then if something good financially comes from that - great. If not ... well, then you're still doing what you need and probably love to do.

So it might be hard getting paid, but the possibility to reach more people have never been better.

We all have to hope, right ..? :rock-on:

 

[fdesalvo]

Indeed, my friend.  I have no choice.  If I was in it for the money, I'd have thrown myself from a tall building ages ago lol.

 

[Logrinn]

Well, I have secured your next M&M splurge: I just bought your album! :icon_thumright:

 

[fdesalvo]

Well, then.  Looks like I'll upgrade to Peanut M&Ms lol!  Mama, I made it!!!!

Thanks for your support in all sincerity! As a reward for your generosity, I'll email you all 900 of the recording session bloopers (profanity and crying included) lol.

 

[Logrinn]

:toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12:

You might be on to something there. The Behind-the-scenes and bonus features are on of the reasons I buy DVD's. Now you've just come up with this new thing: A Blooper track on an audio CD  :icon_biggrin:

(Actually, there's a way to hide a track on a CD. A friend of mine who used to run a small record company told me about it. It's actually a bug in the Red Book standard, if I remember correctly. Could be a cool way to create hype for an album.)

 

[fdesalvo]

Yeah!

There were a few CDs that I used to have which contained hidden tracks.  I think they made the last track an hour long and tacked it on to the end.  Can't recall.  Just remember being able to FF through the last track.


But back on track- yes.  A bloopers track, where you hear me making various deals with God, profanity, and the maybe the sound of my fiance throwing things at me.

 

[Timmsie95]

I got an Avenged Sevenfold album (Timmsie's got me into this band)

(You're welcome  :icon_biggrin: )

 

[Logrinn]

I got an Avenged Sevenfold album (Timmsie's got me into this band)

(You're welcome  :icon_biggrin: )

:icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

My understanding is there's no money in recording for paid distribution (CDs), although if you get big enough you might be able to cover costs. The money is in touring, which only works if you're known. So, you have to stream/distribute to get known well enough to create demand for live shows. Then when you get old and tired enough to stop touring, you give lessons to wannabes for burger flipper wages  :laughing7:

 

[fdesalvo]

Ha!  Back to the street corner I go.

 

[mayfly]

I'm going to kill off streaming for the new record.  Heck - I'm thinking of just hosting the downloads myself.  I'm starting to come around to the opinion that if was that hard to write, arrange, record, distribute then it's worth something.  I'd rather have it listened to by people who actually paid some cash for it.  Besides - the price of the CD is the same as a couple of (cheap) beers.  Man up and buy one already!    The previous two (streamed) albums can be the advertisement.

 

[fdesalvo]

Points to ponder, my good man.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I feel if I continue allowing my music to stream, no downloads will materialize.  I've asked many people about how they go about acquiring music and the consensus seems to be that no one owns the music they listen to.  What sad times!

Truly it can't be as bad as all that! There's a small but persistent bunch of us out there that still like to support the artists we enjoy and hold a little piece of their art in our hands. Or at least in our iPods. (The "LP + Digital Download" format is my personal favorite as it satisfies both criteria, but that's another discussion really...) I'll admit I use streaming to explore new stuff, but when I find something I like I absolutely go buy it. I was recently turned on to Pete Thorn's solo work by someone on this forum and I went straight to Amazon Prime streaming to check it out. After being thoroughly blown away I went and purchased his album and singles on iTunes and now spin them incessantly and guilt-free. Another similar example would be you, Mr. Desalvo. Listening to the tracks you've put up here recently, and listening to them evolve as you would continue to tweak on them, has inspired me to focus on improving my playing and dabble once again in recording and writing. As such I was happy, excited, morally obligated even, to go and purchase your new release. Which I just did via Bandcamp. Thanks for doing what you do and I hope plenty of people contribute to the M&Ms fund!
:rock-on:

 

[fdesalvo]

VB,

Man, that's great perspective and it really set the tone for me.  If my music evolves to the point where it's (*gulp*) good enough, the downloads will come.

To be honest I never really set out to free myself from the rigors of 9-5 life with it. It was more about overcoming obstacles and communicating with the rest of the world out there. Hoping to bring a little slice of hope to others via personal experiences.

That said, whether the stuff sells or not will not dissuade!  I take lack of sales as either marketing folly or the obvious clue that I need to continue progressing. The fact that M&Ms and the occasional Double-double or 4x4 are now involved tells me all I need to know! 

Thank you for the support!  I never intended to push things via this forum, but I can't pretend that I'm not surprised and inspired to make even greater and more expressive music. You made me chuckle when u mentioned hearing the revisions that I post.  I have been waiting for someone from Warmoth to message me that I need to reel it in a bit lol. But I pride myself on discovering the obvious and getting all worked up over things that are 3 pages into the user manual haha! 

I absolutely cringe when I go back and listen to version 1.0 of some of the things I've shared. It keeps my honest and motivated to improve.  It's like that story about Arnold'girly calves. He would go to the gym completely covered, exposing only his calves in order to draw attention to them. He's shame himself into improving lol.

I'll keep it streaming and yeah, Pete Thorn is amazing and immensely humble. He's another example of a guy that never let people tell him that he couldn't do something or get somewhere.

 

[stratamania]

Where are said downloads available. I personally don't like streaming. I would end up paying some corporation who pay next to nothing to the artist.

I still buy CDs, and try to limit downloads unless something is only available that way.

 

[fdesalvo]

This-a-way, sir!  https://frankdesalvo.bandcamp.com/releases

Will be on iTunes any day now.  ccasion14:

 

[fdesalvo]

https://itunes.apple.com/vg/artist/frank-desalvo/id888792235

BOUT TIME!!!!!  SO Stoked! 

LOL - but apparently one of my instrumentals features explicit lyrics.  That's so 90's rapper.  :guitarplayer2: