Keeping a label going.

[MARKEG]

Does anyone else have a problem with this. I mean, I'm in the studio 24/7 well hehehe apart from the weekend, I listen to so much material that is sent to me but yet I still find it so hard ot keep Blackout Audio (the label) going. Sometimes creatively I feel like it's a rush to get the next release out. And I really dont want this.

[g]

the best advice someone we all know ever gave me on the subject is simply don't rush it. let the music come out when it's time. if that means the label is quiet for a while, so be it. there's no point in putting out something your heart's not in simply for the sake of being able to up your catalog number. be proud of every release.

[g]

also more time spent out of the studio will likely better inspire the time you spend in. :)

[DJZeMig_L]

If u release 3 tracks 4 each release then I say choose 2 killer tracks and one leave the artist 2 choose (xpecially if it's non regular tech), this way u keep yer quality lots higher 'cause u only get 2 really brutal tracks, the other weird 1 will get more and different people going back 2 the label 2 check it out, thus conquering other people, sounds, attention!

Z

[Evil G]

somebody once told me that the key to success was to figure out what you are better at than anyone else, and to focus on doing that. anything that you aren't the best at, but that is required to support what you are doing, delegate to others whenever possible.

not sure if this applies to your situation or not, but it sounded good at the time. i haven't had a chance to try it myself yet. severe lack of slave labour around here. ;)

[MARKEG]

you know i just hate this 'rush rush rush' thing that the industry makes you do. it was great when we were 'learning' about production because we had all the time in the world. but now, when we want the time, the industry makes you rush!

it's now been about 3 months since we sent the last blackout release to be cut. i could have so easily sent something 1/2 baked down a month ago, but i didn't. it's fianlly gone down today, but even so, i wish i didn't have this stupid deadline crap to deal with. i don't mind it about djing casue i've djed for donkeys years, but i sure as hell mind it when it comes to production.

[Komplex]

**** it man. don't rush things if u don't want to.

[RichieV]

make rap music

But seriously , if your having money woes , techno is not the right genre to be doing .

[rounser]

But seriously , if your having money woes , techno is not the right genre to be doing .
Makes me wonder what is then...Hardhouse? "Progressive"? Trance?

There must be some genres more favoured by a mass of bedroom DJs than by producers...

[eyes without a face]

Mark i was thinking something similiar myself the other day! i dont own a label but it was to do with production.

I like time to do my tracks, same as u i dont think these things should be rushed and im still in the learning curve and having fun making tracks without having deadlines hanging over me! ok im not releasing stuff, but its really wikid to be able to go at ur own pace and keep learning stuff without a label or artists asking if you've finished such and such track or remix etc etc !!!

also i have to add that

But seriously , if your having money woes , techno is not the right genre to be doing .

is the most stupid comment ive heard in here in a while! If your making music with money as ur main aim then you should'nt be making music in my honest opinion!

[Evil G]

it is an age old problem, isn't it? trying to find the balance between art and life. it's a very lucky person who gets to do the thing they love to do and actually make a living from it.

[eyes without a face]

yes definately! but there are borders

id seriously doubt the integrity of any techno producer who decided to start knocking out hard house or anything like that just to make ends meet

[Evil G]

besides, switching to another type of music wouldn't make the deadlines go away. even millionaires have deadlines. (especially millionaires?)

[RichieV]

start selling liscensed mix cds

Lot less creativity involved and probably easier to meet deadlines
Of course i'm just assuming.

Either way , from what i know about people that listen to techno , it does'nt sound like a genre where you can make $$$$$$. Seems like the only people that buy it are djs and everyone else just downoads it from the net. Of course all electronica suffers from this but it seems like techno especially gets raped a little more.

I think it would be kind of funny to compare lets say the top hard rock artists yearly income with lets say the " top " techno producers income.

[MangaFish]

Does anyone else have a problem with this. I mean, I'm in the studio 24/7 well hehehe apart from the weekend, I listen to so much material that is sent to me but yet I still find it so hard ot keep Blackout Audio (the label) going. Sometimes creatively I feel like it's a rush to get the next release out. And I really dont want this.

i think theres your problem (in bold). i find i'm at my most creative when i've had a complete break from music. both my own and other peoples. if you can spare a couple of days, spend it just chilling. watching tv or going for a pic nic. something that requires minimal brain activity. dont listen to any demos etc in that time. i'm sure you'll have a few ideas by the end of your break

i think picotto once said that he was forced home by his manager for some r&r. a couple of days later picotto went back to his studio and wrote one of his most killer tunes

[Dustin Zahn]

Some of the best labels out there put one or two releases out a year. I told our current distributor flat out before we signed on with them that one of the stipulations is that we'll release as much as we want, when we want to or else it won't work out. So, we've decided to do 2 or 3 releases tops this year for each label. We decided this number because its material we already have finished and we feel is appropriate to release. We won't release anything else until we come up with some more killer tunes that fit the sound of the labels.

The same goes with other labels too. They're always on deadlines and such and want tracks like right away but I usually just take my time. I think some people these days just focus on production as a job towards a goal rather than being fun. For a while I was just trying to make beats for the sake of making beats but it got old real quick. Now I only work on music when I am in the mood, just like I would with TV, books, and other stuff. I think if you keep the idea a hobby and just slow things down a bit it becomes a lot more fun. I've also been writing loads of music that isn't typical drummy techno and it's really put the fun back into writing music. You just gotta take your time. But yes, running labels is a drag sometimes.

[MARKEG]

well the more you get involved with the 'industry' the more you realise alot of ppl are in this to make cash but alot of people are not. as far as djing goes i follow my heart. always have, always will. i'm luck to be able to pay the rent (and now morgage :)) from it. great.

we've only been producing 7-8 yrs, but i see production and even more personal. to the extent that i don't need to think about the cash from it even .0000000000% cause my djing is paying the rent. so it's deep, very deep. it must ALWAYS stay like that. but then about 3 years ago we started blackout audio label. and it's nothing but distributors crying out for releases, constant phone calls etc etc. that's what i'm saying is the issue here. and it's something i really don't like. it puts you under immense pressure. i'm sure other label owners will agree with me. if you have a deal where the distributor doesn't care then great. but it seems to me that ALL distributors want the next release, yesterday. see what i mean?

[MARKEG]

@ mangafish > very, very good point. i wish i could do that. but there's no way i'd ever want to distance myself from what i do. not even for a second. i've been on 1 true holiday in 10 years. i love it too much. i really do. but yeah, perhaps you have a point. time to book a nice holiday with chrissi perhaps?

[BloodStar]

Hope I!ve got the point of discussion,. I mean that working under pressure of distributor or whoever is the fact that kills the constructivness and freshness of the tracks, that's not your case. your tracks are fresh as hell, indeed :twisted: . I mean the fact of fight quantity vs quality. and the fact making money from something we're doing without care of money till the point you're getting to the next level and releasing the stuff offently and being well known Dj or Live PA,.. then it's probably working under pressure and you need just to follow the way or quit. anyone can choose..........

[NooNoo]

Looks like I've all the joys to come, hehe.
I'll only have my second release out in a couple of weeks, so still have a lot of shit to go through i suspect.
The hard part from my point of view, is collecting the cash in from shops, and worryin about that, being self-distributing.
Like you say, it does take a lot of time away from the creative side of things.

[Komplex]

it's nothing but distributors crying out for releases, constant phone calls etc etc. that's what i'm saying is the issue here. and it's something i really don't like. it puts you under immense pressure. i'm sure other label owners will agree with me. if you have a deal where the distributor doesn't care then great. but it seems to me that ALL distributors want the next release, yesterday. see what i mean?

Who's your distributor? I'll hook up with them if they need more business ;)

[Dustin Zahn]

if you have a deal where the distributor doesn't care then great. but it seems to me that ALL distributors want the next release, yesterday. see what i mean?

Totally. But if you're feeling pressure from these distributors to push on with your label maybe you should just explain to them that it's not worth pushing you. If they can't understand that then maybe you shouldn't be with the distributor. Why put yourself in jeopardy by rushing a product? Stay true and release what you're really proud of, when you want to do it. If the distributor isn't cool with that then maybe it wasn't meant to happen. Distributors forget that musicians are artists too, and more musicians need to take a stance sometimes and hold off to put something out that they are truly proud of...otherwise what is the point?

[rounser]

If your making music with money as ur main aim then you should'nt be making music in my honest opinion!
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but to go devil's advocate on this angle, how does it make it any less creative a process what your motive is for doing it?

e.g...I've seen it said on these boards that some prefer producing techno, and prefer listening to hard trance. If these people produce a hard trance track, is it less genuine than if they'd produced a techno one?

Some quotes from money-oriented producers:

Stock Aitken and Waterman: "What we do is not art."
Daft Punk: (paraphased) "I hate disco and house and all that stuff, but it's the only thing I'm good at."

[eyes without a face]

my personal opinion is that if the person making the tracks doesnt have a genuine 110% love for the music they are making, then what's the point?! my belief is that people should not be making tracks just to make money, they should be making tracks for themselves personally, they should want to have their say and get involved in the scene rather than breezing in, making a hit record, picking up the cheques then breezing back out again!

as for those quotes, well, Stock Aitken and Waterman.... hmmm... only one of the most successful writers/producers ever i believe? when u reach that level of success (i think these guys have written a silly amount of hit records) its easy to become whimsical about what your doing, especially if everything you write goes straight in at number one or there abouts!

Writing music and production is clearly an art, and a passion for most, and i defy anyone (even Stock Aitken and Waterman!) who says otherwise!

and for the Daft Punk quote... errr... if they REALLLY didnt like disco or house... do you honestly believe they would of been capable of writing one the finest disco/house albums EVER?!!! because i dont, the music on "homework" has an obvious soul and feeling to it, its a classic album and if ur quote is correct then i dont think they would of produced it in my opinion

;)

[Dustin Zahn]

I think their disco shit was for the money. Do an online search for their Even Furthur 1996 set. It's incredibly hard and acidic...more like their "burning" track than any of their other housier stuff. They could get extremely tough on their sounds if they wanted to. They know it won't sell though.

[eyes without a face]

ahh right, il check that out cheers dude

[g]

... picotto ... killer tune
oxymoron?

[twizted]

Mauro Picotto and Ricardo Ferri are producing some good stuff. well some of it is a bit too cheesy for my liking but a few of their tracks are pretty good.

Mauro Picotto & Ricardo Ferri - Greens http://217.158.65.110/MP3/SF152500-01-02-08.mp3
Mauro Picotto & Ricardo Ferri - Decantato
http://217.158.65.110/MP3/SF152500-01-02-03.mp3

both good tunes.

[RichieV]

my personal opinion is that if the person making the tracks doesnt have a genuine 110% love for the music they are making, then what's the point?! my belief is that people should not be making tracks just to make money, they should be making tracks for themselves personally, they should want to have their say and get involved in the scene rather than breezing in, making a hit record, picking up the cheques then breezing back out again!



;)

i really don't think the motivation behind people's music is really anyone else's concern. WHy is music the only profession where you can't be in it for the money ? If someone is good at something , and can make a decent living doing it , you would be stupid not to go through with it.

You think all those guys making jingles really put as much creativity as they can ? It is called a job.

What you are asking musicians to do is basically take a huge risk , even bigger risk than actually just being in the music industry , and make music for yourself only. This is'nt for everyone and to expect every one to abide by your said rules is pretty juvenile.

Music is a business and until people start paying musicians for just being artistic , musicians are going to find work any way they can.

PS : I am willing to bet than anyone that thinks doing a project for money is agaisnt everything music stands forprobably does'nt rely on music for money and has the luxury of not being dependent on getting a check.

[dirty_bass]

Money shouldn`t be a driving factor. BUT to be really good, you need to be able to put in the time and work. And to be able to do this, a job interferes, therefore, you need to be able to make money from your music to pay the rent. It`s a constant struggle.

[thetonewrecka]

When walking the tightrope...







I fell off





but I caught myself by a finger and held on





swaying in the breeze..it was a great ride

[fatcollective]

I know this is an old topic, but im new to this forum and was just browsing through a few interesting topics and come across this one...Mark stated earlier in this topic about having to rush tunes to keep the label moving on (like a new release on a label every month/6 weeks). As starting a new label myself the pressure to get tracks out there regulary, is certainly an issue and this will only lead to rushing your production, thus leading to knowing the track has been rushed and being rather disappointed with it (although other people may not think so). Anyway there is one person i hold massive RESPECT to for being able to do this (getting loads of QUALITY tracks out there as well as djing week in week out) and this man is DAVE the Drummer, and how he does this ...well i havent got a ****in clue. he must be getting a few releases produced every week, and (..not liking his arse) i think they are all ****in spot on! ...i think he will be the man to ask for tips on getting good stuff out there in such a short space of time....****ing genius!

[gunjack]

music is art. music is a science. but let us not forget above all, that music is entertainment.

[AcidMutant]

Not trying to get at you fella but...


well the more you get involved with the 'industry' the more you realise alot of ppl are in this to make cash but alot of people are not.

Isn't that the nature of 'industry' - i.e. a capitalistic enterprise?


it's nothing but distributors crying out for releases, constant phone calls etc etc. that's what i'm saying is the issue here. and it's something i really don't like. it puts you under immense pressure. i'm sure other label owners will agree with me. if you have a deal where the distributor doesn't care then great. but it seems to me that ALL distributors want the next release, yesterday. see what i mean?

You'd be crying alot more if it were the other way round - you weren't making money and you were chasing the distributors and they weren't returning your calls.

Have you thought about setting up a call centre in India to handle your calls? I hear they're popular at the moment. :lol: