How paranoid are you about your own music?

[preampdude]

Basically I've been working on my own tracks for over a year now (the recording started a year ago, the writting is proper legacy work) and I'm really paranoid about giving mp3s to other people. I'm in the process of finding a vocalist and I don't know what the best process is of showing to people my work, without the risk of my tracks leaking on to the public prematurely.

Any advice, except finding a psychiatrist?

 

[egan.]

No offense but you really need to ask yourself if anyone gives a shit. Are you signed? Famous?

 

[azistenostora]

Egan, I love your diplomatic approach to this.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Egan. +1

If you're not signed nor famous why give a shit? That's actually a good thing, spreading the music around

 

[egan.]

Yeah, sorry if that was harsh. I just mean, that the public is only going to seek out and d/l something that they are aware of. Plenty of very good but unknown bands struggle to give their stuff away for free to get noticed. It is hard to imagine a "leak" from an unknown artist being even a remote issue. At the absolute extremely remote worst you are looking at internet hype for a release....but probably it will go completely under the radar.

 

[preampdude]

Non taken, fair thing to ask. My band's last album was released in 2001 and I'm making a come back (or having a mid life crisis). No label yet, but I have my contacts something might come out. I'm not afraid of piracy, I just don't want the music to be out before it's done.

 

[egan.]

Non taken, fair thing to ask. My band's last album was released in 2001 and I'm making a come back (or having a mid life crisis). No label yet, but I have my contacts something might come out. I'm not afraid of piracy, I just don't want the music to be out before it's done.

I understand that. We had to find a new vocalist a few years back and went through a thing where we didn't want shitty internal demos in the open. That said, anyone you are seriously considering working with will respect this. And if they don't it probably isn't the end of the world.
You can always use old material during the initial lure/interview phase.

 

[azistenostora]

Yeah, sorry if that was harsh.

No, you're absolutely right.

 

[preampdude]

Are these audible?

Use watermarks on your songs, that's what we did when we were sending our album/demos to labels.

 

[Jaymz]

Same kinda thing here really, the only versions ive leaked out so far have been totally rough so nobody would want to steal them! And ive only given those out to the vocalists who are going to be singing on the tracks in question.

But yeah man, you aren't alone!

 

[jrt12]

if youre worried about having bad demos tied to your band, or don't want to send mp3 files to complete strangers via email, setup a temp myspace music site called "Singer auditions in Des Moines" or whatever. that way you can measure the response to an particular posting by playcounts and allow/restrict downloads of the demos.

 

[xturbox]

what is a life time of information of any kind on-line today? May be a few days. Think of yourself as being a car stereo and big labels as big PA's. How many people will hear what do you play in your car? How many people will hear and remember a release on a label? Unless you are a new Paganini or Bach and even so I doubt it will harm you anyhow.

 

[SuperD]

I am perhaps even more careful...having been burned and having seen others get burned...the production of the demo disc is NOT of interest to a thief.
The original musical idea is. Something the thief has no qualms about lifting for himself.
As a songwriter performer this is your product, your income...your 'gold'.
Eddie Van Halen had a terrible lapse in judgment (naive back then, paranoid now...) before the release of VH1.
Legend has it he played the 'You really got me' mix at a party. Also at that party were members of the band Angel, who promptly headed into the studio and began recording their own version. Warner Brothers, or more specifically Ted Templeman , got wind of it and the VH album's release date was pushed up to win the battle.
This may shed some light on Eddie's subsequent behaviours over the years, and even though that particular song was not an original musical idea it is important to remember the old saying in this biz (as it pertains to songwriting)
"Amateurs borrow, professionals steal"
Seriously bro, cover your ass...the first time you hear your riff on someone else's cd...
I cannot descibe the shock and surprise.

 

[egan.]

I am perhaps even more careful...having been burned and having seen others get burned..

Would you care to elaborate?

It just seems to me the risk of this is negligible at best. In 10 years of dealing with labels and pro bands I've never known anyone who had a song stolen. And if I did you can bet they would just call their lawyer.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Any advice, except finding a psychiatrist?

Nothing beats that, seriously.

 

[jrt12]

i think technology today really does help safeguard our creations in the sense that now we can send mp3's or burned cd's that have clear time/date stamps on them to show when the piece of music was recorded/burned. that coupled with an electronic paper trail of emails or downloads and there's no arguing who had the idea first after that.

 

[egan.]

i think technology today really does help safeguard our creations in the sense that now we can send mp3's or burned cd's that have clear time/date stamps on them to show when the piece of music was made. no arguing who had the idea first there.

Very true. I think preampdude's concern about the quality of stuff that is out there is the only real concern in a demo situation (album tracks are another thing entirely).

I guess I'm pretty casual about it. I keep stuff out of the public eye but I send tracks out to friends all of the time for their thoughts. I guess I may be haunted by my shitty guitar playing and out of tune singing one day but the criticism, encouragement and advice has certainly been worth it.

Every record contract my band has scored has involved sending out lots of demo tracks of songs. At a certain point if you are too guarded you aren't going to find bandmates, play live, or get a record deal.

If you look at a guy like Bulb (aside from an obscene amount of talent) alot of his success and popularity has come from being completely and totally open with his musical ideas. Just food for thought.

 

[preampdude]

That's my worst nightmare really; especially when you don't have a record deal yet.

Seriously bro, cover your ass...the first time you hear your riff on someone else's cd...
I cannot descibe the shock and surprise.

 

[preampdude]

Your approach is a healthy one. I just hope that I won't see my vocal-less demos on a blogspot page as an instrumental EP to download...

Very true. I think preampdude's concern about the quality of stuff that is out there is the only real concern in a demo situation (album tracks are another thing entirely).

I guess I'm pretty casual about it. I keep stuff out of the public eye but I send tracks out to friends all of the time for their thoughts. I guess I may be haunted by my shitty guitar playing and out of tune singing one day but the criticism, encouragement and advice has certainly been worth it.

Every record contract my band has scored has involved sending out lots of demo tracks of songs. At a certain point if you are too guarded you aren't going to find bandmates, play live, or get a record deal.

If you look at a guy like Bulb (aside from an obscene amount of talent) alot of his success and popularity has come from being completely and totally open with his musical ideas. Just food for thought.

 

[GarethSE]

Yeah but, you're not Bulb, no offense or anything man.

Make your music, enjoy making it, or else there's zero point in making it in the first place, put your music out and if other people enjoy it then that's an added bonus.

Basically dude, worry less.