Calavera
Offline
Melbourne, Australia

I'm probably not alone in this, but I want to help / give back to the chip community - i've been given so much. Thing is, I just don't exactly know where to start.

My question is; where are areas you feel the scene has some holes that could use filling?
More gigs, music videos, more fun stuff like KeFF's stickers, etc?
We have a lot of people who make tutorial videos/blogs. There are a lot of different web communities. There are places people can go to post music and get feedback. These are all great, but there has to be a million more great things we can do to help each other. List 'em if ya got 'em?

walter b. gentle
Offline
babylon

making good chip music is the best way to contribute. im sure some others will have good ideas though.

e.s.c.
Offline
IL, US

donate cash to/buy merch from the artists you like... most of them are pretty broke and could use it

defiantsystems
Offline
.FILTHadelphia

Promote people. Share albums and shit you like. I only know so many people and can only hassle them enough with my releases so if you just play some new jams for your friends or click share on someone's Bandcamp you're contributing.

n00bstar
Offline
Montreal, Canada

In order of importance:

1) Make music, and make sure each new track is better than the last, otherwise keep it in your sketch folder.
2) Don't support or encourage bad music. People don't learn from praise, they learn from scraped knees and bruised egos.
3) Support good music any way you can. Post about good music on your Facebook page, buy albums you really like.
4) Email the artists you like. Every single artist in the world is an attention whore and they all want to be complimented. Attention motivates them into producing more of the stuff you like.

e.s.c.
Offline
IL, US

+1 on the emailing artists you like...fan emails make you feel ok for a day or two

alex_mauer
Offline
philly
e.s.c. wrote:

donate cash to/buy merch from the artists you like... most of them are pretty broke and could use it

+++++1

SadPanda
Offline
Chicago IL, USA

have a positive attitude

Downstate
Offline
shanghai

make themed compilations because chipmusic really really lacks compilations.

the most important way to contribute is to paint your gameboys. all of them.

but to be serious - id say making good music is the best contribution ! listen to peoples stuff you're interested in ! share it if you like it ! and personal messages are always nice, i write to people i really like, and its nice when people write to me.

peace

Calavera
Offline
Melbourne, Australia
n00bstar wrote:

In order of importance:

1) Make music, and make sure each new track is better than the last, otherwise keep it in your sketch folder.
2) Don't support or encourage bad music. People don't learn from praise, they learn from scraped knees and bruised egos.
3) Support good music any way you can. Post about good music on your Facebook page, buy albums you really like.
4) Email the artists you like. Every single artist in the world is an attention whore and they all want to be complimented. Attention motivates them into producing more of the stuff you like.

I like point one very much.

SketchMan3
Offline
NC in the US of America
n00bstar wrote:

In order of importance:

1) Make music, and make sure each new track is better than the last, otherwise keep it in your sketch folder.
2) Don't support or encourage bad music. People don't learn from praise, they learn from scraped knees and bruised egos.
3) Support good music any way you can. Post about good music on your Facebook page, buy albums you really like.
4) Email the artists you like. Every single artist in the world is an attention whore and they all want to be complimented. Attention motivates them into producing more of the stuff you like.

Thank you for posting this. I really needed it.

Zef
Offline

Getting e-mails is always nice.

Dot.AY
Offline
Melbtown, Lolstralia

Play as many shows as possible with as many different groups and always try and bring your friends to chipmusic shows and events..

The strength of most scenes are built off the back of real world interactions which hasn't been mentioned much but these can only keep happening with actual people coming to events.

I know you do this already but basically keep that happening ...getting to know the fans and artists and them know you will mean more people will support your material and the local chipscene as a whole

Calavera
Offline
Melbourne, Australia
Dot.AY wrote:

Play as many shows as possible with as many different groups and always try and bring your friends to chipmusic shows and events..

The strength of most scenes are built off the back of real world interactions which hasn't been mentioned much but these can only keep happening with actual people coming to events.

I know you do this already but basically keep that happening ...getting to know the fans and artists and them know you will mean more people will support your material and the local chipscene as a whole

Yup, super true. Real world interaction is invaluable.

katsumbhong
Offline
Taichung, Taiwan

I do Gameboy repairs for more or less the cost of shipping.

bryface
Offline
vancouver, canada
e.s.c. wrote:

+1 on the emailing artists you like...fan emails make you feel ok for a day or two

i want to add, i guess it varies from artist to artist but i personally get uncomfortable with emails that are completely overly gushing and slightly rapey, like "OMG your my hero all your songs are my ringtone and i'm going to fly to your city to watch you pick up the newspaper from your porch".  (or something like that.)  i totally get the appreciation and i'm thankful for it but something irks me about such consumption-oriented one-way conversations.

anyway my point is, as a musician i appreciate it on a MUCH higher tier whenever fans have something more to say than to just say nice things about my music.  it could be any combination of:
- some musical or technical insight they have
- pointing me to some more awesome music that my work reminds them of
- a story about how my work has impacted them

one of the reasons i write music at all is to connect with other people in some profound way, and i like it better when my interactions with others reflects that ideal.  so, those are some suggestions i'd offer in terms of interacting with artists.