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Madriz, Supain

The thing is, we SBSM got a new record wich we are putting so much effort in (studio for vocals, professional model for cover, shit like that) and we're looking for labels to publish it. I already got a premix of them songs to show and whatnot.

¿How you guys would do it? ¿Do i upload them on dropbox and send them to labels? We're not important to get "leaked" but Im still afraid of giving songs to people without releasing the record. ¿Do I make a small selection? ¿Teasers?

Also, any recomendations of labels to send? We've got pretty much every label in spain covered but we might try international as well.


Thanks guys.

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Antwerp, Belgium

I always send full tracks via soundcloud in a separate, private set. No serious label is going to consider you if you send teasers. Providing a set also guarantees no-one can just download the tunes and spread them without going through a huge amount of trouble. You can also check plays this way which helps to see how your tracks are received. I also make sure to make a separate set for each label or person I send it to.

The best advice I can give you is to follow the submission guidelines of the label closely! If they ask for Mp3 via wetransfer you have no choice basically and you have to assume they're going to treat your tracks with dignity and respect. Another suggestion is to not just try labels that have had a good run of releases/artists but also look closely at how the labels actually promote their music. IMO a label with a good track record but bad promotion is trumped by a relatively unknown label with good promotion.

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Madriz, Supain

I didnt thought of separate sets for that. I think I may even do that on bandcamp as well. Thanks man.

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Brighton | Portsmouth | UK

Personally: Presentation is key. If someone sends me something in shortened English "hi d00d luk at dis will u" or overly obnoxious exclamations and smileys I won't even look at it.
On the leaked front: I don't know a single label owner in the scene disrespectful enough to do that, nor do I think any labels outside would be as bold. Some labels DO have stipulations in their FAQs about demos being sent in being used for promotional purposes though, but these are few and far between, and if they DO do this they'd make it clear somewhere so just give it a quick double check.
Also, I think small selection is a good idea, in fact, if a SINGLE song, if its good enough, will peak interest. Again though, I agree with VD, don't send teasers.

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Los Angeles

I's send them a sorry for your loss Hallmark card. lol

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Lun-dun

Just an observation, but if you've already gone to the trouble of paying for all of that yourself you'll get a lot more money back doing it all yourself than letting the label take a huge chunk for doing nothing other than "putting it out".

If you're adamant you want to do it through a label for whatever possible reason (under potentially false pretenses of exposure or promotion) then considering they'll have next to nothing to lose from gaining the rights to your music, make sure they push it flopping hard!!

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Madriz, Supain
simonhpieman wrote:

Just an observation, but if you've already gone to the trouble of paying for all of that yourself you'll get a lot more money back doing it all yourself than letting the label take a huge chunk for doing nothing other than "putting it out".

If you're adamant you want to do it through a label for whatever possible reason (under potentially false pretenses of exposure or promotion) then considering they'll have next to nothing to lose from gaining the rights to your music, make sure they push it flopping hard!!

We already got a label interested on it, one of my best friends indeed, who also released our first 6". The thing is, if we get another guy to release it, they can put focus (and money) on other stuff and bands (for example, paying for our new videoclip), so we all win.

I agree with you all on the "just release it yourself" and we plan on keep doing it for smaller stuff ( cassetes and the such )


aaanyways I made a private bandcamp pre-mix thingie. If someone got egr and matt kitsch's emails it would be appreciated, also. Actually, any scene email who releases vinyl is appreciated

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Milwaukee, WI
8bitweapon wrote:

I's send them a sorry for your loss Hallmark card. lol

+1

Offline
Lun-dun
SuperBustySamuraiMonkey wrote:
simonhpieman wrote:

Just an observation, but if you've already gone to the trouble of paying for all of that yourself you'll get a lot more money back doing it all yourself than letting the label take a huge chunk for doing nothing other than "putting it out".

If you're adamant you want to do it through a label for whatever possible reason (under potentially false pretenses of exposure or promotion) then considering they'll have next to nothing to lose from gaining the rights to your music, make sure they push it flopping hard!!

We already got a label interested on it, one of my best friends indeed, who also released our first 6". The thing is, if we get another guy to release it, they can put focus (and money) on other stuff and bands (for example, paying for our new videoclip), so we all win.

I agree with you all on the "just release it yourself" and we plan on keep doing it for smaller stuff ( cassetes and the such )


aaanyways I made a private bandcamp pre-mix thingie. If someone got egr and matt kitsch's emails it would be appreciated, also. Actually, any scene email who releases vinyl is appreciated

Fair enough. Sorry, didn't mean to sound quite as condescending as I did, having read it back. Glad you're at least physically releasing stuff. I'll download MP3s if it's stuff I like and there really is no other option but even if it costs me 2, 3, 4 times as much, I'll always take a physical copy given the choice. Looking forward to it!

Last edited by simonhpieman (Nov 29, 2013 12:13 pm)

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Madriz, Supain
simonhpieman wrote:
SuperBustySamuraiMonkey wrote:

We already got a label interested on it, one of my best friends indeed, who also released our first 6". The thing is, if we get another guy to release it, they can put focus (and money) on other stuff and bands (for example, paying for our new videoclip), so we all win.

I agree with you all on the "just release it yourself" and we plan on keep doing it for smaller stuff ( cassetes and the such )


aaanyways I made a private bandcamp pre-mix thingie. If someone got egr and matt kitsch's emails it would be appreciated, also. Actually, any scene email who releases vinyl is appreciated

Fair enough. Sorry, didn't mean to sound quite as condescending as I did, having read it back. Glad you're at least physically releasing stuff. I'll download MP3s if it's stuff I like and there really is no other option but even if it costs me 2, 3, 4 times as much, I'll always take a physical copy given the choice. Looking forward to it!

No worries mate, it didnt sounded bad at all.
And I completely agree, I simply cant understand paying for downloads more than a few euros. I like having something I can grab with my hands, lend to a friend or resell at ebay at absurd prices. Our first record were like that!

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California

wait, that's a square record

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montreal, qc

straight up, most labels don't even bother to listen to demos. make friends with somebody who runs a label (a real one) or an artist that is already signed and/or making releases on the type of labels you would like to release on.

99% of the time, it's the label that approaches the artist, not the other way around.

Last edited by ilkae (Dec 1, 2013 8:20 pm)

Offline
Gosford, Australia
AuburnKitsune wrote:

wait, that's a square record

yeah wait what
i just assumed it was part of the sleeve on a design template
but it looks like a photo haha

Last edited by Victory Road (Nov 30, 2013 2:33 am)

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Brunswick, GA USA

Is that one of those floppy-vinyl records that plays twice and then sounds like cottonballs thereafter?

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California
chunter wrote:

Is that one of those floppy-vinyl records that plays twice and then sounds like cottonballs thereafter?

Yeah just looked them up they're called Flexi discs and apparently deteriorate after a few plays but I'm not sure. You learn something new everyday ha.

that aside, that looks like an awesome release SBSM! smile

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Madriz, Supain
AuburnKitsune wrote:
chunter wrote:

Is that one of those floppy-vinyl records that plays twice and then sounds like cottonballs thereafter?

Yeah just looked them up they're called Flexi discs and apparently deteriorate after a few plays but I'm not sure. You learn something new everyday ha.

that aside, that looks like an awesome release SBSM! smile

They're lathe, not flexi, apparently you can hear them all your life. Flexi records last for like 10 hearings.

Thsi said, I listened to my own copy only twice. But one of the girls in the cover says she listen to it frequently so I dont know.

But yes, ITS SQUARE, its so beautiful when you hold it in your hands you want to cry haha