qb
Offline
Arad, Romania

Would you accept a record deal offer if one was presented to you? If yes, under what circumstances? (Relatively) big label, small label, chiptune only?

For me, it's hard to say. On one hand, I wouldn't mind making some money (it's not like I have a great job right now) and get more recognition by being promoted this way. On the other hand, I would like to be able to release my music for free as well and let others use my music for both commercial (use it in a movie\documentary, video, play it at an event, etc, as long as you don't directly sell my music) and noncommercial purposes. I also wouldn't want to have my music copyrighted on YouTube by a record label (so my fans could upload my music or use it in a video and monetize the videos), and these sorts of things kinda motivate me to always be independent. Or maybe I could co-produce songs as a side project (e.g. band), I guess that could work.

Jellica
Offline
England

it would entirely depend on the label...

how much creative freedom they give? I dislike people telling me what my music should sound like, if ya want something that sounds melodic and dancey, or more chippy go and ask some one who is good at that kinda thing Chipzel or Roboctopus or someone yo

deadlines/release schedules? I'm a very slow worker, I've been working on my next full chip release for 12 months now and only have like 4 songs completed for it. thats not to say that i havent made a lot of music but is has to fit the narative and tone that i want for the album.

is it some bullshit where they 'loan' you money for studio time & to make a promo and the money is taken back in earning from sales/merch/gigs and includes a relentless touring schedule?

qb
Offline
Arad, Romania

I also asked what kind of record deal you would accept, so feel free to come up with something that would be reasonable for you.

Yes, restrictions and deadlines are a disadvantage to me too, but I don't think all labels are like this. Some allow more freedom than others when it comes to stuff like that.

sleepytimejesse
Offline
Youngstown, OH

If the label did all the pre-release work and I could feasibly sustain myself financially from one album a year, maybe with touring, still have most if not all my artistic freedom, and still be allowed to pursue a career composing soundtracks, then yeah sure, I'd be all over it.

Alpine
Offline
UK, Leicester

if they would let me compose in my own time, and pay me enough for me to be able to pay rent on a flat, then I'd be cool with it.

Oh yeah, and as long as they asked me about what my music could be used on, before they did it.

TSC
Offline
Milwaukee, WI

Of course. I would then never talk to any of you self-entitled artists again.

PleaseLoseBattle
Offline
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Jellica wrote:

I'm a very slow worker, I've been working on my next full chip release for 12 months now and only have like 4 songs completed for it. thats not to say that i havent made a lot of music but is has to fit the narative and tone that i want for the album.

Same here, I'm glad to read this. I can't understand how kfaraday and the others make killer tunes in less than 1 hour.

chunter
Offline
Brunswick, GA USA
PleaseLoseBattle wrote:

Same here, I'm glad to read this. I can't understand how kfaraday and the others make killer tunes in less than 1 hour.

Practice!

My answer to the OP is that it depends on the terms, which for me is short term and plain terms for payment.

Dire Hit
Offline
Seattle, WA

life goal get on bleepstreet before age 17

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defPREMIUM
Offline

most of the "standard" record label proposals that i hear of are not very appealing to me...
an arrangement i would be enthusiastic about would be to have someone who i respect and who liked my music work with me on refining my style and helping me toward certain musical goals- like a music mentor. it would be like having a "manager", but there'd be no money involved, haha.

PleaseLoseBattle
Offline
Clermont-Ferrand, France
chunter wrote:

Practice!

We'll do

Feryl
Offline

[removed]

Last edited by Feryl (Feb 19, 2024 8:22 pm)

PleaseLoseBattle
Offline
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Feryl wrote:

Nobody in their right mind would sign me.

I would.

Downstate
Offline
shanghai

if its a label run by good peops that puts out good music then yes
if it s a label run by money hungry bitches that primarily put out shit that sells then no
someone i am friends with is feeling the strain of record deals
he has been signed to two labels, but now that he has finished ep's for both they are fucking him about.
neither wants to release first and its been going on for a year. obviously he is losing faith in the whole thing and getting frustrated.
Must be pretty annoying to think ' ive fucking made it', but then just never getting a solid release date.

sandneil
Offline

well a Record Deal Offer doesnt appeal to me as a thing in itself

but obviously if the price & conditions were right......    like a Handsome Salary to do exactly what i do now would be ok

but afaik record deals are nothing like that and Sand Neil Music has no saleability anyway

simonhpieman
Offline
Lun-dun

I've had 2 record deal offers (both for a band a while back) and we all agreed to turn down the first because it was a tiny stupid label that wanted every right under the sun incoluding radio sync rights and all merch rights. They wanted full ownership of the songs for nothing and expected "an album of at least 45 minutes and 12 tracks in length". Some of the best albums have been 30 minutes long!!

The second was a publishing deal from a MAJOR label. They offered £10k for the rights to 8 of our songs (that I wrote) which would probably have lead to a recording of some kind but our manager turned it down with the knowledge that other acts that weren't as good as us (in his eyes at least) had been offered more. Suffice it to say a second offer didn't materialize. I probably would have taken this one given the option as it would have taken me much more than 6 months to earn that at the time and to date those songs haven't earned me a penny in sales...

I would take a deal now if I earned enough to live and make/perform music for a job. I make a lot of music so it wouldn't have to be a chip label.