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problems for unsigned bands


ribena89

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Hey all,

I am currently a student at The Robert Gordon University and I am looking into what are the biggest problems for unsigned bands. I am also a musician and for me it has been particularly difficult as I originally come from a rural area in Scotland and to break through in a city etc it is very difficult to do so without a huge amount of financial backing.

If people could please give me their opinion on the subject it would be much appreciated as I am looking into what kind of things would help such bands within the industry, as from my experience it is all about having good connections which does not neccessarily result in the best musicians being noticed. It would be particularly interesting to hear what problems you have experienced as a musician - e.g. with promotional activity etc

As I said, any feedback would be welcome!

Cheers

Catriona Leighton

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Out of interest, how did coming from a rural part of Scotland make it more difficult to be a musician?

...because the more remote the location you are in the less of an audience you will have on your doorstep. You will also have less opportunities to perform or 'get noticed'.

Once you are 'in' a city however, you should be able to perform at some level or another and build yourself up from there... no?

It's all a bit vague really, that's why I was hoping for an essay title or an objective or something so I could understand the jist of fit the bonny lassie was saying.

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problem with coming from a rural area

For example - most battle of the bands type competitions usually have a online voting system. It is difficult for a band from a rural area to try and compete with any bands from an urban area.

Last year my band was lucky enough to be able to skip the online voting system for the battle for bella competition to play at belladrum. This was only due to networking etc which I dont think is a completely ethical way of doing things as there are always problems thereafter about deciding whether this was fair or not. We then went on to win in the final after competing also in the semi-finals, both of which were judged by a panel of people based in the music industry. Had we not been given the opportunity to go staight into the semi-finals without the online voting we would not have had the chance up against the bands that came from the inverness area as the fans wouldve kicked us out in the first round.

Anyhoo, this was only an example of the kind of problems that musicians face in trying to become recognised and building up a fanbase etc.

I am doing this as I am keen on finding a way of helping musicians through some form of entrepreneurial idea. I am wanting to combine my passion and my studies to try and help other musicians that have encountered problems. It is all just a case of research just now and finding where the problems lie. I mean there is plenty of backing for students of music through for example the musicians union or the scottish arts council but less formal bodies to help musicians who are not in a more formal music group e.g. choirs and orchestras.

Cheers

Catriona

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Well the point is there are not very many opportunities for musicians without doing such things and there is no official way of trying to get noticed and the whole thing is completely unethical. But this was not the point in the thread.

The intention was to get some valued opinions on what has been the hold backs for musicians.

If you would care to share these rather than your opinions on my own personal experience it would be appreciated.

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Guest idol_wild

I think if a band or artist is genuinely willing to put in the work and get themselves actively recording and releasing and hitting the road to tour on a semi-regular basis to gain an audience, then they will get noticed and opportunities will arise. The level of opportunities will usually depend on how good they actually are, I guess.

There are some hard-working bands in Aberdeen who are putting in the work and they are slowly but surely getting some recognition and more exposure elsewhere, such as Indian Red Lopez, Cast of the Capital and, more notably, Copy Haho. Frankly, it's good to see and shows that if you take a proactive approach, then there aren't too many walls preventing you from achieving something.

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I think if a band or artist is genuinely willing to put in the work and get themselves actively recording and releasing and hitting the road to tour on a semi-regular basis to gain an audience, then they will get noticed and opportunities will arise. The level of opportunities will usually depend on how good they actually are, I guess.

There are some hard-working bands in Aberdeen who are putting in the work and they are slowly but surely getting some recognition and more exposure elsewhere, such as Indian Red Lopez, Cast of the Capital and, more notably, Copy Haho. Frankly, it's good to see and shows that if you take a proactive approach, then there aren't too many walls preventing you from achieving something.

This is a great point - too many bands seem to just give up if they aren't getting loads of folk coming to their gigs even if all they have done is a few scrappy demos on My Space.....overnight success is rare and usually success has to have been pursued from an early-ish age at the sacrifice of most normal things such as jobs etc. So having rich parents to keep your funds topped up always helps I guess....

I admire the Haho boys, they are in the background doing their thing, ever improving if recorded output is a guide (haven't seen them live in a while) and don't appear on here to blow their own trumpet all the time because they have played to 2 elks and a goose in Latvia or somesuch....

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I think if a band or artist is genuinely willing to put in the work and get themselves actively recording and releasing and hitting the road to tour on a semi-regular basis to gain an audience, then they will get noticed and opportunities will arise. The level of opportunities will usually depend on how good they actually are, I guess.

There are some hard-working bands in Aberdeen who are putting in the work and they are slowly but surely getting some recognition and more exposure elsewhere, such as Indian Red Lopez, Cast of the Capital and, more notably, Copy Haho. Frankly, it's good to see and shows that if you take a proactive approach, then there aren't too many walls preventing you from achieving something.

What I wuz gonna say, 'cept more eloquently put, like.

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Write better songs, keep the faith, and never, ever, set out with the intention of getting signed.

If you're good, the songs will out. Don't blame other people for your shortcomings.

Never trust anybody in 'the industry'. Don't believe them when they tell you you're the nizzles, don't believe them when they tell you that you should change.

You're right; they're trying to make money.

Write better songs.

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I think if a band or artist is genuinely willing to put in the work and get themselves actively recording and releasing and hitting the road to tour on a semi-regular basis to gain an audience, then they will get noticed and opportunities will arise. The level of opportunities will usually depend on how good they actually are, I guess.

There are some hard-working bands in Aberdeen who are putting in the work and they are slowly but surely getting some recognition and more exposure elsewhere, such as Indian Red Lopez, Cast of the Capital and, more notably, Copy Haho. Frankly, it's good to see and shows that if you take a proactive approach, then there aren't too many walls preventing you from achieving something.

Nail on head right there.

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Problmes for unsigned bands:

Not being good enough.

Using a strat on the bridge pickup.

Thinking you are Oasis.

Songs going on too long.

Mistaking quantity for quality.

Slap bassists.

Un-necessary and crap solos.

Eye-wateringly awful lyrics.

Not all unsigned bands are guilty of this, but fuck me a fair few are. Experience comes though, and we've all been in shite bands.

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Well the point is there are not very many opportunities for musicians without doing such things

I think someone's put some really sinister ideas in your head here.

there is no official way of trying to get noticed

o_O Official way? o_O

o_O o_O o_O o_O o_O o_O

:down:

The intention was to get some valued opinions on what has been the hold backs for musicians.

I seriously feel like you've been watching too much X Factor. Honestly.

Nothing you are saying is focused.

What is the specific problem?

Being unsigned? Getting noticed? Getting a record deal? Getting gigs? Building a fanbase? Fucking groupies? All of this and more?

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A problem for unsigned bands:

Unmitigated snide on forums.

Spending most of your time on forums fending off and injecting the aforementioned snide will mean that you're ultimately spending less time on improving your band. Shifting your priorities will probably help.

Less chat, more gigs, more songs.

Just a thought.

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A problem for unsigned bands:

Unmitigated snide on forums.

Spending most of your time on forums fending off and injecting the aforementioned snide will mean that you're ultimately spending less time on improving your band. Shifting your priorities will probably help.

Less chat, more gigs, more songs.

Just a thought.

I would, but the neighbours get miffed when I get all creative at this time of night.

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