I was just wondering if anyone had any good thoughts about when to send to labels? This isn't about finding appropriate labels.
I have read that some labels like you to have some sort of following and others saying that it doesn't really matter, thats what their for (exposure) do labels like releasing EP's or single tracks? Is that label specific?
The second part of this question is, if the time is right, whats the best method. I know many labels have submitting email/Soundcloud addresses to send to.
1. Should I have 1 or 2 songs uploaded waiting in private link, to send to labels?
2. Should I send to multiple labels at once?
I would just send 1 track, these labels get release offers daily, so make a very on-point email about who you are and why this album is good and why their label.
Not sure when is the right time, when you feel you have an album you'd love to hear from someone else I guess.
I would just send 1 track, these labels get release offers daily, so make a very on-point email about who you are and why this album is good and why their label.
Not sure when is the right time, when you feel you have an album you'd love to hear from someone else I guess.
yeah I guess there is no point in sending all you got, if all the time they have is to listen to one (if that)
Its a hard game we must play haha
I think the better advice is to go to the label website and if they have submission guidelines, follow those. Not every label wants only one song, even if they do get lots of submissions everyday. Also, spend the time to write a proper email. Don't just shotgun blast your tracks all over the place, submit to labels whose music you actually know and love. You don't have to go overboard fan boi mode, but demonstrating you know a bit about the label helps.
I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has been involved with several literary magazines (fiction, poetry and the like). I know the music business is somewhat different, but the more I learn quite analogous.
find labels that match your style of music, more of less. Go to their website, if there's "we do not accept demos", move on, maybe you will catch with them later. Depends on a label, but most prefer full EP/LP demos, some might offer a help with mastering/album art but after they dig your demo submission. Be casual, don't go too formal, let music speak for itself. Before submitting your demo, check label's latest releases and compare your own stuff with them and try to decide if your music would fit in their catalog and if it's in a same level composition and production wise. Use dropbox/soundcloud for your full demo so they could preview stuff from it without need of downloading.
I think the better advice is to go to the label website and if they have submission guidelines, follow those. Not every label wants only one song, even if they do get lots of submissions everyday. Also, spend the time to write a proper email. Don't just shotgun blast your tracks all over the place, submit to labels whose music you actually know and love. You don't have to go overboard fan boi mode, but demonstrating you know a bit about the label helps.
I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has been involved with several literary magazines (fiction, poetry and the like). I know the music business is somewhat different, but the more I learn quite analogous.
Yeah, I have been doing my research between - Soundcloud/facebook etc. getting names and submission email contacts. I have been producing my latest stuff in both the genres that I love and the labels I love. So trending carefully and wisely I will start sending them off
haha I bet then get a ridiculous amount of submissions each day, hard job lol.
as always great bit of advice relic, cheers
find labels that match your style of music, more of less. Go to their website, if there's "we do not accept demos", move on, maybe you will catch with them later. Depends on a label, but most prefer full EP/LP demos, some might offer a help with mastering/album art but after they dig your demo submission. Be casual, don't go too formal, let music speak for itself. Before submitting your demo, check label's latest releases and compare your own stuff with them and try to decide if your music would fit in their catalog and if it's in a same level composition and production wise. Use dropbox/soundcloud for your full demo so they could preview stuff from it without need of downloading.
Like I said this post was not so much the labels that I have in mind because I have been researching for a while. It was more the best method, like do I hold them in a private link on SC etc, so they will be the first to hear
The answer to when is almost always 'when you have a marketable package'. That's package, not product. What that means is that you're not still deciding on a name, you're not hunting around for artwork, you're not kinda sorta on the fence as to whether these songs are good enough, you're not just about to get started putting your music on Bandcamp and Spotifty and CDBaby and all those other blogs and services, you're not still trying to market two completely different types of music under the same name, and you're probably not trying to break 1000 followers on whatever place you hang around.
The long and the short is that labels don't want to spend a lot of money on you before they start making money off you. The more of a 'package' you create before you get to them, the easier it is for them to market and sell you to their contacts. The days of finding the next star playing in the back of a club or strumming at the coffee shop is pretty much over. The tools for at least the start of success are out there and freely available, and most labels figure if an artist can't be bothered to use them to get their career going, they're not worth investing time and effort in. That's true of tiny little noise/avant garde labels all the way to the Big Boys.
7 years ago I signed 5,6 songs for 2 labels. I have few songs on beatport and have no idea where else even today.
What I did back in a day is i sent bunch of emails to labels related to house music, and they just answered back. It can be 1 song, it can be 3,4 songs, doesn't matter. As long as they like your music they will contact you.
Havent been producing for 6 years now, month ago started again, Soon I'll might go in a search of a label too, I'll have 3,4 songs ready for a release.
I think the better advice is to go to the label website and if they have submission guidelines, follow those. Not every label wants only one song, even if they do get lots of submissions everyday. Also, spend the time to write a proper email. Don't just shotgun blast your tracks all over the place, submit to labels whose music you actually know and love. You don't have to go overboard fan boi mode, but demonstrating you know a bit about the label helps.
I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has been involved with several literary magazines (fiction, poetry and the like). I know the music business is somewhat different, but the more I learn quite analogous.
Thanks this is helpful. I'm finding the labels search totally overwhelming. Most don't have good guidelines on their sites. I figured you'd have to have a full multi-song "demo" together so this idea of submitting one song only is a big surprise too, but I guess it makes sense given how little time people have and how damn much product there is out there for them to consider!
