Dubstepforum.com

this disscussion can be helpful to alot of us out there

lets say i can make some dope tracks (just believe me for fun) but i dont want to quit my dayjob, reason: dayjob makes me good money
i understand that im making niche music "dubstep" but i dont really understand this business
so... what do i do with my "cool awesome" tracks that im making in my offtime?
i may be misguided but my main goal is EXPOSURE, not necessarily money but avcourse im open to it ( if its enough )... the main reason for this is i really believe in my shit, anyone i demo it to tells me its awsome, so...

A) sign some tracks to label in the form of an LP or EP or something like that - exposure depends on which label you get signed to? or on how much you pay the label to promote you? or both?

B) self publish , ala itunes / reverbnation style stuff - i guess this also means entirely self promote? and this gets me maybe some digital sales

C) play shows - from friends ive grown up with who DJ and whatnot, traveling around to play shows does NOT sound cool (unless the smallest show you play is electric daisy carnival size). also playing small scale shows can mean really shitty money depending on turnout

forgive if i misunderstand my options above
i know my tracks with get put on the interwebs for free anyway, im trying to look at this like "whats the most fruitful first steps?"

All and everything you can. Without the full time devotion it's going to be even harder to earn a steady income from music than usual (which is getting harder anyway). Just take every opportunity you're offered and never look back.

inspaise wrote: A) sign some tracks to label in the form of an LP or EP or something like that - exposure depends on which label you get signed to? or on how much you pay the label to promote you? or both?

What label youget signed too... and if anyone ever asks you too pay them to release your tracks, casually laugh and walk away.

inspaise wrote: B) self publish , ala itunes / reverbnation style stuff - i guess this also means entirely self promote? and this gets me maybe some digital sales

This is all the VASSST majority of digital 'labels' are going to do for you. Know how to spot labels, who go above and eyond that. Remember, its not just itunes... chemical, juno, hell even beatport really... ect. are all just a click away these days to anyone who wants to sell something! However, this earns you no support from any established group of people, as would step one, sign to established label and let them do this for you. And yes. you would have to self promote a self release... see how they both say self before them? Cause you do them, yourself.

inspaise wrote: C) play shows - from friends ive grown up with who DJ and whatnot, traveling around to play shows does NOT sound cool (unless the smallest show you play is electric daisy carnival size). also playing small scale shows can mean really shitty money depending on turnout

ANd sadly man, those are some of the best money you can hope to make! Ive never heard of the shwo you referenced, but unless you blow up dieselboy style and end up main stage on ultra music... your going to be looking at these sort of gigs as prospect. Theres little more then breaking even, buying a few beers, and having the reputation of having done it in playing most shows. ANd theres no skipping out... you cant be big manpaid getting flyed overseas to play some gigs if you dont start at the bottom first. And besides. After you actually deal with trying to get booked into some of those small shows, and see that the standard of artists is pretty high, and its actually kinda tough to break into scenes, you might understand why alot of the time, when you play, its for pennies and beer.

And ftr, Ihave shit nothing in regards to experience compared to alot of the guys here. Most of this, is just stuff you could have gleened yourself if youd have done some searching.