Should I Start Releasing Tracks Under My Alias?

[officialragingturtle]

I'm going to make a career out of producing dubstep. I currently make songs that are pretty decent, but they def. aren't anything amazing.

Should I start releasing tracks underneath the alias to go ahead and try to get things going? Start attracting twitter followers, start getting some views and subscribers on Youtube, Soundcloud, etc...

Or do you think that'll take away from my credibility at all when I'm making much better songs and have a really big following, and then some people will look back at some of the old tracks and go oh this is shit.

I feel like it'll be more beneficial to go ahead and try to start building a following as my skills increase, instead of waiting until I feel I'm at "that level" to produce songs worthy of being a known producer. But I wanted to hear some of your guys opinions on it.

Thanks!
-Scott

[ephyks]

I'm going to make a career out of producing dubstep.

[officialragingturtle]

I assumed I'd get some responses like that, "oh just another one of those guys who thinks he's gonna make it big... one post wonder".

No, it's not like that. I've actually done shit with my life, self-employed at the age of 20... I don't sit around and dream... I do.

But seriously, looking for some honest opinions to my question. Any legit advice would be appreciated.

[Hircine]

I'm going to make a career out of producing dubstep.

troll harder.

[mthrfnk]

Legit advice? The boat sailed 2 years ago.

Also before you start talking shit, I have a successful career irl, I make music as a side project because I know I unless I devote a shit ton of hours to it I won't be able make a career out of it.

[Electric_Head]

career out of producing dubstep.

I currently make songs that are pretty decent, but they def. aren't anything amazing.

good luck with that

[wub]

Ok, going to work through this one point at a time. If my questions are coming across as overly aggressive, they're not meant to. I'm coming at this from a sales/marketing/profit generation angle...

I'm going to make a career out of producing dubstep. I currently make songs that are pretty decent, but they def. aren't anything amazing.

First point and this is perhaps the most crucial - if your tune "aren't anything amazing" how do you expect to sell them?

Should I start releasing tracks underneath the alias to go ahead and try to get things going? Start attracting twitter followers, start getting some views and subscribers on Youtube, Soundcloud, etc...

Depends what you intend for this alias to be...is it a drastic change in musical style from your main production name? Or just a different pot with the same casserole inside?

Or do you think that'll take away from my credibility at all when I'm making much better songs and have a really big following, and then some people will look back at some of the old tracks and go oh this is shit.

If you're that worried, why not just delete the songs you think are shit? There isn't a rule that says you have to have all your songs you ever made in the history of the world ever up on Soundcloud/YouTube for all eternity.

If you think something from your back catalogue might hurt your reputation in the future, then take it offline and be done with it.

I feel like it'll be more beneficial to go ahead and try to start building a following as my skills increase, instead of waiting until I feel I'm at "that level" to produce songs worthy of being a known producer. But I wanted to hear some of your guys opinions on it.

This is a bit of a catch 22 IMO...you talk about building a following before you are of a decent production level at the same time as waiting until you are at a decent production level before building a following. IMO the two are linked...as your production level grows, so too should your following.

I've actually done shit with my life, self-employed at the age of 20... I don't sit around and dream... I do.

But seriously, looking for some honest opinions to my question. Any legit advice would be appreciated.

Whilst this is all very noble, it's still a big uphill challenge. Best of luck to you


Be interested to hear some of your work if there is any online...feel free to PM me links if you don't want to splash it about in public

[officialragingturtle]

The boat sailed 2 years ago? I guess you're trying to say Dubstep isn't going to be as popular in 5-10 years? Seems to me like it'll get even more popular over the next 3-5, and like there's plenty of room for a new artist to break in.

I'm not about to start talking shit. I don't want an argument or no drama bs, just trying to get opinions on whether I should go ahead and start branding myself now or wait till my production's better.

[goldengrime]

I'm going to make a career out of producing dubstep.

Haha awesome!

Anyways ill try and give some sort of feedback/advice as I know what its like when you post on a forum and everyone just either doesn't help or doesn't see where your coming from etc.

So yea i think you should just keep it real and do what you think is best. If your just starting out then maybe coming up with an alias is an idea and if that creates a following then you can obviously run with that. Or you can then go on and use whatever name you wanted to use and 'launch' this new artist with all your good production.

Sorry if that isn't any clear advice but there's also no hard and fast rules.

[officialragingturtle]

@Wub Thank you very much. I think you pretty much clarified what I was thinking. That the tracks don't have to stay up on youtube/soundcloud for forvever and as you said that becoming better at production and gaining more of a following goes hand in hand. So I'm thinking I'll just go ahead and release tracks as I make them, even if I'm still learning, and both my skills and following can increase together in unison.

I'll pm you some links later on in the week.

BTW I guess I was confused about alias as I assumed alias was the same thing as your main production name. But I meant my name production name when I said alias.

Thanks again!

[officialragingturtle]

Anyways ill try and give some sort of feedback/advice as I know what its like when you post on a forum and everyone just either doesn't help or doesn't see where your coming from etc.

So yea i think you should just keep it real and do what you think is best. If your just starting out then maybe coming up with an alias is an idea and if that creates a following then you can obviously run with that. Or you can then go on and use whatever name you wanted to use and 'launch' this new artist with all your good production.

Sorry if that isn't any clear advice but there's also no hard and fast rules.

Thanks for the advice Golden. After reading Wub's post It kinda clarifies what I had in mind, which is to go ahead and launch the main stage name with the sub-par songs. Then watch as the songs get better and the following increases. I can delete songs later if need be... or just say the hell with it and keep them up forever, and simply focus on the future.

[wub]

@Wub Thank you very much. I think you pretty much clarified what I was thinking. That the tracks don't have to stay up on youtube/soundcloud for forvever and as you said that becoming better at production and gaining more of a following goes hand in hand. So I'm thinking I'll just go ahead and release tracks as I make them, even if I'm still learning, and both my skills and following can increase together in unison.

I'll pm you some links later on in the week.

BTW I guess I was confused about alias as I assumed alias was the same thing as your main production name. But I meant my name production name when I said alias.

Thanks again!

NP

If you want a slightly more indepth look, I recommend this interview with South London Ordinance that I posted a couple of weeks ago;

http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.p ... h#p3014006

Couple of the points he makes re; promotion/posting tunes on Soundcloud might resonate with where you're coming from on this

[mthrfnk]

The boat sailed 2 years ago? I guess you're trying to say Dubstep isn't going to be as popular in 5-10 years? Seems to me like it'll get even more popular over the next 3-5, and like there's plenty of room for a new artist to break in.

I'm not about to start talking shit. I don't want an argument or no drama bs, just trying to get opinions on whether I should go ahead and start branding myself now or wait till my production's better.

It may be popular in 5 years but people at the top of the scene will probably still be at the top. Obviously new artists will break out but there are already people I've seen on twitter/soundcloud/youtube and I've thought to myself "how are these people not signed". Unless your productions are there already, top notch, ready to release.... just take it slow, bide your time and learn to make the best stuff you can. No problems uploading WIPS/demos, it's what I do - I have a mager 100 ish followers on SoundCloud & Twitter under my alias, but I do quite freuently get nice feedback and interaction with other artists and it's whats driving me to create my current (and first EP).

[officialragingturtle]

@Wub Thank you very much. I think you pretty much clarified what I was thinking. That the tracks don't have to stay up on youtube/soundcloud for forvever and as you said that becoming better at production and gaining more of a following goes hand in hand. So I'm thinking I'll just go ahead and release tracks as I make them, even if I'm still learning, and both my skills and following can increase together in unison.

I'll pm you some links later on in the week.

BTW I guess I was confused about alias as I assumed alias was the same thing as your main production name. But I meant my name production name when I said alias.

Thanks again!

NP

If you want a slightly more indepth look, I recommend this interview with South London Ordinance that I posted a couple of weeks ago;

http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.p ... h#p3014006

Couple of the points he makes re; promotion/posting tunes on Soundcloud might resonate with where you're coming from on this

Thank you sir. I just read through it, definitely informative for where I'm coming from.

[officialragingturtle]

The boat sailed 2 years ago? I guess you're trying to say Dubstep isn't going to be as popular in 5-10 years? Seems to me like it'll get even more popular over the next 3-5, and like there's plenty of room for a new artist to break in.

I'm not about to start talking shit. I don't want an argument or no drama bs, just trying to get opinions on whether I should go ahead and start branding myself now or wait till my production's better.

It may be popular in 5 years but people at the top of the scene will probably still be at the top. Obviously new artists will break out but there are already people I've seen on twitter/soundcloud/youtube and I've thought to myself "how are these people not signed". Unless your productions are there already, top notch, ready to release.... just take it slow, bide your time and learn to make the best stuff you can. No problems uploading WIPS/demos, it's what I do - I have a mager 100 ish followers on SoundCloud & Twitter under my alias, but I do quite freuently get nice feedback and interaction with other artists and it's whats driving me to create my current (and first EP).

Very cool! Good that you have time to do that alongside your career. I'm in a unique situation in that within 6 months I should be in a position in which I'll only have to work a few (like 1-2) hours per day to make a pretty decent income, so I'm hoping this will really help me to get myself out there.

My work is done online so I can take it literally anywhere. So the plan is to figure out a way that in 6 months or so I can start travelling around and playing my music anywhere I can get myself into, and use the online work to finance it. But we'll see what happens...

[DubMikey]

Could we possibly have a listen to one of your tunes?

[billybuxton]

Everyone obviously dreams about a career in music but its not gonna happen unless your music is top notch...
I say fuck all the coming up with a name/logo/gimmicks and get down to learning and perfecting your production skills.

Good luck man

[officialragingturtle]

Could we possibly have a listen to one of your tunes?

I'll post some links after I get it uploaded later on in the week.

Everyone obviously dreams about a career in music but its not gonna happen unless your music is top notch...
I say fuck all the coming up with a name/logo/gimmicks and get down to learning and perfecting your production skills.

Good luck man

Yeah I understand what you mean. My theory behind it though was why not go ahead and post some stuff up instead of letting it sit around. That way I can get feedback as I'm learning, and also get a tiny bit of exposure to go off of.

Thanks for the luck!

[Italus]

Don't listen to the dudes laughing at you. Just do what you love to do. Practice makes perfect. All you really need to do is make good music and then people will like it.

[skimpi]

Dubstep has already hit its peak, people are into trap and EDM now man, so if i were you I would make that, so i fi were you i would make EDM

but i wouldnt post any tracks up just yet, cos if they are shit, then people will be like 'ahh this dude is shit'. then when you get good, people will be like, 'ahh its this shit dude officialragingturtle again with his fucking wack beats, im not gonna listen to those.'