music is not ( supposed to be) free!!!!

[SlavikSvensk]

We need this shit like yesterday.
where do I sign, and what can I do to help.

We need to put together some type of initial team, just like any other business. For us, we'll need, at the very least:

1.) Programmers
2.) Web admins/people with server space
3.) Graphic Designers
4.) Promoters/Artists/Labels
The programming will likely be the biggest hassle since, as of yet, I've not found any scipts that do this in the way that could make it most flexable. Rather, they are written for specific storefronts. However, if some scripts already exist to make this idea work, hardcore programmers may not even be that necesary.

great idea...pm me if you get it started up and i'll see what i can do to help...

[Mindful]

WHEN I MAKE MUSIC I WANT TO EXPRESS SOMETHING TO THE ONES AROUND ME. THE MORE OF THEM THAT HEAR IT, THE BETTER. BE IT MP3, VINYL, CASSETTE OR WHATEVER.

Spot on

[eyeswithoutaface]

oh shut up tocsin.
get off your high horse

No high horse here, dude. I'm just calling you out on some hypocrissy that you've broadcasted in this thread. If you find your reflection ugly, don't blame me. You made the same excuses for pirating software and using samples that the kids who download MP3s use. Seriously, how do you know if any artist "cares" if you used their sample? Did you ask? Does it really matter if you buy "most" of your software? I'm not on the high horse here because I'm not the one bitching about "you damn kids" downloading my music or anyone else's. That would be you.

Anyways, there is a way we can all work to maximize profit through digital sales. So far, we have a number of stores online, or label storefronts here and there, which are completely decentralized. It makes a one-stop situation (like record stores used to be) less of a reality. So, given the number of different skills and assets everyone has here, why not start working on one universal portal?

Here's the general idea.

1.) Existing labels/storefronts do not need to go anywhere. They can continue to operate on their own. However, for updates to their catalog, they do it in a standardized format (similar to RSS) which can be instantly and easilly read from our collective centralized server were talking about here. When a new release goes up, the site finds it in at least 24 hours without any need for human interaction.
2.) A PHP/CGI/whatever frontend is used which can take advantage of a mysql database which will have links to distributed media on any server, as well as hiding the permanant URLs where such media is contained.
3.) The same script frontend stores some type of paypal/CC account which can be unique for every digital download linked on the site. Thus, when someone buys some media, there is no delay for the artist/label in seeing their money and it never passes through the server's technical owners.

If techno artists took it on themselves to hype the URL for whatever server is used, and that server is truly kept as an open portal for techno music, why would any of us need Itunes and, for many purposes, a physical store? You could sell full burnable CDs by ISO.

We need this shit like yesterday.
where do I sign, and what can I do to help.

seconded, the very essence of this idea excites me and we need to get something down i think.

totally agree with tocsin we need to get a team assembled, unfortunately i cant programm, or have server space, but i am a producer/dj hehe... seriously though anything to help im in, i love this idea

[The Divide]

I like where this is going in relation to an online distribution/download portal, if anyone is serious about doing it I would be up for helping out especially once I graduate. My input would be part time and minimal, but if it’s run by a few like minded people I recon it would go a long way especially with the right QC

To be perfectly honest I have been setting up my own mp3 download site just to see how to do it. I thought in the future, I would cut record labels completely out of the picture and sell my music for next to nothing over my own website. Way I see it, is there’s nothing to loose apart from support from people who dj entirely on vinyl. This is why I bought this domain name in the 1st place

www.forbiddensilence.co.uk

crude and unfinished + its going to be marked as a uni project so its going to be filled up with bullshit until i graduate (lots of bullshit :lol:). It’s going to be striped down and used to sell wav or mp3. I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to use it but I wanted the option to be there and to know how it all works. It can be fully functional I know that. Another idea was not to release my tunes and just sell an hour mix of it performed. More than just an A5 mix tho, bring in diff things algorithmically and make it interesting to listen to at home.

See as Dave is, I too have been getting frustrated

My frustration is at how out of touch the scene is, who would have guess the techno scene would be filled with technophobes!

Btw I love vinyl, the sound, the feel, having something solid to latch on. But I don’t think it’s necessary anymore. I can understand how a lot of the older people can’t get their heads out music existing as nothing more than a digital file but you have to remember that in the history of mankind. It’s only in the last 50 or so years, that music has been associated with a product. The fact is, tomorrows generation are growing up in the middle of all this and I think I could be certain that in the future, they aint going to give a shit if its physical or not. Especially with all the new technology coming up, you think ipods are something special? They aren’t, soon you’ll be able to buy cinema tickets, pay for goods on portable devices, theres a massive race going on in the technology market to utilize all the new shit coming out – high speed connections, wi-fi, pda’s, small data storage devices, etc, etc

I know Toscin seems to rub up the old school on here, but really do think that his veiws are totally intouch with reality in the west

[dirty_bass]

Oh course digital is the future.
What does this have to do with theft though?

[The Divide]

just were this threads gone

Make the music more available and direct, its linked via an RSS feed and is made avaible to buy at a well reasonable price (because you dont have a middleman). If someone truelly dig it, they would folk out 50p for it, I know I would. Build your fan base up this way. Its the same pricipal that itunes has teken up to combat a 100% pirate industry

[Jay Pace]

People need to stop looking at it in terms of theft and crime.
If you aren't selling it, and its freely available, then people will take it.

Start selling it and people will start buying it.
You could sell dubplates made of solid gold and charge a thousand pounds each for them, but would it suprise you when people got hold of your music anyway? Would you call it theft, because you wanted people to buy your solid gold dubplate?

Its a silly example I know, but you can't make people buy something in a format they don't want.
Better off selling it to them in a format that they do want.
Labelling it all as theft, and deeming everyone to be a criminal just gets everything into murky waters.

[SlavikSvensk]

fellaz...we're almost at 20 pages! let's make the dream a reality!

[Mindful]

what do you think this is?
the Regis porsche thread

[Komplex]

top thread!

and I didn't even post anything yet ;)

can this be kept as a sticky or something? because this sort of topic goes round and round on here...

[davethedrummer]

tocsin i like your idea
not totally into the way you've been accusing me of whatever.....blah blah
but i like the idea nonetheless.

[fresh_an_funky_design]

WHEN I MAKE MUSIC I WANT TO EXPRESS SOMETHING TO THE ONES AROUND ME. THE MORE OF THEM THAT HEAR IT, THE BETTER. BE IT MP3, VINYL, CASSETTE OR WHATEVER.

I DO OTHER THINGS THAN MUSIC TO MAKE A LIVING.

sorry, no caps lock.

thats all well and good when your making music in your spare time. But if you depend on music for your income and to support your family then every sale counts and if someone is stealing your music your gonna be pissed.

[SlavikSvensk]

what do you think this is?
the Regis porsche thread

it's not?

[fresh_an_funky_design]

We need this shit like yesterday.
where do I sign, and what can I do to help.

We need to put together some type of initial team, just like any other business. For us, we'll need, at the very least:

1.) Programmers
2.) Web admins/people with server space
3.) Graphic Designers
4.) Promoters/Artists/Labels
The programming will likely be the biggest hassle since, as of yet, I've not found any scipts that do this in the way that could make it most flexable. Rather, they are written for specific storefronts. However, if some scripts already exist to make this idea work, hardcore programmers may not even be that necesary.

i hate to be the sceptic but there are already a lot of mp3 sites, with good techno catalogue's on... what is going to make this store stand out from the rest and attract the punters.

You really need to have a very direct idea about what your gonna do, otherwise it just wont work or at best it'll tick along.


i am interested in your idea none the less, but so far you havent convinced me that this store is gonna be any better than the competition.

[dirty_bass]

I don`t think there even is an argument, the points have been made already.
Yes digital distribution is the way, but individual sites, are not the way.
Too hard to promote, too much hassle for the customer.
Beatport etc is all ok, but it`s non specific, and doesn`t really do much to generate buzz, whereas a custom techno/underground place would.

[Komplex]

We need this shit like yesterday.
where do I sign, and what can I do to help.

We need to put together some type of initial team, just like any other business. For us, we'll need, at the very least:

1.) Programmers
2.) Web admins/people with server space
3.) Graphic Designers
4.) Promoters/Artists/Labels
The programming will likely be the biggest hassle since, as of yet, I've not found any scipts that do this in the way that could make it most flexable. Rather, they are written for specific storefronts. However, if some scripts already exist to make this idea work, hardcore programmers may not even be that necesary.

i hate to be the sceptic but there are already a lot of mp3 sites, with good techno catalogue's on... what is going to make this store stand out from the rest and attract the punters.

You really need to have a very direct idea about what your gonna do, otherwise it just wont work or at best it'll tick along.


i am interested in your idea none the less, but so far you havent convinced me that this store is gonna be any better than the competition.

Well for one, it would purely specialise in techno. From hard to soft and everything in between that has the techno vibe.

Beatport is a jack of all trades really. That is the difference.

[SlavikSvensk]

i think in terms of reach and relation to the artists and labels, it should be more like submerge than juno. @db: agreed on beatport.

[fresh_an_funky_design]

i agree but surely by only having techno you restricting your market audience.

i think i was a little too sceptical in the last post, but you need to think everything over to make sure you've got a succesful business model.


also would it be a sort of 50-80% to the label and rest to the company?

[fresh_an_funky_design]

i agree but surely by only having techno you restricting your market audience.

although i suppose if you specialise in techno you could really go for a massive market share in that genre, and really gear the site towards the techno consumer.

[dirty_bass]

What does beatport do for you?
If there was a one stop shop for undergournd music, for vinyl, for mp3, for mixes and promotions, it would be the dazzing.
And there is enough peeps in techno to allow it to support itself
There`s lower overheads, and if it becomes the place everyone goes it should survive nicely.