I've been making music for a while, but I'm looking for a good audio community of people who makes music too. Currently, I'm a member of 3 and have been for more than a year now.
1. - Soundcloud
It looked very promising but 99% of the time I do not get feedback at all.
2. - 8bc.org
This is for chip tunes, but pretty much the same thing as SoundCloud. Also, major popularity contest.
3.- Newgrounds audio portal
Newgrounds, I think, pisses me off more than anything. I'll take my time creating something nice, and then a few days into the voting and it'll topple inbetween 1.00 to 3.00
The only music that doesn't usually are my techno pieces or ambient material. I feel that Newgrounds audio browsers are biased against anything that doesn't have a dance beat or synth.
Now, I can take criticism, but that's the problem. I don't get any.
I feel like I'm struggling with popularity contests. And I probably am. I've listened to high-scoring material and I'm not going to lie, some of it is really good and they deserve the attention they get. However, other-times I wonder "who likes this?" And apparently the answer is a lot of people.
I'm not unconfident that my music is bad, I make successful music for my paid clients, but I'm aware that when I'm not making paid music, I just like to write to write and not everyone in the world will always enjoy it.
Basically, I just want honest feedback from a community. And if there is a ranking system, at least one where people don't normally vote "0" or anything because it's not like their favorite band, LMFAO.
Any suggestions? I appreciate it.
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I want a good audio community
Started by KanonBaum, Oct 31 2011 07:32 AM
10 replies to this topic
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#2 Moderators - Reputation: 2721
Posted 31 October 2011 - 02:17 PM
I've been making music for a while, but I'm looking for a good audio community of people who makes music too. Currently, I'm a member of 3 and have been for more than a year now.
1. - Soundcloud
It looked very promising but 99% of the time I do not get feedback at all.
2. - 8bc.org
This is for chip tunes, but pretty much the same thing as SoundCloud. Also, major popularity contest.
3.- Newgrounds audio portal
Newgrounds, I think, pisses me off more than anything. I'll take my time creating something nice, and then a few days into the voting and it'll topple inbetween 1.00 to 3.00
The only music that doesn't usually are my techno pieces or ambient material. I feel that Newgrounds audio browsers are biased against anything that doesn't have a dance beat or synth.
Now, I can take criticism, but that's the problem. I don't get any.
I feel like I'm struggling with popularity contests. And I probably am. I've listened to high-scoring material and I'm not going to lie, some of it is really good and they deserve the attention they get. However, other-times I wonder "who likes this?" And apparently the answer is a lot of people.
I'm not unconfident that my music is bad, I make successful music for my paid clients, but I'm aware that when I'm not making paid music, I just like to write to write and not everyone in the world will always enjoy it.
Basically, I just want honest feedback from a community. And if there is a ranking system, at least one where people don't normally vote "0" or anything because it's not like their favorite band, LMFAO.
Any suggestions? I appreciate it.
With almost any online community/forum/gathering I've found the more I contribute and interact with others, the more they contribute and interact with me. Your post here seems to be mainly just a rant because you feel you're not getting enough attention. But maybe you should re-evaluate how you're presenting yourself and your work and how you're trying to get people to pay attention to you.
Edit - so why not post some more links up here (like you did with the Chiptune post) and see if you get feedback here. Instead of just complaining.
#3 Members - Reputation: 277
Posted 31 October 2011 - 04:15 PM
I know what you mean by interacting and contributing, and I post a lot of music up on the sites when I have the time, but as far as "interacting" goes, I really don't know how to do that. Like, I'm not there for them. I'm there for the music and putting my music out there. Also, I'm busy in my day-life, so I can't imagine trying to respond to a bazillion messages just to build a "friend base" so people suck up to my stuff. I enjoy brutal honesty.
Well, yeah it is a rant, but not for attention as in "LOOK AT ME!". More so directed at the fact I wish more members criticized music. They tend to glorify music only unless it's really, really, bad. Often I do get "Hey, this is great stuff!" But then there will be songs that are doing "just okay" with 0% feedback. And I'd like to know! I want to improve my skills and overal my productions.
I will post some links to them if you want. I currently need to scadaddle out though for a previous engagement, but I will when I get back. (Thanks for responding btw)
Well, yeah it is a rant, but not for attention as in "LOOK AT ME!". More so directed at the fact I wish more members criticized music. They tend to glorify music only unless it's really, really, bad. Often I do get "Hey, this is great stuff!" But then there will be songs that are doing "just okay" with 0% feedback. And I'd like to know! I want to improve my skills and overal my productions.
I will post some links to them if you want. I currently need to scadaddle out though for a previous engagement, but I will when I get back. (Thanks for responding btw)
I'm that imaginary number in the parabola of life.
#4 Members - Reputation: 330
Posted 31 October 2011 - 04:37 PM
This might seem rather obvious but...
Do you criticize their pieces?
Do you criticize their pieces?
"I will personally burn everything I've made to the fucking ground if I think I can catch them in the flames."
~ Gabe
"I don't mean to rush you but you are keeping two civilizations waiting!"
~ Cavil, BSG.
"If it's really important to you that other people follow your True Brace Style, it just indicates you're inexperienced. Go find something productive to do."
~ Bregma
~ Gabe
"I don't mean to rush you but you are keeping two civilizations waiting!"
~ Cavil, BSG.
"If it's really important to you that other people follow your True Brace Style, it just indicates you're inexperienced. Go find something productive to do."
~ Bregma
"Well, you're not alone.
There's a club for people like that. It's called Everybody and we meet at the bar."
~ Antheus
#5 Members - Reputation: 277
Posted 31 October 2011 - 06:30 PM
This might seem rather obvious but...
Do you criticize their pieces?
Yes I do. I go through daily and find things I liked about people's material, didn't like, and etc. If, to me, it's bad; I don't bash it but provide constructive criticism as I'd want anyone else to do for me.
I'm that imaginary number in the parabola of life.
#6 Members - Reputation: 277
Posted 31 October 2011 - 09:53 PM
Okay so here's my sound cloud account. It's newer so there's not a whole lotta stuff.
http://soundcloud.com/polyhedralpeppers
And here' my newgrounds account which probably has the most songs than any of my music account so far.
http://decibel7.newgrounds.com/
http://soundcloud.com/polyhedralpeppers
And here' my newgrounds account which probably has the most songs than any of my music account so far.
http://decibel7.newgrounds.com/
I'm that imaginary number in the parabola of life.
#7 Members - Reputation: 148
Posted 01 November 2011 - 04:55 AM
I think this is a valid concern, and not just a rant - it is difficult to get feedback on audio as it inherently involves active participation on the part of the listener. For something like art, someone can look at a picture and say "that's cool!" - for audio they have to spend a few minutes listening to your music before they can pass judgment.
As DarklyDreaming points out, these things are a two-way street - if you want people to engage with you you have to spend time engaging with them. I notice on SoundCloud that you only have a few followers, and follow about the same number. Try posting to groups, commenting on other tracks, following people, etc and you'll get a lot more attention in return.
It's a tricky situation - I'm busy as well, but I have to block out time to chat on forums, comment on tracks, etc and try and raise my profile in the community. I would say that it's as important as your actual musical skill, as it pays to get to know people and make yourself visible once the work offers start trickling in!
As DarklyDreaming points out, these things are a two-way street - if you want people to engage with you you have to spend time engaging with them. I notice on SoundCloud that you only have a few followers, and follow about the same number. Try posting to groups, commenting on other tracks, following people, etc and you'll get a lot more attention in return.
It's a tricky situation - I'm busy as well, but I have to block out time to chat on forums, comment on tracks, etc and try and raise my profile in the community. I would say that it's as important as your actual musical skill, as it pays to get to know people and make yourself visible once the work offers start trickling in!
#8 Moderators - Reputation: 2721
Posted 01 November 2011 - 07:38 AM
I definitely agree it's a valid concern but the original post came off more like a rant because the OP didn't provide any links to his music while complaining about little to no feedback on his music and basically said "X website sucks" (or just calling it on big popularity contest) because he's not getting the attention he feels he deserves. Welcome to advertising/branding/freelancing 101. It's all about popularity. For every A-list film or game composer there are literally hundreds of guys that can do it just as well but because the A-list guy is a bigger name, he (usually) gets first dibs. So getting your name out there and learning how to bust through that wall and gain more exposure is a huge part of the game.
So I called his OP a rant because he seemed to want to vent rather than to simply ask "can I get some feedback on some of my music, here are the links..." which has been shown to get decent response here on GD.net. I also wanted him to stop and consider why some folks get plenty of feedback on sites like soundcloud and he's not. There are good audio communities out there, you just have to invest and figure out how to get your name out there.
So I called his OP a rant because he seemed to want to vent rather than to simply ask "can I get some feedback on some of my music, here are the links..." which has been shown to get decent response here on GD.net. I also wanted him to stop and consider why some folks get plenty of feedback on sites like soundcloud and he's not. There are good audio communities out there, you just have to invest and figure out how to get your name out there.
#9 Members - Reputation: 277
Posted 01 November 2011 - 10:43 AM
My original intention was to find other communities that perhaps other Musicians here on GDNet are a part of. I never states I deserved any attention, I was stating I wasn't getting any feedback. I'm getting views but no comments which can help me if I had any.
I'm that imaginary number in the parabola of life.
#10 Members - Reputation: 298
Posted 01 November 2011 - 12:58 PM
Hi,
I've been listening to your stuff on soundcloud (i'm following also) - my main feedback would be that most of your songs seem to lack direction or an easy to follow structure. Also the samples are fairly synthetic (thinking of electronic cowboy - i don't know if the lead that sounds like a cheap guitar is supposed to be that or it'd rather be a real guitar or a more obviously synthy synth sound). Liaso Crescendo has this one melody but just pounds us with it over and over again but I enjoyed it's playfulness and the interweaving of different parts. Tick tock lullaby clock is also a nice piece but the lead and accompaniment i don't feel are well mixed - so it's quite blurry. This piece would also sound great with more high quality samples.
I don't have time to listen to them all right now and give more detailed feedback but let me know if you think my comments are fair and i'll listen to some more.
Calum
I've been listening to your stuff on soundcloud (i'm following also) - my main feedback would be that most of your songs seem to lack direction or an easy to follow structure. Also the samples are fairly synthetic (thinking of electronic cowboy - i don't know if the lead that sounds like a cheap guitar is supposed to be that or it'd rather be a real guitar or a more obviously synthy synth sound). Liaso Crescendo has this one melody but just pounds us with it over and over again but I enjoyed it's playfulness and the interweaving of different parts. Tick tock lullaby clock is also a nice piece but the lead and accompaniment i don't feel are well mixed - so it's quite blurry. This piece would also sound great with more high quality samples.
I don't have time to listen to them all right now and give more detailed feedback but let me know if you think my comments are fair and i'll listen to some more.
Calum
