Do You Have to Encode Song Before Uploading to the Orchard Distribution

The nearly frequent question I get from
artists is "how do I contact the music services listed in your directory?" The
reply is ever the same. Whether you're contacting a magazine, music weblog,
radio testify, record label, music benefactor or promotional service – y'all have to
cheque THEIR SPECIFIC submission guidelines earlier getting in affect. Ninety
percent of music services have their submission guidelines clearly posted
online.

Why practice artists ignore submission
guidelines?

My guess is, equally is the case with nigh
people, musicians and artists are in a gigantic hurry and are always on the
sentry for any available shortcut. It's a habit that lies deep within our
psyche and is hard to intermission. Shortcuts are corking when you cease up where you're
trying to go to. If you don't end upwardly at your destination, so by definition, it's
not really a shortcut.

In the music business, because there are so
many thousands of people submitting their music daily, if you don't follow the submission
guidelines, you may also open up your window and throw your CD onto the street.
That way, it has a miniscule chance of someone listening to it.

A bit of background on submissions

It used to be when you were looking for
places to review or play your music, the options were very express. Y'all would
make a demo in a studio or create a habitation recording, and would and then mail physical
copies to the various record labels. In that location were some college stations around
that would play your song, and a cluster of homemade zines, but that was it equally
far equally any exposure opportunities went. Recollect, there was no internet back
then.

However, that was many years ago. With the
explosion of the internet, it is no longer possible to even proceed runway of all
the places that could help you to gain more exposure for your music. While they
all have their ain special style that they like to exist reached, a lot of artists still
tend toward a one-size-fits-all mentality when information technology comes to making initial
contact. However, to make any serious inroads, you need to put aside the fourth dimension
required for the "personal" touch.

How to submit your music

The remainder of this article lists all the possible
ways (that I know of) to submit your music to the various music services (or in
some cases, reasons why a music service doesn't want your submission).

I have created this list to show you that
there are MANY ways that y'all may exist asked to submit your music. I hope to become
the bespeak across that sending your music without checking the submission
guidelines is a waste product of your fourth dimension and money. And frankly, it only irritates
people.

Methods that guarantee failure

The generic email blast. We all know this
one: it'south chosen spam. The logic backside it all comes downwards to basic math. "If I
send out 10 number of e-mails and simply .01% of the people reply … that's even so
a lot of responses!" I tin can guarantee you that no music submission guidelines in
the history of the world accept ever stated that their preferred way of being contacted
is by an due east-mail blast!

The generic e-mail blast with fries. To get
an e-blast from an creative person that has cc'd y'all and several hundred other people is
the lowest possible form of communication in the music business organisation, especially if
there are MP3s attached. It frustrates everyone involved. If yous're going to
send out a blast, at least have the decency to apply the blind carbon copy (bcc:)
so that no ane sees anyone else's eastward-postal service accost.

No contact name. When sending an initial
email to a music service, I highly recommend that you take the fourth dimension to find
out the name of the appropriate contact. This will show them that you have sacrificed
a few seconds of your time to at least observe out who to contact.

There are cases where no contact name is
available. A lot of bloggers like to go along things mysterious. In these cases you
have no selection but to start your correspondence with a generic salutation.

However, in most cases, the name of the appropriate
contact is posted, normally in the "About Us" or "Contact" section.

Does NOT accept unsolicited fabric. This
is the get-go thing to check for. Does this music service fifty-fifty have
submissions? One of the most frustrating things for independent artists to deal
with is the large number of labels and music services that practise not accept
unsolicited material.

There are 2 mains reasons for this
vigorous screening. The kickoff is for legal protection. In the past, there have
been many artists that accept filed conform against labels, claiming that the label
ripped off their vocal. They merits that they sent XYZ Records a demo, and a year
subsequently a XYZ Artist released a vocal that sounded similar to their demo. It gave
record companies no choice only to protect themselves past having lawyers or
direction firms ask for permission to send in a demo on behalf of their
clients.

The second reason is that it helps to make
sure the music is targeted. It enables labels to avoid the deluge of
inappropriate material that they would receive if they welcomed ALL cloth.
At some betoken a human has to go through all the submissions. If the label
welcomed unsolicited fabric, they would be fortunate if 10% of the music sent
to them actually fit the mode that they were looking for.

"Submissions are closed". Many services,
especially pocket-size labels, review websites and blogs, reach a point where they're
maxed out. They have a small staff, a backlog of submissions and cannot
perhaps get to whatsoever new submissions, at to the lowest degree for the next while. Once they go
defenseless up, submissions are opened up once again.

Not using the correct eastward-post accost. Almost
music services accept several contact e-mails, especially the larger ones. Make
sure that you use the advisable east-mail address.  If a music reviewer's personal address is
listed, and they ask that you send all submissions to the [email protected] address – do
Not send your music to their personal address, even if that'southward the person that
you would like to send your music to.

Poor spelling, grammar and text speak. Either
run your spell checker or get a friend to look over your copy earlier you send
information technology to anyone. The aforementioned affair goes for grammer. That historic period-sometime dominion nigh the
importance of first impressions however applies.

Request a question that is answered in the
FAQ. Near music services have some sort of FAQ on their website. The usual
policy is, if the FAQ doesn't answer your question, then past all means go far
impact. All the same, if you ship them a question that is answered in the FAQ, you're
only going to tick them off. It's hundred-to-one that they'll go back to you lot.

General rules

What way(due south) of music does this music
service welcome? Nothing tedious burns a radio host, music editor, characterization owner or
blogger like getting bombarded with music that is totally unrelated to the
way that they promote. It displays a total disrespect. It'due south like sitting downwards
and ordering pizza in a Chinese restaurant. Information technology shows them right abroad that you
haven't taken a moment to even await around to observe out about what it is they
do. Your songs, of grade, are trashed immediately.

Contact before sending your music. Several music
services ask that you contact them before sending in your music to make sure
your music is a good fit. Information technology's for this reason that many services do non post
their physical accost online. You must contact them starting time in order to get the mailing
address. It's their way of pre-screening submissions.

Do non contact before sending your music. Some
services do not want to be bothered with an initial contact. Contacting them
just irritates them.

Facebook, Twitter. An increasing number of
music services prefer to be contacted through their Facebook page or Twitter
business relationship. Often you will not find whatever other contact data on their website
other than a link to their Facebook and Twitter pages. Sometimes y'all volition discover
a contact e-mail service within the About department of their Facebook account.

Comments. Many bloggers don't post any
contact information at all. In order to arrive touch you take to post a comment
on their blog.

What formats exercise they accept? Music services
normally mail service their format of preference. Frequently it's a combination of several
formats. For case, they may accept digital and physical submissions.  There is an increase in the number of music
services that accept vinyl only – they are usually record labels in the punk, electronic
and hip hop genres.

EPs and demos. Many reviewers will have
demos and EPs to review, but it's important to check earlier sending out your EP
or demo.

Time sensitive textile. There are a number
of music blogs, radio shows, promoters and review sites that volition simply deal
with music that has been released recently. The cutoff date varies, but the
allowable fourth dimension of release is usually half dozen months or less. If your music was
released prior to their "cut off" date, information technology volition be ignored.

Local music only. What is meant past "local"
depends on the specific resource – for some it may a particular metropolis and its surrounding
suburbs; for another information technology may exist an unabridged state or province. A common exception
is if your ring is on tour and is playing in the customs.

Which reviewer accepts my style of music? There
are a large number of music blog and review websites that have a stable of
reviewers. Each reviewer accepts ane or more particular styles of music. So,
even though the overall website may welcome many styles, the onus is on you to
find out which of the reviews/bloggers deals with your particular style of
music. Once you make up one's mind which reviewer covers your mode of music you can contact
them according to their specific submission guidelines.

Permission forms. Many music services will not
play your music or video unless you lot fill out their online permission form. In
some cases yous are asked to print out the form, fill it in, and mail service it to
them. If yous send them your music without the form, it will not exist played.

Is this a complimentary or a paid service? Most
bloggers, magazines and radio shows will promote your music equally a gratis service.
All the same, more than and more services are charging a minimal fee. It's usually
between $ten and $50, depending on the services they offer and the number of
songs involved. There are as well music services that offer both a "free" and
"paid" pick. The principal advantage of the "paid" option is that information technology gets you to
the front of the line.

Third party submission services. Oft a
music service volition only accept music through a tertiary party submission service.
MusicSubmit world wide web.musicsubmit.com, Sonicbids www.sonicbids.com, Musicxray www.musicxray.com and ReviewShine www.reviewshine.com are the most popular. Instead
of being bombarded by thousands of submissions, many bloggers, reviewers, radio
shows etc. hire a submission service to handle all the incoming submissions.
The submission service makes their money past charging the artist a small fee for
the submission.

Sending a press kit. Another of import consideration
when sending your music is the accompanying bio information about you or your
band. Submission guidelines are usually specific about what sort of information
they would similar to accept included. They could either enquire for a total blown press
kit, a 1-canvass, an electronic press kit (EPK) or just a few lines only. They
may too desire a photograph of you, a scan of the album comprehend, press clippings and then
on. Your best adventure to succeed is by sending exactly what it is they want. If
they ask for a one-sheet and you send them a novel, y'all're simply going to frustrate
them.

College radio. Some college radio stations
allow you to send your music directly to a prove's host, but many insist that
all music must exist sent to the Music Director. The Music Director then passes on
the music to the various shows, according to the genre. Make sure y'all're clear
on whom to address your music to.

No shrink wrap or glitter. When sending a
CD brand sure to remove the compress wrap outset. It's highly irritating for
someone receiving hundreds of CDs a week to continually have to waste valuable
time removing annoying shrink wrap. And delight don't fill your envelope with
glitter to try and be unique and get their attention. It'southward universally hated past
everyone in the music business.

Digital submissions

Attachments. Aught fires up the rage-O-meter
like receiving an due east-mail with an mp3 attached, when your  submission guidelines clearly state "Delight do
not attach mp3s!"

Sending MP3s. If a music service does
welcome attachments, brand sure that you follow their detail specs (if they
have them listed). At that place are a variety of ways to format/shrink a MP3. For
starters, y'all e'er desire to make sure that information technology'southward tagged/labeled right. The formatting
details vary co-ordinate to the private music service – eg 'mp3 file encoded
at 64-512kbps or VBR with 44.1 kHz sampling charge per unit and less than 30mb'.

Links to your music. Services that accept
digital submissions, only don't want attachments, will often ask that you send a
link to your music. MySpace is pretty much history so they prefer that yous send
a link to your main website, Facebook page, Bandcamp folio etc. Having a link
allows the end user to take their fourth dimension because there are no storage issues. If
they similar your music, they may then ask you to mail in your CD or ship them a
digital file.

Streaming. For some music services the preferred
commitment is via streaming. Streaming is content sent in compressed grade over
the internet and displayed by the viewer in real time. In other words, they
click on a link and the music or video starts to play correct away. The terminate user
doesn't have to look for the entire file to be transmitted. Streams can be from
a YouTube page, Bandcamp page etc.

Online forms. A lot of music services accept
set up an online submission grade. It allows yous to fill out some data
most yourself and your band and upload one or more of your songs to their
server.

Soundcloud Dropbox. Soundcloud enables businesses
and individuals to accept big numbers of digital files effortlessly. A
Soundcloud Dropbox is the file substitution expanse (you'll encounter a Dropbox icon on the
web folio of many music services) where artists tin can submit their music. Information technology's
kind of like a mailbox for digital files. Once submitted, the file is parked on
the music service'southward deject server where information technology can be listened to or viewed at their
leisure.

File sharing services. Many music services,
specially reviewers and bloggers, ask that you send your digital files to them
via a file sharing service, which is a company that transfers huge files on
behalf of their clients, such as www.yousendit.com.
This allows a music service to download submissions without storage problems.

Digital music aggregators. In order to become
your music posted on many of the larger digital music websites such every bit iTunes
and Spotify, you must have your music submitted through a Digital Music
Aggregator. Aggregators are music services that distribute sound files in bulk
to these massive digital websites. The aggregator eliminates the need for the
technical support that would exist required if artists uploaded their files
individually. Popular aggregators include CD Baby, IODA, The Orchard, IRIS,
Redeye U.s.a., ORDIS and INgrooves.

The follow-up

Submission guidelines not simply tell you how
to brand starting time contact, just more often than non, they besides tell you how to follow-up
(or non follow-up). The follow-up can oftentimes be as important as the first
contact.

The almost common rule is that if they like
your music, they volition get in affect. In other words, "Don't call u.s.a. – we'll phone call
you." It'southward nothing personal, they merely don't have the time to respond to all of
the submissions they go. Others may welcome a gentle reminder. Radio show
hosts oftentimes ask that you follow their playlist to run into if your music has been
played instead of contacting them and asking.

A lot of places emphasize no phone calls! A
sure-fire way to irritate someone is past following up in a fashion that they
specifically asked you non to in their submission guidelines.

In closing

Music people are very busy. They are admittedly
bombarded with music on a daily footing, simply they are willing to deal with the
deluge because of this incredible passion they take for music. All they inquire in
return is for you to follow a few simple rules that will brand the handling of
this incoming menstruum of music a bit easier.

The best way to take your submission stand out,
is by making it personal and past following their submission guidelines to the
letter. By doing so, you become function of the minority, and are more than likely to be
remembered.

If you don't follow the specific submission
guidelines, your music will be trashed.

David Wimble is a songwriter, recording
creative person (with his band Big Meteor) and is the publisher of the Indie Bibleworld wide web.indiebible.com, The Indie Venue Biblewww.indievenuebible.com and the Indie
Bible ONLINEindiebible.lwcr.com. His
company has combined all of their directories into a unmarried bundle in order to
create an affordable resource for artists that are struggling during the
electric current financial downturnworld wide web.indiebible.com/bundle.
He tin be reached at [email protected] .

© 2013 All Rights Reserved. Used By
Permission.

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