Selling Self Made Music?

[Ehanson]

This question is a bit off the conventional internet marketing path but I'm wondering if anyone has had any success selling their own music online?

Last week I took a break from Article Marketing decided to play around in Garage Band and created a short classical remix type song. I liked the process of making that song so much I created a video and put it on YouTube for input after a bit of hesitation.

As far as I can tell from the Apple license grants you rights to musical compositions you create in Garage Band. Should I promote on social networking sites if there's enough interest? Should I go for distribution like iTunes or distribute it myself?

Any musical warriors who have done this or are trying to do this?

[Mark Riddle]

Yes,

I have been selling my music online for several years, some of it custom order, some of it production music, or special project music.

There are a few warriors that are selling their music in the WSO section.

Mark Riddle

[SurviveUnemployment]

I haven't sold any music online yet, but people don't really like my music so it's not too surprising.

[Kezz]

You can try selling via these guys: Royalty Free Music & Stock Audio - AudioJungle

and these guys: Soundsnap.com: High Quality Sound Effects and Loops

Selling music is something I want to try to, and when I do I plan to start via those sites.

If you do get going on it, let us know how you fare!

[Ehanson]

Thanks Kezz. I put one of my compositions on Audio Jungle and am waiting for them to approve it.

Though, I'm thinking of trying to get one of my songs on itunes. I'm wondering if someone could offer another set of ears to see if I should even try. Is this

orchestral remix

good enough for itunes? Does anyone have expierence with itunes?

[KatyaSenina]

No experience YET... I'm planning to record my own album next year and sell it online... Maybe some major music label will take notice haha =P
Anyway I want to see what happens

I would say... just try it. Go for it!

[shaddai]

I'd peddle that bugger as a podcast sound bed on Amazon...like these guys are.

[mgkimsal]

Originally Posted by Ehanson

Thanks Kezz. I put one of my compositions on Audio Jungle and am waiting for them to approve it.

Though, I'm thinking of trying to get one of my songs on itunes. I'm wondering if someone could offer another set of ears to see if I should even try. Is this (snip) good enough for itunes? Does anyone have expierence with itunes?

I thought it was not bad at all. Made very nice change in background music while I kept surfing other tabs. Thanks

[Alumni]

Go at it i am an indepedent musician myself hip hop artist
U must set it up as a product launch cause its gonna be new to your list and brings them closer to you do a press release blogg about the process. You got to make it an event. My campaign was to sell 500 copies the first month "be in the 500 club"

[KatyaSenina]

Originally Posted by Alumni

Go at it i am an indepedent musician myself hip hop artist
U must set it up as a product launch cause its gonna be new to your list and brings them closer to you do a press release blogg about the process. You got to make it an event. My campaign was to sell 500 copies the first month "be in the 500 club"

hip hop artist... nice

[David Wolfman]

Make sure you have adequate copyrights protection in place.

Keep promoting through video sites, I think that's where your target audience will hang out besides social networking sites.

There's tons of video sites out there so you may need tool to auto-submit like traficgeyser, you'll also see the feedback from people watching it.

[travlinguy]

I like it. It has a bit of an "Enya" feel to it. You might consider offering services to people needing music for various projects. One business model is to simply license out your work rather than sell it outright. People can buy the rights to use it on their various projects.

[Ehanson]

Enya? Interesting, I was going for more of a symphonic sound with the above composition.

I've been thinking of licensing some of my compositions to anyone who thinks they can use them. I just need to think of a fair price for licensing and do lots of promotion.

[Chris-]

Another option is music libraries, many of which you can upload to immediately for free (such as productiontrax .com), and set your own price etc. Some people make good money doing that, and it's pretty much instant to start, unlike getting digital downloads approved which can take months or even years.

For selling digital downloads, you could go through something like CD-Baby, who submit your track to lots of different download companies, for a fee . . . it takes time to get approved. Or just put them for sale on your own site, get traffic and make sales!

Or find record labels who sell similar material to yours and send them demos.

It's a hard business though . . . the biggest record labels lose money on nearly all their acts, and that's with the world's best marketing departments, large budgets, decades of experience etc. Not that that should put you off . . . some independant composers make a living from it!


Chris

[Charann Miller]

I have musician friends who compose their own music and it's competitive out there, however if you're not competing with mainstream music and find your own niche within the IM video realm you could do well.

People are always looking for good background music for their videos that don't sound like cheap 80's midi files.

Why not try approaching Traffic Geyser and offer some snippets of your work for free?, people could then sign up to your list if they like your music, you can then market to that list.