For the long time followers of ManVsBlog, I have mentioned my past in the music industry and how I am still an active musician and songwriter. I have been recording a record over the past month, and I thought long and hard how I was going to release the music. For 8 years, I have done things the ‘standard’ way it is usually done in the music industry. I would created a record and then I would press it (the process of converting the music to CD). At this point, I would schedule a big CD release show and make a huge deal out of it only to be disappointed because after a little time, the hype wears out and then all you are left with is the music. I took an idea that Butch Walker used and created a website called Downloadmycdforfree.Com. Basically, the gist is you can download the low quality MP3 of the record for free. If you want the higher quality stuff, you can donate a nominal sum and download it that way. The point is, for all intents an purposes, people will trade and steal your music anyway. This way, I give them an incentive to ‘try’ out the music, and if they like, maybe they will give back.
The question I raise is does it cheapen the music by offering it for free, or does it work as a promotional tool to get my music out to more people? I have been handing out free music for years (samplers cds at shows, music on my myspace page) but this is the first time I am releasing an entire body of work electronically, with no physical product. By avoiding a company like Apple and using Itunes, am I handicapping my own future by offering it through my own website?
I bring this up because it seems to contradict the popular belief that good writing doesn’t come free. Many bloggers and authors have told me and commented on my blog that they will not work for free because writing is their career.
Does the average writer feel giving away their craft as a promotional tool work? I would love to hear some opinions from writers and musicians.
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