Category: Beat Marketing

  • What Are ‘Beats That Get Heard’?

    What Are ‘Beats That Get Heard’?

    【Before the explanation】It’s natural not to be heard right after creating beats

    Many beatmakers are troubled by the fact that their works are not being listened to. Especially when you’ve just started your activities, you may feel disappointed by the lack of response from listeners. However, this is by no means an abnormal situation.

    Reasons why a newly launched beat blog isn’t being read

    When you’ve just started beatmaking, it’s natural to have little response from listeners. The main reason for this is simply because you have a small stock of beats. Listeners are looking for beats in various genres and styles. However, in the early stages of your activities, you are not yet able to offer a sufficient variety of beats. Also, it takes time for listeners to get to know your beats. In order for listeners to recognize your existence and start listening to your beats, you need to consistently release works. It is rare to become popular overnight, and steady efforts are essential.

    If you already have a large stock of beats, there is room for improvement!

    On the other hand, if you have a large stock of beats but they are not being listened to, there is room for improvement. In this case, it is likely that there are issues with the quality of the beats or the way they are being promoted.

    To improve the quality of your beats, it is important to create from the listener’s perspective. It is essential to understand what listeners are looking for and create beats that respond to those needs. Also, the title and introduction of the beats need to be well-crafted. It is important to include elements that attract listeners and keep them listening. There may also be room for improvement in the way you promote your beats. It is important to effectively promote your beats by utilizing social media and beat selling sites. It is also necessary to value communication with listeners and increase your fan base.

    If you are troubled by the fact that your beats are not being listened to, let’s calmly analyze the situation you are in. Then, by continuing to create high-quality beats and seeking effective ways to promote them, you will be taking the first step towards creating “beats that are listened to”.

    5 reasons why your beats are not being heard

    Not creating music from the listener’s perspective

    beatmakers tend to focus on creating the beats they want to make. However, what listeners want and what creators want to make do not always match. It is important to understand the preferences and demands of listeners and create beats that match them. It is essential to research the tempo, genre, and atmosphere that listeners are looking for, interpret them in your own way, and incorporate them into your production.

    Titles are not created in an appealing way

    The title of a beat is the first thing listeners see. In other words, the title is a crucial factor in determining whether listeners will listen to the beat or not. However, many beatmakers tend to underestimate the importance of titles. Inorganic titles like “Beat 1” or “Instrumental 2” do not attract listeners’ interest. It is important to give your beats appealing titles that capture the hearts of listeners.

    Not drawing in listeners with the introduction

    The introduction of a beat is extremely important for drawing in listeners. In the first few seconds, listeners decide whether to continue listening to the beat or not. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that the introduction determines the success of the beat. However, many beatmakers tend to neglect the introduction. Monotonous drum loops or unmemorable melodies cannot draw in listeners. It is important to include elements that pique listeners’ interest in the introduction.

    Not incorporating a “style” that only you can create

    beatmakers need a “style” to differentiate themselves from other creators. However, many beatmakers simply imitate other creators. As a result, they end up creating only generic beats. Establishing a style that only you can create is the key to success as a beatmaker. By creating beats that utilize your individuality, you can leave a strong impression on listeners.

    Causing stress to listeners

    When creating beats, it is important to avoid causing stress to listeners. For example, if the volume is too loud or the bass is too strong, listeners will feel uncomfortable. Also, if the beat is too long or monotonous, listeners will get bored. It is important to keep the volume and bass at appropriate levels and to create arrangements with variations so that listeners do not feel stressed.

    By understanding and improving upon these five reasons, your beats should start being listened to by many listeners. Stand in the listener’s perspective, create appealing titles and introductions, establish your own style, and don’t forget to pay attention to the details so as not to cause stress to listeners.

    10 Ways to Transform Your Beats into Ones That Get Heard

    1. Create beats with search keywords in mind

    When listeners search for beats, they often use search engines. Therefore, it’s important to anticipate the keywords that listeners might search for and create beats that match those keywords. For example, one method is to create beats with keywords that represent genres or styles, such as “Lo-Fi HipHop” or “Trap Beat”.

    2. Choose search keywords that you can “win” and “be searched for”

    However, when choosing search keywords, you need to consider the competition. If you choose keywords that are too competitive, your beats may get buried. On the other hand, if you choose keywords that are never searched for, you won’t be able to reach listeners. It’s important to choose keywords that you can “win” and “be searched for”.

    3. Provide “answers” that solve listeners’ problems

    Listeners search for beats for various reasons. For example, they might be “looking for background music for work” or “looking for beats to rap to”. It’s important to anticipate listeners’ problems or goals and provide “answers” in the form of beats that solve those problems. If you can meet listeners’ needs, your beats will be heard by many people.

    4. Gain trust with a style that only you can create

    To succeed as a beatmaker, it’s important to differentiate yourself from other creators. By establishing and refining a style that only you can create, you can gain the trust of listeners. For example, by using unique drum patterns or impressive melodies, you can make listeners recognize that “this beat is made by this person”.

    5. Create a flow that is easy to understand through musical composition

    When creating beats, it’s not enough to simply create good loops. It’s important to be conscious of musical composition, such as the intro, verse, break, and outro, and create a flow that is easy for listeners to understand. By aiming for a composition with a good balance, you can create beats that keep listeners engaged until the end without getting bored.

    6. Create anticipation at the beginning of the beat

    The beginning of a beat is extremely important for capturing listeners’ interest. By using impressive phrases or sounds at the beginning, you can create anticipation for listeners. If you can make them think “this beat seems interesting”, listeners will listen to it until the end.

    7. Promote understanding with an easy-to-understand style

    Some listeners are not knowledgeable about music. Therefore, it’s important to create beats in an easy-to-understand style. Avoid overly complex arrangements or overly eccentric sounds, and aim for a simple and friendly style. It’s important to aim for beats that make listeners think “I could use this beat myself”.

    8. Create a “summary” page to review the content and guide listeners to related music

    When publishing beats, it’s recommended to create a “summary” page. On the “summary” page, you can briefly explain the features and usage of the beat to help listeners understand. You can also link to other related beats to guide listeners to other works.

    9. Differentiate from rivals with appealing titles

    The title of a beat is the first thing listeners see. Therefore, titles are a very important element. It’s important to give your beats appealing titles that differentiate them from other creators. For example, one method is to give titles that express the features of the beat or titles that capture listeners’ interest.

    10. Continuously improve listener satisfaction through remakes

    It’s important not to be satisfied with a beat once you’ve created it, but to regularly remake it. By improving beats based on feedback from listeners, you can continuously increase listener satisfaction. Also, by repeating remakes, you can feel your own growth.

    By implementing these 10 methods, your beats should start being heard by many listeners. Standing in the listener’s perspective and continuously creating appealing beats is the shortcut to success.

    Summary

    To create “beats that get heard”, it’s essential to create music from the listener’s perspective. By being conscious of search keywords and providing answers that solve listeners’ problems, your beats will become easier to hear. It’s also important to establish a style that only you can create and create anticipation through musical composition and the introduction. By paying attention to details such as the title and improving satisfaction through remakes, your beats will start being heard by many listeners. Start implementing these methods now and create “beats that get heard”!

  • Sharing Your Life as a Beatmaker Enriches Your Music Career

    Sharing Your Life as a Beatmaker Enriches Your Music Career

    The saying “sharing your life as a beatmaker enriches your music career” is becoming increasingly important in today’s information society. This phrase also holds great significance in the music industry.

    For beatmakers, creating good music is not enough. To release that music to the world, proper promotion and marketing are essential. In this context, let’s consider how important it is for beatmakers to “share their lives.” The music industry is a highly competitive field, with countless artists releasing their work. To make your artists stand out, not only does the music need to be of high quality, but it’s also crucial to share information about the artists you are producing.

    Here are some examples:

    • By sharing the music production process of your artists, music fans worldwide can witness the creative journey. This can be done through blogs, patron sites, or video platforms like YouTube.
    • You can communicate to the world what you and your artists do on a regular basis and what your goals are. In today’s era, there is a wide variety of online media, especially social networking sites and video-sharing platforms. By utilizing these media, fans can develop empathy and a sense of closeness to the artists. By conveying the artists’ individuality and charm, you can attract new fans. With the prevalence of bot activity these days, consistently sharing content over an extended period demonstrates that you are a real, trustworthy person.
    • Sharing behind-the-scenes footage and interviews of artists can help bridge the gap between them and their fans. While it’s important to be cautious about oversharing private matters, revealing some aspects can help reduce the distance between artists and fans. Additionally, sharing the behind-the-scenes of music production can showcase the artists’ creativity and passion to their fans. This can deepen the bond between artists and fans and expand the fan base.

    If the information shared by artists becomes a topic of discussion, it can also raise the profile of the record label you belong to or operate, potentially leading to compounding effects. Furthermore, if artists and fans can establish a closer relationship, fans may be more likely to actively purchase the artists’ work.

    However, even when sharing your life, it’s essential to do so in moderation. Oversharing information can lead to fans losing interest or privacy being violated. Therefore, when sharing your life, it’s crucial to always keep the fans’ perspective and privacy protection in mind and proceed with caution.

    As a beatmaker, deciding what information to share is also an important part of the job.

    Finally, beatmakers must remember that sharing their lives is ultimately just one of the “means to release music to the world.” The most important mission is to deliver the wonderful music created by artists to as many people as possible. With this in mind, beatmakers should share information while never forgetting this ultimate goal.

  • In Today’s World, Beatmakers Can Thrive Without a Major Label

    In Today’s World, Beatmakers Can Thrive Without a Major Label

    In today’s era, beatmakers have a chance to succeed even without being signed to a major label. Especially in today’s environment where music can be released via the internet and connections with fans can be strengthened online, the tools needed to promote one’s own music are within reach. Let’s consider some specific ways beatmakers can succeed without a major label.

    Start your own indie music label

    Today, it’s very easy to start your own indie music label. By utilizing music distribution platforms and social media, you can send your music out to the world. Having your own label allows you to have decision-making power over music production and promotion, giving you more freedom to develop your musical activities.

    Utilize music generation AI

    In recent years, music generation AI technology has rapidly advanced, enabling beatmakers to create a large volume of music in a short time. By utilizing music generation AI, you can mass-produce music that fits your own musical style and leverage it in your music production. Also, by adding your own arrangements to AI-generated music, you can create music with originality.

    Utilize image and video generation AI

    AI technology is being used not only in music production but also in the creation of artwork and music videos. With image generation AI, you can easily create artwork that matches your music. And with video generation AI, producing music videos becomes easy too. By utilizing these AI tools, beatmakers can focus on music production while also realizing high-quality visual expression.

    Promotion on music platforms

    Beatmakers can distribute their music and gain fans by using music platforms like Bandcamp, Audius, and Spotify. These platforms are places where music fans from around the world gather, and beatmakers can advertise their work there and raise their reputation.

    Utilize social media

    Beatmakers can promote their music by utilizing social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and X. These platforms are places where beatmakers can directly interact with fans and gain fans through communication.

    Distribute blogs and email newsletters

    Beatmakers can deepen their connection with fans by distributing blogs and email newsletters about their music. If you distribute information about your music production process, live events, collaborations, etc., you can likely attract fans’ interest.

    In conclusion

    The above are specific ways beatmakers can succeed without a major label. By starting your own label and utilizing the power of AI to streamline music production and promotion, you can deliver your music to more people. For beatmakers, now is an era full of opportunities to send your music out to the world.

  • The Importance of Expressing Your Musical Identity in Words as a Beatmaker

    The Importance of Expressing Your Musical Identity in Words as a Beatmaker

    As a beatmaker, being able to clearly express your musical identity in words is extremely important. Although music is not typically expressed through words or text, being able to articulate your musical identity can deepen your own understanding and facilitate smooth communication with those around you. It also plays a crucial role in collaborative productions. In this article, we will explain in detail the importance of expressing your musical identity in words as a beatmaker.

    Deepening Your Own Understanding

    First, by expressing your musical identity in words, you can deepen your own understanding. Music is sensory and may be difficult to explain in words. However, by organizing in words what kind of music you want to create and what elements you want to incorporate, you can clarify the musical identity and direction you are seeking. By expressing it in words, you can also establish your own identity. By clarifying what kind of music you want to create and what elements you want to incorporate, you can differentiate yourself from other artists. By clearly expressing your musical identity in words, you can deepen your self-understanding and approach music production with more confidence.

    Facilitating Smooth Communication with Others

    Next, by expressing your musical identity in words, you can facilitate smooth communication with those around you. Communication with others is extremely important when working as a beatmaker. For example, in meetings and collaborative productions with record companies and producers, it is necessary to clearly convey what kind of music you want to create.

    Making It Easier for Fans to Discover Your Music

    Expressing your musical identity in words is also very important for making it easier for fans to discover your music. In today’s music industry, artists are required to widely disseminate their music using music distribution services and social media. By clearly conveying what kind of music you want to create and what elements you want to incorporate, it becomes easier for fans to find your music.

    For example, if you are producing hip-hop or electronic music, by explaining in words what kind of sound your music has and what kind of beats you are creating, you can approach more fans who are knowledgeable about that genre. Also, by conveying in words what kind of message you want to convey through your music, it becomes easier to gain fans who empathize with your music.

    Furthermore, expressing your musical identity in words is also related to search engine optimization (SEO). In today’s music industry, disseminating music on the internet is extremely important. However, there is a vast amount of music on the internet, and it is very difficult for fans to find your music. Therefore, by clearly expressing in words what kind of music you want to create and what elements you want to incorporate, you can raise your search ranking on search engines and make it easier for more fans to find your music.

    Deepening Communication with Fans

    In addition, explaining your musical identity in words is also important in communicating with fans. Fans listen to your music and support you by empathizing with your musical identity. However, if you do not explain in words what kind of music you create and what kind of commitment you have, fans cannot deeply understand your musical identity. Therefore, by explaining your musical identity in words, you can deepen communication with fans.

    Facilitating Collaborative Productions with Other Artists and Producers

    Furthermore, expressing your musical identity in words is also important in collaborative productions. Music production can be done alone, but in many cases, collaborative production with other artists and producers is necessary. By expressing in words what kind of music you want to create, collaborative production can proceed smoothly. In collaborative production, it is required to exchange ideas with each other and create a single musical work. Therefore, by clearly conveying what kind of musical identity you have and what direction you are aiming for, you can maximize the results of collaborative production.

    Accurately Including the Image of the Song You Want to Create in Prompts for Music Generation AI

    In recent years, music generation AI technology has been rapidly developing and has become an important tool for beatmakers as well. When using music generation AI, it is very important to accurately include the image of the song you want to create in the prompt. A prompt refers to instructions or requests to the AI. If you can clearly express your musical identity in words, you can accurately include the image of the song you want to create in the prompt.

    For example, by including a specific image in the prompt such as “I want to create a track with a nostalgic atmosphere like 80s synth-pop and a sad melody,” you can generate a song that is close to your desired musical identity. Also, by including an image that combines multiple genres in the prompt such as “I want a groovy beat that fuses jazz and hip-hop and uses soulful vocal samples,” you can generate unique music.

    If you can clearly express your musical identity in words, you can choose accurate words when creating prompts. This allows you to efficiently generate songs that are close to your image when using music generation AI.

    Conclusion

    As described above, it is clear that expressing your musical identity in words is extremely important for beatmakers. Not only can it deepen your own understanding, facilitate smooth communication with those around you, and play an important role in collaborative productions, but it can also give you an advantage in search engines. By expressing your musical identity in words, fans who are searching for your music can find your music more accurately. Also, by clarifying your musical identity, you can use keywords that match your genre and theme and implement SEO measures.

    Furthermore, when using music generation AI, it is important to be able to clearly express your musical identity in words. By accurately including the image of the song you want to create in the prompt, you can efficiently generate songs that are close to your desired musical identity.

    Therefore, it is important to clarify your musical identity and approach music production with confidence.

  • Please tell me how to increase your influence as a beatmaker.

    Please tell me how to increase your influence as a beatmaker.

    If you’re looking to increase your influence as a beatmaker, there are several key steps you can take:

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  • Disadvantages of Publishing Music on SoundCloud

    Disadvantages of Publishing Music on SoundCloud

    SoundCloud is a fantastic platform for artists and music creators to share their music with the world. However, to continuously publish and deliver music to listeners, artists must subscribe to a paid plan, which can be a disadvantage for them.

    Limitations of the Free Plan

    SoundCloud’s free plan has limitations on the number of tracks that can be uploaded and the number of plays. This prevents artists from sufficiently promoting their music. Additionally, the free plan does not include convenient features such as the ability to download tracks or access detailed statistics.

    Necessity of Paid Plans

    To continuously publish music and reach a large audience, artists must subscribe to one of SoundCloud’s paid plans. Paid plans remove upload limitations and provide access to useful features like track downloading and detailed statistics. However, the monthly cost of paid plans, ranging from $7 to $15, can be a financial burden for artists.

    Comparison with Other Platforms

    Compared to SoundCloud, other music platforms like Bandcamp and YouTube allow artists to publish and deliver music to listeners for free. These platforms also enable artists to sell their music and generate revenue. While selling music is possible on SoundCloud, the high commission fees are a significant issue.

    Impact on Artists

    The requirement to subscribe to a paid plan to continuously publish music on SoundCloud is a substantial burden, especially for unknown artists or those in difficult financial situations. Artists who cannot afford the paid plan fees may find it challenging to continue promoting their music on SoundCloud.

    Need for Improvement

    SoundCloud needs to make several improvements to become a more user-friendly platform for artists. For example, by relaxing the limitations of the free plan or reducing the cost of paid plans, more artists will be able to use SoundCloud. Additionally, lowering the commission fees for music sales will make it easier for artists to generate revenue on SoundCloud.

    Conclusion

    While SoundCloud is an attractive platform for music creators, the need to subscribe to a paid plan to continuously publish music can be a disadvantage for artists. The cost of paid plans is a significant burden, particularly for unknown artists or those in challenging financial situations. To encourage more artists to use the platform, SoundCloud needs to make improvements such as relaxing the limitations of the free plan, revising the pricing of paid plans, and reducing commission fees for music sales. By doing so, SoundCloud can become a more appealing and accessible platform for artists.

  • The Dangers of Distributing Free Music: Exploitation by Bad Actors

    The Dangers of Distributing Free Music: Exploitation by Bad Actors

    In recent years, distributing free music online has become increasingly common. For creators, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get their work out to a large audience. However, this distribution method comes with risks. If a bad actor appears, all the hard work put into the activity can be ruined.

    What is a Bad Actor?

    A bad actor is someone who misuses other people’s work or illegally copies and sells it for their own benefit. They exploit freely distributed music for their own profit.

    Damage Caused by Bad Actors

    1. Copyright Infringement: Bad actors may use free music for commercial purposes without permission or falsely claim it as their own work. This constitutes copyright infringement and can lead to legal issues.
    2. Loss of Revenue: If a bad actor illegally copies or sells free music, the revenue that should have gone to the creator is lost.
    3. Reputational Damage: A creator’s reputation may be harmed by the actions of bad actors. If information spreads about free music being exploited, trust in the creator may be lost.

    Countermeasures

    1. Clearly State Licenses: When distributing free music, clearly state the terms of use by specifying a license. This can help prevent misuse by bad actors.
    2. Monitor and Report: Monitor the activities of bad actors and promptly report any misuse discovered. Some platforms have violation reporting mechanisms in place.
    3. Community Power: Creators who distribute free music can work together and share information to counter bad actors.

    Distributing music for free has significant benefits for creators, but it also comes with risks. It’s important to recognize the existence of bad actors and take appropriate countermeasures. To create an environment where creators can distribute music with peace of mind, each and every one of us needs to raise awareness and take action.

  • I’m a beatmaker. Please tell me the advantages and disadvantages of using different artist names.

    I’m a beatmaker. Please tell me the advantages and disadvantages of using different artist names.

    Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using multiple artist names as a beatmaker:

    Advantages

    1. Expressing diversity
      • By releasing works with different genres or musical styles under separate artist names, you can express diversity without confusing your audience.
    2. Risk diversification
      • Using multiple aliases can help spread the risk if a particular release is poorly received, compared to working under a single artist name.
    3. Collaboration opportunities
      • Using a different artist name may make it easier to collaborate with other artists in some cases.

    Disadvantages

    1. Dilution of popularity
      • Working under multiple artist names can dilute the popularity of each one, making it harder to build overall recognition.
    2. Management effort
      • Managing multiple artist names requires more effort, such as separate promotion and social media management for each one.
    3. Fan confusion
      • Some fans may not realize that the same person is behind multiple artist names, leading to confusion.

    Overall, the decision to use multiple artist names should consider factors such as differences in musical style, activity policy, and target audience. If you can express diversity under a single artist name, there may be no need to separate them. However, if you want to release works with clearly different concepts, using separate aliases can help convey a clearer message to your audience.

  • I’m a beatmaker. What should I do after making a beat?

    I’m a beatmaker. What should I do after making a beat?

    If you’ve created a beat, I recommend taking the following steps:

    Review and Refine the Beat

    • Listen to the beat multiple times and check for areas that need improvement
    • Carefully review the volume balance, sound quality, and structure
    • Make necessary adjustments and changes to enhance the overall quality

    Get Feedback

    • Ask trusted friends or musicians to listen and provide honest opinions
    • Share your beat in online beat-making communities to receive advice
    • Use the feedback to further refine and polish your beat

    Check Copyright and Obtain Clearance

    • If you’ve used sampled material, verify the copyright status
    • Obtain clearance from rights holders when necessary
    • Try to use original material to reduce the risk of copyright issues

    Promote and Sell Your Beat

    • Publish your beat on platforms like SoundCloud or Bandcamp
    • Use social media to promote your beat
    • Start selling your beat and explore monetization opportunities
    • Look for artists who might be interested in using your beat

    Prepare for Your Next Beat

    • Reflect on what you’ve learned during the creation process and apply it to your next beat
    • Challenge yourself with new techniques and genres to improve your skills
    • Continuously work on your creativity and strive to be a unique beatmaker

    Beatmaking requires continuous learning and effort. Stay persistent, pursue your own style, and you’ll be on the path to success. I’m rooting for you!

  • Utilizing Sub-Brands as a Beatmaker

    Utilizing Sub-Brands as a Beatmaker

    Leveraging sub-brands allows artists to explore different musical identities while building a loyal fan base for each style. This strategy is particularly effective for beatmakers who are considering experimenting with new genres or projects. Here are some key points on how to effectively use sub-brands:

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