A call to ACTION... or another crack pot scheme

Action is required to solve a problem, nothing fixes itself.

Allow me to define the problem. Not enough of the resident in Second Life are interested in Live music. This is, in my very correct opinion the primary problem impeding the growth of the live music scene.

The ratio between performers and audience is wildly disproportionate. Just about anybody can be a performer in Second Life, just go to the average “Open Mic” even and marvel at how low the bar is set.

There are long standing performers that absolutely suck ass. Some ever even popular but not because they are good, it's because they have lots of friend and “Play the game” well. Now when I say Popular, I'm talking about 100 or 200 people popular.

This is a rather myopic form of popularity. If you play on a sim with a limit of 45 avatars, you can seem like freaking Elvis with 100 die hard supporters. But to create a boom economy that would support the more mercenary schemes some people seem to hatch would require a larger market, or more simply put, more residents interested in Live Music.

What action must be taken to build a lager population of music supporters ?

If it where possible for one person to make a difference I would already be taking steps to change things. But no single person has the resource to raise the profile of live music in Second Life. Allow me to suggest steps that can be taken to improve our visibility, and address them to the group that must take the steps.

Listeners

Believe it or not, listeners are the most influential and populous arm of the music community. The Listener to performer ratio is about 8 to 1, and the vast majority of Venue operators also fall into the Listener category. What can listeners do?

Invite a friend.

I mention this at every show I play. Notices, note card, bios, are all a bunch of bullshit compared to the power of an individual sending an IM saying, “You gotta check this act out”. I know I have a new group member that is very excited about my shows and invites her friends. I know about this because one of the friends she invited told me she had invited him. This actually works, and so much effort is spent on rituals like spam that do almost nothing. If you invite a friend, and they invite a friend... and so on.. and so on.. things grow.

Go public with your passion.

I've seen a few venues spamming, “if you love live music write about it on your Face book/ MySpace/Blog”. This is a freaking brilliant idea. I personally love underground media. Most of the more established outlets on music reportage in Second Life are frankly a waste of bandwidth. Lot of coverage is people that are POPULAR rather then good. Traci Nubalo has a Blog called “The Word” and it's one of the best written and passionate Blogs I can think of.

http://tracinubalo-theword.blogspot.com/

Tip and Vote

The majority of the mercenary hub-bub revolves around money and support. Any tip is better then no tip at all. I've personally never had a show that I walked away from without something in the tip jar (unless it was a charity show), the way some people carry on you might think they can't say that.

When I say, “Tipping the venue is supporting Live music in Second Life” I mean every syllable. Tier Fees are a real, and every L$ you give means a little less of a bite out of the venue operators pocket.

If you have Lindens, please tip and if you don't please click on the “Vote” box. Hey even if you do tip the venue it doesn't hurt to click the vote box. Show some support.

In my case, I pay my meager bills with meager Second Life earnings. Simply put, if you tip me well I eat better. I have one supporter that tips me 13 L$ every show, and I'm remarkably grateful for it. While I would not mind larger tip... it all adds up.

The Venue Operators

First off let me state my policy concerning fees. If someone ask me what my fee is, I tell them whatever they find reasonable I'm comfortable with. I don't turn away shows that are tips only.

That being said, when a show is “tips only”, for goodness sake, it's the venue operators responsibility to do everything possible to ensure the largest audience possible for the Performer that is taking a gamble on the generosity of the crowd.

The simplest and most effective way of drawing a crowd is to post the event in “Live Music Events” at the Second Life web site. This ends up in world and most people browse the events listing to find a show to attend. If you don't list the event, it's like it's not even happening to most people in Second Life.

The word “Professional” get bounced around a lot in Second Life. But before we get to the realm of “Professionalism” we need to come to grips with competency.

Operating a venue in theory is easy. Let the performer do his or her job, and make sure the people that want to be there can be there and enjoy the show. Of course in practice, it can get a little complicated. But keep at it and your rewards will be great... I think.

The Performers.

While the Listeners make up the biggest part of the music scene, performers bare an awesome responsibility for making the scene grow.

Don't suck.

Seems simple, but some guys just can't get their heads around this idea. I could point fingers and name names, but if you are a performer and are wondering if I'm talking about you... quit. Something inside you is already telling you that you suck. People lack confidence because they have nothing to be confident in.

I never for a moment doubt the worth of what I do. But I also constantly strive to move forward as an artist.

When a performer sucks and continues to perform, he takes a slot on “Live music events” and due to some fluke of fate, somebody ends up at a concert and decided the whole music scene in Second Life is a waste of time.

Speaking of quitting, if you quit... stay quit.

You were right, you don't belong here or anywhere else in music. I'm not talking about people that take a break. That is understandable. One of the all time GREATS in Second life music took a break, and came back breathing fire. That is a world away from the lewzer that quit because they get their panties in a wad, then come back.

Lots of people need to quit in order for the probability of some one ending up at a concert that might convince them Second Life music is worth their attention.

Build a following one listener at a time.

There are so many harebrained schemes for building a following you gotta wonder what the fuck people are thinking. The old fashion way is playing your ass off. When you get in front of a pair of fresh ears be ready to “make them a believer”.

Every show brang it.
If there are two people there, brang it.

I know you want a shortcut, but there isn't one. Impress the new listeners and challenge the veteran listeners.

Take risks

I know one hack that has been playing the same songs since I first saw him over a year ago. He's been grinding away on Second Life forever so he's got a lot of friends. But he bores the crap out of me. When you play the same shit over and over you are going to get bored, and people don't find boredom very interesting.

Be a ROCKSTAR

I'm a ROCKSTAR on Second Life. I act like one. Perception is reality. If you don't have much talent, be everybody's friend. But if you have something of worth, be a Second Life ROCKSTAR.

Please note I'm not saying be a DICK, but rather be a ROCKSTAR.

Put yourself in the shoes of somebody that is attending his or her first live music event in Second Life.

“Everybody's friend” is playing, and he's going “Stuck in the middle with... hey Sally how you doing..You.. thank you for the tip BigEnoch... Stuck in the middle of my second life with... Hey Marko how is your foot feeling... with YOOOOOUUU”.

Yes the people on the “Inside” feel accommodated but to the new potential listener, they are thinking “Everybody's friend” is a goofball.. if you are lucky.

The same potential listener at a ROCKSTAR'S show, hears a song done front to back played well, No personal greetings mid song and tips are acknowledged between songs. To put the audience first a ROCKSTAR puts the music first.

Talent, passion, drive, and a massive ego are the building blocks of a ROCKSTAR, and frankly people are more impressed with ROCKSTARS then with Everybody's friend.

I personally attempt to be accessible while being a ROCKSTAR, and that accessibility is a large part of the charm of Second Life.

And finally put the music first.

There is so much bullshit going on in Second Life. So much drama it almost seems like drama season. To keep you head screwed on tight, keep your focus on the music.

I came here to play music. I wish to see the music scene blossom. Personally I'm putting music first and I suggest any performer worth their salt do the same.

Action can address the problem... or we can do what we are doing now. Things that don't work.

A call to reason... or another nut-job manifesto

Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.

I've been poking holes in the fantasies of the “whiny ass bitches” for a few days now. As fun as that may be, it's not very productive. It's easy... and fun to point and mock, but unless you provide an alternative to the madness, and give the crazies a target to point at and mock , it kind of rings hollow.

I feel I should mention at the outset, I'm not a socialist or an altruist, or some mad bohemian burning my precious manuscript to keep warm in the bitter winter. I do support myself via the money I earn in Second Life. I've committed to this and intend to do all I can to be successful.

Let's take a moment to speak of the madness of Manhood Wanker and his merry band of fucktards.

The basic drift of their scheme is to extort more money out of the existing population of music supporters. While this may seem like a huge oversimplification of their proposal... it's not. That is in in a nutshell.

The reason it seems to have so much support is simply because it's a plan that many wish would work. Performers, venue operators and management types all wish they could make enough money off this Second Life music stuff to live like Rock stars in their first life.

However the plan... hell it's not really a plan it's more like wishful thinking, has no basis in practical application.

Manhood Wanker seems to think if you call something “Quality” and or “Professional” and then charge money for it people will line up to give you, and anybody involved in your pixie dust fueled enterprise mega money.

While only in the Hyperbole/Bullshit stage, it has already managed to fragment the tiny Second Life music community. While the people in fantasy land, expecting a big pay off support it, the long standing supporters of live music, whom have willing supplied attention and money are feeling somewhat disenfranchised.

I understand that feeling. I have to wonder why Manhood Wanker and his merry band of fucktards can't?

Let me share two numbers with you. I've heard and estimate that there are about 2,500 active music supporters in Second Life. I've also been told there are about 300 “Acts”. I'm inclined to think both numbers are reasonable reflections of the situation. This basically breaks down to a Performer/Listener ration of 8.33 to 1.

When you talk about supply and demand, does less then nine consumers to every supplier sound like a booming economy?

Of course, most of the 300 performers are not “Quality” or “Professional”. So lets say 100 performers have either talent or a personality that can draw a crowd. This makes the Performer/Listener ratio 25 to 1. Not even enough to max out a sim.

While I admit all these figures are abstractions, they still represent a very concert truth. The population of music supporters is not big enough to underwrite a supply and demand economy.

It's madness.

Now lets talk about reason.

The most prudent course of action is to take steps to build the numbers of residents interested in Live music in Second Life.

Lets imagine for a moment, 10,000 music supporters in Second Life. Suddenly the Performer/Listener ratio is 100 to 1. Suddenly the Avatar Limit on Sims becomes a deciding economic force. Only 40 people can get it, you can insist of a cover charge. And the 60 listeners that could not get into one show can enjoy another.

So how do we make the listener population grow?

Filters and Brands.

The lack of Filters in Second Life have hamstrung the growth of the community at least as long as I have been here. Lots of questionable talent gets booked due more to Social connections they actual worth.

In real life, you audition for the bar owner down the street, he doesn't care who you know, or what indignities life has brought your way. All he cares about is, can you sell beer? If you suck you'll drive costumers out the door. He doesn't even really care if you are good, all he cares about is making money off your talent.

He has an agenda. Sell beer, make money.

We need to have an agenda. Present music, get people interested in Live music.

Our filter needs to direct us towards our agenda if we want to grow. However Filters have a auxiliary function. Establishing a brand.

Coke-a-cola, Metallica, Adult Swim, Playboy, MTV are all brands. Just the name means something. All have use filters to develop those meanings.

What does Coke taste like?

What kind of Music does Metallica play?

What are you going to see in the middle of Playboy Magazine?

Consistent filtering establish a brand.

A great example of a brand that has used Filtering to become successful in Second Life would be “The Originals”. Once a month, you get a full schedule of originals songs, presented life. It is so successful that some lewzer is trying to steal it. The real “The Originals” with Harrie the rock chick running the show is a SMASH hit and proof that Brands work when they mean something.

The Originals is chocked full of Brands. It was started by POL Arida (the man, the myth, the kilt wearing vodka swilling Icon of Second Life music) then taken over by Harrie THE rock chick, Skjellerup of pixel hill fame, with a live broadcast provided by Indie Spectrum Radio yet another Second Life Brand.

The show is consistently compelling and draws a HUGE crowd.

The filter is simple enough. 30 minuet set of all original material. People know what to expect and have no reason to request “Wonderwall”.

While I'm not addressing how we jump the gap to reach those new listeners, I do know the filters and brands need to be in place before we are even ready to approach that issue.

Keep in mind, brands and filters don't need to revolve around one kind of music or performance. You can have a “Quality/Professional” brand, a “Guitar-raoke” brand, and a “Not very talented but nice guys” brand.

Once people understand what the filters provide and know the brands that use those filters, it's a simple matter to reach the audience that seeks the performance each brand provides.

Allow me to sum up my argument with a little pseudo algebra.

Money+ because I want money= failure and damage to the community that already supports live music.

Growth + Filters+ Brands= a boom economy, more money for those that have what the market demands, and only enriches the community that already supports live music.

Don't mean a thing but a chicken wing

I open my mail box today and got a bunch of weirdness in the form of offline messages from Second Life. More cancellations of shows (seems to be a rash of cancellations, not just me...whole dates blacked out). Then a inventory offer for Live Venue Owners Meeting parts 1-3.

Awww crap.

This was one of those Copy and paste Chat text, while I did log on to find out what it was, I didn't read it. The reason I didn't read it was because I know how I feel after reading things like that. I find it hard not to view people as enemies trying to destroy the best way I've ever found to make money playing music.

The personality driving this conversation is a fellow named “Mankind Tracer”. Holy crap Zorch mentioned a name!!! Yeah, this is going to get personal and I'm going to take sides.

I've never heard the music of Mankind Tracer, and I've never wanted to. The first time I became acquainted with the name was during an anecdote a music super fan related to me. Seems she was attending one of Mankind's shows and some fellow gave him a tip and Mankind the amount of the donation insulting. So he publicly berated the errant tipster.

Now for the record, I have said “Thank you for the tip, now my mom can get that operation” before. But that is still thanking someone for their tip * smirk *.

The super fan that related the story decided after that display she didn't need to give any further attention to Mankind Tracer... and I saw that decision so reasonable I've avoided his shows as well.

The second time I heard about Tracer, was while viewing one of those Internet TV shows about the Second Life music scene. The cartoon lady informed me “Tracer plays his guitar with precision and his voice was making all the women melt. He's got a new CD coming out that will feature his songs and some of his more popular covers”.

The fact he was going to release a CD with covers on it says so very much about him. He doesn't have the confidence or material to fill a single CD? What a lewzer.

I have to wonder if Tracer paid the mechanical rights for the songs he covered to the people with talent that wrote the songs?

But to put things in perspective, Mankind Tracer is a worthy target of open hostility. He's become the bloated twisted personification of every whiny fucktard that has bitched about the amount of money they DON'T make in Second Life. But as bad as that is, he's managed to transform himself with a gesture into... The Anti-Zorch.

He is the flaccid disease ridden dimple dick to my glorious erect MEGA WANG. I am the creative genius to his parasitic looter. He is the Ellsworth Toohey to my Howard Roark. He is a arrogant bastard and I am THE Arrogant Bastard. I am the artistic visionary seeking to elevate my art and enrich people lives through song and he is the greedy fucktard seeking to shake a few more pennies out of the people with musical taste stunted enough to consider him listenable.

Now some people have a “Can't we all just get along” mentality and I'm sure they are upset now. But let me make it clear I don't hate Mankind Tracer, I just hate what he's chosen to stand for. And because I hate what he stands for, I hope he gets a rabid badger lodged in his anus.

But lets step back from the personalities for a moment and get some perspective on this issue.

People have been plotting ways to extort money (or maybe I should say more money because I've never started a stream without some money being earned) from people for live, or semi live performances since I came to Second Life. None of them work because it's a free system an as long as people choose to play for tips and an occasional fee, there are going to be options for listeners.

Those screaming the most about their value constantly threaten to go back to real life if people don't compensate them as they see fit. This is bullshit, plain and simple. Streaming music on Second Life is very profitable even if you play only for tips. I could not book my act in real life with out major concessions (read cover songs), I get paid to play the music I love every day and my overhead is almost non-existent.

The people making the most noise seem to feel they in a position to dictate terms. They aren't. The simple fact is even in Second Life, people have to find value in what you do in order to get paid for it. Talent doesn't call the shots, Listeners do.

In time this will all fade away. The rules are in place, and changing the rules is not playing fair.

Footnote: PLEASE don't send me Copy and Paste conversations. I've heard all the vapid arguments ad infinitum and see no valid points being made. It's all magical thinking.

Slaves vs. Freemen

A while back, an artist know as “Prince” became “The artist formerly known as Prince”. Some speculate the reason for him changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol was to protest the treatment his record company inflicted upon him.

During one press conference he appeared with the word “Slave” written on his cheek (the one on his face thank you very much). While he didn't comment on the reason for placing that word on his face, most got the meaning loud and clear.

But wait... isn't Prince and or The artist formerly known as Prince some kind of millionaire? Yes indeed he is. But he was upset because while he generated a huge amount of money for his company he only got a small percent of that money.

Price was only a millionaire because he generated billions of dollars for the industry he is involved with. Da Music Biz.

Simply stated, the music industry (the real music industry NOT what passes for a music industry in Second Life) is quite possibly the most exploitive industries devised by man. The average percentage for a piece worker in a sweat shop is higher then standard boiler plate recording contract most new artist sign.

Nine out of ten new artist fail to earn back the advance on their first recording. But even the failures, people that never see one dime from sales earn on average 80,000,000$ for their record company (these figures reflect Major recording industries artist not “Indie” record companies).

If you think I'm making this stuff up, I recommend the book “Confessions of a record producers”. It's a very detailed expose of where the money goes, and hardly any of it ends up in the artist pocket.

Now you may wonder why I bring this up in a blog about Second Life music.

Simple. What passes for a music scene in second life is nothing at all like the real music business. Just about every venue operates at a loss, and most musicians get to keep all they earn.

We performers in Second Life are freemen in a world of slaves. And while I can't speak for everybody, the donation economy works well for me. I also release my own recording and get to keep every penny I earn. I've covered all my operating overhead via my musical adventures in Second Life, and at this point support myself via my tips,fees and sales.

Now the people contending to create a new more profitable music industry in Second Life suggest they are somehow more skilled and professional then this humble song smith. In their eyes I'm a enthusiastic amateur. But why is the enthusiastic amateur thriving in his donation based economy? Because people find value in what I do. The people that choose to pay me a fee find value in what I do as well.

The performers in Second Life have dodged a bullet by not really being profitable enough to exploit.

FREEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Folly of Co-op thinking

Hey, Cooperation is a beautiful thing. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. It's all good in the hood and don't forget the reach around. Of course something that can be beautiful can also be a grim and twisted effigy of itself.

Recent developments have touted a NEW SYSTEM, where a Co-Op of Performers, Venues and Management types will band together to FORCE people to pay money for musical events. While it didn't mention it specifically, I'm sure pixie dust in a major component of this plan.

Now wait, it gets weirder.

Seems this Co-op is going to Share the imagined wealth from their pixie dust fueled enterprise.

There are a few flaws (actually a plethora of major gaffs) in this gem of an idea.

Aren't the management types suppose to strong arm venues in to paying fee? What the hell do the management types do in this hippie commune of love? Why are they getting a cut? For fucking venue owners over in the past? Is it some kind of Legacy payment?

Aren't all the people involved Prima donna? Don't all ventures centered on self serving retards end in political back biting and grand theatrics?

Don't Co-ops provide the most benefit to the mediocre? Why would Joe MEGA STAR want to share his money with Pete Kind-of-okay? He won't. It's a cut in his paycheck and he's going to wonder off the moment he figure that out. How well will the Co-op do without exceptional talent? Well you can see mediocre everyday for free, so why would you want to pay for it? Perhaps... Pixie dust???

What can a venue offer the a concert attendee that is worth paying for? A bazillion Prim Lights? Free T-shirts? Quality fake sound system? MORE Marshal Stacks? Group messages every 30 seconds till show time? Wait.. you can get all that and more at free venues.

Isn't the primary building block of the current music scene social? And how are the Fan friends going to feel when their performer friends tell them, “You can't hang out with me any more unless you pay me”?

You might accuse me of taking the low road here by poking holes in this idea. But frankly it's a lot of work. Kind of like poking holes in Swiss cheese. Hard to find a place that isn't already a hole.

While I'm confident this can only end in tears for the people involved, I am concerned about how it may color people perceptions of good honest hard working performers like myself.

I'm not a money grubbing bastard. I am arrogant, but you are welcome to listen to my music and tip me as you see fit.. or can afford. When offered fees I accept them, but the majority of my shows are for tips and I don't find issue with that. My supporters are generous and I do make enough to live off from my musical adventures in Second Life.

I'm am not an aberration, as all the people I count as peers find no reason to try and compel payment from their supporters.

Cooperation is a beautiful thing. If people were pulling together to better develop the music scene in Second Life I would support that without hesitation. But to pull together for no other reason then to try to make a few bucks just seems sad and selfish.

These people don't give a shit about music. They only care about what their ego demands.

Repetition is the key to effective communication

I've said it before and I'm going to say it again, and again, and again until it catches on.

The key to growth in the Second Life music scene is significant penetration into the general population of residents.

The mechanism to facilitate this significant penetration is quality music.

You'll get more blood out of an elephant then a mouse, but so many dreamers seem to be willing to invest a lot of time Imagineering just how to best bleed a mouse.

The logic behind my supposition is so solid, I'm dumbstruck that people seem to NOT understand it.

Right now they are trying to develop a method to force people to pay for a service that the vast majority of the residents show no interest in when it's free. Does this encourage growth? No. It's a major impediment to growth.

Another analogy would be, imagine a guy tossing some seeds around on the ground. Some take root and produce fruit. Most die on the ground. But the guy is so happy with the three or four tomatoes he gets he shouts “I is a farmer”!

Of course, if he tilled the soil, use fertilizer and cultivated his crops, he would have enough to feed his family and a surplus to sell off for “Real money money”. He would be a real farmer.

I'm convinced the donation based economy could be viable. The reason it's so hit or miss now is simply because it lacks quality. Lack of quality turns the venture into the haven of an isolated community. That is what we have now... and that does not support growth.

The best example I could give you for a venue that works would be the Jester Inn. It's probably the most reputable music brand in all of Second Life. Why? Because Harrie only books artist she likes or in my case Loves (in a non-creepy way).

When Harrie took over “The Originals”, the project grew to a major event. Harrie is organized, intelligent and committed to great music. Harrie is, as a venue owner and event organizer what so many people pretend to be. A force for change and growth in Second Life music. Her success is not due to her desire to make a lot of money off music in Second Life. Her success is due to the fact she cares about good music and work so hard to get it in front of people.

Quality music is the mechanism for significant penetration into the general population of residents.

Quality music is the mechanism for significant penetration into the general population of residents.

Quality music is the mechanism for significant penetration into the general population of residents.

Next Blog... the folly of Co-op thinking in the Second life music scene.