How to get Indie label work?

Wally Joe · 17th October 2003

Looking to get some indie production work. How does one go about it?

Locations: LA, SF

~WJ~

Saucyjack · 17th October 2003

At the risk of being a smartass........if you have to ask this question,then you have some more work to do.

Wally Joe · 17th October 2003

Yes, you ARE a smartass, and perhaps I DO have some work to do. So now that that's out of the way, maybe someone can answer the question.

e-cue · 17th October 2003

Most of the Indie work I do I get from producers and musicans, not so much labels. If you've established yourself in the 'majors' (you can mention an artist or song you've worked on that everyone knows), it will be a lot easier to get work in this market. If you aren't, try passing out business cards at shows or something. Networking. Networking. Networking.

Saucyjack · 17th October 2003

Bingo

Jules · 17th October 2003

Find and produce up a band an indy lable would want to release (get the band to pay you if possible), get an indie lable to release it - then get them to pay for the next recording.

Thats how I get the work... (sometimes)

Curve Dominant · 18th October 2003

Jules and e-cue have offered up some great advice already.

I would add this: Find talent you believe in, and produce that talent to your heart's passion. In this day and age, if you own a production studio, then you can effectively consider your enterprise to be an "indie label." You just need to procure distribution and promotion from there.

The major labels are seeing themselves becoming more like distribution and promotion clearing houses, and looking towards folks like you to be the "labels." So if you think you are up to taking that ball and running with it, do so.

This business is becoming one in which you don't find a job in it, but rather make a job for yourself in it.

Wally Joe · 21st October 2003

Thanks all.

I like the idea of being a label in my own right. Yeah, I'm up for taking that ball and running.

What are the nuts and bolts of procuring distribution and promotion?

Assuming you had 100k available over 2 years (i.e., 25k each 6 months), how would you use it?

17th October 2003	#1
Wally Joe Gear Head Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 69 Thread Starter	How to get Indie label work? Looking to get some indie production work. How does one go about it? Locations: LA, SF ~WJ~

17th October 2003	#2
Saucyjack Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2003 Location: Dirty South Posts: 571	At the risk of being a smartass........if you have to ask this question,then you have some more work to do. __________________ If you really want to make orginal results,work fast and cheap,because there's more of a chance that you'll get somewhere that nobody else did. Brian Eno

17th October 2003	#6
Jules Gearslutz.com admin Joined: Apr 2002 Location: A Yank in London, UK Posts: 17,808 1 Review written	Find and produce up a band an indy lable would want to release (get the band to pay you if possible), get an indie lable to release it - then get them to pay for the next recording. Thats how I get the work... (sometimes) __________________ Jules Add your reviews to the new reviews area! Gearslutz on Facebook Follow my GS picks on Twitter

18th October 2003	#7
Curve Dominant Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Control Room Posts: 1,949	Jules and e-cue have offered up some great advice already. I would add this: Find talent you believe in, and produce that talent to your heart's passion. In this day and age, if you own a production studio, then you can effectively consider your enterprise to be an "indie label." You just need to procure distribution and promotion from there. The major labels are seeing themselves becoming more like distribution and promotion clearing houses, and looking towards folks like you to be the "labels." So if you think you are up to taking that ball and running with it, do so. This business is becoming one in which you don't find a job in it, but rather make a job for yourself in it. __________________ Eric Vincent http://www.studioericvincent.com

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

17th October 2003	#4
e-cue Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Location: Lost Angeles Posts: 4,069	Most of the Indie work I do I get from producers and musicans, not so much labels. If you've established yourself in the 'majors' (you can mention an artist or song you've worked on that everyone knows), it will be a lot easier to get work in this market. If you aren't, try passing out business cards at shows or something. Networking. Networking. Networking.

21st October 2003	#8
Wally Joe Gear Head Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 69 Thread Starter	Thanks all. I like the idea of being a label in my own right. Yeah, I'm up for taking that ball and running. What are the nuts and bolts of procuring distribution and promotion? Assuming you had 100k available over 2 years (i.e., 25k each 6 months), how would you use it?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
How to get Tap Tempo working on ASR-Xpro	PhonoquO	Rap + Hip Hop engineering & production	13	18th May 2010 05:58 AM
How to get mixing / recording work?	dannycurtean@yah	Studio Business	3	7th February 2009 05:10 PM
How To Get A Song Placement On A Major Label Album?	Tempest19	High end	27	7th September 2007 09:26 AM
How to get in touch with big labels/a&r's	Puma	Rap + Hip Hop engineering & production	42	30th November 2006 05:56 PM