Whom do you sound like? (Full Version)

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gj Michelob -> Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 6:15:12)

Whom do you sound like?

The CD Baby’s site offered (it seems disabled now) an interesting research tool to find -amongst a cohort of unknown musicians- music you may like or relate to: the “it sounds like…” page.
The indie distributor encouraged its recording artists to offer that comforting sense of commonality to prospective CD buyers. Hence, under “flamenco” (which is categorized under “latin” music [!?]) artists would refer to “this sounds like”… Amigo, Tomatito, De Lucia, and/or Ottmar Liebert, Jesse Cook, Gipsy Kings, along with Segovia, Williams, Bream.

The argument that it helps buyers is unquestionably true, and above all it preempts that recurrently humiliating epiphany some listeners may suddenly be illuminated with “omg… this is so Café del mar” as my sis in law once proclaimed !!! I youtubed this “café del mar” and felt it was time to pick up a trombone and truly show some “lamentation”.

Whom do you sound like? Meaning how would you help your listeners appreciate your music outside this community?

We all are so absolutely uncompromisingly original, yes i am sure, but in the eyes (ears) of an "innocent bystander" of the "reasonable man in the jury" are we really so different?



Florian -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 8:28:37)

quote:

but in the eyes (ears) of an "innocent bystander" of the "reasonable man in the jury" are we really so different?



to a innocent bystander probably like anything ever played on a nylon string guitar [:D]...i am not even really kidding..all of us


they relate anything with a nylon string guitar to "spanish" first and maybe classical second.


plus none of us really know what we sound like... we all know what we wished we sounded like [;)] and trying to tell a innocent bystander what you wished you sounded like wouldnt do any good either because beeing innocent means that they havent heard of anyone you probably really are trying to sound like..



gj Michelob -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 10:25:28)

quote:

we all know what we wished we sounded like and trying to tell a innocent bystander what you wished you sounded like wouldnt do any good either because beeing innocent means that they havent heard of anyone you probably really are trying to sound like..


Wisely put. However, whom do you (want to) sound like?



Güiro -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 14:08:20)

I would like to sound like Moraito.



Arash -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 14:57:11)

Well, if i would want to sell as many CDs on CD Baby as possible, i would want to sound like a mixture of JM, Jesse and Otti.

But i would want to sound like a mixture between Paco, Diego del Morao and Chicuelo, if there would be no need to sell anything to make a living as a musician.



Florian -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 24 2009 18:43:34)

quote:

whom do you (want to) sound like?


[:D] i dont know lol



edguerin -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 25 2009 6:38:59)

unfortunately I sound like me [:(][:(]
Of course I'd love to sound like Paco Cepero or Moraito or ....



henrym3483 -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 25 2009 8:10:01)

i dont sound like nobody yet, but i hoep to play like a somebody some day[:D]



gj Michelob -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 25 2009 15:08:40)

Fine... but say you had to invite someone to your concert, or to buy your cd, or are trying to describe your music or style. Before someone says "oh... i got it, you mean Latino stuff, or Gipsy Kings [at best]" what would you pick as a relatively known point of reference?

On CD baby, people name Paco de Lucia an Vicente Amigo rather "in vain" but i suppose it strikes the note it needs to for those sorting out through hundreds of albums.

Just pick three names which may help any unidentified generic listener to appreciate what your music is....

When people more ignorant than i am ask me what music i compose, and i know that even saying "amigo" may be a farfatched shot, i refer to Paco de Lucia, Segovia and the Gypsy Kings. Otherwise, i would simply say, i am inspired by Vicente Amigo, but because i could never play like him, i am attempting to breath life and melody into a romantic yet much simpler version of it.



Florian -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 25 2009 15:35:07)

quote:

Fine... but say you had to invite someone to your concert, or to buy your cd, or are trying to describe your music or style. Before someone says "oh... i got it, you mean Latino stuff, or Gipsy Kings [at best]" what would you pick as a relatively known point of reference?


just depends who you are talking to...u change your description according to theyr awarenes

if they dont know vicente amigo its no use trying to use him ..


so for a totaly uneducated flamenco audience...if i can find out what they know i would describe it around people they know ...eg gipsy kings, ottmar, whatever the idea is that they have some picture in theyr head they can relate it to for themselfs atleast... instead of walking away having no idea what you just said lol

you just work around peoples own awarenes...the idea is to get them to give you a chance not to alienate them by using names over theyr head or to show them how litlle they know


or just saying "Spanish guitar" gives them a pretty good general idea on what to expect, as the general public dosent distinguish between styles of players as much or even the diff between clasical nylon string guitar and flamenco that much

finding your audience and knowing how to comunicate with them in a way that they can understand it and can relate it its far more important then beeing accurate when describing what you do..

its no good beeing 100% acurate if noone is there because they didnt understand a word you said [:D]



Pgh_flamenco -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 25 2009 17:13:17)

Anyone who claims to sound like a famous player will likely be criticized. I doubt any Foro member will make any claim in this regard that isn't meant to be humorous. This thread is an exercise in futility...



gj Michelob -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 5:26:31)

quote:

Anyone who claims to sound like a famous player will likely be criticized. I doubt any Foro member will make any claim in this regard that isn't meant to be humorous. This thread is an exercise in futility...


I am afraid you misunderstood the intents of my question, Pgh Flamenco. I was wondering how musicians would react to that CD baby’s recommendation that an artist would assist a buyer searching for music, by providing key-words for the site’s search tool “sounds like..” . By opting out, one would lose some chances to be stumbled upon, but by agreeing to “name-dropping” one could easily make a fool of himself.

I think Florian’s view helps untangling the problem. Flamenco is known to a select and informed minority, and one would need to venture too far off to find some common, household’s references.

I do not mean to come across as defensive (and if I am accept my embarrassed apology) but I respectfully disagree that this be an “exercise in futility”. In fact, I asked the question for a most practical reason: I am seriously planning to record and place a CD on that site. ‘was hoping for an unlikely clever way to address the issue. I agree with you, however, that there may not be an easy way out of the imminent danger of making foolish choices.

Perhaps, one should have others make that call?



Florian -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 6:02:17)

quote:

In fact, I asked the question for a most practical reason: I am seriously planning to record and place a CD on that site. ‘was hoping for an unlikely clever way to address the issue.



oh sorry if i had known that i would have made more of an atempt to be to the point and helpfull to you..i thought we were talking just generaly

SO this cd place dosent have different geners as reference ? just different artists ?

well in that case look around find the most popular ones that you sound that you sound most like and use that..

remember we were discusing using flamenco on it ? so if u are then thats fine but if its mood guitar or original compositions avoid using flamenco guitarists who have flamenco cds in there ...the people who look for those artists look for flamenco specifically..


I hope this helps a litlle...just do some snooping around...see who sounds like you, who they use as reference, whos popular ...if you going to copy someone might as well copy someone whos good at this side of things and does well..



Pgh_flamenco -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 6:10:10)

Gj, perhaps my comments were reductive, but look at what has become of this thread. I think you’re right. It is best to have someone else offer their evaluation instead of making it oneself.



gj Michelob -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 6:14:51)

quote:

remember we were discusing using flamenco on it ? so if u are then thats fine but if its mood guitar or original compositions avoid using flamenco guitarists who have flamenco cds in there ...the people who look for those artists look for flamenco specifically..


Thank you, Florian. When the time will come, i will summon your open-minded critique.... you may need to listen to a "flamenco influenced" compilation !!

I agree(d) with you on avoiding unnecessary labels and explanations. I do not want my music to be "flamenco" (nor flamingo), but i flirt with the idea of someone other than friends and family finding my music and finding it interesting.... hence the desire to set in place some basic site-search strategy to expedite the anxiously awaited event.... an unknown person listening to my music somewhere out there, and drinking a glass of wine to it.

That's all i really intend to achieve, quite frankly.



Florian -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 6:25:54)

quote:

Thank you, Florian. When the time will come, i will summon your open-minded critique.... you may need to listen to a "flamenco influenced" compilation !!


ofcourse amigo i will be very proud of you [;)]

quote:

but i flirt with the idea of someone other than friends and family finding my music and finding it interesting.... hence the desire to set in place some basic site-search strategy to expedite the anxiously awaited event.... an unknown person listening to my music somewhere out there, and drinking a glass of wine to it.

That's all i really intend to achieve, quite frankly.


excellent i look foward to congratulating you on achiving your goal...make no apologies to noone for wanting to play what you wanna play


most important thing is that you belive in what you are doing 100% has to come from you not others....il listen to absoluteley anything as long as i know that the guy playing it loves it and does it with conviction..and it means something to him....self belif and passion always sels me regardless of the style



John O. -> RE: Whom do you sound like? (Jan. 26 2009 6:26:52)

At least I always LOOK like I'm trying my best! [:D]

I like getting a bright percussive sound out of the guitar no matter what I play. PDL was the first to influence me and he was my biggest for years, so I'm sure even unconsciously I TRY to sounds like him. Also one of my very favorite sounds is the groovy aire Tomatito can get on a bulerias. I always try playing around with syncopations on bulerias, it feels so good... [:)]



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