#1644851 - 03/10/05 05:53 PM
Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
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Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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Has anybody tried this? I just signed up so I could enter the Kerriville songwriters contest and now that I'm in, you have to pay for every submission. $2-$50. What a rip off. I can understand that it might be a filter, but I'v noticed a huge increase in web companies trying to make a buck off musicians. If Anybody doesn't have money it should be musicians. Is it that we're just so vain as to pay any amount to keep the music dream alive? I don't know.....
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#1644852 - 03/10/05 06:21 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Geekgurl
Platinum Member
Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 1232
Loc: near San Francisco
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During the Gold Rush era, smart bizness-men knew the real $$ was in supplying the picks and shovels to the prospecting 49ers, who in turn were hoping to strike gold and riches.
Because the odds of success are a lot better preying on other's dreams than are the odds of a dream coming true. 
Not to say that some of these companies don't provide a valuable service. This one sounds kinda like Taxi, to me. Some people have had success there, but I know many more who found it a waste of time and $$. Maybe more companies are following suit in the game of providing "picks and shovels" to musicians.
When you think about it, music-instrument stores, recording studios, CD pressing plants, anyone who provides a service to musicians -- they're all in the business of making money off someone else's dreams. Not always a bad thing, but worth keeping in mind when deciding where to invest your money and time ...
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#1644854 - 03/10/05 08:56 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
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Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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Question: was this the ONLY way to enter Kerrville this year? My partner made the cut in 2004 but he didn't have to join SB.
Avoid them. Boycott them. They are ANYTHING but a help to independent artists.
And let me know if you want to hear a little dirt on TAXI - I've got a nice little bag of that too.
I'd love to hear the dirt on Taxi, I've been eyeing that too.
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#1644855 - 03/10/05 09:30 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Lee Flier
10k Club
Registered: 09/13/00
Posts: 15398
Loc: Atlanta,GA,UNITED STATES
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Look at it this way...
If somebody in the industry really thinks you're all that and a bag of chips, you will not have to pay them to think so. They'll grant you opportunities. And likewise, if they DON'T think you're all that, they WON'T grant you opportunities whether you pay them or not.
And if YOU can pay somebody to give you a so-called opportunity, so can any schmuck, no matter how much their music sucks.
So what does that say about these services?
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#1644856 - 03/11/05 03:56 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
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Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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If somebody in the industry really thinks you're all that and a bag of chips, you will not have to pay them to think so
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#1644858 - 03/11/05 11:04 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Lee Flier
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Registered: 09/13/00
Posts: 15398
Loc: Atlanta,GA,UNITED STATES
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Originally posted by Strangerbytheminute:
I do realize that but if they've never heard of you they won't think of you.
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#1644859 - 03/12/05 05:36 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
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Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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When I said Industry I was replying to what you said. I'm just trying to get enough buzz locally to get out on the road, as I can't play every night in Seattle, therefore I can't make a living at this yet. I figure one way to get buzz is to get as much press as I can and to do that winning a few Songwriting contest wouldn't hurt anything. I'd like to play some festivals too. And I do OK with booking gigs but anything that could make it easier would be nice.That's why I paid $5.95 to electronically send my app. to Kerriville, to make the deadline. I'm certainly not looking for a major label deal. I don't feel the need to be screwed that bad at this stage of my life....
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#1644860 - 03/12/05 10:50 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Lee Flier
10k Club
Registered: 09/13/00
Posts: 15398
Loc: Atlanta,GA,UNITED STATES
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LOL... I hear ya.
I guess I thought you were trying to turn this into a more generalized discussion of these various "services" and how they rip off musicians.
With that in mind it might be good to have a discussion about the various types of business people who could help your band (at whatever level you're at, or trying to get to) and how to make sure they find out about you.
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#1644861 - 03/12/05 07:00 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
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Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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You bet Lee....I'm open to all the advise I can get at this point. I'd love to hear the dirt on Taxi. I was seriously considering it. I mean what do have to lose except $300.00......
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#1644862 - 03/13/05 11:35 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Geekgurl
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Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 1232
Loc: near San Francisco
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While we're on the subject, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with music "distrubutors" like the The Orchard and Artist1stop.
I believe Valley Media (who owns/owned?) Orchard filed for bankruptcy a while ago and I heard artists are complaining about not getting paid for their CDs ostensibly distributed. All I know about Artist1stop is it seems to do the same thing as Orchard but for more money, with no guarantee either that stores will carry your CD. Also, with 1stop, if you have an online Amazon Advantage account, the 1stop affiliation will override that, so you have to let 1stop fulfill orders received from there. Why would one forfeit sales from the largest online music-selling portal, and most unknown artists' only chance to sell to someone not specifically looking for them (as opposed to when people go to artist's websites or CD Baby -- how many shoppers go to CD Baby without being directed there by a band, anyway)?
Slightly off topic since not related to gigging but rather finished-product distribution, but again, these are places who will take anybody who pays. I'm guessing they can't be all that good.
Comments? Experiences?
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#1644864 - 03/16/05 08:32 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
Senior Member
Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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All those clubs in Seattle have gone away. I think the Seattle music "scene" is very confused at the moment. We play almost all Irish bars, they seem to be the only places that embrace original music.
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#1644866 - 03/17/05 11:59 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
Senior Member
Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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I was just in there trying to get a gig. You've probably poured me a few Guinesses over the years.
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#1644867 - 03/17/05 12:02 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
Senior Member
Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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Actually the Dubliner used to be called Poor Richards when it was down the street next to the Red Door, which used to be the Freemont Tavern which was THE biker bar in town for years. I played weekly at Poor Richards and the stories I have from that time....
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#1644869 - 03/21/05 12:15 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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Strangerbytheminute
Senior Member
Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 190
Loc: Seattle
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No, I don't remember Andy. I don't think I ever played there when it was the Dubliner. I don't know if you know that they bulldosed half that block and rebuilt the buildings that both the RD and Dubliner were in. They've really rebuilt Fremont into a huge business center. You wouldn't recognise the place.
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#1644871 - 03/30/05 09:44 AM
Re: Sonicbids
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benjykantor
Member
Registered: 03/30/05
Posts: 1
Loc: Boston, MA
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Hey folks,
I'm sorry your experiences using Sonicbids haven't been as positive as you hoped, but I think there are a few misconceptions about Sonicbids that have been written about here, and I am hoping to clarify a little for you.
To begin, Sonicbids is merely the submissions platform for a community of artist members (currently around 27,000 members) to reach these promoters, festivals, conferences, venues, bookers, etc. There are currently around 3,000 promoters with specific events or "opportunities" for artist performance, showcasing, music licensing, etc. The costs for making a submission to a specific promoter through your Sonicbids account is usually no more than if you were to make a physical press kit submission in person or via mail. In fact, in some cases, it is less expensive.
Other benefits of a submission for events through Sonicbids are that there are no additional postage fees, no submissions will get lost in the mail or prematurely thrown in the trash, promoters are required to review and consider each submission (and if using the Status Manager tool they respond to each submitting artist), and they are required to take a portion of the submission fee to put back into promoting the event or paying selected artists.
And you don't even need to make additional submissions (for which there are charges) to use your EPK service. You can use the "email my EPK out now" tool to send your EPK to anyone with an email address: venues, bookers, A&R reps, anybody! There is no additional cost to use that, and we've had members book entire North American tours using that tool alone. If artists would regularly be sending out 5-10 physical press kits in the mail in a year, the $49.95 subscription cost could easily be made up since they would be saving on CD duplication, copying, and postage fees.
Don't mean to be proselytizing here, but just wanted to clarify that there are no additional fees to make a submission through Sonicbids than it would to make a submission to the promoter with a physical press kit. The community of promoters that have Sonicbids accounts have selected to use Sonicbids because there is a large community of very talented artists, the EPK inbox system is convenient for them to review and make decisions, and it cuts down on extraneous trash and waste. I apologize if you felt we'd been bugging you with regard to using the service, but we find that once a promoter uses it, they enjoy it.
You should always feel free to bring up questions, concerns, or complaints with us. You can reach us at support@sonicbids.com, via IM at screenname: sonicbidssupport, or via phone at 617.275.7247. And our Business Development Manager, Jim Schultz, would be willing to address questions as well.
Hope all is well.
Best regards,
Benjy Kantor
Member Relations Manager
Sonicbids
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#1644872 - 03/30/05 01:27 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Geekgurl
Platinum Member
Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 1232
Loc: near San Francisco
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Benjy, thanks for taking the time to clarify. I have an additional question:
OK, the Sonicbids EPK saves on postage, etc.
Would you still recommend the service to a band that already had its own website and an EPK uploaded onto their own site? If so, why?
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#1644873 - 03/30/05 01:38 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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songrytr
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 01/28/04
Posts: 3398
Loc: Riverside, CA
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A little damage control, eh? Interesting how *two* folks from Sonicbids joined the forums today so they could spam us with more sales pitches.
I even got a nice little PM from their sales guy:
...having got my start in this business picking up trash, recycling bottles, and sweeping up vomit after shows for an outdoor music shed, not to mention spending years organizing for non profits including the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, I would catagorize myself as many things, but most certainly not looking to rip off musicians.
Sorry folks, but Sonicbids is out to get a piece of every entry or submission you make. And with a community of "27,000 members" you can be assured that the fees add up fast.
How cool is it to know that you're paying another middleman to submit to that contest or event you entered directly a couple of years ago?
Not very.
1. Build your own site. It's all about you, not your submission platform.
2. Make your own contacts. A personal contact is the VERY thing that will advance your career.
3. Avoid, at all costs, any event or contest that makes it obligitory to sign up for an open-ended subscription "service." And be sure to let these folks know why you're not submitting to their event.
_________________________
this house is empty now...
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#1644874 - 04/01/05 02:39 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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key player
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Registered: 04/01/05
Posts: 1
Loc: Miami
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Sonicbids is NOT crap. Anyone who thinks so either has no experience using them from a musician side or just needs someone to blame for their anger with the music industry.
The promoters/contest sponsors are charging these submission fees ANYWAY, whether or not you use Sonicbids. Once you pay your subscription (which is what... $50 a year?) to build an EPK, you can use it for free anywhere in the world, and many of my friends do.
If what the Sonicbids guy said is true, 27,000 artists and 3,000 events is QUITE a network, and certainly enough for a working musician to build some gig dough.
The problem is that so many musicians see a Sonicbids site or something like it and think that by signing up all their prayers are answered and that gigs are going to start falling on their lap. Sonicbids is a powerful tool, but only in the hands of those that make the effort to USE it and WORK it.
_________________________
Music is the language of the spirits, of the angels.
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#1644875 - 04/01/05 03:01 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Kris
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Registered: 03/22/00
Posts: 1531
Loc: Tallahassee, Florida
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Sonic bids seems like a useful tool if used properly... It can clue a band in to tons of events/opportunities, and for free... I get emails from them detailing many great events that I may not have been aware of and I've yet to pay them a cent. And granted there may be some events that ONLY accept submissions through Sonicbids, but from my angle that seems more like the exception, not the rule...
As far as Taxi... I've had some good things happen by using that service as well... I'm sure it isn't a great thing for everyone though...
my $.02...
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#1644876 - 04/01/05 03:29 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Mr Indie
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Registered: 04/01/05
Posts: 1
Loc: Miami
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Will you please stop whining about getting ripped off! There is nothing wrong with making a profit. Every time you spend a dollar someone is making some money. And whatever it is you just spent that dollar on, you COULD do yourself. Sonicbids, TAXI, CD Baby, they're all offering opportunities that you COULD theoritcally do yourself but it would take you A LOT longer. Time is money (unless you are unemployed)so I think Sonicbids might just allow me to focus on what I need to focus on..my music. The bottom line is, these companies are doing something right or they would not be in business. I don't know about you, but I want to put my money on the winner...not the loser. The money you are talking about is chump change and reveals to all that you are not employed or you need a better job. The cream always rises to the top.
STOP WHINING!
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#1644877 - 04/01/05 05:24 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Geekgurl
Platinum Member
Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 1232
Loc: near San Francisco
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Originally posted by Mr Indie:
. The money you are talking about is chump change and reveals to all that you are not employed or you need a better job. The cream always rises to the top.
STOP WHINING!
I am generally keeping an open mind about people's HONEST experiences with these services, but this spate of posts by NEW USERS with ONE POST to their names -- and those posts essentially being nothing but a baseless diss of others for telling their story or asking questions -- is really questionable.
Whatever, Mr. Indie. I guess this means you sign up for EVERY service you can possibly find? I mean, it's just chump change after all, why be discriminating? Bullshit.
Tell us about your successes if you're telling us a particular service is great ... and have it be something verfiable, mKay?
An example of a meaningful post, for example, is Kris's, above. In case you're actually interested in discourse. :rolleyes:
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#1644878 - 04/01/05 05:31 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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songrytr
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 01/28/04
Posts: 3398
Loc: Riverside, CA
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Originally posted by key player:
Sonicbids is NOT crap. Anyone who thinks so either has no experience using them from a musician side or just needs someone to blame for their anger with the music industry.
The promoters/contest sponsors are charging these submission fees ANYWAY, whether or not you use Sonicbids. Once you pay your subscription (which is what... $50 a year?) to build an EPK, you can use it for free anywhere in the world, and many of my friends do.
If what the Sonicbids guy said is true, 27,000 artists and 3,000 events is QUITE a network, and certainly enough for a working musician to build some gig dough.
Of course, it's easy to build a subscriber base when it obligatory to join the service to submit to an event.
The problem is that so many musicians see a Sonicbids site or something like it and think that by signing up all their prayers are answered and that gigs are going to start falling on their lap. Sonicbids is a powerful tool, but only in the hands of those that make the effort to USE it and WORK it.
By the way, key player, I see you do marketing for Sonicbids.
Check it out here folks.
Our community here would appreciate it if you didn't sign up to post SPAM on behalf of your client.
_________________________
this house is empty now...
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#1644879 - 04/01/05 05:33 PM
Re: Sonicbids
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Geekgurl
Platinum Member
Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 1232
Loc: near San Francisco
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Keyplayer and Mr Indie are both from Miami. Coincidence? They both have 1 post each. So far ... 
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