TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- DJ Booth
-- Label Promos

Label Promos

Total n00b question here...just wondering, how do you guys get promos from labels? Do you just contact them and say "can I get on your promo list?"

not really.

1. pay to be in a promo pool.
2.make friends with the artists
3.be a dj that has enough popularity to be considered an effective advertising tool.

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak not really. 1. pay to be in a promo pool. 2.make friends with the artists 3.be a dj that has enough popularity to be considered an effective advertising tool.

the first 2 usually just end up giving u god awful shit music u will never do anything with

quote:

Originally posted by KiNeTiC ENeRgY the first 2 usually just end up giving u god awful shit music u will never do anything with

I've had loads of wicked tracks from producers I've got to know.

But yeah, unless you love absolutely every single track that comes out on a particular label, there isn't a lot of point in paying to join their promo pool. Even then - you get it a few weeks early, so what? Unless you have a major gig in that time, it'll get to release date and you're in the same position as everyone else, but you probably paid more for it.

I know it's a bit of a cliche and it comes up again and again, but there is LOADS of really good music out there that hasn't already been cained and thrown away by the big names - music doesn't have to be unreleased to be fresh... in fact it can be quite old - I'm forever discovering tracks up to 4 or 5 years old which I missed at the time which, to my knowledge, haven't been rinsed and sound bang up to date.

People often have this idea that everything that gets released passes through the hands of the big names first - it doesn't at all and of course it couldn't, there aren't enough hours in the day for them to go through all the new music, even with the help of their tune monkeys (as most big name DJs have nowadays). You just need to be a bit more imaginative than only looking at the big labels, because of course they're the ones which DO pass to the big names absolutely everything they turn out.

a lot of the unreleased stuff that does get played by some of the bigger djs is not signed and the producer can use this to his advantage to achieve this as well. This is a blanket statement of course, but i find it to be quite true especially within the tech world. All it takes is a guy like luciano or villalobos to play it, a youtube video of it or live set with lots of interest and bam unsigned becomes signed.

i agree with your statement that you don't need to play unreleased stuff to be good though As a music geek though, i have to say it is a nice feeling to get an early pressing of a record only because it will be unique as compared to the official package.

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak As a music geek though, i have to say it is a nice feeling to get an early pressing of a record only because it will be unique as compared to the official package.

That was certainly the case when vinyl was the main DJing format, but now that CDs/MP3s have taken over I think it's lost that edge. Although I can imagine the die-hard vinyl DJs who still stick to vinyl could well find it even more exciting now that less vinyl is being released.

You can also review music.

quote:

Originally posted by ReclusNdangrmnt You can also review music.

Yes, good point - if you get yourself a column in a magazine or do reviews regularly for a website or something, it's often quite easy to get on promo lists.

The other thing is radio (tied in with "being considered an effective advertising tool") - labels shower you with tunes when you've got a show on student radio, even more so if it's a more major local FM station or something. You can do ok out of it if you've got a show on a respected internet radio station, but don't assume that just getting a show on any old random online station will guarantee you free music.

Most of the stuff you get sent is utter rubbish though, sounds like a nice idea beforehand but you'll probably only ever play about 1 in 10 of the tracks you get sent at best. Going through a pile of promos will quickly became less of a priority than having a dig through the new releases on a download site. Personally I still buy about 95% of the music I play.

Good point Stu, but what I was wondering is more from another angle. Let's say you have a radio show...do you ask for the promos or do labels "shower you with promos" as you said?

Just general wondering here

quote:

Originally posted by woscar Good point Stu, but what I was wondering is more from another angle. Let's say you have a radio show...do you ask for the promos or do labels "shower you with promos" as you said? Just general wondering here

You're better off buying the tunes u want. Record pools usually always end up as wasted time sifting through garbage and filling out questionnaires for said garbage.

another way to get in a promo pool is to make a track and get it signed by the label. they will definitely let you right in (in most cases)

quote:

Originally posted by woscar Good point Stu, but what I was wondering is more from another angle. Let's say you have a radio show...do you ask for the promos or do labels "shower you with promos" as you said? Just general wondering here

Yeah, if you think your position makes you valuable to labels, just email them and ask if they'd be interesting in sending you some tunes to promo for them, saying what station you're on, how often you play, roughly how many people tune in to each show and, if not entirely obvious, what kind of people listen so what benefit they'd get from it - think of it as a short informal marketing pitch. And remember that while a bit of local club DJing alone might not sway it, it is a contributing factor so mention that as well.

Bear in mind that some labels get 3rd party companies to handle their promo distribution for them, but if that's the case they'll let you know when you get in touch and then you can contact the 3rd party instead.

quote:

Originally posted by orTof�nChiLd another way to get in a promo pool is to make a track and get it signed by the label. they will definitely let you right in (in most cases)

Also very true.

as has already been stated, promo pools are lame, at first it's like, cool, new music, but most if it sucks and you wouldn't play it for your grandma

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak not really. 1. pay to be in a promo pool. 2.make friends with the artists 3.be a dj that has enough popularity to be considered an effective advertising tool.

4. start a blog about chinstroking.

quote:

Originally posted by orTof�nChiLd another way to get in a promo pool is to make a track and get it signed by the label. they will definitely let you right in (in most cases)

that's a good way to get the better music the label has to offer, and then remix possibilities of course.

Oh by the way:

We're looking for a reviewer to cover techno, tech house, etc. We get a few promos, but we don't really have the "expertise" to offer up a strong opinion :P .

It's a free gig, but you can seek out label promos of your choice, so I guess that is indirect payment, plus you get to jam your opinion down other peoples' throats

PM me if you be interested.

steal tiestos email

yeah that would work

Re: Label Promos

quote:

Originally posted by woscar Total n00b question here...just wondering, how do you guys get promos from labels? Do you just contact them and say "can I get on your promo list?"

There are many different ways, of course, but contacting them is one that has worked for me in the past. Sometimes you get a response and sometimes you don't! Never hurts to ask though!

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.