Get Your Mixes Noticed

We have a ton of mixes shared with us on a regular basis. We listen to dozens of mixes a week. We promote and share mixes constantly and we of course have our own monthly mix “DeepWit Sessions“. With that in mind, there is no way we would have the chance to listen to every mix out there, which means often mixes that feature either Alvaro’s music or music from the label will win out over mixes that don’t feature our music. Good news for DeepWit supports though is that if you play our music, we will go out of our way to send some love back to you by sharing your mix far and wide via our Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Flipboard and Facebook.

Unsurprisingly a lot of mixes go unnoticed and unplayed though. Here is a a list of what we consider to be the most important parts of getting your mixes heard by the masses.

• Artwork and Design that both calls attention and already gives the listener an idea of who and what they are listening to. Keep the artwork relevant, which normally shouldn’t involve sexualising women or being discriminatory towards different groups of humanity. (Check out this post on Artist names if you haven’t picked yours yet).
• A track listing. I can not stress the importance of this, including making it easier for labels and artist to see you have supported them (yay more likes and shares!) to giving your listeners a chance to see your good taste before they ever hit the play button. (You can check out more reasons why here.)
• Sharing directly with the artist and labels you have supported in your mix. Make sure to tell them one of their tracks is included! This makes sure they will at least give it a quick listen and are more likely to pass it onto their followers, if it is a good quality mix and has a track list of course.
• Building a base of supporters who enjoy your mixes. This takes time, effort and networking. But you got into Djing because you wanted to share your love of music anyways, so just think of this as more reason to make friends in the music scene.
• Social Media is your Friend. Share your mixes in a thousand different ways after having uploaded them to sites like Soundcloud and Mixcloud, two of the friendlier more universal services out there but there are several great sites to use. Don’t stop there though, share your mixes via your Twitter, Personal and Artist Facebook pages, Google+, Reddit, Pinterest, Flipboard, Instagram, Tumblr, ect.

 

 

How to be a Good Boyfriend – For Producers

Ok lets just get straight down to it. I am tired of seeing all those “silly” posts about how your computer/equipment/daw is your girlfriend and the only “woman” you need. Sometimes, I am not sure how silly they really are, or how lonely or not you maybe sitting behind that beautiful Mac of your’s. I am aware though, that often being a producer or a musician in general can equal to less than ideal circumstances for a happy relationship. Now, I am not saying you aren’t happy without a girlfriend or wife BUT if the idea is that maybe someday you want to be involved in a committed relationship, it is important to have an idea to what the hell is required.

Here is a bit of advice, from a woman who has been with a Mac obsessed, Logic loving and Virus T addicted man for several years, in how to have a happy relationship with more than your own “hardware”.

1. Invite her into your world. That means exposing her to your little corner of the world where music is your “second” greatest passion (after her of course). You might want to clean up first.
2. Make sure she like’s your music from the get go. Play your music for her, discreetly, to get a feel if this is something she enjoy’s. If she can’t stand the music you make or that you listen to, it might be a rough go of it.
3. Don’t put down her own musical tastes, as you wouldn’t want her to treat your music that way. Having a wider range of music in your life is never a minus and the more open you are to her likes, the more open she is likely to be to yours. Plus, this gives you both a chance to understand each other better.
4. Ya ya, music is your life. Now get up and take her out on a date, out on the town or on an adventure. Exploring life, seeing a bit more than just what your computer has to show you, with her at your side, can bring in a whole lot of new inspiration and happiness. It might also just keep her off your back for the rest of the weekend to work on your music too.
5. Giver her your full attention, make time for her, spoil her. A happy woman is a woman who is more likely to support you and give you space and time for your own things aka music.
6. Encourage her to have her own passions as well. Be as encouraging and supportive of her, as you wish her to be of you.
7. Make a place in your musical world for her. This can mean having a space in your studio you share with her where she can read or be on her computer, near you but enjoying your own things.
8. Listen to her when she tells you to take a break, or that pad or hat or whatever sounds like crap. Use it as a chance to tell her how beautiful she is, how much you adore her, whatever it is about her that makes her awesome enough to listen to and cherish. And give your ears a break while you’re at it.
9. Involve her in your music, if she is interested. Record her voice, show her around your DAW, let her help you make a track. Invite her to be a part of what you do, if nothing else so she can better understand the work you put into the music and have a different appreciation for it.
10. Not to be cheesy but it really is the small things. By taking time for her, making sure her needs are meet and involving her in your life (musical and otherwise), you are building a foundation for a happy and healthy relationship.

And don’t worry, I’ll be writing a blog post soon about how to be a good “Producers Girlfriend”. We all have our own idea’s of what is necessary for a happy relationship and I would be happy to hear if you agree with me, disagree with me or feel I’ve left something out.

Dude, stop spamming me!

Lets have a little talk. Ya, maybe I accepted your friend request on Facebook or requested you as a friend. Maybe myself or Alvaro supported your track or a track from your label on a chart or radioshow. Which in turn means I normally add it to our Pinterest, our Flipboard, our tumblr, ect. I am happy to support good music, nice mixes and artists & labels that stand out to me. I am happy to make new friends, find ways to collaborate or share experiences and advice.

What I am NOT down with is being spammed. There seems to be a lot of confusion on what constitutes as spam and every person has their own threshold for what they can take. Below is a list of things I consider spam.

1. Tagging me in things I have nothing to do with. Do not tag me in your photo or add my name to a status update that in no way involves me. If I supported your track, sure feel free to add me to a photo or status or two. If you play one of the labels or Alvaro’s tracks, sure let us know by sharing it with us. Don’t just tag me to tag me.
2. Don’t write me, “thanks for the support –  follow me here or buy my music here”. Obviously, if I supported your music, a good chance is I am already following you and now I will just find you obnoxious. If you feel it necessary, at least get some form of dialogue going first.
3. Actually just DON’T write me and ask me to follow you here or there. Or worse, send me to a buy shop to purchase your music, without anything more than a hello. I will NOT look at it.
4. Want me to hear your music, send me a soundcloud link, send me a youtube link (if its from yourself or the label you released with), ask me to nicely check out such and such. DON’T message me 5 times in a day demanding I listen to your music or posting it on my wall several times.
5. Don’t be pushy or rude. Mind your manners, don’t call me BABY, or hit on me or assume I should know who you are and get offended when I don’t. It isn’t exactly spam but it makes you look like an ass.

This is what others have to say about Spam and what types of spam they hate –

Andy Ward – Receiving email promos when you didn’t ask to be put on the list… ESPECIALLY if it’s a genre you don’t even play. Getting tagged in event flyers/release info on Facebook. Constant tags on Follow Friday on Twitter. (note: I love FF on twitter but really dislike being stuck on promo lists I don’t want to be on and can’t unsubscribe from.)

Tunicia Phillips –  I’ve had to adjust my privacy setting in order to block non related flyer and event tags. I never mind promos via email but as Andy Ward says, its a different thing when its completely out of your preferred genre or house style. (note: we have also had to adjusted our privacy settings, which is kinda sad don’t you think?)

Dee C’rell – Spam to me: an act of advertisement which neglects the personal one-to-one interaction of humanity and conversation in pursuit of commercial or other, alternative objectives.

Lets make our musical community an even cleaner, happier and more productive one by reducing spam and using your manners 🙂