Your input needed....

[astrysk]

If anyone is interested and wants to be kept up to date just send me a PM saying whether you are a band/artist or a music downloader, thanks!

Okay, I am working for a computer company and we are in the progress of making a music downloading website. This site will not be live until July 4th 2007. Now what I'd like to do is tell yall alittle about it and get your opinions and ideas.
So to tell you about the website:

This website is for independent artists only so you won't find Justin Timberlake or Metallica. Now I don't know about you but I wasn't a person who ever really looked at independent bands/artists much. So something that makes this site different is we are going to make a few things to make it easier to find what you are looking for.
First is going to be the "sounds like" search option. When artists/bands submit their music we are going to ask them who THEY think they sound like(cold play, christina aguilera) and them we are going to submit it to a piece of software that looks at the music and tells based on that what it is similar too.

Another search option we are trying to create is what kind of song it is( break up, cheating, kill myself) so you will be able to search under "rock" for example and then "break up songs".

Now for the pricing, artists/bands pay $15 a year to have their music on the site. The artists/bands get to set their OWN price for downloading their music. Also the artists/bands will get 90% and us 10%, so if you charge 50 cents for downloading your song then you get 45 cents and we get 5 cents. The artists/bands will get checks monthly, but only if the amount is over ten dollars.
We don't take any of your rights to your music, we just want to distribute for you! We're not in this to get rich like a lot of the other sites, we are all musicians who know how hard it is to get your name out there

We also have a blog already set up, and we are thinking of having profiles, definitely for the artists/bands and then later maybe for our users if they are interested.

So in conclusion I'd like your input. Does this sound like something you would be interested in, do you have any ideas to make it better? If you are interested or know someone who is contact me by PM please. All we have up right now is a temp website until the real one is finished, and we are also keeping track of where we were able to reach out to people. They didnt seem interested in gaia much, so anyone I find from here will be used as a way for me to kinda stick my tongue out at them xd  

[rayne_phantom]

it sounds pretty good to me, everything I colud think of you already have (how to search, profiles so we can get to know them), but just to clarify, are there demos/previews *and how long* before downloading so that we can hear what the song sounds like because if they're an independent artist then it's most likely not something you hear on the radio so the first time we'd hear them is on your site...

 

[Killer Zeit]

Wow, I really, really like that idea. (As I was already extremely interested in your join request.) xd

But as the person above me stated, I think there should be a 20-30 second preview option, just so you can hear what it is before you buy it. Although 50 cents isn't a big deal, it would be hard for some of us youngins to even be able to pay at all. o_o

I'm also all for the profiles.  

[Status Quo Joe]

That sounds great! But as others have stated Preveiw much.  

[rayne_phantom]

Yay People Agree With Me!!
Sorry, needed to say that...

 

[DEAD Rasputin]

that sounds amazing.
i would soo be into looking for bands.
but would you be able to search for local bands?
or bands closer to you?
Because sometimes when people want to find less known bands they like to see them live[[my freinds and i are like that>.<]]
and then it would be helping the bands
which might make them tell other smaller bands they play with about you guys..
and i dont know..

just an idea>.<
sorry.

 

[astrysk]

Zeit Rachen Havoc

Wow, I really, really like that idea. (As I was already extremely interested in your join request.) xd

But as the person above me stated, I think there should be a 20-30 second preview option, just so you can hear what it is before you buy it. Although 50 cents isn't a big deal, it would be hard for some of us youngins to even be able to pay at all. o_o

I'm also all for the profiles.

the 50 cents was just an example of the 90/10 split. Actually we are going to let the artists set the price for downloading a song and/or album. I know we are going to have a demo/preview and I will check and see if it has been decided on how long they will be. I was thinking 30 secs myself wink  

[astrysk]

Dr[[Acula]]

that sounds amazing.
i would soo be into looking for bands.
but would you be able to search for local bands?
or bands closer to you?
Because sometimes when people want to find less known bands they like to see them live[[my freinds and i are like that>.<]]
and then it would be helping the bands
which might make them tell other smaller bands they play with about you guys..
and i dont know..

just an idea>.<
sorry.

all you would have to do is tell the bands closer to you to contact us to put their music on our site. Next year we should have a studio built as well which will help make sure the quality of the songs stays good. Actually I think I will put an example of the letter we send out to bands and an FAQ-type thing here, that should help!

and I must say I am VERY happy so many seem interested!!!  

[astrysk]

an example letter we send to a BAND:
How's it going? We've all heard the horror stories about how a band gets signed to a major label, and some independent labels as well, and the label takes all rights to the music, refuses to release it, or doesn't push it, and eventually drops the band. We don't like that scenario, so we're trying something new.

What we're doing is starting a new kind of DRM free MP3 download site. It will be exclusively for unsigned, independent bands and artists, so you won't compete with any major label bands for exposure. Also, we'll offer promotional tools for you to help book tours, by seeing geographically where your music is selling the best. We will have access lists for you to contact local venues in these areas. And we will be sponsoring Xiie band only concerts across the country, and eventually the world. So you can eventually tour the entire world, just like a major label band, but retain all control of your music. We also will be promoting every band on Xiie, and helping you get your music heard and sold!

And the best part? We offer you a 90/10 split for profit, with you getting 90% of every sale you make. You can set your own price per track, and per album. All we ask is you pay a $12 fee per year for us to offer all the extras. I don't know if you've checked out any of the other download sites, but if you have, you'll see we have the best percentages, and yearly fee. And, the deal is non-exclusive, so you could sell your music here, and on any other place you like. We don't take any of your rights to your music, we just want to distribute for you! We're not in this to get rich like a lot of the other sites, we are all musicians who know how hard it is to get your name out there. So Xiie is our way of helping.

Our official launch date is Independence Day July 4th! We are getting bands signed up now to be heavily promoted on opening day, and if you want to be a part of that, just let me know.  

[astrysk]

FAQ

Q:I want to hear my local bands!
A:get them to sign up! or since we are not live yet, PM me their emails or a way to contact them, or if you'd rather not hand out their email then send me a PM first and I will send you my email.

Q: what are the costs?
A: for bands/artists, $15 a year. for users/downloaders, free/just the cost of your downloads

*Alli says:
its for independent/ unsigned bands right?
Jay says:
right
Alli says:
so what if while on xiie they get a deal?
Alli says:
do u kick them off?
Jay says:
no major label artists allowed
Jay says:
no
Jay says:
as long as their independent wehn they sign on
Jay says:
they will stay on

*Alli says:
how long will the demo/preview be for songs?
Jay says:
30 sec
Alli says:
yay!
Jay says:
there will also be featured artists where you get to hear 1 complete song

*Song quality and format= 15 mbs @ 192 bits with unlimited uploads, and they will be mp3's.

*Alli says:
for the band and artist, will they just have a band page or will it be customizable like an actual profile page?
Jay says:
it will be semi-customizable
Jay says:
you can choose some different colors, but no html like myspace
Alli says:
so no graphics? or maybe certain spots where they can upload some?
Jay says:
they'll be able to upload some pics, but not really random graphics
Alli says:
ok cool
Jay says:
if they have their logo in .jpg form, they can do that
Jay says:
but not like a happy bunny pic, or something like that
Alli says:
so something relating to the band basically, right?
Jay says:
right

*Alli says:
also will they be able to have ALL their music on their page
Jay says:
people searching their page will see everything they have available
Jay says:
it will be categorized by album, but all visible

*Alli says:
will downloaders get profiles?
Jay says:
if they pay for the download protection plan, they will have a profile similar to the artists
Jay says:
otherwise, no, not a real profile
Jay says:
it will remember them, but it wont be customizable
Alli says:
whats the download protection plan?
Jay says:
ok
Jay says:
the people who download and buy songs, will only get them that one time
Jay says:
unless, they get a download plan
Jay says:
what that does, is have us save their purchases, so they can re-download for free if they ever need to
Alli says:
how much is it?
Jay says:
otherwise, without the plan, they would have to re-buy the mp3
Jay says:
$12 a year
Jay says:
cheap
Alli says:
so if for some reason they deleted the mp3 off their computer or something, without the plan they would have to re-buy it, but with the plan they could re-download it at no charge..... right?
Jay says:
right





I will add more as they come up!

hope ya don't mind the IM conversation format sweatdrop its easier for all of us to pass around xd  

[DEAD Rasputin]

Xiie.net

Alli says:
so what if while on xiie they get a deal?
Alli says:
do u kick them off?
Jay says:
no major label artists allowed
Jay says:
no
Jay says:
as long as their independent wehn they sign on
Jay says:
they will stay on

i thought that was really nice./kind/brilliant.
because then if they get noticed, and signed for something big.
it was you who helped them get noticed.
and they would probably appreciate it.
so they might agree to avertise for you[[if you do that]]
and you might get a larger profit.

 

[astrysk]

Thats what we are hoping! Its good we are part of an established company because not making a profit at first isnt going to make or break us. 3nodding  

[DEAD Rasputin]

well it is very good that you plan ahead.
it pans out better that way.
and it seems youve done a very good job at it.
bravo.

 

[astrysk]

thanks! now we just need the website to get finished, all the didfferent databases and etc dealing with the all the different search options are being glitchy on us right now, but they will be beaten into submission!!  

[astrysk]

I also think we will have a newsletter soon that will later become a magazine! We are also working on getting something together for our users that will have been here from the start!