5 Ways To Share Your Synth Music With The World
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Half the fun of synthesizers, vintage or otherwise, is simply owning one or two and playing around with them for personal enjoyment. A lot of owners never even get around to composing a full song, let alone an album, but that is satisfying enough for them. However, if you are a synthesizer owner who actually managed to create a few tracks instead of simply succumbing to gear acquisition syndrome, then you will probably also want to share your creation. Inviting some friends and family around to have a listen is one way of getting some good feedback, but for brutally honest opinions and hopefully some praise and recognition, you are going to have to share it with the general public. Thankfully, there are more ways to accomplish that these days than having to lug all your gear to a street corner and busk. Instead, have a look at the following online methods of sharing your synth music with the world.
YouTube was founded in 2005 and it is still one of the most popular video sharing websites online. The total number of monthly active YouTube users was close to 2 billion in 2018 and the site has more than 30 million active daily users. Of course, with more than 5 billion videos shared to date, there are plenty of other content on the site vying for people's attention, so you are going to have to ensure that yours stand out. It is estimated that 20% of YouTube users will simply move on to another video if it hasn't hooked them within the first 10 seconds, which can make it tough to gain views. Most other artists and brands also release professional music videos on YouTube, but if your music does attract attention, then you can gain subscribers who will return to your channel for more content. YouTube also has built-in analytics, which makes it easy to track how many people your music is reaching, how much of it they are listening to and where they are from. In addition, YouTube videos can be monetized, so you could even earn some cash if your content receives enough views.
Social Media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)
Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, can be another great way to share your music with other people online. Most social media sites allow you to upload your songs directly or to share the links to the tracks that are already on other sites, such as YouTube. These sites have been around for years and have a huge user base, which can make it easier for you to share your music with a large audience. Features, such as pages and groups on Facebook, and hashtags on Twitter and Instagram, also makes it easier to target the specific audience you want for your music. If you make use of synthesizer groups or pages created by others, remember to abide by their rules and don't spam your content.
SoundCloud has been around since 2008 and it is still used by many musicians to share their work and build up a fanbase. SoundCloud has millions of daily active listeners, which allows you to find your community, but it also allows you to create private links for your uploads in order to share it with just the people you choose. Another big advantage of SoundCloud is that it allows for in-track comments, so people can tell you exactly what they like and don't like about your tunes. Real-time stats also makes it easy to see who are listening to your tunes and where they are from. In addition, SoundCloud has an embed player and audio cards, so you can upload your songs and then share them everywhere from your own website to social media. Thanks to direct messaging, it is also easy to find other artist you like on SoundCloud and reach out to them for collaborations.
Sharing your music with others is fun, but earning some money for your hard work is even better. If you have already build up a fan base or feel that the quality of your tracks merit payment, then something like Bandcamp can help a lot. According to their site, fans have paid artists close to $400 million already, so there is no shortage of people who are willing to pay in order to expand their digital music collections. Creating an artist account on Bandcamp is free, but they do take a percentage of the share on sales as well as merch. A "Pro" tier is also available at a monthly fee, which provides you with more options, such as batch uploading, targeted messaging, ad-free video hosting, and deeper stats.
The ultimate dream for many synth owners is to actually earn a living from their hobby, which might not be impossible, thanks to services such as Patreon. More than 100,000 creators already use Patreon to run their creative membership business, so if you are really good you might be able to join their ranks. Patreon features monthly pledges, so if fans love your work, they will be able to make regular financial contributions. You are also able to make use of gated content, so whatever you upload can be made visible to the public, patrons only, or even just selected tiers that you have created based on monthly contributions. Patreon also offers direct fan engagement and you retain full control of your work.
Conclusion
The five methods listed above are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sharing your synth music with the world and getting valuable feedback. There are plenty of other services available online and the only things you need is a computer, internet access and a thick skin. Whether it is Reddit, specialized forums or even your own website, let us know in the comments below what your favorite way is to share your tunes online.
