Musician Individuality

[Pon3fy]

Okay, Guys. This is something that has been bothering me for a long time.

As none of you know, I'm Pon3fy. And I make mostly Trance and Anamanagouchi type stuff.

I wanted to talk about a little something, And that is Individuality in this fandom.
I don't make music to be popular. I make music because it's pretty much the only thing I'm good at. And It makes me happy. Really happy.
With that being said.

It seems like everypony likes the same type of music... As shown in who's considered to be big fishes.

Alex S.
The Living Tombstone
Glaze

just to name a couple. NONE OF THESE ARTISTS ARE BAD BY ANY MEANS, AND IN NO WAY AM I SAYING I'M BETTER. But at the same time, Genres like Trance, Speedcore, Complextro...A lot of those get tossed aside, and replaced by the grindy, Dubstep sound that everypony seems to love.

I've even experienced this on my soundcloud in the past.

If I upload something that sounds like Dubstep, everypony eats it up.
But If I keep to my style and what I love, Nopony likes it, And I even lose followers sometimes.

I wanna be myself

But I want ponies to like what I produce, and I just don't know what to do.


Thank you all for listening.

[Nine Volt]

Protip 1: Glaze is not dubstep. Tomb is rarely dubstep.

Protip 2: Please refrain from using 'pony' to describe people.

Protip 3: Speedcore gets ignored because it deserves it. (I'm kidding, I just don't like it)

Protip 4: Just keep doing what you like, you'll build up a following in a year or two if you're good at it. You'll get it as long as you're good.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

I'm seeming to have the opposite problem. I love making trashy, generic bass music but everyone seems to like more experimental chill tracks with actual musical value.

[ghelded_kultz]

Individuality is an issue that has always plagued music (someone who knows what they are talking about should back me up hear). Similarly there have always been certain styles that are more popular with the public than others and currently dubstep (and electro-house/moobahcore and the like) are the popular ones so those sorts of tracks are going to naturally be more popular. At the same time there have always been genres that exists in the underground, often with no hope of ever leaving (though of your examples I think only speedcore counts).

Going on, there actually is quite a bit of trance and complextro in the fandom and it is fairly popular as a whole (maybe not as much as aggressive dubstep (my preferred neutral term for brostep) but it still is there). You just need to find an audience and let them bask in your music. Another thing is that a lot of people like variety and wish there was more in brony music, but can't find it because musicians keep trying to please listeners.

To close here is our advice (which is practiced by us so you know it's good). Be yourself and quit giving a flying feather about what other people think (well don't be as much of assholes as we are (respect is good)). You said it yourself.

"I don't make music to be popular. I make music because it's pretty much the only thing I'm good at. And It makes me happy. Really happy."

Make the music you want to and if others want to like it and you promote yourself you will find some fans. Don't fall into the trap of popular mediocrity.

Unrelated PS- When I first saw grindy I read it as grindie and was like, you're wrong. There is way too little grindie in the fandom. Then I realized that I was being stupid.

[Sai]

I'm in the group of "if you enjoy making and listening to it, then you're doing it right" people.
If someone decided to unsubscribe/follow/whatever from me because I wasn't making more dubstep/electro/<insert popular genre here> tracks, then I don't think that would be all that much of a loss, really.

Also, just out of interest:

Going on, there actually is quite a bit of trance and complextro in the fandom

Who are (a few of) the complextro artists?

[ghelded_kultz]

While I can't say any artist entirely makes complextro there are multiple artists that have dabbled in complextro.

For example: Art Attack, (Rachel?) Peacock (http://www.youtube.com/user/Crackleepohcal), MindKog (http://www.youtube.com/user/MindKog/videos?view=0) (Source: http://bronymusiciandirectory.blogspot. ... complextro) Or according to hearsay (I don't know enough about complextro to say yes to this), a lot of the tracks on Balloon Party.

As a counter name me one brony artist who makes (to name a recent electronic music trend) chillwave. Or perhaps shoegaze (technically nugaze at this point). Dance-punk? My point is that there are a lot of genres even less touched than complextro, speedcore and trance.

[Evine]

Ok, here's something I've observed around all music communities. And I'm gonna assume you're quite shit a music production. Most people are quite frankly bad at music -- That is if you kinda sound like an good artist, people will like your music because they hear potential. Now, when you produce a unusual style of music you lose all that, no-one sees potential anymore. Thus it's just shit music that just sounds bad. Rather than shit music that kinda sound like something that's good.

Here's an important thing to remember, you may succeed at individual aspects in your production, but not as a whole package. And only when you have a 'whole package' to present people will start caring for your unusual style. SoGreatandPowerful is a great example of a successful unusual 'whole package'

[Navron]

Alex S is very good at mixing and sound design. As an actual DJ, he has more experience with the club scene, and knows how to create a track that can be played in a club environment.

Tombstone is probably one of the most progressive and evolving musicians I've seen in the fandom, and does a lot of work both inside and outside the Brony community, such as working with TomSka (ASDF Series), RubberFruit (Heavy's Pizza Song), and more, which has actually sort of turned off some of the more hardcore members of the community that want Tombstone to do only pony music.

Wooden Toaster/Glaze (probably lurking this thread) is popular because of his compositional ability. There isn't another artist in the fandom that has been remixed so much, in a variety of styles, which can be attributed to his skill at creating melodies that fit the story and style of the song.


While Alex S and Tombstone have both produced dubstep in the past, it isn't their primary focus. Glaze hasn't produced anything close to dubstep as far as I can remember, but then again, people today generalize every type of music that contains a powerful modulated bass as dubstep.

I wanna be myself

But I want ponies to like what I produce, and I just don't know what to do.

You have 2 options:
- Improve your compositional and technical ability within your preferred genre to the point you've solidified your own individual sound, and perfected it.
...or...
- Sacrifice individuality for what's popular nowadays, which is bass music in general.

Here's an important thing to remember, you may succeed at individual aspects in your production, but not as a whole package. And only when you have a 'whole package' to present people will start caring for your unusual style.

Pretty much this.

[Pon3fy]

Thank you guys for all of your help... I didn't mean to bash anyone...I just wanted to voice how I feel....And, I never SAID that any of those artist were dubstep...I was just pointing out some big names.

[Pon3fy]

Protip 2: Please refrain from using 'pony' to describe people.

Well...I'm a brony, and I'm mainly talking TO bronies....So...

[Nine Volt]

Protip 2: Please refrain from using 'pony' to describe people.

Well...I'm a brony, and I'm mainly talking TO bronies....So...

So... what?

Unless you're roleplaying or writing a fanfic then you shouldn't use 'pony' like that.

But I digress, before I divert this thread too far off topic.

[itroitnyah]

Welcome to the real world, buddy. If you look at the big mainstream audience, the majority of the music they listen to comes from the radio, at a party/club, the itunes top 100 list, or a viral music video on the internet. They don't know about soundcloud, so they can't go to the explore button and find other artists. Nor do they know much about finding other artists. It isn't about what the person wants to hear, it's about what the music industry wants them to hear. So big record companies are going to heavily promote their music in the places that they know that the mainstream audience are going to be. Moreover, today's audience doesn't want to experiment with interests beyond their own favorite genre because it's what they know and are comfortable with. So of course if you make dubstep people are going to like it. It's what they know and are comfortable with. But that shouldn't deter you from making your favorite genre of music. It should compel you to make your music impressive. Give the few scouts who venture into different genres something that they can enjoy to listen to, and they'll listen to it, and hook on. Eventually getting more people to hook on. Give the big record companies something that's good enough that they'll want you to come and make money for them. And when they offer you the chance to sign a record label, deny them right there. Let them know that you're going to make music the way you want to make it, and not the way their damn guidelines are going to tell you how to make music. I'll tell you, almost none of the music I listen to anymore is from mainstream producers. A lot of my music is music that incredibly talented, but unnoticed, producers have made because they don't have to be the record companies bitch and make music by their rules, they rule themselves and their music, and their music is really amazing.

tl;dr? Don't care how many people enjoy your music. The only thing you should worry about is whether or not you like your music. Getting fans of your music is just a minor benefit.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

aggressive dubstep (my preferred neutral term for brostep)

:D

Someone finally has the right idea.

Back on topik, do whatever the hell you want to. Remember that no matter what you make, there will be people out there that like it, and even if they don't, they'll respect you.

[CaptainFluffatun]

[Kushy Kallous]

Protip 2: Please refrain from using 'pony' to describe people.

Well...I'm a brony, and I'm mainly talking TO bronies....So...

So... what?

Unless you're roleplaying or writing a fanfic then you shouldn't use 'pony' like that.

But I digress, before I divert this thread too far off topic.

Individuality as a musician has nothing to do with this. Stop being mean!!

Also, I heard some of your tracks, they're pretty damned good!
Individuality is NOT GIVING A BUCK BUDDY!!
Do what you feel will progress you as a musician, not what will progress you to be a more popular musician.

After a while the two will mesh. ; )

Are you going to be a musician with integrity? Or be another fitted label on a can of 'What They Want?'

[Sai]

Individuality as a musician has nothing to do with this.

True. It is, however, general good advice.

[Natas_blackmane]

*Pops up*
< . < I make metal ;-; no one in this fandom likes metal . . . . . . . .

I joke i joke but really i know the pain you are going through my firend. As almost all my music is "out side the box" (and i would have it no other way) haha like lost to the abyss . . . . Its to dance for the metal heads bronys its to metal for the dance loveing bronys XD i know theres no way i can make music that Everypony < . < > . > will like but really i in the end i make my music how i want it if some one likes it then that its a + .

[topitmunkeydog]

I am going to try and avoid saying something else that has been said but I think I need to bring up the point that there is a certain balance between making art for yourself and making art for other people. I haven't really heard anything by you, but if you can do what you want well, then success may or may not come to you. Especially if it's something unique. Take artists like Kimya Dawson. Her voice is totally weird and most music snobs throw up when they hear her. But in fact she makes truly sincere songs in a completely unique style that one can't really find anywhere, and because of this she got to do the soundtrack to Juno.
I'm totally rambling but I think if you aren't original at all people will love you for a short amount of time (until the fad fades) but if you are way too original your fanbase will not be as large but they will be loyal to you for a long time. Or something like that.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I produce whatever I feel like doing at any given time. I fail to see why someone who just does it for money should be my problem, no one forces me to listen or pay any attention to it.

As for genres getting ignored, Alex S. does pretty much anything under the umbrella of "bass music", including complextro, electro etc. The majority of Tomb's work is basically Electro, and Glaze is just melodic EDM in general.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Words yo!

I'd have to agree with Kyoga on this. I mean, sure. The genres I work in happen to be genres that are popular, but I make them just because I enjoy making the. Meaning, me making dubstep =/= OMG I WANA B SKRILLX!!!!!1!!1!1!!1. I just happen to like the genre enough to enjoy making it. Same goes for pretty much anything else I've made.

[CommandSpry]

Just do what I do and make no genre whatsoever; it's...popular?///?/???

[Pon3fy]

Again...Thank you all sooooo much....I was really expecting this forum to eat me alive ;~; But alot of you gave me some really good advice...Maybe I'll start posting here more often.

[Goggles]

Something that I think also needs consideration is timing and patience. A great many of the "popular" musicians were around towards the start of this music community two summers ago. "Brony music" was still a novel concept (the first and only musician I remember doing "pony" music early on was Not A Clever Pony), and a few people thought it was a good idea and joined in. Alex, Glaze, etc. have the followers they do firstly because they're incredibly talented, but also because they were around at the beginning, where there weren't as many options for people to listen to. Not to mention it's been, what, a year and a half/two years since this site and most of the popular musicians started their careers in the fandom. Talent is by far most important, but never expect to gain hundreds of followers overnight. Put out quality (note: quality is just as/even more important) stuff, then wait. You'll get a following eventually. It's going to be tough, especially with the volume of "brony" musicians there are. It might take months, years even, but sooner or later you'll find your audience.

...says the person with one remix and no followers/subscribers.

Also, I agree with what everyone else is saying. I would rather do what I love and have a smaller following than sell my soul for fame. Topitmonkeydog brings up a great point too.

[Lavender_Harmony]

Wow this kind of thread again ok. I make music, I've gotten hate for changing between genres before. I'm not popular, I'm not groundbreakingly unique, but I enjoy what I make. It's nice to be appreciated sometimes but my focus is my career in music, not brony. This fandom is finite, I've met a heck of a lot of talented people and helped many more.

In my opinion? You care too much about what other people think about you and your music, and this will affect what you make. Stop.

[itroitnyah]

Wow this kind of thread again ok. I make music, I've gotten hate for changing between genres before. I'm not popular, I'm not groundbreakingly unique, but I enjoy what I make. It's nice to be appreciated sometimes but my focus is my career in music, not brony. This fandom is finite, I've met a heck of a lot of talented people and helped many more.

In my opinion? You care too much about what other people think about you and your music, and this will affect what you make. Stop.

But what about caring too much about what you yourself think about your music? When I make my music I put a lot of work into trying to make sure that I like what I'm hearing, and I suppose that's how musicians get good, when they like what they hear, but what about when you try to impress your friends, and get them to like what they hear? I suppose that's been eating me up for a long time, so I'm guessing you're going to say that I shouldn't be trying to make something my friends like specifically, but that sotra makes critiquing music hard, because it conflicts with that I guess. Hm, I guess I've just been at war with myself over why I'm making music. I know that I like to make music and like to make something that sounds good, because I love to entertain people, but for some reason it feels like I'm making music for personal gain.