Downward Trajectory of Brony Music (New Blog Launch pg 3 on)

[Freewave]

I was talking with my friend Lore and I thought we should move our discussion to a larger venue. I think we really have seen a real downward trajectory on the fandom's interest in MUSIC about mlp and that's due to a variety of factors. I'm sure fanfiction and images have likely stopped coming out at the same volume too without having new canon around it but music has different problems that are leading to it really suffering for those who are trying to stick it out. I'm gonna ask Lore to report some of the points he made and then chime in but I really do believe that sometimes talking about what the problem is might make us feel a little better about what is happening or help find a way out somehow (perhaps).


This initial thread main focus now is a new community music blog launch. Most of that takes place from page 3 on but feel free to read the full thread which led to this decision.

[LoreRD]

Copy/pasta from Skypechat:

[10/19/13 9:41:57 PM] LoreRD: It feels like there's two problems with this music community
[10/19/13 9:42:10 PM] LoreRD: It's not especially friendly towards newcomers
[10/19/13 9:42:46 PM] LoreRD: The "old musicians" have for the most part moved on and generally don't want people constantly asking about MLP anymore
[10/19/13 9:43:26 PM] LoreRD: So the newcomers don't have those "idols" of MLP-related music around to talk to anymore
[10/19/13 9:43:45 PM] LoreRD: All they have is… I guess gaming groups and MLR
[10/19/13 9:44:16 PM] LoreRD: Which is okay... I suppose
[10/19/13 9:46:01 PM] LoreRD: So these newcomers don't see the people around them as especially inspiring
[10/19/13 9:46:57 PM] LoreRD: Less of a "I want to work alongside you" and more "I'll do my own thing and see how that goes"
[10/19/13 9:47:20 PM] LoreRD: And what I've seen of the community on MLR
[10/19/13 9:48:00 PM] LoreRD: Most of they people who are around aren't especially optimistic
[10/19/13 9:49:03 PM] Freewave .: You are definitely right. I think you nailed it on the head.
[10/19/13 9:49:03 PM] LoreRD: Second problem is that music seems to be taken for granted way too much
[10/19/13 9:49:38 PM] LoreRD: Look at the comments at any music post on EqD and you'll see what I mean by that
[10/19/13 9:50:18 PM] LoreRD: Most of them are in-jokes about EqD, or commenting about the header image and/or Seth's comment
[10/19/13 9:50:36 PM] Freewave .: Listening to a track for 5 min seems to be to much for people. They want instant gratification
[10/19/13 9:50:44 PM] LoreRD: Only ~40% are about the actual music
[10/19/13 9:51:11 PM] LoreRD: And when your viewer base takes what do you do almost entirely for granted...
[10/19/13 9:51:26 PM] LoreRD: No support at all
[10/19/13 9:51:37 PM] Freewave .: Agree sadly
[10/19/13 9:51:40 PM] LoreRD: Which hurts creativity and motivation
[10/19/13 9:51:53 PM] LoreRD: And I think it's starting to show
[10/19/13 9:52:02 PM] LoreRD: (lack of music in October)

[10/19/13 9:15:15 PM] LoreRD: On a whim, checked EqD in the first time in a month or so
[10/19/13 9:15:31 PM] LoreRD: Kinda curious to see how music is doing on there
[10/19/13 9:15:41 PM] LoreRD: Not good
[10/19/13 9:16:00 PM] LoreRD: 10 music "of the day"s in all of October
[10/19/13 9:16:16 PM] LoreRD: And only a couple spotlight posts here and there

[10/19/13 9:52:32 PM] LoreRD: I'm still waiting and seeing what happens when the next season comes along
[10/19/13 9:52:56 PM] LoreRD: Don't know what else to say about it :/
[10/19/13 9:53:28 PM] Freewave .: I'm at a point where i can spend 2 months on a track that will get a "that's nice" and that's it. It's like Rarity's dress.
[10/19/13 9:53:40 PM] LoreRD: :(
[10/19/13 9:54:33 PM] LoreRD: (I think) I have some actual "fans" who do take my music at the effort I put into it, but not many
[10/19/13 9:54:53 PM] LoreRD: And most of them are people who I actually know online (most of whom are musicians themselves)
[10/19/13 9:55:31 PM] LoreRD: So I'm sitting here wondering if the effort I put into this EP is actually going to pay off
[10/19/13 9:55:40 PM] Freewave .: Yeah i have no idea if i have any real "fans"
[10/19/13 9:55:58 PM] Freewave .: Supporters perhaps
[10/19/13 9:56:01 PM] LoreRD: To the point where I'm basically just procrastinating
[10/19/13 9:58:28 PM] LoreRD: Or maybe I'm just seeing it from a completely inaccurate and biased perspective
[10/19/13 9:58:41 PM] LoreRD: Not "in touch" with the community anymore
[10/19/13 9:59:00 PM] LoreRD: Maybe these new kids have their own music forum where everything's great
[10/19/13 9:59:14 PM] LoreRD: That we "old folks" don't know anything about

[Freewave]

What do people think? It just feels the community as a whole has been dissolving over the last year and that comraddery and community spirit is rather vacant now. Will it magically spring back up with new episodes or is the damage to our infrastructure done?

Thoughts? Are you happy with how the musical fandom works? What can we CHANGE?

{{EDIT: See page 3 for discussions on how to make things BETTER}}

[Alycs]

Yeah, the year-long hiatus is really leading to a heavy loss. So many of the artists are moving on, and the community isn't growing. The show brings in people, and the show isn't on.

Basically, the way I see it is this:

In the beginning, there was a GIANT growth in the fandom because it was so big. The musicians of the early days had a huge publicity because EqD focused on them and, as EqD was the only blog with a giant influx of people, they heard those artists and liked them, skyrocketing them to popularity. Other artists came a little later, and while they didn't have the huge rush, there were enough people still coming in that they would hear that music, tell their other friends, and give them a following as well.

Now, there is virtually no input on the fan side, but giant input on the artists. At this point, everyone knows and loves Glaze, Tombstone, Aviators, Alex S, ArtAttack, Silva, and the other early musicians; they talk about those artists, and have enough pony music to last them a while. All the late artists are making music to a crowd that is used to other people. They don't get excited about new artists or songs because they already have their idols, they've already heard so much music. They simply don't care.

So unless there is a giant inrush with the new season, I don't really see anything except a stagnating music side. (or if EqD stops publishing popular artists altogether and forces the audience to listen to new people)

But overall, I'm really upset that this is what's happening, the entire fandom seems to be falling apart simply because there hasn't been a show, and because of all the recent infighting. Shows like sherlock, doctor who, and Supernatural can survive simply because people like them, and they have the whole "superwholock" thing. When one's down, another pops up. MLP... frankly, people hate it and the fandom, so trying to tough it out is 10x harder.

[ClaviSound]

It just feels the community as a whole has been dissolving over the last year and that camaraderie and community spirit is rather vacant now.

There's a reason why this thread exists. We have people with inordinate amounts of skill who remain under the radar simply because they're not big-name artists. And some people's attitudes about music in the fandom don't help matters:

So you want him [Mando] to study up on less popular musicians so he can... lose subscribers? Apparently having that many subs isn't getting somewhere.

What we have nowadays is a Catch-22 of "if you don't get exposure, you won't get popular, but if you're not popular, you don't get exposure." And it disheartens a lot of people who know that they will never get listeners on the level of these early musicians solely because they weren't part of the fandom back then.

So, I think that the passion is dwindling because it's so difficult to get your voice heard that, barring an EqD feature or getting a song in a community album, it's almost impossible to see any growth in a musician's following.

[Alycs]

Yeah, I think what EqD really needs is to start focusing a lot more on the lesser known musicians. At this point, everyone and their grandma knows who Mando and Acousticbrony and Tombstone and the rest are. They don't need to post them anymore when they release songs because half the fandom follows them and listens to it before EqD can even write up the post.

[ClaviSound]

There is a tumblr blog called “MLP Promotions” that as far as I can tell is now abandoned, but it had a formula for determining whose posts would get through and how often.

Basically, it allots 3 posts concerning music from people with 0-500 subscribers, 2 from people with 501-1000, and 1 from 1000+.

Now, this might have to be adjusted for subscriber scale, but I think this is definitely a viable option as opposed to Spotlight features only limited by unanimous votes from prelisteners. Music of the Day should stay as it is methinks, but placing a limiter on the spotlight posts will greatly help those whose biggest problem is exposure.

It might also make some prelisteners think a bit harder over whether they should automatically push that hot new “insert-name-of-brony-musician-with-10,000+-subs-here” track, or opt not to since most of the people who’d visit EqD and click on the video there are going to find and listen to it anyway without a post prompting them.

(copypasted from a Tumblr post of mine)

[Freewave]

The difficult thing is EQD is designed to highlight the best artists. Hell there's been plenty of older posts on here arguing AGAINST motd existing and how a lot of the veterans wanted to go to the spotlight only method of former years because they majority of music is "crap" and glutting up the site and killing the fandom. I always hated that argument but I am glad that motd has survived (or people would quit this fandom even faster) and that people are at least getting on there (although motd might net you 1000 views in a week tops in many cases while a spotlight will net you a LOT more). The fact is is that EQD is designed to keep the majority of music out and only feature the "best" as judged by others. That's their job. It's the brony pop radio station.

Many smaller blogs have tried to do similar things with highlighting music and few have lasted or really gained big support. That doesn't mean that it can't work.

I've always thought a tumblr that works like EQD but encourages musicians to subscribe and listen to each other through submissions and posts would be a good alternative. Focus only on those new and mid level musicians who submit tracks and not those musicians above who won't. We have an MLR tumblr that we don't use. We could actually make it one that benefits those ON mlr and works as a better alternative to the music section here. Where you submit your track, heart something if you like it, reblog it if you love it, and write them back if you think they really could make some improvements that would help them next time. If something doesn't do well in a weeks time its dropped from the archive. Instead of having hundreds of threads here that no one looks at, why not a single tumblr blog thats open to the public and posts blog style? That also featured news on mlr events (and weekly stuff like toast beard)? With lots of authors from this board helping out?

[CitricAcid]

I haven't been in the fandom all that long, but I can definitely see what you mean. I think that the world can handle only so much brony music. Think about it this way: if a composer sits down and writes a solo piano piece, will he be able to get it performed? Probably not. There are CENTURIES worth of solo piano music out there that are already great and that everyone likes. At this point, it seems like there is so much brony music out there, that nothing will ever be as popular as the stuff that was made long ago.

So if your goal is to make it big writing music, then yeah, the brony scene probably isn't the place to do that anymore. If your goal is to make it big writing brony music specifically, then you'll need to think outside the box a bit to get that to happen.

Referring to my analogy, if that same composer, instead of writing a solo piano piece, writes for piano and woodwind quartet, the addition of the other instruments makes his piece more appealing to potential performers. However, the composer will have to work harder to get it performed, since he now has to find ensembles of five players rather than just pianists. So basically what I think we could do if we want to keep brony music alive, is to branch out into other audiences. Write some brony/gamer music or something. I understand that League of Legends has people who write fan music.

OR, we would need to redefine what brony music is. Again referencing my analogy, if the aforementioned composer writes a solo prepared piano piece, then his piece becomes more appealing to performers, because he is using the instrument in a unique way. He will still need to work harder, though, because he has to find pianists willing to prepare their instrument. By and large, this fandom outputs musicians in EDM genres. What if all of a sudden, everypony started writing heavy metal, hip hop, or film music? That would change everyone's understanding of what brony music is. It would be fresh! But coordinating a change like that would be tough, if not impossible. Maybe there's other changes that can be made to the brony music scene that can redefine what it is?


And regarding EqD, I think it's fine the way it is. It's still a very easy place to get your music heard and get a few views and subs. EqD shouldn't be responsible for making people popular. It should be a tool used by people who are trying to make themselves more popular.

[Freewave]

I agree EQD isn't the enemy. It's more open then its ever been in the past. Can there be good alternatives to it? Should there be? Yes....

Brony Music is WIDE OPEN style wise. Just because the majority is EDM doesn't mean it HAS to be. In fact people need to see what has anbd hasn't been done. Branch out genre wise i say. But I'll also say that brony music is music fannon about MLP. If I see MLP art it has pictures of mlp charcters, if i read fimfiction it has mlp characters in it. When i listen to MLP music it better be about the show or it's a bait and switch to me. That's one of the inherent flaws about so much our music out there i'm afraid to say.

[Alycs]

However, as I said, people are used to EqD, so at this point any alternative has pretty bleak chances

[Callenby]

Thank you guys for offering potential solutions instead of just kvetching about it. We ought to do more to support one another and improve the music scene, because it makes absolutely no sense that one medium of fan work is suffering and others are not. The MLR Tumblr is a good place to start, I think.

That being said, crests and troughs are completely natural and expected. Just because the pendulum has swung one way it doesn't mean it won't ever swing right back.

An alternate to EQD isn't really feasible, in my opinion, so we should focus on lobbying for changes within the structure. Yes, it would be nice if EQD did a feature or something on individual musicians and did more than just toss things on MOTD without any sort of comment. I also don't think it would hurt if they spotlit more songs rather than put on MOTD, as I think there's no lack of worthy candidates. On the other hand, they're not the be-all-end-all authority on the "best" music. They're a blog with an opinion and a readership; frankly speaking, it's that last point that I think so many of us (myself included) are concerned with them at all.

(By the way, Freewave, I think you mean "Downward Trajectory")

[Freewave]

I run blogs and i still misspell and use the wrong words all the time, the irony.

If ppl like the tumblr idea let me know. It won't be EQD. But it could be the next chapter of mlr that we were promised and that never really happened. We have to start rebuilding what we have here and forming a community that's going to continue to stick around.

[Callenby]

+1 for the Tumblr idea!

I think the onus is really upon us to create something sustainable for our music. Like it or not, many if not most of the people listening are casual consumers and a lot of us don't receive tangible benefits in return for our output (in other words, we often invest money for music we release for free). That's not to say we don't benefit in other ways (such as exposure and our own improvement through practice) or that we should all start charging money (because I definitely don't think we should). But it does mean a degree of extra work from everyone; a team effort; an effort of friendship, you might say...

[JSynth]

So, I am going to write a personal rant. Keep in mind, I am running on 3 hours of sleep.

Something that has been bugging me lately has been that attitude of some of the musicians who have been in the fandom for a while. I keep hearing about the "glory days" and how "brony music is dead." What bugs me about that most, is that was one of the things that I loved about this fandom when I first joined. I found myself listening to pony radio exploring the music for the first time.

Now, when people say "brony music is dead" its almost like saying "sorry, but you joined the fandom too late."

Maybe I will go over this more, but I need sleep.

[Freewave]

So, I am going to write a personal rant. Keep in mind, I am running on 3 hours of sleep.

Something that has been bugging me lately has been that attitude of some of the musicians who have been in the fandom for a while. I keep hearing about the "glory days" and how "brony music is dead." What bugs me about that most, is that was one of the things that I loved about this fandom when I first joined. I found myself listening to pony radio exploring the music for the first time.

Now, when people say "brony music is dead" its almost like saying "sorry, but you joined the fandom too late."

Maybe I will go over this more, but I need sleep.

No i agree completely. And it means several things:

1. Interest in it is dieing out (which sadly is true but MOSTLY because we've had a year w/o any canon on which to base fanon)

2. There's more musicians than ever. (which is true but how many are practicing and active brony musicians might be up for discussion). But are we seeing more music for the fans in a week? Maybe not....

3. The casual music listener just stopped with Tombstone, Glaze, Alex, Aviators, etc and hasn't moved on. There's little interest in new musicians or music. It's like being a shoegaze fan, you're worshiping the past not the present. We have to change that.

4. Some people just don't like MLP anymore. Season 3 kinda sucked and so did EQGirls. Some people would rather move on and do something else during a year away. It's a shame when that translates to MLP isn't cool anymore but some people do believe that.

5. They'd rather focus on a career and getting away from ponies. Alex, Archie, and company made this the cool thing to do and think that we should walk with them as they leave the community. Good luck but i don't see why we should follow people as they leave and ignore people who have stuck around. I could listen to pandora or each pitchfork if i wanted superior music sans ponies.

6. As people at the top leave eventually people below realize that its not getting a whole lot better either so they might leave when their peers and friends do as well. I hate to see the community shed people who've been doing this 2+ years and have had their fill but it happens. I've seen many of my friends go on hiatus and stop making music and it SUCKS. Because you feel bad having them check out wips or asking them to check out your music when you'd like to do the same back.

7. As old people leave there will BE some good musicians around who legitimately deserve to come in and replace and get noticed. Look for originality, fresh spirit, genres that are now vacant, and most of all a decent ear for music and ideas. Those that have stuck around may have got complacent and began writing their music to appeal to fans (ie pop music) and not making it as vital as it used to be. But this community needs to stop seeing new people as the enemy and they have become who i think the veterans blame.

8. People stop listening to others and they stop seeing their fellow bronies as friends and as competition. That's not good. MLR is all about people becoming better musicians and working together and growing. It should focus around a spam thread either. It didn't help that all the veterans in this community began leaving and isolating themselves in private chatrooms to get away from the herd.

[Freewave]

I will say i absolutely love what General Mumble said about this whole situation to his peers on tumblr:

"I remember back when this fandom got started, and mylittleremix.com was the place to be. Back there, there were still LOADS of musicians both good and bad (and everything between). But everyone there was helping each other get better- the knowledgeable were giving tips to the less-so and the knowledgeable were learning from the less-so’s (and their own) mistakes! Everyone was getting along and wanting to make the best out of everyone.

Now all I can hear is people saying that you have to wade through the sh*t musicians to find the good ones.

There’s no will anymore to try and make someone better at what they do, they’re just tossed aside as a shit pony musician wannabe who wants to be the next ‘pony Skrillex’ or some sh*t. See, what I don’t get, is why SO MANY PEOPLE think that’s such a bad intention. These people clearly enjoy the show, and clearly want to make a name for themselves in a way they can enjoy doing so, and then you have us more-popular musicians sneering at them like they’re losers when they’re actually looking up to us. They aspire to be what we’ve become, and with attitudes like ‘unless you’re good I’m not going to listen to you’, no one is going to grow to become better, or even gain the confidence to want to become better anymore.

If you’ll pardon the pun, I think it’s about time some of you got off your high horse and stopped acting like being popular means you are in a place to sit back and judge the fandom in the way you’re doing. Especially if you’re “not in the fandom” anymore.

This is a fanbase where one of the main foundations is supposed to be kindness to others, and yet so many of you insult and throw aside those who aren’t quite up to some music-making standard that deems them worthy of your time.

It’s honestly no wonder that so many people see us more-popular musicians as circlej*rking c*nts."

[vladnuke]

yo freewave that means that we just gotta make the final jump to shiba crew right?
lol

[ClaviSound]

Ooh, I got lots of opinions on a lot of things said here:

What if all of a sudden, everypony started writing heavy metal, hip hop, or film music?

Thing is, people do write quite a bit of these things, or at least where hip-hop is concerned far as I know. You have Da Mane, TheGrassSaysMooo, Koltunn, Lorentz, 2Hoovez, Magro, PJBrony, Versal... and that's only limiting myself to the people who do hip-hop more than rap (yes the two are different shaddup) and who aren't necessarily popular (no one with over 500 subscribers, and six under 200). Plus there are some guitarists on the heavier side I've seen, like Sicknessia and YokaTheChangeling (although the latter is at 1k+ subs now, but still).

The problem, as I've mentioned before, is exposure. EDM gets a lot more exposure than other genres, and that's just the way it works. It's not so much that there's an overwhelming majority of EDM musicians in the fandom so much that a higher ratio of it is a hit with listeners, whether that's EqD prelisteners or just people in general.

And regarding EqD, I think it's fine the way it is. It's still a very easy place to get your music heard and get a few views and subs. EqD shouldn't be responsible for making people popular. It should be a tool used by people who are trying to make themselves more popular.

Indeed, EqD should be a tool used by people who are trying to make themselves more popular. Which isn't as effective if it's spotlighting musicians who don't really need it.

If ppl like the tumblr idea let me know. It won't be EQD. But it could be the next chapter of mlr that we were promised and that never really happened. We have to start rebuilding what we have here and forming a community that's going to continue to stick around.

Yes pls

3. The casual music listener just stopped with Tombstone, Glaze, Alex, Aviators, etc and hasn't moved on. There's little interest in new musicians or music. It's like being a shoegaze fan, you're worshiping the past not the present. We have to change that.

Heheh, if only it was easy to change that. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of inspiration in the community to do huge professional collaborations anymore on the level of the Massive Smile Project or Breaking Bonds from Balloon Party. It's not that there's a dreck of talent, but that the talent isn't motivated to come together as much. And sure, there's community albums and megamixes, but not on the same level or with as much interaction or integration as before.

Look for originality, fresh spirit, genres that are now vacant, and most of all a decent ear for music and ideas.

Mayng, sometiiiiimes that's just unbelievably difficult. For example, yourself. I only know you from one spotlight (or was it MotD? Can't remember now) that was something along the lines of "The Professor Explains the Science behind Alicorns." So if it hadn't been for me catching that on EqD, I'd have never heard of you. But I think your Freewave Genre of the Day/Week/Iforgetthetitlewhatever topic thingy speaks for itself, you are one of these people. So ain't that just the pits, that if it hadn't been for Equestria Daily (which seems to be a relevant point in this thread) I'd have never heard your music anyway? Your 1000+ subs on YouTube and involvement with BMD didn't reach me, it was EqD. LET'S ALL LAUGH TOGETHER NOW

[ganondox]

Yes, it would be nice if EQD did a feature or something on individual musicians and did more than just toss things on MOTD without any sort of comment.

Considering the source of the problem, that people only care about the big names, many of which are now gone, I think this is the best solution. Equestria Daily does this for Tumblr Blogs, so there is no reason why they can't do this for musicians. Freewave runs the Brony Musicians Directory, which is a great blog, the biggest problem being it's relative obscurity compared to EQD. I don't see why EQD can't hand pick like an artist a week or something to feature.

Anyway, I've been running this blog (huge amount of videos warning) highlighting rock musicians in the fandom for awhile now, and it's far more detailed than anything EQD would need to post. It's seems that it's been positively received, but except for when Tarby reblogs something from it doesn't get much attention, and one problem I've noticed is people seem to pay the most attention to artists that they already know, but occasionally it does work to introduce people to new musicians.

Ooh, I got lots of opinions on a lot of things said here:

What if all of a sudden, everypony started writing heavy metal, hip hop, or film music?

Thing is, people do write quite a bit of these things, or at least where hip-hop is concerned far as I know. You have Da Mane, TheGrassSaysMooo, Koltunn, Lorentz, 2Hoovez, Magro, PJBrony, Versal... and that's only limiting myself to the people who do hip-hop more than rap (yes the two are different shaddup) and who aren't necessarily popular (no one with over 500 subscribers, and six under 200). Plus there are some guitarists on the heavier side I've seen, like Sicknessia and YokaTheChangeling (although the latter is at 1k+ subs now, but still).

The problem, as I've mentioned before, is exposure. EDM gets a lot more exposure than other genres, and that's just the way it works. It's not so much that there's an overwhelming majority of EDM musicians in the fandom so much that a higher ratio of it is a hit with listeners, whether that's EqD prelisteners or just people in general.

I will confirm there is just as much heavy metal and film scores as hip hop within the fandom. Sicknessia and Yoka are fairly obscure compared to say, Princewhatever or Bronyfied, and countless more intermediate metal musicians. They are also relatively well known compared to countless other musicians like Silent Night and Kaoss The Walker. With film scores, I think music in that style is actually the second most popular genre within the fandom after EDM. Of course they aren't literal film scores, but artist like Carbon Maestro and Radiax are very well known. The thing is it doesn't seem like EDM is actually more demanded within the fandom, whenever there is a metal song that's spotlighted people swarm over it, though from brony groups the songs that get posted most tend to be EDM. Then again, surveying the actual musical tastes of the people in the group show that when people like a particular genre of music rock seems to be the most popular. I think part of it has to do with the idea that has been spread that Brony Music is EDM, so people expect EDM when they listen to Brony Music.

[ChocolateChicken]

I agree with what Lore said. It seems very accurate to what I have been observing as well. I also have an additional point.

Basically, many (NOT ALL) of the older and more popular musicians turned into real assholes and shunned away any new musicians who looked up to them and really were inspired by them. You have people like [insert names of musicians who are conceited towards others here], and folks basically giving these newbies the cold shoulder, ignoring them, or even laughing at them for being pony fans or wanting to become good at music. That can really make any beginner feel like shit, to have one of your idols treat you and others like you in that way.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that these musicians are no longer making pony music. It is all about their arrogant attitude towards fans of the show and those who are inspired to make art by it, even though they used to be the same way.

General Mumble said something on tumblr about this as well, and what he said was extremely true.

A certain former brony musician even admitted that he doesn't want to make pony music anymore because it wont make him more popular anymore haha. Yeah okay dude. But many of the older musicians are still totally cool, like Odyssey, Dnotive, WoodenToaster, Living Tombstone, and Griffinilla/Griffin Lewis.

[ganondox]

I agree with what Lore said. It seems very accurate to what I have been observing as well. I also have an additional point.

Basically, many (NOT ALL) of the older and more popular musicians turned into real assholes and shunned away any new musicians who looked up to them and really were inspired by them. You have people like Lavender, Alex S, Addictia, Makkon, and folks basically giving these newbies the cold shoulder, ignoring them, or even laughing at them for being pony fans or wanting to become good at music. That can really make any beginner feel like shit, to have one of your idols treat you and others like you in that way.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that these musicians are no longer making pony music. It is all about their arrogant attitude towards fans of the show and those who are inspired to make art by it, even though they used to be the same way.

General Mumble said something on tumblr about this as well, and what he said was extremely true.

Artattack even admitted that he doesn't want to make pony music anymore because it wont make him more popular anymore haha. Yeah okay artattack. But many of the older musicians are still totally cool, like Odyssey, Dnotive, WoodenToaster, Living Tombstone, and Griffinilla/Griffin Lewis.

Well ArtAttack Party sucked anyway, so screw him. :P

[Icky]

I've never seen Addictia, Makkon, Lav, ArtAttack, etc ever act the way you're describing them. Maybe it's this dumb blaming game that's driving them away from making pony music?

I haven't made pony music myself since early 2012 simply because I didn't get any inspiration from the show anymore. I still hang around though haha.

[Lavender_Harmony]

Okay frankly a few of these comments piss me off, especially the one aimed at me.

I have spent a great deal of time giving to the community in terms of sharing music advice, and I still do. I don't come on MLR anymore, and I certainly do not give feedback en mass. Why? Because I'm super burnt out. I've spent hours helping out people, and some of those people wasted my time, after I give them their feedback, they have a tantrum and supposedly expected nothing but blind praise.

There are also people who don't understand basic concepts, like envelopes, automation, chords, and expect me to explain every iota of it. I like to help, but it gets ridiculous. Read the manual, or Google it? >.<

I still do help people, and if you miss that, maybe you should spend less time thinking I'm an asshole, and more time considering that I'm only human, have limited energy, will, and resources? I can't just give, give and give, guys. I have a job, my own music, my own friends I want to spend time with, and I can't justify using up those hours to help as many as I used to. My ask box on Tumblr is always open for music production questions, and if you have me on Skype you're free to ask me questions.

Yes I have turned people away, when you come to my ask box with a piece and just ask for feedback, I will likely say no, for the reasons above.

If that makes me an asshole, then I'm sorry, but I'm not changing.

On music in the fandom, and why I'm moving on somewhat, it came about after I released Desinenza. A lot of people have said this here already, so I'm mainly just reiterating, but the traffic drivers like EqD have become pretty corrupt in my opinion. No matter the quality, they will give the latest Mando Pony release it's own post, the latest Aviators thing, SIlva etc. They certainly do not push the same traffic they used to, and last I was in the pre-listeners, it was falling apart.

For a lot of the more long term musicians, it's just not fun anymore. We've been at it for a long time, and you honestly can't expect us to keep making songs about one single cartoon. There are other concepts, inspirations and ideas out there, and the sad fact is, from our perspective, none of you care. We have these big subscriber numbers, we release something new, but if it's nothing to do with the show, the response is mediocre, and at that point you gotta question why you're making the music you are and giving it to that audience.

it's easy for someone to say "You should make music because you love it", and for a lot of people, that's true, and I've said this before, it's not about being omfg super famous, but not having that response that feedback of "I think this is great" or "I don't think this is good", or whatever fans say in response to it. You're all going to call me out on wanting to be some fame grabbing brony superstar, and I frankly don't care.

[LoreRD]

Just to clear up: nothing in that chat excerpt between me and Freewave was directed at anyone in particular, just my thoughts on what might be the problem. I certainly don't dislike musicians who "leave the community", and I don't expect them to chat with the up-and-comers constantly to keep the community's spirits up. They shouldn't have to have that responsibility.