Re: making money off your music

[Massimo Liverani <mas.liv@libero.it>]

>  Kris wrote:
>"Another idea is selling thumb drives.  You could get a 6 gig thumb 
>drive and put all sorts on things on it"

Yes, but...what are thumb drives?  eh eh :-)

So The question of the money i think also if not merely artistic or 
tecnical 
is important 
and i'd like to give my contribution to the discussion. I don't think is 
only 
a 'internet problem'.
Here in Italy where i was born and where i live the situation is very 
similar 
to those you
described from other countries. But i'd like to put the attention to some 
statements:
Objouvsly making money with music has never been simple, But now the 
market is 
more
and more like a reversed pyramid a few pop and commercial similar 
musicians 
keep the 99% of the 
market. The reason for me is that business treats music and art in general 
like a merely marketing   
system and this destroys diversity. Another question is the education, 
here in 
Italy in this years
we are seeing a costant degradation of music and art education, so young 
people are no more used
to 'listen' music but they live it only in ther i-pod not really listening 
but 
only for fashion. 
(i don't know if i'm expressed well in english but i think you undertstand 
the 
concept) 
third: the music pollution and inflaction (bad music everywhere and 
anytime) 
has spread so 
people are used to defend themselves from that and no more to listen or to 
be 
pleased by sounds (pubs,restaurants,bar). 
By this way concerts and exibitions are deserted or there is an incredible 
gap 
between 
the famous hot pop name of the top of the pyramid that makes 60.000 people 
and 
the honest
club musician that see 20 not paying people at his gig (talking eachother 
and 
non listening) if it goes well.
Here in Italy the only way to try to get attention is giving food or make 
dance.
Folk and traditional dance bands are the only bands that still now gain 
something and
for paradox they are alla composed by 'not young people'. Here only music 
is 
loosing interest to the
majority of people. So how to be positive talking about money? Music must 
return to be consider
like a value, a passion, a desire, a mystery...when this will happen again 
(Like in the years between '50-'80)
we will talk again about living honestly by music but sincerily i don't 
see it 
close to happen
Your  

Max Liver