I’ve been thinking about the site Etsy.com a lot lately, as it might relate to the composing and performing market. If you’ve never shopped there, it’s basically a connector site for crafty people, allowing them to sell their wares in an Amazon-like online shop. It’s popular among Baltimore crafters, which is how I first encountered it. I’ve stood behind young women balancing towers of packages at the post office as they sent out their creations to customers across the nation. It inspires me in a way that kicks me gently in the butt every time. They get to do what they love, and despite the odds, they’ve found a way to sell it to a much broader base than the traditional card table at the local flea market. That probably translates into an exponential increase in units moved and income earned. And they haven’t had to change their art one bit to make it happen.
In the age of the digital copy, the money for music is arguably best found where the real people are, and ordinary people don’t often know how to buy new music (the creation itself, not the recording–a la Corey’s project) or any of the arts for themselves. What if everyday people could link up with everyday artists to buy original art or performances in an organized, store-front way? Steve Reich might not need/want such commissions, but I bet there are a few composers out there who would. Samples and user reviews would help customers wade through the offerings with less pressure to pander to a single imagined demographic. Want to buy local? Search by zip code! Old concept (immortalize me in oil paint and I’ll let you sleep in my barn), new packaging.
Am I out of my mind?
You’re not out of your mind, but there is a disconnect. There’s a line from people who make things and sell them on etsy to the people who go to etsy for fun and funky things. That line doesn’t exist between listeners and composers. If a kid sits at home and says, “If only someone would write a song that expresses how I really feel,” then they either continue to scour existing songs (and whatever is “new” on the radio falls into this category, really), or they start writing for themselves. They do not send an email to Britney Spears or Kings of Leon and say, “Well, I’ve liked your stuff in the past, but lately it’s not meeting my needs. How about I pay you to write something like…” etc. I suppose it sort of worked that way back in Haydn’s day, but those days are long (centuries!) gone. Music, remember, is not an object; it’s an act. When that act fails to meet needs, then people usually just find another group of musicians whose acts do meet the need. A particular sound is so associated with a group that when that group changes its sound, people freak out. The funny thing is, classical music does not think this way at all! We act like we’re still in the 1700s with commissions and aristocracy. People don’t use music like they use an object sold on etsy. I’m not sure if they ever did, but I think they used to pretend to. The closest thing we have to etsy is cdbaby; I’m not sure we can get any closer.
I think andrea’s got a good point. There’s some small subset of people for whom there is a direct line from listener to composer, for example your commissioning a Corey Dargel song. But you’re definitely in the minority.
A twist on this is Belinda Reynold’s “custom made” compositions, where she does bespoke compositions for piano students. But again that’s an example where one might expect the line to be more direct, since it’s from student/performer to composer.
Another issue is price. I can get something interesting and satisfying on Etsy for $100 or less. Can I get something interesting and satisfying from a typical composer for $100? I think for this to work it would have to involve some sort of pooling of funds, like the BoaC People’s Commissioning Fund or (for an individual composer) something like Jill Sobule’s “Jill’s Next Record” fundraiser.
Having said that, there are certainly composers whose music I’d like and whom I’d like to see compose more, so I could definitely see kicking in (say) $40 or $50 to a fund to encourage them to do something new. The question is how many people there are who agree with me with respect to any given composer and are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Certainly people like Jill Sobule have done this successfully; for her latest record she raised about $90K from over six hundred people, with most people contributing between $10 and $100. But she’s worked really hard to build an enthusiastic and supportive fan community.
I think artists like Jill Sobule are a partial counter-example to andrea’s argument, but only partial since I don’t know if someone who’s only a composer (and not also a performer) could attract such a following. Maybe a composer/ensemble combination could do it, but then that’s a more expensive proposition to support.
Molly, I heard an interview with a music industry guy on fresh air a few months ago that seems pertinent. OMG, I think this is it: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88145070
He talked about bands who offer stock to fans. I’m not super clear about the details, but maybe that’s a workable idea.
I recorded the music for my local toddler group in return for someone decorating my kids’ bedrooms.
Certainly one of the best music deals I’ve ever done….
best
P
You are absolutely right on. Who cares if there is no musical present-day precedent for this? It could go so many ways: the additive, people’s commissioning fund idea; an ebay type of set-up in which the highest bidder gets to make the actual commission; the already-funded ensemble looking for an interesting new composer to commission (and yes, maybe one in their zip code). The problem with the first idea is that those with the best internet advertising – the most cash – are going to attract the most donors, so it could turn out that the already popular just get more popular and the unknown remain that way. However, one catchy track could hook a nobody up big time.
I’m actually hoping to start a site not too far from this idea – hopefully I will be able to give more details if my plans work out. In fact, if you are interested and would like to help me brainstorm or even participate, please let me know.