Hi, It''s not game related at all, more than I am a game developer However, I''m sure I can get the answer to these questions here, that''s why I''m posting this message. A friend of mine is a musician, since more than 10 years ago (and maybe 20, I''m not very sure, but he''s been making music since he exists so it could even be 30 or more). He''s edited some CDs and won many awards as well, but now he''s interested in the online market. As he knew I was working in a commercial proyect to be distributed by Internet, he asked me to investigate about the way music is sold on Internet, and maybe to run such a business if it''s viable. I went to MP3.com and some other websites, and as far as I saw, at least in MP3.com it''s possible to sell music legally (and internationally), in MP3 format, having MP3 working in all the legal details (author royalties, etc), and the seller getting the money from the sells. I''m not sure that''s the way it works, but it seemed to be that way. Was any of you involved in the commerce of music through internet? If so, could you help me by telling me what''s the way it''s done, what are the best services for that, if there are any costs involved, etc? Please, if any of you have the answer to my questions, mail me or, rather, post it here Thanks in advance, --DK --H. Hernán Moraldo http://www.hhm.com.ar/ Sign up to the HHM''s developers'' newsletter.

If your looking to sell cds online I think mp3.com is the best I've seen on the internet. I'm a member there and I have also been a member at ampcast.com and iuma.com too. There are also other online music sites but I figure I've join enough clubs that I'm getting confuse with all the names too.

I would recommend going mp3.com way, because I feel they have a better website setup, a true brand name and they are still free. Where as as ampcast has started charging a mandatory annual membership fee to all its artist. Needless to say they drop my webpage when I refuse to paid for the membership fee, they aren't much different from mp3.com and don't offer and benefits to being a member. Now iuma.com I haven't spend much time there, but I've notice the site has close down quite a few time in my history with them. I don't see them as a stable company to be working with, but they are supposely the originalator of online music so they still might be worth checking out.

Anyways I hope this help you out a little.
Marques

[edited by - Marques on May 13, 2002 1:33:53 PM]

Hi!(excuse my bad english)
I think only trading over mp3.com or something like that you won´t earn much money. That´s because you are only one single newcomer and there are very lots of them. It will surely takes years to get your name known to the audience, (maybe not if your friend is a very talented one and have done well known music for computergames or something like that). Another way is to sell on your own over your own webside. I think the best reference that this way will work is Bjorn Lynne. Of course you´ll have the same problem as before....your friend is (maybe) not known enough. He could change that with marketing on some forums, boards and gaming or music magazines.

Hope i could help a little bit

Greetz Conner
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www.hartwigmusic.de

No matter what it''s gonna take a lot of work to get his name out there. He can play bars, get on compilation disks, send press kits to music mags/local weekly alternative papers and setup a website on the net. It will take all of that to really get his name out there. That is marketing which is the bulk of what most record companies do. I''d probably go with MP3.com and setup my own website and try to get links to other pples sites with a decent amount of traffic. The deal with mp3.com though is that you have to get your music uploads approved and that can take a while...

DRINK GIN! IT MAKES A MAN MEAN-milk and cheese

Jup! I hate that certification stuff from mp3.com!! It really could take several weeks to get up your files. Very annoying!
Is ampcast better??

Greetz Conner
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www.hartwigmusic.de