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Help! What genre is my band?
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popeyethecat View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 25 2022 at 12:31
Hi all! I'm in a band and we're planning a new album release next year. I'm trying to prepare to promote it, but I'm finding that genre buzzwords would be really handy...and yet, I think that my band's sound is a bit tricky to pin down. We have used some tags in the past but I won't write them here so as not to bias opinion.

We're called Tape Runs Out and you can hear our existing material on Spotify and on BandCamp.

Thanks so much!


Edited by popeyethecat - September 14 2023 at 02:42
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Logan View Drop Down
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Points: 35762 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2022 at 12:43
^ I really like this one heck of a lot! Awesome. I'll return to it and offer some buzzwords, but I love this.
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I’m guessing you’re the hammered dulcimer player? I’m liking this, too. Do you play live at all? Because if you’re in Cambridge, you’re just down the road from me (well, about a half hour drive, I guess?).

[EDiT] I forgot to say, the one tag you absolutely should use on Bandcamp is “hammered dulcimer”. I wouldn’t worry too much about genre tags, unless you can find one that is unusual. Most people, including myself, who use Bandcamp tags don’t search by genre tags (unless as a secondary/additional tag, if a filter seems necessary).



Edited by nick_h_nz - August 25 2022 at 13:02
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popeyethecat View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2022 at 13:00

Thanks so much! Really glad you like it!
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popeyethecat View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2022 at 13:02
Originally posted by nick_h_nz nick_h_nz wrote:

I’m guessing you’re the hammered dulcimer player? I’m liking this, too. Do you play live at all? Because if you’re in Cambridge, you’re just down the road from me (well, about a half hour drive, I guess?).


Yes, that's me! Yes we play live, we just did the Cambridge Folk Festival with a reduced line-up (so that it sounded more plausibly folky) and we hope to get a few dates in next year when the album is planned to be released. Recommendations for promoters and venues would be really great if you know any as well
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2022 at 13:28
Originally posted by nick_h_nz nick_h_nz wrote:

[EDiT] I forgot to say, the one tag you absolutely should use on Bandcamp is “hammered dulcimer”. I wouldn’t worry too much about genre tags, unless you can find one that is unusual. Most people, including myself, who use Bandcamp tags don’t search by genre tags (unless as a secondary/additional tag, if a filter seems necessary).


Just saw your edit - yes, we should, thanks LOL 

The genres are more so that we can pitch the music to reviewers and those organising gigs to accurately describe it before they hear it. I don't really like that genre so important, but it has become clear to me that a lot of people want it. When my answer is "um, well, we're a mix of...." it often doesn't go down that well.
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^Wait...I'll revise it just a little.

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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2022 at 07:12
Originally posted by JD JD wrote:

^Wait...I'll revise it just a little.

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I'm afraid that's a new one on me! I assume something psych-related? Thanks, noted
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Points: 35762 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2022 at 09:09
In terms of Prog, I would put it most in the Crossover Prog category (with Eclectic prog qualities). I think it's a good thing when classification doesn't come to easily. I guess I;d describe it mostly as a kind of Art Rock and Pop and Alternative/ Indie / Progressive/ Eclectic. Indie as a genre label idea works quite well for it to my ears, as does Art, Alt., and progressive (more with a small p progressive than capital P Prog per se, which I think is a good thing). I really, really like it.
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Points: 20029 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote chopper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 05:32
I'm not that great at genres, they don't really bother me but this is really good, whatever it is.

btw - I had to look up what a hammered dulcimer was, I thought it was just a dulcimer that had been out on a Friday night.LOL


Edited by chopper - August 27 2022 at 05:34
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Points: 6401 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote mathman0806 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 06:19
I like this quite a bit. I clicked on the Bandcamp link to just listen and see what tags came to mind and listened to the whole album. On PA, it would be probably he crossover prog. It is varied so hard to pinpoint. Noting the hammered dulcimer is a good suggestion from Nick. The overall tags would be progressive rock, alternative rock, possibly art rock, experimentsl rock. indie rock. Some elements of post rock. Maybe tag by mood like atmospheric.
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 08:31
Chuffed you listened to the whole album! Thanks for the feedback. I don't think it really is prog myself, but Art Rock sounds good. Not sure how used that term is but I like it. Experimental Rock is probably the most descriptive, at least for our rockier moments
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 08:36
Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

btw - I had to look up what a hammered dulcimer was, I thought it was just a dulcimer that had been out on a Friday night.LOL


Not heard that one before
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Points: 20029 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chopper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 08:55
Originally posted by popeyethecat popeyethecat wrote:

Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

btw - I had to look up what a hammered dulcimer was, I thought it was just a dulcimer that had been out on a Friday night.LOL


Not heard that one before

I bet. LOL
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Originally posted by popeyethecat popeyethecat wrote:

Originally posted by JD JD wrote:

^Wait...I'll revise it just a little.

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I'm afraid that's a new one on me! I assume something psych-related? Thanks, noted
Perhaps, but if you notice, it's a copyright original genre created by me specifically for your music. Fair use rules apply. Thumbs Up
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Points: 6737 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nick_h_nz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 13:14
Originally posted by mathman0806 mathman0806 wrote:

I like this quite a bit. I clicked on the Bandcamp link to just listen and see what tags came to mind and listened to the whole album. On PA, it would be probably he crossover prog. It is varied so hard to pinpoint. Noting the hammered dulcimer is a good suggestion from Nick. The overall tags would be progressive rock, alternative rock, possibly art rock, experimentsl rock. indie rock. Some elements of post rock. Maybe tag by mood like atmospheric.

Certainly the benefit from using the”hammered dulcimer” tag on Bandcamp should pay off simply because it is such an unusual instrument to come across these days,

I know Kate Arnold uses the tag, because following the tag from her Bandcamp, I “discovered” Botanist and Deluge Grander. (I say discovered, because I had heard of both bands, and vaguely knew about them, but had never listened to them - and perhaps still wouldn’t have - before following the “hammered dulcimer” tag.)
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popeyethecat View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2022 at 14:26
I suppose I figured it was so unusual that people wouldn't look at it. Happy to hear that's not the case. I'll look into Kate Arnold, thanks for the tip. As for Botanist, I'd had a little thought that it might be fun to distort the dulcimer and do a black metal project myself, then I heard about Botanist and couldn't believe someone had beaten me to it!
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Points: 17505 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2022 at 07:11
Hi,

I suppose that these days, you have to see where you want to show your wardrobe, to try and help it stand out a bit more.

I have mixed opinions about this. 

1) If you have to limit your audience, you will likely prevent others from hearing it.
2) I look at history ... you really think that YES wasted its time wondering how/where to fit CTTE? Or TFTO?
3) When you look at that history, remember the beginnings, and HOW DIFFERENT things were from a lot of others. So, today, the only reason for anyone to be concerned with a location, would likely be that they don't want their 3.4 seconds of reggae sounding moment, that will make the PA folks think that the band is not very original! 
4) How could those folks be so different, and yet ... stand out?

Then I ask you .... where do you want to be?

I'm a writer, and though I differ in that I refuse to enter into the spirit of running the blahblahdash of sales, it doesn't matter to me where my words, or books endup ... if a dollar comes in, bless your heart ... if a couple of ounces of human waste comes in ... oh well, someone has lots of money to waste, no?

Look at many painters, and writers, and how they do their thing ... but one thing that you have to know AND UNDERSTAND ... is that you can NOT BE AFRAID of one inch or another, because your work is the thing that will suffer the most!

Best of luck ... these days, the idea of having to find a place for it, is the biggest hole-less hole in the ground there is!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote popeyethecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2022 at 07:50
I'm happy to say that genres have never been a concern when WRITING our music. I hope that would evident from the songs being pretty varied.

Unfortunately I don't think I can look to how older bands "made it", because the industry has fundamentally changed - nowadays you have to "know your audience". Currently our audience is friends and family and maybe 3 people who saw us in a pub once and liked it LOL When Yes did CTTE they had a big record label and management backing them and they could offload the marketing tasks to others. We are too small an outfit to be doing that, we need to do everything ourselves, which is why I'm asking for help. How, in the digital age, do you find your audience? As far as I can tell, having the appropriate genre names to hand is useful when approaching reviewers, bloggers, gig promoters, etc.
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