Singapore Music Exchange

[reqx]

I´m just wondering out loud here.

There´s been some heavy sighs whenever I talk to other musicians about the local scene. Seems most have accepted it as a fact that we don´t quite have one that is happening enough.

I´ve toyed with the idea of an exchange program, where musicians can trade their compositions, work together, or just simply post them up for others to review. Of course, this will have to be done most professionally to include those who are serious to improve themselves and the scene in general.

Something like SMEX isn´t that hard to set up, but having seen various local forums where unconstructive critisms prevail, I wonder just how many people are seriously keen on this, which is potentially helpful to many of us, in many ways.

How about some suggestions and comments? and maybe even some interested prospectives?

Cheers

 

[xiaoken_]

We should get a most of the people in one forum first, instead of being scattered all. Obviously traffic is the key.

 

[parablue74]

Yep, u´ll right! In Oz, Mushroom Publishing would organise functions like that and there would be many ppl there. Moreover, there they have a monthly forum(outdoor event i mean!) called the MMF(Music Manager´s Forum) where producers, artist and music managers would gather together. Very big scene abroad, but in Singa, i dread to talk about it. But as much as it is, sitting back and looking at the sky isn´t any solution at all, and composers, producers, musicians like us are deeply yearning for more "happenings" to feed their ricebowls.

I do feel that soft.com.sg is pretty much a good place to start with, seems better than Audio Reload anyway. I´m thinking of passing tracks to one another for reviews since there are quite a number of home studio producers around here. Too bad soft.com.sg seems to be taking ages to start their streaming service.

 

[fatdog]

i have just arrived in singapore a couple of months and have been observing your music scene. i noticed that there are some followers of certain music genre though the question and interest of finding more about singapore´s music scene is still hanging.

from where i came from a scene would only exist if there is a direct or in-direct collaborative effort between the different proponents of the music industry be it commercial or underground. this interaction breeds the so called scene. i see the elements are present. and i do believe that there is already a scene existing it may be young or it may be just exclusive in its setting.

any comments on these matters are welcome

On 2003-02-19 00:02, reqx wrote:
I´m just wondering out loud here.

There´s been some heavy sighs whenever I talk to other musicians about the local scene. Seems most have accepted it as a fact that we don´t quite have one that is happening enough.

I´ve toyed with the idea of an exchange program, where musicians can trade their compositions, work together, or just simply post them up for others to review. Of course, this will have to be done most professionally to include those who are serious to improve themselves and the scene in general.

Something like SMEX isn´t that hard to set up, but having seen various local forums where unconstructive critisms prevail, I wonder just how many people are seriously keen on this, which is potentially helpful to many of us, in many ways.

How about some suggestions and comments? and maybe even some interested prospectives?

Cheers

 

[parablue74]

Was in Oz for 5 yrs and know the difference of knowing a place by staying for long is a lot compared with plain visiting. I visit Malaysia often as well and got pretty much into their underground.

I believe underground is the source of the music industry anywhere. The more underground there is, the stronger the original works eventuality. Commercial record companies have strong effect, but becos their exclusivity is so selective, many participants are outcasted for the pretty face jukebox. So involvement is highest on the underground. However, very often here as compared with Oz, i see little underground action here. Pubs and discos are just based on pure commercial Top 40s, which have diminished all hopes of composers and original bands/acts. Underground Event companies like Awakening Productions are stuck with only few events a yr, and ratio of 90:10 in regards to Commercial:Underground Event companies. Multimedia companies are not accepting much original composers as well, but well they seldom do anyway. These money sources has simply lag the existence of establishments of forums, songwriting competitions etc as these would not get much sponsors and affiliations. Everyone here is so focus on marketing and advertising that the only path musicians/artist can really go is via the business path, which stump them down with great money investment loss. Yep! I feel the chain is broken.

 

[reqx]

Interesting points from the 2 previous posts!

For a small place like Singapore, the music preferences are so diverse that I´m led to believe every single record ever made across the globe has at least sold a copy here. Put it simply, the home market is non-sustainable for any local artiste not regional, or international. Platinum has hardly been awarded to Singapore-based talents. No?

As para mentioned, true-blue strivers almost always get smacked with financial woes. Fringe artistes exists everywhere, and there is a scene here no doubt.

I guess my interests lie in creating a closer community that can focus on elevating our current stature of bad attitudes and perhaps selfishness. It makes no sense to get slammed (on a personal note) by fellow peers when true critics haven´t even been reached.

Hmm...I think I´m losing track of my own post with this irritating flu, but yeah! keep posting! It´s been insightful and enjoyable so far...lest we get another clown like the last one who started posting nonsense EVERYWHERE!

But how possible is it to set up something like a SMEx? Can´t we do it at zero budget and through pure passion?

 

[fatdog]

i think it is posible for a start to set up something like SMEx if not with zero budget at least with minimal cost that is. what financial insufficiency might exist might be complemented with as you have said passion. it is the key ingredient i suppose.

before we use to have the same concerns like you do. its not that there are no organization existing or any active player in the industry back then, its just that we feel that we need something more that will adress our specific needs and wants, something that will serve primarilly the interest of our so called culture (or sometimes pertained as sub-culture).

what we first did was to form a small circle or an informal forum that has been meeting for quite a number of session to identify the form of what this group would take. this group eventually ended up as the working group of the so called existing movement in our place. the participating individuals were not only musicians, concert producer and zine publisher but many were just individuals who shared the same sentiments and wanted to contribute.

the result was from a small group of individual, springs out numerous activities that defined our present scene. zine convention were held, underground foriegn act concerts were organized, a succesful broadcasting of pure underground materials surged the air waves. underground labels in some way was strengthed but the local distro was the most who benefited.

this was not done overnight and by just one person. pride in the underground scene is what we only have then. i could tell you more but this would not be the place for space is limited. send me a message and let´s see were do we go from here.

 

[parablue74]

So Fatdog, which genre do you think is the local underground scene here heading to at the moment? From what i know, some say Breakbeats, some say Euro, some say Garage, some say Psychadelic Rock.

What do you think?

 

[parablue74]

Ok!! Guys, interested to start a collective together???

 

[parablue74]

Cool! Shiok. Can contact me at parabluemusic@yahoo.com.sg

 

[jon_wong]

Let's start ball rolling

Yes! An exchange! A place where experts are gathered. Rich ground for me to learn!