(The following is an expansion of materials that I wrote on LinkedIn earlier this month. My original posts concentrated on how to identify potentially misleading conversations and online scams when trying to collaborate, market music, or other business purposes. The information and guidelines that I provide are based primarily on my personal experiences as a composer and musician and do not necessarily reflect the same situations for everyone.)
I wrote several discussions in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic concerning rules that composers should follow in relation to collaboration projects and online etiquette. Six years later I must expand on what I have said, albeit in relation to how I have structured my website and musical output. As someone who runs a self-publishing music company registered through the American Society of Composers and Performers (ASCAP), I create every aspect of a given musical score or audio recording and digital publication for distribution on my Patreon. I assemble each publication myself and provide the necessary title page, “Table of Contents” (if applicable), program notes, score, and back matter so that the digital publication gets treated like a book.[1] I primarily use the Audacity music editing freeware to create and edit audio files of my electronic and acoustic pieces.
The processes that I follow require much attention and effort. That is why I usually try to make it a habit to direct potential clients to my website if they are interested in my work. While I originally included a questionnaire that I created through Google Forms, I deleted and replaced it with a basic form on my “Contact” page. I also manage a SoundCloud page and a YouTube channel to post my works available for purchase. I keep track of which people interact with and respond to my music. With that said, the potential for fake audience engagement through “bots” tend to become more prominent: especially in an era where anything generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming normalized. Here are some warning signs that can indicate potential scams:
1) The business or person in question writes first, often without context.
2) Language barriers aside, their messages are filled with too many grammatical and typographical errors or they give the impression that they are desperate for attention.
3) The conversation starts out as polite, but the tone quickly shifts to something that sounds too good to be true.
4) The person on the other end asks questions like “Can I ask you something?” or “Can you do me a favor?” These kinds of questions can indicate potential harassment and are usually code for “Give me your money!”
5) The person falsely claims to have a family member in your field of expertise and is offering paid work for a large sum of money by randomly mentioning a contract that requires an immediate signature.
6) Someone asks for personally sensitive information and does not stop until they get what they want. That attitude usually indicates a complete disrespect for privacy.
7) The conversation indicates a collaboration, but you find yourself having to do all the work while they do nothing but come up with excuses.
8) Someone asks you to pay them for your work.
9) Conducting thorough searches online reveals that the company that they claim to work for does not exist.
I have one final point before concluding this post. If you are on SoundCloud or YouTube and you follow or like my work, please refrain from sending messages about "music promotion" and "audience growth." I am going to assume that you're trying to spam me with dubious paid services scam tactics. Those kinds of messages are also incredibly rude and disrespectful to artists, many of whom already devote their time and energy to their craft. The last thing that they want to do is to pay for something that does not deliver or truly benefit them.
[1] While I initially used the Finale music notation software program to compose music, I have switched to the MuseScore 4 music notation freeware since around 2022 or 2023.
I wrote several discussions in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic concerning rules that composers should follow in relation to collaboration projects and online etiquette. Six years later I must expand on what I have said, albeit in relation to how I have structured my website and musical output. As someone who runs a self-publishing music company registered through the American Society of Composers and Performers (ASCAP), I create every aspect of a given musical score or audio recording and digital publication for distribution on my Patreon. I assemble each publication myself and provide the necessary title page, “Table of Contents” (if applicable), program notes, score, and back matter so that the digital publication gets treated like a book.[1] I primarily use the Audacity music editing freeware to create and edit audio files of my electronic and acoustic pieces.
The processes that I follow require much attention and effort. That is why I usually try to make it a habit to direct potential clients to my website if they are interested in my work. While I originally included a questionnaire that I created through Google Forms, I deleted and replaced it with a basic form on my “Contact” page. I also manage a SoundCloud page and a YouTube channel to post my works available for purchase. I keep track of which people interact with and respond to my music. With that said, the potential for fake audience engagement through “bots” tend to become more prominent: especially in an era where anything generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming normalized. Here are some warning signs that can indicate potential scams:
1) The business or person in question writes first, often without context.
2) Language barriers aside, their messages are filled with too many grammatical and typographical errors or they give the impression that they are desperate for attention.
3) The conversation starts out as polite, but the tone quickly shifts to something that sounds too good to be true.
4) The person on the other end asks questions like “Can I ask you something?” or “Can you do me a favor?” These kinds of questions can indicate potential harassment and are usually code for “Give me your money!”
5) The person falsely claims to have a family member in your field of expertise and is offering paid work for a large sum of money by randomly mentioning a contract that requires an immediate signature.
6) Someone asks for personally sensitive information and does not stop until they get what they want. That attitude usually indicates a complete disrespect for privacy.
7) The conversation indicates a collaboration, but you find yourself having to do all the work while they do nothing but come up with excuses.
8) Someone asks you to pay them for your work.
9) Conducting thorough searches online reveals that the company that they claim to work for does not exist.
I have one final point before concluding this post. If you are on SoundCloud or YouTube and you follow or like my work, please refrain from sending messages about "music promotion" and "audience growth." I am going to assume that you're trying to spam me with dubious paid services scam tactics. Those kinds of messages are also incredibly rude and disrespectful to artists, many of whom already devote their time and energy to their craft. The last thing that they want to do is to pay for something that does not deliver or truly benefit them.
[1] While I initially used the Finale music notation software program to compose music, I have switched to the MuseScore 4 music notation freeware since around 2022 or 2023.
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