Hey,

The one thing I really miss, is some way to browse music by genres. I.e. I'm not interested in Singer-songwriter kind of material, so I don't really feel like I should be reviewing it, as I don't feel very objective, and am just not interested in commenting on music that is part of a genre I care very little about. Without genres I just have to browse and browse, wasting time, until I find something I like enough to review (as I don't see the point reviewing music that is part of an aesthetic one knows very little about) - i.e. what's the point of someone who loves DnB to review a classic rock song? Plus, it would just make it so much easier to find more music one actually identifies with.

Also, this being called bandamp, are there actually any bands here at all, or is this really more a singer-songwriter + midi tracks kind of community?

All the best,
M.

ok,

1) genre searchability is a feature which will be added in a near future. I can't say when, but it's on the "to do" list. See http://forum.bandamp.com/Feedback/30084.html

2) I hope you're not referring to the more advanced types of techno when you say "midi tracks". Yes, there is a bunch of singer songwriter stuff on here, but there's full bands aswell. Check out toastedgoat, blakhatz, nojustus (to name some). We've even had a US band from Iraq but they haven't been on in a long time.

May I suggest hitting the browser section of this site - - - and start searching the top member's music pages? Then you will quickly find out about the diversity of music on this site, and how this is such a lovely community after all

May I ask how many people are in the enright house? as far as I can tell it is just one person...  I have been in many bands from 1980-1992.. As a sound engineer and stage graphics designer/performer.. now I am older, and finally learning to play and  doing solo work as just me.. it is fun, and actually quite rewarding.. there are many bands on here... but I believe the focus is musicianship.. learning and feeding from one another to grow as musicians, and create... there have been so many collaborations on here, we have become on large band, the Band-AMP.. it is cool... I have done more than one collaboration myself, my first was before I even Joined Bandamp, it was in March of 2005, I recorded Horse with no name, and sent it off to others one in Texas,U.S.A. and one in Denmark..That to me was the most amazing thing.... Jbp, Swordfish,Triton Keyboarder were among the first to do a collaboration like this on Bandamp.. international long distance collaborations... Truly amazing stuff, and it creates a bandlike environment, even in the e-world... 
                               JimK

Yeah just one. I don't mind solo artists at all - nor singer-songwriters. It was actually just a genuine question about whether or not there are any bands on "band"amp, as everything I listened to so far were solo artists, myself included, of course. No harm intended, despite the "midi track" comment, which, yes, came off way more derisive than it was intended.

genres would be good, but please dont be too strict. Because putting a label on your music is a bit hard for some, as they have all sorts of different directions. How about having it in option kind of things, where you can put your music in more than one genre?

I think putting in some kind of (optional) meta tag system to songs, some added by the artists themselves, some given by it's listeners, would be a very neat idea. Someone mentioned this is another thread btw, it's not my idea but I think it's a great idea!

Putting A genre to your song and the name of the Artist, Might be a good idea. alot of musicians on Bandamp cant really classify thier music...as so, what Genre would someone like TakaminerBB use...

Flyer

yeah that's right. I was thinking that you're given a whole list that you just tick of what you think the genre is. for example maybe this dude used some traditional instruments in a rock song that has many different stuff you could describe it as, he would tick off out of the options:

0 pop
/ rock
/ traditional
0 jazz
/ alternative

and etc...just an example.

well, I've said it before in another thread about genre-classification, but I'm not in favor of breaking down bandamp into genres. There are plenty of sites out there which are already genre-specific (and I don't like them as much...the seem to lack the sense of community that Bandamp has...). If this site had been separated into genre-classification when I first joined, I would have never listened to many people's offerings, because I would be hurriedly scanning for music I like...avoiding music I don't like...and would never have either listened to the music or met the people that created the songs (and would have never found value in music I previously did not like). I think Bandamp is a site that is best enjoyed slowly.....

Song tags?

You have a very good point, Battlecat. I never thought of that. aetherius that is a good idea also.

Flyer

I'm in total agreement with Battlecat and others who state that the introduction of genres might spoil my enjoyment of this site. Since I've been here, I've heard and enjoyed things I would never have even listened to if they were genre-listed.
Like Battlecat says there are plenty of other sites that offer genre sectioning of indie music but BandAMP is different and that's why I'm here.
"...BandAMP is best enjoyed slowly"- I love that observation. So, so true

yup! i admittedly dislike genres...

Well we could have one big genre "Original Music" .   Oh Yeah we have that already.
 
 I posted about Genres on another thread, and it was pointed out to me, that it would seperate some of the people, from listening to some of the uploaded songs on here, and getting to know those people (I feel that's a big plus to this site).
 
I feel like I've made some friends on here, and have had my mind changed for me several times, by someone opening my eyes to something new, or at least a new idea.

  IMHO genre seperation would alianate some of the newer members from some very good musical ideas, and recording ideas, from some very talented musicians just because they may not like the Genre. 

  I know I would not have heard some of the songs, and found an appreciation for some other types of music had they been listed in another genre on here.

  I have learned to like the open music class (keeps my mind open to new things).
 
                                                                                           IMHO,
                                                                                                GOAT

you are all probably correct

"BandAMP is a site best enjoyed slowly"

that's one hell of a historic quote I guess