RBN - Suggested Etiquette for Contacting Bands

[hmxhenry]

Hey gang,

So by now I'm sure most of you have heard about Rock Band Network. For those of you that haven't I would suggested checking out this thread (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225). Now I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.

...

Pretty amazing, right? RBN brings a whole new level of empowerment to bands and fans a like, and grants them a greater level of control over what you will see available as DLC in the coming months. The response to RBN has been overwhelmingly positive and we're thrilled to see so many of you on the forums taking an active roll in this initiative, even those of you that aren't in bands.

Many of you have already started contacting bands that you know and love, spreading the word of RBN to those groups that you hope to see in RB at some point. That is awesome. But there's been a bit of confusion between bands and fans and we wanted to provide a few suggestions to help make the process as smooth as possible for all involved.

If contacting band be sure to be honest and clear. Let them know that you are a fan of Rock Band and a fan of their music and let them know that you'd love to see them in Rock Band.

The best thing you can do is point them to any of the links below, as that will provide all of the information that bands should need to get involved with RBN.

RBN Press Release - http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225
RBN Creators Club - http://creators.rockband.com/
RB Support Email - feedback@harmonixmusic.com

Don't spam bands that you'd like to see in RBN. Nobody likes getting their inbox flooded, and I can't imagine that getting 100 emails from the same person will make any band want to rush over to check out RBN. Email them once, be polite, and encourage your friends to do the same.

I've included a short little template below that you can feel free to cut and paste if contacting bands about RBN.

“Hey [Band / Label Name Here], have you heard of the Rock Band Network yet? It’s an initiative that gives bands and labels the ability to bring their own music to the video game Rock Band. I’m a huge fan of Rock Band and I’d love to see some of your songs in the game. You can head over to http://creators.rockband.com/ for more info. I hope to see you in Rock Band soon!”

Ferocious Q posted a similar template (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153439) which would also be a good starting point for contacting people who may not be familiar with RBN or even with RB.

Again, we think it's awesome that there's already been so much activity surrounding the announcement of RBN, but we've still got a lot to do before everything is up and running. We want to help make sure that everyone is on the same page as we move into the Beta stage, and we hope to provide bands and fans with clear and concise info whenever possible.

If you have any questions about RBN or contacting bands please do not hesitate to send a PM to one of the HMX people you see on the forums and we'll be happy to help you out in any way that we can.

Thanks so much for being a part of the Rock Band Network! Whether you know it or not, you're already involved.

-HMXHenry

[kingtonyx]

Thanks. I'll send this on to a few bands, I'd mostly been sticking to bands I thought I could message on more of a friend level.

[rocker820]

all the bands that I want to email don't have email links on their websites, lol

[Nickalos N]

Cool thanks Henry now I know what to send to the bands I want to email

[davidshek]

Don't spam bands that you'd like to see in RBN. Nobody likes getting their inbox flooded, and I can't imagine that getting 100 emails from the same person will make any band want to rush over to check out RBN.

I swear to god, if I get one more email from Starfleet_Rambo... :D


all the bands that I want to email don't have email links on their websites, lol

So message them on Myspace. Even if the band themselves don't run their Myspace page, the person who does run it probably has a way to get in touch with them. :)

[nk40699]

I don't want to be harsh or anything but i dont think that the template is very good. I think that it needs to be a little more personable and should include something that has to do with the band, because otherwise there is a chance that they will think that its spam. Bands probably get lots of spam.

Here's my template:

Hi, this is just a big fan of your band that would love to see your inclusion into the Rock Band Series. Recently Rock Band has created a new part to the game, called Rock Band Network, where any band with masters of their songs can create and sell their music for download in the Rock Band Music Store. What this means is that your band's song could make it onto Rock Band without having to go through all of the liscensing issues. This is a very new thing and I would love to see (Insert Band Here) make their debut in the series. I think that your songs, would be some of the more fun songs to play on the game, especially because of how (something positive about their band) they are. Also, for every download that you get in the store, you get a cut of the money that the buyer pays. Anyways, I would appreciate it if you could get back to me and send me your response. I don't need anything much just a "nope," a "maybe," or a "yes."Thanks for your time. Here are the links to the information below. I would love it if you could give them a glance.

http://www.rockband.com/forums/showt...54#post2730754
http://creators.rockband.com/


i think that because its a longer message that says something positive about their band, they are less likely to think that its spam. I've gotten quite a few responses too. ;)

[Ferocious Q]

it's great finally getting some recognition :)

[Rise 2 Fall]

haha right on :D

[hmxhenry]

Thanks. I'll send this on to a few bands, I'd mostly been sticking to bands I thought I could message on more of a friend level.

And please continue contacting those bands that you're on a "friend level" with. My post wasn't so much a suggestion that everyone should go out and email every band they've ever heard of as much as it was an acknowledgment that there is already a very vigorous email writing campaign going on, and I just want to make sure that the flow of information is as clear and professional as possible.


I don't want to be harsh or anything but i dont think that the template is very good. I think that it needs to be a little more personable and should include something that has to do with the band, because otherwise there is a chance that they will think that its spam. Bands probably get lots of spam.

The above template was by no means a hard and fast rule. I can't control what you guys write in emails, I can only give you a starting point. If you love a band tell them! If you saw them play recently and they were amazing tell them! You're right, you shouldn't stifle your love for a band just to adhere to some rigid form letter. I just want to make sure the template was provided so that people knew what the key points are.

But as far as over sharing goes...


What this means is that your band's song could make it onto Rock Band without having to go through all of the liscensing issues.


Also, for every download that you get in the store, you get a cut of the money that the buyer pays.

...I would avoid comments like those listed above. Bands will be able to find out for themselves what the licensing / ownership process entails and how much money they will be making. Mentioning details like these in an email may give them impression that you're more familiar with the issues at hand, and when a band replies with "What kind of licensing issues?" or "How much money will we make?" then things will really get tricky.

My advice is to keep things concise. Those specifics will be touched on in the Creators Club or further down the road in Beta and can be addressed by an HMX person if need be.

As long as people are 1) mentioning that they are writing as a fan 2) pointing to the RBN press release of the Creators Club info and 3) polite then that's what really matters.

[sonicnerd23]

This is my email format:

"Greetings. First off, I would like to thank you for giving the master recordings of tracks such as (Song) and (Song) to Harmonix for their video game, Rock Band (If they haven't, then I remove this section). Recently, Harmonix has announced the Rock Band Network, an expansion of their growing music store. Read more about it here:

1. http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2730754#post2730754
2. http://creators.rockband.com/

Perhaps it could serve as a new way to promote your music/music by the bands on your roster.

Thanks for reading this."

Perhaps it's too serious.

[Knucklesdude]

I like Henry's template because it's short, straight to the point, and it has everything you really need.

And sonicnerd, I don't think it's too serious but maybe change/add to the last part emphasizing how you would like to see them in Rock Band.

[sonicnerd23]

I like Henry's template because it's short, straight to the point, and it has everything you really need.

And sonicnerd, I don't think it's too serious but maybe change/add to the last part emphasizing how you would like to see them in Rock Band.

You know, I feel it does sound too business...y and that would make it seem more like it's being sent from a fan.

[ham736]

ya know, i was just thinking that we need to have a template, and then BAM! there is one. HMX, how do you read my mind. To the OP, it needs to sound serious because this is serious buisness. (Enter the "Why So Serious?" jokes)

[kiggidykev]

This is a good read and I hope more people follow it when contacting bands. The last thing I want to see is artists getting annoyed with emails pertaining to RBN and then writing it off on that account.

[RedJaguar]

I just remembered that I personally know the owner of a small indie label :) going to mention RBN to them tomorrow :)

Although, unfortunately since I'm a PS3 player, I won't have access to it :(

This is the only reason I'm even contemplating buying RB2 for the 360 :( pity my $1K+ investment in DLC won't transfer over, so I wouldn't be getting the HMX DLC on it ...

[Oddbrother]

About time you posted this!!! I was very impatient and hesitant on contacting bands...

This is exactly what I was worried about.

[Apples]

I think regardless of the template you use, the basic themes are:

*Be respectful and polite

*Don't come off too salesman-ish

*Use the links and resources posted to explain what it is

*Don't spam

[KineticArtist]

If we are a 3rd party website may we block quote summarize or reproduce the content on the press release (giving a back link to the original article of course) on our site directing interested parties to read further at the press release link?

[howieduen]

Here's an e-mail I sent to indie label ATO (According to Our) Records. They are the label home of Ben Kweller, Mike Doughty, Brendan Benson, My Morning Jacket, Gomez and recently Radiohead. I used Henry's template but added some "flavor" to it to make it seem real and personable.

Dear ATO Records,

First off, I just want to say that you have the best label name in the music business. You are also home to three of my all-time favorite artists - Ben Kweller, Gomez and Mike Doughty. AND, I'm super pscyhed that you're the new home of another of my all-time favorite artists, power pop mastermind Brendan Benson.

Now that the obligatory brown-nosing has been served thick and heavy, I have a question for you. Have you heard of the Rock Band Network (RBN) yet? It’s an initiative that gives individual bands and/or labels the ability to bring their own music to the video game Rock Band. I’m a huge fan of the Rock Band platform and I’d love to see some songs from the ATO catalog appear in the game. Rock Band isn't just a video game - it's a new platform for music. It brings the music we all love to the video game medium much like MTV and music videos brought music to the TV medium. It's a new way for people to experience and share the music that the ATO artists work so hard to create.

If you haven't heard about this initiative, you can read more about it in the following official press release:
http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225

You can also head over to http://creators.rockband.com for more info, including a preview video.

Thanks for your time, and thanks for continuing to bring me the music that I love. And, of course, I hope to see ATO artists in Rock Band soon!

[Thom1234]

Well, I've just messaged Grizzly Bear on their Myspace Page. I posted;

Hey,

Recently video game developer Harmonix announced the Rock Band Network, an initiative which allows bands and labels to include their music in the Rock Band video game series. The best sources of further information about it are The Press Release (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225) and the Rock Band Network Creator's Club Website (http://creators.rockband.com/)

As a huge fan of both the Rock Band games and Grizzly Bear, I'd love to see some of your songs in the game, and I'm sure many of your other fans would as well.

I used the template, but expanded on it to make it seem more personal.

Also, would e-mail addresses for "Press Inquiries" be appropriate to send messages to, or should I stick to Myspace messages?

I'm hoping I get some kind of response, as Southern Point, Two Weeks, While You Wait for the Others et al. would be amazing in Rock Band.

[Oddbrother]

Well, before this etiquette page showed up, I already started off on the wrong foot since none of the labels and bands I've contacted replied.

I'm screwed...

[Koolkitties]

I think I might have to mail Jello Biafra just for the lulz.

[OrdealByFire]

Hey HMX.

Lies Unknown

Good band. Get them. Lol.

[Knucklesdude]

David I think brought up a good point in the prospective songs topic.

If you're planning to author the song(s) yourself, make sure it is okay with the band/label that you may replicate the masters for use on Rock Band.

Don't wanna interrupt the fun with legal trouble. ;)

[Caesar24]

Mine is this:
"In case you haven't heard, rockband has created a rockband network where you can add master tracks to their game and make more money than you did when you originally put the song out, so do it!"

LOL..no just kidding, I do already have four bands awaiting the network, wow, this is such a great idea. I hope your servers can handle all of this traffic, as this is gonna be WAY bigger than you think it is gonna be!

Greatest idea ever (since the invention of rockband/gh)

[topperharley]

I think a link to the FAQ page of the Rhythm Authors website (http://www.rhythmauthors.com/faq.php) would be useful as well, as there are questions and answers that pertain to the RBN in general, and not just the services RA provides. Particularly this one (http://www.rhythmauthors.com/faq.php#31). Also, some smaller bands may not have the resources to do all of the charting, and pointing them to someone who can might prevent them from passing on the idea because it's something they think they can't do.

One thing I plan to do is mention how much Rock Band has introduced me to new bands, and how a lot of the people that play Rock Band are huge music fans who are always looking for new music and a way to enjoy that music in the game.

The more you can demonstrate how it benefits them, the better. And that's obviously through increased exposure and another way to distribute their music to fans.

[margit]

I sent an e-mail to a small indie band called A Million Years - they have some really good stuff. I sent the original suggestion from the first page plus linked Then to Rhythm Authors site suggested by topperharley.
Hope they take the initiative!

[kingtonyx]

I sent this email to Decaydance Records. How's it sound?

Hello there Decaydance! I'm a huge fan of your roster. All amazing bands really! I'm also a big fan of Rock Band and LOVE the songs from FOB, Panic, The Cab, and Paramore that have appeared in the game already. It appears I'm not alone as "Crushcrushcrush" and "This Ain't A Scene..." are among the most downloaded songs in their library.

Call me greedy but I want MORE. More tracks and more bands. Hey Monday, The Academy Is, Cobra Starship, Four Year Strong, heck ALL of your artists would be amazing to have in the game honestly. Any song. EVERY song.

Now Harmonix has made this so much easier with the Rock Band Network. Have you guys heard about it? If not: http://creators.rockband.com

Pretty awesome, right? There are even professional services out there that are willing to do the tech work for you. The best of the bunch is probably Rhythm Authors (http://www.RhythmAuthors.com).

I think this is a such a great thing for the music industry. What do you guys think? I'd love to hear back and maybe even see some of your amazing bands show up on the RBN soon!

Thanks!

Stay rad forever,
KT

[davidshek]

Stay rad forever,
KT

"Stay rad forever"? XD

[kingtonyx]

"Stay rad forever"? XD

yes, lol

[sonicnerd23]

Here's my email to Yes's Oliver Wakeman.

Dear Oliver,

Last night, I went to the Yes concert at the Tower Theater. This was actually my first live concert (I'm thirteen years old and love Yes music!), and let me tell you, I was amazed at what I saw/heard. Benoit sounded great, Steve and Chris played very well, Alan was a beast on the drums, and your fingers flew fast and were very precise and every note that came out sounded fantastic, much like your father.

But anyways, have you heard of the video game Rock Band? Well, recently, Harmonix, its creator, has announced Rock Band Network, an add on to their ever-growing online music store. You can learn more about this in these links:

1. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i4d0b1b4303c83997ea8bf1f3ea673d95
2. http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2730754#post2730754

And if you are unsure of how charting Rock Band songs works, you can always give your master recordings to these guys (http://www.rhythmauthors.com/). They're taught by the charting team of Harmonix.

I, along with many other people, would love to see Yes in Rock Band. If you want to tell your Yes bandmates about it, go ahead. If you want to submit songs of your own, that would be fine too.

Thank you for reading this.

Sincerely,
[my name].

[hawkofva]

Here's my email to Yes's Oliver Wakeman.

I caught their show at Richmond's Innsbrook After-Hours last week, and the new singer is really quite good. Hope your email gets their attention! I wouldn't mind a few Asia tracks too, though. ;)

On topic: Has anyone tried to reach Pete Townshend about this yet?

[Plugs44]

Hey... I remember reading in an article online saying that Zeppelin didn't want to be in RB/GH because they didn't want to hand over their master tracks. Well now, they don't have to, right? So maybe...just maybe... they'll use RBN? Everybody, get emailing.

[KoopaTim]

Amazing! I just used this to contact Suburban Legends, it feels like I'm actually doing something for both the band and the Rock Band Community now..
I feel like a hero :)

[sonicnerd23]

I caught their show at Richmond's Innsbrook After-Hours last week, and the new singer is really quite good. Hope your email gets their attention! I wouldn't mind a few Asia tracks too, though. ;)

Guess what? Oliver said he'd tell Yes's management about this! I'm so happy.

[BrianIsLive]

Honestly, I'd Like to See Any Band that Has a Large Amount of Songs In RB, Because All The Artists That Have a lot of Songs on RB, Are Real Good. So I Won't Really Mind. (Nirvana, The Who, Iron Maiden Ect.)

[Cliphead]

Hey... I remember reading in an article online saying that Zeppelin didn't want to be in RB/GH because they didn't want to hand over their master tracks. Well now, they don't have to, right? So maybe...just maybe... they'll use RBN? Everybody, get emailing.
Jimmy Page has said he doesn't like these games, so I don't think he's going to take the time to write all the charts himself.

[The-Dude1212]

Unfortunately, don't know any bands, indie or major :(

If anyone has the opportunity to, can someone ask Bruce Springsteen and/or Jimmy Bufffett? I originally found a site called contactVIP.com...but then they force you to pay $4 monthly via Credit Card, even if it's only for one celebrity...

[k-mac]

Unfortunately, don't know any bands, indie or major :(

If anyone has the opportunity to, can someone ask Bruce Springsteen and/or Jimmy Bufffett? I originally found a site called contactVIP.com...but then they force you to pay $4 monthly via Credit Card, even if it's only for one celebrity...

all you have to do is go to their official site and most band sites have a "contact info" section with an email address for the band/manager/lable.

[ADBjester]

Hi Folks,

Long story short, I contacted prog group Spock's Beard about trying to release their upcoming tenth album on RBN as a whole, simultaneous with the CD release.

I got back a positive response expressing interest from their management, followed by a second Email in which the band lamented the money breakdown:




Anyway, [she] ran the idea of the Rock Band release for SB with the guys, and they all love the idea, but here's the issue:

Despite the band's excitement at the idea, [one band member] correctly ran worst and best case scenarios, and the 50/50 split with the Harmonix team is pretty onerous. It wouldn't matter assuming they're doing it for publicity only, but if, by chance, they actually sold any significant numbers, the band would get screwed royally. Indeed, this is why the band doesn't really tour to any significant degree. It's so hard these days to actually make numbers work above the dreaded red line.

So, the question is:

* How can we effect a more beneficial relationship?
* Would they do a scaled contract so the band gets a greater share if any significant volume of sales is reached?
* Or, would they lower the Harmonix split from dollar one?

We are trying to create new and unique, non-traditional ways to get notoriety for the greatest prog band in the world, and, unless someone has a few million bucks for payola to Clear Channel and other media groups, airplay isn't going to happen.

We really need to be able to utilize creative ideas such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero. You articulated your ideas perfectly, and we're very interested in your input.

Thoughts?


Hopefully, the following is an example of how you can approach your favorite indie band and answer questions.... here's what I sent back:




I'm not sure which split you're questioning, so I'll lay it out from the start.

Say you price your song at the typical $2, or an album at $18 (very common). Of that, the Network gets 70% and the band gets 30%. While 70% may seem high, please remember that there are many people in the chain there, just as there are with traditional label distribution. That 70% gets divvied up between Harmonix (the game developer), MTV Games/Activision (the game publisher), Microsoft (XBox network for bandwidth, etc).

So, from an $18 album sale, SB looks at $5.40 in revenue ($0.60 on a single)... about on par with traditional studios, as I understand it. That 70/30 split is absolutely non-negotiable from what they say.

From there, there's the charting. You can chart the songs yourself or find someone that would do it for less than the 50% cut that RhythmAuthors.com will charge, and you can keep most or all of the $5.40/album. From what I'm told it takes about 40-60 hours of work per song to do it properly. The charting houses will negotiate -- that 50% isn't carved in stone. They'll do "up front fees only" or might negotiate a better split with a "name" band with a following that will sell better than "Joe's Garage Band" that nobody has ever heard of.

There's more than just RhythmAuthors.com out there, so you can shop around for a deal.

There's musicgameauthors.com (who does a 2/3 v. 1/3 split instead of 50/50) and interactivemusicproductions.com, whom I'm not familiar with.

http://www.musicgameauthors.com/faqs.html

To get an idea of how much the Beard could sell via this method, here's a site that lists the "unofficial" popularity of all the songs that Harmonix has directly published:

http://keldon.net/rockband/popularity.cgi

Note that these aren't exact, and may be low -- they are based on scoring leaderboards -- the number of users reporting a "solo" score on any instrument for that song. Some may buy a song but only play it "as a band", or might play without being connected to XBox Live or Playstation Network.

If I had to guess, I'd say SB would be looking at sales in the lower thousands, per song, not tens of thousands. Rock Band players tend to be younger, and download buyers often are "difficulty-driven" -- songs that are really difficult to play will sell better (hence the songs that sell 100K+ are your Iron Maiden, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, etc).

If you managed a 2/3 split with musicgameauthors.com, you'd net $0.40 per song, or $3.60 per album. Sell 5,000 albums this way, and SB gets $18,000 extra revenue, with virtually no effort and ZERO up front costs. That's "found money".

And, wonderfully, there's NO cannibalization here. A sale made on RBN is not a traditional CD sale lost to the SB Store. Nobody that would have bought direct is going to say "nah, I'll just buy it in RockBand and skip the CD". The music is *locked* onto the Xbox and *cannot* be ripped to CD. What they buy can only be played in Rock Band. (And the game has to be PLAYED -- it can't just be listened to). If someone buys the music here and then wants to have it on their iPod, they have to buy the CD for traditional listening.

What is sold in the RBN store is 100% marginal revenue, and won't negatively impact traditional CD sales at all -- in fact, that $18K in revenue should lead to additional sales, both of the new CD and of back catalog.

Is $3.60 per album low compared to the net of a self-published traditional CD? Absolutely.

But with no upfront costs at all, and offering a *new* channel that does not at all cannibalize traditional sales, $3.60 beats zero all day long.



The response to *that* was:




Thanks! I forwarded your response and [the lead singer] thinks it makes sense. Waiting to hear from the other guys. We'll see where this goes.



Just some ideas on how, once you engage a band that has doubts, those doubts can be overcome.

Jester

[The-Dude1212]

all you have to do is go to their official site and most band sites have a "contact info" section with an email address for the band/manager/lable.

Well, I go to margaritaville.com...and find the Contact link at the bottom of the page...and it gives me the links to contact Margaritaville Cafes located around the U.S. So, even if I did want that, the long distance charges would be through the roof.

So...eventually some more digging brought me to mailboat records. I would assume I would e-mail them regarding Buffet? The only e-mail they had that I found was info@mailboatrecords.com, so I'm gonna try that tonight.

As for Springsteen, I clicked the Columbia records link, and after some digging around, found the link that says "Send Feedback". Hopefully I'm doing it right, at least I'll find out soon enough tonight.

So, my lesson to all who are looking to contact their favourite artists:

Don't trust websites. Google that s***.

[Cliphead]

If a major label artist is that hard to contact, leave it to the main Music Store.

[Ayar]

Re: ADBjester

Great breakdown on the financials of RBN. Is this all derived from Harmonix-released information? I haven't been able to come up with that much detail through official channels.

[destruction3402]

Great thread!

[Lizard_King]

i just used Ferocious Q's template to email White Lies. hope it works!

[topperharley]

First off, Jester's post should be required reading for anyone who is contacting bands about RBN. No doubt a lot of them are going to be concerned about the financials, and being able to respond in a logical, intelligent manner will help overcome a lot of doubts.

Secondly, here is the email template I've been using so far:


As a fan of __________, I wanted to let you know about something very cool that's in the pipeline from Harmonix, the company behind the rhythm game Rock Band, Rock Band 2, and The Beatles: Rock Band (and before all of that, Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II). That something very cool is called Rock Band Network, and it's a way for bands to get their music into Rock Band -- and into the hands of a whole new set of music fans. I would love to see some __________ in Rock Band, and Rock Band Network provides the tools to do so.

Rock Band fans are passionate about music, and Harmonix understands that passion. Harmonix employees are musicians, and truly know how to convey the feeling and emotion of the music and of being in a band.

You can read more about Rock Band Network here:

Rock Band Network Press Release (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225)

Rock Band Network Creators Website (http://creators.rockband.com/)

Rhythm Authors FAQ Page (http://www.rhythmauthors.com/faq.php?sid=1f1c3e6cf3668ab78ecefee36158c882)

For a list of companies that can help with getting the music into the game (i.e. the computery, techincal stuff), look here:

Rock Band Network Charting Groups (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2848111&postcount=1)

Any questions that you have can be answered here:

Harmonix Feedback/Support (feedback@harmonixmusic.com)

Please consider Rock Band Network as another method of distributing __________'s music to music fans. In the roughly two years since Rock Band was first released, I have been introduced to dozens of bands that I would probably have never heard of otherwise. And those bands have introduced me to dozens more. I truly believe that being in Rock Band would create a whole new fanbase for the great music that __________ creates.

Thank you for your time.

I tweak it based on whether I'm sending it to the band directly or to their management company, and whether it's a band that has already gotten a song in RB, or one that hasn't yet been so fortunate.

[geo2n2]

^^ That's a great letter, but perhaps it would be better to link to the thread here with ALL the authoring groups listed rather than singling out just one.

[topperharley]

I did. :)

[lowfatevan]

i sent a message, based on the template to Touch and Go Records and plan on emailing some more labels tomorrow. Has anyone emailed Secretly Canadian, Arts and Crafts, or Temporary Residence? Those are next on my list.

[RockAuthors]

I think you made a great point Apples: don't be too pushy-sales-like and be polite and respectful. I think the last thing we want to be doing is spamming artists and turning them off of rock band network.

[herojoe]

I emailed the great Japanese black metal band Sigh. I hope they get on this.

[LegendofRock3021]

I emailed the great Japanese black metal band Sigh. I hope they get on this.

There's a thread dedicated to e-mailing bands (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157325) that would be more appropriate for your post.

[herojoe]

Whoops. Sorry.

[LegendofRock3021]

Whoops. Sorry.

No big deal, it's awesome to see so many different bands are being contacted and are going to be apart of RBN.

[Edgehead]

I contacted the management for the band Metric using the suggested template and they got back to me asking for the financial terms of the agreement. What/Where should I link them to for that?

[Walterrrr]

http://creators.rockband.com/spec/Main_Page


How much do we get?
30% of all sales.

[starknakedhero]

just sent this message to Blitzkid....
Blitzkid,
I am a fan and have been for quite some time and I have an assumption you may of heard of music video games and so on. I myself am a big time Rock Band player on the PS3. This message to you is on that subject. Harmonix,the makers of the game have started a new service called the Rock Band Network which allows bands like you to chart and make your music playable in the game. It would friggin rock if you guys could think about getting involved into it. It would be a great way to put yourselves out there to promote your new stuff and make your older music known as well. Rock Band fans like me are passionate about music, and Harmonix understands that passion.
You can read more about Rock Band Network here:

Rock Band Network Press Release

Rock Band Network Creators Website

Rhythm Authors FAQ Page

For a list of companies that can help with getting the music into the game (i.e. the computery, techincal stuff), look here:

Rock Band Network Charting Groups

If you guys have any questions, they can be answered here:

Harmonix Feedback/Support

In the roughly two years since Rock Band was first released, I have been introduced to dozens of bands that I would probably have never heard of otherwise. And those bands have introduced me to dozens more. I truly believe that being in Rock Band would create a whole new fanbase for Blitzkid. If any links posted are incorrect or you have trouble than please visit and roam through Rockband.com...you should be able to find some help regarding your questions.
Thanks for hopefully reading this and taking time out for a single fan. Hopefully you will consider Rock Band Network...it would be "love like blood" to play your music on my plastic guitar controller lol.

Stay cool and Rock on,
My Real Name (aka. Dangerously_Bitten)

[joescorpion]

i just sent the message to rody from protest the hero he might join. he is a good friend of my family so he might just do me the favour of putting the songs in the game

[Gate28]

Hello Ludo and the band's representatives,

I have a big fan of your work and I believe that putting your music into the Rock Band game will both increase your exposure and probably make a lot of your fans happy. The melodies and rhythms in your songs are very complex and would sure to challenge players of the game.

There are several pricing options available and you split the money earned from sales 70/30, with the band getting 30, and the standard price for a song in Rock Band is either $0.99 or $1.99, the latter being more common and full albums selling for what you would expect. This cut may seem small, but if you look into it, you will find that this is all profit. There's is little to no front-end cost and very little effort involved.

You can read more about Rock Band Network at the RBN Press Release http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225
You can also look at the RBN website itself for more information about becoming a part of this project http://creators.rockband.com/

Thank you for letting me take a bit of your time and for considering this offer. I'm just a fan and I always thought that Ludo and Rock Band would go good together.


This is the email I sent to Ludo.

[RockBandRocker]

I have a question about contacting bands.

Do you send your email to the management? The label? The band themselves?


There is a band that I would like to contact, and I want to know what channel (or channels) would be the best to go through to maybe see some positive results.

[ustolemygmrtag]

Hello Tesla Band representatives and Community,

I have been a big fan of your work since your 1st album and I believe that putting your music into the Rock Band game will both increase your exposure and probably make a lot of your fans happy. The melodies and rhythms in your songs are very complex and would sure to challenge any and all players of the game.

There are several pricing options available and you split the money earned from sales 70/30, with the band getting 30, and the standard price for a song in Rock Band is either $0.99 or $1.99, the latter being more common and full albums selling for what you would expect. This cut may seem small, but if you look into it, you will find that this is all profit. There's is little to no front-end cost and very little effort involved.

So if you take 30% or $1.99. you get about 60 cents a song. All Profit.
And not to mention your songs in front of millions of new little young fans. That would want to see you in concert, and buy your albums.

You can read more about Rock Band Network at the RBN Press Release http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152225
You can also look at the RBN website itself for more information about becoming a part of this project http://creators.rockband.com/
And here is a list of companies that would help get your music into the game faster. http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156832

Thank you for letting me take a bit of your time and for considering this offer. I'm just a fan and I always thought that Tesla and Rock Band would go great together.

This is what I posted On the Forums at the Tesla Site. I could not find a way to contact the band directly. Or their Label. I this goes well and gets their attention.

[SomethingWithPeaches]

Question:

If I ever do try and contact a band/label about getting in RBN, and they do accept, where do I go from there?

[trg007]

Question:

If I ever do try and contact a band/label about getting in RBN, and they do accept, where do I go from there?

If they're interested in it but don't have the time/resources to author on their own, refer them to this list (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156832) of 3rd party authors.

[MachiV]

Just contacted Loser Friendly Records, who represent the electroclash band Client. Awaiting a reply :)

[Furry4Life]

I'd love a template for contacting managers/managing firms.

[rammetal7]

I just emailed Technical Death Metal band Neuraxis (http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=3604) about RBN, I am currently waiting for a reply.

[BURNING13]

i just contacted manowar and lizzy borden. manowar replied tha tthey will consider it, and lizzy borden havent replied yet (they are on tour after all)

i also wanted to contact savatage nada surf and cake, but there is no contact info in their sites
anyone has contacted them? or tenacious d perhaps?

[redsocksPUGSLEY]

I recently had a short, albeit somewhat informative, Q&A with Topshelf Records (http://www.topshelfrecords.org/index.php), the leading label in the modern wave of emotional hardcore (aka skramz, aka real screamo). They cover the bands Pianos Become the Teeth, Defeater, We Were Skeletons, Grown Ups, and The Saddest Landscape, all of which are intense, unique, and brilliant bands, of many different sounds but equal amounts of technical brilliance and strong emotional investment. Well, point being is that the label, when asked if they would want to present any of their work for authorship, said that the offer sounded interesting and that they would enjoy perhaps working with the process in the future.

I'm not entirely certain on how this process works really, and their wording, despite nudging at the fact that one of their staff has worked on rhythm gaming prior, confused me, really, and I have no idea whether or not they seek to pursue it themselves (in the way Deep Elm has) or if they need some sort of guidance in order to begin authoring. In not wanting to be a pest, I'm sort of afraid of badgering them for a more defined answer, but at the same time, the music this label sponsors is one of the biggest driving forces in my life, so I certainly wouldn't want to be trapped in the haze, prospecting on what might've been subtly ignored from the get-go.

What I ask is that somebody else propose the concept to them again? Perhaps if an authoring group or somebody more knowledgeable about the process besides myself, just a run-of-the-mill plastic guitarist, then perhaps they'll take serious consideration into the RBN?

[JpopRockForever]

Cool, I did the same stuff mentioned by the Harmonix developer above to contact various Japanese artists (although it was before I read this) after a RBN aurhor said that Japanese became a supported language on Rock Band like English, Spanish & others which made my day! ^_^

I also have spread the word because I feel that the more fans & people know about this & contact them the better the chance they'll join.

X Japan's "I.V" which was ending theme to Saw 4 was featured as one of the extra free downloads with a new copy of Rock Band 2 which gave me hope! The song is in English (and it' one of my biggest favorites) but this is a legendary & highly popular Japanese band of the 80's & 90's & they made a Come Back and are still rolling so this is great & I have hope that their Japanese songs will also be added.

I know we can do it if we put our mind to it. Peace ^_^