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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

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)

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.

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 ...

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

This is exactly what I was worried about.

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

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?

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!

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.