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You can only upload music once you have registered as a musician. So the first thing to do is register!
Once you have registered, you will be taken to a media page. On this page, you will be able to upload music files and a picture of your band, if you choose to do so.
The process of uploading a file to SonicAwareness is the same as adding an attachment to an email. Click on the "Browse" button in order to search the files on your own computer. When you find the file you want to upload, simply open it.
Upon opening the file it is CRITICAL that you NAME THE FILE. By naming the file, you are actually naming the song you just uploaded. You can name the file by typing the name of the song into the filed labeled "Alt Text".
After naming the file, you can start the uploading process by hitting "upload".
BE PATIENT! Music files are quite large and, depending on your connection speed, can take several minutes to upload.
Upon the completion of your upload, you will see the name of your file listed in the submission section. This is confirmation that your upload was successful.
YOU CAN SUBMIT MORE MATERIAL AT ANY TIME THROUGH THE ARTIST ACCOUNT
What are the technical requirements for submitting music?
In a nutshell, if your music is audible (Relatively free of "pops" and "buzzes") it is good enough for SonicAwareness. However, WE ONLY ACCEPT MP3 FORMAT. Therefore, you can not submit Wav files, Windows Media or Real Player Files, and other, non Mp3 type files.
We also will not accept any Mp3 recorded at over 128kbps. Again, as long as the recroding is audible, it's fine from a technical standpoint. Therefore, if you wish to submit an Mp3 recorded at a speed lower than 128kbps that is fine.
As we mentioned in Our Philosophy, we don't decide whether your music is good or bad…that determination is left to the listeners. And as you probably know, what one person thinks is great, another may think is garbage. That's why we will accept any style, genre or instrumentation. There are no limitations when it comes to your creativity. Come one, Come all!
How do I turn my music into mp3’s and other types of music files?
There are all kinds of music software and programs that can transform the music you have on your CD into Mp3s.
Here are a few:
MusicMatch Jukebox
Real Jukebox
SoundJam MP (For Macintosh)
It's pretty easy to get a hold of these programs, as they are all available via the Internet. Simply download them and follow the instructions provided in the program's "Help" section.
First, you must select a musician from the Music Index. Once you make this selection, you are taken to that musician's Listening Room.
The listening room is where all the songs are stored for a specific musician.
The title of each song is listed on the left hand side of the page. On the right hand side are two listening options. The first option is a 30 second clip. Use this to preview the song you are interested in. The second listening option will enable you to download the entire music file. Simply click on this option and downloading will commence. However, if you are not a registered listener, you will be asked to register first.
Once the download is complete the song is yours to listen to. Enjoy!
I’m having trouble uploading music. Why won’t it work?
There could be a number of reasons. Two of the most common reasons are:
There is Something Wrong With the actual Mp3 file
Be sure to play it on your own system first. This will ensure that the file was created properly and that there is actually music to be heard.
You are Ending the Upload too Quickly
Remember, music files are quite large. Therefore, depending on your connection speed, they can take serveral minutes to upload. Be patient when uploading, especially when you are dealing with large files. Furthermore, WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION. Don't prematurely end the uploading session just because your progress metre is full.
I’m having trouble downloading music and playing the 30 second clip. Why won’t it work?
Problems with Downloading
Chances are, there is a problem with your connection. Make sure your modem is hooked up properly.
You'll also want to make sure that your media player of choice (i.e. Real Player, MusicMatch Jukebox, QuickTime, Windows Media, etc.) is functioning properly in order to ensure successful playback of downloaded Mp3s.
You may also be ending the download prematurely. Make sure the download is complete before you terminate the process.
One other possible reason could be file placement. In other words, the download is successful, but the music file is not stored where you expect to find it. Check your computer...that file's gotta be somewhere!
Problems with 30 second Clip
If you're having trouble with the 30 second clip, it probably has something to do with your media player. For the 30 second clips, we highly recommend you use the latest FREE version of QuickTime...it is the best player to use for fast and effective playing of the 30 second clips.
I just uploaded music on to SonicAwareness, but I don’t see it? Where did it go?
Any music files submitted to SonicAwareness normally appear immediately, or within a few hours of your submission. Every now and then our system takes a coffee break of its own, so don't panic if you don't see your music immediately. If however, you can't find your music in your listening room after a few hours, there may be two reasons for your music's mysterious absence:
The File You Submitted was not an Mp3 File:
SonicAwareness only accepts Mp3 files. While other music files can be uploaded, they will not appear on any lists, such as the listening room. In order to remedy this situation you will have to upload an Mp3 file of the song you want to have listed.
Forgot to Name Your Song or Save Your Changes:
Whenever you upload music you want to make sure that you NAME YOUR FILE. Failure to do this will result in a nameless Mp3, and this can make it difficult to find the file.
You should also remember to SAVE any changes when you add/remove songs, or change your member profile.
This primarily depends on your preferences, as the bit-rate used for creating your music file will determine its overall sound quality.
While higher bit rates results in higher quality, SonicAwareness does not accept files recorded at a bit-rate higher than 128kbps. This is due to the considerable amount of space music files occupy, particularly when recorded at a very high bit-rate. If you submit files recorded at a higher bit rate, we will convert the submitted file to 128kbps...don't worry, this won't change the content of your music.
You should know that it is perfectly acceptable to record your music at a lower bit-rate, such as 96kbs. While files created at 128kbps are of higher quality, in many instances the difference in quality is not clearly noticeable or important. What's important is that you are happy with the sound of your music.
REMEMBER THIS! The music files on this site are used to display your creativity, not your technical expertise as far as music file creation is concerned. The files exist to build your audience and give listeners a taste of what you can do. If listeners like what they hear, they will probably want to purchase a CD (Read about our CD Program in the Products section) which will feature music recorded at a higher bit rate!
I have loaded my song and I thought that I could hear it after uploading. However, the site says that my file can not be found.
Chances are, you're trying to play your song via your Artist Account. This is not possible, as your account is used to upload songs to the 'front end' of the site. The 'front end' in this case is your Listening Room (where Listeners may access your music).
If you have uploaded your song correctly, and your music file is an Mp3 file, then you should be able to play it from your Listening Room.
If you can't, or if your music does not appear, then you'll want to contact us.
In order to upload your music, you must sign up as a Musician Member on SonicAwareness and create an Artist Account. You can do this by clicking on the tab that says "Artist Sign Up". Just follow the instructions from there!
If I submit my music to SonicAwareness, do I still own it?
Absolutely! Your music will always be YOUR MUSIC! Even though you grant SonicAwareness special privileges to use your music when you sign up, the music itself remains your property. This gives you the right to remove music without difficulty. For more information, read our Artist Contracts.
What are the aesthetic requirements for submitting music?
As we mentioned in Our Philosophy, we don't decide whether your music is good or bad…that determination is left to the listening audience. And as you probably know, what one person thinks is great, another may think is garbage. Our only restriction is that your music may not promote hatred or slander another group or race. Aside from that, we will accept any style, genre or instrumentation. There are no limitations when it comes to your creativity. Come one, Come all!
You may upload as many songs as you wish. Therefore, if you are content to upload 1 song, then that's just fine. If you want to upload 10 songs, that's fine too. It's entirely your choice.
It all depends on the service you choose. We have 3 different promotional service packages...Full, Advanced, and General. For more information about these packages, clilck here.
Why do I have to register before I can download music?
Registration is what makes SonicAwareness work. Registering for FREE makes it easier to find music that you find appealing. It also helps the musicians on this site develop a fan base. Without registration, SonicAwareness would be unable to pair-up listeners and musicians, and bands would become lost in a crowd. Moreover, listeners would not get as much enjoyment out of this site. That’s why we want everyone to register.
Why don't you accept music that promotes hate? Can't I say anything I want?
You can say whatever you want in your music. We fully understand the desire and need for people to speak their minds, no matter what their opinion is and who it may offend. However, as SonicAwareness assumes the role of a musical forum, available to anyone, we are responsible for what we make available. Like it or not, the music available on this site projects an image, and we wish to show ourselves as promoters of undiscovered talent and ingenuity, not hatred. While the views of some may not necessarily reflect the views of SonicAwareness, we can be held responsible for promoting hatred. Such views of SonicAwareness can and likely will result in lawsuits, which affect us and the musicians and listeners who have placed their trust in our site and services. Therefore, we feel it is in the best interest of the site and those who use its services, to exclude music that is deemed to be offensive in this nature. You do have the right to say what you want, but we also have the right to determine what is said on SonicAwareness.
Why am I asked to rate a song every time I download it?
Ratings are a very important part of the SonicAwareness experience. When you rate a song, you are voicing your opinion. Your opinion provides musicians with useful feedback, and encourages discussion amongst your fellow listeners and other musicians. Ratings help determine which artists/bands make it into the top 10 every month, and ratings help build a community on SonicAwareness that is made up of people who have a genuine interest in music. Ratings make SonicAwareness more interesting and enjoyable to use!
How do I delete the comment threads when no longer necessary or outdated?
You can not delete the comment threads yourself. If you want a comment deleted, simply contact us, provide an explanation as to why to you want a comment deleted, and we'll take care of the rest.
In the Contact Us section you will see numerous email addresses under various headings. Simply select the email address located under the heading that is most applicable to your question, concern, or comment, and we’ll respond to you as soon as possible.
What requirements/specifications are necessary to use SonicAwareness and its features?
If you have a computer and access to the Internet, then you're set to go!
Obviously, the speed of your interenet connection will determine how fast you can download and upload music, and navigate the site in general.
You will also want to have some form of music/media player available to you. Such players include Real Player, Windows Media Player, Winamp, Music Match Jukebox, and a host of others. These players can be found on the Internet and downloaded for free.
Can I write an article for the ezine? Will I get paid?
We welcome articles from our musicians and listeners. While we can’t guarantee that your article will show up in the ezine, we can assure you that if it is used you will get paid for it! You won't be able to retire on the amount we pay, but it's still nothing to sniff at. To submit an article, or if you want more information, send an email to submitarticle
As unromantic as it sounds, SonicAwareness was actually born out of a rant. Yes, a RANT! Zach Brull, the Founder and Director of SonicAwareness, was upset with the current state of music and the way music was being used on the Internet. While he loved how the far reaching capabilities of the Internet could expand an artist’s fan base, he disliked the fact that royalties were not being paid to musicians when their work was distributed and downloaded. This applied to both unknown artists and superstars. Zach also felt that many talented musicians were being ignored in favor of glitz and glamour and the slick packaging of manufactured bands. Therefore, he decided that the best solution to these problems was to build an online vehicle to promote and reward independent musical talent.
SonicAwareness was developed over a year. Many different prototypes were tested and analyzed. Finally, a solid model was developed and all involved with the development process felt they had something that would indeed help independent musicians with their careers, provide listeners with worthwhile entertainment, and foster a community of music lovers.
The rest is history. What you see here is the result of a rant, and a few people's dedication to a truly magnificent performing art!
Unfortunately, if you live in Canada, you have the “privilege” of paying GST (Goods and Services Tax) on all your purchases on SonicAwareness, with the exception of Membership Registration. Moreover, if you live in Ontario, you get to pay PST (Provincial Sales Tax) as well! Yeah, we know, it’s a bummer, and that’s why we eat the GST and PST when musicians sign up as members. Unfortunately, we can’t completely avoid the taxman, hence the need to charge GST and PST to those who are eligible when other products/services are purchased on SonicAwareness. Sorry guys, eh!
While the Internet has a wonderful way of making things look easy, and cheap, the reality of running a Website is that it costs a fair amount of money. SonicAwareness incurs many expenses by running and maintaining its website. Therefore, advertising is used to provide revenue in order to recoup some of these expenses.
SonicAwareness uses different forms of advertising, such as banner ads, cube ads, pop-under ads, pop-up ads, classified ads, Ezine ads, and email ads.
We do our best to ensure that these ads do not hinder your enjoyment of SonicAwareness. For example, we limit the number of pop ups to 1 per visit. Moreover, we do not place ads because we wish to bombard you with various messages. Our goal is to help Musicians Be Heard while enabling Listeners to discover fantastic music.
In a nutshell, advertising is one of many necessary revenue streams needed to ensure that SonicAwareness may continue to provide quality content.
Is this site just for downloading music onto MP3 players?
You may download the music on to an MP3 player, your hard drive, a friend's MP3 player, etc. The most important thing is for the musicians to get noticed, and for you to be entertained. It's entirely up to you, the listener!
Before approaching any webmaster for a link exchange, check and see if you have at least 10-20 quality links pointing to your website. So, a link exchange, could boost search engine rankings for both parties, and improve page rank. This is why a webmaster will not approve a link exchange request, until you have at least 10-20 inbound links and a few good posts or articles.
