No matter if you’re a composer for movies or games, it has always been a fact that musicians are finding it harder to earn steady streams of income. From a saturated marketplace to not specialising in an asking genre, being a musician can be tough. If there was only a way to easily connect musicians with matching clients. That was the exact thought DJ Jesse Neo, a 23-year-old songwriter, singer and producer from Australia had. After being in the industry for the past three years and working for several media companies as a composer, Jesse felt the industry needed a technological shakeup.
First, he was irritated by the fact the time he spent discussing his project with business directors took longer than the time given to him to write his scores. “I remember having one hand on my laptop and the other on my phone, speaking to two different clients about my music. One was asking me how I would deliver the job, and the other how much I expected to receive from my cut of royalties.” There must be a way to automate this process, Jesse thought to himself. So with some computer skills he picked up, he started a small website. There, he listed all his unused beats and music, and advertised them to record labels. Within a few days, sales started coming through of up to $600.
“I was amazed and dumbfounded,” Jesse told us. “I did not have to interact with any client or sign any paperwork because my website did everything for me. Finally, I was able to concentrate on my art and know that relevant clients would be able to find me.” Suddenly, his friends in the music industry saw the potential of such a service and encouraged him to turn it a marketplace. Hence, Gemtracks became the Australian’s first startup.
“I guess the thing that sets Gemtracks apart from other music stores is the fact that the beats and instrumentals on the website can only be sold once,” the 23-year-old explained. “This gives the website a feel of exclusivity that become the catalyst to drive up the prices and attract attention. Also, once a track is sold, the copyright also gets given to the buyer.”
Since the beginning of the year, Gemtracks has grown several fold. Several composers and producers from major labels such as Universal, Warner and Sony have been selling their beats part time on the platform. These composers include Milana Leybovich, Taylor Carroll, Lucas Gold, Beowülf and I.Y.F.F.E. Based on current analytics, rap beats have been proving very popular.
Now, the platform also let customers post custom requests for musicians to bid on, and the ability to book recording studios. “I want Gemtracks to become a platform that would benefit everyone, new and old in the industry,” Jesse announced. “That is why I have just started an educational resource on the website for newcomers to check out, including a list of song ideas and hashtags for singers. Basically, topics even the most inexperienced would find useful.”
With all that’s going on with the world today, we can only hope the best for Jesse. If this project sounds interesting to you, head over to Gemtracks now to find beats for sale.
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