My linux-made instrumental songs now on Spotify and other streaming sites

[glowrak guy]

I used Distrokid as my release/upload service. The list of sites (around 24 at the basic level) is:

https://distrokid.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... Appear-In-

A streaming site search for Franklin Cheney should turn up around 110 songs so far, although I've only verified on Spotify, which has a nice .deb linux desktop app available. I've tried to choose cover-art that relates to the song title and content, so fun/happy/peaceful titles and art will hopefully differ in hinting from the more serious/somber/reflective music.

Some examples:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3jR1uSK6 ... 40e27f4403

https://open.spotify.com/track/1Z5mOVXD ... 05aaa94cdb

https://open.spotify.com/track/6j8vuNry ... 53080d499f

https://open.spotify.com/track/3Rw4ss6T ... 9de6584c70

https://open.spotify.com/track/0AN54o6h ... ce96434a20

Many of you will have shared knowledge here and elswhere that helps me be creative using linux, so I hope you can find a few tunes that will fit in your current listening situations, or energize you to press on in your creative endeavours.
Cheers

[bluzee]

That's wonderful. Congratulations.

[OccinticLady]

Wow!
Scary!
I paniced the first time someone watched my first video on youtube.
This, being a possible next step, would scare me if I did it...

[glowrak guy]

I can honestly say that Distrokid has done a great job making the process VERY easy, with excellent documentation, and built in warnings for things like trying to input something incorrectly, or loading something not of required specification. And their email support has been swift and helpful.
And you'll get several email about each song, letting you know each step of the songs journey to the streaming sites, and some optional strategeries to maximize popularity.

I'll say the same about Spotify, very nicely done, and that I also enjoy their linux app. The main thing these sites lack (to my knowledge), is the option to have an alphabetized list of your songs.

I used the huge www.unsplash.com photo-depot website to find cover-art that conveyed each songs mood and content, as best I could, which was time consuming, but enjoyable browsing the many fine photos, and the site's search tool is pretty nice.

Distrokid want cover art to be 3000 x 3000 pixels, so I used the windows irfanview graphics app in wine, as it has simple workflow to modify images: you can drag select a squarish portion of rectangular images, save the selection, then resample it up or down to get actual 3000 x 3000 results. It's better to downsize, but Irfanview has a smoothing option for upsizing, when entering the desired dimensions for resizing, when you choose to modify and save an image. Grainy images might be rejected at primadonna streaming sites.

I used Inkscape to add title text to each image. After importing the squarish image to the main Inkscape page, click the letter A icon to invoke text placement. Click near where you'll want the text, and type the title, (which won't be legible yet) then click the pointer icon atop the list...this will activate the sizing and placement controls on the text, so you can drag the arrows directionally to expand the size and place it precisely, and choose the color that best fits the scene.

Import image to irfanview (I used pcmanfm filemanager, as it included wine's apps in the 'open with' dialog)
Edit menu "Capture Visible Window Area" To drag-select the best squarish area
File menu: "Save Selection As" And a panel opens so you can also choose highest quality saving
(I added TRIM to the save title, like songpicTRIM.png for ease of spotting in filemanger for inkscapes importing tool.
Import saved photo into Inkscape, add text, and use Export button
Import again in Irfanview
Image menu, choose 'Resize-Resample' and fill in the 3000 x 3000 resolution
File menu 'Save as

Now your cover art is ready to be selected in Distrokids gui. Which will ask for about
eight choices on each song, which takes a few minutes the first time, being sure you
get it right, and easier once you get the routine. Once you submit the song, you can add credits and do other tasks if needed. The docs/faqs explain the common actions/scenarios that might be desired later on. Lots of youtube video walkthroughs are out there!

I created folders for each song, containing the song, and downloaded photos, as the name of the photographer is in the initial title, and can be retrieved for giving credit. For some songs I downloaded many images, and then sorted out the very best one for the song, then moved all the 'rejects' to a folder for future consideration.
No rocket science needed! No fear along the way

[GMaq]

@glowrak guy

Congrats on your Spotify releases! I'm listening now and enjoying the soundscapes as I catch up on online tasks!

I was curious what a person with your encyclopedic knowledge of Plugins and how to get them working on Linux was producing to gain such a vast amount of knowledge about Synths and now I have the answer. Very glad to find them someplace accessible now!

Thanks for sharing!

[glowrak guy]

Have to blame you and the other distro maintainers, coders, packagers, and contributors for making and keeping this a golden age for musicians! Without your sacrifices and generosity, the rockets would rust on the launchpad, and be trucked off to Cupertino or Redmond. There was a magazine pic of zynaddsubfx in an ancient Amiga Format or Amazing Computing magazine, that sparked my curiosity, which in turn led to Linux Journal magazine and Studio Dave's monthly columns, then Linux Format and others with CD's and DVD's making the un-downloadable readily available. So I went from Amiga to Linux, and windows versions were mainly for the kids homework needs. I still Have the dvd that contained Ubuntu Studio 8.06, tucked away, and not mentioned on the glossy cover.

Very glad you are finding some tunes you like! Try out BlueCat's Acoufiend acoustic feedback plugin when you have a few spare minutes, it's one of the great new plugins, and will be in my shortlist of transformative music tools. For guitars, synths, drums: custom feedback sans the wall of amps The demo is very generous, the price around $80, and working fine in the latest AVLinux!

https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/P ... AcouFiend/

Godspeed

[folderol]

Is there any way to hear these other than on spotify? I try to keep my digital 'footprint' as small as possible.

[glowrak guy]

Hi, here's the list that Distrokid distributes my songs to ( from their standard deal. I've only verified the first two sites. )

Spotify
Apple Music
iTunes
Instagram & Facebook
TikTok & Resso
YouTube Music
Amazon.com
Soundtrack by Twitch
Pandora
Deezer
TIDAL
Napster
Audiomack
Boomplay
iHeartRadio
ClaroMusica
Saavn
Anghami
KKBox
NetEase
Tencent outlets
Triller
TouchTunes
MediaNet outlets

Cheers

[folderol]

Got there in the end
Some very nice background chill-out material there.

[glowrak guy]

Be careful not to wake up with qwerty forehead
My wife insists I fall asleep when composing, but I know it's just being in deep thought about some effect or parameter . Right. Anyway, curious which site you used, as I've only verified a few of them (I also like a small footprint!)
Hope you find a few keepers!

[folderol]

I used google play in the end. They already know enough about me from the time (years ago) I opened a youtube account although I usually try to limit my exposure there as much as possible. These days, my preferences are Bandcamp and Soundcloud (in that order) they are the least intrusive of the lot.

[glowrak guy]

Good to know that works out. Funny thing about Distrokid, they send their artists various emails on a per-song basis.
Which is nice, but if they process a lot of your songs, you might open your inbox, and ...
Sending just one archive of all the messages would be cool. If not sensible.

For those unaware, your Yoshimi 'Folderol Collection' soundset is really good and useful. Bells, mallets, pads, strings, choirs, pluks, wind, guitars, synth leads, all easily layered, truly one you'd want if stranded on a solar-capable Desert Island
Cheers

[milo]

I also found you on YouTube and listened to several tracks. You have a good sound. Definitely worth spending a few hours on this channel.

For other non-Spotifiers out there, here is the YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVDl9RT ... VtTx9AVJ8M