April 2008 Hall of Fame
Tune Your World = Music + Microfinance
Tune Your World = Music + Microfinance
Idea Description
Every artist has the same problem of obtaining capital for their next recording. Tune Your World provides the solution of applying the principles of micro-financing to the music industry. Our groundbreaking approach is the creation of peer-to-peer micro-financing of new music projects - enabling fans to deliver start-up capital to aspiring musicians from developing countries around the world. Tune Your World operates on a people-to-people model. Musicians obtain funding for new recordings directly from their fans without giving up ownership or control. Our mission is to revitalize the music industry in places where the music industry has never worked very well. www.tuneyourworld.com
What will you do if you win $10,000 for this idea?
This prize would help change the way the world finances music. Tune Your World is an Open Source music project that enables artists and fans to co-produce new works of art and share in the creative process. We need to complete development and support work to ensure that the first artists who use our micro-financing tools are successful. Our international music network already includes over 3,000 international musicians and more than 75,000 registered users. Early success will help spread the word about this radical new approach to music production-ultimately supporting all of the artists we work with around the world. www.tuneyourworld.com
Awesome website... very cool.
Wired Magazine editor Scott Thill picked up the story: 'Microfinancing Music with Calabash' here: <a href="http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/04/microfinancing.html">http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/04/microfinancing.html</a>
This is a great idea that Jane Siberry has used with her fans. Folks can send a donation through her website for "studio patron" time...$50 donation means you have sponsored an hour for Jane to work in the studio on her next recording. She, of course, has lots of fans, so it works for her. I think this idea would show great support for less established artists.
This is a really great endeavor that is focused on the artist. I feel like I'm connected to the musician. I think this direct support of artists is a wonderful program.
Great idea, and it's more than just musicians, but certainly a great start.
I have been getting a lot of my music from CalabashMusic.com and I love what they have to offer. I love this new endeavor as well. Great ideas.
How do you handle it when not enough money is raised for the project? Do you refund the money? Not knowing this may make some people shy away.
All money that is given towards a musicians' project is held in a Paypal account and is not released to the artist until their goal is reached. If the artist does not reach their goal then all of the contributing fan/sponsors are contacted and given a choice of either transferring their support to another music project or receiving their money back.
Very cool. I contributed on your site and hope it works out!
I have been using site for a few months now and it introduces artists who are not available easily elsewhere. If you like them you can download their music and share with friends. Also includes free downloads as a taster. I have notified many people worldwide of this site and highly recommend it.
I have been using Calabash for 5 years now and have seen artists move on from being only known in their home country to being world stars - good examples are Garifuna musicians like Andy Palacio, who tragically died this year. This is a great project.
Calabash is a cool knowledgeable world music site that expands my world. The microfinance for musicians idea is wonderful because it increases people to people and music to music connection. Thank you Calabash!
hope you guys pull off the win -- this is an excellent way to circumvent the BS of the current 'entertainment' industry and get the focus back on the music and the artistry... and away from the corporate control of braindead hacks and suits.....
Interesting idea, but where is the accountability? What happens to all the musicians that receive money, but not enough money to get fully launched? I can't say I'd feel too good about giving because there is really no immediate return, especially because the majority of musicians anywhere will never make it, and most of the money won't move a developing world musician any closer to producing an album.
Contributions to each project are placed into an online account and not given to the artist until they reach their goal. (if they don't reach their goal than the money can be either returned or transferred to another project). The artists are producing mp3 songs -- even one at a time -- which has a modest cost of @ $500 per song (or less) for studio time. (Physical CD production is also possible but through single CD pressing services so each CD will only be produced when one is purchased). This is well within the means of any talented international artist who is willing to do the work to build an international fan base. One of the most encouraging signs for this model is the micro-lending site Kiva.org which allows people to make small loans ($25 per person) to entrepreneurs from develop…moreing countries. for example, a bike shop owner can get a loan for, say, $1,000 to purchase bike parts. Kiva is now making $1.5 million in loans each month. and has a high rate of re-payment. The Tune Your World model has some advantages because each of our musicians already has a fan base who love their music and want to support the artist. Also we are not making a loan -- but simply pre-selling a future product (you contribute $10 you will receive an advance copy of the new recording).
I have been using Calabash for 3 years and it's one the great places on the web!
Calabash has been one of my favorite sites in the year or so I've discovered it. Much of my iPod and mp3 material rotating playlists have come from Calabash downloads. This is a worthy endeavor whose time has surely come to combat the commercial pap out there.