Music as a money making 'device'

I've had my pre-conceptions about the music industry shattered over the last few months. Old idea's about how you should go about certain things, how to make money, how much money etc etc.

Its all down to pretty much one guy and his deeply thought provoking websites.

The gentleman in question is a Mr. Andrew Dubber and his main website is here - www.newmusicstrategies.com

He has a new blog item up currently regarding pirated downloads and a response he got from a reader who was furious that her music was being 'stolen'. 

It struck a very dissonant chord within me. So much so that I had to relpy in the comments.

I copy the reply here in full and with an additional note, As much as I would LOVE to become very wealthy from my music, it is not the reason i create it. I do not create living on a dream it is to become rich from. Money is a bonus, an added extra, money should never be the reason to create, to create purely for financial gains means the very thing you create is contrived and dishonest.

Anyway, heres my unedited reply:

" It cost me huge amounts of time and my hard earned money to create this music. This is a business. For profit."

This is where you fail. in my honest opinion.

That one statement stuck out like a massive sore thumb for me when reading this article.

Is this the only reason you write and create music? Simply to make money? As a business woman I'd say you;ve failed from the very start then, becasue anyone with any business sense would realise that music is the LAST place you start a business to make money!!

Music is not a business, period. It has 'become' a business for many corporations and compaines, but music is not, in and of itself a business.

Music is about emoting, about expression, about conveying to others a feeling, a thought, a memory.

Music for me personally is like therapy, its cathartic. Each song i write is a diary entry in my life. I cant talk about my feelings, I cant express how i'm feeling to people who care about me, the only way i can get my pain/joy out is in song format. I need to play and write music to satisfy my own emotional needs. I play my music in front of other people at gigs becasue i feel I have something valid to offer others, either to say 'your not alone in how you feel' or as my way of asking 'does anyone else feel like this? I am not alone in this?'

I currently give all my music away for free, I'm currently recordign my first album, and so far i've given away 2 lots of beta mixes, actual 'as its being recorded' mp3's so if anyone out there is interested in seeing how an album is created and progressed then they can download it all, and see each itteration of each song as it grows and develops.

It also means that people can hear my music NOW and I can actually develop a fan base rigth now instead of waiting another 6-10 months until the album is finally released.

When it is released I'll probably do a physical release, maybe a full retail release, thats way down the line right now, but i know i have plenty of good info to help me make the right choice.

Money from my music is a bonus, what drives me is making an emotional connection with people. What gives me the greatest sense of comfort and satisfaction is someone telling me that my music moved them, connected with their own experiences and vocalised their own feelings/pain/joy that they couldn't vocalise themselves.

And for me that is more valuable than any amount of money.

Leon.