Yeah. I’m just thinking from the company’s standpoint. We want to sell x number of products, we likely need this many people to see the product.
Each YouTuber will only get so many views, so they have to get a few big names or loads of little names to show their products to hit that number. Anyway, I think we both agree it sucks for the end viewer that is basically just being delivered ads as content now.
Sometimes you don’t even need to immediately quantify it to know it’s valuable as it can have longterm impacts too - keeping your brand and image in peoples thoughts constantly is powerful - if you’re always thinking of a Korg when you consider your next synth then it’s done its job. And I’m sure we’ve all done the thing where you search YouTube for a piece of gear and then for the next week you’re recommended all the videos on it, it’s a longterm investment to remain in the public psyche.
A bit like Coca Cola’s advertising - it’s almost impossible at this point for them to quanitify it, it’s just a perpetual awareness campaign that they can’t stop.
…nothing wrong with the basic idea, to promote new products via some utube vid’s…
if u pick channels that have some truu informative nature, instead of leaving the taste of another beer meets washing powder comercial clip, telling u, now it washes even more white than ever before…
so, be more aware of what ur really watching, what ur really willing to waste ur time with…
but hey, as already mentioned here a few times, all THIS is coming to an end anyways, way sooner than later…
Every once in a while a normally peace loving and nurturing community turns into a hate filled mob with torches and forks in their hands, ready to lynch a (possible) member and burn them on a cross.
No, that’s not the synopsis of the latest Purge -movie. That’s this forum every time a synthfluencer is mentioned. I can’t understand this amount of animosity and hostility towards someone who comes clean about his feelings and insecurities about his chosen line of work.
I do agree on some points made in this thread, but the majority of this thread is bordering on nauseating hostility and straight up bullying.
I can’t stand some synthfluencers, but I’ve come up with an ingenious discovery: I can just ignore them and not watch their videos. Wow! What a life hack. I feel better and I don’t need to shit on anybody publicly just because I don’t enjoy their Youtube-content.
RMR is not completely wrong, calling Elektronauts toxic. That’s what this forum certainly is to people in his line of work.
This is one of the most friendly communities I’ve been involved with, maybe if Jeremy were actually a part of the community he’d find the same, rather than getting on his soapbox and lecturing us from a distance.
I have to agree with both of you, @Wolf-Rami and @natehorn. I really don’t like the synthtuber hate that quickly comes up in every thread on the issue here.
But when it comes to how we talk to each other here, the community here is super positive, helpful and not at all toxic. And I feel like over the course of the thread, there’s a differentiated discussion developing on an important issue.
Also, as a side note: I think if you’re new to synths/electronic music making with hardware, Bobeats, Loopop and cos videos are very helpful to get an idea of what kinds of products are out there and what they are good for (and what not). I think most products reviewed there are more or less good to great, so it’s not necessarily out of being paid that nobody shits on the gear. However, whether that stuff fits your workflow and music is another thing. But I feel like these guys are pretty good at driving that home most of the time.
Their videos become less interesting after you have more experience and gear. But you can then just watch other youtube channels on synths focused more on music making. Or just make music. No need to shit on the synthtubers in general.
I fixated on that point but I would also have to agree with @Wolf-Rami that certain synthtubers do generate a lot of negative reaction - I think it’s mostly people being fed-up with what these creators know themselves they’re doing (thumbnails etc.) - there’s only so much eye-rolling a person can take. But these are people and I agree that it can get a bit close ot the bone sometimes. I’ve called it out myself before.
But I also don’t think that reacting negatively to someones content is inherently toxic and I don’t see any pitchforks…
I think it unfairly focuses on the negative. The forum isn’t a drum circle singing kumbiya around a fire(which doesn’t happen in a drum circle, but whatever) it’s made up with an assortment of people.
Very few people in this thread have been what I would consider toxic. Some have been annoyed, and they’re right to be annoyed. Some have been sympathetic and they’re right to be sympathetic
I haven’t watched past the part where he told me not to, and to go outside. So I did, I went outside and went to work.
I have read all the replies so far, and nothing I have read would qualify as toxic.
Toxic is such a stupid word in this situation. People can empathise or not with his situation. They can say so. Not agreeing with him isn’t toxic. Suggesting he get a job and sweep some factory floors for 12 hours a day isn’t toxic.
It’s actually great advice. Factory floors aren’t going to sweep themselves (until the robots take over), so you’ve got great job security. And a day on your feet moving and working makes sitting down to your music machines that much more satisfying.
Indeed
Pete Thorn and Rabea Massad are the same. They make everything amazing.
This is also the message you get from watching Bad Gear. He takes gear which people bitch about and makes it sound better than your fancy setup . In the end it just serves to show me the opposite of the intended outcome.
I realise that GAS is pointless and the only thing I’m missing is dedication and lots of hours put into my craft.
I’ve seen loads of synth youtubers making “Stop buying synth” videos and videos about how they hate being a youtuber and have mental health issues.
Unfortunately they exist (as far as companies are concerned) to make it look like playing with a huge collection of fancy synths is the most fun thing in the world and so this will inevitably make them less interesting to work with as far as brands are concerned.
I’m sure Andrew Huang suffers horrible burnout and mental health issues, but he makes it look like being him is the most fun thing in the world which is at the end of the day the product.
The idea of them becoming unionised doesn’t make any sense because they aren’t employees they are effectively an independent marketing business.
There sure are a lot of folks heavily invested in matters they care nowt for…
It strikes me as odd to be building the brand at the same time as knocking it down
Having no interest in the cult of online personalities isn’t reason enough to mute this stuff, but the concern from a moderation perspective is that it’s guaranteed to give us a headache … even moreso when that is the intention of a post, I suppose in a way it is toxic, but it’s a misrepresentation of this community as a whole.
Synfluencers is rapidly becoming like religion, politics, gender politics, certain brands as a guarantee of a downturn in tone and crossing the line
In this regard, like politics etc it’s not so far away that it could become a topic subject that is not welcomed … a good way to avoid this is to show consideration in your posts and raise the calibre of a chat rather than direct it south. That might mean not saying anything and it certainly should mean being careful about what you say about others who frequent here.
This whole thread and the oxygen given to this matter is ironically not what many post here for, it’s a strange irony and if people are more vocal about their displeasure in this aspect of forum life we can assess whether it’s a topic best left untouched.
But with a little goodwill, the community can police itself and each contributor can take a moment to review the guidelines if in doubt, it shouldn’t be off limits, but it can’t go on the way it’s heading. It’s a provocative subject clearly, or a triggering one, but is it worth your time? … might be if the discussion is progressive or constructive which much above ain’t
Just my 2c
Damn I should have watched the video I like it already!
Watch it up to that part, it’s about a minute and half in. Totally worth it.
Lol fair enough.
Thank you for your effort o7
I personally don’t have any hate for any particular person, it’s just the nature of the influencer business that I dislike. Phony, as Holden Caulfield would say.
Also, while I personally dislike the whole influencer thing, I quite like the way some brands approach YouTube. Earthquaker Devices comes to mind. They will showcase a really cool artist or engineer in a long form video, and while there might be a couple of minutes of EarthQuaker products, it’s mostly not about them. Their most recent video on David Pajo is fantastic, as is their Show Me your Junk series. I think EQD’s punk rock ethos comes out in the way they approach content creation and engaging with artists.
As someone mentioned before, even if I come away from the video seeing almost no EQD products, I still have a very positive image of their brand and would likely consider buying their gear to support these kinds of efforts.
I think the heavy-handed, clickbait approach and blitz of influencers all talking up the same thing is just going for low-hanging fruit.
I don’t wish any of the people involved in this stuff any ill will, it’s just not my cup of tea, and I sense I’m not alone.
The internet is built on a foundation of opinions that nobody needs or asked for.
If I stopped sharing my opinions I’d have to get on and make some music!
Man… this video is cringe for me.
Despite that I agree that they should also be paid, he has/had plenty of opportunities to make a living from his massive reach besides gear reviews. If those don’t work out because the fanbase isn’t buying merchandise, music or whatever then it’s not up to a manufacturer to compensate.
Also it doesn’t help me sympathise when he posts a picture of an expensive modular case a few days after saying he can’t make a living…
wonder if any of this is connected to the TE-new gear-shaped-hole on RMR channel?
In a nutshell:
Start a hobby
Start making videos about hobby
People tell you they bought product because of your video featuring it
Start complaining that the company whose product you used did not pay you
Ok.
“but but we are the synthesizer industry. Without us nothing would get sold and no one would know how to use a filter.”
