DIY

DIY music is a community build around music that spans over multiple genres based on a few unifying principals. DIY stands for "Do it yourself" which is the core idea behind this community that separates it from popular music. Everyone involved in DIY is involved for one simple reason, because of their love for music and for the music scene. No one is a part of DIY music for money or fame because that doesn't exist within the scene, the best someone can hope for is making some small sums of money or becoming well known within the scene. This is part of why this scene is so strong, when everyone involved within the music scene is a part of it solely because they are passionate it allows for many things.

One of the most important aspects of DIY is authenticity, if you are not real and try to put out an image of yourself that isn't true to life this will quickly be weeded out by the community. In addition to this, everyone is always trying to help bands they find talented to succeed. This also allows the music to remain the most important aspect of a musicians work, and while that may sound like it should always be the case sadly it isn't. Many artists today are more focused on their image or on marketing than on their actual music. For example many pop singers do not write their own songs, their songs are written for them and sold as a product. There is nothing wrong with enjoying pop music but there is something inherently more pure about music that is made for the sake of making music as opposed to music that is made to get a paycheck.
In addition to this, DIY music feels like more of a community than any other music scene out there. This is because everyone involved tries to contribute in some way because we all wish to see the scene move forward and continue being strong.

DIY inhabits many places other music doesn't, while budding singer songwriters may choose to perform in bars or clubs, DIY artists can be found playing anywhere from somebody's basement to backyards, to the back room of bowling alleys. These kind of performances almost always feel more intimate than going to see a band play a large stadium or a bar. This is because the band is on the same level as you there is no stage, there is no lighting, there is no one fixing up a bands sound, it is simply people with instruments.
Another aspect making the DIY scene more intimate is the fact that everyone is on equal footing, everyone playing in a band was at some point simply someone going to shows who wanted to make music. There is no celebrities or business people trying to turn a profit or push products only music and a lot of people with a passion for it. The person who is booking shows in DIY is probably doing that because they play in a band and wanted to play a show, the recording engineer probably learned about audio because he wanted to record his own songs. Everyone is unified in their love for music and their desire to keep it away from people who's only desire is making money.

The lack of desire for record sales is important because it allows musicians more room to experiment. If you were to analyze the next ten songs you hear on the radio you would find that most of them share the same chord progression and a few of them probably share a writer or two. Whereas, in DIY you can listen to two bands in the same genre and have two wildly different listening experiences. Experimentation in music is important because it allows musicians the ability to express themselves creating songs they want to hear, while also allowing new innovations to be discovered.

Overall, DIY music is a great scene for anyone interested in hearing new experimentation in music while also being a part of a community with a passion for music.