Guidelines

All Selecteh members apply these guidelines to their selecteh and their publications. They become clearer seeing real examples (coming soon). Any guidelines are up for discussion and improvement, but they must be followed as long as they are current.

Elements of a selecteh

Please provide all these details when requesting the creation of a selecteh:

• Language: The main language of your selecteh website and publications.
• Name: "[Something] Selecteh". Can be an existing word (a language, region, community...), a word invented (and in that case we suggest you use the "e" as much as possible just for fun), or something in between. The name defines the website (something.selecteh.org) and the Fediverse account (@something@something.selecteh.org).
• Motto: One short sentence describing what your selecteh is about.
• About: A longer description of your selecteh. You can share something about you, your motivation with this selecteh, your criteria, your invitation to people to share their recommendations...
• Periodicity: Usually monthly, covering releases from the previous month. You can publish on any day of the month. No need to rush, quality matters more than speed. You can also skip a month, planned or not. If planned, mention it in your regular publication. If unplanned, it is nice to post a quick note if possible.
• Fediverse: You can post and engage in the Fediverse as much as you want. Just stay on the topic of your selecteh. Your monthly publication is posted automatically.
• Comments: Registered people can comment to your publications in your selecteh website. People can also comment via Fediverse. You are expected to be responsive but you are not obligated to respond.

Elements of a publication

You can apply these guidelines below with a template that you can just reuse and adapt. (coming soon)

Selecteh bets on a common format that promotes hard choices selecting, quality over quantity, and texts and images from the artists over our own writing.

A selection from top to bottom

We define a rigid sequence of limited slots, starting with your top selection big and colorful, and ending with the least relevant (but still selected) text-only mention. These slots are organized in sections. You can use less sections but not more. You can use less slots but not more.

The slots are calculated with prime numbers – what could go wrong?

• 2 slots for Cover.
• 3 slots for Featured
• 5 slots for Mentioned
• 7 slots for Listened
• 11 slots for Collateral

You can adapt these section names but not the conditions of each section.

Cover

You can use one or two slots, but only one will be featured at the top. This is the new music you have most enjoyed in the month covered. It's an album or EP that you have listened several times, or maybe just one song that is now living in your head. You get in touch with the artist(s) to let them know about your choice and get the information and media needed.

Each Cover slot gets:

• Links to music and video (all fair platforms)
• Link to artist(s) website.
• Genres (tags) as self-described by the artist(s).
• Image gallery, and one image from the top choice will be the featured image of the publication.
• Text from the artist(s) (nothing yours) including
  • release info
  • bio
  • main instruments and tools used (if they wish)
  • any Thank Yous they want to share
  • social music recommendations (if they wish, up to three)
  • something they want to say to your selecteh readers (ideally).
• Your couple of sentences explaining what you like, why the choice. If there are several tracks, what is your favorite (just one, more hard choices). Recommendations to previous works from the artist(s) are good. Avoid references to other artists, "influences", things you would do differently, things that you consider flaws... In short, avoid being a music critic.
• Links to Fediverse accounts and events.

Featured

You can use up to 3 slots. You like this new music a lot and you have listened to it several times. It could have been Cover if the slots wouldn't be taken. You should be able to get all the information without asking, but still it is nice if you ask and let them know that you are featuring them in your upcoming selecteh.

Each Featured slot gets:

• Links to music and video (all fair platforms)
• Link to artist(s) website.
• Genres (tags) as self-described by the artist(s).
• Album / track cover (medium size).
• Release info from the artist(s)
• Your couple of sentences explaining what you like, why the choice. If there are several tracks, what is your favorite (just one, more hard choices). Just like with Cover (and everything else) avoid being a music critic.
• Links to Fediverse accounts and events.

Mentioned

You can use up to 5 slots. You think this new music is good and you would listen to it again. You have checked previous works and you think the artist(s) are onto something interesting.

Each Mentioned slot gets:

• Links to music and video (all fair platforms)
• Link to artist(s) website.
• Genres (tags) as self-described by the artist(s).
• Album / track cover (small size).
• Your couple of sentences explaining what you like, why the choice. Just like with Cover (and everything else) avoid being a music critic.

Listened

You can use up to 7 slots. You have heard this music entirely and you found it interesting for your selecteh. Hint: if you didn't have enough patience to finish listening the entire work, then don't list it here.

Each Listened slot gets:

• Links to music and video (all fair platforms)
• Link to artist(s) website.
• Genres (tags) as self-described by the artist(s).
• One sentence explaining what you like.

Collateral

You can use up to 11 slots. This section is different. It is about interesting things you found during the month that are directly or loosely related to your selecteh. For example,

• recommended music you had missed in your previous publications
• mixes, playlists, music podcasts and websites...
• articles, books, documentaries, movies... somehow related to your selecteh
• You can use the very last slot for a link about anything, flagged "Off-topic:"

Important: The links must point to open websites, without registration required. Please favor links to websites of communities, public organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, small or medium-size companies... Avoid links to the big corporate platforms, they really don't need more promotion, even less from Selecteh.

Each Collateral slot gets:

• Title with link
• One sentence with your words.

Closing

Just a sentence or two to thank your readers, encourage them to share this selecteh and to recommend music, and see you soon.