Eight months ago, I started this blog to chronicle the promotion of my seventh Color Theory album, The Thought Chapter. My focus gradually shifted to music promotion in general, with a couple of detours into mixing (though I’m still posting monthly sales and profit/loss figures for each of my albums at colortheory.com). I’ve settled into a comfortable post per week schedule, and have enjoyed watching my readership expand. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to keep up the pace I’ve established. Something has to give.
As a Lennon Award Winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, I recently received a certificate for 1,000 CDs from Disc Makers. The prize expires at the end of next June, and I promised my fans I’d put out my next album with it. That gives me roughly a year to create an album from start to finish, a feat I’ve never before accomplished. I can do it, but only if I start now. I’d hate to dedicate a year of my life to an album, only to feel like it would’ve been so much better if I’d only had a couple more months. In fact, I’ve already committed to doing it, by announcing a release date of August 4, 2010. And I still plan to put out an EP or two along the way!
I realize this is just about the dorkiest thing in the world, but I’ve been tracking my working hours over the past few weeks:
To clarify, Music means making music (well, recently it means learning Ableton Live). Studio refers to paid engineering work, mostly mastering. Promotion is just promoting my music, not this blog or my mastering business. Blog is what you’re looking at, and Stretch Secretary is another little idea I’m testing with a business partner (you can check it out here). E-mail/Web is a catch-all for everything else I do at the computer, aside from personal/household stuff. While most of it relates to the other categories, I don’t attempt to calculate how much time I spend e-mailing mastering clients versus promotion leads versus blog readers, etc.
The sad truth is that I spend very little time actually making music, even less than I spend on this blog.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not pulling the plug! I just need to relax my schedule a bit until I finish the album – more blue, less green and yellow. I want to narrow my focus to the topics that most interest you, so feel free to make suggestions in the comments.
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With Flip HD camcorders as cheap as they are, I’m not sure it’s a lucrative business model, but you never know!
With Flip HD camcorders as cheap as they are, I’m not sure it’s a lucrative business model, but you never know!
Brian -
Yeah……I have a certain level of fear in releasing my own music. First off….as I’ve said before in our conversations, I’m a lousy lyricist. Case in point, I’ll send you the one song I actually completed lyrics to, but the production was done before I really knew what I was doing. See? We’re never satisfied with what we’ve done….and if we don’t have deadlines….we analyze it to death! =0)
Anyway, I WILL send it to you and you can see why I haven’t really released anything to date.
I really like the concept of your Stretch Secretary. AND….after my suggestion earlier about live shows from your home…..I’m now looking into what I would need to start a company to offer live video broadcasts for bands. Whaddaya think? LOL
- Matt
Brian -
Yeah……I have a certain level of fear in releasing my own music. First off….as I’ve said before in our conversations, I’m a lousy lyricist. Case in point, I’ll send you the one song I actually completed lyrics to, but the production was done before I really knew what I was doing. See? We’re never satisfied with what we’ve done….and if we don’t have deadlines….we analyze it to death! =0)
Anyway, I WILL send it to you and you can see why I haven’t really released anything to date.
I really like the concept of your Stretch Secretary. AND….after my suggestion earlier about live shows from your home…..I’m now looking into what I would need to start a company to offer live video broadcasts for bands. Whaddaya think? LOL
- Matt
Oh, and as for the Stretch Secretary…I like it. You know what else would be cool? If you design your own Workout Secretary mp3 with music (by you, of course). That would be AWESOME!!! =0) I’d use it!
My random noodlings,
Matt
“…more blue, less green and yellow.” I think you just came up with the title to a song, Brian. I understand time management. Okay…I understand it….I’m just not very good at it. Having 3 children (one of them a teenager) and a wife who, while pretty understanding of my music compulsion, still needs much attention dedicated to her. These 4 factors ( =0) ), combined with my “day job” of active military service member makes it VERY difficult some days to even think about music, much less write any. Still, do what you love and love what you do and make time for it around those people you love and all will be right with the universe (mostly).
Brian…I know deadlines are a b@tch, but I very much look forward to the next album and I’m sure that it will be no less quality than any of the others you’ve released. In fact, I have a feeling it will be the best yet! One for the fans…with a limit on how many times you can change the sounds or the vocal phrasing in the production. =0)
- Matt
Thanks Matt! I appreciate the encouragement. I’m looking forward to hearing some music from you too!
For what it’s worth, Stretch Secretary uses my piano instrumental “Like Clockwork” as background music, but it’s stretched to maintain a strict tempo.
Thanks Matt! I appreciate the encouragement. I’m looking forward to hearing some music from you too!
For what it’s worth, Stretch Secretary uses my piano instrumental “Like Clockwork” as background music, but it’s stretched to maintain a strict tempo.
Oh, and as for the Stretch Secretary…I like it. You know what else would be cool? If you design your own Workout Secretary mp3 with music (by you, of course). That would be AWESOME!!! =0) I’d use it!
My random noodlings,
Matt
“…more blue, less green and yellow.” I think you just came up with the title to a song, Brian. I understand time management. Okay…I understand it….I’m just not very good at it. Having 3 children (one of them a teenager) and a wife who, while pretty understanding of my music compulsion, still needs much attention dedicated to her. These 4 factors ( =0) ), combined with my “day job” of active military service member makes it VERY difficult some days to even think about music, much less write any. Still, do what you love and love what you do and make time for it around those people you love and all will be right with the universe (mostly).
Brian…I know deadlines are a b@tch, but I very much look forward to the next album and I’m sure that it will be no less quality than any of the others you’ve released. In fact, I have a feeling it will be the best yet! One for the fans…with a limit on how many times you can change the sounds or the vocal phrasing in the production. =0)
- Matt
Fast forward three months, and the chart is half studio, a third e-mail, and little slivers for music, promotion, and blog. It’s because I’ve been overwhelmed (well, “good overwhelmed”) with mixing and mastering work. We’ve retired Stretch Secretary for the time being, though the site is still up.
Fast forward three months, and the chart is half studio, a third e-mail, and little slivers for music, promotion, and blog. It’s because I’ve been overwhelmed (well, “good overwhelmed”) with mixing and mastering work. We’ve retired Stretch Secretary for the time being, though the site is still up.
Um, okay… orange? Do I need to calibrate my monitor?
Um, okay… orange? Do I need to calibrate my monitor?
“…more blue, less green and yellow. ”
You’re doing a great job with that already. I don’t see any yellow.
“…more blue, less green and yellow. ”
You’re doing a great job with that already. I don’t see any yellow.
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