Albums Are Hard Work

In the last few weeks I've embarked on the long project of producing my first album.  From the get go this has been a hard work affair.  Kind of funny that all I wanted was a debut album and I'm spending tons of time trying to work out tiny details.

Luckily, I know a bunch of folks who have been there before and have given me a little nudge in the right direction.  That coupled with a few online resources (such as DiskMaker.com) and I'm a little amazed that the complicated process is actually started to see some traction as it moves out of the planning phases.

Let me briefly outline the process as I've been working through it:

Planning
- This is the figuring out of almost every thematic detail of the album.
- The biggest parts of planning aren't actually in the artistic realm at all.
- You have to come up with a generally specific (oxymoron?) budget to get funding.
- You have to figure out how you are getting that funding (Kickstarter.com).
- You have to figure up a timeline for music prep, recording, art, photos, and pressing.
- You have to figure out debut and release stuff.

Music Prep
- I'm not here officially yet, but I'm already working it.
- Picking tunes you are covering.
- Picking and writing original tunes.
- Arranging all of those tunes and picking your favorites.
- Hiring musicians to fill in the background.

Recording
- Home or in studio?
- How long do you need?
- Who is mixing?
- Who is mastering?

Pressing
- Art
- How many CDs?
- Downloads? If so, how many?
- Licensing.  Even originals need to be copyrighted!
- Getting all the ducks in a row and to the pressing company.

Release
- Who is getting a copy off the bat?
- Party?
- Local release?
- Online release?

Within all of that are little details too like putting youtube vids together to support crowdsourcing (I'm still working on that... It's been a long ass week!), brainstorming, throwing ideas at other people and having them handed back to you with a look of "really?" on their face, etc.

In the end, I'm hoping the first album is at least a small success.  If nothing else, the goal is to get a discography started for myself so that when people ask what I do, I can literally show them.

More to come as crowdsourcing and youtube videos go up.  Keep posted!

~Danny

Laying Some Ground Work

I found out recently that I'm being invited back to the Folk Alliance's Winter Music Camp this year.  It was one of the most awesome music experiences I have ever had last year and I am extremely excited to get to work with Mark Ruben and his team again.

During last year's event, I was encourage by Mark, Pops Bayless, Guy Forsyth, and countless others to take advantage of the conference that happens along side the camp.  The conference is basically a place where the artists and the industry can get together and make those crucial relationships that enable music to be what it is.

There is a trade show floor where everything from promotion companies and CD companies (like CD Maker) to string makers (like D'Addario) and instrument makers (like Nechville Banjos) can work directly with artists and novices.  There are jam sessions happening in every hallway or public (or private) space in the hotel.  There is a keynote speaker and tons of music industry info passed out.

But what makes the event special for the artists is the showcases.

Showcases are an opportunity for artists to play their music for a wide array of people including promoters, club owners, other musicians, and just plan fans.  The goal of which is to get yourself know as a performer and get more gigs.

Last year, the showcase was the single most suggested thing that everyone seemed to tell me I had to do.  As much as I trust that advice, I am extremely glad I didn't.  Why?  Because I would have been in way over my head.  I had no album, no promotional material, barely even a website.  Hell, I wasn't really even settling into a genre yet!

But this year... This year I'm going whole hog.

I've got a lot of goals I need to accomplish between now and then, but basically they boil down to one overarching goal to help get the most out of a showcase:  I need to release an album.

I won't go into everything that I need to do to make this happen just yet.  Lord knows I will be putting my experience out here for everyone to live along with.  But already without even laying down a single track I am getting the feeling that this may be one of the biggest projects I have ever undertaken.

Here is my short list of to-dos and dailies:

- Write music everyday

- Record something everyday

- Pick 10 songs (5 originals, 5 standards) to put on the album

- Get album art created

- Photo shoot (for website, showcase flyers, and album)

- License songs (copyright mine, get rights to standards)

- Record album (pro studio or home studio?)

- Produce the actual CDs (mix, master, buy)

- Merch, Merch, Merch

As you can see, there is a lot and within each of those is a whole ball of questions to be answered.  How do we eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.

~Danny