Under the cubicle and bored

All right, so perhaps boredom isn't the ideal impetus at which to post a new entry... but that's like arguing semantics. sort of.

1) I did decide to take the trip to Washington in August. Writing it out helped me to decide that to not go would be lame.

2) Progress on Summer Goals: The CD is underway. I have finalized the list and order of songs to go on it. The "master" is on its way via snail mail to the terrific gentleman who will be mastering it. His work can be viewed/heard here (www.tommcgrath.com) How did I find Tom? I emailed the worship/arts director (also named Tom) at the church I have been attending (which is enormous) and asked him if he knew any leads on people who did mastering well and for a reasonable fee. He gave me Tom's contact info, and I went from there.

Last night I had an initial meeting with another terrific gentleman who will be helping me with CD packaging design. I met Joe at the birthday party of a mutual acquaintance. He designs CD covers for Universal Records - hence his experience and talent are paramount to the aesthetic of this project! I am very excited for these collaborations.

I have not yet decided to go with Discmakers or a smaller printing company. We'll see what works out financially. I will be a lot poorer by the end of ths summer. ah, but the financial ache will hurt so good. Why? Because I'm finally doing what I've dreamed of doing, releasing an album in a batch of 1000 rather than burning a few copies here and there of a collection of songs that I call an album. I may even have to forage for an indie record company name. Anyone have any ideas?

Vacation Dilemma; "Making a Good Master"

>things hopping on both coasts, simultaneously... if only I could divide myself in two<...

Tackling my musical goals, I have set the month of August as an arbitrary deadline for many of them. Why? 'Tis the end of that productive, historically "laid-back," "flow-of-things-is-different" season, Summer. It seems starting in September, the "flow" meanders, ambles, then strains uphill again.
I have the opportunity to vacation with my family in Washington State for a whole week during this critical month. I have no gigs booked - yet. No new album - yet. The question is, do I go on vacation, or do I stay home based on what activities (gigging, promoting) I could potentially be doing here in the city from August 13-20? Or do I give up a very real chance to see close family that I get to see once or twice a year, to be available to mere possibility? Will I get antsy spending a week with my family, antsy to practice and prepare musically, things I will not get to do, pianoless, in a cottage on the Pacific coast? Will I be distressed hanging out in my home city that week, if I don't go, thinking about the good times I am missing out on?

Thankfully, one real gig that I would otherwise miss if I went, I have managed to get rescheduled to a later date. Now I'm thinking that I SHOULD go. I want to go! But I want to be alert, remain on task, stay sharp on my skills, as well. And if I go through with the plan as mapped, gigs WILL be booked in that month that I'll need to be prepared for as soon as I get back. Oh, but I may just be able to handle that...

>I never think much about the art of sound mastering until I learn how much I'll pay for it<...

The person who masters my CD will have his work cut out for him. Honestly, it could probably use some mixing, still, too. The songs on the album will have been compiled from over half a dozen different settings, both live and studio. I've been told I could spend thousands of dollars paying someone with legendarily sharp ears to master my CD. I hope to spend about eighty.

Summer Goals

Yes! it is summer. I can tell because:
1) my room feels like a rickety apartment built over an outer ring of hell - not quite torture
2) skirts and sandals I forgot I owned are suddenly appearing on my person for days at a stretch
3) every sunday I feel a nearly biological urge to flock to Central Park's Great Meadow at the sun's highest hours

Besides that, music plans are in the works, and what more motivating season than this in which to follow through? This season no longer means three months off of school. But leftover from that experience that constituted 16 years of my life, there is this sense of possibility, a sense of freedom, and the (perhaps unfounded) idea that, because it is summer, people will generally be cutting other people more slack than usual, and things will be more laid back. I'm attempting to take that extra slack and spin it into music-biz gold. With the help of a new co-conspirator and PR extraordinare, SB, I compiled a docket of goals. Here's what's on it:

1) Compile recordings for a "best of.. so far" album. It will include songs from my past three releases, plus a few never-before released. Have mass-produced through a cd manufacturing company. Hold a CD release party in August, location TBD.

2) Submit entries to the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the Independent Musician World Series. I've entered each of these in years past and gotten honorable mentions or semi-finalist status. third time's a charm.. we'll see!

3) Book a concentration of gigs in August and Septmember, surrounding the release of the album.

4) Have SB do a push of publicity for the new cd and the gigs.

5) Contact college activites coordinators in first efforts to book a college tour for (ideally) spring of 2006.

That's the latest. These three months will be over in a flash. What will I be able to say I've accomplished by the end of them?