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  • Songstuff Writer and Artist Development Challenges

    By john

    Independent writers and artists face several large disadvantages when they are compared to signed, mainstream writers and artists.  Disadvantages that add up to making it a competition that indies can’t win. Hell they can’t even compete.   Lack of budget and poor contacts are fairly obvious disadvantages. Lack of experience and a lack of knowledge restricts songwriters and artists alike. Lack of an overall strategy, and a limited set of incomplete tactics, makes for a critical problem
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The Writer's Blog

And The Album...

Wife Sandee and a girlfriend are on vacation this week, hitting the square dance circuit, and the dog and I are, well, doing whatever it’s possible to do with lots of time and no money. Burlesque show cast meeting tonight, job interview Tuesday, “Love Trails of the Zombie Snails” to record, a video to script out, and a webcam and flash drive to score if I can find ‘em cheap. I’ll be busy. Latest spate of mail (which included only one rejection letter) reminded me that for over a year, I’v

roxhythe

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The Writer's Blog

First Steps Toward A Vlog...

Saw my second “Lorelei Loveridge—World Traveling Songwriter” video yesterday, and it did generate some ideas. Roughly the first half was just talk, interspersed with photos of her trip to Spain; second half was a song, just her on solo guitar. The photography work was simple but nice and clear. (Good webcam.) Could I do something like this? Probably; it wouldn’t take a huge investment in technology—I had a cheap-but-good webcam once, and bet I could find another. Windows Movie Maker

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

The Swampkings!

This'll be hot, going to see Cajun Swamp Blues music! I knew Tom Harkness when he was a 10 yr old v. nice, shy trumpet player. Yegads, the guy's become this venerable blues master! We ran into each other on FB. No, I am not getting tired of old school and post-school friends now accomplished and/or gained noteriety. I am so darned happy for them, happy to know and behold how growed up fab they've become. Swampkings Music (Fav song right now is Joie De Vivre) And s

Donna

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The Writer's Blog

Pitching To A Publisher...

Today I am pitching songs to a Nashville publisher—or seeing if I can. I got the invitation a couple of days ago. It’s not a big thing—I noticed a couple dozen other people got the same e-mail—but it’s not often one gets invited over to the bigger kids’ sandbox, so I’ll try to play. The publisher says he’s looking for material to pitch to 21 different artists who are lining out albums. Only four of them are names I recognize, but that’s not surprising. One is brand-new—an Indiana kid wh

roxhythe

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The Writer's Blog

Central Point Concert Cancelled...

The 22 August concert in Central Point has been cancelled. I guess it’s a good thing I hadn’t sent out notices yet. Hard not to be bummed about it. There is a plus side: I won’t be gone for five or so days, I will save the money I’d have spent on the trip, and I can do something else. However, I am going to miss everybody. My only excuses for visiting southern Oregon this summer have been job interviews. Unless the City of Gold Hill calls me for a city-manager interview (and I am not expec

roxhythe

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The Writer's Blog

Busy Weekend Post-mortem...

As this is written, the Busy Weekend is not yet over. I still have a job interview tomorrow in Salem, a 2-hour drive away, and errands to run. I need to get slimline CD cases, and T-shirt transfers and stickers for the Joe Thongs I want to have for the 22 August concert in Central Point. The Garibaldi Museum concert was a success. We had a very small crowd, but they were appreciative. We were competing with at least (1) the Jews’ Harp Festival, (2) the 100th anniversary of the Tillamook

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

Ulp Er I Mean, Yay!

Well, my 1st pro band whom came over to jam, we have a gig. It's kind of 2 groups, because the boys have been playing w/ 3 others (guitarist, drummer and sax). But Mike (drummer) cannot make the little show I speak of. That's what I didn't count on and why my 1st reaction is, the thought of doing several hours of covers intimidates me! I want the time to practice that this deserves. Ditto rehearsals. I am going to pray about this! Trying to be docile and ask heave

Donna

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The Writer's Blog

Before The Concert...

The North American Jews Harp Festival is this Friday and Saturday, in Bay City—5 miles away; I’ll be trying to be there as much as possible, around prior commitments: playing with the Friday Night Group in Garibaldi, and the Garibaldi Museum concert Saturday night. I’d like to invite the folks from the Jews Harp Festival to the concert, but I won’t—they have events of their own going on at the same time, and I don’t want to steal their thunder. I’ll just mention that we’ll miss them, and encour

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

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----- I visited ____________ recently from whence we returned home one year ago. my people, my families...there are so many loves in this life...thank you... Jesu, Maria

Donna

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The Writer's Blog

The Antarctican Zombie Snails (&c.)...

Imprinted thongs are NOT cheap. $7.17 each from the outfit that advertises on MySpace, minimum order of 24 (that’s a whopping $172.08, way too rich for my blood). I probably have to do something different. How about a sticker (maybe a 4-inch circle) that could be pasted on a generic thong? I could maybe get thongs in quantity through my daughter, who’s working at Ross’ Dress for Less. Could get the stickers when I’m in Salem next Monday for the job interview (yes, I have one of those, too—S

roxhythe

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The Writer's Blog

Garibaldi Days Post-mortem...

The Garibaldi Days gig went good. We had an appreciative audience, and the band enjoyed themselves. The top three songs were, in order, Southern Pigfish’s “For Their Own Ends,” Gene Burnett’s “Things Are Getting Better Now That Things Are Getting Worse,” and Stan Good’s “Un-Easy Street.” The Pigfish song continues to be a surprise. People like rock ‘n’ roll, I guess. We should do more of it. One of mine we’ve never attempted is “Test Tube Baby,” a generally 12-bar blues which was an

roxhythe

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Songstuff Stuff

T-racks 3 Standard Edition Review

Mastering, the black art, is a process that takes a song and makes it sound as good as it possibly can across various playback devices in a multitude of formats. T-RackS 3 has an excellent reputation to build upon as a leader in DAW mastering and mixing tools with T-RackS already being a highly popular choice for DAW environments. Read the review of T-RackS 3 Standard Edition

Songstuff

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The Writer's Blog

Replicating Radio In The New Era...

Let’s assume for a moment that I know what I’m doing. I can write stuff—I have written stuff. I have other musicians who want to play with me. There are venues (a few, anyway) that want me to play there—presumably, they think I’ll bring in customers. I can put on a show of at least 2 hours tailored for just about any kind of audience. And I’ve sold out five pressings of my CD. (Yes, all the pressings were small, but it’s the principle of the thing.) Sounds like we’re ready to Take It

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

Drumbites

(My 21st century version to playing along w/ records is playing to live recordings from Youtube). Pleased to see I'm looking at things I haven't been comfy drumming. Everyone has them. It's about 50% objectively hard and 50% simple things which've been difficult for me. Been working w/ The Suburbs' Rattle My Bones. It's upbeat, driving, simple and deceptive to keep the groove going. The beat has the tiniest of breaks from constant 8th notes on the high hat - in the kind of "stop

Donna

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Dahlnotes

Respite

-I wanted to show this entry, but in doing so such entries are posted as being the most recent. 'Respite' was originally written Jan 4, 2008 - chronologically it goes on page 4, right before the entry "Graduates!" which recounts Dylan and Kayla finishing high school early, after the New year of 2008; "Graduates!" begins with an...intervention (John calls it an edit) that I had requested John to do, on or around April 8, 2008, in order to communicate that I was in hiding with the children.

Donna

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The Writer's Blog

3 Days Till Garibaldi Days...

Three days till Garibaldi Days… The DVDs of last Saturday’s Ashland public television shows are done—I should have them in a week, and will get to see how they came out. I know that what Darrin and I, and emcee T-Poe, did in the studio was good; what I don’t know is how it came out on “tape.” The Tillamook County Library System are the latest folks to request copies. The Garibaldi Days program is printed, and looks okay. (Next time, though, I’ll make sure to use a front-page photo that

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

Can't Keep Up!

Am hearing from a number of old friends - as far as I'm concerned everyone is famous and/or accomplished. It is really cool. Hearing from one 10th grade friend - took playwrighting class with - and he's been a fim make-up artist plus God knows what else. Crazy. I didn't think when we were little, "oh, you'll be working w/ _____ someday, while she'll be sought after by ____ someday". I just knew there was an awful lot of talent buzzing around me - I think to the point it ne

Donna

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The Writer's Blog

Road Trip #2 Post-mortem...

Road Trip #2 was okay. Job interview went well; Gold Beach is a really nice place, and I think I’d enjoy living and working there. I’ll find out if I’m the Chosen One in a week or so. And the public television taping was lots of fun. I’m in the burlesque show, too. (From public television to burlesque in one day. I think that suggests versatility. Doesn’t it?) On the Bad News front, the only rejection letter I got while I was gone was a music one, from the West Linn Library, saying th

roxhythe

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Dahlnotes

Reunion!

+JMJ+ The 1st pro band I was with came over to my house today; an army of food and mellow blessed familiar band-mates. I's 17 when I answered their ad: Drummer? Singer? We need you! Judy (I cannot legitimately call her a "band wife" because she is always Persona In Her Own Right... - you know, just a venerable, loving presence): anyway, Judy recalled at the audition that the next auditon-ee following me could sing as well as drum: so I was asked if I could sing Oh Darlin;

Donna

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Songstuff Stuff

Review Of Synapse Audio's Orion

Steve Mueske reviews Orion, a DAW from Synapse Audio "Orion is great for getting ideas down quickly, and it's really nice that it supports VSTi, DXi, and Rewire functionality. Whether you came from a Sonar / Sonic Foundry / Sony background or you came from a Cubase or Reason background, all your instruments are available and ready to use. " Orion Review

Songstuff

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Dahlnotes

Better Than Expected

...at the studio. You know how it is - 5 minutes after the session I'd no idea what was put down! If it was good or bad. Hee. Just confused. Tho my parts slapshot, I asked for a mix which Scott sent. Became a dif. session that I'd expected and we ended up doing drums on that electronic kit, the keyboard bass and some 2nd guitar. I may get part of a mix to post on the SC page, just cause. Am trying to recruit Loo to play ALL the parts, or as many as he's able but the guy is

Donna

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