GarageSpin

I may be coming back to this blog…

by 14 Comments

It’s been quite a while since I’ve actively posted here. And I can’t really say that won’t continue. But I can say that musically, at least, I may actually hit a stride this year.

As my friends and family know, I have yet to finish an album…the same one I started almost a decade ago..! But this year I’m turning 40, and that’s ignited a growing desperate desire to get something finished. Anything. Whatever it takes. Getting help, over simplifying, etc. Maybe even launching a combination album release party and birthday party, or something crazy like that.

It’s an idea that’s constantly floating in my head.

In either case, I want to actively create again.

I recently visited the songwriting collaboration site, Kompoz.com, and thought it might be an easy way to get back into the groove — i.e. I can go and help other people finish their songs, which relieves myself of the self-induced pressure I experience when I work on my own stuff. The hope is, I’ll “learn” how to crank material out, and not overthink things, like I usually do. (My song avalanche is now on version 18!)

We’ll see what happens. If it works, I’ll start posting progress updates here on the ol’ blog. Wish me luck — I’ll need it!

How to advertise on youtube, pandora, MTV, pitchfork, and rolling stone

by 23 Comments

ReverbNation has consistently broken the mold in offering tools that empower independent artists.

Their most recent ad creation platform, Promote It on Top Sites, is pretty incredible. Anyone with $25 can launch an ad on Youtube, Pandora, MTV, Pitchfork, and a whole slew of other sites.  I’ll regurgitate  the full details here, but will shamelessly slap their intro video below:

The platform is awesome.  But please, please, if you give it a try, start CONSERVATIVELY.  Be as narrow and specific with your targeting as you can, to make sure your precious ad dollars are spend efficiently.  This can be a great way to burn through savings fast.  :)

Traffic Cut in Half on October 14th – Youch!

by 7 Comments

Organic traffic to GarageSpin.com dropped by 50% on October 14th, and I have no clue why.  Don’t you hate that?

If you can explain why — perhaps a Google algorithm change?  a once high-ranking post no longer carrying weight? — I will send you the first copy of my very next song to you for free.  (Perhaps posting less than once a month contributed to the drop..?)  Ah well.  I usually try not to think too much about traffic, SEO, and rankings, but yeesh, that’s the most dramatic dip I’ve seen since I launched the blog in 2005…  Onwards and upwards.

[UPDATE:  Here’s one theory and another theory.  Many seem to be confused and bewildered as I am.]

Google Guitar Logo App: A GarageBand Killer??

by 2 Comments

No, but a neato app nonetheless. Google continues it’s oh-so-amusing trend of messing with its logo on special occasions. Today’s celebrates the great Les Paul — a mouse-playable, recordable, and shareable Google Guitar app doodle. You can actually send a recording to someone else, and that person can jam along with you.

Granted, there are only three or four chords you can play, but hey, that’s not too shabby considering it’s just a logo. (But in answer to the post title, no, it’s not a GarageBand Killer. Check it out:

Paying for Music Placement with Tadcast

by 2 Comments

Hurah!  The Payola playingfield has been leveled a smidgeon more.

Joining the ranks of Jango, Last.fm, and Songza, Tadcast launched a brilliant twist by enabling musicians to pay for placement in video by paying on an per listen or per click (if someone clicks on your band link after seeing a video) basis.

Their video does a decent job of explaining how it works, so I’ll just paste the ol’ ditty here:


How Tadcast Helps Musicians! from Tadcast on Vimeo.

If you give this a try, please share your experiences! I may myself, as I get closer to completing an album…

A New Song for Mother's Day…Next Year

by 4 Comments

A belated Happy Mother’s Day to all you Moms!

Being a dad now, I understand the challenges of parenthood.  *Phew*  My absence from my own blog is somewhat testament to that.  On a positive note, I’m closer to having finished writing a new song called “In 9 Months”.  It’s kind of  a lullabye of promises to a baby-to-be.  I think it’s pretty sweet, but I’m horribly biased.  I’d love your thoughts on the song, but that might have to wait, as I’ve got two others lined up for recording next.

So, I say here and now, be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s Mother’s Day for the new song release.  (Google Calendar may haveto suffice, since 2011 calendars haven’t hit store shelves yet…)

There’s only a month now for dads everywhere to have their revenge on Father’s Day, for the breakfast ‘n’ bed ‘n’ such…  Our time will come, oh yes, it will come.

GarageSpin.com has NOT Been Sold

by 6 Comments

Just to set the record straight and clear the air, I did not sell GarageSpin.com, and do not plan on ditching the music industry.  (Happy belated April Fools!)  Nor do I think DIY pundits are leaches feeding off musicians’ dreams — or at least, most of them aren’t.  😉 )  I follow and fan all the sites/authors/pundits I mentioned, and recommend you check ’em out.

So, happy DIY producing and promoting, all.  We’re still on the air.  And as soon as I’m moved and settled in to my new living space, I may even get back to producing a my own music again…some…day…  *sigh*

On a completely different note, I just completed a proposal for a “crawl-walk-run” strategy to launch a social media optimized, integrated marketing campaign event.  It’s kind of fascinating to be thinking so heavily about social media, its implications and opportunities, from both a DIY perspective (as a musician) and a corporate branding perspective (for my day job).  The main difference?  Budget.

I genuinely consider myself a lucky guy.  I’d only be luckier if I were paid as much for my songs as for my power point presentations.  :)

GarageSpin.com for Sale

by 18 Comments

I’ve grown tired of the music business. Social media is hype. DIY music pundits are self-help bullshit artists leeching off the dreams of hopeless musicians and bands.  And my music kinda sucks.

Who wants GarageSpin.com?  I’ll sell it to the highest bidder, along with any copyrights associated with my 2-song catalog.

New Music Strategies, Mashable, and Seth Godin can all take a long walk off a short pier.  I’m deleting Cakewalk Producer from my harddrive as I type.  I may even send some “hate” email to Greg Rollet, Bob Baker, and Ariel.  I’m removing Brad Sucks, Scott Andrew, MC Frontalot from my Christmas card list.

Signing off forever, and thanks for the memories,

Your Best Friend,

Mike

Snow Patrol – Just Say Yes to Their Own Publishing Company

by Leave a Comment

Snow Patrol‘s next album is a ‘greatest hits’ album called “Up To Now”, which features their new single Just Say Yes. It’s scheduled for pre-release a week before the album launch on November 9th.  The Snow Patrol “Just Say Yes” video has apparently already been shot, and is airing soon.

Creating a hits compilation at the top of a band’s game is a smart move — sell old tracks to all the new fans gained recently…it’s basic catalog cross-selling.  Another intersting move — they’re creating their own publishing company to help new artists:

“We get given CDs by new artists and writers all the time and have talked about how we could help the best of them move up. Forming a publishing company seemed the obvious way to go.”  — Drummer Jonny Quinn.

Cool.  Out of appreciation, I may just create my own cover song and video for Just Say Yes for kicks.  (Though that’s mostly part of a bigger project I’m hoping to launch at some point in the future…which may mean 2010…so no need to tap your foot and wait, see?)