I was thinking of doing a Seamus Egan type thing and recording myself playing multiple different instruments before i do it I was wondering if anyone would buy it? see I don't want to do it then have no one buy it. I am in the begining of this idea so I havn't decided what to play and what tunes to do.
"before i do it I was wondering if anyone would buy it?"
If you find a way to guarantee that people will buy an album before you record it, you will have made so much money selling this method to record labels and other musicians that you won't have to worry about whether people will buy your albums or not.
Chris I am not bad at my instruments I can play well I would say my playing is not as good Seamus' but he has a lot more experience playing. I'd say the only thing that is really a problem is sometimes my timing is a little off. I asked you guys because getting studio time is not always that easy but I know some people with studios and if worst comes to worst I would record seperate tracks and put them together on the computer.
Only advice - get your timing sorted out before recording. You'll be playing along with earlier tracks if you're multitracking and if your timing isn't good it'll be horrible! Maybe practice with a metronome for dance tunes?
I should figure out what tunes to do and practice them with a metronome. This might not be for a while though maybe a month or so before I do it maybe not maybe a week or two. My timing is not really bad but I should use a metro.
Beware of the metronome. I remember playing some tunes to the metronone once to see if my timing was okay, and I was consistently way out of time, until I realised I had the metronome sitting on a sloping surface
Unseen, sorry to sound so snarky. I took a look at your profile and now I understand your question much bettr. That's a LOT of instruments for any age. Good going man!
My advice, really, is that unless your playing is very good, or at least somehow inspired, you probably won't sell many CDs. Honestly, even if you are really good, you probably won't sell many CDs. My mom's a musician of the top class (http://www.nadinelaughlin.com) and she sells maybe 7 CDs a month on-line (though lots at her shows). So, if selling lots of albums is your immediate goal, you might think twice. However, if making a fun album to give to friends, family and folks you meet along the road to share your music then making a CD is great fun (and hard work). You might even sell some along the way... who knows? Besides making a great gift, recording a CD is a tremendous learning experience and would teach you a lot about your own playing, your music, the recording process, playing with others, creative collaboration, etc. Sp, really, if you ca get studio time for free or cheaply, go for it... there's nothing to lose. If studio time is really expensive you might consider waiting a little bit. Ultimately it's up to you. One way or the other keep playing, keep learning and keep having fun. This is a wonderful journey!
Best,
Chris
Right now it looks like I will get studio time for free my friend has a studio but her dad has a family only rule so to avoid that rule I will have her guest sing "The Palm Trees of Kerry" that is my only tune with vocals the rest is stuff "The Kesh" and "Lark in the Morning Jig" these are just two out of 15 or 16. Bribanjo I was thinking of selling them at $10 each as is I mean it would cost me what $1 to make each copy no reason for it to cost $18 or $19. The instrumentation wil be Flute, Fiddle (on a few tunes), Whistle (high and low), Mandolin, and I will do a drone note on my Bassoon to make it sound less plain maybe mando chords on a few tunes.
The more folks you involve, the more folks will want to hear the recordings... That is, each of the other players you might work with will have a circle of folks who will want to hear it.
Another 'standard' response to this is for you to get yourself a home recording system of some sort and then you can learn a lot about your playing (by recording it and hearing it back) at your leisure. And if you do that, you can often take that work to another recording facility (a friend's or a pro studio) and build on it, edit it, mix it there, etc.
As a recordist, I pretty much feel that (as someone said) all-solo recordings often lack the community, communication and vibe of a shared experience... Maybe you can collaborate even more with your friends' "family" studio...?
I was just given a Robin Bullock CD called "Green Fields", and it's brilliant playing, but I just miss the kinds of interaction that come from more folks involved.
Also, there are services out there which will keep your CD master and make copies "on demand" which can save you from either duping 1000 copies or (worse) from paying $5 each for a smaller run of the CDs. Some of these services offer website construction and hosting, too, and space for MP3 downloads. Nice stuff, if it's appropriate for you.
well, if you get a recording, i'd be interested in hearing a track or two if at all possible!
making a band is hard, in any genre. especially ITM. i had a friend who is an amazing violinist and violist, and she wanted to play trad with me (she is classically trained, but she can play trad very well), but she didnt have the time, and we only played once. now i dont talk to her anymore, tho we're not on bad terms.
the best way to meet people to make a band is at fests and such, if there are any people near you. or go to sessions, and meet people and play. i dont think driving an hour or 2 for a session / fest is unreasonable. to get to any decent sessions near me, i would have to drive at least an hour. but of course, that would get me in chicago, which would mean a whole helluva lot of sessions, but i'm sure there are at least a couple within an hour or two of you, tho maybe not as many as by me (i have no idea... for all i know there is more by you! i have never been to that part of the country).
Another thing you can do with recordings is to send them around to other folks who can add parts and send them back to you, then you can take their parts and combine them with what you've already done at your location.
It takes some networking and some hi-tech, but it is done and can be great fun, esp when you know players you like who are far away, and invite them to contribute.
Thinking of Recording
Thinking of Recording
I was thinking of doing a Seamus Egan type thing and recording myself playing multiple different instruments before i do it I was wondering if anyone would buy it? see I don't want to do it then have no one buy it. I am in the begining of this idea so I havn't decided what to play and what tunes to do.
# Posted on August 22nd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
"before i do it I was wondering if anyone would buy it?"
If you find a way to guarantee that people will buy an album before you record it, you will have made so much money selling this method to record labels and other musicians that you won't have to worry about whether people will buy your albums or not.
# Posted on August 22nd 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Thinking of Recording
Hmmm... I might be wrong, but it seems to me that a lot depends on whether you play well or not. How would you compare your playing to Seamus Egan's?
# Posted on August 22nd 2004 by ChrisLaughlin
Re: Thinking of Recording
You can always sell it to your relatives.... Grandparents have to support you no matter what.
# Posted on August 22nd 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Thinking of Recording
Chris I am not bad at my instruments I can play well I would say my playing is not as good Seamus' but he has a lot more experience playing. I'd say the only thing that is really a problem is sometimes my timing is a little off. I asked you guys because getting studio time is not always that easy but I know some people with studios and if worst comes to worst I would record seperate tracks and put them together on the computer.
# Posted on August 22nd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
unseenperson hello!
Only advice - get your timing sorted out before recording. You'll be playing along with earlier tracks if you're multitracking and if your timing isn't good it'll be horrible! Maybe practice with a metronome for dance tunes?
\())
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by greenman
Re: Thinking of Recording
I should figure out what tunes to do and practice them with a metronome. This might not be for a while though maybe a month or so before I do it maybe not maybe a week or two. My timing is not really bad but I should use a metro.
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
Will you are so right I could see 4 or 5 CDs just to relatives.
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
Beware of the metronome. I remember playing some tunes to the metronone once to see if my timing was okay, and I was consistently way out of time, until I realised I had the metronome sitting on a sloping surface
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by dave73
Re: Thinking of Recording
Unseen, sorry to sound so snarky. I took a look at your profile and now I understand your question much bettr. That's a LOT of instruments for any age. Good going man!
My advice, really, is that unless your playing is very good, or at least somehow inspired, you probably won't sell many CDs. Honestly, even if you are really good, you probably won't sell many CDs. My mom's a musician of the top class (http://www.nadinelaughlin.com) and she sells maybe 7 CDs a month on-line (though lots at her shows). So, if selling lots of albums is your immediate goal, you might think twice. However, if making a fun album to give to friends, family and folks you meet along the road to share your music then making a CD is great fun (and hard work). You might even sell some along the way... who knows? Besides making a great gift, recording a CD is a tremendous learning experience and would teach you a lot about your own playing, your music, the recording process, playing with others, creative collaboration, etc. Sp, really, if you ca get studio time for free or cheaply, go for it... there's nothing to lose. If studio time is really expensive you might consider waiting a little bit. Ultimately it's up to you. One way or the other keep playing, keep learning and keep having fun. This is a wonderful journey!
Best,
Chris
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by ChrisLaughlin
Re: Thinking of Recording
Right now it looks like I will get studio time for free my friend has a studio but her dad has a family only rule so to avoid that rule I will have her guest sing "The Palm Trees of Kerry" that is my only tune with vocals the rest is stuff "The Kesh" and "Lark in the Morning Jig" these are just two out of 15 or 16. Bribanjo I was thinking of selling them at $10 each as is I mean it would cost me what $1 to make each copy no reason for it to cost $18 or $19. The instrumentation wil be Flute, Fiddle (on a few tunes), Whistle (high and low), Mandolin, and I will do a drone note on my Bassoon to make it sound less plain maybe mando chords on a few tunes.
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
The more folks you involve, the more folks will want to hear the recordings... That is, each of the other players you might work with will have a circle of folks who will want to hear it.
Another 'standard' response to this is for you to get yourself a home recording system of some sort and then you can learn a lot about your playing (by recording it and hearing it back) at your leisure. And if you do that, you can often take that work to another recording facility (a friend's or a pro studio) and build on it, edit it, mix it there, etc.
As a recordist, I pretty much feel that (as someone said) all-solo recordings often lack the community, communication and vibe of a shared experience... Maybe you can collaborate even more with your friends' "family" studio...?
I was just given a Robin Bullock CD called "Green Fields", and it's brilliant playing, but I just miss the kinds of interaction that come from more folks involved.
Also, there are services out there which will keep your CD master and make copies "on demand" which can save you from either duping 1000 copies or (worse) from paying $5 each for a smaller run of the CDs. Some of these services offer website construction and hosting, too, and space for MP3 downloads. Nice stuff, if it's appropriate for you.
Best of luck with this!
stv
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by stv culchie
Re: Thinking of Recording
IfI could get more people involved I would have see no one where I live is interested in ITM so finding a band is hell.
# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Thinking of Recording
well, if you get a recording, i'd be interested in hearing a track or two if at all possible!
making a band is hard, in any genre. especially ITM. i had a friend who is an amazing violinist and violist, and she wanted to play trad with me (she is classically trained, but she can play trad very well), but she didnt have the time, and we only played once. now i dont talk to her anymore, tho we're not on bad terms.
the best way to meet people to make a band is at fests and such, if there are any people near you. or go to sessions, and meet people and play. i dont think driving an hour or 2 for a session / fest is unreasonable. to get to any decent sessions near me, i would have to drive at least an hour. but of course, that would get me in chicago, which would mean a whole helluva lot of sessions, but i'm sure there are at least a couple within an hour or two of you, tho maybe not as many as by me (i have no idea... for all i know there is more by you! i have never been to that part of the country).
# Posted on August 24th 2004 by daiv
Re: Thinking of Recording
No ITM folks around is tough. Sorry 'bout that!
Another thing you can do with recordings is to send them around to other folks who can add parts and send them back to you, then you can take their parts and combine them with what you've already done at your location.
It takes some networking and some hi-tech, but it is done and can be great fun, esp when you know players you like who are far away, and invite them to contribute.
stv
# Posted on August 24th 2004 by stv culchie