Sunday, May 31, 2009

I Feel Your Pain

As many of you know, over the last 9 months or so I have recorded the audiobook version of my book "Music Is Your Business: the 3rd Edition".

It is a MP3 audio book, so that you can play it in the NEWEST CD players that are now on the market, OR put it into your computer to play it, and/or rip it so you can sych it to your favorite MP3 player. (i Pod, Creative Zen player, etc) and carry it around with you and listen at your leisure.

But as I went through all the stages...recording to production and editing (with cudos to Andy Boyd of Prescription Audio in Seattle,) to putting together the cover art and all the graphics any CD has to have + the EXTRAS, a free data file of the charts and graphics from the print edition, with more thanks to my graphic artist extraordinaire (Sue Cook of Sue Cook Visuals in Seattle)

I realized that after 30 odd years in the music business, with experience in music retail. independent label ownership, radio station management and teaching music business marketing...that THIS project was my first exploration into experiencing what so many millions of artists and bands have to go through to get their CDs, Music Files and graphics looking great and prepared for the marketplace.

I take my hat off to all you out there for going through this horredous process, and I take back any comments I have made through the years that may have suggested that carrying out all this work to the end is a breeze and no big deal. Well, IT IS a BIG DEAL!

I wonder how many of you lost a relationship along the way, grew weary of the important proof-listening, and proof-reading you had to do, blew-up a hundred or more times with your work partners and apologized even more often to them for your short temper and lack of appreciation of their skills?

Anyway, I have learned a lot by going through all this, and I can assure you that the lessons I learned from putting this MP3 Audio CD out are lessons I wil not quickly forget.

Maybe we should create a special day for these folks. Like there is a Secratery's Day and a Support Your Home Team Day....lets create a Support Your Creative Music Technician's Day!!

I know I have learned a new appreciation for the tedious and laborious work so many creative folks do to get our music projects completed... Here is a toast, in my case, to Mr.Andy Boyd and Ms. Sue Cook. How did you ever put up with all the bitching and moaning I managed to throw out? Oh, I forgot...you are getting paid for this!.. I guess that could provide some slight motivation. Well, the check is in the mail...one of these days. Just give me some time to do what I do for a living....promote and market the danged thing!

Thanks one and all!

Cheers,

Chris

1 comment:

  1. I am Niki,
    and I am an independent musician from Jakarta, Indonesia (http://www.myspace.com/nikiwonotomusic , for my 'soothing' and 'stress-reliever' music).

    I just want to tell you that I admire & respect so much of your sincerity, and honesty, in your writing.
    It's been a while that I've read such a very 'understanding' writing, especially when spoken by an "music industry/label" expert!
    we all know how today it may seems like there's easily 'two sides' that rarely are understanding with each other.
    but you are different.
    how I hope there'll be more "industry/label" people like you! then perhaps the Music Business can get better, even if it's only a little!
    I will be following your Blog & writings from now on.
    Keep writing!

    Niki
    Jakarta, Indonesia
    nikiwonoto@gmail.com

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