Thinking about fame! Fortune!

Remember that tune "Cover of the Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook? Back when it was written, getting on RS's cover was the Holy Grail for musicians. It still matters, to be sure, but with the 'net, there are so many more places to gain a little notoriety. And this month's issue of Computer Music does a soup-to-nuts job of describing how to get heard on the 'net. There's way too much for me to cover in my measly blog, so if you're really interested in the stuff, run out and buy the mag. It's $16, but worth it, I think.

After reading the issue, I'm more filled than ever with ideas about promoting my music, and as I pursue my dream, here are the principals I plan to adhere to:

1) Free is good. Obviously, I want people to pay for my music, but to my mind, restritictive licensing  and other barriers that prevent music from spreading across the 'net are bad. They're like friction. Far better to pour a little grease on your pig, and let it run wild. If people decide they really want to own it, a few will actually pay for it, and for those generous souls, I plan to offer them a choice of formats (MP3, AIFF or AAC Lossless) using some sort of tiered pricing scheme. Haven't worked this out yet, but it's the plan. I will also sell merchandise!

2) Control of my copyright, publishing and licensing is good. Trent Reznor's manager, Jim Guerinot, say's in a recent Rolling Stone article, "You have to control your publishing, you have to be able to control your masters, and you have to be able to control the brand." I'm sure he's right, and I will seek to control these things, but starting out, I think it's all about copyright, publishing and licensing.

3) Videos are good. Though it pains me to admit it, the simple truth is that music and video now go hand in glove, and if you want to build your audience, having a catchy tune on YouTube is smart. I've already got a tune and concept in mind, and on Friday or next week, I will meet with a friend who has agreed to help. My original plan was to a video that would be shot around the world, and though I was able to devise a way to do it for a reasonable sum, the logistics were just too daunting. My new plan is merely national!

4) Songs AND recording quality matter. Duh, right? Well, a lot of people put out real crap and I DO NOT INTEND TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. To my utmost, I will write my songs well and invest to have them performed by great artists.