March Report

I thought I’d update the blog every couple of months on my music journey. I’ve learnt quite a lot and gained a bit more experience in several aspects such as the business side of music and performance. You can also find me on Youtube with a quick weekly update: https://www.youtube.com/@DonakRV

As a member of the Australian Performing Rights Association, I attended a local workshop they kindly put on in Lismore called ‘The Regional Sessions’. They had 4 or 5 musicians in the industry share their experience and some tips on working as writers and performers. For some, it wasn’t too difficult to break into the industry (discovered as teens), but for others, it was the typical case of ‘famine before feast’. It’s both about working hard, but being easy to work with.

Another big takeaway was that they had a feeling of having no idea what they were doing, and wether they were doing well financial or heading for bankruptcy. This was down to the nature of how music is earned: it could be via royalties as streamers, it could be a lump sum for sync rights, it could be for working as a producer with clients, it could be performing concerts. There’s also the problem for artists and bands starting out – if you suddenly get exposure via music going viral, you’re going to need upfront capital to pay for a tour to get your music really out there, because 6 months later you could be forgotten.

I also took some interesting notes – a song can go through many processes, and each step is important, from coming up with the idea, to recording and performing (or through midi and production you don’t need to perform), then distributing it on to streaming services, then marketing and live performance. I jotted down a mind-map that was drawn up in the workshop and stuck it to my wall.

My plan is to build up a repertoire (I have 6 songs I can perform at the moment) as well as distribute online (I have two songs up on Spotify so far). Amongst studies and living, I’ll learn and distribute bit by bit, and share my experiences on my socials. At the moment I’m just focusing on original work – which has its benefits. I get 100% of all royalty streams – both from original works and the sound recordings, as I’m doing everything my self, no publisher, no label, no agent. (Those things really only come later when one has a substantial repertoire of music, a strong presence in the live scene and a following online.)

As things progress, hopefully I’ll see more quickly which direction to go. I may try covers – which could bring live work and charge up hits online – but I won’t get publishing royalties for those and I’ll need to get the license to perform (which isn’t too difficult if I follow APRA-AMCOS’s instructions). I could go the Youtube route – share ‘how to’ videos for my music. I could go the online streaming route, e.g. on Twitch (but Twitch doesn’t have an Apra-amcos license, so no royalties via Twitch). Also, as I’m doing film, I could create music for screen and earn through sync licensing – however AI will probably reduce demand for human composers in this field.

Links:
https://linktr.ee/donakRV
On Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vc7FSfbZc438p9AkbXPSJ

Quit my job for music

So I’ve quit my job (at least for a year while I have savings) and I’ve decided to try to capitalise on my music that I’ve written over the years. I also thought I’d explore different ways to do that, with performing, streams and royalties and perhaps even youtube. I also hope to release a bit more music, but I’ll be studying film part time as well (a local TAFE course in Lismore, NSW, Australia).

(Image by Deepai.org – it’s not me.)

I don’t intend to make this a full time gig quite yet, but I’ll try and enhance each element with social media and good tunes. By performing, I can promote my online presence and my music on Spotify. I also have a Youtube channel that focuses on blockchain and the music industry, called ‘Blockchain Stew’ whereby I use my music as the sound track and provide links. You can check it out here.

I’ve done some nerdy/business things, like starting a Bandcamp page and joining my local Performing Rights Collection Society – AMPRA/AMCOS, and to include the IPI number when I distribute my tracks online. You can find my Spotify tracks here. I’ve touched up my logo/icon, and a photo, but I’ll need to work more on my online presence as well.

I think my main aim is to try and produce and express as many of my tracks as I can, as I’ve built up a lot of musical ideas and melodies over the years, not to mention a whole bunch of songs I wrote in my 20’s and 30’s. I’m not singing, just focusing on guitar, but I have used Fiverr to pay for some singers online in a limited capacity (as evident on my Soundcloud account).

Still doing music

I haven’t used this blog in years, (using other social media instead like https://x.com/donakrv) but I’m still doing music, so I thought I’d post here my latest track. I’m hiring singers across the interwebs for the occasional vocal melody, and I’m still often involving guitar as well in electronic songs. I didn’t use guitar so much in the latest track. All done in Logic Pro X.

Update on the Year’s Goals…

Since my 43rd birthday I made the goals of writing and producing a song each month as a demo and a cartoon a week. So far I’ve kept it up for the last 9 or so months. Here are the latest creations:

And from my cartoon blog:

Den & Amble: Xi and Trump Poem

Cheers…

Last Track for 2016

Happy New Year to all. It’s been a bit of a sad 2016 with the passing of Prince, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen among others, as well as the recent passing of Carrie Fisher… I suppose it’s only natural as the icons of the 70’s and 80’s age…

A touch of colour…

Been a bit gobsmacked by the Brexit (Britain leaving the EU) – a lot of economic uncertainty projected in the papers.  Being of Scottish descent, I agree with most of Scotland, that is they should’ve stayed in Europe -keep barriers down. But history moves on…

So I’ve started to incorporate a bit of colour into my cartoons. I think it’s an improvement, but will see. Here’s the first

And I’m half way through my latest song. I don’t think it’s my best, but it’s fun getting back into the swing of songwriting and arranging. And this is a song, as opposed to an instrumental, which I’ve mostly been doing lately. I only have a few more days in the month, so I’ll probably be a few days late.  It’s called ‘The Stars Align’.

Back in the swing of things…

And I’ve started blogging on Munhwa Experience now with my cartoons… It’s a nice to start a new resolution by hitting goals (my goals as stated in previous post).

But working on the song isn’t so easy… I’m waking up 40 minutes earlier trying to get some guitar practice in, because I’m just not functional after work, whereas I’m fresher and more creative in the morning. I won’t finish the song by the end of June, but it should be done by early July, and then I’ll do another song in July. That’s the plan.

And the screenplay – I’m waking up another 40 minutes earlier again to get some time for that. That means the old 5am rise and shine. It’s a revision of a previous screenplay I submitted to BLCKLST which reviews and rates screenplays. After reading the faults and criticisms (as well as praise) from the reviewer, I’ve endeavoured to do a major rewrite addressing the main issues, and they are fundamental issues. Will it be a great screenplay? Hard to say, but it’s a learning process. All about the learning…

Struggling Muso Reloaded…

So I had a crisis over the weekend that spurred me to make some decisions on goals. And I admit that it’s a little crazy to have these goals and make this decision -but if there’s a strong enough influence then I say the decision seems fine to me.

So what are my goals? Well, I have a few creative interests -none of which have lead to significant success as such yet, but conversely all of them have potential for opportunities as well as the simple satisfaction I gain in the achievements of my creative endeavours. And the goals are:

<> Music – one demo a month (under the name Donak RV)

<> Cartoons – one cartoon a week (as Munhwa Experience)

<> One screenplay a year (under my own name)

And my progress as well as other musings will be monitored via this blog with a post at least once a week. Yes, I’m bonkers, I should focus on one thing. But I’ve tried that in the past without reaping the desired results, so now I follow my muse.

And what was it that spurred my crisis? Well, I turned 43 three, accompanied by the usual symptoms of a mid-life crisis. I guess my strategy is to keep busy.

Shameless Plug: my book on iTunes looking at the music industry.

I’ve just put a book up on iTunes which takes a satirical look at the DIY music industry. Here’s the book plug:

“Ever thought about making music your full time career? Or taking your band to the next level? Or seeking to break into the music biz? Edward Gobb, the fictional author of this book, may promise to have the keys to success or the secret formulae to make your dreams come true, but he’d be lying. However, if you can handle his uncompromising derisions and cynical remarks, you’re probably half way there!

Gobb’s Guide to Thinking you Actually have a Chance of Making it in the Music Industry is a satirical look at what it takes to make it in the competitive independent music business.”

End of a Blog…

I’ve decided to ‘decommission’ this blog as I focus my efforts elsewhere. I’ll leave it up for maybe 6 months or a year, and then if the view stats are limp will mostly likely delete the whole blog. I know I could just keep it up, but in this world of so much white noise on the internet, it bothers me that I’m adding to it if there’s no purpose.

Regarding my music and demos, I may start something under my muso name ‘Donak RV’, though it could be just a Facebook page or something. At the moment I have a presence on Twitter and Soundcloud which I will continue for my demoes…

I will continue the ‘Struggling Muso’ cartoon series over at Munhwa Experience, and you can follow it under the Strugmo category (or at http://munhwaexperience.wordpress.com/category/struggling-muso/). Of course you can buy the book of the first two annals from this blog on iTunes.