She's My Favourite Place

I've posted She's My Favourite Place on my Soundclick site. I hope you find the time to take a listen and let me know what you think... I have one more song I can add to my MySpace site, so I'll think I'll throw it there as well...

Ci vedimes...

Links - ALAS and Playoke

Thought I'd just post a couple of links I've found for any local songwriters (in the GTA) who may be interested:

• Artist's Legal Advice Program - exactly what it sounds like... and as described in their intro web page, they are a collection of volunteers established "...to help provide advice to those who may not be able to access more expensive alternatives. ALAS serves as an excellent first-step for creators wishing to understand their legal rights or deal with specific problems but who are unsure how to proceed. Appointments consist of 30-minute meetings in which a lawyer will listen to your concerns and provide advice for solving your legal problems."
• Playoke.com - not really sure how to describe this one, so I'll let the Canadian Musician magazine do it in this article. Basically, it's a marketplace for original songs... but I'm not sure who'd be buying. I joined up, but I still haven't been able to place a song in the Song Mart (even though the site is giving away free Gold Memberships at this time...). But the info is here for you...

Ci vedimes...

Jam Session #6

Well, it's been a while... but I have an acoustic door in my basement now and Jeffie came by to lay down some tracks... felt really good to get back into the recording/playing thing... Now, I'm going to work on setting some songs up to be recorded the way I hear them...

Thanks to Jeff again...

Up Yours #2

Okay, I stayed up late last night to cobble together a woeful music video for the Up Yours competition. I chose Lovers' Limbo using video from an old movie (Mirror Mirror) I did in school with a friend of mine (Ariane who appears in the video) for Steve's FilmFest (Steve being my friend, Steve Scarrow, now Regional Director of Promotions and Marketing with A-Channel in Vancouver).

There was a joint theme in both the movie and the song of a lovers' triangle happening in the background, but without words, and needing to trim an 8 minute video down to 3... well, there's certainly a lot of stuff that is lost in the translation when you cram two different works into one...

Anywho, check it out... Hey, it's only 3 minutes of your life so don't get too peeved...

Ci vedimes...

DIY Publishing Links

Well, I'm following up on some recent articles I've come across. One, out of the Globe & Mail, that I can't seem to link to, discussed the SellaBand concept. It's very interesting and to read more about it check out the "How it works" link on the main page. Basically, you post some demos on an artist's page, see if you can sell enough "shares" in a CD project from the site's "Believers", and then get a chance to produce a professional quality CD of your music.

The other site involves the digital world and publishing (which, I guess, is my main focus over actually performing), but also finished CD's for music (or, very cool, bound books if you're a novelist, for example). Check that out at Lulu. You retain all the rights to the music you post and Lulu gets 20% of any sales (you keep 80%). But who will buy my wonderful tunes...

Ci vedimes...

Up Yours

Well Yahoo! Music Canada has an interesting contest by the name of Up Yours. This is what it's about:

• Up Yours is a nationwide search to find the next great musical talent. Residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, who have attained the age of majority in the province they reside can participate. Simply upload a video that best highlights your musical skills, whether it be a proper music video, a home video, or just you rocking your web cam.

I think I'll enter... if anybody's reading and can suggest a song of mine to put here, please let me know...

Ci vedimes...

SOCAN #2

Well, I can add SOCAN member to my list... Here's how my application went over:

• Congratulations! Your SOCAN application has been approved.

Now I just have to follow up with the required paperwork... I'm on my way!

SOCAN

So, I've applied for membership to the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN). I applied on-line. I think that I qualify as my material was performed by me at LiANA's CD Release Party of January 20/07.

We'll see...

MySpace Inbox...

Just wanted to share an insightful MySpace message (or "incite"-ful message I think my wife might say... merely 'cos she's beautiful and very "warm") I received from a member in my SAC Regional Songwriter's Group. Michael is also an aspiring songwriter and he heard my songs and had this to say about them:

• Hey LP, it sounds like you met the same cold beautiful women that I met! Good stuff. Michael

Ah, it's true...

Revolution Audio Plug

Just a quick plug for a local store that I have under my links section in the right sidebar... Jason & Kate at Revolution Audio are always knowledgeable and helpful and assisted me in upgrading my external USB sound card from the M-Audio MobilePre USB to the M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB. As always, it's a pleasant experience shopping with Revolution Audio and they treat returning customers in a wonderful manner (i.e. great trade-in values for upgrades).

I did look at NI's Audio Kontrol 1 (a truly cool interface, though it has just one input) and Roland's Edirol UA-25 (nicely built, brushed aluminum box), but settled on the "devil I know" aspect of the Fast Track Pro (similar in style and look to my old MobilePre) and it had a simpler looking interface (which matches my level of sophistication with these things).

Kudos to Jason & Kate!

SAC Regional Songwriters Workgroup #5

Well, we had our Regional Songwriters Group on Saturday. Liana led a very informative session on "Making a Music Demo". We were given some on-line resources as well: Berklee Music, Jason Blume and Song U, for a few. Also, locally in Toronto, Humber College offers an intensive Songwriting Workshop coming up this Summer (as it has in past years, and where, I understand, many of the TSA members met).

I've also asked Liana for a copy of her DVD from her CD-Release party so that I could have a memento of my first gig. Maybe at the next Group meeting, I'll bring my laptop along and burn a copy... (she's okay with that).

I'm excited that Lynn Harrison will be a guest speaker at our next group meeting in April. I think she's a wonderful songwriter/performer.

Ciao for now...

Original Sundays... March 2007

A plug for Kim Boyce who hosts this great show, Sundays 2 - 4 p.m. at the Woodhouse Lounge, 2241A Bloor St. W.(At Runnymede, west of Chapters)...

MARCH 4, 2007
MIKE ELMER
Catchy melodies and strong guitar work make Mike’s pop and rock influenced originals a pleasure to listen to. Also appearing: Brianna George.

MARCH 11, 2007
FRANK PATRICK
Fusing elements of folk, world, rock, blues and even a little ska, Frank’s unique and engaging collection of original songs are borne of love, pain and struggle, all held aloft by his infectiously positive spirit. Author Dianah Smith will be reading from her work today as well.

MARCH 18, 2007
ERIKA WERRY
Erika's full-length debut album (2004) was rated NNNN by Toronto's acclaimed NOW magazine for its lyrical originality and beautifully morose trumpet flourishes...These days songs from her newest recording are getting airplay. Also appearing: Eric Fisher.

MARCH 25, 2007
AVIVA THIERRY
Aviva’s powerful, haunting vocal style and refreshingly original songwriting on 12 string guitar and piano are pure delight. Pianist/composer Frank Horvat will also perform.

Long time no blog...

Wow, I see that it's been over two weeks and we're into March... I'm going to the Regional SAC Songwriting Group tomorrow and I'll be reporting on that... Liana ran across my blog and sent me a nice email earlier this week:

• I caught your blog purely searching to see who's been hitting my website..and there you came up...Now, you are a sweet heart and it was a pleasure having you be a guest at my CD release party.Remember what i always say at the workshops, you go! you do it! and don't worry about it!

I also recently heard from Marc of the TSA. He was quite nice and offered the following words of encouragement:

• I wanted to thank you for attending the TSA meeting in February and playing your song for us. We alll appreciated your sincerity, optimism and enthusiasm for songwriting. I hope you will stay in touch with us and return as a guest to another meeting in the not-too-distant future.

So I'll keep plugging away... till my publishing day...

Ci vedimes...