As I approach yet another year passing in the life that I call mine, I am always reflective of the years that have gone by. Have I done all I wanted to do? Did I see all the things I wanted to see? Was I a good friend to my friends and were they good to me? With each year, I can look back and see how much I have achieved. Not by the standards of others, but by the goals I set myself. I have been too focused on my other musical project these last 6 months, close to finishing that record and when I do I will be back to writing true songs of love and life as I see it in the world. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by, to listen and to hear.
many blessings
Shean
Reply
I am the worst! I have been so focused on my other musical project that I have not been by here in awhile. So to make up for it I have added a free download with the song Don't forsake me, and two other songs for your listening enjoyment A fine Light and Summertime. I hope you enjoy these works and that you will take the time to share them with your friends and musical colleagues. Also, please take the time to let me know if you like what you hear. It's always great to have feedback and for anyone who considers themselves a fan to take the time to tell me your thoughts. Also ask a question, if you want to know something just ask. I will do my best to answer. Thank you again for taking the time to experience what is going on in my head.
Much love
Shean
Reply
So taking the month of August off to work on writing, and to let promotion take a back seat for awhile, I was sure that I would log back in and find that I had plummeted off the charts, lost all my band equity and that 30 days of no networking would have proved to be disastrous. As it turns out, not so bad, here is how things stand
Band Equity Score: was 3,990 now 4137
Recent High: was 3,984 (2012-07-30) now 5731
Current Rank in Singer Songwriter: was 137 2 now 138 2
Yesterday's Rank: was 135 now 139
So it would appear the only place I really lost any ground was on the International stage.
So I will put myself back on the promotion band wagon and see if I can't my ranking for the world back to at least the 3000 something mark, and perhaps with a few new songs added to my songs I may even crack the 2000 mark, and take my place amongst the top performers.
For those of you that came by and had a listen while I was gone, or perhaps even found me and became a fan, I thank you. After all these years of making music alone, without sharing it, it is so nice to know that others have heard what my heart had to say.
Shean
Reply
Sometimes it's just not enough to promote promote promote. There must be a balance. If I spend all my time letting others know about the songs I made, I don't have the time to make new ones. Or worse, I lose the plot altogether and fall off track.
As an artist, it is so hard to get a return on what you have created. So many of us try to get our albums sold, or for a label to pick us up, or as I wise man once said to me, "If you are not appearing, you are disappearing"
It took awhile for me to really understand what he meant. In this day and age, where we are bombarded with so many triggers, BUY THIS, DOWNLOAD THAT, LIKE THIS, FOLLOW ME, it can be completely overwhelming.
So with that in mind I am going to take August off, to focus on writing and performing and not promoting. I say this because I have realized that if you do not have some kind of activity on your ReverbNation page, your stats start to fall, and FAST! to prove it I am blogging all my current stats, so that when I come back in 30 days I can show you how much things change when you don't push push push.
Band Equity Score: 3,990
Recent High: 3,984 (2012-07-30)
Current Rank in Singer Songwriter: 137 2
Yesterday's Rank: 135
So ReverbNation know this, I adore your site and all it is capable of doing to promote and support. But you are turning me into a junkie, so I need to detox.
Shean
Reply
It is the start of summer already. Despite the sunshine, I am feeling particularly frustrated with this time of year. Since I don't live in a vacuum or central air, hermitically sealing my home into a perfect environmental bubble, I am subjected to whatever is happening outside and it's hot! So hot, that after showering I am already beginning to sweat. That can make for a very difficult writing environment. For example, the other day I tried to record a new video to load onto RN. Much to my chagrin, it was take after take of, oops and damns and oh man not agains. Sweat drips into your eyes. I had turned off all the fans to eliminate any background noise and within minutes the seasonal situation had seeped into the studio, sabotaging my artistic endeavours. My hands were so soaked from the humidity, that playing a chord became a soupy mess, and the dryness in the air made singing an exercise in applying sand paper to throat.
So, does this mean I should abandon all hope of creating during these sweltering months? Should I spend my days in malls with their pure sweet recycled and chemically enriched air supply? (I miss that band). No, it simply means that if I want to pour my heart out into song I am just going to have to except that my heart won't be the only thing pouring from my body.
Happy summer everybody
Shean
Reply
I am sure in the back of every indie musicians mind is the little voice that says, "One day people will know what I have to offer. I wrote a song about a few years back with my band RA:TIO, called Looking Away.
So imagine my surprise this morning while sipping my morning java when my Iphone bleeped to notify me that John Mayer was now following me on Twitter.
I had to blink twice, make sure I had wiped the sleep from my eyes as I read the small type on my screen. Yup, there it was.
Now if I had of followed him first I would have imaged it was merely a PA following me back, as a means of staying connected with his fans. But upon further investigation and clicking on the recent activity link I was reassured that I in fact had not clicked Follow on his profile and it was the official page of John Mayer.
So to that I say thank you John. Today the music business feels a little closer to within reach.
Shean
Reply
www.tifva.com
I am proud to be part of an amazing film festival here in Toronto, called Toronto International Film & Video Awards (TIFVA)
Over the last few months, I have been working closely with the Executive Director James Dubbeldam on creating a promo video for the festival.
James' vision of supporting independent film makers with his festival is a standout amongst festivals.
Take a moment to view the video and visit the website for all the details about TIFVA, and to see trailers for the 2012 season.
Thank you for your support.
Shean
Reply
I recently was very presented with a contract from an A&R company who was interested in signing me.
At first I was more than pleasantly delighted, after all, isn't this what we all strive for? Then I was terrified. This was the first contract of it's kind presented to me and since I don't speak lawyer I was a little scattered about what to do next.
So I waited for a few weeks, while my mind and heart came to terms with this opportunity. Finally I decided I would consult an entertainment lawyer and spend the $250/hr to have a professional read it over and advise me in case I was about to sign over the rights to my soul.
Turns out there were a few things in the contract that were a concern and were not set up with my best interest at the root of the deal. So I sent an email back to the company addressing my concerns and low and behold I have not heard back from them. It's been 4 business days since I sent the email, and 24 hours since I sent a follow up and still nothing back.
I am not ready to give up on the contract just yet, but since I haven't heard anything back, I can only reason that they were hoping I would just sign and go blindly into the business of music with them.
If they are reputable, they will get back to me. If they don't you can be damn sure I will be posting who they are and an example of their contract and letting all my fellow indie artists know to stay clear.
When you walk through the desert thirsty and parched, it's tempting to drink the first glass of something handed to you, but water and rubbing alcohol look surprisingly similar and one of them can kill you.
Reply
Every once in awhile, I like to type my name into Google and see what comes up.
Most of the time I find the links that I have created, either showcasing my music, bands, or my company website.
So imagine my surprise when I found this
http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/uJ8WSkO6G-Q
Now yes I did post my video to YouTube, so it's not a big surprise, but when a totally random website takes that link and posts it on their website, what should I be thinking?
Flattered? that a website deemed my video worthy of their site?
Alarmed? that anyone can take content you upload and place it somewhere without your permission or knowledge?
Today, I have decided to be flattered?
Thanks NME for adding my video to your site and rotation.
Shean
Reply
There is a moment, when you are writing a song, that you manage to make all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
The moment when you are sure that you can hear the angels humming along as you work out all the necessary chord changes to a new song that makes you feel like you've really got something.
Then there is the moment you choose to share that piece with your friends, family or in this case your extended family on ReverbNation and the response is unbelievable.
This past week I have received so many kudos, compliments and positive feedback that I am truly humbled by how many of you have taken the time to not only visit my page, but listen to my songs, and take the time to send me feedback and impressions.
As a song writer who sent so many hours alone in a bedroom and now as an adult playing my songs for no one but for my self preservation, to hear all these wonderful accolades is truly outstanding.
So to all of you, and you know who you are I say a great big THANK YOU!
Shean
Reply
Shean Carmichael / Blog
Coming up on my birthday, a reflection
As I approach yet another year passing in the life that I call mine, I am always reflective of the years that have gone by. Have I done all I wanted to do? Did I see all the things I wanted to see? Was I a good friend to my friends and were they good to me? With each year, I can look back and see how much I have achieved. Not by the standards of others, but by the goals I set myself. I have been too focused on my other musical project these last 6 months, close to finishing that record and when I do I will be back to writing true songs of love and life as I see it in the world. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by, to listen and to hear.
many blessings Shean
Reply
much too long
I am the worst! I have been so focused on my other musical project that I have not been by here in awhile. So to make up for it I have added a free download with the song Don't forsake me, and two other songs for your listening enjoyment A fine Light and Summertime. I hope you enjoy these works and that you will take the time to share them with your friends and musical colleagues. Also, please take the time to let me know if you like what you hear. It's always great to have feedback and for anyone who considers themselves a fan to take the time to tell me your thoughts. Also ask a question, if you want to know something just ask. I will do my best to answer. Thank you again for taking the time to experience what is going on in my head.
Much love Shean
Reply
30 days later
So taking the month of August off to work on writing, and to let promotion take a back seat for awhile, I was sure that I would log back in and find that I had plummeted off the charts, lost all my band equity and that 30 days of no networking would have proved to be disastrous. As it turns out, not so bad, here is how things stand
Band Equity Score: was 3,990 now 4137 Recent High: was 3,984 (2012-07-30) now 5731 Current Rank in Singer Songwriter: was 137 2 now 138 2 Yesterday's Rank: was 135 now 139
So it would appear the only place I really lost any ground was on the International stage.
So I will put myself back on the promotion band wagon and see if I can't my ranking for the world back to at least the 3000 something mark, and perhaps with a few new songs added to my songs I may even crack the 2000 mark, and take my place amongst the top performers.
For those of you that came by and had a listen while I was gone, or perhaps even found me and became a fan, I thank you. After all these years of making music alone, without sharing it, it is so nice to know that others have heard what my heart had to say.
Shean
Reply
What I have learned
Sometimes it's just not enough to promote promote promote. There must be a balance. If I spend all my time letting others know about the songs I made, I don't have the time to make new ones. Or worse, I lose the plot altogether and fall off track.
As an artist, it is so hard to get a return on what you have created. So many of us try to get our albums sold, or for a label to pick us up, or as I wise man once said to me, "If you are not appearing, you are disappearing" It took awhile for me to really understand what he meant. In this day and age, where we are bombarded with so many triggers, BUY THIS, DOWNLOAD THAT, LIKE THIS, FOLLOW ME, it can be completely overwhelming.
So with that in mind I am going to take August off, to focus on writing and performing and not promoting. I say this because I have realized that if you do not have some kind of activity on your ReverbNation page, your stats start to fall, and FAST! to prove it I am blogging all my current stats, so that when I come back in 30 days I can show you how much things change when you don't push push push.
Band Equity Score: 3,990 Recent High: 3,984 (2012-07-30) Current Rank in Singer Songwriter: 137 2 Yesterday's Rank: 135
So ReverbNation know this, I adore your site and all it is capable of doing to promote and support. But you are turning me into a junkie, so I need to detox.
Shean
Reply
How time flies
It is the start of summer already. Despite the sunshine, I am feeling particularly frustrated with this time of year. Since I don't live in a vacuum or central air, hermitically sealing my home into a perfect environmental bubble, I am subjected to whatever is happening outside and it's hot! So hot, that after showering I am already beginning to sweat. That can make for a very difficult writing environment. For example, the other day I tried to record a new video to load onto RN. Much to my chagrin, it was take after take of, oops and damns and oh man not agains. Sweat drips into your eyes. I had turned off all the fans to eliminate any background noise and within minutes the seasonal situation had seeped into the studio, sabotaging my artistic endeavours. My hands were so soaked from the humidity, that playing a chord became a soupy mess, and the dryness in the air made singing an exercise in applying sand paper to throat.
So, does this mean I should abandon all hope of creating during these sweltering months? Should I spend my days in malls with their pure sweet recycled and chemically enriched air supply? (I miss that band). No, it simply means that if I want to pour my heart out into song I am just going to have to except that my heart won't be the only thing pouring from my body.
Happy summer everybody Shean
Reply
When you garner the attention of someone famous
I am sure in the back of every indie musicians mind is the little voice that says, "One day people will know what I have to offer. I wrote a song about a few years back with my band RA:TIO, called Looking Away.
So imagine my surprise this morning while sipping my morning java when my Iphone bleeped to notify me that John Mayer was now following me on Twitter.
I had to blink twice, make sure I had wiped the sleep from my eyes as I read the small type on my screen. Yup, there it was.
Now if I had of followed him first I would have imaged it was merely a PA following me back, as a means of staying connected with his fans. But upon further investigation and clicking on the recent activity link I was reassured that I in fact had not clicked Follow on his profile and it was the official page of John Mayer.
So to that I say thank you John. Today the music business feels a little closer to within reach.
Shean
Reply
TIFVA film festival promo
www.tifva.com
I am proud to be part of an amazing film festival here in Toronto, called Toronto International Film & Video Awards (TIFVA)
Over the last few months, I have been working closely with the Executive Director James Dubbeldam on creating a promo video for the festival.
James' vision of supporting independent film makers with his festival is a standout amongst festivals.
Take a moment to view the video and visit the website for all the details about TIFVA, and to see trailers for the 2012 season.
Thank you for your support.
Shean
Reply
Companies and contracts-A cautionary tale
I recently was very presented with a contract from an A&R company who was interested in signing me.
At first I was more than pleasantly delighted, after all, isn't this what we all strive for? Then I was terrified. This was the first contract of it's kind presented to me and since I don't speak lawyer I was a little scattered about what to do next.
So I waited for a few weeks, while my mind and heart came to terms with this opportunity. Finally I decided I would consult an entertainment lawyer and spend the $250/hr to have a professional read it over and advise me in case I was about to sign over the rights to my soul.
Turns out there were a few things in the contract that were a concern and were not set up with my best interest at the root of the deal. So I sent an email back to the company addressing my concerns and low and behold I have not heard back from them. It's been 4 business days since I sent the email, and 24 hours since I sent a follow up and still nothing back.
I am not ready to give up on the contract just yet, but since I haven't heard anything back, I can only reason that they were hoping I would just sign and go blindly into the business of music with them.
If they are reputable, they will get back to me. If they don't you can be damn sure I will be posting who they are and an example of their contract and letting all my fellow indie artists know to stay clear.
When you walk through the desert thirsty and parched, it's tempting to drink the first glass of something handed to you, but water and rubbing alcohol look surprisingly similar and one of them can kill you.
Reply
Google Search yourself
Every once in awhile, I like to type my name into Google and see what comes up. Most of the time I find the links that I have created, either showcasing my music, bands, or my company website. So imagine my surprise when I found this http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/uJ8WSkO6G-Q Now yes I did post my video to YouTube, so it's not a big surprise, but when a totally random website takes that link and posts it on their website, what should I be thinking? Flattered? that a website deemed my video worthy of their site? Alarmed? that anyone can take content you upload and place it somewhere without your permission or knowledge? Today, I have decided to be flattered? Thanks NME for adding my video to your site and rotation. Shean
Reply
Amazed
There is a moment, when you are writing a song, that you manage to make all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
The moment when you are sure that you can hear the angels humming along as you work out all the necessary chord changes to a new song that makes you feel like you've really got something.
Then there is the moment you choose to share that piece with your friends, family or in this case your extended family on ReverbNation and the response is unbelievable.
This past week I have received so many kudos, compliments and positive feedback that I am truly humbled by how many of you have taken the time to not only visit my page, but listen to my songs, and take the time to send me feedback and impressions.
As a song writer who sent so many hours alone in a bedroom and now as an adult playing my songs for no one but for my self preservation, to hear all these wonderful accolades is truly outstanding.
So to all of you, and you know who you are I say a great big THANK YOU!
Shean
Reply