Well a quick update, actually can I do a quick update? A quick update for me is something like 1,000 words!! I’ll do my best, honest.

There has been much going on, on the singing front.  The singing it appears is the easy bit, it all the other bits that take the real effort, organisation, research and time oh yes that precious commodity time.  So far we have the tracks recorded and all bar one is completed.  Everything is on course at the moment for the video shoot at the end of August.  I’m very lucky to be working with Rivermade Films   Mulk is so easy to work with, he is aware of my restrictions as a carer with regards to location being close at hand in case I get a call to come home, keeping things simple yet effective and listening to my thoughts on the songs and turning them into a vision.  Mulk has already provided me with lots of information on his thoughts and plans for the video shoot and every time I read them I get goosebumps. Mulk has such vision and creativity and I’m so looking forward to the day and also nervous about how I will be in front of a camera.

I had a very insightful and useful hour with Paul Dunphy Esq  Paul is a Social Media Curator who I “met” on Twitter some years ago.  His knowledge is incredible and to anyone looking for advice on how to use social media for their business or hobby I would highly recommend Paul.  Paul advised me to just be me, don’t bother with a separate Facebook page or Twitter account for the music, just use what I have already, be me.  Paul pointed out that as a full time carer I won’t have time to keep two lots of accounts going so keep it simple and keep it sparkly.

I told Paul I am not very confident in pushing myself forwards, self promotion but he put me completely at ease with this.  As Paul says, most people are nice, most people like to engage with people they like, people want to know more about the person, the back story behind the music or whatever passion it is you have.  My Instagram is already filling up with pictures of me.  It still doesn’t sit quite right but I would love to share the music with as many people as possible and this is the way to go.

I have been researching the various licences I require in order to release a couple of my tracks commercially.  This is time consuming as I want to be 100% sure of what I am signing up to.  I have done hours of research over the weeks on music aggregation and I have narrowed it down to two organisations.  Digital music is changing all the time it seems and having the correct licences for what you want to do is very important. I’m still hoping to release “Summer Love” by the end of the Summer, it just all depends on how fast people get back to me, how quickly license applications are handled and how fast the music aggregator will work once things are in place.  I probably could have done this quicker with more time to hand but I don’t have that luxury so dipping in and out of things is how I’m getting things done.

I have located the Musicians Union website and located it is all I have done so far.  I switch the laptop on in the morning, access a website and then sometimes get no further and I end up switching the laptop off before I go to bed.  Just depends how the day goes caring wise.

I know the above all sounds like hard work and I suppose it is but I am really enjoying learning all about this industry and what you need to do if you want to do anything at all with your music.  I have scribbled a few songs, sudden inspiration would hit me and I’d reach for the phone to record the tune and lyrics whilst it is fresh in my mind.  I was brave enough last week to play two to my guitar tutor and he said they were good!! I was amazed.  He has given me the guitar chords to the tune in my head so that I can practice. It just is so exciting and it does give me an escape in my head to the stresses of the day and I think too brings peace to my soul.

I’m hoping to upload a song to You Tube this weekend.  It’s my cover of the Randy Crawford classic “Almaz”.  I love this song so much.  There isn’t a video, just a photo of myself.  I will do a quick post to let you know when it has been uploaded.

My chap has been practising his photography skills taking some photo’s of me in the garden, for social media purposes.  I have included some below, I do hope you like them.

With love and sparkles until the next musical update xxx