In preparation of the release of enigmatics, I have …
- … remixed and remastered the recordings.
- … sequenced the tracks and burned a test disc.
- … applied for membership with ASCAP as both a songwriter and a publisher.
- … filed DBAs with Travis County to operate as Observant Records and Eponymous 4.
- … opened business bank account under Observant Records and Eponymous 4.
- … signed up with CD Baby.
- … revised the cover art to include a bit more in the way of credits.
- … set up a payment mechanism with Paypal.
- … gotten a sales tax permit.
I still have to …
… set up a DBA with Travis County to operate under whatever publishing name ASCAP approves.(finished 5/6/2008)… establish a business bank account for the publishing company.(finished 5/7/2008)… revise the credits to include the approved publishing company name.(finished 5/6/2008)… burn the actual CD to be duplicated at the printing plant.(finished 5/3/2008)… file Form SR for the sound recording with the Copyright Office under Observant Records.(finished 5/16/2008)… file Form PA for the songs with the Copyright Office under the approved publishing company name.(finished 5/16/2008)… register, at the very least, the tracks on enigmatics with ASCAP, after membership is approved.(finished 5/16/2008)… have the CDs duped and printed.(ordered 5/16/2008)- …
send five to CD Baby.(sent 6/4/2008) - … maybe put three on consignment with Waterloo Records.
- …
consider signing up for Amazon Advantage.(signed up 5/20/2008) - … let people know it exists.
Right now, the only thing holding everything up is the name ASCAP approves for my publishing company. Once I can get that determined, everything else can proceed. I'm kind of anxious to get things rolling because my momentum is pretty good. I managed to do everything else in a day.
Now that the label is out of the realm of fantasy, I want to get back to working on the material at which I've been chipping for the past three years. These aren't just casual demos any more — I'm actually working on something I intend to sell.
I'm somewhat nervous about that. The independent part of me wants to forge on ahead in full DIY fashion, while the objective part of me knows I could make my "product" a lot better with outside talent. In short, do I really want to charge people at least $10 to hear my weak singing?
Another funny side effect of this whole endeavor is the feeling of being split into multiple personalities. If Eponymous 4, Observant Records and [whatever name ASCAP approves] Shinkyoku Advocacy were three different people, negotiating the finer aspects of mechanical royalties and artist royalties would matter. Since all three are me, what difference does it make?
That's the thing — I don't want any confusion arising from which entity gets what share of a sale. I could "award" myself full statutory rate on the music publishing, but I would like a little more cash in the label to cover those operations. So I'm — ooops, my publishing company is actually going with the standard 75 percent of mechanical.
At some point, each company is going to have to pay the other. It'll be weird to handle that accounting.
Ultimately, I'm doing all of this to see whether I can. Everything related to Eponymous 4 since 2005 has been an exercise in answering that question.
Can I record an album's worth of material? Yes, at least five times over.
Can I learn how to make my recordings sound somewhat decent? Yes, if scant listener reaction is any indication.
Have I still retained enough of my layout sense to design the cover art? Yes, I still know my points from picas.
Can I do this well enough to send something to a CD pressing plant? Yes.
We'll find the answer to this latest question soon enough.