GETTING OFF THE GROUND...

Day 12 of the 10,000 EP project is drawing to a close and I thought it was time for a little update! Since launching the project on Friday 15th June, I have been up to my eyeballs in sending emails, handing out pre-order cards, posting updates on social networks, designing and ordering flyers etc. etc.. And then there are normal life things like washing up, taking the dog for a walk, going to the bank, grocery shopping, which have just been completely put on hold. Sleeping and eating are about the only two normal life routines that have stayed the same!!!!!

The excess tea drinking problem I have has not been affected..

Anyways, I am happy and feeling good about the project. It has already attracted a lot of attention. The main experiments that have progressed since the launch are:

1. 1,000 SALES - currently have approx 100 pre-orders placed!
2. 1,000 WORDS PUBLISHED - 580 have been officially published up to today. Thanks to journalist Jim Hayes and Margaret Roddy of The Argus. The Newry Democrat will publish an article in their 'Vibe' section of the newspaper next Tuesday and some positive feedback from Hot Press has opened up the possibility of a mention of some kind in the next few weeks. My only concern on this experiment is the possibility of missing a publication and not being able to acknowledge the journalist!
3. 1,000 MINUTES BROADCAST - This experiment definately concerned music professionals the most. Getting 16.66 hours of radio or tv time is very very difficult even for the most established artist. I can't explain why but I have a quiet confidence on this one. Maybe my gut feeling will be proven otherwise but I have accumalated 60 mins of airtime over the past 12 days. Harry Lee on Louth Internet Radio kindly gave me 40 mins of airtime on his show this morning which of course makes up the most of those 60 mins. The remaining minutes come from an interview on Northern Sound with Sean McCaffrey, airplay of my singles on various radio stations throughout Ireland. (I am registered with Nielsen Music so I can keep a weekly track of my plays!) and project mentions on other radio stations that I have been informed of.
4. 1,000 TWITTER FOLLOWERS - I have nearly 100 new followers, without spending or devoting much time to twitter so that's a positive start!

Of the remaining 6 experiments, some are slowly getting off the ground and some are not scheduled to kick into action until August!

I also enjoyed a visit to Mark McGuire photography in Newbrige, Co.Kildare for my EP photoshoot, which stressed me a little in the lead up to it. I had a lot of ideas for styling, locations etc and it began to get a little overwhelming in deciding on what look would work best. A quick visit to Penny's and a sorting through of clothes and accessories I already had made things clearer and in the end I am happy with my choices and the style I went for. There are lots more photos in the editing stages. The project is proving a lot of fun despite being intense and keeping record of all the different aspects is taking a lot of time. All in all, it's been a great start. The FUNDIT campaign is 80% funded and you can still pre-order the EP and some additional bits and pieces here. FUNDIT

Thanks for all the messages and gestures of support!! Chat soon xx

One of the 10,000 EP shots - MarkMcGuire Photography

I BRING YOU '10,000' - THE EXPERIMENTAL EP!

It is my pleasure to finally share with you the details of my debut EP '10,000'...

For months I have had my head down trying to find something a little different, something creative and in March when my frustrations with my creativity were beginning to rise, I came across the following words, which Thomas Edison is believed to have said:

"I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work"

Those words spoke volumes to me about a person who commited completely to finding solutions. A man who didn't see his failed attempts as reasons to give up but as reasons to keep going. Eventually he found the right combination of elements and conditions and the lightbulb came to be as we know it now. His patience and belief became his success.

I signed myself up to work in the music industry in September 2010 and I have been learning and finding my way around it through experimenting. Some things work, some things don't. Simple. The hardest aspect of it has been accepting the fact that it is an industry overloaded with aspiring artists and bands all hoping to achieve the ultimate ambition of being a recognised and respected act and there just aren't the opportunities to go round or even the interest in hearing what you have to offer. The nature of how it all works has changed and has been changing for many years and when I enrolled in the music industry nearly 2 years ago now, I had my eyes opened. Creating a great product really wasn't enough on its own.

So here I am on the very first day of my '10,000' project. I call it a project and have done since I created it. Part of the project is the EP release itself (on 10th August), which will feature 5 tracks. The rest of it is a carefully thought out plan of action. For the next 3 months, I have set myself an experiment of my own, to try and bring this EP to the attention of 10,000 people. To do this, I have created 10 smaller experiments, each one designed to attract 1,000 people.

1. 1,000 SALES (physical and digital through pre-orders and downloads)

2. 1,000 WORDS (published about the project)

3. 1,000 MINUTES (broadcast minutes on radio, TV and online including airplay, interviews etc.)

4. 1,000 FACES (collection of 1,000 images featuring people weaing the '10,000' goggles and badge)

5. 1,000 KILOMETRES (travelled over the course of the official release week to promote the EP)

6. 1,000 LIVE AUDIENCE (performed to during the course of the official release week)

7. 1,000 ARTISTS (establishing connections with 1,000 Irish artists across dance, theatre, music and visial arts, promoted and shared on the blog with links to artists work etc.)

8. 1,000 NEW FACEBOOK LIKES (on launch date stands at 840)

9. 1,000 NEW TWITTER FOLLOWERS (on launch date stands at 489)

10. 1,000 YOUTUBE SUBSCRIPTIONS (on launch date stands at 32)

I have a big challenge ahead of me and each experiment requires a lot of time and effort, hence my schedule of 3 months! I don't know if the experiment will be a success or a failure but I'm willing to give it all I've got, hopefully having a lot of fun in finding out! Each week, I will update you on the experiments and tell you how each one is doing! So please come and support 10,000. Who knows.. maybe it could be something special!

Over the next three weeks I will be asking people to pre-purchase the EP for just €5. You can do so here: FUND IT

or contact me directly: mcnallysinead@hotmail.com  

The following links take you to 3 of my other experiments, which you can contribute to in just a few seconds.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

'LIKE' MY FACEBOOK PAGE

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Here's to making things happen!!

THANK YOU XX



MELLOTRONS AND EDISON..

The weeks are flying in and it's getting closer to the time when I tell you all about '10,000'. Yes, it's the title of my debut EP, out August 10th but it is also more than a title. It is a concept that I have been creating for months to make the EP as successful as possible and give it a fresh twist. At the start of 2012, I had complete burnout. I couldn't figure out where to go next with my music. I had totally exhausted myself with each of the three single releases in 2011. I reached all of my targets for my first year in the industry and felt very proud but it had knocked me for six and I needed time to unwind and take stock!!

"Is it ok if just for today, I have nothing to do and nothing left to say. I feel that I need some time on my own, my body is weak and I can feel it in my bones" (lyrics from 'Just For Today', Track 3 on the forthcoming EP)

I actually wrote those lyrics late last Summer but it was a gradual burnout that came to a head in late December. I love that song and can't wait for you to hear it! It is quite emotional for me to listen to it as it reminds of the days when I really do just want to keep the world away and hide under the covers but we have recorded and produced it in a way that is quite soothing and relaxing so it ironically will assist in a little relaxation!

 It was late March before I began to feel my creativity coming back then one day something clicked and the rest literally is history. It started to flow and hasn't actually stopped since!!!

The man in the photo to the left is Mr.Thomas Edison and he is a very big part of the inspiration for the EP. His words, his wisdom and his attidude. I have always enjoyed reading about the lives of inventors, composers and anyone who has had a lasting impact on the world. It is important to me to bring such figures into the creative elements of my projects! And trust me, it has opened up very interesting opportunities for styling and design and it's proving to be great fun.


One of the tracks on the EP is called 'Something Has Changed' and it addresses the fact that relationships (all kinds) can change very quickly and sometimes you have no idea why. It is written in 6/8 time and has an unusual sound and feel to it. It is probably my favourite on the EP as it is a lot of fun and features some difficult classical piano techniques, that require a lot of practice! It is in the key of G minor and is reminiscent of 'canon' style of composition in places! I absolutely love the fact that I get to use a mellotron string sound in the choruses..it's pretty funky in there and if you are not sure what mellotron sounds are like, you can check out this video!

Mellotron Sounds

Thats all for now folks..Hope you enjoyed! Chat soon xx

GOD'S PLAYGROUND....

I have been working hard but quietly for months now on the next phase in my music career and I have developed a concept that I am really excited about. I have been gathering quotes, creating vision boards, studying artist and band profiles and bascially engrossing myself in preparation. Nothing matters more however than being in the studio putting the music together. Writing a song is a creation that comes to life when I go to God's playground, which for me is the studio! It is here that the fun begins.The chords, the riffs, the pushes, the harmonics and all the other sweet things that develop when production begins. The build up to the studio for me begins a few weeks before I get there. I gradually become more and more excited as though I am packing my suitcase and boarding a plane to sunny Spain or some tropical island. I prepare what I am taking with me, what I am going to do when I get there and accept I will experience a mild depression when I return home...

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

It is day two today and I am in the expert hands of Martin Quinn at JAM Studios in Kells, Co.Meath. I had a frustrating start to the day when my piano part for a new arrangement of 'Just For Today' got the better of me at times but I got there in the end. It is close to 5pm and guitar parts are being laid down on 'Let You Down'. There are sentiments of so many of the bands and music genres I enjoy throughout this track and it's definately a strong contender for the single release off the EP. Mind you, I feel that way about every track as we move through them, upgrading and tailoring them as we go. I can't contain my excitment at times and find myself giddy and distracted at a time when I should remain more focussed than ever!

MR DAVE GOUGH

I can only compare the attachment I have to my songs to the attachment and bond I suspect you have with your children. I don't have any children so I am making an assumption here and it may seem a little dramatic. But my comparison is based on the fact that each of my songs are so precious to me that I can't bear to let them get lost or abandoned in the big old music world that is surrounded in so much pessimism and doubt. Each one of my songs has it's own personality, it's own special talents and there are totally different reasons why I love each one of them so much. I treat them with the same respect whilst accepting that they have different needs and purpose. After all I created them from scratch and want each one to make an impact on the world! This might explain my initial 'single' releasing strategy as opposed to releasing 'albums'. That strategy changes slightly this year however and I will put three new tracks out there all at once on my debut EP 10,000, out on the 10th August. Two of last year's 'little ones' will also accompany them to form a 5 track EP, which I will promote and sell from August through to the end of the year. I will also release another song, not featured on the EP as a single on the 30th November.

Day two is coming to a close now and time to put the music away for a few hours.. Well, that's a lie really, there is no getting away from it, not now that the songs have started to really make their mark on me. I will go over and over the structures and the arrangements and take sleep breaks in between!! I would say that I will have some rest when the studio part is done in a couple of days but that's a lie too. The truth is, I will commit to those songs so intently that I will live and breathe giving them the best start in life over the coming weeks and months...

Chat soon xx

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