I reckon I’m going to find this fascinating. I’m currently trying to digest the same brave pill and release a 20 year old album project idea (solely using Albion Solstice as it happens). What you are chatting about really rings true. I shall tune in with interest.
Brilliant, wishing you all the best for your album and I'm looking forward to following your journey. Also very timely as I'm currently writing music for my own album, so hope to gain some much needed insight!
I am truly looking forward to hearing your album. You have been one of my favorite Artists/Teacher/Instructor for years. I have to admit you have “planted a seed” in my own mind. A new challenge… regardless, I am sure your work will be a success and I shall be a customer.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I released an ambient/modern classical/cinematic album in December under my own name, Austin Joy, and I'm still working on promoting it. This was exactly what I needed to not feel so alone in trying to release an album in the modern, daunting music landscape.
That’s great! The promotion is the most difficult area I think. Everything I’ve seen indicates putting something on socials weekly is the way to get the algorithm to help share it!
Hey Paul, thanks so much for sharing your journey. It's really rare to see an artist delve deep into the sequence of events that leads to an album, and it's even more rare in your niche. I highly appreciate it. I hope this series will inspire, motivate, and educate many musicians to make more music!
This is great Paul, thanks for sharing. I’m really interested in seeing the different aspects of putting something like this together. Great video. Looking forward to following this 😊
Thank you so much for sharing your adventure with us, Paul! I am very happy for you and wish you much joy and success with your album. I can totally understand your nervousness before the release. My experience with it is still relatively recent. My very first single, which I composed and produced myself, was released in December 2023, although in purely digital form (Streaming/Download). As a budding media composer, it was important for me to take a risk. And it was important to me that I produce and release this track for myself, without necessarily wanting to please anyone else. I stand behind my work 100%, no matter what happens. I see it as my own personal success as an artist and as an important step in my musical career. And that's what drives me to keep going. I'm really looking forward to your next videos! Thanks again, Paul! 🙂
Thanks Frank! I think actually its also useful to have an independent outlet as an artist when pursuing media work. It shows a different side to your work which I think is probably useful. Best of luck with your single as well!
I appreciate your recap of the history of recorded music / sales. My theory is close to yours and I agree completely about the importance of "connection" to the artist. My feeling is that the connection comes through experiences - concerts, TH-cam videos, Instagram . . . something that builds a bridge between the potential listener and the musician. People listen to music that's new to them because they feel a connection through experience. Pomplamoose is a great example of this. Plenty of others also. Thanks for sharing your journey with us - I suspect the experience will lead to some sales, with or without the "extras" you mention.
Oh, and thanks for Spitfire's great products! I use them with many clients and share some of the points you make in this video with them, as well as the ones I mention.
Even in the early 70’s it has been about live performances, generate audience, go to the studio make an EP. Sell them at shows, merch. Get noticed, record deal, step up from clubs to larger shows. But today with the internet and streaming getting in front of an audience, pushing through the many that are streaming also. Huge task, not for the faint of heart. Should be an interesting series.
Yes absolutely. My brother used to see a lot of bands in Birmingham in pubs - thin lizzy and def leppard - that’s how they grew their audience at the start. Tricky now as a solo instrumental artist though especially with streaming being the main platform!
Love your work Paul! I too am in a similar boat where I've been creating an album for the love but not sure how to get it out there or even who's going to listen to it. So I look forward to seeing your upcoming videos on this.
I look forward to following your journey with the album. I am wondering across the demographic of music listeners/followers, particularly millennials, Gen Y & followed by Gen Z if they still buy CDs and do they have a CD player. I know it is said around the age of 50 people stop listening to popular music radio stations, don't know if that applies to streaming. Swift has a massive publicity and marketing team to the point of almost over exposure, which can somewhat explain her sales. Paul, I wish you well and good fortune with the album.
Thank you! Its interesting - 75% of CD buyers are 45 and over, with a further 25% between 25-44. So it does skew to the older audience. but also, 45% of the UK population still access music through CDs. So while it's not what it was, it is still fairly strong as a listening medium. But much harder for new artists to break through, as the demographic most interested in new artists finds them on streaming.
Musical pregnancy for 30 years and finally off to the delivery room. The intrigue is unnerving. Hope your baby has an appropriate name. Pre-congratulations to the expectant parent!
Really excited to following through your journey! I've just released on Friday my first album of progressive electronica so I'm really interested to see how you go about not only writing and recording but assembling everything into a product. My main lesson from the process is that making music is all very well, but it's only when you make a product that you can even think about making money. So far I've recouped the cost of the CD pressing but it'll be a while until I recoup the cost of the musicians and mixing/mastering! Funnily enough I thought about releasing a sound pack along with the album but as a lot of the sounds are processed sounds from commercial libraries (including Spitfire!) I thought I might be sailing too close to the wind with copyright. Good luck, and put me down for a copy!
@@PaulThomsonMusic Thanks, it's actually going pretty well so far! I've been thinking about the commercial sounds side of it and it's actually given me more impetus to do more of my own sound design for my next album
Paul, thanks so much for sharing these thoughts. When you were talking about this added merch value to a record like a poster or Tshirt or anything, why not releasing the Kontakt library you demonstrated here along with the record? Like SA Recordings were doing sometimes (OPW, Hainbach, etc.)?
Hi Paul, what are your thoughts on a fan centric streaming model? I would happily pay for an extra subscription knowing that payment would be properly divided amongst the artists I listened to that month. You had HMV and then indie record shops, maybe it’s time for an indie steaming platform!
I live the idea. I think Qobuz is the closest. Last time I looked they pay 10x all the others to artists. And it feels like it has love for music running through it.
14:46. That sounds familiar, Paul. Oh yes, Spitfire marketing, and yes, I think you are absolutely right especially in this increasingly homogeneous throw away world :).
I was all set to order the album, until I saw the shipping cost to the US. Can you add an option to digitally download the album as well as the sounds?
Thanks Daniel - that is a brilliant idea - give me 24h to work it out on the shopify site and I'll set that up! I'd need to align the release dates so I send out the album part of the download on release day when I ship the CDs - but I'm sure thats possible. The sounds would come immediately as with the CD order. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you so much for the reply. As a great many of your customers will be professional musicians, loseless downloads of the album like FLAC would be greatly appreciated.
Absolutely - will be lossless. Thanks again for the suggestion - it was easier than I thought so now the product is up there! paul-thomson.store/products/journeys-digital-download-apr-18th-and-sound-pack-download
There is such a decline and decentralization of culture and a lot of music is listened to on streaming services and are so silo based now because of algorithms feeding you music that you like. Ex. Hey you like this, OK you may like this etc.
It’s not overly terrible to listen to music that you like, on balance probably better than listening to music that you don’t like. Joking aside I do discover a lot of new (to me) music through my Discover Weekly playlist and a buy a reasonable amount of new and secondhand vinyl as a result.
Gawd, I wish I saw this 3 months ago! Right on Paul!
haha! thanks!
I reckon I’m going to find this fascinating. I’m currently trying to digest the same brave pill and release a 20 year old album project idea (solely using Albion Solstice as it happens). What you are chatting about really rings true. I shall tune in with interest.
Fantastic!! Go for it!
Preordered! Looking forward to hearing it. Thanks for lifting the curtain on the process, creating an album is something I've been considering lately.
Thanks for your support!
after 18 months of recording my next full-length album, I sure do hope so haha!
You and me both 🤣
Thank you for sharing your journey. I hope it sells well and look forward to seeing where this all goes.
Thank you!
Brilliant, wishing you all the best for your album and I'm looking forward to following your journey. Also very timely as I'm currently writing music for my own album, so hope to gain some much needed insight!
Thanks Ian - hope it proves useful!
I am truly looking forward to hearing your album. You have been one of my favorite Artists/Teacher/Instructor for years. I have to admit you have “planted a seed” in my own mind. A new challenge… regardless, I am sure your work will be a success and I shall be a customer.
Thank you for these kind words! I hope the seed grows!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I released an ambient/modern classical/cinematic album in December under my own name, Austin Joy, and I'm still working on promoting it. This was exactly what I needed to not feel so alone in trying to release an album in the modern, daunting music landscape.
That’s great! The promotion is the most difficult area I think. Everything I’ve seen indicates putting something on socials weekly is the way to get the algorithm to help share it!
Hey Paul, thanks so much for sharing your journey. It's really rare to see an artist delve deep into the sequence of events that leads to an album, and it's even more rare in your niche. I highly appreciate it. I hope this series will inspire, motivate, and educate many musicians to make more music!
Thank you Julian! Thats my hope too. We can never have too much creation!
This is great Paul, thanks for sharing. I’m really interested in seeing the different aspects of putting something like this together. Great video. Looking forward to following this 😊
Thanks! Its going to be fun diving in to it!
This is going to be great. Absolute kudos.
Thanks Steve!
Thanks Paul for sharing this journey. It should be very insightful; offering a view into the production process.
Thanks David!
Thank you so much for sharing your adventure with us, Paul! I am very happy for you and wish you much joy and success with your album. I can totally understand your nervousness before the release. My experience with it is still relatively recent. My very first single, which I composed and produced myself, was released in December 2023, although in purely digital form (Streaming/Download). As a budding media composer, it was important for me to take a risk. And it was important to me that I produce and release this track for myself, without necessarily wanting to please anyone else. I stand behind my work 100%, no matter what happens. I see it as my own personal success as an artist and as an important step in my musical career. And that's what drives me to keep going. I'm really looking forward to your next videos! Thanks again, Paul! 🙂
Thanks Frank! I think actually its also useful to have an independent outlet as an artist when pursuing media work. It shows a different side to your work which I think is probably useful. Best of luck with your single as well!
I absolutely agree with that. Thank you Paul!
So looking forward to this. Couldn't have come at a better time.
Great to hear Ed!
Thanks Paul. So nice that you share your workflow, I am looking forward to hear it. Best rewards Klaus Haaning
Thanks Klaus!
Thanks for this, looking forward to going through the process with you!
Thanks Todd!
Thank you for sharing this Paul! Best of luck with your album, I'm looking forward to hear it! :)
Thank you too!
I'm sure we'll all be with you along the way! Exciting and scary...:) Good Luck!!
Thanks! Yes quite scary!
We're all impatient either about the final record and your videos about the journey. Thank you
thank you!!
I appreciate your recap of the history of recorded music / sales. My theory is close to yours and I agree completely about the importance of "connection" to the artist. My feeling is that the connection comes through experiences - concerts, TH-cam videos, Instagram . . . something that builds a bridge between the potential listener and the musician. People listen to music that's new to them because they feel a connection through experience. Pomplamoose is a great example of this. Plenty of others also. Thanks for sharing your journey with us - I suspect the experience will lead to some sales, with or without the "extras" you mention.
Oh, and thanks for Spitfire's great products! I use them with many clients and share some of the points you make in this video with them, as well as the ones I mention.
Thanks Peter! absolutely agree.
Even in the early 70’s it has been about live performances, generate audience, go to the studio make an EP. Sell them at shows, merch. Get noticed, record deal, step up from clubs to larger shows. But today with the internet and streaming getting in front of an audience, pushing through the many that are streaming also. Huge task, not for the faint of heart.
Should be an interesting series.
Yes absolutely. My brother used to see a lot of bands in Birmingham in pubs - thin lizzy and def leppard - that’s how they grew their audience at the start. Tricky now as a solo instrumental artist though especially with streaming being the main platform!
Hello Paul, thank you very much, excellent video, we are going to learn a lot from you, in the journey of this project
Thank you Sebastian!
Looking forward to hearing this mate. X
Thanks mate!! We should catch up soon! X
Sounds great. Look forward to watching
Thank you Trefor!
I spy Rick Rubin's The Creative Act on your desk. Excellent read.
Yes it is. It’s like a breath freshener for your mind!
Love your work Paul! I too am in a similar boat where I've been creating an album for the love but not sure how to get it out there or even who's going to listen to it. So I look forward to seeing your upcoming videos on this.
Thank you! I shall sally forth on our behalf and see what happens!
I look forward to following your journey with the album. I am wondering across the demographic of music listeners/followers, particularly millennials, Gen Y & followed by Gen Z if they still buy CDs and do they have a CD player. I know it is said around the age of 50 people stop listening to popular music radio stations, don't know if that applies to streaming. Swift has a massive publicity and marketing team to the point of almost over exposure, which can somewhat explain her sales. Paul, I wish you well and good fortune with the album.
Thank you! Its interesting - 75% of CD buyers are 45 and over, with a further 25% between 25-44. So it does skew to the older audience. but also, 45% of the UK population still access music through CDs. So while it's not what it was, it is still fairly strong as a listening medium. But much harder for new artists to break through, as the demographic most interested in new artists finds them on streaming.
Looking forward to!
Thank you!
Musical pregnancy for 30 years and finally off to the delivery room. The intrigue is unnerving. Hope your baby has an appropriate name. Pre-congratulations to the expectant parent!
The baby is called 'Journeys'!! I seem to have missed out on my baby shower!
Really excited to following through your journey! I've just released on Friday my first album of progressive electronica so I'm really interested to see how you go about not only writing and recording but assembling everything into a product. My main lesson from the process is that making music is all very well, but it's only when you make a product that you can even think about making money. So far I've recouped the cost of the CD pressing but it'll be a while until I recoup the cost of the musicians and mixing/mastering!
Funnily enough I thought about releasing a sound pack along with the album but as a lot of the sounds are processed sounds from commercial libraries (including Spitfire!) I thought I might be sailing too close to the wind with copyright. Good luck, and put me down for a copy!
Hope it goes well for you! sounds good so far. And yes a minefield if you were using processed commercial sounds, def can't resell those!!
@@PaulThomsonMusic Thanks, it's actually going pretty well so far! I've been thinking about the commercial sounds side of it and it's actually given me more impetus to do more of my own sound design for my next album
Good thoughts. Looking forward to hearing your album.
Thanks Nick!
Hooray! And empathy.
Thanks Joel!
Paul, thanks so much for sharing these thoughts. When you were talking about this added merch value to a record like a poster or Tshirt or anything, why not releasing the Kontakt library you demonstrated here along with the record? Like SA Recordings were doing sometimes (OPW, Hainbach, etc.)?
Thanks Steph - that’s what I’ve done! It comes with the album preorder as a free download. Kontakt (full version) and Logic Sampler formats included.
Hi Paul, what are your thoughts on a fan centric streaming model?
I would happily pay for an extra subscription knowing that payment would be properly divided amongst the artists I listened to that month. You had HMV and then indie record shops, maybe it’s time for an indie steaming platform!
I live the idea. I think Qobuz is the closest. Last time I looked they pay 10x all the others to artists. And it feels like it has love for music running through it.
Great video. On vinyl: I suffered through the imperfections of vinyl for decades and have no interest of going back to that experience.
Thanks!! Haha.. That crackle at the start of the song!
Very cool timing with the content when i just sat Down to do the same. 😂
Thanks!!
14:46. That sounds familiar, Paul. Oh yes, Spitfire marketing, and yes, I think you are absolutely right especially in this increasingly homogeneous throw away world :).
Ha! We need a new word for Artisan! But really what I'm saying is 'made with love'..
What’s the 2002 album Paul? I’m so interested to hear it!
Thanks Matt! Its 'Stellify' by Sam Obernik. I used the LSO on three tracks (delusions of grandeur lol)
I was all set to order the album, until I saw the shipping cost to the US. Can you add an option to digitally download the album as well as the sounds?
Thanks Daniel - that is a brilliant idea - give me 24h to work it out on the shopify site and I'll set that up! I'd need to align the release dates so I send out the album part of the download on release day when I ship the CDs - but I'm sure thats possible. The sounds would come immediately as with the CD order. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you so much for the reply. As a great many of your customers will be professional musicians, loseless downloads of the album like FLAC would be greatly appreciated.
Absolutely - will be lossless. Thanks again for the suggestion - it was easier than I thought so now the product is up there! paul-thomson.store/products/journeys-digital-download-apr-18th-and-sound-pack-download
Made 18 albums last year (mostly for sync and trailers). So far...4 albums in for 2024. :)
Thats going for it!!
:) @@PaulThomsonMusic
Am I the first to have pre-ordered your new album? I’d like to think so….
Not the very first but close!! Thank you for your support Lars!
Thank you, Paul. I love your work and am a big supporter of Spitfire.
Much appreciated!
but is it financially viable to make an album in 2024?
I guess we'll find out!!
There is such a decline and decentralization of culture and a lot of music is listened to on streaming services and are so silo based now because of algorithms feeding you music that you like. Ex. Hey you like this, OK you may like this etc.
Very true. We're at the mercy of the machines!
It’s not overly terrible to listen to music that you like, on balance probably better than listening to music that you don’t like. Joking aside I do discover a lot of new (to me) music through my Discover Weekly playlist and a buy a reasonable amount of new and secondhand vinyl as a result.
Shit man I have pretty little interest in recording, tbh, why make an expensive to make product people don't want to buy? Sell merch
Haha!! Well - you could just buy it for the sound pack - but I kind of like the idea of doing merch! like a real band lol