http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410384995

In it I announce tour dates and workshops for The Songwriter & Social Media Tour, plus a video to an old song, redone, Wait For Me. I’ve included the YouTube videos to that song and 2 others I recorded below.

Live Video Streaming

I also announced 2 live-streaming videos I’ll be doing. One is Tip-Stream – Tuesday and Thursdays. Technology, Strategy, Tools and Q & A for musicians.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thesongwriteronline

And Song-Stream – where I will perform 2 songs and discuss songwriting and whatever else you might want to know about:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/matthewmoranmusic

YouTube Songs

Wait For Me: a song written in 1986 or 1987. Recently redone.

American Dream: a song from 2009, Girls, Songs, and Other Delusions

Everyday Lies: a song we are recording for the new CD.

Enjoy, send to others, and leave me a comment.

Thanks.

I’ll be traveling through various cities both performing music and providing workshops on various technologies and strategies for musicians who wish to both organize and promote their music business.

July 24, 2010 – time to be determined Sam Ash Music, Westminster Workshop: An Effective Roadmap for Online Success

Other performance and workshop dates

Current Sponsors (more coming)

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If you are interested in sponsorship, go here.

Many of you know I’ve been doing a lot of work with other performers and musicians teaching them how to use various technologies, websites, and online strategies to run and organize their music business.

I used to post that information here. However, to better organize that information, and keep it separate from my activity as a songwriter and performer, I’m moving that content

and activity to TheSongwriterOnline.com

There is, of course, some overlap and hopefully this site, just through the work I am doing, will be an example of how to use what is taught at TheSongwriterOnline.

At times I am a great example of the cobbler’s children having no shoes. Part of that is a time issue and part is simply creating a plan of action for the various social media outlets – like YouTube and ReverbNation, for instance. I do this for business clients and for others but often do not take the time to do it for myself.

Hopefully, this will help change that.

Check back and spread the word!

Thanks,
     Matthew Moran

If you come out to see my play and purchase a t-shirt, or if you purchase a t-shirt on my website you will be provided a postcard with a digital download code.

(click image to see larger version)

Shhhh… don’t tell anyone but when people who come to see me play throw a few bucks in the t-jar or even just say they really enjoyed themselves, I’ve been known to hand out a few as well.

The front of the card has the image below – although I’ll be getting some additional postcard designs as well.

 
(click image for larger image)

We still like CD’s but for me, a songwriter on a budget, this is an inexpensive way to get you copies of my music.

I’ll be adding digital download cards for purchase. Then you can buy 10 of them and give them away as gifts. Or download a copy of my CD for every computer in the office.

Of special note: If you can help with a house concert in San Francisco on April 2nd, let me know. See the newsletter for more details.

It has been a wild couple of months. I’m not complaining.. just saying.
I am looking forward to the few scheduled shows coming up and getting back to recording.

One thing I’ve tried to internalize is that momentum can be established quickly by better monitor and control of your schedule.

This past month, with several projects hitting at once, I found that it eased my mind to put away all my recording gear. The fact is, having it available was a constant reminder that I wasn’t getting to it – and would not be able to dedicate the time to focus on it for awhile.

The schedule is still a bit hectic but we have created some space (both physically and time-wise) to re-initiate the recording project.

Additionally, I have started interviewing/auditioning band-members. I’ll be looking to perform with a full-band or some accompaniment by March 27th – the Oak Park Farmer’s Market gig.

Look for a new “behind the song” post soon. All about songs and lyrics and how they came about.

~ Matt

If you know of songwriters or the music interested in Las Vegas, let them know…

SONGWRITER PERFORMS AND TEACHES PERFORMERS HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO LAUNCH CAREERS, DREAMS

LAS VEGAS, NV – Songwriter Matthew Moran used his expertise as a published author, social media expert and marketing consultant to launch a second career and now is leading workshops to teach other performers to do the same.

http://www.prlog.org/10485434-songwriter-performs-and-teaches-performers-how-to-use-social-media-to-launch-careers-dreams.html

But alas, it is not without its challenges. Beyond the fact that we are competing with things like Wireless Internet at venues and just traffic on the Internet, here is what we’ve run into in the past month.

I’ve also included 2 lessons learned!

LiveStream.com
I love their Procaster desktop application… it allows me or my “producer” – the person who is on the chat during the performance, to switch between the camera and my desktop. For songwriter performances, this is really not that important but for workshops is wildly helpful!!

The problem is that the chat interface for livestream is painfully small. Seriously, some people are over 25 years old. I contacted livestream but was told there are no plans to change that or make the font-size adjustable.

UStream.tv
This service seemed the most stable and the interface the most mature. However, this weekend and into today, I am frustrated with them. Here is why:

I created two shows – one is a test account and is private. The other is my regular channel. Starting this weekend, the regular channel would not broadcast. I visited the live help, which is nice – but was told to post on the forums. I signed up for the forums but never received a confirmation email – so I could not post my question.

Since then, I’ve requested another confirmation email three times. Are they sick of me yet?

Others are complaining of the inability to broadcast as well. Unfortunately, there is nothing to indicate this problem is “known” by UStream. I would love for them (and anyone running a similar service) to prominently on their home page have a “System Status” message, so we could at least know that they know there is an issue.

I sent an email to their support team but there is, unfortunately, a 24-48 hour response time.

We were able to switch to the test account and broadcast but because I have it setup as private, no one could chat. I did not catch this until after my performance.

IMPORTANT LESSON
I am very thankful that I made the link to my live performance a link to a page on my website. This way, whether I use UStream, LiveStream, or one of the other services available, becomes less important. I can adjust the embedded video on my site or change the external link there on my page.

Also, create two shows for yourself on each service but do so at different times. Meaning, create a show and then a couple weeks later, create another one. I could be wrong – but I believe my two shows on UStream use different media servers. One is not working or has a problem, the other is fine. Having the two shows allowed me to quickly change my stream location for the page on my site.

The show must go on!

Performance – January 9, 2010 – Castaic, California

Workshop – January 18, 2010 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Performance – January 20, 2010 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Performance – January 21, 2010 – Venice, California

Performance – January 22, 2010 – Burbank, California

I am presenting the following workshop:

The Songwriter & Social Media: An Effective Roadmap for Online Success
Monday, January 18
Sam Ash Music (map)
2747 S Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-734-0007 directions only
Time: 6:00 pm

Look for more information soon.

The past couple years have been, if nothing else, “introspective” – sometimes painfully so.

This song, Decision Road, was written early one morning – driven by two lines..
”One step forward, two steps back, it seems the way I go.

Navigate life’s messy path, the only way I know”

Lyrics & Video below:

Decision Road – video.
recorded on December 3, 2009 – 6:00AM – in my room…

Decision Road
Copyright 2009 (c) – Matthew Moran – Sounds Like Life

VERSE
One step forward, two steps back, it seems the way I go
Navigate life’s messy path the only way I know

I don’t seek forgiveness
I don’t pray for my mortal soul
I don’t make excuses
I just keep dragging my bones down Decision Road

VERSE
Is love just a warm caress that time turns dark and cold
Is sugar sweet just bitterness at the final curtain call

I just wanted your soft kiss
I just wanted a hand to hold
I just wanted devotion
Now I just want to carry my heart down Decision Road

BRIDGE
& every night I face my demons
Mistakes & regrets I can’t let go
& with the light, life and the living
One more event I can’t control

VERSE
With each mistake a lesson learned, I’ve filled my textbook full
With each word I’ve had to eat, I’ve swallowed that crow whole

I’m asking forgiveness
Please pray for my mortal soul
Take my excuses
& help me find me way down Decision Road