To my dear wonderful music friends,
Here’s a VERY long blog with a whole bunch of information about why I’m doing a Kickstarter campaign. Yes, these are very sexy details…if you like numbers, or if the idea of getting inside my head carries major sex appeal for you.
The Half-Way Recap
Days Left: 15
Backers: 33
Average pledge: $87.45
Total pledged: $2,886
% of goal: 96%
Why Kickstarter?
It’s been around since 2009. It’s a brand I’m familiar with, and I’ve backed several projects there myself. It uses Amazon Payments, and in the world of money exchanging hands online, I like that the money is being handled by a brand that’s been around for a long time. Yes, there are fees, but the security of the Amazon brand (relative to other less official payment methods), coupled with the ease of the Kickstarter platform, makes it worth using (in my humble opinion).
Time Magazine named Kickstarter is one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2010. Why? It’s low-risk, grass roots fundraising. Read more here.
The New York Times called Kickstarter “The people’s N.E.A.” “Kickstarter helps people do something a lot of us have forgotten how to do — ask our neighbors for help.” Read the article here.
Even PBS used Kickstarter for one of its own fundraising campaigns. Check out their pros and cons article for even more information here.
My approach to this project on Kickstarter is that I want to create transparency, so you know EXACTLY where your money is going. I’m going to tell you.
Why am I doing a campaign?
The total budget for my project is more than my $3,000 Kickstarter goal. The total CD budget, just to get the physical CD recorded and pressed, is actually $5,000.
This funding campaign is to finance a portion of the very important pieces of a recording project required to get it done and get it done well, while at the same get it done a) on a budget and b) on a specific timeline and c) LOCALLY.
My Kickstarter campaign is a very important part of my recording fund. I want it to help me accomplish two things:
- Validate that there is interest and value in my music and my music career
- Build interest specifically in my next recording
I’m not even kidding when I tell you I’m about to embark on a MAJOR LIFE CHANGE. I’ve already gone from full-time work to part-time in my corporate day job, to better support being a better mom AND a better singer-songwriter/musician. This project is the next step in my COMMITMENT TO MUSIC. As in any business venture – I need to know that there are customers! Fans! People who love and support and believe in my music. That’s where you come in.
If you’re not familiar with the recording process, here’s how I’m breaking my recording down. These are budget expectations I’ve developed having been involved in a variety of recordings with Birch Beer Records.
- Recording, studio engineering time, hiring musicians: $2,300 (that’s almost 50% of the whole budget!)
- Mixing/Mastering: $1,600
- Duplication $1000
- Other $100
So basically, to get the final copies mixed, mastered for your listening pleasure, and pressed into copies you can hold in your hands – that’s where your funds will be going.
My budget here is lean, considering that when Dan Cloutier and I first started Birch Beer Records, and were looking for sample contracts, what we came across in the industry were contracts budgeting expenses of $100,000 or more, with costs going up over multiple “commitment albums” over the duration of a contract. That’s how the big guys work. I am not a big guy. I don’t want to be a big guy.
BBR is a super-small independent record label. And we want to make awesome music (that also happens to be reasonably priced)!
I want YOU to be as excited about it as I am! And that’s why I’m doing a Kickstarter campaign here and now for HERE NOW.
So far, I’m happy to say that I’m on track with my budget too. I’m ridiculously happy with the sounds that came out of the live tracking I did from my studio session two weeks ago. We have instrument tracks for drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and piano on 10 (yes TEN) songs. And at least half of these songs have lead vocals done too.
What’s in it for you?
Rewards – from a download of my music, to signed CDs, to house concerts, custom art, homemade birch beer – all kinds of fun rewards.
The knowing that you’re supporting the future of an emerging artist. An artist who believes in the power of local support and local music. An artist who believes in the power of community. An artist who knows that it takes a village for all of us to succeed – together – and knows that we all accomplish more when we support each other.
Yikes – sorry for the campaign speech, but there it is. The good news is, when I win, no one else loses. If I win, you win too. That’s all there is to it!
What do I need from you?
For this to work, I need your support. Anything you can do to back my campaign, tell your friends about my music and my Kickstarter project – anything you can do, I so, so, so hugely appreciate it.
There’s a tweet button right on my Kickstarter project, a “Like” button where you can share my project on Facebook, and here’s my short link if you want to email it to any friends or family: http://kck.st/VFr1tg
For even more information:
Here’s my Kickstarter video (thanks to my super-talented videographer-extraordinaire husband Jeff Jennings). Click the small “KS” on the bottom right corner of the video to jump over to the Kickstarter Project page.
Thank you for your support – and thank you for listening.
