Sunny Days Ahead

The weather is slowly warming in Southeastern Pennsylvania and working outside again has become a daily thing. To tell you the truth, I can't stand the cold unless I am hunting, fishing, or camping in it. I've worked in all types of elements in the past eight years and I hope my next job is indoors. Being outdoors has its benefits like not becoming a zombie or a machine created by the boring work you do indoors. Instead, you have the freedom to walk around, smoke cigarettes, and watch the sun set or rise. Those aspects of the job I will miss the most as well as the people I worked with.

Now it is time to move on down the road and find another job. I have thought about finding another job and leaving the Rail Road, but I was always too afraid that other jobs won't be as good. I guess staying out of contract work is something more to look out for! I guess I am looking for a third-shift job so it won't interfere with my college I will keep you updated on how that goes.

New things coming...

I am losing my full-time job on March 5th, due to contract renewal. This means unemployment and music time until I get another job! I have already had two interviews, so it isn't like I am trying to milk the system. I would rather just go straight to another job, but alas, sometimes it doesn't work out that way.

Anyways, new things are coming for sure in the coming months. I am going into a recording studio tomorrow to check some things out. It would honestly cost me a fortune to do it in a studio, which makes me think going the digital multi-tracker route is still the best bet. I don't have a problem with the quality of the TASCAM, but I do have a problem with my quality. Anyways, we will see how the next few weeks pan out. Take care!

The Best Way to Release Your Album

So do you think you are just going to release an album and then advertise on your Facebook? Unless you played your ass off the previous year, or already have a large following, then you will fail. It takes dedication to make it as a musician...and in some cases that isn't even enough. Here is a great scenario that will get you on the right track.

First thing is first. Record the best damn album possible with what equipment you have. Be sure to hire a photographer and do a couple of photo sessions. We don't need anymore album covers with selfies of you and your guitar walking on the rail road tracks. Besides, you might get run over by a train that way. I know because I work for the rail road. Your image is important. Another thing you could do is make a lyric video for one of your tracks. Be sure to pick out which track you think people would like the most, or which would make the better video. Doing all of this beforehand prepares you for your release. The next part will then be fun.

The next step is to get your name out there. Start with all of the open mics in your area and then branch out to close towns/cities. Find local musicians on Facebook and follow them and follow their friends too because chances are they are musicians. Keep track of all the places they advertise and go to those places. Be a regular at some of these venues. Plan your whole month out with open mics and meet and play with local musicians. Play your ass off for the next six months. Be sure to introduce yourself before you start playing and tell them your social media tags so they can find you and follow you. Once you get followers, use Facebook Live and Periscope to interact with your followers. Once you have people stomping their feet, singing your lyrics, and stalking you, then its almost time to release your album. First, drop your video you made months ago and tell your fans to share it on their social media. A week after you drop the video, upload two songs on Soundcloud and tell them to share that too. Make sure it isn't the same song as your video. Finally, have a CD release party at one the venues you visited regularly for the past year and enjoy! Be sure to bring CD's to sell and enjoy your fan's reactions!

Is My Recording Good Enough?

When you are in your home studio recording some songs for your upcoming album and you then play it back to review the quality of your vocals, or your guitar playing, you then wonder if it is good enough. I know i am guilty of this since I started my album, "Good Times" in 2007. I am still currently working on the album and everything on it has been recorded this past year. I didn't like my past recordings, even though it has almost been ten years, the album is in better shape now than it would have been in 2007.

The bottom line is that quality is important. When you slack on certain songs in on your album, people notice. This should be the best recording that you can possibly make. This will be the way you identify yourself to your listeners and you want your song to have an effect on your listeners to where they feel what you are singing. Sometimes your song will have to wait until your skills increase.

Waiting is something I'm working on right now. I have a handful of songs finished that I am dying to upload. I have a plan, however, on how I want to release my album. The goal is to wait until it is available to download and purchase, then release 2 songs per day via Soundcloud, and advertise on my Facebook & Twitter. This way they can sample the whole CD within a week, versus listing to a couple of the ten songs you release on the album. This will build a momentum of listeners who will be waiting to hear more. There are benefits when you wait.

Small Update

Two blogs in the same month is rare around here! The truth is that I am actually starting to get some things done around here before my next semester of college. I have a full schedule as it is, working full time, summer classes, and starting next Saturday I will be a morning DJ for WRGG out of Greencastle, PA. It is volunteer work and I am looking forward to seeing how everything is done at a radio station. It has always been something I've been interested it, which is one of the reasons I started a podcast...Indie Radio Nashville
Tonight I sit behind my computer typing this blog, while listening back to a recording that I just completed. I am currently tracking the vocals for one of my songs, "Goodbye Baby" and trying to complete it this weekend, which would make it my third finished song for the new album. Work is steady and a pain in the ass truthfully. I will be sick of these songs when the album does come out because of the amount of time I've put into them. The time I put into the recordings will also bring happiness because I will have finally released something new almost 8 years.

New Platform

As you can see, the website has changed dramatically. I am no longer able to afford web hosting, but I managed to redirect my url to my blog. I will be releasing the new album through this website now. This format is better in ways because I don't have to worry about updating the software and keeping the hosting active. The domain isn't bad. I can afford $15 a year.
The music is moving along slowly. I am recording daily and learning to master my own tracks on Cubase. This is a learning journey that I wanted to take in order to make the best album possible with the things that I already own. I will update the blog to reflect the old website with links and information regarding my music. Until next time, take care!

Home Again

Another long day of work, and an interview, and I'm finally home! Not a very good day, found out that in my Rail Road job that I have to come in 2 times a day because of 2 trains for now on. We don't get paid any extra because we don't get a full 40 hours, even though we are guaranteed 40 hours a week no matter what.

My interview on the other hand with UPS went pretty good. I still don't know if I got the job. I have to wait for a phone call which I think if they were going to hire me, they would give me a call tomorrow or atleast by Friday. I'll keep my fingers crossed, because I need that extra money!

I Got an Interview

Well I went into my UPS walk-around today, and got a phone interview with them. I then set up an appointment tomorrow for a person to person interview at 1:15pm. I think I will get the job, or they wouldn't have gone through the trouble for the interviews. I think they are just in need of people to do their dirty work.

At least things are starting to look up. With this job, if I get it, I will be able to pay up all the bills that are behind. And after that, I can work on the credit card debt I've created for my family. That might take a year! I hope I can get it paid off within a year anyways. After we get out of the hole, maybe I will be able to just work one job and make a decent living.

Baby Showers

Well the day has come for me and my family to go to my sister's baby shower. Man I hate these things! But she went to my wife's baby shower, so we will go to hers.

On another note, I plan on going up to the mountains sometime tonight to hang up my deer cam. I've wanted to put it up all summer, but I just couldn't find the time, or you could say I was just too lazy. I just want to get some pictures and see what kind of deer come in the area I've been hunting for 10 years and only ever got 1 deer! I usually don't hunt the whole day, so atleast the camera will keep track of times, and give me a general idea of what time I can expect deer to show up.

Now this would only work if I were hunting in bow season which comes in first. The deer won't be spooked by loud gun shots, and not as many people hunt bow so there would be less people in the woods scarying the deer. When rifle season comes in, the Monday after Thanksgiving, deer are going to be all over the place. They will be running across streets, highways, and will show up in people's backyard! Its crazy is Eastern Pennsylvania around buck season. Deer are dead all over the sides of the road because they are always getting spooked out of the woods onto the highway.

Playing Again

I decided to put the lawn chair out on the front porch, and I picked up my guitar willing and played for about an hour! Its nice to sit down and relax and forget about all of your worries for atleast alittle bit.

In the near future I'm going to be playing at open mics around the area. Pappy's Pub is going to be my first stop in Waynesboro. I need to find out when they have their open mics and check them out, then hopefully I can sit in and play a few sets!

Working Man's Blues

Man you better rethink your life when you think its a good idea to have a baby, then get married the very next month, then three months later buy a house lol. I already have the second job, plus I do some farm work on the side. I had a mowing business on the side as well during the summer, but of course that season is over now.
A funny thing at my second job today though. My second job is Jiffy Lube, its an oil change and lube center. We were replacing a car battery, and it was one of the battery that had the battery tie down at the bottom, with the bolt. Well my co worker that hates me yelled at me because he was loosening the bolt and I started jerking on the battery so you didn't have to take the bolt the whole way out. Well, the dickhead didn't want to do it my way, so I let him do it his way.
So after he took the bolt the whole way out, changed the battery and attached the terminal wires, he then started working on that damn bolt he took out which I thougt it would be easier to slide the battery out without the hassle of rethreading that bolt in. So I let him work on it for about 15 minutes then said..."Well, if you would have done it my way it would have been done 10 minutes ago. He threw the tools at me and said, "If you think you know more about cars then I do then you can put the damn battery in the car and he pushed me and walked away.
So I got to work. Tore the battery back out, threaded the tie down, slide the battery back in, and tighened the bolt and was done in 5 minutes. The dude didn't talk to me the rest of the day lol.

Another Sleepless Night

Man, I really wish I knew how to get a 3 week old baby to stay asleep at night! Me and my wife have been up every night since his birth. He sleeps only 2 hours at a time it seems like, and he only goes to sleep when someone is holding him. If we put him down carefully sometimes he will sleep awhile, but usually he wakes up after about 15 minutes until you pick him up again!
Other than that, I've been working, writing, and playing guitar when I can. Can't wait till fall gets here! I'm tired of summer, and I'm tired of my on the side mowing jobs. I plan on plowing snow in the winter. Hopefully next summer I will have enough money to get a pa system and do some gigs for extra cash. It beats having a 2nd job!

Almost a Year!

Wow, I've been away from updating my blog, and site for almost a year now. I haven't really been doing anything with music till recently, I've been busy!
First of all, as of June 19th, 2009 I got married to my girlfriend of 3 years, Robin. Then on July 15th, 2009, we had our first baby. His name is Aidan Michael Royer, and as of today he is in the hospital for a infection. Robin's staying with him while I stay at home and protect the fort lol.
Anyways, my life has been crazy, and just when I think everything is going to settle down, something else happens. I guess I will just have to wait until I'm old and can't do shit lol.
Tonight is about the only time I really had to myself, so I think after I'm done with this blog I'm going to go and update the website.

In the Studio

Well, its not really a studio. Its my room but oh well close enough. I've got three new songs written for my new cd which won't be out for awhile. I'm going to do a better job on this album, since I know how to use the equipment alittle better. So far I have the drum track of one of the songs recorded, and am currently trying to get a good rhythm guitar track recorded. Since this is my first time playing with drums, its taking me alittle longer. Then later on after I add the vocals I'm going to try some lead guitar with my Tele, then see if I can add a harmonica in there somewhere. My main goal is to try to make my music sound different from each other, and get some different instruments in there. I plan on learning the mandolin next year, and then maybe the piano. Lol, I've got a long list of stuff I'd like to get done, but first I have to get my real life issues out of the way. I am in the process of switching careers, buying a house, and getting married on July 19, 2010!

Updated!

As you can see I added some cool new things to my blog! I added a few links, and put some of my youtube videos on there for you all to see! I'm not too sure about the banner, I might have to do alittle work on that, or just change the layout.

Its Done

Its done..No this is not an April Fools joke the cd is done! I am finished recording and as soon as I come up with the money, its going off for copyright. So look for a summer release.. things aren't going too well at work. I'm going job searching tomorrow. I got laid off again! But the cd is done, and as soon as it is copyrighted, I will be sending some off to cd baby for sales. I'll update you all on the progress. For now, take care!

Its March...

Actually its the end of March but oh well. I've been recording, and re-recording, and jamming, and working. Also, I've been actually writing again. I got a great idea for a song, but I refuse to finish it until I'm done with the cd. I have 12 songs recorded out of 12 songs. I need to re-record 3 of them.
Thats about it for this month! Damn time flies fast doesn't it? I expect the cd to be released this summer, so be looking for it! I wanted a summer release anyways!

Hello

Wow, this is the first news post of the year..where has the time gone! I've been very busy this past month, haven't really had time to do anything. I did manage however in my busy schedule to play with my new digital recorder I got for Christmas. So far I've finished two songs. I'm really into music this month, I don't know if its because I'm broke and I need to sing the blues, or the fact the spring is on its way. I'm really into it and you can expect more news really soon! I will keep you updated as always, take care.

Jammin

Howdy, how have you all been? I'm just sitting here listing to indie music on cdbaby.com. This music speaks to me. Its all from the heart of the singers, because most of them wrote it. That is the most important connection, singers that are also songwriters. Everything they sing they have experience something in that song in someway. They have a way of connecting with an audience, because they speak from there hearts.
What about the music you hear on the radio today? Ya, some of its pretty good stuff, and yet some of it is just written so the singer could cash in some more checks. What rather you listen too? Would you rather listen to a song that was written by a group of six or more people crowed around an office thinking of ways to write a song that will make them a million bucks? Or would you rather listen to a song written by a singer, who writes his/her songs on there front porch, about their life, not worrying about money? Money is an evil thing and you have to be careful with it. Stay true to yourself and don't worry how much money you make. Be happy with what you have, and learn to use it.

Merry Christmas!

I would like to wish everyone here at BrandonRoyer.com a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
No other news at the moment..been too busy. Hope you all get lots and lots of gifts! Take care!