Digital Performer, demos, music heroes, and my Kickstarter

[BobK]

The majority of my work in DP has been on projects for other musicians, but last year I focused on my own music more than ever before. I started by scheduling writing sessions every weekday for much of the year.

Up to this point, I’ve worked mainly in styles related to Latin, Cuban, and Brazilian music. I love that music, but for many years I've been itching to do small-group instrumental jazz that’s not bound to a particular style. So when I sat down to write last year, I wrote without an agenda except to see what came up.

I wrote almost entirely with pencil and paper at the piano, then entered songs in Sibelius after they were mostly (or entirely) completed.

To get demos I could listen to outside of Sibelius, I first tried exporting audio. That was convenient, but I soon realized that I needed the editing power of DP to get really good sounding tracks.

So I made demos in DP using Trilian acoustic bass, the Galaxy D Kontakt piano library, and Superior Drummer 2. My experience with DP, enriched by the help I’ve gotten here over the years, really paid off. I was able to get the musical results I sought faster and more easily than ever.

In the fall, I sent the demos to the multi-reed player Paul McCandless. He’s best known as a founding member of the jazz group Oregon, and has also worked with Bela Fleck and many, many others. I’d met Paul through a friend here in the Bay Area; but I hadn’t worked with him, and he didn’t know that I composed.

Paul is one of my music heroes for the wonderful music he's made with Oregon, a group I've loved for decades. So I was blown away when he wrote back: "I want to play every note of it".

I’ve launched a Kickstarter to make a recording with Paul and a dream team of a rhythm section: his Oregon bandmate Mark Walker on drums, and Steve Rodby on acoustic bass (who played for three decades with Pat Metheny). I'm incredibly excited to have the chance to record with these amazing musicians.

My Kickstarter video includes excerpts from four of those DP demos. Don’t tell anybody, but when you see clips of me playing the piano, you’re hearing the Galaxy D in the demo tracks, not the piano I'm playing in the video. I was just playing along.

http://kck.st/1JVseCO

(file under "shameless self-promotion")

[mikehalloran]

Nice, Bob. I hope that you rise every dime.

[Shooshie]

Just kicked in $100. You only need 159 more people like me. Like Mike, I hope you raise every dime. You've got a great team.

Shoosh

[BobK]

Wow - thanks so much Shooshie! And thanks for the thumbs up Mike. Much appreciated. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[BobK]

Just kicked in $100. You only need 159 more people like me. Like Mike, I hope you raise every dime. You've got a great team.

Shoosh

Now I only need 141 more people like you! Better than 159, but still a long way from the goal.

I'm halfway through the drive in terms of time, but only 24 percent funded (and the funding goal is only half of what the whole project will cost). But it ain't over till it's over.

[BobK]

My Kickstarter failed with flying colors - I reached only 55% of my funding goal.

If that were the end of it, I'd still be glad for the experience - I learned a lot.

But there's good news: most of the backers were people I knew personally - friends from high school and college, students both current and past, and fans on my email list here in the Bay Area. I asked if they'd contribute directly, and so far they've pledged over 80 percent of the Kickstarter amount.

So I'm moving ahead with the project - I just can't pass up the chance to work with these fantastic musicians, even though it means going further in the hole than I'd planned. (Even if I had reached my Kickstarter goal, that was only about half of the total budget.)

The shortfall is approximately the cost of publicity. When the time comes to publicize, I'll either borrow it, or maybe try another fundraiser - but on a site that lets you keep whatever is pledged.

Other good news is that a dozen backers sent in more than they originally pledged, and I also received a few pledges from folks who didn't want to use Kickstarter in the first place. Truly heartening.

Just in case anyone else wants to contribute directly, I set up a fundraising page at my web site: http://bobkarty.com/recording-project-fundraiser/

Maybe that's naïve, but I figure it can't hurt!

[Shooshie]

Hi Bob,
I sent the amount I originally pledged through Kickstarter. I hope it helps, and I wish you well.

Shooshie

PS: don't spend money sending stuff to me, a-la Kickstarter. I'll buy a CD when it comes out, which I'm sure it will.

[BobK]

Hi Bob,
I sent the amount I originally pledged through Kickstarter. I hope it helps, and I wish you well.

Shooshie

PS: don't spend money sending stuff to me, a-la Kickstarter. I'll buy a CD when it comes out, which I'm sure it will.

Thanks so much, Shooshie! Much appreciated. And that's very kind of you to offer to buy the CD.

I'm honored to receive support from you and the other backers, and more than thrilled to be doing this!

[deep breath]

-Bob