Dan McAvinchey

How to keep from destroying your confidence by setting realistic expectations for your recording projects.

I decided to do the independent route because that is the only route that is available to me at the present time. I have had releases on A&M Canada and Legato Records but I can`t wait for the "grown ups" to decide whether or not to release the music. I want to have my music out there like anybody else and if I have to do it all myself--so be it!

I just released my first CD after 27 years of playing. For me it represents the end of a struggle to accept my influences, yet still feel I have a voice of my own. I also wanted to express the fact that I just love to play, and that I love music without borders. Most importantly, I want to create music that expresses my true heart, and that inspires the listener to do the same.

No man is an island. No indie label is an island either. The importance of cooperation.

The best marketing tip though, is not to think of the market when you are composing or playing your music. Play only what is true to you--as an independent musician, you have that luxury.

I am trying to reach into the heart of the listener and make him or her feel what I am putting out emotionally. I just want young people to become emotionally attached to music again. I want to enlighten a younger audience.

In the last few years I`ve made a record for a major label that didn`t get released. Then I signed with a indie label. I thought the majors were the bad guys, and this label would give me more attention. WRONG! To make a long story longer, the small label had bad distribution and never paid a bill, let alone the tour support and promo budget.

I knew what I wanted to do but there were no labels dedicated to the guitarist as the artist, but only to the guitarist as a shred meister. I read an interview with guitarist Glenn Phillips, who has released ten albums independently. I realized from his comments (about the music industry) that the only way to reach my goal was to follow his example.

CD recorders (or burners) are great in any studio. Should you consider releasing your next CD on CD-R.

Don't make the mistake of thinking this is someone else's job. As an independent artist, the ball is in your court.

For Europe my music is not aggressive enough and in the US I didn`t have anybody to present it to. So rather than making so-called industry contacts and "wait until it happens" I decided to do it myself, which turned out to be much faster and got me and my music much more respect. I highly recommend a musical statement such as this to all musicians who intend to be a part of this complex industry.

I hope my music, although there are no words, communicates and reaches people on an emotional, spiritual and entertaining level. I try to incorporate various instrumentation, and contemporary compositional influences.