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Had to slow down a bit for the guys to discuss song order. We'll see how that goes.

Art moved along. Almost done.

Further listening reviews are moot at this point unless we want to wait a while.

Once final questions have been settled, we'll move to a digital release. CD's will take a few more weeks.

Which, if I don't finish the art, will be another week further.

I think I have a cover now.

Today, I spent some time with contributor and associate producer JC, listening to the whole project, Safe Harbour and Rogue State back to back.

There's always things you think you could have got better, done more of, differently...

The wisdom of Friend Of the Band 'Donald Deep Jeffs' comes to mind: Don't try to fix this one, make a better one.

For those who have been bugging me for advance copies, be chill my friends. Gotta get the blessing of the crew before it leaks into the wild.

Back to work.

Masters in. Cheers to Mr Lynch for fitting us in.

Album 11. Here in my headphones. Nice.

Did a Q&A. Passed.

The chain worked. Mastering lifted it another notch.

Art & Distribution still to come. Digital files available soon. CD's in a few weeks.

What an effort. Not done yet.

Still some last minute discussion about song order before sending out.

Good times :-)

If Roger ever writes his Bio about the music thing, he's going to title it 'Managing the Disaster'.

I for one, think it's more in the territory of 'affected by entropy'

Will we make it to mastering this week, or will we wait another month? 

Forecast is 'Completion with a chance of delay'.

The Omens are Unclear.

Magic 8 Ball says 'ask again later'.

No harm is done either way. I'm just kickin' back, chilling out, watching the chaos surge.

Aah, so relaxed.

My Sydney morning was bright blue with sunshine and cool early spring air. How wonderful.

Thoughts go to to all the folks in the middle of Storms out there.

Meanwhile in the stormcellar

I have PDF templates for Album Art to wrap my head around. The SC11 art is still in concept state.

It took a while for Safe Harbour, it's taking a shorter but understandable period for good final art for Rogue State.

Almost done.

As Self Propelled Artists, we are responsible for making our own beds and leaving a mint on our own pillows.

To complete the album(s) to a CD pressing (OMG How Retro, right, right?) we need to;

1. Conclude the mix

2. Issue the mix to the masterer

3. Give the masterer an accurate list of names and order.

4. To ensure that the list of names is right, we need to conform it to the Published Song list at APRA, or register the song. Sometimes you forget what the official title was. Gotta get that right.

5. Give the masterer the ISRC codes, unique ID's for digital reference. Cos these days, so much is digital and so much meta data goes with digital release. You have to do some data checking to make sure you get it right.

6. Once the masterererererer is done, we get a Disc Description Protocol formatted file, or, a DDP file. This is today's equivalent of a 'master' tape. The DDP contains all the songs and the Meta Data. Why? Cos you lot like it when your blutetooth player gives you all the info about the song, like who done it.

Ok? Great!

Done!

Nope.

It's ARTYWORK!!! YAAAY!

I am grateful that M. and his art squad kindly forgive my lack of leaving Bleed space at the edge of the art. I'm better at that now.

So what's the scoop here?

1. Get the art done. Umm...Yeah...that.

2. Get all that Meta Data, names, who, thanks, an entire online shared document worth of who did what when.

3. Squeeze it all into teeeeny leeetle font inside a 12cm square page or two.

4. Decide you can't fit it all in.

5. Realise that Mr Wizard cannot physically see any front below 12 point.

6. Argue with yourself that Comic Sans is really a fun font and whats the beef, amiright?

7. Get a barcode

8. Issue catalogue numbers

9. Fit that in somewhere.

10. Add the lyrics.

11. Remove the lyrics because it only fits in 3 point font.

12. Reboot your machine 3 times because Microsoft Loves You

13. Show it to the guys.

14. Get it proofed. Oops. Oh. Oops #2.

15. Export it to a PDF, upload and hey presto.

16. Get an email explaining you forgot the bleed area, so fix that and re export and upload everything again. Once or twice.

Hmm..

In the gilded age, there were people for that. you could sit around the fireplace on your jet plane and chill.

Welcome to the Unvarnished Age :-)

#selfpropelledartists. Start flapping your arms cos you're powering the plane.

It's a day for some appreciation of the folks who are our community, our support network.

Mark S. 

Debra S.

Ben.W

Thank you.

Brother Bill opened the charts the other day, taking a bearing. Steady as she goes.

Final reviewing of mixes is yielding small nudges.

Good work gentlemen and lady.

I am making the list of thank you's for the Album artwork.

Theo wants to add 'everyone who listens to our music'

So thank you too!