Moving Forward... So... you want to make some music? Thank you for getting this far on my site! It's not an easy task for me to find projects and people with whom I feel I can bring something musically interesting. I put tons of energy into every project, thus I'm pretty specific about what draws me in. Here's how I narrow things down: First, it's important for me to feel that I can bring something special and unique to your project. This usually comes from feeling a connection to your music. I choose projects that strike me in that indescribable particular musical way. If I don't feel moved by something, I won't bond, and the music just won't go anywhere. Put simply, I have to really like what you're doing! I enjoy creative collaboration, so I often look for people to work with that are interested in working as a team. I do a fair amount of work with every project on my own, but I crave to work closely with people to put together something great. I love bouncing different ideas back and forth until something new and different emerges. I'm drawn toward people who are willing to share in that process. Understandably, not everyone is. I will likely choose to work with musicians that show clear career aspirations, such as those who are playing out regularly, have a fully-functioning website and a penchant for seeking musical advancement. My interest is to find artists that have a vision for future success and a continuing drive to make music a career, not just a hobby. This will benefit us both. It's important that you have samples of your music, such as mp3s, web links, etc., to help me get a feel for where you're headed. It doesn't have to be slick, or sophisticated. Some of my favorite samples have been simply a performer and a guitar. This leaves tons of room for imagination and interpretation. Costs What I charge for my services is always complicated for me. I don't usually work with artists or songwriters solely for money or profit. Experiencing the joy of creativity, and the posterity and value of a great recording, are the main motivators for me. I am always willing to work together to come up with ideas to help make financing a project like this workable. If you feel that you don't have a lot of upfront money to get a large-scale recording project off the ground, I have a fairly unique financial business model, and I think it can be a big draw for potential clients who are just getting started. It looks something like this: Financing a project such as the one you're considering can be done once your music is publicly distributed, and funds are coming back in due to sales of CDs and digital downloads. If your music does well, we both can benefit. We would agree in advance on appropriate compensation based on the projected amount of time and energy expended on the project, and the number of sales anticipated. Hourly rates: I am not as psyched about charging an hourly rate for recording time, as it often makes time feel more important than results, and I don't feel comfortable rushing through any project just to get it done. I will negotiate an hourly rate, if that's what you'd prefer, but one way or the other you can expect that I will strive for musical excellence in regards to your part of the project, as well as my own, regardless of rate or time involved. Perhaps, a "per song" arrangement might be a good direction to consider. Any of this is negotiable, of course, and dependent on a combination of your needs, and my needs. Please ask me if you have a special consideration or idea. I'm pretty flexible, as long as we get things going in the right direction! Conclusion If we work together, I can assure you, I will work tirelessly to help you create an impressive collection of music that will be a valuable asset to your musical career or portfolio. If you feel that we may have something we can offer each other, please feel free to drop me a line, and we can compare needs and interests. Let me know what your goals are, and we'll see if we can help each other in that pursuit! Best, Mr. Kelly J. Seager email: info@whirlingdervishproductions.org