The Music Business: One Week Left

I think I can do this. I'm currently shooting for next Saturday (10/22) for the grand opening of Melkim Publishing. I'm still going through a laundry list of things that need to be completed. My printer should arrive Thursday or Friday, and then it will be one final mad dash to make last-minute layout changes. Then I'll flip a switch and be open for business.

I will open with 11 Christmas Selections under the Good Report Music imprint: a section of Melkim Publishing dedicated to the Mormon/Christian Music audience, presenting music meant to be performed in church services.

Six piano pieces will be sold both individually and together in a collection.

• Joy ("Joy to the World" with "Ode to Joy" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" mixed in)
• The Child ("O Come, O Come Emmanuel" mixed with "What Child is This?")
• Silent Night
• The Three Kings of Orient Are
• The First Noel
• Far Far Away on Judea's Plains

Five choir pieces will be sold individually.

• We Three Kings for TBB & piano
• Ding Dong! Merrily on High for SAB & piano & organ
• Away in a Manger Medley for SATB & piano & flute (features three different popular melodies)
• The Child for SAB & piano (a choral adaptation of the piano piece above)
• The First Noel for SATB & piano (a choral adaptation of the piano piece above)

I'm looking forward to the big opening: 11 pieces to start off with, and I will be adding more in the months to come. In 2017 I will launch the other imprint, Melkim Classical, which will present secular pieces, targeting the general classical music fan.

Tell all your friends. There is new player in town, and we're going to rock this joint.

Striving for Quality

It all started a little over a year ago when I decided it was time to sell my music. At first I approached the prominent Mormon music publisher, Jackman Music, and another market. It was exciting. The owners of both companies contacted me directly. I answered a few of their questions. I sent samples of my music, and then ...

Yes, that's right. Nothing. I sent a follow-up email, and still ... nothing. Not even a rejection letter.

And that's when it hit me. I didn't need the middle man. New technology exists today that allows practically anyone to self-publish their own music. Over the past year, I've done all kinds of research: printers, paper, the printing process, running a business, etc. And now I'm finally in execution mode.

Of course, I could simply start a dinky website and sell my music as pdf's online, but I decided to do better than that. It's true that the notes on the page are the meat of what I'm selling, but if I want to sell, the product has to look good. I must give the customer quality. When someone receives music from me in the mail, it needs to look as if it had been sent by Jackman Music, or by some other quality music publisher.

Instead of the typical office paper, I will be printing on good-quality text paper, similar to what you see in piano books. Instead of my dinky ink-jet printer that prints everything in gray (when I print duplex), I'm going to use a good-quality commercial laser printer that can print nice images on 12"x18" paper. I'm also obtaining a couple of accessories that will help my piano books look more professional. I will also be investing in some targeted advertising.

I'm going all out, but I'm hoping the good quality will help my music to sell. If the customers are happy, they will come back for more.

In a couple of weeks I will launch the company, so come check it out.