As Thinking Aloud grows in readership, it’s good to know what is written about on here and why.
What is Thinking Aloud about?
Thinking Aloud is about more than just the music being created in the Washington, DC area. In fact, that’s not even the focus of it. It’s about a few things:
1. Creating an online music community in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for musicians, music bloggers, fans, venue owners, and anyone interested in the music community to learn from each others experiences and provide their thoughts and perspectives on what goes on in DC’s music community.
2. To provide the music community with fresh and introspective commentary on trends in the music and recording industries.
3. To offer tips, advice, and things “not to do” as a musician under any aspect of being a musician (songwriting, recording, booking, touring, promoting, marketing, social media, etc).
4. Give other insights on things observed in the everyday that may or may not be directly related to music. These posts aim at being thought provoking and discussion oriented.
So what, why are you doing this?
This blog came out of frustration on a few levels with the music scene (or lack of) in Washington, DC. On one level, it’s about letting fans or any music listeners of local DC music into the music community circle. The DC music community is more than artists asking them to show up to a show. There are lots of interesting discussions that don’t reach fans and music listeners and many of them are curious as to what actually goes on. On another level Thinking Aloud hopes to be a channel that creates a cohesive history of the DC music community. All these wonderful stories, tips, advice, and observations will be lost if they’re not recorded. On a final level, Thinking Aloud wants to connect everyone to strengthen the DC music community and put DC’s music on the music map.
So, can I promote my upcoming album, song, show, or video on here pretty pretty please? Could you review my album or works?
Short answer: no. The blog is not a promotional blog by any means. Thinking Aloud is not about what an artist produces but more of the why and how story behind what they’re trying to accomplish as artists in Washington, DC.
We’re not into reviewing an album on here. There are plenty of other places to have your material reviewed at.
If you’re an artists we mostly want to get your thoughts on what that’s like for you. What are your struggles, successes, frustrations and inspirations creating your art here in DC?
Got it, so how can I write a blog post on Thinking Aloud?
Other writers are welcome to blog on here. Send an email to Brian Franke, brian@brianfranke.com with your idea or an actual post. It helps that you are in the Washington, DC area and offer a perspective on the music community here. You can be a musician, another blogger, a fan, a venue owner, a studio, a PR person, photographer–it doesn’t matter, we want your perspective on the DC music community.
Will you do any interviews if I don’t feel like writing a blog post?
Yes, this will certainly be one facet of Thinking Aloud. Not everyone wants to write, so you may contact Thinking Aloud (or the blog will contact you) to do an interview. Remember though the interview won’t be around an album, show, song, or video. It’d be great to have an interesting story or insight into something the public just doesn’t know much about within the Washington, DC music community.
Where does the name “Thinking Aloud” come from?
It’s a title of a song by Brian Franke written in November 2009. The song is about a 6 mile walk home Brian took in that month up 16th Street in DC at 3:30 AM in which he had a conversation with himself about following his passion of making music for a living. He wanted to use the title of the song for the Thinking Aloud blog since the song (and now blog) is about the passion of creating, listening, and performing music in DC.
Man, you said something negative about Washington, DC music–what’s your problem?
Perspectives aren’t always going to be cheerful. Thinking Aloud believes in having an honest conversation about the DC music community and that may seem negative in some posts. If something negative is said, this blog will do it’s best to put it in a thoughtful way. Thinking Aloud doesn’t intend to piss anyone off intentionally and if anyone does, we’ll talk it out on here.
Now why is this blog connected with www.brianfranke.com?
It’s a technical thing. Thinking Aloud wanted to use WordPress and needed a domain to connect the blog to, so for the moment it is using Brian’s own website as an offshoot. Although he will share his thoughts and perspectives on being a musician in Washington, DC, he will not promote anything he does like his shows or music in any post on Thinking Aloud.
How are the links on your blog roll decided upon?
All the links are blogs that Thinking Aloud trusts and recommends you start reading. Many of them are DC music blogs while others are more well known music blogs.
Who designed this site?
A fantastic web designer and graphic artist named Whitney Parker. Check her out: www.whitneymayparker.com.
