Newbie here...well, sort of

Hello everyone, I've been reading the posts on the board for a little while now. Decided to join. Ive been playing for 30 years. Its more than just a hobbie, its part of who I am. Ive played everything from thrash hard core to jazz and classical. I recently unplugged from the electric scene and am now working on my first album as an acoustic solo artist. Its kind-of a mix between folk, rock and blues. Every song on the album is an original work by myself. As soon as the master is done, I plan on putting it on itunes. This has been a long time in the making and Im very excited about its completion. Thanks for having me on this very cool and informative site. Peace.
-Shawn Smith

Hey, Shawn, welcome aboard.

You'd be surprised at how many long time musicians join the site for the very same reason you did. Myself included many years ago and I've stuck around for almost a decade now.

Looking forward to hearing what you have to offer so make use of the Listening Post area once you've gotten some stuff recorded.
I can say from experience that your iTunes sales will definitely improve from your exposure here. Just be sure to stream your tunes rather than give them away for free and you'll do some pretty good business as long as you have quality material.