In Volume 4 of the Indie Musician's Diary I write about how and why music creation had to take a one year breather as I started to write the book that explains my first album, (The Change My Mind book). My planned, second album, "Abide", was put on...
Mark Monday is a music guru that I want to recommend to all of you who make music. He has an enrolment based course called the Music Machine where he coaches hundreds of musicians and helps them become more productive. But we can all subscribe and gain wisdom from his YouTube videos for free. He shoots holes in our procrastination in the most enjoyable and effective ways. His short videos knock me off my lazy chair and make making music fun. Don't let the sad thumbnail fool you. This guy is a lot of fun to listen too.
The "trench"
I needed the above video. I have been in a bit of a musical rut lately. I call it a "trench" There hasn't been much time over the last year to move forward on releasing any new music since last November! Why? Priorities: family first, (grandchild #2 supposed to come Nov. 3rd!); writing a book second; and music last. I have been working mostly on writing the Change My Mind book - the other half of the project that I started in 2020 with the release of my first album. It is twelve chapters long that relate to the 12 songs on the Change My Mind album about my journey from stress to rest. I am on chapter 6 of the first draft at the moment. I had to prioritise down music to get the flow of the book moving forward. (I never understood how difficult it would be to write a book!) But now I needed to start moving with the next album as well, before I forget how to record, edit, mix and master.
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The Abide album
In parallel with my writing the book, I've dusted off some of my oldest songs to be showcased on my next musical project, which is the Abide album. Those songs are all about staying close to God in difficult times. I have been working on this album for quite some time. In early Autumn I started adding the lyrics and chord sheets to CCLI, (See CCLI.com, to copyright them). I have sorted through the songs and picked out a number of them for the album, thought through the arrangements and then contacted a pianist and friend of ours, Erik Lagerström.
We had a first meeting about ten days ago when we discussed the project and all the practical details around it: how much to pay him per song; how to send them to him and how he'll send them back to me. He wants pdfs not paper and mp3s sent to him by emaIl and he will send back wavs of his piano/hammond organ or accordion tracks at a 441 44 rate.
Then I started recording the vocal and guitar tracks, using the Decker template (see previous Wattpad posts), that I created this year. I have a bit of a hoarse throat after being sick so the vocals are thin and not the final ones but they will have to do for now. I can't make the pianist wait now that we've decided on a timeframe.
Accountability and deadlines help
The "trench" I'm in now is that I am not very impressed with the scratch tracks I've created because of the hoarseness of my voice. They make me want to stop. But the pianist's waiting for me to send him the tracks is pushing me out of the trench. That is a good thing! He just wants to be able to follow the song so he can add his track. So, for now, I am letting the vocals be until after I get the piano tracks back. I might add bass and a drummer track per song before I send them to him but the final vocals will have to wait until my voice is strong again. He will have to wait a little bit longer, but it will be easier to follow with the additional tracks. Knowing that he is waiting helps me get things done faster. That's the beauty of accountability!
I am still writing the book every day. But I am trying do that in the mornings after breakfast and then make music in the afternoons. But like I said family comes first. We'll see when the next grandchild comes. It could be any day now!
Until next time!
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