From Scratch – Adventures in Independent Music Making

Posts Tagged ‘approach’

With the digital revolution vastly changing the face of the music industry, as well as how fans encounter and use new music, it is imperative for artists to ‘keep up with the times’. And, with the convenience of the Internet and downloading, there has been an underlying push over the last few years to deliver fresh content to fans on a more frequent basis, in order to stay on their radar and satiate their desire to have more from the artist. But, is there a point where servitude becomes disadvantageous in the new music industry?

Last week, I read an article by Minh Chau called “The problem with releasing a single each month“. Chau’s reflections on whether it is better to give in to our convenience based society or take a ‘controlled inconvenience’ approach helped me settle the debate that has been on the back of my mind for quite some time now.

Singles are the reason for why many people bought albums in the past. They wanted one song, but had to purchase the entire album to get it. Today, no one needs to buy an entire album anymore… they don’t even have to pay for it because it is so easy to download music illegally. iTunes, artist websites, and other online retailers make it very easy to sample songs and only buy the ones you like.

So, if people are only buying one or two songs, why would an artist want to spend so much money recording a full album? Why not cater to the fans and give them a new single every month? Even with my own strong affinity for the romance of albums, this is something I had been considering doing for the sake of ‘keeping with the times’. The danger with this, I now see, is two-fold:

Firstly, it is difficult to create buzz and excitement around one single release every month (see Chau’s article). The time and money needed to properly promote my music as a whole would be wasted, because I would be moving on to the next release before the buzz from the first has run its full course. Also, there are more ways to promote an album (and the singles on it), which allow me to create new ways to engage fans each week/month while promoting a bigger body of my art.

Secondly, by becoming a servant to the fans … I become a servant to the fans… and I devalue my own work (see Herbert’s article). Don’t get me wrong, I want to be giving with my fans and serve a purpose in their lives, but that doesn’t mean I should make myself a slave to that effort. Fans value artists that they see as leaders, role models, and strong, inspiring individuals… not as pan handlers. I want to inspire, not beg.

Because people today expect to have free access to any kind of information or digital file at the touch of a finger, the things they can’t have on demand become more valuable (if the product is good). According to Wary Herbert‘s research, valuing something through a sense of scarcity may be part of our human nature. Antiques and diamonds are expensive and valuable because they’re not easy find. They are desired because of their inconvenience and limited supply.

As such, it still makes sense in the age of downloads to release a full album once every 1-2 years. Unless, of course, your artistic vision dictates otherwise. Sean T Wright is a good example of how a goal-oriented monthly release can challenge an artist and draw attention to one’s work.

In summary, I’d rather be a boat with oars and sails navigating my course on the moving waters, than a duck’s feather that floats (and gets pulled under) at the whim of the current. We are almost finished writing the next album and that is exactly how we will be releasing it :)

Until next week,

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

Image “BSS 01” by Ana Gilbert courtesy of Buraka’s Black Diamond. License CC-BY-SA 2.0

In a blog recently forwarded to me from the Songwriters Association of Canada, producer Douglas Romanow discussed the ‘magician’s rule #2 for songwriters‘, stating that songwriters should “never perform the same trick twice for the same audience” and recommended co-writing as a strategy for developing new ‘tricks’.

I have collaborated with other musicians in the past, but up until this past Friday, I had never co-written a song with someone from scratch… I suppose, though, there was this one time that my brother and I wrote a parody of Eagle Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight“. We were young and silly, so naturally our rendition turned to potty humour (including a lyric about toilet bowls being on fire).

There is a lot of support in the industry for co-writing, especially from recording studios, producers and songwriting associations. As the saying goes, two heads are (often) better than one, so problem solving becomes more fruitful (unless the minds in those heads simply do not gel) and having someone to bounce ideas off of can lend new approaches to one’s craft. Furthermore, co-writing with experienced songwriters who have had commercial success with their songs can be an incredible learning experience and may open doors to contacts for placement of your own music. There are a number of other benefits, which Bronson Herrmuth has summarized in a great list of reasons to co-write.

I have been wanting to collaborate more with other songwriting minds lately. So, naturally, I was thrilled to be invited for a co-writing date with Heather Hill (a fellow SAC member. She also performed on my webcast at the end of Season 1)

Aside from feeling a bit insecure in my ability to co-write, I was also in the middle of finishing lyrics to a song I am writing for the next album and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to turn that song off in my head in order to create something fresh. Heather, on the other hand, co-writes often and with many people. Like a real professional, she was very prepared and had many ideas for themes already jotted down before I arrived.

Heather was really inspired to write a song that expressed appreciation for strong women who work hard, but aren’t always recognized for it. With the way she lit up when talking about this particular song idea, I knew it was the song we had to write together. You have to go with that kind of energy.

We started by doing a free-form brainstorming session. When writing for myself, I would normally start with object writing, create a word cloud with the ideas and phrases that jump out at me, and then build the brainstorm out from those core words/phrases. This time, I thought I would embrace the opportunity to try something different and let myself bounce between the approaches throughout. This resulted in a few short object writes for character development and some messy word clouds that somehow turned into a poem. Heather used the Internet as a resource and pulled out some idioms and other themes from cyberspace.

As we shared our outcomes with each other, we made notes about the ideas and words that struck us as being compelling, paying particular attention to ideas that could become the “hook” of the song. Then we attacked the verses, choosing to base each verse around different characters that shared the same basic experience of being strong women who aren’t always recognized for their strength and may not see it in themselves.

With the idea in mind that some women go above and beyond the workload of the average woman, we constructed the song in such a way that, when read together, each of the verses could represent a different point in the same person’s day (representing their overwhelming workload) OR be viewed as a snapshot of three different peoples’ experiences throughout any given day. The chorus takes a step out of the individual character’s situation and is a third party recognition of their efforts and qualities of strength.

I was surprised at how quickly the first draft came together. After 4 hours and two delicious banana muffins (baked by Heather) we had the whole thing typed on the computer and ready for melody experiments. Using a computer for writing lyrics was also a new experience for me, as I always veer for pencil and paper. It was fast though, being able to copy and paste, and seeing the full structure laid out on the whole page made it easy to see where the structure was going. I may attempt this approach again on my own when I try out the MasterWriter software.

See you next week,

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

Image “Two heads are better than one” courtesy of Darron felon. License CC-BY-SA 2.0

This weekend was exactly what I needed to refresh my songwriting mind. Trying out some of the suggestions offered to me in the comment section of last week’s blog, “Gigging During a Songwriting Phase“, we (the band) decided to test drive a couple of our new songs (one of which hadn’t been finished, let alone performed, yet) during the Wonder Women showcase  (organized by one of our loveliest webcast guests, Arlene Paculan). It was a smash success. The audience responded to the new songs with great enthusiasm and it was the exact boost I needed to get my mind out of the “I’m tired of playing my old songs” funk.

 

Now, with that weight lifted, it is time to shift into writing high gear and who better to look to for output advice than the man who has written, recorded, and released 48 full length albums in just as many months?

50 Albums in 50 Months

Sean T Wright is a fellow Music Success in 9 Weeks Blog Challenger who I became acquainted with last fall. At the time, he was well on his way to achieving a very lofty goal: 50 albums in 50 months. Now at 48/50 albums, he has established himself as perhaps one of the most dedicated and determined musicians in the world-wide independent scene. The man is king of output. Not only has he released over 1000 songs since 1979 (which you can download for free from his website), but he has also published 12 novels and created 1000 pieces of fine art.

As someone who is having difficulty managing their time to produce even one album since January, I was compelled to pick the brain of this prolific British artist… and he was kind enough to let me!

A Conversation on Writing with Sean T Wright

What inspired you to write 50 albums in 50 months?

Now that’s a good question, and one that doesn’t have a simple answer. I started out wondering if I could write 12 albums in 12 months. That first 12 months was the toughest, in the sense of getting into a creative routine, learning to write from the heart. Once I’d completed 12 albums, I then thought: is 24 albums possible in 24 months? I want to find out! I’d like to think that I’m an explorer, stepping out into unchartered songwriting territory.

 

How did you approach the structure for each album?

I’m not sure why, but I choose 12 tracks per album. It kinda felt right. I guess if I’d chosen 10 tracks per album, then I’d now have 57 albums instead of 48 albums! I try to write albums, not just a collection of random songs. While the song topic may vary a lot on each album, I try to use a limited selection of instruments per album, so that they gel with other tracks on the album. For example, one album might be electro in flavour, whilst the next pop, or rock, or acoustic.

 

How did you work through daily life distractions in order to put out each album month after month over such a long term?

I’ve always been focused and obsessed with my music. I set aside time most days to write and record – 2 to 3 hours a day. I work very fast in the studio, almost manically, like a painter at his blank canvas, splashing on textures and colours of sound.

 

How did you deal with writer’s block?

Seriously, I don’t get it! If I pick up a guitar and strum out a few chords, the rest follows – words, melody, and structure. I have always had a LOT to say, about all kinds of things. I write predominantly about my life, how I feel, at any given moment. So if I feel angry, then out comes the angry song. If I’m at peace with myself, then that song pops out, too. What I don’t do is analyse what I write, or try to mould it to a genre or style.

 

Do you do any creative writing exercises? If so, what are they?

I don’t have exercises as such, but I do have routines. One routine is FAWM – the February Album Writing Month – where songwriters try to write 14 songs during the month. Then there’s 50/90 – a twin of FAWM where songwriters are challenged to write 50 songs in 90 days from July to October every year. These two online communities are brilliant places to meet fellow songwriters, collabs, and general support.

Personally, though, I write songs in three ways.

Method One: Depending on my mood, I grab my acoustic guitar and hammer out the words and melody, structure and so on. Then I record it while it is very fresh. It may become a fully arranged song, or just a simple vocal acoustic number.

Method two works like this: I grab my guitar, tap out a click track on my digital recorder, then record a bunch of chords straight through, all on instinct – for example, chorus, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, bridge, chorus x2, mid 8, chorus x2 etc. After that, the rest of the song takes shape, as I add layers of instruments, drums, synths, guitars etc.

Method three: I create beats, whole song structures in EZ Drummer, then record these to tape. From those beats I write songs around them, adding other instruments, and finally vocals, with no idea of melody or lyrics until the basic backing track is done. So I typically have drums, bass guitar, two electric or acoustic guitar parts done before I lay down vocal parts. Other instruments may follow, depending on how the track is working. I try not to overload the song with a multitude of parts. I believe in the old adage that less is more. It’s what you leave out that makes a song.

 

How did you keep up with the demands of MSI9W and your own writing challenge?

I just did it! lol! Seriously, I applied the same focus to the Music Success In Nine Weeks challenge. Focus and obsession!

 

Please describe your recording, mixing, and mastering process.

I’m very old school. I like to start out with a flat board, then shape each sound from there. So drums and bass have to be sonically happening before I move on to the guitars, synths and anything else. I always mix the vocals last, so that they sit in the track as I want them. I like doing different things with vocal mixes – hate reverb! But love chorus in small amounts, which glue vocals together.

I was weened on analogue reel to reel tape machines many years ago, so my ears seek warmth and depth, which recording equipment like Teac and Studer provide. I use the Studer A800 plug-in for recording, mixing, and mastering. There is nothing out there in the digital world to compare, if you want old school warmth and fusion of sound.

On my early CDs (albums 1 to 18), acoustic guitar was recorded in stereo or multi-tracked up to 4 times,  usually with mics in XY configuration, panned 50-50%, or often one guitar laid over the other in the mix. A lot of listeners have mistaken the two six string guitar tracks for a twelve string. I crank the middle up as far as it will go to get some punch. I love single tracked acoustic guitar, too, which you can hear on tracks like “I Keep Wondering”, “Lakota Holy Man”, or “Looking Out For You.” (which you can find alphabetically in his Song Tree)

Vocals are recorded in a variety of ways. Sometimes I get up within an inch of the mic, to get a breathy whispered tone. Othertimes, I’m a foot back when I blast it out! I don’t use compression much, if at all. I often use a delay to give sparkle and life. The Boss Delay is rather versatile.  I often doubletrack lead vocals as well. I prefer dry vocals and only use reverb now and again for effect on the odd word or line.

Electric guitars are straight into the COSM effects unit. My fav setting is the preset Jazz sound, which has a bit of bite distortion-wise, but remains relatively clean. One thing I try to do is to keep a similar guitar sound per album, to unify things I guess.

My mixdowns are one way or the other per album. Either I use the Boss BR1200, or the Ableton Live on my computer. With the exception of the album “Underground” which was mixed in Protools, most of my mixdowns have been done on the Boss BR1200. But from album 28 “Parkour” I used Ableton more and more for mixing.

Because I work so fast with the album-a-month project, I need software and equipment I can trust and use swiftly. The Boss BR-1200, and Ableton Live do the trick for me! (see below for a more detailed list of gear and progams Sean likes to use)

 

How did you approach the album art?

My album art comes from many different sources. Some is unique, commission artwork. Other album covers are my own personal photos or even artwork. Some is creative commons (royalty free) stuff, which I feel fits a certain type of album/theme. I was trained as a graphic designer in my teens, so I know a bit about layout and typography.

 

What impact has the overall experience had on you as a songwriter?

Writing, recording, and releasing so many albums in such rapid succession has been a very positive experience. It has taught me one major thing: there’s no point waiting for inspiration. It’s already there, waiting to be grabbed out from the dark into the light. Because I have written at least three fully recorded songs every week for the past 4 years, I think my songwriting is stronger now than ever. The response I’ve had from tens of thousands of people has made the biggest impact on me.  There’s been almost 1 million free downloads of my music via the internet, which means there are a lot of folk out there listening.

What advice do you have for me, an artist going through a writing phase right now.

Me? Giving advice? Well, I believe that literally anything goes. The creative process for each individual is a very personal thing. For me, I work from my heart, on the spur of the moment, in that moment. It’s an honest approach. I don’t try to force songs in a premeditated direction. I believe in the organic approach. I feel strongly that the songs are already there, hiding in the shadows of the unconscious, lurking like shy creatures, afraid to voice their shape and form. I’m like a song-catcher, rescuing them from a dark place and coaxing them out into the light, so that others can hear them.

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Gear Sean Likes to Use

(1) AKG C-2000B mic -  All vocals and guitars are recorded through it. I love this “for all weathers” mic. Love it! I like to crank up the vocal input so it peaks into distortion, giving a static/driven sound to vocals for a lot of my tracks (listen to “Beneath The Waves” on 69 Love Songs Vol 1 as an example). I call my studio Static Queen, an allusion to my songwriting friend – the genius Mark Linkous.

(2) Audio Technica Atus ATR30 cardioid mic – this is an ancient mic that I record acoustic guitars with on my analogue Yamaha 4 track. (You’ll have to get it second hand, as it is now discontinued)

(3) Tannoy Reveal R5A Monitors – Near-field monitors used for mixing down. I also use my pathetic Logitech computer speakers for infrequent mixing. But my real workhorse is the Technics RP – F400 headphones.

(4) I love my Boss BR-1200 digital recording studio, with it’s super COSM guitar effects unit. But I also use a PC recording rig with Ableton Live 8. I adore Live’s effects and sound/instrument library – especially the strings sections. I play every instrument (unless credited otherwise), and love tracking. I have Protools with a whole host of software that includes Melodyne, but I use it very infrequently (listen to my album “Underground” as an example).

(5) I use Arturia’s Analog factory programme (wonderful Yamaha CS-80 sounds), controlled by my equally wonderful Axiom 25, which controls all of my computer-based software. Since album 28 “Parkour” I have used Toontrack’s superb EZDrummer for the majority of my drums. I love it! So authentic! Before EZDrummer I used a host of drum loops imported into the Boss or Boss’ EZ Compose  programmable rhythm.

(5) I tend to record my acoustic guitars on an old Yamaha MT100 analogue 4 track recorder, which gives a warmth and richness, then transfer to digital. Good examples are to be found on my album HELLO, where warmth, tape hiss, and natural distortion abound!

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Big thanks to Sean for sharing his ideas and insight into the creative process. I am officially setting aside 2 hours today just for writing, no interruptions allowed!

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

Advice needed…

I have been struggling for months now to find the best approach to holding and completing a successful “Songwriting Phase” with the goal of pulling together a new album. The albums I have put out to date have been pieced together, not written together and I want this one to be different.

I need advice. So, if you have an idea, philosophy, story or strategy that you think might help, please leave a comment below.

What is the best approach? Do I disappear from the gigging scene entirely and focus solely on writing new songs? Do I compromise and do one show per month to keep visible? I have a hard time saying no to shows when they are offered to me.

If I do shows, what songs do I play -old, new, or a blend? I want the new album to be a complete surprise when it comes out, but I don’t want to play the old songs anymore… at least not exclusively. Do I start playing cover songs? Won’t that take away from the time I could be spending working on the new songs? Maybe learning and studying covers will give me ideas for writing even better new songs…

Do I give myself a deadline? Or let it happen as it happens? Do I start touring and reaching other markets, building my fanbase with the old songs while writing new songs on the road? If I want to be a full time musician, I need to perform in order to have income.

Do I work on fleshing out older ideas that never were finished? Or do I start completely fresh and focus on where I am now as a person and songwriter? Can I accomplish both and still have a cohesive album? Am I thinking  about this too much instead of just making it happen? Why am I so worried? Is this more important to me than it should be?

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

It is easy to become wrapped up in our own artistic inner worlds. We often write “for ourselves” and “only for ourselves”. It is cathartic to work through our psychological and emotional problems in music and it is meaningful to us for other people to connect to the sentiments we share in our songs. But what about writing for other people and finding creative inspiration from without?

I was up until 1am last night recording a rough draft of a song that I wrote for placement in the soundtrack to filmmaker, and friend, Graziano Mainolfi’s next short film (“After She’s Gone”).  I will also be scoring the short and am really excited to take on that challenge. I definitely see myself writing a lot more for film as my career progresses and I think that is because I really enjoy writing for other people… even fictional ones. haha.

This morning, while reflecting on this particular song and being proud of how well it parallels the film, it occurred to me that I’ve been writing for other people a lot this year. I don’t write these songs for other singers to perform, but they are written for purposes other than inclusion on my records or in my live shows.

The song last night, which I am calling “Shy Lungs”, was written specifically for Graz’s film. The lyrics are about the characters of the film and the music is composed in a style that the director asked for.  This is a song I NEVER would have come up with if I was just writing for myself and left to my own devices.  Similarly, I wrote a song as a wedding gift for my friends Kate and BJ last spring. It was a sentimental piece written to honour the unique qualities of their relationship and how free and accepting they are of each other as a couple. I think it is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever written and, once again, I NEVER would have thought to write that song if I wasn’t in need of a wedding gift for them.

I also wrote a song for my brother as a graduation gift and 2 Christmas songs for my friend Leeann who ordered a custom song as part of my button maker campaign late last fall. A number of people have submitted music, lyrics, or poems to me to turn into full songs and that really excites me. I’m flattered that anyone would come to me in such a way, especially with poems/lyrics; it’s a very vulnerable experience to share one’s art.

So, as a creative writer (not just a songwriter) and friend, I am really excited to take on the challenges of trying to write from a perspective outside of my own (and in imaginary or real environments) to create something meaningful for people that matter to me. Much like the “object writing” I was talking about in an earlier blog, I see these songs as a great opportunity to get outside of my head and out of the natural groove and songwriting comfort zone I work in when writing music for my albums.

Ah! My alarm just went off and I have to go to the vocal school, but there is so much more to write about … I will have to make a “Part 2″…

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making