art – Alternative Student

2021 Year End Review

This is not my typical experience, but I actually completed every musical goal I set at the begining of the year. I’m just as surprised as anyone.

My first goal was to be a singer-songwriter again. For most of 2020, I had zero shows. I stayed in my room making electronic beats, which I loved, but I missed my acoustic roots. This year I played a ton of shows, wrote new songs, and started recording an EP (my first singer-songwriter release since 2019).

My second goal was to collaborate with other artists. This mostly involved my friend Jplayin. I recorded two release for Jplayin, and had him as a featured rapper on two of my songs. I also got to work with Brandon and the Clubs, my former classmate. We dropped a Ke$ha-esque pop song. Stylistically it was a very different direction for me, but so fun to make. I had a blast working with both of them!

My third goal was to create consistent content. This mostly involved my weekly YouTube videos on songwriting and music produciton, which was then broken into microcontent for Instagram and Tik Tok, but I also peppered in the occasional blog post. I’m happy to say that I now have over 100 YouTube subscribers!

My fourth goal was to get an internship / volunteer, and this Fall I got an internship with the Minnesota Music Coalition. I got to assist with the Caravan Du Nord concert series and travel all across Minnesota, meeting tons of new artists and old favorites.

I’m also happy to share that I lost 30 pounds, finished 67 songs (mostly beats), and I officially graduated with my degree in Music Industry. I also started teaching guitar for the first time this Summer, which has been a fantastic way to make money while honing my craft.

I’m focusing on the good here, but I don’t want to give the impresison that I’m an unstoppable productivity machine that doesn’t make mistakes. This year was far from perfect, but despite my own flaws and battles, I was able to make things better for myself. I can only pray this trend continues and I keep moving forward.

Just Do It

I haven’t dropped a singer-songwriter track since May of 2019. Since then I’ve been working on other projects, releasing videos, and finishing up my degree. It’s easy to use busyness as an excuse, but it doesn’t tell the full story. As someone who has watched six hours of Squid Game in one day, I can tell you it’s not a lack of time.

A couple of months ago I was planning to buy a new microphone specifically for my singer-songwriter EP. I had been using an MXL 990 to record my acoustic ($100), and I was excited to upgrade. An unexpected expense ate that money up and I was frustrated. I didn’t feel like recording the old way, and I even considered shelfing the project until I had better gear. Also, I was toying with the idea of turning my EP into an album, possibly recording a full band and having a bigger release.

These two excuses gave me the instant gratificaiton of being able to delay my work, and it came with the added bonus that I could imagine my work being better for it. So I didn’t have to do anything in the present, but on a far distant day, I would have something amazing.

The problem with this of course is that I continue to do nothing. There are some situations where perhaps it would make sense to wait, but in my personal experience, it’s never been justified. Regardless of the gear you have, the idea that waiting is going to help you make something better in the future is flawed. Making stuff is how you get better. You can always get new gear later on, but in the meantime you can be improving for free.

Your reservation might be that you have a really good song or concept that needs to be exactly right before coming out. If that’s the case, you can write and release other things. Just don’t let that be an excuse and lose momentum. Also, it’s worth mentioning that songs I wanted to save two years ago, I wouldn’t even release now. Your tastes evolve as you keep creating.

So, after countless roadblocks and excuses, I’m finally recording my EP. It’s already an improvement from my last project, but I still find myself making excuses. It’s not going to be perfect, but it is going to be done, and that’s enough.

It Takes Practice

This Summer, I started teaching guitar lessons. It’s been interesting learning guitar again through beginners’ eyes and hearing their perspectives. A variation of this question comes up again and again: “What’s the secret?” When they’re struggling, beginner’s tend to think that they’re doing something wrong; they want a quick tip or trick that’ll resolve everything.

The answer I give rarely satisfies them, but it’s the only answer that’s true. “There’s no secret. You just need to keep practicing.” Practicing new material can be frustrating because we’re constantly rubbing up against our own limitations: hitting wrong notes, missing rhythms, and having to work on the same parts again and again. It can be a daunting process, but it’s how we grow.

Audio production and mixing is one of those areas where it’s tempting to think you can just have someone explain it to you and you’ll be able to execute it perfectly. Afterall, mixing is more of a technical skill. You’re turning knobs; you just need to know what everything does and then you’re good to go, right? Wrong. It’s more of an art than people realize, and an ear for mixing needs to be developed just like a musical ear.

This concept also applies to genres. Someone can absolutely crush it at lofi, but when they try to make EDM, they struggle. This comes from a lack of experience in that genre. There’s definitely mixing and sound design skills that carry over from genre to genre, but when writing in an unfamiliar style, you’ll have a lot of new questions. I often hear people say that they are bad at a particular genre. They accept it as an unchangable fact about themselves, when in reality they probably just haven’t practiced it enough.

So whatever it is that you want to improve about yourself, there is no secret sauce that will make everything easier. I only have one tip to give you: it takes practice.

Are You Too Old to Make Music?

It’s pretty common for people to believe that there’s a time limit when it comes to making art. “If you haven’t done it by x, then it’s not gonna happen,” as if these things had expiration dates like milk or something. We romanticize the past, particularly when it comes to what we didn’t do that we should have. It’s painful. Rather than cut our losses and do it now, we believe in a magical time that no longer exists. “Well, it’s too late.”

I’m not talking about “making it” in music, but that could be a separate discussion. I’m talking about someone who wanted to play guitar, write, or draw their whole life but never took the chance. They were too scared or too busy to start, and now they’ve reached a point in their life where (in their minds) it’s too late.

When I was 26, I started piano lessons. All my brothers took lessons when they were younger but I never did. I could’ve gotten a book for “older beginners,” but I picked up a kid’s book instead. It was filled with cartoons and short pieces like “Let’s Go to a Party” and “Dinosaur Stomp.” It was pretty fun, actually. I definitely wasn’t too old, but you might be wondering about someone who’s older. We’ll imagine they’ve never played an instrument before and today is their first lesson. They’d have to learn their notes, practice fingerings, and talk about boring stuff like tuning and posture. It can be daunting to begin and the slow process is why so many quit.

Adults haven’t had to deal with the growing pains of learning a new skill in a long time. They’re used to being capable, so to fumble over a piece of music intended to teach children can feel embarrassing. Who wants to struggle at something most people master at twelve? That being said, it’s absolutely worth the trouble, and I believe anyone who’s physically able to, regardless of age, can be creative. As Kurt Vonnegut famously said, “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

My advice for the older beginner is to put in the work, and be humble. No matter your age, it’s not too late.

Small Town Vs. Big City

When people talk about getting into the arts, there’s usually a few cities that come up. Los Angeles, Nashville, New York. Big cities, vibrant cities, cities with people who are great at what you want to be great at. My field is music, but this applies to all art forms. A big city has a lot to offer, but do the pros outweigh the cons? We talked about this in class and I thought it would be a great topic to blog. My own experiences are limited, but I’ll share some observations.

The most obvious advantage of the small town is the cost of living. Food, drinks, and entertainment are all more expensive in a big city. Not to mention having to pay for parking, and spending more on gas because places are spread out. In Minneapolis (population 422,331), a studio apartment will cost you around $900 a month. Meanwhile, in Mankato (population 39,528) you can rent a one bedroom apartment for as low as $350. Minneapolis has a price tag, but it also has something Mankato does not.

The most obvious advantage of the big city is the culture. Music, art, restaurants, venues, and people. More people = more culture, as the saying goes. Well, no one says that, but it’s true. (Not everything that’s true sounds snappy when you say it). On any given night there’s a concert, art event, comedy show, or something going on. There’s like infinity bands and a million places to play. When I lived in Saint Paul, I used to walk by the Amsterdam Bar & Hall on my way home. I heard new bands all the time. It was exciting! My time in Saint Paul was short, but there was always a show.

Deciding where to live is a balancing act of the cost vs. opportunities. This isn’t a perfect scale, but it’s relatively safe to say that the more opportunities a city has, the higher the cost. That being said, if you move to a big city you need to take advantage of it; it’s not enough to just live there. Sure, you can spend over a thousand on rent and live downtown in a cool area, but that means nothing if you’re not actually getting out and going to shows. What’s the point if you’re not engaging? I feel like a lot of people move to LA without knowing why they moved to LA. There’s a lot to be said for someone who lives where it’s cheap and commutes to events. I’m not saying that’s right for everyone, but it’s an option worth exploring.

The question of where to live, like a lot of questions I ask, has different answers for everyone. It depends on what your goals are, and what you need to do to accomplish them. Answering for myself, I’m trying to be a small town hero, at least for now. I love the sense of community and the low risk factor. I want to build an audience here before I cut my teeth elsewhere.

MSU Mankato, Songwriter Showcase. Spring Semester, 2019.

On April 2nd, MSU Mankato’s department of Music hosted a songwriter showcase. It took place at the Halling Recital Hall of the Earley Center for Performing Arts and featured five songwriters. I had gone to the last showcase in October, and was impressed by the talent. This year was even better, and I want to share the music with you.

Starting out the night was Alec John and the Sky Surfers, an Indie Surf band. Their brand of surf rock is mellow and groovy, with influences like Hippo Campus. They wear bright Hawaiian shirts and perform shoeless. They’re the kind of band you want to hear outdoors on a nice day, beer in hand.

After that, solo performer, Noah Battles, took the stage armed with an acoustic guitar and a loop pedal. His voice is mellow and fits well with his folk rock playing. His style is similar to Neil Young. Using his loop pedal, Noah peppered in some solos. The guy can play.

Brandon and the Clubs is a solo pop artist in the style of Lady GaGa. Brandon dresses in sparkling clothing, and performs with backing tracks. He is one of those performers who is fearless onstage: dancing and interacting with the audience. His songs are about self love and acceptance. He didn’t play this, but his song “Love Club” is really catchy.

Second to last was Anastasia Ellis who took her place at the piano. Ana writes lyrical pop music and is influenced by Rhianna. She performed two songs from her new album, Love & Attention. They were both emotional and raw, in particular her song “Battered Skin.”

Matt Ruff closed out the night. He plays piano and has a powerful voice, with songs reminiscent of Sam Smith. Like Ana, his music is emotional and full of stories. He absolutely kills it at singing, and can play a mean piano, too. Overall, a great night of music.

I realize this is different from my normal posts, but I’m trying to get away from my blog being all about me and my thoughts. There’s a lot of great music happening locally that I want to highlight and share. Please check out any of the above artists that catch your fancy. You might be surprised at what you hear.

How Do You Define Success?

When I tell people I’m going to school for music, they often assume I want be a rock star, or at the very least a full-time musician. For a lot of students that’s the case and that’s fine, but it’s not what I want. In his book, How to Make It in the New Music Business, Ari Herstand writes, “It all depends on what your idea of success is. And no one can define what success is but you. Remember that.” (Herstand 29).

Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, puts it like this: “We all grade ourselves by different measures.” For some people, success is making a lot of money. For others, it’s about changing lives. According to Sivers, “It’s important to know in advance, to make sure you’re staying focused on what’s honestly important to you, instead of doing what others think you should” (Sivers 37).

For me, success is finding work I value and consider meaningful, making a positive impact in my community, and raising a family. I feel strongly that creativity is for everyone, and I want to do my best to encourage it in the people around me. I’m still deciding what I want to do with my life, but these are my guidelines.

When I’m looking at a long-term career, there are some jobs I simply would not take. They may be great, well-paid, amazing experiences, but if they don’t align with my goals, I’m out. If my ultimate goal is to have a family, I don’t want a job where I’m constantly away from them. If I want work that’s meaningful, I’m not going to take a job just because it pays well. For other people, it might fit perfectly, but it all depends on what they value.

Rockstar, hobbyist, what-have-you, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as you’re honest about it. Speaking for myself, I want to create work seriously, whether or not it’s a source of income. But however you define success, it’s important to follow your values and not someone else’s. What’s most important to you?

Works Cited

HERSTAND, ARI. HOW TO MAKE IT IN THE NEW MUSIC BUSINESS: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following… and Making a Living as a Musician. LIVERIGHT PUBLISHING CORP, 2019.

Sivers, Derek. Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur. Portfolio Penguin, 2015.

Big Turn Music Fest – 2019. My Volunteer Experience.

I was already planning on attending Big Turn. Their lineup boasts some of Minnesota’s most well-known acts: Charlie Parr, Dessa, Gaelynn Lea, the 4ontheFloor, Dosh, Chris Koza, and Lydia Liza, among others. I’m required to do 16 hours of volunteer work for school, so I decided to kill two loons with one stone.

Red Wing is a cool town. They’re famous for their shoes, the first established bar in Minnesota, and (now) the Big Turn Music Festival. The festival involves 23 venues, and over 100 bands and performers. It’s small enough that it doesn’t suffer from the corporate saturation of SXSW, but big enough to host a lot of artists you’ve heard of. Nearly all the bands are Midwestern, and there’s a distinctly Minnesotan vibe to it. Fans of all ages attend, and the crowds remind me of a local bar in a small town.

I had never volunteered at a festival, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When filling out my volunteer form, there was a checkbox to be considered for Venue Captain. I checked it because I wanted people to salute me. I was assigned to 223 Barrel House (the first established bar I mentioned earlier). We had to check wristbands, answer questions, count guests, and stop letting people in once we reached capacity (75). My role as VC was to be the main point of contact between the volunteers, the sound guy, the venue owner, the bands, and the volunteer coordinator. I had to make sure people stuck to their set times and ensure it all went smoothly. It was a lot of fun! It was a great excuse to introduce myself to bands and talk about music. Due to the snow storm, I only volunteered the one night, but it was a good experience.

Before my shift, I had the opportunity to check out some shows. I wandered into Artreach, a visual arts non-profit, where singer-songwriter Sterling Haukom was performing for about five people. I took a seat in the back. Among the attendees, I spotted Charlie Parr in the front row. Earlier that day, I overhead Dosh introducing himself to someone at the Artist Check-in Hub. I couldn’t go to their shows because of my shift, but it was exciting to catch them out in the wild.

I only got a small taste of Big Turn, but it was a good time. Talking with the bands, listening to music, and hanging out with the other volunteers was great. The community of music lovers was alive and well, and it was an honor to be a part of it. I recommend volunteering if you get the chance. It’s a fantastic way to support the arts, and it’s not hard. You get to meet a lot of cool people and be part of something meaningful.

Notable Acts (that I actually saw)

Savannah Smith – Singer-songwriter. Dope vox. Telecaster. Former Ukulele-star. Soundcloud.

Spaceheaters – Brass-based funk rock. Great for dancing. Groove city. Bandcamp.

Sterling Haukom – Singer-songwriter. Folk. Powerful, high voice. Dynamic. Had Charlie Parr watch his set. Spotify.

You Don’t Have to Be First

Eddie Van Halen is famous for his tapping technique, but he wasn’t the first to do it. In fact, hundreds of years before “Eruption,” Niccolò Paganini (1782 – 1840) used a similar technique on his violin. Jazz guitarists in the 50s and 60s did it, and Italian musician, Victorio Camadese, tapped extensively on his classical. Van Halen changed the game by applying it to distorted, electric guitar.

Skrillex is often called the inventor of dubstep, but the genre originated in London in the 90s. Although the style drastically changed later, the characteristic sounds of wobble bass, subs, syncopated rhythms, and drops all pre-date Skrillex. Skrillex’s flavor of dubstep (sometimes refered to as brostep) favors mid-range frequencies and aggressive rhythms. This was hugely popular in 2011 and Skrillex’s interpretation of dubstep soon became the standard.

YouTuber, Andrew Huang, is known for found sound sampling. He records sounds from random objects, processes them in his computer, and uses them to compose music. He’s made songs from pineapples, Legos, radiators, candy, and lights bulbs. As you’ve probably guessed, he wasn’t the first to do this.* What made Andrew special was the sheer amount of sampling he did and the absurdity of challenges (my favorite is carrots).

Facebook came after Myspace, the iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone, and Spotify wasn’t the first streaming service. We get so hung up on the idea that we need to be innovators but the truth is that most of our ideas are not original, and that’s okay. Working is 95% of it. Don’t think you need to change the game to win at it. Sometimes putting your own spin on a great idea is all that’s needed.

*I couldn’t find who originated the technique, but I remember seeing it on videos before Andrew Huang’s time.

Show Your Work! – Austin Kleon. The Importance of Community.

I recently read Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon. Austin is a writer who uses drawings, photos, and blackout poetry to illustrate his points. Each chapter is a lesson on self-promotion. Not only are the tips good, but it’s stuffed with helpful images. I recommend it for creatives with no idea what to do after hitting “Publish.”

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My big take away is the importance of community and relationships. The obvious but not so obvious fact is that we’re dealing with people when we sell, individuals with interests and passions. How we relate to our audience is very important.

I don’t usually post to social media, but when I do it’s to promote something. Other than that, I’m silent. I used to be proud of that fact. Kleon, on the other hand, recommends sending out a “daily dispatch” (47). Share your rough drafts, your current inspirations, what music you’re listening to, and what you’re working on. Documenting your creative process allows followers to have “an ongoing connection with us and our work” (38). He talks a lot about connecting with your audience, telling good stories, and being part of a community.

There’s a chapter called Teach What You Know. “The minute you learn something, turn around and teach it to others” (117). This ties into documenting your process: share your secrets and fans feel closer to what you do. Another plus, they will want to pass on what they know as well. I’ve heard of this “teaching as you learn” principle before, and it’s one of the reasons I started my blog.

This is a coffee table book: short, fun, and insightful. There are a lot of great lessons and it’s a very easy read. I’ve shared only a few here, but if you’re a note-taker like me, you’ll constantly be jotting down ideas as you read.

Rating: 7/10.