Tag: working

Thoughts on Collaboration

Well, the semester is winding down and so is my final project.  My three song EP is due this week and I’m putting on the finishing touches.  I’m recording, mixing and arranging.  One of my tracks needed a solo, and my classmate stepped in.  Here is just the solo section, by Noah Battles.

You’re probably wondering why I would have someone else play a solo when I play guitar.  Most of the time, I do just that.  My philosophy used to be that if I could do something alone, I would.  I liked having control over every little thing.  Since then I’ve learned to appreciate the magic of letting others be involved.  They can take the song to places you wouldn’t expect, and try things you wouldn’t consider.  The results can be dope.  In the above example, I was originally writing a synthesizer melody, but that wasn’t cutting it.  Noah’s bluesy playing was much better.

In 2016, I was writing my EDM album.  For one of the songs I wrote a melody that was too high for me to sing.  I could’ve transposed it, but I liked the energy of the song the way it was.  I recruited my old college buddy, Jacoby Filand, to sing it.  I gave him the lyrics, a clip of me singing it (badly), and a demo of a synth playing the melody.

He changed a couple notes, had a more punk rock delivery, and overall improved the idea.  Listen for yourself.

Collaborating is awesome.  As much as we like to shape everything ourselves, letting others into the process can spark unique outcomes.

I’ll give one more example.  In 2014 I was working on my electronic side-project Lobster Boat.  It was mostly instrumental tracks and I was sending people demos for feedback.  One of those people, Phillip Emery, asked if he could take a crack at singing over one.  I was skeptical at first and only agreed on the condition that I could reject his vocals if I didn’t like what he did.  The result was pleasantly surprising and I kept them.

It’s easier said than done, but I’m a big fan of the idea that we shouldn’t be precious with our music.  Not only does it get in the way of actually writing music, but it can lessen the music we do finish.  In these situations, had I been precious, I would have missed out on some great input from other artists.  Don’t be afraid to let others get their hands on your canvas.  You might be surprised at what they do.

Creating When You’re Not Inspired

This is the perfect topic for today because right now I don’t feel like writing.  I’m in the school library sipping a La Croix, trying to get some work done, and no topic is calling out to me.  It’s not that I don’t want to write; it’s that I don’t have anything to say.  I’m uninspired.  This happens in music too.  I’ll be trying to write and nothing seems to flow, my progressions feel as bland and stale as every song I’ve ever heard.  It’s like I’m writing the same tune over again, repeating myself.  It’s all very deflating.

A common misconception is that creativity occurs only when you’re inspired.  If you’re not feeling it you have writer’s block or something and shouldn’t even try.  In his book, On Writing, Stephen King writes, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”  There’s a lot of great quotes on the topic, but rather than just share what others have said, let me offer my own experience.

What we call “writer’s block” isn’t the failure to create; it’s the failure to create something you like.  Under that definition, you can always write.  There’s no reason not to.  You don’t need to share everything you try, and you don’t need to like everything you finish, but you always need to be trying.

If you’re in a rut listen to some great music, try something you’ve never done (new synth sound or chord progression), or approach the song in a new way (starting with melody instead of chords or vice versa).  There’s a lot of techniques you can do to shake things up, and pretty soon you’ll be inspiring yourself.

That being said, every song you finish isn’t going to be great.

Earlier this year, I was attempting to write three songs a month.  I put my best effort into them: writing, mixing, and mastering.  I wanted a solid product.  I was hoping to release an EP every month, focusing on different genres.  What I found is that for every three songs or so, I only really liked one.  You don’t realize that at the time, of course.  You don’t think, “Man, this song I’m writing sucks,” but looking back it’s easier to be critical.  What I’m getting at is you need to keep writing so you have songs to pick from.  Otherwise you release an EP of two songs you like and three others that are there just because it’s all you have.

I’m not advocating you write songs you don’t like.  Just write the best songs you can and when it comes time to share them, be picky.

KING, STEPHEN. ON WRITING. SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2000.