Hey,
Yes, I skipped Day 11. Yes, I almost skipped Day 12 too.
I felt the need to make this post however.
Why did I skip Day 11?
Simple.
One important lesson...you can't turn on creativity like a tap.
Some days you feel the desire to make something and some days it is easy.
Other days you're like a dam in a desert. No purpose and nothing to do. Nothing to put your energy in to. Or rather, no energy to put in.
For whatever reason, the creative element was not present and remains so.
However, I remain undaunted.
If nothing else, this blog will serve as an interesting document of the creative process. Or rather of my personal creative process.
Lessons learned help with the next day. Realisations made are simple personal lessons.
Today I learned, acknowledged and accepted that I am not a fountain of creation. Some days the gift will simply not visit me and on these days it is important to acknowledge and give thanks for the creative gift that lets me play, sing and write.
So thank you, creation, for visiting me as often as you do.
And thank you, dear reader, for being with me on this journey.
All for now,
Andy
Monday 12 January 2015
Saturday 10 January 2015
Day 10
Enjoy!
Link to SoundCloud track
Day 9
Hello!
Apologies for the delay in blogging Day 9. I had a very relaxing evening last night, the highlight of which was getting one of my guitars back from a luthier in Manchester. He was sorting the intonation issues, lowered the action and resolved a nasty little wiring problem that caused the front pickup to dip to almost no output.
I spent about an hour getting used to it again; compared to an Ibanez JS it is a completely different animal altogether. Very heavy (tiger stripe maple cap and mahogany back) plus a 24 fret Warmoth neck. 2x EMG humbuckers (front and back) with 1x single coil (middle) and 5-way switch plug coil tapping for both humbuckers. It is the most versatile and configurable guitar I have ever used and I must give all my thanks to my dad for making the body all those years ago.
Anyway all for now but I'll be back later with today's update :D
Andy
Apologies for the delay in blogging Day 9. I had a very relaxing evening last night, the highlight of which was getting one of my guitars back from a luthier in Manchester. He was sorting the intonation issues, lowered the action and resolved a nasty little wiring problem that caused the front pickup to dip to almost no output.
I spent about an hour getting used to it again; compared to an Ibanez JS it is a completely different animal altogether. Very heavy (tiger stripe maple cap and mahogany back) plus a 24 fret Warmoth neck. 2x EMG humbuckers (front and back) with 1x single coil (middle) and 5-way switch plug coil tapping for both humbuckers. It is the most versatile and configurable guitar I have ever used and I must give all my thanks to my dad for making the body all those years ago.
Anyway all for now but I'll be back later with today's update :D
Andy
Thursday 8 January 2015
Day 8
Hello!
This happens with anyone creative.
You hit the wall.
I don't mean physically, that can lead to hand and wrist injuries and isn't good.
I mean creatively.
Tonight I had the guitar plugged in, and as a warmup I was jamming to some of Joe Satriani's material. Crazy idea for a warmup but it kind of worked :D
Then I fired up Cubase and loaded a track I've been working on.
Instant no-no.
The guitar seemed to want to run and hide. No matter which note I played, it was the wrong one.
No matter when I played it, it was at the wrong time.
If I was into it I'd guess that my feng shui (possible mis-spelling) was messed up, or my chi was out of balance, or my chakras needed some work done. Or the planets were misaligned. Or I'd forgotten to put the cat out...wait, I don't have a cat. Yet. Or a dog. Woof.
Or, it just wasn't happening. Simple as that. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen.
Although I've been told you can get pills for that. No, not that.
That.
I think I've gone a bit zany with tonight's update; maybe I'm venting my frustration on this blog at my ineptitude to do something creative and achieve something. But hey, it's all a journey. Having nights like his is another step along the road.
So I'm embracing it and sharing it with you.
Creativity 0
Lethargy 1
No chance of this one going to penalties.
All for now.
This happens with anyone creative.
You hit the wall.
I don't mean physically, that can lead to hand and wrist injuries and isn't good.
I mean creatively.
Tonight I had the guitar plugged in, and as a warmup I was jamming to some of Joe Satriani's material. Crazy idea for a warmup but it kind of worked :D
Then I fired up Cubase and loaded a track I've been working on.
Instant no-no.
The guitar seemed to want to run and hide. No matter which note I played, it was the wrong one.
No matter when I played it, it was at the wrong time.
If I was into it I'd guess that my feng shui (possible mis-spelling) was messed up, or my chi was out of balance, or my chakras needed some work done. Or the planets were misaligned. Or I'd forgotten to put the cat out...wait, I don't have a cat. Yet. Or a dog. Woof.
Or, it just wasn't happening. Simple as that. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen.
Although I've been told you can get pills for that. No, not that.
That.
I think I've gone a bit zany with tonight's update; maybe I'm venting my frustration on this blog at my ineptitude to do something creative and achieve something. But hey, it's all a journey. Having nights like his is another step along the road.
So I'm embracing it and sharing it with you.
Creativity 0
Lethargy 1
No chance of this one going to penalties.
All for now.
Wednesday 7 January 2015
Day 7
Hello!
Today is a short post following a recent (and by recent I mean the last five minutes) revelation I've had regarding work that you do along the road.
Don't get rid of any of it.
ANY of it.
I was going back through some old Cubase project folders and listening to random sections of audio. I happened across an idea from two years ago which I recorded and never did anything with. Listening back to it now it sparked so many ideas for the rest of the track, for lyrics, melody lines...the whole thing almost fell into my head just listening to one piece of audio.
From a track I never finished, nor probably ever would.
By chance I found that file.
By chance I played it.
Never throw any creative work away, no matter how bad you think it is. It is all part of the road we walk. You never reach the destination in creativity, you're always walking the path and the work you make along the way is your signposts. You can be led down different roads and change musical styles or painting mediums but always create and always have 20/20 hindsight.
They are all your creations. Celebrate them.
That's the end of my pondering for today!
Today is a short post following a recent (and by recent I mean the last five minutes) revelation I've had regarding work that you do along the road.
Don't get rid of any of it.
ANY of it.
I was going back through some old Cubase project folders and listening to random sections of audio. I happened across an idea from two years ago which I recorded and never did anything with. Listening back to it now it sparked so many ideas for the rest of the track, for lyrics, melody lines...the whole thing almost fell into my head just listening to one piece of audio.
From a track I never finished, nor probably ever would.
By chance I found that file.
By chance I played it.
Never throw any creative work away, no matter how bad you think it is. It is all part of the road we walk. You never reach the destination in creativity, you're always walking the path and the work you make along the way is your signposts. You can be led down different roads and change musical styles or painting mediums but always create and always have 20/20 hindsight.
They are all your creations. Celebrate them.
That's the end of my pondering for today!
Tuesday 6 January 2015
Day 6
Hello!
Ok so I'm messing around in Cubase and I wanted to improve my mixing skills. After some good advice I happened across a couple of fantastic channels on Youtube.
First up is The Recording Revolution hosted by Graham; absolutely fantastic videos and in just a short space of time I learned a heap of stuff. Very well explained and presented.
Below is his video regarding compressing bass guitar - check it out.
Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/recordingrevolution
Second is Bretster Productions who I happened across after looking for another compression video and weighing in at over 30 minutes this is well worth a look!
Ok I'm off into the studio to put this into practice with my expanded idea based on yesterday's exploration of Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien". I'm hoping to have a demo of this track ready for you all by the end of the week - more updates to follow.
Stay tuned!
Ok so I'm messing around in Cubase and I wanted to improve my mixing skills. After some good advice I happened across a couple of fantastic channels on Youtube.
First up is The Recording Revolution hosted by Graham; absolutely fantastic videos and in just a short space of time I learned a heap of stuff. Very well explained and presented.
Below is his video regarding compressing bass guitar - check it out.
Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/recordingrevolution
Second is Bretster Productions who I happened across after looking for another compression video and weighing in at over 30 minutes this is well worth a look!
Ok I'm off into the studio to put this into practice with my expanded idea based on yesterday's exploration of Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien". I'm hoping to have a demo of this track ready for you all by the end of the week - more updates to follow.
Stay tuned!
Monday 5 January 2015
Day 5
Hello!
Today is a bit of an R&D day, but not in terms of Blender.
Today is music composition research day.
In an effort to expand my own musical ideas the suggestion was made to me of listening to music that I really enjoy and discerning its framework then applying that framework to my own material.
With that in mind I did a structural analysis of Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien" and found the following. Hard part will be applying this framework to one of my own ideas but all journeys start with one small step.
-------------------------------------
Intro - Voices / radio stations, mixed.
8 bars - main rhythm outline, guitars, bass, drums.
8 bars, main melodic idea
8 bars, main melodic idea with slight pitch variation
16 bars, lower rhythmic section, lower melodic idea with variations
8 bars, pitch shifted rhythm variation; lead guitar solo
8 bars, rhythm pitch shifted higher (key change). solo continues.
8 bars, rhythm pitch shifted higher (key change). solo continues.
4 bars, break.
8 bars, main melodic idea
8 bars, main melodic idea with slight pitch variation, drum embellishments
16 bars, lower rhythmic section, lower melodic idea with variations
8 bars, solo break
8 bars, solo; whammy idea
16 bars, solo break
4 bars, tapping idea
8 bars, solo break
8 bars, solo; whammy idea
Outro, continuing whammy idea
-------------------------------------
Once I've applied this to one idea I am hoping that it will provide insights into how Joe has constructed his material and give me ideas on how to expand my own work. I may continue this research into other tracks by other artists in a similar genre to which I am writing. Certainly an interesting exercise and my sincere thanks to Mr English for the suggestion!
All for now but more tomorrow.
Today is a bit of an R&D day, but not in terms of Blender.
Today is music composition research day.
In an effort to expand my own musical ideas the suggestion was made to me of listening to music that I really enjoy and discerning its framework then applying that framework to my own material.
With that in mind I did a structural analysis of Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien" and found the following. Hard part will be applying this framework to one of my own ideas but all journeys start with one small step.
-------------------------------------
Intro - Voices / radio stations, mixed.
8 bars - main rhythm outline, guitars, bass, drums.
8 bars, main melodic idea
8 bars, main melodic idea with slight pitch variation
16 bars, lower rhythmic section, lower melodic idea with variations
8 bars, pitch shifted rhythm variation; lead guitar solo
8 bars, rhythm pitch shifted higher (key change). solo continues.
8 bars, rhythm pitch shifted higher (key change). solo continues.
4 bars, break.
8 bars, main melodic idea
8 bars, main melodic idea with slight pitch variation, drum embellishments
16 bars, lower rhythmic section, lower melodic idea with variations
8 bars, solo break
8 bars, solo; whammy idea
16 bars, solo break
4 bars, tapping idea
8 bars, solo break
8 bars, solo; whammy idea
Outro, continuing whammy idea
-------------------------------------
Once I've applied this to one idea I am hoping that it will provide insights into how Joe has constructed his material and give me ideas on how to expand my own work. I may continue this research into other tracks by other artists in a similar genre to which I am writing. Certainly an interesting exercise and my sincere thanks to Mr English for the suggestion!
All for now but more tomorrow.
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