There is so much more to getting an album done as an indie musician than most non musicians realize. It is not just stand in front of a microphone and you magically get your song published on a Spotify hit list the following day. No. There are many loose threads and things going on in the background as the album progresses that most will never see.
I am constantly learning by doing and great songs take time to do. It would be easier to buy someone else's beats, slap on a loop and sing something catchy. But no! I am trying to make a quality album. I am not alone in feeling frustration that people don't get why making music takes time. I am a member of a Facebook group where we discuss things like this often. People don't understand the complexity of the music making process and they don't often want to know the details. They just want to consume music like another Oreo cookie.
I wrote today's post for those of you who do wonder what is taking so long with the Change My Mind album.
When I started out with this album I had no idea it was going to be this difficult. (The video at the top was a promo for a fundraiser in 2016. I thought then that I would be done in 2017.) A year ago I posted an update on how the music was going then and in it I mentioned the Vine, a song I am just now completing in 2018.
So here I am a year later and The Vine song is still not done. It's not like I only worked on this song all the past year. Nope. I've done tons of work actually - one of which is writing this blog/book. I've written many new songs (they are waiting to be published too.) I have registered my songs on CCLI and STIM (my PRO); done marketing research on which plugins to buy and learned how to use them; analysed which target group I have, increased my knowledge of social marketing strategies; studied music theory; practiced numerous hours both guitar, electric bass and singing. I have bought a CDBaby package and much much more. I have edited many songs and learn tons about mixing and mastering.
I'll tell you why it has taken so long - The Vine is complex and it has been my guinea pig, the place where I learn the nitty gritties of audio engineering. I have used it to learn how to record, edit and compress live drums, create reverb with chain compression, automate effectively, gain stage and so much more. It taught me that over editing is stupid (so I had to reload the raw files an tale it easy the second time). The Vine has been my training ground. The words of the song fit so well with the work I have been doing in it:
"Why do I make things complicated all of the time?" - The Vine
I do.
The song itself has many tracks and many plugins. too many as a matter of fact. I have had to delete sone tracks, stop and tame my auxes and rearrange them just to make the signal flow properly. This taught me gain staging, summing grouping, sends and busses. It was a real headache at first but now I think i am getting the hang of it.
With this song, I learned how to use midi strings in the background and integrate multiple instruments like piano, strings, guitars and solo guitar powerfully. All in all, I am thankful for this process but people don't get why I have incubated this song for so long. Perfection has been a goal of mixing this song, but I've had to settle for beautiful outcome.
The strive for perfection is based on fear. Fear of releasing a song that isn't good enough has pressed me to do more and more with the arrangements and over-edit. But now I am finally satisfied, well almost. In the next couple of days I'll be going over to the premastering prep mode where i A/B (compare my track to commercial tracks) and fix what need to be fixed before I can submit it to a mastering studio.
So, you see, for an indie musician life is so much work and so little play. But the goal is in sight!
Summer stress
During the school year, when everyone is busy at work, I work 8 hour days with music-related stuff, my homepage, etc. When it's summer, I have the wonderful opportunity to take time with my family & friends whom I love. It takes a bit of time away from music making, but, after all it is more important, more eternal and more fun than the music itself to build relationships. The problem is that I feel drawn between the time needed to get my music to the album stage and the expectations in and of the relationships around me. It is no fun to let this album drag on forever but people are more important. I always prioritize family and friends first.
I find that during the vacation months, I am more focused on the music than ever so that when I do get a chance to work with it, I work more concentratedly. I think it is like this: the less time I have, the more I tend to use the time I have more wisely & more effectively. The pull between the two - the expectations of those around me and the desire to get the album done, cause some inner stress but I keep to my priorities and things usually work out. Having priorities that work and a plan for each day make life as an indie musician during the summer months less stressful.
Today, for example, my husband is out on a hike while I do music and write this. Later on today we are going to go to a restaurant and watch the soccer match between Sweden and England and then take some time together along the boardwalk in Ystad. Balance.
I found this on Pinterest this morning:
So true!
That's all for today. Hoping you day is as sunny and beautiful as mine....
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