10 Things About Growth If You're An Artist

10 Things To Think About Concerning Growth and Growing as a Professional Artist: 1. Growing pains exist. There will be a time when you are still developing your skills. As a matter of fact, you will always be developing your skills. There will be moments when others doubt your abilities, or doubt what you can do. You can, at that time, decide whether or not you are going to honor your reality, or theirs. I suggest honoring your own.

2. Not everything is for everyone. It's ok if people don't like what you do. As a matter of fact, the more people don't, probably means that you are closer to finding your niche. If you are a really good americana songwriter, or incredibly skilled with ink drawings, then maybe a metal head won't like your song, or maybe a fan of water color paintings isn't going to choose your ink drawing. There are lots of people who do like ink, and who do like americana. Do what you do first, then find the people who dig it.

3. Marketing, marketing, marketing. The more organized and intentional you can be with your business, the further you're going to go. Period. If you take your business seriously, others will too.

4. Take a break. When you need one, take a vacation. As a self employed artist, It can be really hard to take time off. But it does your body, your mind and your soul a world of good to take a break every now and again. Yes, there are times when you have to put the pedal to the metal, and just move forward, but balancing that with taking breaks when you can is imperative to your survival as a person and an artist.

5. Shake hands and kiss babies. Take a page from politics 101, remember names and remember faces. Connect with people when you meet them. Care. Not disingenuously, do it for real. When you meet someone for the first time, look them in their eyes and search for their soul, be open to being moved by the person.

6. Those who do, do, those who don't, don't. Start something, and see it through. Don't let fear rise to the surface and drown your enthusiasm before you get a chance to explore your ideas. Think less and do more. Book your tour, make your record, show your work, etc. Do things, big and small, "smart" and "dumb".

7. This time right now while you are doing your thing, isn't your last time doing it. So don't get caught up in perfection. Process, not perfection.

8. Remember to check in on your goals. Every now and again (every three months?) take stock of where you are with them. Are they achievable and time sensitive? If someone asks, are you able to clearly communicate them. Write them down, and work backwards till you have the small steps clearly identified. Make it a habit each week to contribute in some small way to the execution of your goals. Each week I ask myself a simple question: "what is the one thing that I can do that can have the biggest positive impact on ___" (fill in the blank).

9. Get a hobby outside of your art. Seek inspiration else where.

10. Be open to life's many twists and turns. There are very few things in your (our) actual control. You can't predict or control how, what or why. But you can control your own reaction to the peaks and valleys. I'm not saying don't every have a pity party, i'm saying be intentional with your pity party, and when you are done, move on. If a song publisher says no, or a dance troupe goes with some one else, what does that mean? Nothing. It means nothing. It means that you can then shift your focus, when you're ready (after said pity party), to what you are supposed to be focusing on, Whether that is the next dance troupe or something completely different. Who knows? Being open is the point.

Week 5 of 52 in 52:

Yellow Stone

you can stream it here: https://soundcloud.com/nickbullock/yellow-stone

Working IN your business, Working ON your business: the difference

There is a big difference between working on and working in… both are important. I know for me, when I get myself organized about which is which, it helps me to prioritize, and get clearer about my goals as an artist and a business owner.

Working in your business, for me is practicing my instrument, playing gigs, recording, mixing, producing, writing songs, song writing sessions, and a host of other fun "artistic-y" things. I generally spend more time doing these things because I'm a firm believer in if you want to be know for doing great things, then you need to practice, and practice often. By working in my business, I get better, learn more, and generally have the feeling that I am progressing in my "studies".

Working on the business is doing all the managerial and administrative things. It's taking the time each week to write out my roles and priorities. Scheduling meetings, making coffee dates, scheduling recording sessions, booking gigs, scheduling rehearsals and in general reaching out to anyone I find fascinating, inspiring,and with whom I might work well with and want to meet. I still keep an old school date book/organizer to help me run my schedule (and business). Working for my business basically keeps me in check so that I am consciously taking the time for working in my business (my art), and making sure I have time with my family. Pretty boring stuff right? Well, it's not as sexy as practicing my sweep picking, or getting the perfect take from a vocalist i'm working with, but it sure does make my life breathable, and it makes sure I get all the time I want and need doing the things I love.

Of course both of these things combined make the whole, the yin and yang. And sometimes life chooses which you are going to spend more time doing, "working in" or "working on". It's a balancing act that has its own flow and zen to it. In the end, I meditate, I laugh as much as I can, I fall deeper in love with my wife everyday, I remind myself that I am a blessed dude for getting to work with creative and talented artists here in music city (one of the greatest cities in the country/world) and I get to do that for a living! I try to be as kind as I can, I try to bring out the best in the people I surround myself with, and I surround myself with people who encourage me and challenge me to be my best, and grow… And of, course i play my guitar and write songs.

So I guess there is working on, working in, and then just being… what ever it is we want to be.

Week Number 2 of #52in52:

"Nervous"

to sign up for the #52in52 mailing list for exclusive content, voting on your favorite songs and other cool shit send your email to:

thesoundawake@gmail.com

to stream this weeks song, go to: https://soundcloud.com/nickbullock/nervous

52 in 52: fifty two songs in fifty two weeks: its a start...

Every now and again you get a great idea, that seems far fetched. Some would even deem it crazy. "That sounds nuts", "Why would you ever do that". The best ideas usually are tied hand in hand with those kind of sentiments. The worst is when they not only come from the outside in, but the combo punch of coming from within too.

Self doubt, man its a bitch.

We all have it (i think).

What do you do with it (i'm really asking)?

I used to just pretend like it didn't exist, but I realized in ignoring it, I was somehow just extending its grasp on me. Lately, I'm in the habit of really just letting it be, almost honoring it in a way. Meaning, as soon as I recognize it for what it is (which I'm proud to say, doesn't take me too long anymore… practice makes perfect), as soon as I name it for what it is, I acknowledge it, and then i'm able to actually let it go. My inner monologue literally goes something like this "I feel scared because of ___" … then I say "ok"… and then, almost always, its gone. And i'm back to making decisions based on truth and not fear, based on what I want, not what I doubt I can have.

About a year ago I had the idea to start a recording project, i dubbed it 52 in 52. My band and I will be releasing fifty two songs in fifty two weeks… one song per week for a whole year.

As soon as this crazy idea birthed itself in my head, my logical brain had sooooooo many things to say to the rest of my brain… again, the voice in my head: "what if you can't do it", "what if you release a shitty song", "you only get one chance at a first impression", "its going to be sooooo hard" - that one has a very whiney monolog voice attached to it - "what if i fail", "how am i supposed to write, record, mix and master all that", "screw that!!!" … and on and on.

But you know what, I really value growth above most other things in my life. And the best way I know how to grow, is to do, and do again, and again, and again. At the end of the day, the thing that excites me most, excites me louder than any voice in my head, or voice of doubt in the world, is the chance to learn from each and every song I write and record. I'm sure there will be some songs that I write that are better than others, and I'm sure that my band and I will achieve greater sonic bliss on some songs while tracking and producing each song, but you know what, each time, i'll be getting better at it. We'll be getting better at it.

So if you're at all interested in checking up on the progress, there will be several ways you can. Weekly social media blasts, and email list and the like.

At the end of the year,we will have people (like you!) vote on their favorite 10 songs, and release a very special album, curated by you.

Certainly expect some videos in the works too, again, picked by you the people.

So there it is, my crazy ass idea, but what the hell, you only live once, why not challenge yourself. Go big or go home, right?

Here's the link for week 1: https://soundcloud.com/nickbullock/lonely

happy new year

xo

My Week in Nashville in Pictures and Words

Hey Friends, I thought it would be cool to share my week with y'all here in Nashville, in picture form :)

Sunday, I got to work with this sweet lady, Heather Hershow, a songwriter here in Nashville. We met a few weeks ago, and she wanted to do a single of one of her tunes. We're kind of going for the popier side of country… which is really cool for me, because I don't get to go there all that often. It's always fun to do something a little bit different! She has a great voice and it's a really good song, so that always makes it easier and more fun… we'll finish her single up probably sometime in the next month, but for now you can check some of her older stuff out here if you're curious: http://heatherhershow.wix.com/heatherhershowmusic#!music/c1x9v

Cait and the Bad! My other band…. we rehearse every monday. That's Dan playing drums, and Kevin (from my band The Sound Awake) playing bass while his bass wears my wizard hat (thanks Will for the hat!). We have our first gig this coming wednesday at the basement! Cait Leary writes some great songs, and can sing her but off, and recently we added Paige to the band, who let me tell you, can also sing her but off, and the two of them together = magic… We haven't recorded anything as a band yet, but I bet in 2015 we will… you can check out some of her older recordings at http://cait.bandcamp.com

Then Tuesday, I met with another artist that I'm producing, Miss Lauren Pratt. Lauren has a voice of an angel really, she's a trained music school geek like myself, who writes great songs. I'm really excited to see where we take this record, as of now, we're still in preproduction mode, but the work tapes we are getting done sound really great already. Think somewhere between Gillian Welch and AKUS… it's amazing how talented everybody is down here. You can check her out here: https://www.facebook.com/laurenprattmusic

Then on Wednesday, I got to hang with my buddy Joe Novelli, who was in town to see some buds play in Nashville, and playing some gigs in Asheville NC. Joe is probably the most talented lap slide player I know, and really, one hell of a dude. After seeing his buddy Tyler Ramsey (Band of Horses) play a solo set, we came back to my studio and hung till 3am or so trading songs and stories… I really like hanging with Joe, and it was a treat getting to catch up. And seeing Tyler perform was awesome too. http://joenovelli.com

Thursday night found me and my two band mates doing some recording for future projects and releases to be announced soon in 2015. Still working on the website too, but eventually it will all come to fruition.

Friday, I got to hang with Beau James and Jenny to finish tracking for his record that I'm producing. You've probably heard me write about him before on this blog, but in case you haven't, this record is full of heart ache, pain, joy, trials and tribulations, and most importantly Beau's truth. I feel very blessed to be able to work with artists who dig deep, and really push themselves. Jenny laid down some great back ground vocals to tie up all the loose ends that evening, and  now we are just starting to mix. Really, this one is special, I'm not just saying that. http://www.reverbnation.com/beauwigington

Saturday, I got to spend some quality time with the most beautiful woman in the world! She really is my better half. Meredith, I love you, you are the light of my life, and with you, I am whole. This thing called life is much better with you, my beautiful wife. www.meredithcbullock.com

Sunday we had some visitors from my home town of Rochester. Pete and Marney brought me some reminders of home, Wegmans in particular. If you are aware of who and what Wegmans is, then you know that it is possibly the best grocery store out there… maybe after Whole Foods… and yes, for those in the know, that's some Country Sweet wing sauce that they brought me… come over some time and maybe I'll let you try it :)

And that was my week!

Some things to think about before hitting record

I met with a friend last night to talk about making his record. We got together, and he played me all of the songs he was considering recording, and we talked about the arrangements, instrumentation, and production he was aiming for. As the person who is producing, engineering and finally mixing his album, it's my job to make sure that his vision is achieved, both artistically and sonically. There are so many factors that go into crossing that goal line that I thought I would just outline some thoughts on the process.

1.) Pre-production can make all the difference in the world, turning a good song into a great song. It can also serve the artist by helping him/her get an even firmer grasp on the sounds they are going for. For the artist I mentioned above, we will be getting together at least one more time with the full band to rehearse and go over arrangements. This just helps to smooth out any kinks that show up. It's much better (and cheaper) to work all that stuff out before you actually hit record. It also serves as a confidence booster to everyone in the group.

2.) Don't be afraid to copy the greats. Get specific. There is no way that I can get your band to sound exactly like Surfer Rosa era Pixies, but it does help the producers and engineers to know that you love the bass sound on Michael Jacksons Thriller, or the snare on the Smashing Pumpkins Good Night Good Night. Borrow the sounds and the ideas of your heroes, just don't expect to make a DNA copy of their music, nobody wants that anyways. (This of course applies to the writing process too... chord progressions, snippets of melodies etc)

3.) Now is not the time to quit smoking, or switch to tea. I'm not saying that I do not wish for you a long and healthy life, but recording can be stressful. You are spending a decent to a huge amount of money to lay down your soul for all the world to see, and you want to get it right. There can be a lot of internal pressure (and sometimes external). It can be a scary process for some. This is also where a skilled producer comes in to play as well, managing personalities and feelings almost as much as they are managing guitar tones and performances. All I'm saying is don't do anything that is going to add a big amount of stress to the process (which includes partying... the studio is not a disco tech, at least not anymore... at least mine isn't).

4.) Tune your guitar between every take. It's a good habit to get into, just do it.

5.) Make sure you have all the pics, strings, smaller instruments, cables, percussion you could possibly ever need. Write up a master list of everything you will be bringing, and get it all together the day before you load into the studio. Check it twice.

6.) This is the moment you have been waiting for. Embrace it, trust the people you have chosen to work with. By the time you are ready to hit record, you have already made most of the difficult decisions. It's time to breath and concentrate on playing and singing your ass off. Let the rest float down stream. Don't worry about deadlines, don't worry about changing the world, don't worry about who will like this or that. Trust your self, trust in the moment, and play for the selfish joy it bring you and your mates. The best records, I think, are the ones where the band lets go of expectations, and they trust in the process of being in the moment. They make decisions based on what they enjoy about music, what they like. You've already dissected every chord and lyric, and channel strip, so now its just about having fun and making great music.

What do you do to help get yourself ready to record? Share your thoughts.

A Case Study: "Say Yes" by Elliott Smith

One of the best songwriters maybe ever. I don't think everyone gets him, at least not at first, but when he hooks you, his genius unfolds. It's not just the words, its the twists of melody and harmony, and how the notes and chords sweep the words along. I'm a big fan, obviously, but if you are unfamiliar, do your self a favor and check it out. I started with the album XO, and my writing, production and taste in music hasn't been the same since... all for the better I like to believe.

Case Study: Say Yes by Elliott Smith

A cold start and a nice descending chord progression played on acoustic... simple right, almost seems like its just another folkie doing his thing.

I'm in love with the world trough the eyes of a girl  Who's still around the morning after

Then the acoustic guitar becomes two acoustic guitars, panning immediately in time for the second half of this first verse. You also have an electric guitar appearing too, with his voice being doubled as well... maybe this isn't so cookie cutter after all. And I want to point out the lyrical/rhythmic phrasing here, without getting too music geeky, its so easy to follow along, and sing along... and the words are pretty straight forward and honest... simple and honest usually wins for me. More on that below.

We broke up a month ago and i grew up i didn't know I'd be around the morning after 

Followed by the guitar playing the melody, panned on the right side still, then the second verse. Same simplistic beauty as the first. Again, that phrasing, and I love how the first three notes of the melody start by going up in register, as the guitar/bass line is moving down... yay for counterpoint! In general, the melody has more upward movement too.

It's always been wait and see A happy day and then and then you pay  And feel like shit the morning after  But know i feel changed around and instead falling down  I'm standing up the morning after 

Then the bridge, instrumentally, pretty much the same thing is happening... the doubling of the vocals, the electric guitar panned right, the acoustic doubled with one more or less down the middle, and the 2nd one panned to the left. That electric guitar is almost playing more lead type stuff, nice double stops... Also, worth it to mention that the bridge, depending on how you count it, is a five measure phrase.

Situations get fucked up and turned around sooner or later 

And then back to a quick verse: This is the first time in the song that he gives away his control, "you tell me"... I never knew what to make about that line, is he resigned to his role, resigned to play the fool, and he just doesn't care, or is there something more... the next section, I think, answers this, but I always wondered about this lyric, as if this is the point in the song where the main character is teetering... whats going to happen?

And I could be another fool or an expection to the rule  You tell me the morning after 

The second bridge! He harmonizes with himself, which he does really well, does it with two voices an octave apart too, which is a little bit different than what you would normally do... in a classic pop sense anyways... Other than that, it's the chord changes, and the extension of the bridge and phrase that is so cool, especially on the word "is" (and notice the electric guitar mimicking the vocals there too)... any you guitar playing songwriters out there, check that second chord out (thats how you use an augmented chord!). Lyrically, this is where he answers my earlier question, to me anyways... its not up to him who loves him and who doesn't. Just like its not up to me who loves me and who doesn't, who cares for me and who doesn't... these are all things out of my control, but we still have to ask. It's worth it in the end, even after the rejection, to ask someone to care for us, to ask someone to say yes. This moment right here, this is why I love this song, and its arguably one of my favorites by one of my favorite songwriters. Simple. Vulnerable.

Crooked spin can't come to rest  I'm damaged bad at best She'll decide what she wants I'll probably be the last to know  No one says until it shows and you see how it is They want you or they don't, Say Yes.

And how does he end the song? With a dash of optimism... i think. And wraps it all up in barely over two minutes.

I'm in love with the world trough the eyes of a girl Who's still around the morning after

If you're a fan, there is a new documentary on Elliott called Heaven Adores You, you can find more info  here:  https://www.facebook.com/HeavenAdoresYou

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGB8meDWQeQ

What song or artist should I do next??

Some Words with Music Band from Nashville TN

Hello from the road/tour! One of the best things about living in Nashville is the incredible talent that you are surrounded with everyday. It can be daunting, but mostly I find it extremely inspirational, and enlightening. It helps me clarify what and why I do what I do with my musical career.

Music Band is probably my favorite band in Nashville, and and I only say probably because I'm very aware of my own tendency to get super excited when I bear witness to great musicians singing great songs... Music Band is positively great. I've gotten the opportunity to see them a bunch since moving to Nashville, and under full disclosure, I've have the great fortune of knowing them personally for the last three or four years... And to sum up my feelings, last time I saw them, I immediately went home and wrote a song that was very inspired by them. And for me, whenever someone makes me want to go home, pick up my guitar and start writing, I'm all in. That, is true inspiration. Thanks for that Lee, Harry and Duncan.

Enjoy the interview!

Nick Bullock Music: What is your favorite thing about the Nashville music scene?

Music Band: The music scene here had been gaining momentum well before we moved here two and a half years ago. Really steaming, cooking with gas. It's like a big steam engine ripping through a residential intersection at 3 in the morning and the driver is all coked out and fucked up just laying on the whistle because he hates his life and wants to ruin everyone's night. That actually might be one of my least favorite things, when a train sounds its horn for way too long and you're just too close to it. It cuts right to my core, enough for me to shout out loud, "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" every time I hear it. Damn, it makes me so mad. But the Nashville music scene does not make me feel this way. We got mad respect for these streets and these peeps here. Mostly everyone who plays music here rules, and I think that's because it's the kind of town that if you come here and don't have any respect for the folks who have been holding it down OG-style then you're liable to get yourself banished. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. It's "Music City" and people have been doing this for as long as anything here. That's what's cool about Nashville. It doesn't matter what kind of music you're into because you should be able to appreciate the real heads who are on their grind. It's funny to go to shows here, and a lot of touring bands I meet will lament about this, but a lot of the time when Nashville people are watching bands they don't move around much. I think it's not because everyone's jaded on music but it's more because everyone is a musician in their own right and are actually watching the band, I mean having a real peek-see, and I can respect that.

NBM: How do you balance the artistic/creative side of being in a band with the business side of being in a band?

MB: We've been pretty much doing our own business since the beginning, so it's not really something we think about much anymore. Although lately there have been more business-related things going on for us, it's fun to learn how it's done, and I think we're fortunate to have some guidance from our friends who know what they're doing. Everyone in a band is always like, "I just want to play, man. The music industry is killing me. Etc." but we're quickly learning that if you can't deal with the business side of things then, well, what the hell? Music ain't a hobby. Not for the real heads, at least. If you're actually trying to make money or a career out of this then you gotta learn how the shit works, even if it's learning by trial and error. I think it gets to a point where the creative side of playing music is sort of like the "reward" for everything else. Or at least that seems like a good situation. I guess it's something we've just had to start balancing out of necessity.

NBM: How do songs come into creation for the band?

MB: Most of the time one of us will work on the structure of a song alone and then bring it to the the rest of the band in practice and we'll spend a few days working it out, trying different things. A lot of the songs on our new tape "Can I Live" actually came out of fucking around at our old practice space, as bands are wont to do. Some of my favorite songs we have just came up off the dome from a late-night "jam", as corny as that sounds. Once we have a song though, we spend a lot of time tweaking it and working on dynamics, harmonies, etc. usually by recording a demo at home and seeing what we like/don't like. Lyrics are really important to me (Harry), and so that's often one thing I personally start with.

NBM: Do you have an end goal, a big picture you are shooting for?

MB: To become immortal, and then, die.

NBM: What about being in a band excites you the most? What are you working on now? How is the process going (how did it go)?

MB: Live shows are the best. Going on the road. Meeting people, meeting other bands. Good audiences. Makin' em laugh. Free meals. Being in the van just getting all crazy. Figuring out a new song and being really excited about it. Recording. Takin' a peek-see at mixes in the studio (shout-out to Andrija at Bomb Shelter). Venues that really know how to treat musicians, and not that bullshit where you show up and everyone working there is like "I don't even want to be here tonight. What's even going on?" Havin' a plate of Lil' Smokies in the morning. Fun doggies. Seeing our parents on tour. Putting friends on "the list" due to mad respect. 

Check out their new release "Can I Live" a cassette release on Infinity Cat: http://infinity-cat-recordings.myshopify.com/collections/music-band

You can listen/stream there stuff here: http://musicband.bandcamp.com

For music info/shows etc go here: https://www.facebook.com/musicband.gov

Support Local Music!

What Nashville band should I interview next?

Playing a guitar solo on the back of a motorcycle...

I get it, they go super fast, and the rush... man, it's addicting! I was on the back of a bike for the first time last week, sweeping through the Dragons Tale in North Carolina and Tennessee. If you like to ride, then you know The Dragons Tale. (After I said a few Hail Mary's) I was blown away by how oddly safe I felt once I got used to the glide of the bike. In a somewhat strange way, it reminded me of a great guitar solo. In it's breakneck pace, the sudden turns, the leaning in with your body, the speeding in and out of a curve, the tension of unforeseen scenarios that a driver will encounter, and the ability to deftly handle any precarious situation he is given. The driver must be zen at all times, flowing with the curves, and at the same time keeping a watchful eye for anything that might disrupt the pace.

A great guitar solo (or any instrument for that matter) does the same things, staying in the moment, trusting your instinct, hearing when the music "turns", keeping your technique relaxed at all times. They even made a books out of it... (Zen Guitar and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance). And like the driver of the motorcycle, the driver of the solo needs to be aware of many things at once, all while keeping that improvisational wonder. Where is the drummer, pushing the beat, pulling the beat or riding the middle? What did the keys player just play, what chord extension was that? Where are we going? Am I taking the audience with me? Am I leading us up the mountain, sweeping around curves, or am I just sitting letting the bike idle?

I could talk for years about what scales go with what chords, and what you could do by superimposing a triad over another chord. I can talk about dotted rhythms, triplets, playing over the bar lines, extending phrases and  the simplistic beauty of the one note solo, but really, a good solo simply moves us to feel alive and excited. It comes from passion, and the freedom to risk falling on your face combined with the confidence to be able to take any turn in the road.

What do you do that gives you that same freedom?

Death to a Musician is...

What have you listened to lately? What have you challenged your ears and musical tastes with lately?  

I heard someone say this weekend that if you're listening to the same things that you listened to five years ago (or fifteen years ago etc), then you're not growing. And not growing is death to a musician. 

 

This got me reflecting on what exactly I have been listening to lately. My current and past musical DNA if you will. Since moving to Nashville, I have definitely been challenged to "get into" things that I normally never would. Not because I would refuse to listen, more because I never would have been exposed to these new sounds in my former surroundings. I'll be honest, I don't love it all. But there are nuggets of greatness in almost everything. Every day, by being willing to listen to new things, I grow as a songwriter and a producer. Which in turn, helps me do a better job in realizing the dreams and goals of the artists I work with, gives me new inspiration and new techniques to try as a songwriter, and new vocabulary for this beautiful language we call music. From Eric Church, to Lourdes there are a lot of crazy and creative new ideas flying around, so I challenge you to listen to it all. The cool and the uncool. Eat it up, consume every dotted rhythm and inverted arpeggio, every auto tuned vocal, and every raspy whisper of Tom Waits.

I challenge you to listen to something you would never have "liked" before, in your past musical life, and write down five things that you like about the song. I'm going to do this right now with a Taylor Swift song (yup, thats right, T. Swift!) to see if I can prove my point, here we go (by the way, I've never heard this song before right now):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E&list=AL94UKMTqg-9Ds071vp-9iWci4ryhkG4Us

1. harmonics in the banjo in intro: who doesn't like harmonics! 

2. guitars panned r and l at 1st vs: I'm a sucker for panned guitars, especially when they are doing the cool layering type of parts, not just out right strumming

3. the scarlet letter you were Juliet line is a good one in the 2nd vs: it stuck out to me, I couldn't type fast enough though to get all the words down right here.

4. the pizzicato in the violin at the breakdown: sometimes I forget that you can pick at the fiddle, you don't always need to bow it... a nice reminder

5. i like the simplicity of the instrumental, and how the fiddle sounds more like a guitar... a little coldplay in terms of the rhythm/phrasing: just a cool and creative instrumental break, not a solo per se, which is a nice change

Well, there are my 5 things. For the record, at first listen, I see why the song has over a million you tube views, it's catchy, it pulls at the ol heart strings... I think the song is good, but I don't necessarily like it. And really, whether or not I like it is irrelevant. The important part is that the next time I'm recording a banjo, maybe I'll think to have the banjo play with harmonics instead of the actual fretted note. Or maybe I'll ask the fiddle player to play it pizzicato instead. There is a whole big world of inspiration and ideas out there, we just have to be open and wise enough to know that we should be looking and listening for it in even the most unexpected of places. Once again, if you're only listening to the same music you listened to in your past, you're musically dying.

What song did you try the challenge with? What did you like about it?

ps: I have to congratulate Danny Sierra on releasing his first EP this week. Danny was the first artist that asked me to work with him when I moved here some months ago. He is an amazingly talented songwriter and singer... you can check him out at http://danielsierraleone.bandcamp.com Go Danny Go!

Ego is a Stubborn-No Good-Rotten Tomato

The Not So Obvious 

Have you ever struggled with the balance of ego, and humility. I know I have. Every time I get on stage I wonder how many people will come, will they like (love) me, and what does it mean if they don't. Is it even ok that I'm feeling these feelings? These are all small bits and pieces of my ego poking through. We've all been told, or tell ourselves to not worry about that, just go out there and be yourself, and do your thing. Sometimes this is easier said than done. The ego here, is playing hide and seek with our own sense of self worth. We all want to be loved.

The Obvious

Then there are the obvious ego jerks, and we all know the type. Truth be told, we've probably all been guilty of this behavior at some point in our lives. Most of us learn that it does now pay to be a dick. On the surface it doesn't pay because everyone will look at you with daggers of judgement in their eyes, sometimes behind your back, sometimes right to your face. On a deeper level, it doesn't pay because (even if we're super rich and famous and trick some people into liking us) we are just robbing ourselves of meaning by covering up our vulnerable insides that we all carry. And that vulnerability is the good stuff.

The Stubborn Ego

Then there is the pesky and persistent ego. This kind says, "even though nobody likes these polka songs I write, I know they are the best thing ever. I just don't understand why the record companies, music supervisors, and booking agents don't get it?". It might be true that those polka tunes are the best ever, and if you are writing polka songs purely for your own artistic expression, then more power to you. But if you are trying to have some kind of measurable success, then you might want to drop the ego, and say "my polka songs are great, but they aren't for everyone, maybe, if I want to be a professional musician, I should be open to other possibilities". I know for myself, I am constantly struggling with this one. Do I write/produce/record for you, the listener, or me the artist. I'm learning slowly but surely, that there is a possibility of me doing both. Either way, I think it is very healthy to be open to all possibilities, and not let ego cloud your vision. Sometimes you can grow, learn and achieve amazing results, that you never would have thought possible had you been stubborn and only stuck to your "I want to be a polka superstar" mentality. Life is too short to be short sighted.

ps: no offense polka enthusiasts, you all rock. :)

first picture is from http://www.vine2victory.com #1, the second is from http://www.flamewarriorsguide.com and the third is from http://esotericmystica.blogspot.com

Bob Marley, Redemption and Me

I'm not really a fan of Reggae, as I'm sure my old friends (and old band mates especially) can attest to, especially living in such a small hippie town for so long before moving here to Nashville. It often seemed like it was everywhere in little ol Ithaca NY. It's not that it isn't good, there is some great stuff out there, especially some of the older recordings, but in general, I always felt distant from it. Maybe I was just over saturated with it at one point and got jaded. But once upon a time, when I first stared to play the guitar, I learned Bob Marley's Redemption Song. The intro lick was easy, but for the beginner still posed a little bit of a challenge, and the chords were all nice and simple. It was, and still is a great camp fire song. And truth be told, I had heard Dave Matthews perform it, so it was obvisouly cool (does Dave Matthews count as a guilty pleasure now?). This was when I was young, impressionable, and susceptible to the hippie jam band culture, and I inhaled it all whole for a long while. Only to reject my younger musical ways as I got older and grew into my own skin.

Which brings me to last night, as I'm driving my car home and listening to the radio. When the song starts to play and I hear that opening guitar lick, my immediate instinct is to switch the station, and my hand reached out to do so. But for some reason I stopped, hand hanging in the air, half way to the radio dial. I started to listen, really listen again. And the words cut through all the bullshit in my mind. I was reminded again of what I knew at such a young age, the lyrics are genius, and even more so moving. Not because they are clever, or hip, but because they are honest, and go way beyond the initial meaning. And I'm not going ot really get into what that initial meaning is, or pretend to understand the mind and soul of another man and his intentions for writing a song, but I will say that the lyrics are undeniably universal. And I was reminded that maybe some things from my past are worth rediscovering, and that I should suspend my auto-discard impulse response. Who knows, maybe I'll dust off the old patch work pants... probably not.

What stories from "yesterday" can teach you something new "today"? What songs have new meaning to you in your life today?

photo taken off the internet, not from me :)

Everyday

Everyday: read a book in your field

write a song

teach someone younger than you

listen to your favorite vinyl record

go to a house show

go to a big concert

kiss your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend

tell a friend you love them

schedule a coffee meeting with someone you admire

learn something new about gear

look for a mentor

go to the gym

record music with your friends

smell the flowers

...or, if you're like me, take a breath, and do what you can today, and trust the process.

Case Study: Arctic Monkeys "Do I Wanna Know"

Do you ever wonder how they do it? When you hear that song that just kills you with it's goodness? It doesn't happen to me everyday, but when it does, it hits me like a ton of bricks. So I thought I would share this with you, you lover of music, you songwriter, you producer.

Writing a great song isn't the easiest thing in the world, but sometimes if we listen with the right mind set and ears we can sneak a peak, lift the vail, and understand the creative decisions that were made. And when we do, we are blessed with new ideas and influences for our own music, and it will push us all to create better art.  It can help us to write a great song.

This week i'm choosing Do I Wanna Know by the Arctic Monkeys. Here we go!

Intro/1st Vs

It starts with the kick drum, and maybe some claps, definitely some kind of cool percussion sound with lots of reverb... for only two measures, then come the guitars, panned left and right. Anyone who knows me, or has worked with me knows I'm a sucker for panned guitars, they just sound so good! So the guitars start this riff, and as you will discover, this riff is really the basis of the song. It's cool when a song doesn't stick to the classic chord changes kind of vibe, and instead is based solely around this cool melodic idea. The band does it really well here. What is really like about this one, and what I think separates it from the rest is that it is a four bar phrase, which is long, and makes it more interesting for me. Then the vocals come in, and I really like what they did with the subtle reverb/slap back on his voice, it is, on the surface, pretty clean and it sits nicely with the drums/percussion/guitars. I almost forgot the bass! The bass entered with the guitars, but is tucked in nicely, a round-ish tone, that doesn't scream for attention, and is just sitting there (great!). Also notice that it is cherry picking certain notes of the guitar riff, and not playing the whole thing.

Pre-chorus/Chorus

Nice BGV's (back ground vocals), and you gotta love that the tambourine on beat 4. There is also a tremolo guitar that they added to both the right and the left speakers, as well as a feedback sound in the right. Both of those sounds continue through the chorus. The tambourine goes to beat 2 and 4 for the chorus, as well as another guitar gets added right down the middle, which is interesting to me. The vocals are nice here too, they take the BGV mentioned before and sing the main melody an octave above, along with the lead vocals. And lastly the drums open up a bit more, with crashes on the cymbals. It's interesting here that they really keep the drums way back in the mix, with the exception of the kick and the percussion I mentioned in the intro (which goes all the way through the song).

2nd Vs/Pre Chorus

Almost always my favorite thing to really mess with. It's almost like the second verse is really the place to pull out the special stuff, try some way to make it different, pull a little bit of the magic out. This is of course not the rule, but I am always listening for how other artists/producers treat the 2nd verse. They do it really cool here, yes the percussion stays, but they drop the guitars out all together for the first half, just leaving the lead vocal, and that unsuspecting bass. They also add some BGV stabs, at the ends of phrases, a cool idea. The tambourine gets added to the 2nd half of the verse on beat 4, as well as the guitar riff. similar to what it did in the prechorus. There is a nicely timed little pause that leads right into the prechorus, and I didn't mention this at the first prechorus, but the fuzzy/feedback guitar leads the song really nicely into the prechorus, and it's even more obvous going into the second prechorus because of that pause. Again, all the same instruments that were present for the first pre chorus are present here at the second.

2nd Chorus

Again, all the instruments that were there in the 1st are there again, there is a cool piano or guitar upper register octave thing that is playing on the down beats, as well as a slinky guitar melody that is way back in the mix (which doesn't get added till about eight measure in). There is also a great call and response happening throughout the first eight measures, that is a little different from the first chorus. There is still the octave above BGV. At first, you're thinking ok, cool, they added some more elements to the music, but this chorus is just like the last one, then the next eight measures start and you realize, oh shit, they are repeating the pre chorus here, but with the chorus treatment, that is pretty cool. Then they do what I think is my favorite part of the whole song, throughout the next eight measures, they combine the two, the pre chorus melody/lyrics, the chorus melody and lyric, they both kind of circle each other, while the guitars/bass/drums and all the other wonderful sounds are swirling all around. Pretty rad move there arctic monkeys, I like your style. All thats left is the vamp out, with the slinky guitar melody repeating (which is actually two different guitars, one backwards, and one playing a melodic, single note staccato part), and the big guitars. The drums slowly fade, and your left with the kick, claps, and guitar riff... Pretty awesome.

You tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM

Give it a listen and tell me what I missed? What song should I do a case study of next?

Some helpful songwriting ideas

Below are some thoughts on songwriting that I have found helpful. Whether a novice, or a hall-of-famer pro, I hope you you find them helpful too.

always keep a pen and pencil near (or your iPhone).

sometimes you need the idea for the song before you write it, meaning, it's helpful to have the hook already, something that we can all relate too. the rest of the song usually just writes itself once that ball is rolling.

we will write shitty songs, it's inevitable. when we keep at it, we will also write good ones, maybe even great ones.

try writing with a secondary instrument, or even an instrument that you don't know how to play at all. this can sometimes spark that 6th sense/creative instinct that can sometimes lie dormant.

all of the ideas are already out there, floating around in the air, listen for them, and they will find you. there is an endless amount of creativity out there. it will never end.

eavesdrop on other people's conversations. they sometimes say the coolest things. there has been more than one occasion a line has fallen in my lap by sitting at a bar with my note pad by myself and listening to what people are saying around me.

copy the greats. do it, you'll be better for it. i need to do this one more myself, but every time i have, i've learned a ton.

words matter. for some, they come really easily, for others, the music comes way easier. whatever is your case, words matter, so take your time with them if you need to.

all you need is three chords and the truth- sometimes, but most of the time this is absolute bull shit. take away the three chord stipulation, and leave the truth part.

now to contradict myself, simplicity rules! when i graduated with a jazz degree, i had to put at least two seventh chords in every song, and guess what, most of those songs sucked!

if you want to write a hit song, sometimes you have to pander to the lowest common denominator. if you want to write a great song, speak your truth. rarely the two meet... al least speaking from a lyrical point of view.

write all types of music, pop, country, rock, edm, classical... try your hand at everything you can. you'll learn something new from each category, which can be channeled into your own personal work in really cool ways.

lastly, JUST KEEP DOING IT. writing is a skill, it is a craft. the best writers do it all the time, yes, as i mentioned above you are guaranteed to write a bunch of crap, but as you do it more and more, you'll start to see what works, what mechanisms exist, and the best way to apply them. you'll learn to strengthen your voice, and be more confident in what you have to say. you'll learn and you'll keep getting better.

what songwriting tips or ideas do you have? what are some of your thoughts concerning other artistic processes? please share!

Swearing Popes = No One is Perfect and The Gap

So I missed a week. When I started this blog, I promised myself that I would do it every single week, no matter what else was going on. I think sometimes I bite off more than I can chew. Maybe you can relate? I get mad when I break promises to myself, even unreasonable ones, but then I remember that no one is infallible. Even the pope let the "f word" slip out and into the microphone, throughout St Peters Square https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jUt0AY8mXY. Though my intentions are good, I make mistakes, we all do, and it's easy to beat ourselves up over it. The important thing is that I/we keep going, and get right back in the saddle... Regardless of what caused the slip up, if we believe in what we can achieve, we have to keep going and growing. In my case it was just being too damn busy and over scheduling myself, but other times it's fear that can paralyze me, or self doubt, or procrastination. I saw recently, as I'm sure some of you already have, a great video on this topic of "just keep going". It is entitled The Gap, by Ira Glass and Daniel Sax. Please check it out! It's great. http://vimeo.com/85040589.

So here's to another week, where I get to reinvent myself all over again, I get to raise the stakes again, I get to  challenge myself again, I get to laugh at my shortcomings again, and I get to tell myself to chill the f out, again.

What do you want to challenge yourself with? What do you want to laugh about this week?

Nashville, Updated

Here is my week: Wednesday: day session with my buddies Goodsex. They are a great garage type band, and super cool guys, and hillarious. The session went great (once I figured out how to solve that weird lattency situation!). They're going to be releasing a 7 inch this spring. For a listen to their first record, go here. http://goodsex.bandcamp.com/

Night time rehearsal with my band, The Sound Awake. Thomas Elefante (drums/vocals), Kevin Harper (bass/vocals), and Alex Tomkins (guitar/vocals) are super f-ing talented and rad dudes. I'm lucky that they like the tunes, and are kind enough to play with me. If you see them around Nashville, give them a hug. We're going to be doing a bunch of recording together, not to mention playing shows in the Nashville area.

Thursday: a bunch of meetings (which I won't bore you with, but they were with some super friendly and helpful folks, so thanks folks!)

Night time session with Danny Leggett (he's so legit!). Danny is the man! Great songwriter, and singer. He hasn't put out anything in a while, so we're both excited for this EP! You can follow him on instagram @dannyleggittman

Friday: more meetings, followed by some work for Will Musham, for his third recording to be released at some point in the future (after he releases his second record which I produced and engineered last year). Will is a fantastic songwriter. You can check him out at http://willmusham.com/ and look for his release sometime soon.

Friday night (tonight!)... we'll see, was supposed to have a session with my other Danny Sierra! I've posted pics of Danny before and mentioned how absolutely rad he and his music is, but I'll do so again. He's an amazing singer songwriter. This is his debut EP, and it is going to be really great!

or i'll go see my friends from upstate NY, Driftwood perform tonight at a house show. I caught them on tuesday at The Basement here in Nashville. You should DEFINITELY give them a listen, they just released a new record and are out on tour. They're tighter than a frogs ass. http://driftwoodtheband.com/

Sat/Sun I have all day/night sessions with my buddies The Heavy Heavy Hearts, a really great guitar/bluesy/rock band from here in Nashville. Super excited to work with these dudes, they're great players and have a really cool sound going. http://theheavyheavyhearts.com/

(photo taken from their fb page, no idea who took it, but i didn't!)

Monday, back to The Sound Awake rehearsal! for our first ever show in Nashville, which is happening the day after...

Tuesday, the show! We're playing at the Basement, as part of their "new faces" night. My/our first nashville show... sighhhh

And on it goes... So how is Nashville you ask? GREAT!

I used to hate "K.I.S.S."

The acronym stands for is "keep it simple stupid". My high school coach used to yell "K.I.S.S." over and over in practice. I hated it! Who likes to be called stupid, especially when you're sixteen years old and master and commander of all the knowledge in the universe? But eventually I learned to not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The difficulty with simplicity for me is that it feels good to complicate things. It makes me feel like I'm getting things done, getting smarter, or working harder. It feels like my level of expertise should be rising when I introduce more complication.

When I got out of music school, and started touring, writing and recording with my band full time, it was as if I had every jazzy chord tattooed on my brain and I would be required to use at least a minimum of four of those chords per song, or else my dean would come in the room and kick my ass, screaming "Dominant 7" over and over (forgive the music geek joke)! And guess what, I had no idea how to write a good song. I realize now that I  hadn't learned how to use all that great knowledge that I had spent four years cramming in-between my ears yet.

It took almost ten years after those first, post-college attempts at writing to realize how to use those same complicated chords in a simple way.

Now I love K.I.S., and yes, i prefer it without a side of stupid, because complication does not discriminate between the dumb and the percipient. So if I'm plugging in a microphone, writing a chorus, making business phone calls, communicating with my wife, or telling a joke, I've got my brain tuned to simplicity. I've found that the simplest answers are usually the right ones, and they usually get the complicated jobs done the fastest.

How about you? What do you do to keep things simple? What's your favorite "simple" song?

Listening: The Art of Telling a Story

Slowly but surely, I'm getting better at writing songs. It is a craft as far as I'm concerned, and yes, sometimes we stumble upon complete luck/grace/inspiration and we can write a great song that seemingly comes straight out of thin air. But even that scenario smells of sweaty preparation to me. So I practice, and I write a lot. The David was not created by a man who was picking up the chisel for the first time. We, as humans, learn and get better. We soak in our surroundings and even despite ourselves, we allow it all to influence us and the art we produce. Since moving to Nashville I've made it a priority to get better at listening to the new people I meet. Really listening, not just shaking my head and thinking of my response even before they're done speaking (which can be very hard to do). It is a skill that I think many people take for granted, and one that I want to get better at.

There is a wealth of inspiration that can bubble up when you meet someone for the first time, and hear their unique story, and not just hear it, but feel it. I want to start paying attention more, and capture that empathy, and maybe a bit of someone's story in the songs I write. I wonder if we could wipe away writers block if we practiced our art in the context of listening to the world around us.

When I really listen, I am also a better husband, friend, producer, musician, brother and son.

Writing a great song is often a result of telling a great story, and there are so many amazing stories out there.

Have you ever created anything after being inspired by someone's personal story or journey?

      

   

   

Friends Who Write Songs Together Stay Together

This past week has been a fun one. Some dear friends of ours, on their way here to visit us from upstate NY last Thursday, had some rather bad auto-mechanical failures. In other words, they need a new transmission AND clutch, and it was on a truck that they had just purchased three days before, and they drove all the way from NY to Colorado to pick it up. So, basically a cataclysmic failure of a trip. But they took it in great stride, and despite the unexpected, but considerable dent in the wallet, I have been amazed at how calm, collected, and positive attitude-ish they have been. And we have made the most of their time here. We've eaten at some great Nashville restaurants, we've gone out to bars, cooked meals, watched movies, dealt with a clogged kitchen sink, and played cards. And two days ago, after reading a passage from the book "Thinker-toys", we decided to write a song together about the experience. Maybe you've heard of the "Exquisite Corpse" before? In the book, this particular exercise outlines a set of instructions that focuses on group thinking, and cohesion. I won't go into the exact details (you should read the book... very good), but the basic idea is you take random words that each person associates with the given topic without over thinking, and you then have a brainstorm session, and for our purposes, write down together any phrases that come to mind once everyone has shared their words. Essentially taking two different and seemingly random words, and connecting them. Some of the repeating ideas or words were: clogged sink, Nashville, train tracks (they back up to the studio), broken down trucks, garbage disposals... you get the idea. Later we went in the studio to turn these phrases, ideas, and lyrics into the realized song.

The whole process was totally different compared to how I normally work. It was also with people who are dear friends, but people I have never had that kind of working relationship with before.

I am constantly and pleasantly surprised at the genius that can happen when people are excited working in the  cooperation zone together. There seems to be a new level of awareness that becomes apparent when people are in to making it happen. It takes honesty, and a commitment to listening and understanding before speaking.

I can't wait to take this same spirit and energy to the production/engineering sessions I have coming up, and my first co-writing sessions too.

What is your process for writing? What tips or techniques do you find inspirational or empowering?

Eric wearing the magical Wizard Hat...

Kim rocking the Tele...

Meredith was the one taking the pictures...

Welcome to Awake Studios: My Dream Client

My dream client is someone who values adventure. My dream client is someone who loves to create, breathes to create, and lives to inspire. My dream client is a singer/songwriter, or a band, or a one (wo)man band, or... I love being a mad scientist, locked away, inventing textures, and sounds. I love mixing. I love the gear I have, and the gear I can't afford. Gear-disease, it's real. My dream client allows me to help them achieve their vision, a sonic "dreams come true". Who is your dream client? What type of person do you want to work with? ps: Every studio should have at least one Beatles book somewhere for your perusal. It is law.