rpmchallenge continues
So, as mentioned in previous blogs, I’m participating in the rpm challenge. The goal is to make a 10 song album during the month of February. If you check out the sight you can actually listen to songs that folks have posted so far. I’ve been listening a bit, and i’ve got to admit I’m impressed. I’m noticing a lot of loop oriented stuff, which initially was what I was going to do, but have sinced changed my mind – and I’m kind of glad since the song I’m listening too now is using a bunch of the loops that come with Live, which is my main source for loops too so I’m realizing in this forum it wouldn’t be all that creative.
I was able to record some stuff this morning, and hopefully will finish a song this afternoon. One of my favorite approaches to songwriting is to give yourself limits. I had the honor of talking to one of my songwriting heroes, Pierce Pettis, and he started talking about how so many folks see thinking ‘out of the box’ as a creative attribute, to which his rebuttle was, it doesn’t take much to write out of the box, but if you can write a hit song within’ the box, that’s creativity. Then he started talking about Buddhism vs. Protestantism. I think he’s an Episcopal. Anyways.
So here’s my box: I’m doing a concept album. And that alone has already provided me with more creative energy than any out there experimental junk I could’ve attempted. The instrumentation will be whatever I want, I’m predicting guitar based, because that’s who I am, and that’s how I write. So far the routine for the recording has been to set up a click track, record one mic guitar and vocals on top of it, redo the guitar, play drums (if necessary) add bass (if necessary), add any additional stuff, and redo the vocals. This seems to be working pretty good – it’s got an assembly line feel to it that suits this project and my timeline and writing process well.
And when you’re on the rpm site, check out micah taylor. It’s nice to run with the fast pack. Even if I can’t keep up!