The Solo Artist Syndrome
originally posted
at www.poodiemusic.com
on April 22/08
Late last night in my room working on a new tune. Sketching out the ideas on Logic. Great glass of wine next to me. Reaching for it I marvelled at the beautiful rich colour. A ruby prism illuminated by the ambient glow of candlelight. Next to a few obvious other activities, this is one of my favourites. Wine and song. I sit in silence next to my purring cat Mimi listening to the music on my trusty old Tannoys. Mimi's a tough critic and she's always right. During these early hours,with Lisa sleeping in the next room, the volume is just loud enough for me to hear relevant levels and the essence of the song. I don’t like the hype of elevated sound pressure levels to hammer a tune home to me. Amazing what you can hear at low volumes. I prefer mixing this way everything makes more sense. Less of the room and more of the music. I reserve 100db for our parties. Anyways, last night my mind drifted with the music. Soon, the music took a back seat to an unremarkable epiphany,but one none the less. I thought about my days as a studio drummer. I was very privileged to have spent my time with great artists,musicians,engineers and producers in studios that dreams are made of. Surrounded by the racks of equipment I would lose myself in uncontrollable gearlust.There was never a session that I didn’t daydream about having a studio of my own.That’s my point. My minor epiphany. Here I sit in my home, having completed my entire album “2forty6” with the exception of the mastering that I had done elsewhere. I reflected again on how jaded and fortunate I am. Fifteen years ago I would never have been able to afford the technological capabilities of what I can accomplish here in the comfort of my personal sanctuary, my own home studio.. I learn and relearn everyday on my own dime,my own time,my own schedule, about writing, engineering, producing, and making unbiased objective decisions predicated on “music first”-“ego last”. Nobody to tell me what they think I should do. Just me and my many multicoloured inter-changeable hats. It’s not easy managing and nurturing my new multi-disciplines,but I’m getting there. I drifted for a moment last night meditating on this paradigm shift in the writing and recording of music. I call the shots. I can work when inspired.The meter never ticks. I'm open for creative biz 24/7 I may not be recording on a Neve console with a cabinet full of Neumann and Telefunken mics and an arsenal of esoteric mic pres and compressors. But it is my room where I can play and constantly hone my craft as a self sufficient independent artist. I can make records here. For this I am grateful. For all of you out there in your own havens and sanctuaries, enjoy the freedom, the challenges and the autonomy of being part of the solo artist galaxy in an ever expanding musical universe that is transforming everyday.I guess my insight last night had more to do with artistic liberation than a syndrome. Like never before, we have so many affordable and incredible tools available to us.The only limit is the boundary of our imagination.Here’s to all of you out there in your bedrooms, garages, guest houses, rehearsal rooms, project studios:- rapping,playing,singing,strumming,screaming,writing beats,beating drums: it's all music it's all good! These are challenging and exciting times. Peace in '08 and beyond.
at www.poodiemusic.com
on April 22/08
Late last night in my room working on a new tune. Sketching out the ideas on Logic. Great glass of wine next to me. Reaching for it I marvelled at the beautiful rich colour. A ruby prism illuminated by the ambient glow of candlelight. Next to a few obvious other activities, this is one of my favourites. Wine and song. I sit in silence next to my purring cat Mimi listening to the music on my trusty old Tannoys. Mimi's a tough critic and she's always right. During these early hours,with Lisa sleeping in the next room, the volume is just loud enough for me to hear relevant levels and the essence of the song. I don’t like the hype of elevated sound pressure levels to hammer a tune home to me. Amazing what you can hear at low volumes. I prefer mixing this way everything makes more sense. Less of the room and more of the music. I reserve 100db for our parties. Anyways, last night my mind drifted with the music. Soon, the music took a back seat to an unremarkable epiphany,but one none the less. I thought about my days as a studio drummer. I was very privileged to have spent my time with great artists,musicians,engineers and producers in studios that dreams are made of. Surrounded by the racks of equipment I would lose myself in uncontrollable gearlust.There was never a session that I didn’t daydream about having a studio of my own.That’s my point. My minor epiphany. Here I sit in my home, having completed my entire album “2forty6” with the exception of the mastering that I had done elsewhere. I reflected again on how jaded and fortunate I am. Fifteen years ago I would never have been able to afford the technological capabilities of what I can accomplish here in the comfort of my personal sanctuary, my own home studio.. I learn and relearn everyday on my own dime,my own time,my own schedule, about writing, engineering, producing, and making unbiased objective decisions predicated on “music first”-“ego last”. Nobody to tell me what they think I should do. Just me and my many multicoloured inter-changeable hats. It’s not easy managing and nurturing my new multi-disciplines,but I’m getting there. I drifted for a moment last night meditating on this paradigm shift in the writing and recording of music. I call the shots. I can work when inspired.The meter never ticks. I'm open for creative biz 24/7 I may not be recording on a Neve console with a cabinet full of Neumann and Telefunken mics and an arsenal of esoteric mic pres and compressors. But it is my room where I can play and constantly hone my craft as a self sufficient independent artist. I can make records here. For this I am grateful. For all of you out there in your own havens and sanctuaries, enjoy the freedom, the challenges and the autonomy of being part of the solo artist galaxy in an ever expanding musical universe that is transforming everyday.I guess my insight last night had more to do with artistic liberation than a syndrome. Like never before, we have so many affordable and incredible tools available to us.The only limit is the boundary of our imagination.Here’s to all of you out there in your bedrooms, garages, guest houses, rehearsal rooms, project studios:- rapping,playing,singing,strumming,screaming,writing beats,beating drums: it's all music it's all good! These are challenging and exciting times. Peace in '08 and beyond.
posted by marvinkanarek at 4:39 PM
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