New Podcast Episode!
Jan. 25, 2021 by Kris
Episode # 34:
Using Boundaries to Create FREEDOM as a Producer and Songwriter
Sure, the title of this episode does sound bass-ackwards. Using boundaries to create freedom? BUT, hear me out. đ
If youâre an artist, Iâm going to assume youâve been hit by a little thing called Blank Page Syndrome. You know, that dreary beginning stages of staring at a blank page before the songwriting begins. The options are limitless. Do you write a love song, or a party song, do you start with a loop, or build a kit, or track guitars first and the list goes on and on.
The fact that you can start anywhere is honestly too much to handle. Especially if you have perfectionism lingering around and you want everything to be perfect straight out the gate---which, spoiler alert, isnât how great art is made. Have you ever heard the saying the best writers are re-writers? đ
This is called decision fatigue. By having too many options we often get overwhelmed and are therefore not able to gain clarity on our main objective. It's said the average person makes 35,000 decisions every day! đ§
The number of successful people who claim they save their brain power by minimizing their decisions is astounding. Some of which include, Steve Jobs (RIP), Mark Zuckerberg, Obama, and even Dr. Dre all minimize their brain power by consistency. Not having to choose what to wear; black turtlenecks, great shirts, grey and blue suits, and the same shoes, respectively, eliminates daily decisions.
What Iâm getting at here is if youâre having trouble when it comes to creating music, you might just have too many variables at play.
The ability to jump right in, thatâs what I want for you. Thatâs how I feel we should all be able to create. Even Joni Mitchell said, âYou could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it's just complaining.â. To me, what Joni is saying is that she honors the craft, and doesnât just expect the first thing that comes out of her to be what the listener will resonate with. This is why I think we need to use Boundaries to create Freedom as a producer and songwriter.
So whatâs the digital applicable version of this? đ§Â
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Pre production. Whatâs your game plan? Whoâs your client? Do you have a reference track? Whatâs the instrumentation going on in there? Whatâs the tempo and key of that? How about the arrangement?Â
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Blueprint. Where you want to go, the same way an author writes an outline before a book. Â
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Setting the stage before you go to perform. This can be done by setting up a template ahead of time, or simply by doing all this footwork before you start creating!
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Learn how to produce the EASY way and turn your home studio skills into cold.hard.cash. đ°Â Â
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