Noodling in the right headspace towards your goal
Setting the goal of creating an album has drastically switched my attentional energies more and more towards everything music-related.
I’ve often found that when becoming determined to learn more on a particular idea, reading about that topic and responding to the quotes that resonated with me is highly effective. It serves as a great way to combine what I took away from the quote I highlighted.. while at the same time diving deeper into my core philosophy on that particular idea.
Here are some notes I took as I reflected on a book I recently read, Michaelangelo Matos’ “The Underground is Massive”.
This is the quote I chose to respond to:
"Instrumental electronic music that is not in a four-minute bite and has no vocal: no one has been able to popularize that in America before."
My notes in response consisted of these thoughts:
Do vocal cuts count as vocals?
When it’s just these piercingly beautiful noises with a nice beat and piano behind it?
Increasingly, when I create more tracks… I find a particular beauty to them.
The more tracks I make … the easier it becomes to really run away with a sound.
And the more the determination builds to really keep doing this.
What if I made a song a week - the rest of my life?
It would be one hell of a journey.
Just as if I made one newsletter a week.
[[Newsletter #37: One song a week]] - these notes were taken on October 12th
Above was the food for thought, as to how I came to the conclusion that I would like to not only write one newsletter a week.. but also: I would like to create one song a week.
Developing subgoals towards your larger goal
In order to make any outlandish goal achievable (making an album) it is essential you break it down into subgoals.
For example: if you would like to create an album, one begets the question of how does this happen? Start by creating songs of course!
Diving into the mechanics of what the process of creating a song consists of is the next step. From here, dividing your workflow that is required for making a song into achievable steps and goals is the ante to play.
Establishing questions that align YOU with your goal
Now that you have defined your subgoal: creating one song a week… what will help you dig further into this process?
Establish questions for yourself to help aid this process.
What research should you conduct?
Are there any individuals I know of due to my Personal Learning Network that I could reach out to?
Would anyone be kind enough to walk me through the parts of creating a song that don’t come as easily?
Helping me overcome the struggles of mixing/mastering with a song… what the heck goes into this?
What is an (equalizer) EQ? What are decibels (Dbs)? What are hertz (Hz)?
How do I manipulate these variables on my music production software for an individual track or individual instrument?
What will make my song I have created into one coherent message, rather than a bunch of scattered parts?
(Shoutout to Elliot Cole for hopping on a call with me and giving me a rudimentary understanding of these topics as I have only just begun learning more on this 🙏)
Asking yourself.. what (or who) are your present inspirations?
Listen to podcasts that drive your interest towards your large goal.
Here are some podcasts I have found inspiring recently:
The Song Exploder’s podcast focused on the creation of John Lennon’s epic solo track “God”.
VÉRITÉ’s “Anatomy of an Artist” podcast featuring a favorite musician of mine RAC as they explore his unconventional, yet innovative career in music.
Read more on people who have achieved a goal similar to yours.
Do they have a blog? Do they have a biography? Are there articles written about their creative process?
I have been taking the time in reading the OG Electronic Musician, Moby’s autobiographies (yes there are two).
The first one I read was: Then it Fell Apart, only to realize that of the two autobiographies this is the second one he wrote.
The second autobiography by Moby I have read is Porcelain. Moby talks about his stumbling onto the rave scene in the early ‘90s… as well as touching on some of his life victories, as well as mistakes he made while striving for fame.. and pursuing a living as a musician.
Listen to those who inspire you.
I have taken the time to listen to music I find captivating. I have created a playlist on Spotify “album inspiration” that includes the music I’ve found inspiring for the creative process.. and ideally, the sound I am looking to replicate as well as advance.
Asking yourself.. what work will need to be done?
Taking time to learn chords/notes to play on my piano from songs I really enjoy by using Piano Tutorials off of YouTube: this week I’m learning “Porcelain” by Moby.
Taking the time to experiment with my keyboard (Yamaha Digital Piano P-45) playing without any production software at first… to see what ideas burst forth from the notes I have learned, as well as chord arragements & melody arrangements I’ve experimented with on my own.
Taking the time to find that right sound. The right chord. That right note. And then..
Getting Logic Pro - synced up to my piano… finding that right BPM to play these notes I’ve been vibing with on top off.. then grooving until I feel confident about what the sound I’m experimenting with.
And beginning to record, as well as arrange/edit my tracks once recorded.
What’s your one song a week?
Take the time to lay down that initial anchor in terms of what an established long-term goal is for yourself.
Is it buying your first house?
Is it paying off your student loans?
Is it starting a podcast?
Is it releasing a debut album?
Is it minting your first NFT?
Is it getting in shape?
Then reflect from there… as to what explorations will help bring you closer to that guiding goal?
Is it scheduling your first house tour? Schedule that tour my friend or better yet go to an open house, they may even have free snacks.
Is it figuring when your next student loan payment is due? Find that date and set a reminder in your calendar homie!
Is it finding your first guest for a podcast? Ask that person you’d be scared to have a conversation with otherwise.. you never know, you may even be able to get some good advice from them in the process :)
Is it finding that first inspirational song for your debut album? Find that tune & jam out! Think about the element of the song that resonates with you most.
Is it reading your first article on how to mint an NFT? Google how to Mint an NFT, ask some crypto homies where to start (shoutout to FWB)!
Is it getting your first workout in? GET SWOLE & celebrate your success.
YOU GET THE POINT.
Set big goals. Develop subgoals for your big goals.
Establish questions and explore your best answers.
Make progress on your newly established subgoals consistently. Your long-term goal will be achieved in no time.
Patience is a virtue. Putting your head down and grinding while no one is watching is even better. Hard work becomes easy the more you do it.
Cheers to lifelong learning,
Adam Bartley (@bartadamley)
PARTING NOTE
If you're enjoying “The Freelance Graduate Student” newsletter, I would really love it if you shared it with a homie or two. You can send them here to subscribe. I try my very best to put out creative ideas each week, and I hope you have as much fun reading them as I do writing them.
If you find anything relevant to the previous writing I have put out, or just additional links you would like to share on this particular topic, reply to this post!