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Gazebo

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Blog Entries posted by Gazebo

  1. Forward Motion

    By Gazebo ,

    Sometimes that process of thinking about things can be as much of a deterrent to progress as anything else.
     
    You see it all of the time, that the biggest barrier to creativity is yourself.  Too much thinking about stuff, not enough doing.  Fear of doing something that doesn't "measure up", too  much worrying about quality control, when you have no output over which to QA check! Obsessing over the gear you "might" need, when you probably have more resource in your laptop than the Beatles had when they recorded Sergeant Pepper.
     
    I guess I have been there, and that's been causing procrastination.
     
    Here's a weird thing.  I cut my finger quite badly which meant I couldn't play guitar, and suddenly when physically stopped from being able to play I had a load of ideas.
     
    As soon as I could play again I was recording and came up with something that I am really pleased with.  It was recorded simply, with all existing kit, and it was so much fun.  Great to be in that immersive space, where time disappears as I chase the sound I want.  I think this song sets the direction for the EP.
     
    We are in lockdown for Covid-19 in the UK, and I suppose that has also affected things.  I am working from home and probably more busy than normal, but we are taking local walks every day, and I am seeing things in my neighbourhood that I have never noticed before.  We have found lanes, fields, alleyways and places that we didn't know existed, and that opens your mind to what is all at our fingertips.
     
    Looking forward...
  2. There has been progress.
     
    I hate the phrase "LIfe getting in the way". It presupposes that life being lived is in some way less valuable than stamp collecting, trout fishing, off road biking, music (whatever your interest is).
     
    Truth is, that life is what enriches our interest, through providing perspective, and to a certain extent scarcity.
     
    There has been a lot of life since my first post on this blog.  Most of it very positive, and things that you wouldn't set aside to force an EP onto an unsuspecting public a few days earlier.
     
    But there has been progress.  
    I have five new songs in various states, all in some recorded form. All are needing a lot of editing, trimming and restructuring, but the melodies and lyrical intent are there. I've been experimenting with recording techniques and equipment, trying to find the "sound" for the ep as I have made demos  
    The writing process has been organic, in that I have not forced anything, but just gone into my little recording space and seen what happens.  It is working out, and I don't intend developing any of the songs beyond demo until I have decided on the ones to go on the EP.  
     
    I'm normally a record it once and put it out character.  This time I am going to redraft, rewrite, restructure and see what I can achieve.
     
    The photo is my writing and demo session yesterday.  I used the Zoom R8 as the notebook for recording, so that I didn't overthink things around production, but just captured the raw elements in some kind of  arrangement.

  3. The Germ of an Idea

    By Gazebo ,

    I was on a sunbed.
     
    The sun was beating down, and I was thinking about how much I love writing, playing and recording music, but that nothing happened with it.
     
    I have been here at Songstuff for a long while.  I'm not much of an activist -  a part time lurker really, but I started thinking it might be tome for a change.
     
    I wanted to set some rules, some targets and objectives and to see how I can do better than I have before.  Here's what I'm thinking:
    Create a brand new musical vehicle, with a new "band" name.  (The band is really likely to be me, possibly with some collaboration and support). Write and record an EP, 6 tracks maximum, with a unified sound Release before the end of the year - Bandcamp, Soundcloud and maybe look at Spotifiy etc via Distrokid, CDBaby or similar Proper videos for two of the songs, maybe lyric and static image videos for the others on a band specific Youtube channel Social media marketing campaign (I have just shut my Twitter account, but I think Instagram is better for music anyway.  Twitter seems to have become a place to shout at other people)  Aim to at least double the number of listens and downloads achieved on my best previous online release "Prime", which goes back to 2014.  (Currently standing at total plays 394, 18 sales/ downloads - not the highest bar to be honest, but that's the benchmark).  
    RULES
    All songs must be new - no old rewrites No new equipment - this is not a GAS exercise, but a creative one. Choose some base sounds (amps, guitars, keys etc) and stick with them to produce a homogenous sounding EP.  No concerns about adding some unusual sounds, but the base should be recognisable. Artwork can be outsourced - not my area of expertise.  
     
     
     
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