I Sold Everything!

[derekeverett]

Well almost everything....

 

In recent years I've noticed that I've become more and more entrenched with recording. Home recording gear got cheaper and cheaper, and computers/software cheaper and better every year. 

 

I'm creeping up on 40 now.. and when I was a teenager I wanted nothing more than to record. I got into a studio a couple times, and even took a big recording engineering course sometime around 1993. I thought I loved the technical aspect of recording. Maybe I did then... hard to remember clearly now.

 

Anyway, as the years progressed I got more and more into songwriting. I began to see recording (and becoming proficient with an instrument for that matter) as more of a means to an end. Fast forward 15 years and it seems only natural that I would start with the home studio now that everything required is so plentiful and affordable.

 

This all seems wonderful in a vacuum. Problem is, I've been noticing more and more that I'm a guy with a bunch of gear in his living room, watching Youtube videos about recording, that isn't writing anymore. At least not writing even a fraction as much as I used to. When I look at it honestly, it's been 5 years since I've been anything close to prolific as a writer. 

 

Lately I've been noticing that I'm still "trying to get the song/recording right" on songs I've been working on for 10+ years. I have songs I wrote in 2008/2009 that I still refer to as "the new ones". All this has been leaving a bit of a foul taste in my mouth.

 

After much thought on the matter (and honestly a couple of sleepless nights), I've reached some decisions. I don't want to be a recording engineer, not even at an amateur home project level. I don't want to invest money or especially time with that stuff anymore. I understand many people find recording to be a creative outlet in itself, but I'm not one of them. I want to write songs.

 

So to that end, I've spent this past 3 days selling most of my gear. My Monitors are now gone. My interfaces are gone. All my "professional" mics, and stands are gone. My MIDI controllers are gone. I even sold my bass because I don't use it for writing and I don't plan on doing any Dee-Dee Ramone impressions anytime soon.

 

The new Mac Os X came out last week and I did a fresh install on my computer. I'm not putting Logic Pro back on my system. Not installing any of my plug-ins either.

 

I kept my acoustic guitar. I plugged an old pair of computer speakers in, and I have a USB table top condenser mic designed for vloggers on the desk. Software? Garageband will do just fine.

 

I'm making a fresh start as a songwriter again.

 

I wanted to post this here partly as a cathartic measure, and partly to get the thoughts of some others. Anybody else feel bogged down by recording?

 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy to play with others, and would like very much to record again one day soon, I just don't want to be the guy in the engineering role of it anymore. Back to the old school ways for me. We'll rehearse hard, then pay someone who does love it to set up the mics and hit the record button. From this point forward, Mixing for me will be the act of pouring 7-up into a glass of Southern Comfort.

 

I do feel better for typing this out. I suddenly have a little extra cash in the pocket as well. Think I'll order a pizza for supper... 

[midnighthowler]

Dereck .... it takes balls to stop and reflect on your life and music , decide what's really important , and make changes ..... most people are too afraid of change ...... I haven't even heard your songs or know where you live, but I think you might have that certain passion that some songwriters have .... in Nashville Tennessee there's hundreds or thousands of songwriters that have given up everything ... jobs, homes, friends and family to move HERE to chase our dreams .... perhaps you have taken that first step and don't even realize it yet .... I'm proud to be one of the ones that gave up everything to come here ,and im pround to be a member of that club of loosers, its the best decision I've ever made .... sounds like you are standing on the bridge throwing over all the bags , and trying to decide to take a deep breath and jump ....... you have made it farther than most people make it already ... congratulations my friend .... best of luck

[Just1L]

I think it's a great idea. There aren't too many artists out there in the charts that write, arrange, perform, mix and master everything themselves to an indistinguishable level with the professionals. I use Garageband and while my recordings aren't the best, the software is more than adequate to get a relatively good version of your tune out of your head. 

Edited November 5, 2013 by Just1L

[derekeverett]

I think it's a great idea. There aren't too many artists out there in the charts that write, arrange, perform, mix and master everything themselves to an indistinguishable level with the professionals. I use Garageband and while my recordings aren't the best, the software is more than adequate to get a relatively good version of your tune out of your head. 

 

Thanks for the encouragement, appreciated. 

 

The saying "Jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind. I don't know what it is about the human condition that we want to take over and control so much. I am learning quickly that spreading yourself to thin is very harmful to the creative process... even if you are skilled at many things. And frankly I'm not skilled in many things. I've sort of become half-assed at a bunch of things instead of excelling in one or two areas. Back to where my true passion lays....

[derekeverett]

Dereck .... it takes balls to stop and reflect on your life and music , decide what's really important , and make changes ..... most people are too afraid of change ...... I haven't even heard your songs or know where you live, but I think you might have that certain passion that some songwriters have .... in Nashville Tennessee there's hundreds or thousands of songwriters that have given up everything ... jobs, homes, friends and family to move HERE to chase our dreams .... perhaps you have taken that first step and don't even realize it yet .... I'm proud to be one of the ones that gave up everything to come here ,and im pround to be a member of that club of loosers, its the best decision I've ever made .... sounds like you are standing on the bridge throwing over all the bags , and trying to decide to take a deep breath and jump ....... you have made it farther than most people make it already ... congratulations my friend .... best of luck

 

 

Very cool... I'm cheering for you for sure!

 

I was thinking the other day, not even about music actually.. it was a small business related thought.. about how to truly become successful on the next level you have to take risks. Big ones usually. There is a difference between big and stupid often though. Tough to know the difference sometimes I would think.

 

I don't think my heart would let me put songwriting as my #1 priority anymore. Kids have a way of changing your bucket list. But I agree with your sentiment and appreciate your kind words!

[midnighthowler]

I think you are always right to follow your heart ....... and you sound like a sensible man .......... on a side note, I also think THAT is the major reason that very very very few songs on the country radio are any good at all ...... they are written more with commercial appeal and mass produced by staff writers sitting in a room for 4 hrs trying to write hits from a financial perspective , and not from the heart ...... I guess I should for full discloser , admit that I am a nobody to save some people the trouble of responding about how great the songs on the radio are, and I'm just jelouse ...... the thing is , THIS is my opinion and I believe that everyone is entitled to that ..... getting back to your post , I'm probably as old as most of the older geezers on here , and I have been in the same position you are ..... so I understand how hard it is to jump of the songwriting bridge and leave everything behind and chase a dream .... I think that when its time to make the jump you will know it, and have no other choice .... I will reveal a very personal story that maybe I shouldn't, but your post brought back my own struggles with the same issue .... I wrote songs most of my life and wanted to move to Nashville ...but I couldn't .,I was buying a boat I lived on , I had a mom and dad still alive , I had found the love of my life .....had a job I hated for 15 yrs ... .... I wanted to move to Nashville but didn't have the guts to quit my job, leave my familiar surroundings and family .... the boat , and above all place the love of my life in jeapordy financially etc ...... one day I woke up and in the last 3 yes , I had been killed in a car wreck and brought back to life ...... the love of my life died of cancer and I found out that god won't let you trade places no matter how much you pray and cry .. my mom died first...... then a year later my dad finally drank himself to death .... the company I worked for was in bankruptcy and the us government stole my pension because I was 41 days short of 30 yrs by then .(almost 400 thousand)..... I had to sell the boat and house for money owed ......... that was what it took to get ME to move to Nashville and chase my dream ....... I woke up one day and said ALL my excuses for not moving were gone ....... I figured I could starve to death in Nashville as easy as where I was ........ I didn't really want to post all this here for the world to see , BUT I don't know a better way to make someone understand that I know how hard the decision to chase a dream can be ... how long it can take .... and sometimes what you have to give up or loose to finally get the balls to do it ..... so when and IF your ever ready, I think you will know it ..... I'd say if your debating it your prob not ready ... but you can keep writing and studying and becoming better at songwriting just in case ......... if I could change one thing , I would have came here to starve to death as a songwriter at 18 yes old ............. I do apologize for posting this personal stuff ....didn't want to make this post about ME ...... but I thinking that there must be thousands of songwriters out there in the same position , wanting to chase their dream and in doubt ...... this is one mans path ........ maybe it will help somebody in some way. ..... Midnight Howler

[Gazebo]

Process often seems to take over. I have done the same spending hours researching plug ins to get a "sound" when what I really needed was a song.

I have just finished doing some recording and have realised that with the exception of an amp sim that I am fond of everything else could have been done with the pre loaded VST's in my DAW.

Lets chase simplicity and inspiration!

[musicthom]

I am 100% with you on this bro I have been writing for a long time however I have never had the time or the inclination to be a sound guy or a techy guy I will stick to what I like doing best and that's writing.
 

So much time is spent trying to get an insight into how all the techy stuff works that the music gets lost so I pay a producer to do all that and I enjoy recording.

 

[Ryan Halsey]

I really admire you for deciding to focus purely on songwriting, its a bold step but im sure your brain will thank you for being able to focus rather than have the distraction of engineering if you feel its what you want to do!

 

I am regularly changing the "hat" i wear from teaching, gigging, recording drums and also writing material. I quite enjoy the fact it always keeps things fresh but it can be hard to really separate them allowing me to really focus on what will benefit me most at the time.

 

Hope it works out well for you

 

Ryan

[JA Trondson]

I've wondered this very thing about people I've known and worked with in the past. It always seemed like they were attempting to pay for the equipment they bought to professionally record themselves, and recording other artists in the mean time to do so (which consumed all of their time). Not that I'm assuming this is your exact situation, but whenever the topic would come up on what someone was working on currently, the ones who were in this boat seemed to always shy away from conversation. And this gives me a bit of perspective too, as far as what I need to concentrate on. Great post, and it takes some strength to become introspective enough to change one's approach.

-J

Edited December 2, 2013 by JA Trondson

[derekeverett]

Thanks everyone for your input and responses.

 

This one simple decision ended up having consequences more far reaching than I intended.

 

I inspired myself to refocus on several other areas of my life as well. I think it's been a great decision, but it's kept me busy this last month. So I haven't gotten any writing done. Despite focusing on writing being the first decsion I made!

 

I am going to spend some time in December reviewing some theory & harmony type stuff. Will be writing by the new year again. I'll be posting here more at that time I'm sure.

[Alistair]

Great thread. I feel the same though I never got into the recording technology thing in the first place. I never got beyond mixing on Cakewalk and I wasn't very good at that. I found it hard work to split my attention between writing, playing and producing. I have a good friend (Nick, Songstuff member) who is good at it and enjoys it but he has his own projects.

 

Writing, playing and producing. Perhaps we should talk about playing too. The recording process can become a quest for perfection and a process which takes the performer away from the performance. Multi-tracking. punching-in edits, overdubs and so on have very little to do with actually performing the song and playing it well. So these days I'm just finding it easier to record into a digital recorder, live, warts and all. You soon learn how to play and perform again that way without the safety net of auto-tune or the facility of stitiching together the best parts of various takes You reconnect with how good you are and how good you can be.

 

I'm not denigrating good production and recording or those who enjoy doing it that way. It's just not what I am good at.