Tag Archives: creatives

Terra

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I am happy to report that we have begun work on a new album, Terra. Initially, we felt rather ambitious to try to release something within two years after releasing Winter. The Winter project was much larger than we planned and consumed more time than we imagined. However, it is difficult to keep creativity at bay and when you have a story to share, you do your best to share it.

I do not want to reveal much about Terra, but we are hoping to share a fantastic story with all of you. The music and lyrics are complete and the arrangements have been created. Now each member of the band gets to add their parts and the overall sound and delivery of the story.

We began recording drums and bass in April and May. I had an unrealistic plan of holding four recording sessions and tracking three songs each session. Surprisingly, Mikey and Joel rose to the occasion and completed their work in that timeline. I even finished editing and mixing the drums and bass for the songs as well.

As I planned for the recording sessions, I realized when creating an album, each instrumentalist has an opportunity to impart their own emotions and vision into the song. I do not tell them what I want, nor do I provide any guidance. This allows them flexibility and creativity when creating their parts. I find that it brings out the best in their performances and that we end up with something that is unexpected, surprising, and wonderful.

However, for Mars, our backup vocalist, this is not necessarily the case. For Winter, all the backup tracks were already written by me. We were on a tight timeline, and I wanted to provide her with enough guidance so that we could finish the recordings quickly. Aside from her own interpretation and performance of the material, Mars did not have as much creative input as the others.

For Terra, Mars has two solos and one duet with me. I decided that Mars should lead the production and recording sessions for the three songs. I gave her the freedom to add her own perspective and guide Mikey and Joel. The process was strained at first, but as she grew comfortable with her role, the results were exciting for all of us. She was able to share her vision for the three songs, which was to create a different sound space and texture than my songs. This was an opportunity for Mars to add her own personality and her own creative input to the material.

We now begin recording Sergio on guitar and Nadia on keyboards. I left more space in the arrangements so that Sergio and Nadia could have more freedom when creating their parts. I will also give control to Mars when it comes time to track her songs.

As we move forward with the production of this album, I hope to be better at posting updates and sharing insights with you. I have grown more comfortable releasing control of the process and letting others share their ideas. This has opened new sounds and emotions that I did not expect.

Sharing creativity with others is worth the risk.

Creative Compulsion

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All creatives strive to make a living from their work.

I am often asked why I continue to write, record, and produce music. I am reminded of odds of being “discovered” and that I am losing time and money by continuing to create. It is true that I do not turn a profit from each album I produce, let alone break even. In every case, the amount of time, energy, and money is never recuperated.

Creatives are compelled to tell stories, paint pictures, capture images, sing songs. We are compelled to share them with everyone. We often feel that our work goes unnoticed and unheard. Yet we continue to produce our work.

The album Winter was scheduled for a 2021 release. The pandemic delayed the production of the album for nearly three years. I grew restless waiting for the day we could start producing the album. Events in my life increased the urgency to release this album and share the story with others. I needed to tell this story.

In February of this year, I had the chance to share the story in a live performance. The work required to perform the album live was greater than effort and time it took to record it. All the members of the band sacrificed significant parts of their lives to present the album.

This was not about fame or profit. It was about telling a story that was important to each of us.

Emails arrived days after the show. Some thanked me for helping them make sense of all the feelings they experienced after a recent loss. Others were less alone knowing that someone else felt the same way they felt after a loss. One individual said they were finally able to let go of a lost one.

We create because we are compelled to share.

musicians on stage with dancers on platforms

Idle Thoughts

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It is often interesting to me that whenever I try to write, not much writing happens. However, the moments I am not trying to write is often when the writing begins. Hence the title of my post.

As creators we often get wrapped up in the business of the craft; we have to create our products.

What is difficult for me is that I create albums. I do not set out to create one song after another, I begin with a concept for an album and build the songs around the concept. Historically, when I complete an album, I begin writing a new one. The problem is that the next album is written. We even began to have rehearsals to prepare for the recording sessions a year ago. But then our realities were abruptly altered.

And so, I am in a holding pattern. Until the album is recorded and released, it is not really finished. At least not in my mind.

I do have a lot of content, however. Content from previous albums that need to be heard. I even have concert footage from the past two album releases that I need to finish uploading. There is work to be done; it just is not as exciting as writing songs.

Over the new few weeks, I will be updating my YouTube channel to include all the footage from the album release concerts for Entropy and Singularity. I also have a handful of random sketches of music that have not found a home yet.

Maybe creativity arrives in that sliver of a moment between being active and idle.

If we try too hard, perhaps we miss the moment. If we do not try, perhaps the moment never shows up.

I will let know what happens.

In the meantime, here is a sketch.

Interruptions