|
Artist Night
|
10/10/2009 6:50 PM
|
Category: Music
I had the pleasure of taking part in the 2nd (I think) incarnation of Artist Night at Aaron Ivey's house last night. It consists of artists from a wide variety of mediums - song, poetry, photography, etc. getting together and sharing their craft.
It was a blessing to be a part of and see how different people use their gifts. Most played a song or two, each sharing as much or as little about their music as they wish. There were straight up worship songs, singer/songwriter songs, indie rock songs, and any/every-thing in that vein. There were some new to the craft and some who had been doing it for years and years. The idea is that you can share what you want to share without criticism or judgement.
As a songwriter you often find yourself inside for a long period of time. Writing a record, I may not set foot outside or really even speak to anybody else for a week. You sort of get trapped in the cycle of trying to finish a song, and 90% in, you get struck by a new idea and follow that tangent for awhile. Sometimes you don't finish that first song. But sometimes it takes that first throwaway song to inspire the really great stuff.
So it was nice to sort of affirm for myself that other writers struggle with the same things and are constantly unsure of their material. One of the biggest questions I've always maintained as I write songs is "When is it done?" Unlike most projects in life that have a set conclusion or a definite finality, songwriting (or any sort of art, really) is very fluid and sometimes its difficult to determine when you've reached the end of a particular piece. I built a work bench in my garage recently, and I knew that once I nailed in the plywood top and hung the pegboard, it was done. It was completely finished. Writing a song, however, is completely different because it only ever really exists as an idea anyway. You can always - even after its recorded - destruct it and build it up another way. "Do I need another verse? Do I need to remove a verse?" There's no solid answer to these questions and it ends up being almost purely instinctual, for better or worse. If it feels right then its done. But what if two different things feel right? Should be upbeat and happy or downbeat and melancholy? Both ways sound nice of their own accord, but which is right? It's almost impossible to make that decision at times.
I was happy to be amidst some other writers who struggle with the same things on their music. Sometimes it takes playing it in front of other people - even if it's just 30 people - to know which is the right way. It's amazing, actually. Sometimes, as you're singing it, you realize that that one lyric you were unsure about really doesn't work after all. It's perfectly clear as it's coming out of your mouth: "Yeah, that doesn't fit. I need to change that one." It's like anything else in life: community brings out the best in you.
I played a song called "Only Halfway" (which I've demo-ed in the "Sights" section on this site) and a brand new one called "Love". Playing them for people made me realize instantly what I like and don't like about each song, and now I can tweak them and make them better.
Finally I think I'm ready to undertake beginning a new record. I have around 50 completed songs that will be vying for 12 or so spots on a record. It's a tough process to ultimately admit that a song you worked on for months just isn't quite good enough to make the cut in the end. It's pretty humbling, but it finally means I can clear my head of these and get on to new music.
Let's begin.
It was a blessing to be a part of and see how different people use their gifts. Most played a song or two, each sharing as much or as little about their music as they wish. There were straight up worship songs, singer/songwriter songs, indie rock songs, and any/every-thing in that vein. There were some new to the craft and some who had been doing it for years and years. The idea is that you can share what you want to share without criticism or judgement.
As a songwriter you often find yourself inside for a long period of time. Writing a record, I may not set foot outside or really even speak to anybody else for a week. You sort of get trapped in the cycle of trying to finish a song, and 90% in, you get struck by a new idea and follow that tangent for awhile. Sometimes you don't finish that first song. But sometimes it takes that first throwaway song to inspire the really great stuff.
So it was nice to sort of affirm for myself that other writers struggle with the same things and are constantly unsure of their material. One of the biggest questions I've always maintained as I write songs is "When is it done?" Unlike most projects in life that have a set conclusion or a definite finality, songwriting (or any sort of art, really) is very fluid and sometimes its difficult to determine when you've reached the end of a particular piece. I built a work bench in my garage recently, and I knew that once I nailed in the plywood top and hung the pegboard, it was done. It was completely finished. Writing a song, however, is completely different because it only ever really exists as an idea anyway. You can always - even after its recorded - destruct it and build it up another way. "Do I need another verse? Do I need to remove a verse?" There's no solid answer to these questions and it ends up being almost purely instinctual, for better or worse. If it feels right then its done. But what if two different things feel right? Should be upbeat and happy or downbeat and melancholy? Both ways sound nice of their own accord, but which is right? It's almost impossible to make that decision at times.
I was happy to be amidst some other writers who struggle with the same things on their music. Sometimes it takes playing it in front of other people - even if it's just 30 people - to know which is the right way. It's amazing, actually. Sometimes, as you're singing it, you realize that that one lyric you were unsure about really doesn't work after all. It's perfectly clear as it's coming out of your mouth: "Yeah, that doesn't fit. I need to change that one." It's like anything else in life: community brings out the best in you.
I played a song called "Only Halfway" (which I've demo-ed in the "Sights" section on this site) and a brand new one called "Love". Playing them for people made me realize instantly what I like and don't like about each song, and now I can tweak them and make them better.
Finally I think I'm ready to undertake beginning a new record. I have around 50 completed songs that will be vying for 12 or so spots on a record. It's a tough process to ultimately admit that a song you worked on for months just isn't quite good enough to make the cut in the end. It's pretty humbling, but it finally means I can clear my head of these and get on to new music.
Let's begin.
