Off the Record: March Edition

Will I be proud of this record twenty years from now?

In today’s immediacy culture, that’s a question worth asking.

It’s a hard record to make, I’ll give you that. It’s also the most rewarding one you’ll ever create.

During its golden age, pop music was produced with big teams, large studios, and huge budgets. Our post-COVID world relies on the opposite formula: small teams, smaller studios, and even smaller budgets.

While nothing will change overnight, it is worth it to learn from the way these cats used to work. They performed together. They tried bold arrangement moves. They listened to each other. They played just the right part.

It’s harder to do nowadays. Especially since most of the time, you’re only playing with yourself (pun intended). Joking aside, the loneliness epidemic is real. And it even affects the way we produce music.

Of course you need to keep an eye on the budget. We all need to pay rent. But always consider the impact an additional musician could have on your song.

We also used to put out records fast. A hell of a lot faster than anything produced today.

Let’s bring back the immediacy. Capture a moment. Make a record now. And for Pete’s sake, stop trying to make it so perfect.

Release it, as soon as you can. It’s pretty exciting dropping a record you’re still passionate about. Quite different from promoting one you’ve been polishing for years.
Nobody said you have to spend three years on an EP. Build up a body of work. Aim for four a year. And fail miserably.

I guarantee you’ll get much better, much faster. Oh, and you’ll have a ton of fun on the way.

But then again, what do I know...

Fare Thee Well

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