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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 28 2015, 01:59 PM

We are always talking about technique, scales, guitar goals, practice plans, improvisation, composition, but now I'd like to talk about your plans regarding realizing your own music.

By "realizing" I mean completing these steps:

- Composing
- Arranging
- Recording
- Mixing/Mastering
- Publishing (Youtube channel, Bandcamp, Spotify or physical copies)

I've said many times that we don't have to wait until we are advanced players to start creating and releasing our own music, and also that having real music projects is the best way to keep motivating and growing as musician.

What are you thoughts about this? What's your plan regarding this topic? Is there any new stuff coming?

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 28 2015, 08:49 PM

Nice thread Gab,
I thought about building on the tune below and publishing it after Chris S said he listens to it when he gets in from work as it relaxes him. I thought it might help people with insomnia.
I also thought about releasing an "EP" with my creativity workshop tracks on. I was thinking of calling it "GMC. Creative Times" or similar.
Never got the time to work on it though.
https://soundcloud.com/gmcphil-1/cw-1

Cheers

Posted by: bleez Sep 28 2015, 10:20 PM

I really like trying to write riffs and songs. Ive not done it for a while though. In the future when Im a bit better at playing I would like to maybe hook up with some other folks and do some original material. It would be interesting to see where that goes

I recorded these a while ago now and its a rough mix just straight from reaper but they are a couple of pieces that I quite like.
The first is just an idea of an intro / verse / chorus type ( not a full song )
https://soundcloud.com/bleez666/proggish2

This was a complete song I thought had a bit of potential. Rough as hell mix Its a stoner rock - truckfighters meets hawkwind kinda vibe -
https://soundcloud.com/bleez666/stoner2

Posted by: Rammikin Sep 28 2015, 11:01 PM

I couldn't agree more. I paid a modest one-time fee to cdbaby and now I have an album on Spotify and iTunes. Working towards completion of a published album is an excellent goal to to strive for.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 28 2015, 11:25 PM

Small world! I emailed Kris Dahl and asked him if he'd mind if I did the same thing

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 29 2015, 02:31 PM

Hi Phil! Let me say that this is a brilliant idea and that you should definitely go for it!! Let's discuss about how to release it. Are you planning on using youtube? bandcamp? spotify? itunes? everything?

I can help you with this.

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 29 2015, 02:34 PM

I had only thought about iTunes really but I don't get the time to make it better as well as my practise. It's sitting on the back burner in my head though.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 29 2015, 02:39 PM

Beautiful stuff mate! Both the first idea and the complete song sound really good, very professional, and could be part of a same album. Maybe an instrumental EP? Have you tried singing over these ones?




Share it with us!




dedicate 2 hours per week to this.... maybe 1 hour one day and one hour another day. You should:

- Polish the compositions.
- Polish mixing.
- Get into the online distribution world. Check these sites: http://www.cdbaby.com/ http://www.tunecore.com/






This would be great!!

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 29 2015, 02:47 PM

Cheers Gab,
Maybe a weekend project. I thought of recording the track I shared above again, making it longer and looping it for thirty minutes purely as a sleep/relaxation thing.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 29 2015, 02:58 PM

That's a good idea for a youtube video.

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 29 2015, 03:03 PM

If it was to help people drift of to sleep it would need to be a wav or mp3. I was going to test it on my mom as she struggles sleeping. I'd have to put it on a cd for her. 76 years old and no Internet

Posted by: bleez Sep 30 2015, 06:23 AM

thanks Gab I'd like to get some vocals on them. Im not sure Im up to it personally, but maybe in the not too distant future I'll find someone who is up for it.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 30 2015, 02:19 PM

Well, I noticed that there are many youtube videos for this purpose, and also for meditation which has lots of views, so maybe uploading it to youtube and sharing a download link in the description would be a good idea.






Keep on polishing the songs and composing. The more you progress with this project, the easier will be to find people who want to join.

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 30 2015, 03:40 PM

Good idea Gab, I didn't think of that

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 1 2015, 03:04 PM

Go for it!

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 1 2015, 03:15 PM

I'm seriously considering it mate. I guess there's nothing to lose eh?
Cheers buddy.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 1 2015, 03:18 PM

That's the question that you always have to do yourself when you are not sure to do something... what am I losing by trying? What's the risk?
Most of the times, there are no negative risks...

Posted by: yoncopin Oct 2 2015, 02:46 PM

This is really what I want to be doing, but am completely stuck. I am doing exactly what you said, waiting to be a better musician, and as a result I get exactly nowhere with my own music and actually being creative. I don't know how to proceed with writing my own music at all, I always want to but never actually get anywhere. I don't know where to even begin, it's very frustrating and does hurt the motivation.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 2 2015, 02:49 PM

Do you have an idea on musical direction of your music?

Posted by: yoncopin Oct 2 2015, 02:54 PM

Like genre? I mostly like blues-based classic rock, stoner and thrash metal, but many more too including various forms of electronic music. is that what you mean?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 2 2015, 03:02 PM

yes! that's what I mean. I feel that having an image on the structure of your first EP/album could be a good starting point.

Instrumental or with lyrics?

Posted by: yoncopin Oct 2 2015, 03:04 PM

I think just instrumental, lyrics and vocals would be an entirely new skill to learn from scratch. I don't have the confidence, time or interest to pursue them right now.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 2 2015, 05:04 PM

And do you have any ideas composed?

PS: this is becoming and interview.. hahaha

Posted by: yoncopin Oct 2 2015, 05:38 PM

No not really, that's where I start to stumble. Maybe a couple, but they're the kind of comfortable riffs you play over and over when you start noodling and aren't really staying focused on your practice. In all my years of playing, I've never succeeded in writing a complete song or even really stringing two parts together well. I riff, then layer and repeat and nothing goes anywhere further. I really want to develop this skill, but despite all the books and tutorials I absorb, I just can't get the ball rolling.

I don't want to derail this whole thread, just talking about myself, we can continue this in http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=53529&st=40 if you'd prefer. I really want to do this, I just need to be shown the way. I'd REALLY appreciate some guidance because this is where I want my guitar playing to lead.

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 2 2015, 08:05 PM

I'm exactly the same Brian. I come up with a chord progression I like and don't know if the chords theoretically go together or not but I like them, then I don't know what to play over them.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 3 2015, 07:55 PM

Ok, I think that it's a good idea to continue there! I can definitely help you to complete your own songs. There are no secrets, there are effective methods and as everything, requires practice.