Being Deliberate

[ljweber70]

Rayzer,Your post hit home to me as well. Thanks for sharing -- Larry

[michaeldean]

Boy, this is a topic I can very much relate to...I've done a lot of things and made a lot of changes over the years to allow & encourage myself to do my music. One of the things I've done is cut back my work hours to 30/week. This has turned out to be a challenge, financially, but it allows me to show up at work at 10:00 every day, rather than 8:00. This, in turn, allows me to stay up late (~2:00am) several days a week and work in my studio while everyone else is asleep (no interuptions). I get paid by the hour, so I can't spend work time surfing the internet or writing songs (though I'd have to question that work ethic even on salary...).My wife and I have worked out a schedule where we take turns getting up with the kids and driving them to school. One of us has to be "on call" with them the night before and then gets up with them the next morning while the other one gets to stay up late and sleep in. 7:00pm to 9:00pm is our "family" time where we eat, talk, get ready for bed, and do the kids' bedtime routines. The time from 4:00pm to 7:00pm we also alternate so that I can work late 3 days a week to make my 30 hours.We divvy up the weekends as well.One might say that our schedules are pretty rigid, and one might be right, but it allows us to have creative alone time which we both need and can both count on (my wife is a writer, too. Her main creative time is during the day when the kids are in school and I'm at work).I totally understand the frustration of not being able to just go and do a recording or work out some instrumentation. I just finished building a recording studio addition on my house. It was supposed to be a 2 year project and ended up being a 6 year project, so there has been a lot of frustration. Not only the frustration of having to spend time and work on it for 3 times as long as I had hoped, but the frustration of not having a recording space for 4 years (I'd had to move out of my previous old funky one after the first 2) I can totally relate to the concept of getting "deliberate". I can see how I get easily sidetracked when I'm not "deliberate". It's so easy to just flick on the tv and, all of a sudden, 4 hours are gone into eternity!On the other hand, something I've been learning recently, too, is to respect when I need to just have some "veg" time. Sometimes I want to go out to the studio and jump into working on something and as soon as I sit down my eyelids start to get heavy. I'm learning that there are times when, as much as I might want to, I'm either too tired, too preoccupied, or too emotionally drained to be able to be creative. Those are the times when I have to just write off the evening and take the opportunity to watch those episodes of "Survivor" that are piling up on the DVR.One thing I find very helpful is to have at least one extended block of time per week that's free from interuption. For me that block is on Saturday - I get about 7 hours on Saturday to do whatever I need to do and that is usually my most fruitful time of the week. Of course, if my wife were working a normal 9-5 job that wouldn't be possible.Anyway, thanks, Rayzer, for posting an interesting topic and cracking that whip!

[gotsong]

Rayzer,You speak the truth! Thanks for the honesty. Inspiring to say the least.All the Best!James DavisCustomGuitarTracks.com');// -->james.davis@customguitartracks.com1-866-495-TRAX (8729)

[squidlips]

thanks chits, ted and rayzer for the kind thoughts. We appreciate 'em down heah.

[stansongman]

Great comments. One thing to think about is your intentions for your music. If you are a songwriter or composer, you will still be one when you are 80. I feel like sometimes there are too many people who put a time limit on their heart's desire..."I'll really devote myself to it for 2 years and see what happens". But, what if you get nothing in year one, then you get some forwards or get some other positive step forward? Then, do you quit because you don't have a #1 on Billboard? It's all about the journey. It's all about the scenery along the way, and fun! If it isn't fun, why do it? One very important thing that our family and job commitments gives us is the material we write about. So, I always view life as *part* of the songwriting process, not a barrier to it. Input is as important as the output. The most important thing I learned is that there's no deadline on creativity. Everyone's path is unique and unpredictable.As for me, I did this whole thing in reverse. I had musical training since age 6, got my degree in music, and after a few years of unsatisfying gigging, evolved into the the Software business. I spent 24 years building a great career in that industry., while my wife and I raised our family. In the meantime, I created when I had the time, and never felt guilty when I didn't. I'd go in the studio on Friday night after everyone turned in, and work until 2am. Whenever I could have "me" time I would work on it. I travelled with a guitar on business trips so I could write. On family vacations, while everyone baked on the beach and read books, I'd write lyrics. Finally, 8 years ago I started visiting Nashville when my family was a little older. I visited when I could, wrote/learned/listened . And at the end of my 8th year, a miracle occurred. My company got sold, and they wanted to thin the herd at my level. It bought me a window of opportunity. My kids were out of school and starting their lives away from home. So, I didn't look back, took the package, got an apartment in Nashville, and I now work full time as a writer/composer/musician. Still, it's a sacrifice, because my wife and I currently have long distance relationship. We shuttle back and forth to see each other, etc. No need to just jump in and sell the farm until we know where it's going to end up. But, I'm proud to say that this year I had two major label holds! Do I have an income yet? Nope. Both of those holds were passed on at the end. But, last year I had no holds. So, I'd say good progress was made! And, I'm convinced that next year will be better. The important point here is that I think it's important to do what you can do in your current situation. My intention was always to fill my wallet and soul from the same source - music. I just kept walking in that direction, and totally enjoyed the ride. Now, I get up every morning, pinch myself, walk over to the piano, and write something. Maybe in 2-3 years nothing more will happen. That's a bridge I'll cross then, and not worry about it for now...

[audiorayne]

I've seen some really inspiring things on the forum today. (I think I'm recovered from the phone salesman opera video now ... )Rayzer, I hope Michael Laskow gives you a big hug at the next Rally. After reading your post I feel like it alone was worth the price of my Taxi membership (and you don't even have to be a member to view the forums!). Ever considered writing articles on self-improvement and productivity? Anyway, you've really hit the nail on the head for a lot of us who are chipping away. Thank you. Here's my goal(s) for December 15: 1. Finish recording a song I started before the Rally but didn't finish. Submit it to at least one Taxi listing.2. Write one brand new song using the knowledge I gained at this year's Rally. I'm going to start writing the melody without any instruments (good thing to do in the shower or on the drive to work! ) - then back it up with the best possible arrangement.

[tedsingingfox]

One of the best things I did recently to allow myself more time to devote to music was FINALLY breaking my crystal meth habit. (I realize that may sound funny, but I'm actually NOT joking...it's been three years now.) Considering where my life is these days, compared to five years ago, I am truly the luckiest man on earth. Thank you, you guys. Thank you TAXI.so, December 15th, huh? 1) By then, I will have cemented at least two sponsors for the Jai Josefs Songwriting workshop that will be happening here in Feb (thanks to our one-on-one Mentor session at the rally). 2) I will have nailed my engineer down to enough studio time to begin following up on Matt's advice to make additional versions of my instrumentals, even if it means waiting until March to GET into the studio.3) I will have at least three new tunes-in-the-works to develop before Jai gets here.Fair enough? Y'all remember these, and help me stay after them.LORD HAVE MERCY, I love these boards.Ted

[arkjack]

You banged that nail with a sledgehammer..... I actually had my first shot at Nashville when I was 15.... a good friend had the contacts and got close to a cut.... that was 34 years ago..... holy s**t...... I never put down the guitar, or the blues harp , or the bass as well as dabbling with keyboards and synths.... always had some sort of recording rig be it a pair of radio shack cassette decks bouncing tracks back and forth ping pong, through realistic mics and amps.... to the Yamaha MT44...... then the 88...... Cakewalk 1.0 to 3.0 .... drifting from country and southern rock, to hard rock, classic, pop.... zing pow and cajun....... studying with great teachers every year along the way.... and like you said, I know that everyday I wake up and still find I'm breathing and have a marble or two upstairs, I'll always be a songwriter, performing musican, recording artist...... and whether Taxi gets me a ride to big time hitwriter for Nashville, or only a placement on the least popular cable show on the planet.... I;ll always be doing this.....I tried to write a "little" to do list of stuff that should be done before December 15...... I came up with 5 categories.... songwriting.... song rewriting... production..... revised productions...... and submission opps.... each category wound up with about 10 to 15 tasks or projects..... I don't know how to focus the pace.... just use the Light Brigade approach and CHARGE!!!!....... and since the wife is in the sewing room and the boy child is in the woodshop, I decided to hang out here at the office and yak on the forum....... at least until midnite when I can get the basement to myself....ArkJack

[chrisbee]

Count me in - Rayzer, this is a great post n' thread!I've just recently had to get a day-gig again. I've been living off of music (mostly composing + some touring) for 3 years, but my wife and I have gotten reeeeally tired of living so close to the edge financially, so I got a job and am back to a schedule a lot more like what you describe. I have to put your "trimming the fat" idea into practice to keep up with the demands of the libraries I write for and I've felt really overwhelmed... I like your 15th of the month idea and trying to keep each other on track. So I'm in. I will set up a plan for what I will accomplish by 12/15 and post tomorrow.Thanks for the inspiration - more than I can saycb

[tedsingingfox]

Cool. And btw, chrisbee, forgive me for confusing you with another Chris I met at the Rally. But for all I know, you really might be a doll...and I swear, that's in a totally platonic sense I'm talking about. Ted