Well, I thought it might be interesting to write down, how my album work during the process comes along. As to inform you, I'm doin' it all by myself, so the procedure is 10 or more times difficult, and the time frame even longer than usual.
I haven't also mentioned yet, that I am planning to release it all by myself too.. tough huh? But let me talk about that later, when I'm done with the album, cuz I've learned to do things step by step, meaning one at a time (I use to do a lot of things at the same time).
Now I'm pretty sure you would think first, that it's impossible... really? Well that exactly IS the challenge for me. I'm not informed if anyone have done anything like this yet, I mean really doing everything - ALONE.
So mainly, I am playing how many roles? Let's see... producer, songwriter/composer, singer, back-up singer, arranger, album director, pre-master engineer, coffee maker and so on...
The Pros:
- I don't need to ask or wait for anyone or anything
- I don't have to depend on anyone
- I don't have anyone rushin' on me or pressuring me
- Total control
- I have all the rights, thus points
- I have all the creative freedom
- It's only me, I have to blame if things turn out bad
- I'm sure none of the songs would "leak" before the release
- I don't have to deal with any guys who would want something else from me, aside from working with me
- I don't have to trust anyone, believing our collaboration would always be in good terms
- I don't have to make the effort of motivating anyone, just to be able to proceed
- I don't have to pay anyone or get charged for studio time (except for the final master of course)
- No one bugging me / stressing me out
The Cons:
- Phases of "creativity at zero point"
- No input during the procedure/no other ears who could hear out some fine tunings
- I have to come up with all the costs
- Working a 9-5 job to cover up all the costs
- Less time for music because of the 9-5 job
- Constant self-motivation
- Procedure takes much longer than usual
- Constant learning by doing
- Isolation (you can bet your ass that I will NEVER answer the phone when I'm busy working on a track, even if you're the king of Timbuktu or whoever..)
- No time for other things in life
Phase 1
I started working on my debut album since... hmm let me think... 2005. Since I have just started producing in 2003, I first produced/composed/wrote several songs starting that time. I was very obsessed. This obsession led me into producing around more or less, 40 tracks (collaborations not counted). But I have to experience, that choosing the tracks for the album is one of the most difficult tasks, cuz it's suppose to be a concept album. The first tracks I have chosen by the end of 2004, didn't convince me anymore later on.
Being in the situation of learning and getting better through each track I produce (especially the mixing, which kills me at times), the euphoria I had when working on several tracks, wasn't the same anymore when I listened to them later.
I still have to distance myself a lot from my tracks now and then, to get a more objective opinion, when working on them, cuz there are no other ears listening to them, aside from mines. Well of course I got friends. Now when I say "friends", I mean people I would trust with my life, so associates aren't counted. But I don't count on my friends' opinions regarding my music, cuz they have no idea about the type of music I'm doin'.
First of all, they are much older than me (learn from the wise, I say), cuz I can't/don't hang out much with younger people or even people at my age (too exhausting). Secondly, if I want some opinion about the tracks I produce mainly soulmusic, then I have to ask someone, who is also a soulmusic consumer as well. And that's another thing, cuz I don't mean mainstream music (R&B Pop), or the shit you hear on the radio on heavy rotation. My music is not meant for the mainstream, so I don't mind if mainstream consumers wouldn't like it - I will be honored if that would be the case.
At this moment, I have chosen 12 songs plus a bonus hidden track. Now I won't be exposing the tracklisting yet, cuz I'm sure it will still change later on. I actually was having some difficulties to start off with the track order, cuz I wanted to start off with an intro and to create some interludes in between. Well I'm not very skilled in creating intros yet, but when I finally had the intro and interludes, I got my motivation back and started with the track order.
Since then, I've been workin' on each track, changing this and that, arranging the instruments, recording some vocals over again, if I didn't like certain takes. I'd be doin' some rough mixes, be downloading them to my mp3 player, to listen to the sound and to check all other aspects regarding the arrangement, mix, instruments, vocals etc. Then I do a check list and go over it again. It really is a hell lot of work and I sometimes can't listen to my songs or even my voice anymore. The tracks are somehow already "old" for me, like "oh the oldies! Man I felt this and that when I used to listen to this and that song!" LOL!
Sometimes I even change a whole track completely - the vibe, bpm, beat, the feel and even the vocal melody. That's when I come up with remixes of my own stuff. Like I'll do a jazz version of a soul track etc. I know I'm crazy... it's hard to understand what's goin' on in my head sometimes. But one of my weaknesses is that, I can get so easily bored with anything. That's why, a track has to fully catch me somehow, to get me goin' on with it. So far, each track I've chosen kinda got its own "personality", so I really would be so eager to know, how people would like the album later on.
My debut album will be a personal one, as it usually is for each artist. It would be a kind of introduction of "who the fuck Can'Tell is". A sad album though I think... but hopefully not cheesy, cuz I'm avoiding that by all means. LOL!
More to come... so stay tuned!
Yours truly,
Can'Tell
I haven't also mentioned yet, that I am planning to release it all by myself too.. tough huh? But let me talk about that later, when I'm done with the album, cuz I've learned to do things step by step, meaning one at a time (I use to do a lot of things at the same time).
Now I'm pretty sure you would think first, that it's impossible... really? Well that exactly IS the challenge for me. I'm not informed if anyone have done anything like this yet, I mean really doing everything - ALONE.
So mainly, I am playing how many roles? Let's see... producer, songwriter/composer, singer, back-up singer, arranger, album director, pre-master engineer, coffee maker and so on...
The Pros:
- I don't need to ask or wait for anyone or anything
- I don't have to depend on anyone
- I don't have anyone rushin' on me or pressuring me
- Total control
- I have all the rights, thus points
- I have all the creative freedom
- It's only me, I have to blame if things turn out bad
- I'm sure none of the songs would "leak" before the release
- I don't have to deal with any guys who would want something else from me, aside from working with me
- I don't have to trust anyone, believing our collaboration would always be in good terms
- I don't have to make the effort of motivating anyone, just to be able to proceed
- I don't have to pay anyone or get charged for studio time (except for the final master of course)
- No one bugging me / stressing me out
The Cons:
- Phases of "creativity at zero point"
- No input during the procedure/no other ears who could hear out some fine tunings
- I have to come up with all the costs
- Working a 9-5 job to cover up all the costs
- Less time for music because of the 9-5 job
- Constant self-motivation
- Procedure takes much longer than usual
- Constant learning by doing
- Isolation (you can bet your ass that I will NEVER answer the phone when I'm busy working on a track, even if you're the king of Timbuktu or whoever..)
- No time for other things in life
Phase 1
I started working on my debut album since... hmm let me think... 2005. Since I have just started producing in 2003, I first produced/composed/wrote several songs starting that time. I was very obsessed. This obsession led me into producing around more or less, 40 tracks (collaborations not counted). But I have to experience, that choosing the tracks for the album is one of the most difficult tasks, cuz it's suppose to be a concept album. The first tracks I have chosen by the end of 2004, didn't convince me anymore later on.
Being in the situation of learning and getting better through each track I produce (especially the mixing, which kills me at times), the euphoria I had when working on several tracks, wasn't the same anymore when I listened to them later.
When I produce a track, I already get the feel for it, if it's an album track or an "internet" track (check tracks on www.cantell-music.com and www.myspace.com). The internet tracks are mostly the ones I produce on the side, just to deflect me from the tracks I'm seriously workin' on. That's why I vary the styles I do, to avoid a "sound a like" of tracks.
I still have to distance myself a lot from my tracks now and then, to get a more objective opinion, when working on them, cuz there are no other ears listening to them, aside from mines. Well of course I got friends. Now when I say "friends", I mean people I would trust with my life, so associates aren't counted. But I don't count on my friends' opinions regarding my music, cuz they have no idea about the type of music I'm doin'.
First of all, they are much older than me (learn from the wise, I say), cuz I can't/don't hang out much with younger people or even people at my age (too exhausting). Secondly, if I want some opinion about the tracks I produce mainly soulmusic, then I have to ask someone, who is also a soulmusic consumer as well. And that's another thing, cuz I don't mean mainstream music (R&B Pop), or the shit you hear on the radio on heavy rotation. My music is not meant for the mainstream, so I don't mind if mainstream consumers wouldn't like it - I will be honored if that would be the case.
At this moment, I have chosen 12 songs plus a bonus hidden track. Now I won't be exposing the tracklisting yet, cuz I'm sure it will still change later on. I actually was having some difficulties to start off with the track order, cuz I wanted to start off with an intro and to create some interludes in between. Well I'm not very skilled in creating intros yet, but when I finally had the intro and interludes, I got my motivation back and started with the track order.
Since then, I've been workin' on each track, changing this and that, arranging the instruments, recording some vocals over again, if I didn't like certain takes. I'd be doin' some rough mixes, be downloading them to my mp3 player, to listen to the sound and to check all other aspects regarding the arrangement, mix, instruments, vocals etc. Then I do a check list and go over it again. It really is a hell lot of work and I sometimes can't listen to my songs or even my voice anymore. The tracks are somehow already "old" for me, like "oh the oldies! Man I felt this and that when I used to listen to this and that song!" LOL!
Sometimes I even change a whole track completely - the vibe, bpm, beat, the feel and even the vocal melody. That's when I come up with remixes of my own stuff. Like I'll do a jazz version of a soul track etc. I know I'm crazy... it's hard to understand what's goin' on in my head sometimes. But one of my weaknesses is that, I can get so easily bored with anything. That's why, a track has to fully catch me somehow, to get me goin' on with it. So far, each track I've chosen kinda got its own "personality", so I really would be so eager to know, how people would like the album later on.
My debut album will be a personal one, as it usually is for each artist. It would be a kind of introduction of "who the fuck Can'Tell is". A sad album though I think... but hopefully not cheesy, cuz I'm avoiding that by all means. LOL!
More to come... so stay tuned!
Yours truly,
Can'Tell
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