An Hour A Day…

So, I know I need to do break the back of this unproductive period I’m going through. I’ve been calling it “writer’s block” because, well, because that’s easily understood and as most of my friends are artists in some medium or another, it’s simple for them to empathise and leave it at that.

But, the reality is that I am writing plenty. As I’ve said before, every time I play, I’m writing, even if it’s only an riff or a 4-bar chord sequence. Even when I’m not playing, I’m hearing music in my head and if it’s not the latest earworm, it’s either totally new music or a development of something I’ve been playing recently. I am writing! I’m not blocked.

What I am is unfocused, and, dare I say it, lazy. I’m very lucky to be in a position where I don’t need to work too hard to survive. There’s money coming in, and we decided some years back that the best way to be happy was to live within one’s means, so we took the first step in reducing our costs when we moved to Barcelona six years ago, and Granada, where we’ve been for 18 months now, is cheaper still. Sure, I could spend more money if I had it, but I don’t need it and I’d much rather have the free time than be beholden to some job or other.

So it all makes perfect sense – I’m writing, because I have the free time to play, but I’m not recording because I have no real need to.

But still, I love music, and you always want to share what you love. I have no interest in being famous, through my music or otherwise, but if it makes a few people happy then that’s cool with me. And in order for that to happen, people need to hear it. I no longer perform, so when it comes down to it, the only way it can happen is if I record what I’m writing and get it out there. The ‘Net makes it all so much easier nowadays, so it’s simple – record, release, let the people I care about know and see if it spreads.

I do need to record!

So, I’ve set myself the goal of focusing for just one hour a day, to record, mix, edit or otherwise produce some music in a tangible form. I can obviously spend more time, but I’m going to try real hard to not spend any less than one hour each and every day. I’m not setting deadlines to produce any completed tracks – just that I’ll work towards completing things, somewhen. And I don’t guarantee to write up each and every day here, either, though I’m going to try not to let it be whole months between updates again!

Today though, I spent my hour (and then a little more) adding the next section of the guitar work to the recording of “D-D-Droned” I made yesterday, so it’s now the full riff in electric form as played originally on the Taylor. And, as an act of good faith, here it is for you to (hopefully) enjoy!