Up to now my process works like this (for the most part):
1. start messing with an instrument by playing a bunch of notes
2. repeat
3. if something seems catchy, keep working; if not, start a new track
This repeats until I either feel I have something or I just stop altogether. So for the past 20 days I've done this at least three times a week, walking away from every "session." This is when things get really frustrating because nothing is taking. You start trying different things like closing your eyes while playing a streaming conciousness set of notes, or imagining you're being paid to make a new Beyonce single. The problem is these sorts of mind games work just enough for me to keep trying them so I just continue to set myself up to maybe succeed. The root of this evil is that because I mostly over-think every element of the process, I'm spending most of my energy trying to avoid this over-thinking.
And so now we're caught up to Day 179.
One caveat to this is I'll sometimes start on something I've already started maybe a week or so before and try to go at it again, which is probably where I'll start tonight. There is one beat like this where I came up with a vocal chorus and melody first, then set out to do the beat, and now that chorus section is sort of stuck by itself. I don't know how to get out of these 8 bars and this is another big problem for me. I will work on 8 bars for 30 minutes and get everything perfect: all the right sounds, all the drops, changes, all the flourishes, everything set perfectly. And I get it established so well that if I try to take the beat elsewhere, melodically with chords, it sounds like shit. Sometimes I can't even begin to do proper chord or melody changes because I'm afraid it will be too jarring. (Maybe stop reading for a second right here and consider how big a pussy I am. This is what I have to put up with every day.)
So this one beat I'm working on has a chorus sung on my phone and I just have to get it to translate. If I can get it to work it could still go in a couple of directions. But if it goes the way I envision, it could be single type material. Right now it's looking like dumpage material. Shitty diaper material. Shitty ADULT diaper too.
Another beat I will revisit is sort of like the beat "DS" I made earlier this month, only more complicated. Just a second ago, in the middle of a fucking coffee shop, I tried out some different patterns, which speaks to how much it frustrates me. I feel like it could go but something's missing that I can't figure out.
Also in the works is a chorus idea for "Sleep" that Anthony came up with. I have GOT to record that tonight or tomorrow. The idea is a little complex in execution but the final effect should prove to be sort of eery and maybe a little psychedelic. One of the fun things about working on this new album are things like this. Where Anthony gets all the recordings and then the beat and starts to work on it and comes up with ideas on the fly, like choruses, or little production flourishes that make good albums good. Most of the things come out without discussion, like with "BIT" which Anthony did a few months ago. When I first listened to what he had it finally sounded real. It sounded realized, as though this was it's only purpose, to sound like this. It's crazy the things he comes up with. I kind of wish we lived a little closer because I feel like the distance keeps things from happening as fast as they could, but that's just a bullshit excuse I'm wrongly giving myself.
One note on the album's tone: I've been listening to a LOT of metal recently. A lot. I don't know if that has any effect on what I've been working on so far or what I will make in the future but there you go. So far "Sorrow and Extinction" by Pallbearer is getting the most plays and it kicks my ass every time. This album will be on my favorites list for 2012 with good reason. Anyway...
Thanks.
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