Moving the Needle: From Songwriter to Music Producer

Realizing that you can't outsource your soul to make your music legit

Remember the old adage, can you teach an old dog new tricks? The answer is yes, if that dog can use the Internet.

I started this songwriting journey during the pandemic when all of us spent too much time indoors. The main upside from this period was having time to learn new things.

So I took advantage of YouTube music channels and jumped into free music theory courses. It opened up the musical world and expanded my creativity.

I spent the next three years studying the craft and techniques of songwriting. I not only gained confidence, but I found my musical writing voice as well.

Now it’s time to take the next step. In life, there’s always another step.

Reality Hits the Fandom

I don’t live in Nashville or Los Angeles. I live in Asia. That means I’m way out of the mainstream. I’m not connected to the music-making ecosystem.

That’s not really the key problem though, since my songs are not intended for commercial artists. They have to protect their image and their fan base. Protest songs tend to piss-off at least one portion of the buying public.

Moving the needle implies two things: one personal, one technical.

First, songwriting is only the first discovery. It’s like an entry pass into the musical universe, where anyone can pursue their dreams, if you’re not afraid to do the work.

Creativity keeps your spirit going, but it’s the technical grind that finishes the art. After songwriting comes arrangement, performance, recording, track building and master mixing.

Do I expect to conquer all of these skill sets? No. But do I recognize that learning enough about the process is not impossible. Yes.

Luckily, I am a minimalist.

Arranging the Music Dream

At my age you think more about the legacy you leave behind, more than what the future holds.

I know how the fears, failures and successes of the past have shaped my current state; however, I don’t mind the future being wide open to the same pathways.

Truth be told, it’s the younger kids who will guide me on this new journey into music production. With the rise of home studios and affordable technical gear, the old barriers to entry are irrelevant.

I can get instructions and feedback from a guy in Nebraska. Borders are superfluous.

What really matters is determining which roadmap to use to get to your destination. Even if you drive the car, it’s good to get directions from someone who knows how to navigate obstacles and challenges.

A self-driving car has its limitations. And I know mine as well.

The Art of Imperfection

Art in the Digital Age is too perfect. Just look at the images produced by artificial intelligence (AI) programs: there are no flaws to give the subject a sense of authenticity.

The same can be said for a lot of the music output today. Over-correcting for bad pitch or off-beat timing puts everything on an exact spatial grid that doesn’t sound real. There are no imperfections.

Technology allows us to erase mistakes too often. We think we want perfection, but its the miscues and slipups that give character to any artform.

I know my singing is not good, but I know my songs need me to take the chance.

In the War of Art by Steven Pressfield, the focus is on resistance as the enemy, and how it mainly lies within the artist. He also talks about fear:

We fear discovering that we are more than we think we are. More than our parents/children/teachers think we are. We fear that we actually possess the talent that our still, small voice tells us. That we actually have the guts, the perseverance, the capacity.

Coda

I never thought about being a music producer. It sounds like a way too important position to give myself.

But art has a way of stretching your horizons and pushing you into uncomfortable places. Songwriting was the first growth stage. Music production is the next stage.

Wish me luck!

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I appreciate your time and support in this endeavor.