In my last blog, I looked at film as one of the ways I am able to get what is inside of my head out into the world. Technology plays a significant role in how I am able to express myself. I would say that my studio is the place where I have spent the most time these past two decades, trying to get what is in my head, out of my head. In this blog I will look at podcasts and music.
Music has taken its place as my most important creative outlet over the last 20 years. It is also the safest, as music is abstract. Even when I add lyrics and sing in my music, it is almost always deeply personal and hermetic.
Music had been a part of my life even earlier. I had been in a guitar band in the 90’s and in 1997 my friend Kasper and me formed IndusTree, an experimental electronic band, that performed live with a big stage setup, large set pieces, and moving parts. There was a lot of passion and it was pretty raw.
After the heady days of IndusTree, that eventually ended in 2003, Kasper had already left the country by that time. I was a bit lost for a while, stuck between wanting to make music, but unable to find a mode to do that by myself.
Then 2005 rolled around and I started experimenting with FruityLoops (FL Studio), which lasted about a year, before I got into hardware. I documented my journey from software to only using hardware in 2017, and I have enjoyed working with only machines more and more for the last decade.
Today, 842 tracks and 29 albums later, with the 30th album on its way, it is clear that music is the foundation. Although in the last year, some cracks have started to appear.
You can also listen to my latest tracks here.
Audio
It feels a bit disingenuous to call this section Audio, only because I want to shoehorn podcasts in here. Let’s just get it out of the way, shall we?
Podcasts
Podcasts are a form of expression that is also quite appealing to me. I would love to record conversations I have with friends and just publish them as audio. Yes, of course this also scares me, because I can imagine drawing a lot of criticism. Not well-thought out arguments, lack of knowledge, controversial opinions, if I think harder, I can come up with more reasons why this may be a bad idea, but I was trying to be brave, right?
I’m under no illusion that my private conversations with my friends are in any way interesting enough for other people to enjoy them, but on the other hand, why not? I have heard some completely inane conversations being peddled as content, that I am forced to ask, if there is an appeal to that, then why not to what I (and my friends) have to say?
Many of my friends are a lot smarter than I am, but I have been told that I have a way with words as well. Difficulty to write this, because I feel myself drifting into what feels like bragging, which I would like to avoid if at all possible. The flipside of that is that if I keep talking myself down, I would never do anything again.
So a podcast. As with my vlogs, I would love to be able to talk about anything I (or we, if I can interest a friend in recording something with me) can come up with. So no theme or subject for now. First, I should make one. Get a feel for it. I actually made one podcast for my financial website about single earners, but it was so boring, that I was relieved when the guy who I had on left the company he worked for and asked me not to publish, because he could no longer speak for them.
Publishing is easy, just use one of the distribution platforms, and another new section on the website. Damn, I feel some site-design work coming…
Music
Well, this is easy. Or it was. It isn’t so easy anymore, actually. I love making music, and I love my studio, and I love the gear. But due to circumstances, or their influences, I’m not sure I understand yet fully, I haven’t enjoyed making music as much as I used to, this past year.
My work schedule has changed as I started working 5 days to earn more money, to finally, someday, be able to afford to buy a house. I am single, nearing 50 and I live in what is basically postgrad housing (and I am not even a postgrad) or a starter home.
Fridays were my days off and because of the three day weekend, I would almost every weekend find time to make music. Being in the studio often and feeling comfortable with the technological beast that is the studio; it requires continued interaction to remain familiar with all its complexities, I was cranking out tracks in a free flowing stream of creativity.
Now, with less time, not so much. Add to that an unsteadiness stemming from fear, frustration, disillusionment, due to a number of causes, plaguing me since late last year, I haven’t felt the freedom and carelessness needed to let the music flow. So for a couple of months there, for the first time in a long time, I avoided the studio.
Things aren’t that bad anymore, but I am not back to where I was. I am making music again now and then, but I still feel burdened. This apartment is also part of the issue. My self-imposed isolation in this place, living on only a little more than 70 m2, means that I work in the same room that houses my studio. That was always the case, but 4 out of 7, versus 5 out of 7 days makes a big difference apparently. Another catch-22, as this would be a prime example of why I would need to buy a house, which I can only do if I earn more money.
This is simple. Find my way back to enjoying making music. Make more music.
A new album
I had been walking around with the idea for a new CausaliDox album in my head for a couple of months. Selecting tracks and finding the right order for the tracks is always hard for me. After going through my work of the last year, I ended up with 9 tracks for a running time of 91 minutes. I didn’t want to release this album on the label I had been working with for a couple of years now, because I feel they don’t care so much about their artists. They churn out multiple releases every week, which is fine, but releasing an album with them makes the album feel like a product instead of art to me.
Talking to my friend Nóra (DJ Feryne), she offered to listen to the album and see if she could suggest a label. Thanks to her recommendation and introduction, I am now talking to a fantastic label with awesome artists on their roster, about releasing this album. They have a small roster of very cool artists, that are a very good match for the mood and style of my own music. I was really happy to hear that they are very interested in my music.
From my conversations with the label, the decision was made to pare down the album to six tracks from the original nine and down to 51 mins. I feel this was the right decision, because it forces me to rethink the album as a whole, and to my (at first a bit reluctant) surprise, the album is more coherent and works better now. After taking my time to experiment and trying out new running orders, listening extensively to each, I came up with the final running order for the album. I couldn’t be happier with the track order. Each track just seemed to fall into its right place.
I’m very excited about this album, I think this is some of the best work I have done. To my ears the album is very coherent, it tells a story. The tracks just fit together. Perhaps this new album will be an impulse to get back into the studio.
Technology:
- Wavelab / Cubase
- Studio
- Google sheets (to make lists when choosing tracks for an album)
- Online meeting software (for recording podcasts)
- Davinci Resolve (for accompanying videos)
- Affinity Photo (for stills)
Publishing:
- Website
- Youtube
- Podcast distributor (buzzsprout)
- Distrokid
- Social Media
Goals:
- Release new album on US label before 2025 (depending on their roster)
- (Maybe) Record one podcast before 2025
Read the other blogs in this series:
