Hot off the press, straight from the horses mouth, here it is… the run down of the past 3 days of this crazy creative challenge that I decided to undertake at the start of the month.
Let me just start, the same way I probably started the past 3 blog posts, by saying how much creative energy I have right now! I can’t quite believe how this challenge is just seeping every last drop of my innovative flow. If you find yourself in a rut or with some form of block then I cannot recommend undertaking something like this enough.
Anyway, it’s currently day 13 and I’m about to start the journey that should lead me to song number 5. Before I do, however, I thought I’d jump on the blog to give you the low down of the past 3 days and how song number 4 came together.
Day 10
I guess if you’re reading this then you have been following along since the beginning, if not then I suggest at least reading my last post so you get some form of context. I finished day 9 with a demoed idea in the works already which made for a really easy day 10.
I woke up bright and early as usual with all the tweaks and adjustments in mind. Making sure you take some time away from an idea is a really good way to make sure you’re going produce it into its best possible version. When writing a song, I like to demo the idea then step away for a few hours; firstly, I want to see if I can remember it and have it pass the ‘memory test’, secondly I like to think of all the ways in which it probably should change in order to take it from good to really good. My first thought with the idea for song 4 was that the demo I’d done was too low and too short.
Once I’d figured out the adjustments I just went right ahead and recorded the beast. Due to the simplicity of the song, I added some additional production in the baking vocals as well as a nice glockenspiel to give it an element that sets it apart from the other 3 songs that have been created during this challenge so far. What I really like about this one too, is that it’s in 6/8 time. For you non-musicians, this means it has 6 beats per bar instead of the typical 4.
Day 10 ended in high spirits with the song recorded and finished. This worked out perfectly as the next 2 days were rather busy due to my live show/busk on Jesus Green in Cambridge on Day 11 and some personal business on day 12.
Day 11
This was the first day since the challenge began that I did no songwriting/creative activity, and this was for good reason. Why? Well because day 11 was the day of August Radio Project’s first ever live event in person! Up until this day I’d only done ‘gigs’ via live stream.
When I was younger, and even in the early days of Ghouls, I would often go busking. Just for fun with friends or to drum up some grassroots promotion for a gig that Ghouls were doing. I love it. I love the guerrilla gig nature of just rocking up, plugging in and giving the unsuspecting public a bit of entertainment. When August Radio Project first came about, I decided right away that it should be something I do. Now seeing as venues are all still closed and theres no gigs, when a friend suggested I rock up to a local park to do a busk/show I jumped right on the idea and we got it organised.
It was a huge success and felt great to be playing to some form of crowd that gave me a little cheer after each song. Lack of any kind of response is one of the strangest feelings when you’re playing live-stream shows. The performance was such a success that I have decided that next month I’m going to take it up a notch and actually do a ‘busking tour’. I plan on going to a few cities around the UK, rocking up with my acoustic and playing a set. Stay tuned for the announcements of where I’m going and if you see that I’m going to be somewhere near you feel free to come down!
Day 12
Day 12 – the easiest day of the challenge yet. All I had to do on day 12 was create the video for the song, upload it to Bandcamp and make sure I made the announcement to let you all know the song was up. About as simple as it gets! This allowed me to take a much needed day off the screen, walk in the sun and enjoy some time with family. Good times.
About as simple as it is for you to now listen to song number 4 and enjoy it. Stay tuned for song number 5 which will be out on Wednesday, now let me go write it.
BG
benedict. 