Yesterday, one of my friends said, “Mike, school will be starting soon, and you aren’t going to know what to do with yourself since you aren’t teaching!”
I smiled and said the life of a musician is just as busy as a teacher, if not more. I’m not sure she fully believed me, but it’s true.
My teaching career prepared me for one aspect of the independent musician lifestyle: I’m working all the time. Being a musician is promoting a business. Yesterday was probably a 15 hour work day for me, a unique day spent writing, performing, recording, and submitting a song for consideration for a film placement.
Here’s a little glimpse of my last 32 hours as a musician:
Wednesday:
8 PM – 12 AM – I jammed with a drummer in Hamtramck and discussed future possibilities of creating a full band! Thought to myself, “Maybe I’ll sleep in tomorrow morning.”
Thursday:
1 AM – Returned home, checked my email and saw a posting from Taxi seeking a song for a film due Friday by 1 PM. I immediately starting revising some song ideas I had written early this week.
1-3:30 AM Worked on songwriting.
8:45 AM Woke-up and had breakfast with Natalie.
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM I had an intensely focused songwriting session and finished a song called “Tiny Giants” for my Taxi Film submission. I scheduled a recording session for midnight at Marshall Block’s Real ii Reel Studios in Fenton after my gig. Marshall said, “Yes! I might be sleeping on the couch, but I’ll leave the door open. Wake me up and we will burn the midnight oil.
4:45 PM Packed car, ate dinner, walked dog with Natalie.
6 PM Drove to my gig at the Fenton Hotel.
7-11 PM Played gig. Packed car again. Drove to the studio.
12 AM – 3 AM Recorded, mixed and mastered a demo of “Tiny Giants.”
4 AM Got home. Submitted song to Taxi online. Went to bed.
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In the middle of mixing my song at 2 AM, Marshall mentioned he had been up since 7 AM that morning working with recording clients. “I have to take the work as it comes! You’ve joined the club,” he said.
Cap'n Crunch is the snack that gets us through the day.
OK, it looks like I’ve been slacking, but some important things have gotten in the way of my cover song homework. First, Natalie and I had to make an impromptu visit to Florida for a family emergency. Then, I turned 30 had a fun little gathering at my gig Stout in Brighton to celebrate and a nice family barbecue at my friends the Wojas.
So here I am at week three and about a third of the way through my goal of learning 100 covers. I thought I’d share a few more of the accomplishments and list of songs to learn.
1. For the First Time (the Script)
2. Ooh La La (Rod Stewart/Faces)
3. I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick)
4. Hotel California (The Eagles)
5. Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
6. Send Me on My Way (Rusted Root)
7. 867-5309 (Tommy Tutone)
8. Sweet Pea (Amos Lee)
9. Two (Ryan Adams)
10. Homeward Bound (Simon and Garfunkle)
11. Mrs. Robinson (Simon and Garfunkle)
12. Ventura Highway (America)
13. Give a Little Bit
14. Roll to Me (Del Amitri)
15. Don’t Ask Me (Billy Joel)
16. Angel for Montgomery (Bonnie Raitt; John Prime)
17. Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
18. Drops of Jupiter (Train)
19. Breakeven (The Script)
20. Danny’s Song (Kenny Loggins)
21. Losing My Religion (REM)
22. Walk Like an Egyptian (the Bangles)
23. Let’s Stay Together (Al Green)
24. Stand By Me (Ben E King)
25. Only the Good Die Young (Billy Joel)
26. One Great City (Weakerthans)
27. Maggie May (Rod Stewart)
28. Hey There Delilah (Plain White T’s)
29. She’s So High (Tal Bachmen)
30. Chariot (Gavin Degraw)
31. Amie (Pure Prairie League)
32. Against the Wind (Bob Seeger)
33. Night Moves (Bob Seeger)
34. You’ll Accompany Me (Bob Seeger)
35. Summer of 69 (Bryan Adams)
36. Don’t Stop Believing (Journey)
37. You’ve Got a Friend (James Taylor)
38. Half of My Heart (John Mayer)
39. Squeeze Box (the Who)
40. Everybody Hurts (REM)
41. Just the Way Your Are (Bruno Mars)
42. The Lazy Song (Bruno Mars)
43. Turn, Turn, Turn (Byrds)
44. A Horse with No Name (America)
Spotify has landed, and yes Sonicbids should care
Did you read Lou’s Sonicbid’s article saying Spotify might be too late to muster consumers in the US? I disagree, and here are four refutations to the article’s four main points:
1. Downloading an app is not an inconvenience, just like downloading iTunes wasn’t (when I used a PC). Just like downloading an app on my iPhone isn’t an inconvenience. Having this app ensures how well the streaming process works. Plus, comparing Pandora to Spotify is like comparing Tape Decks to CDs. Just because they both play music, doesn’t mean they offer the same experience.
2. Arguing the free option won’t last forever doesn’t refute the goal of Spotify’s trial system–in encouraging people to try it! It’s free now so people find out how valuable it is. The free option is how people are going to get hooked, just like how Netflix sends out free month trials. Once people see how amazing it is for $5 or $10 it will make music as addictive as heroin. Sure, this service might go up in price, like Netflix just did, but once there is a market for this type of product, this might encourage competition down the road.
3. Speaking of competition, I agree the best interface is important, but I think the service with the best streaming capabilities and the largest catalogue will win. I haven’t used the other streaming sites mentioned in Sonicbids article. You can tell me your thoughts if you have. OSNews already has already commented, with Spotify offering more music. That’s more important.
4. Itunes Match – Yeah, there could be competition here, but I think Apple doesn’t see itself in this business. Their recent earning margins show iTunes song sales aren’t very important in their revenue. It’s the iPad, iPhone, Apple Air and Macbook Pros that are continually selling beyond predictions. Apple has always seen itself as a hardware seller, and Spotify (like Netflix) encourages more iPad and iPhone sales.
I also don’t see Apple making a streaming product that works on Android, yet Spotify works on a variety of smart phones. Oh, and let’s not forget the forgettable Apple Ping failure! Spotify uses Facebook to share songs back and forth between friends, which I’ve been doing with my friend Alan instantly. (PS: I’m waiting for more of you Facebook friends to start using Spotify so we can share! Come on!)
* * *
Honestly, I think Sonicbids should start brainstorming ways Spotify can be used in their own company model. Listening parties, indie artists using Spotify statistics to motiviate gig pitches, teaming opening acts in market–There is a wealth of information the major labels are discovering with Spotify statistics, as Bob Lefsetz said in his blog, and I wonder if indie artists will one day have access to this information as well. I’d rather hear how Sonicbids is being cutting edge than critical when it comes to Spotify.
I’m pretty excited to be able to use Spotify. Nat would say this is an understatement. I haven’t stopped talking about Spotify since I signed up last Saturday. More importantly, I haven’t stopped interacting with music since then either.
Today, Nat said, “Hey, there’s a new Death Cab album?”
“Oh, yeah. I’ve been meaning to check that out,” I replied.
“Hey, so go check it out!”
Boom. Instant. Playing in the family room. Streaming from my phone to a wireless speaker set-up.
I was showing Spotify to my dad on Sunday and he was impressed. “Look up Elmore James!” Not only did Dust My Broom, a CD collection my dad and I claim as a favorite, it had at least 50 more albums featuring Elmore James, people doing Elmore James, compliation featuring Elmore James and other slide guitar players I didn’t know, etc.. My dad and I consider ourselves pretty intense blues fans, but even we don’t have 50 compilations including Elmore James.
This is indeed what Chris Anderson is describing in The Long Tail, how digital possiblities make shelf-life zero, so niches can go deeper into their specialities.
I feel a rekindled excitement about engaging with music again, like when I was 13 and discovered my dad’s vinyl collection hidden in a cabinet. The difference is this cabinet is endless. Plus, I’m virtually encouraged to try everything without fear, without guilt, with pride! I’m sharing songs with my friend Alan (who sent me Counting Crow’s “Einstein on the Beach,” a song I haven’t heard since high school!) Jake is sending me cover song requests which I can listen to instantly. I’m starting to read up on music blogs like ConsequenceofSound to find new acts to try.
This is just the coolest thing that’s ever happened to music since the birth of the electric guitar.
Week One of My Mission: Learn 100 Cover Songs this Summer
In June, I made a goal to learn a 100 cover songs this summer. I wasn’t focusing enough on my mission, so I dedicated 10 hours of rehearsal time this week to learning covers. Here’s what I finished so far. I performed six tunes (highlighted in red) for the first time at my Brighton gigs this weekend.
- For the First Time (the Script)
- Ooh La La (Faces/Rod Stewart)
- I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick)
- Hotel California (The Eagles)
- Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
- Send Me on My Way (Rusted Root)
- 867-5309 (Tommy Tutone)
- Sweet Pea (Amos Lee)
- Two (Ryan Adams)
- Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkle)
- Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkle)
- Ventura Highway (America)
- Give a Little Bit (Supertramp)
- Roll to Me (Del Amitri)
- Don’t Ask Me (Billy Joel)
- Angel for Montgomery (Bonnie Raitt/John Prime)
- Folson Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
- Drops of Jupiter (Train)
- Breakeven (The Script)
- Hey There Delila (Plain White T’s)
- She’s So High (Tal Bachman)
- Chariot (Gavin Degraw)
- Danny’s Song (Kenny Loggins)
- Losing My Religion (REM)
- Maggie May (Rod Stewart)
- Amie (Pure Prairie League)
- Against the Wind (Bob Seger)
- Night Moves (Bob Seger)
- You’ll Accompany Me (Bob Seger)
- Summer of 69 (Brian Adams)
- Don’t Stop Believing (Journey)
- You’ve Got a Friend (James Taylor)
- Half of My Heart (John Mayer)
- Squeeze Box (the Who)
I’ve made solid progress on the other fifteen, but not well enough to perform them competently. I hope to add those songs for next weekend in Tawas.
Fingerpicking “Danny’s Song”
I also made some improvements learning fingerpicking patterns while transposing “Danny’s Song” by Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina. I used to play this song with Aaron Noone in 2006, but I would only add guitar fills while Aaron did the bulk of the chord work and singing. (I sang harmony.) Really, Aaron did all the work and I was along for the ride.
It was time to learn the song more competently, but there aren’t many helpful tabs or YouTube tutorials that address the fingerpicking pattern. This might have been a blessing, because it forced me to decipher it myself after an hour of work! The beginning verse is using a T-M-I-R pattern over D C Bm | E(7) A(sus4) progression.
If you aren’t familiar with fingerpicking patterns, I recommend picking up The Guitar Grimoire by Adam Kadmon. It offers an introduction into fingerpicking exercises, pattern and notations! I might do a little YouTube tutorial of the fingerpicking pattern of “Danny’s Song” this week.
While many are getting summer tans, Gunshy and I are hiding out, working on songs.
