Simply Sweet and Smooth Sounds

ReBlog: 13 Questions to Ask Yourself in the Harsh Morning Light of 2012

Nicholas Tozier wrote a post about 13 questions a songwriter should ask at the start of this new year. Thought it would be fun to answer. Here is my “State of Songwriting” from 2011:

1. Did I achieve the resolutions I set for myself in 2011?

No. The previous year 2011 was one of my darkest years, because things happened that made me aware I was only growing farther from my dreams. After the initial shock of that subsided, I started to figure out how I can take more personal control in the hopes of moving forward again towards my dreams.

Nevertheless, the story remains that it was a very bitter year (but not without its highlights).

2. How many songs did I finish? Don’t list any fragments or half-finished works here. They don’t count.

Nineteen. But I produced only less than half of it I think.

3. Could I have finished more songs than I did? Have I been procrastinating?

I could have, but I slowed down because I didn’t want to write new songs per se – I wanted to finish the old songs that I had already started to write. I also wanted to see what I could do with the bank of melodies I’ve gathered over the past few years, and combine them with lyric only fragments. I want to wrap up these old notes so I can start with a new direction.

4. How happy am I with the quality of the lyrics, melody, etc.?

I’m always heading to a new direction, so the moment the song is finished I like it but it fades fast. I do like the fact that 2011 was the year I started remixing, introducing me to a whole new world of musical styles.

5. In what ways did I get my songs heard by others this past year?

I launched an album! Played live shows. Did radio interviews. And of course uploaded them to Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Noisetrade.

6. When I did sit down to write, did impatience and lack of focus scatter my energy?

No. I use the Pomodoro technique!

7. In what ways did I upgrade my skills in composing melodies, arrangement, and lyric writing during 2011?

I bought 2 songwriting books: “The Songwriter’s Workshop” series by Jimmy Kachulis. I also bought Gary Ewer’s “Essential Secrets of Songwriting”. Subscribed to 2 blogs and made a Twitter list of songwriting resources to follow.

8. Have I taken time to listen to new music and learn from the strengths of musicians and lyricists I admire?

Yes! My favorite source is Noisetrade for singer-songwriter or band type music, and Junodownload for electronica and dance type music.

9. Have any bad habits or addictions held me back?

Probably – mostly because I still need to take a break now and then, especially using up creative energy. So I’m not on my high 24/7. I do want to be more efficient with my time.

10. How much time did I spend on the web, watching TV, playing video games, or otherwise consuming idle entertainments? How does that compare to the amount of time I spent writing songs and honing my craft?

I spent time on the web a lot, but that also accounts for listening to new music, reading songwriting blogs, writing blogs about songwriting, discussions, etc. Didn’t play any video games this year. Watching movies can sometimes be a source of inspiration.

11. Did I schedule and manage my time to make sure I could devote time to songwriting?

Yes! About 4 times each week learning songwriting in the morning, and the whole day Friday for writing and producing new songs (applying what I learned all week long).

12. How badly do I really want to write songs? Is it my true artistic calling?

As bad as I want to make money (preferably from my music).

13. Am I holding myself back with fears of commercial or artistic failure?

No. I actually need more commercial success. Don’t we all?

—-

What about you? How was your 2011?

Playlist: Best of 2011

Musik bisa menjadi potret baik untuk merangkum perjalanan selama 2011 silam. Saya yakin teman-teman punya soundtrack masing-masing. Dan setiap soundtrack itu mengandung kenangan tertentu - kadang manis, kadang pahit.

Izinkan saya sharing playlist “Best of 2011”, yaitu lagu-lagu pilihan yang saya ambil dari sekitar 20 album musik yang saya beli dari Januari hingga Desember kemarin. Bentuk albumnya ada yang CD biasa, DVD live concert, bonus download gratis dari layanan internet berbayar, dan juga beli mp3 online melalui toko musik legal. Karena saya senang menggunakan jalur yang resmi.

Here is the music:

[1] “Pelangi dan Matahari” - BIP (Berangkat)
[2] “Monster” - Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
[3] “The Grid” - Daft Punk (TRON: Legacy Original Soundtrack)
[4] “Just The Way You Are” - Bruno Mars (Doo-Wops & Hooligans)
[5] “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” - Shania Twain (Woman In Me)
[6] “You’ve Got A Way” - Shania Twain (Come On Over)
[7] “Must Get Out” - Maroon 5 (Songs About Jane)
[8] “Makes Me Wonder” - Maroon 5 (It Won’t Be Soon Before Long)
[9] “Kamu, Aku, Cinta” - Lala Karmela (Kamu, Aku, Cinta)
[10] “Hold It Against Me” - Britney Spears (Femme Fatale)
[11] “C.L.U” - Daft Punk (Paul Oakenfold Remix) (TRON: Legacy Reconfigured)
[12] “The End of The Game” - Sting (Live in Berlin)
[13] “Menulis Cinta” - Ubiet & Dian HP (Komposisi Delapan Cinta)
[14] “Many The Miles” - Sara Bareilles (Little Voice)
[15] “The Edge of Glory” - Lady Gaga (Born This Way)
[16] “What If” - Colbie Caillat (All Of You)
[17] “Galaxies” - Owl City (All Things Bright and Beautiful)
[18] “One and Only” - Adele (21)
[19] “Serba Salah” - Raisa (Raisa)
[20] “Pergilah” - Afit (From Cairo to Jakarta)
[21] “Paradise” - Coldplay (Mylo Xyloto)
[22] “A Perfectly Good Heart” - Taylor Swift (Taylor Swfit)
[23] “Dazed & Confused” (feat Janai & Illaman) - SKisM Baroque Out Remix (UKF Dubstep 2011)

Sebenarnya ada 1 album yang tidak saya masukkan, hanya karena saya merasa album itu betul-betul tidak layak dengar (saya beli karena musisi dan penasaran). Tentunya banyak album-album bagus yang belum saya beli, seperti Pixie Lott “Young, Foolish, Happy” dan Patrick Stump “Soul Punk”. Semoga tahun 2012 lebih banyak kesempatan mendengar dan menikmati lebih banyak lagu-lagu bagus.

Happy New Year 2012! See you up in the air ~!