datamusicata

I have been working all day on my new CD (with a break for the gym and a break for my ears). And as I worked, I started fooling around with some synthesizers again. Haven’t used any on my recordings for years, but I felt like hearing something different and it made me realize what I have been doing as a recording artist these past seven years or so.

Because I tour and perform solo, one voice and one guitar, I have tended to make my recordings as simple as I can and as true to the one voice one guitar vision that my audience has of me.

Consequently, I make certain that anyone who takes home one of my CD’s is going to get what they saw and enjoyed at the performance. I have paid much more attention to them than any other aspect of the experience.  I have not done the nod to radio that perhaps I should have, hoping that they would appreciate and support the position and the artistry that I try to bring to my recordings.

I centered these recordings around my acoustic guitar and voice and made everything else serve that and be much less important to the recording. Yes, I arranged the songs and put percussion and bass and some background vocals on there, but kept everything at a minmum on purpose, so that I wouldn’t alienate the benefactors who come to my shows and support what I do by paying the cover charge and picking up a CD.

That’s a wonderful thing that they are doing and I am grateful to them for it.

But today, I started thinking experimenting with other things, like three part harmony on a whole song and some sequenced rhythm tracks, synth pads, etc and I am really enjoying what’s happening.

Now my question to me and to you is, “will my expanding my pallet again (as I did when I first recorded) disappoint, alienate or delight my benefactors?

And how much do I owe it to them to maintain that purity? Some of the DJ’s who play my recordings asked me to also supply them with voice and guitar versions of my songs for their particular program and audience. What effect will these kinds of production choices have on my radio supporters?

To whom do we, as artists, owe our loyalty or our artistic commitment? To the audience? To the DJ’s? To the art? To the bottom line?

In the final analysis, you have to ask yourself why you are recording; who is it for; what is it for?

I record for several reasons. 1. I need to grow as an artist and recording is a sure way to do that. 2. I want to hear that kind of recording. 3. I want other people to enjoy the music so much that they want a copy and actually purchase one, so that I can actually continue to make a living doing what I do. 4. I have a dream of having my music playing all over the earth at the same time. I can’t wait for one of my songs to actually circle the globe; to be simultaneously being listened to by everyone.

But in the end, I guess I make these recordings for the joy of making them. I have to follow that muse. And I sure hope you like the result.