I've given myself some creative time to work on new things rather than be constantly preparing for solid dates I had scheduled, but now I am back to booking shows...so I'm really needing to look at my schedule and make sure I am making or finding time for all the things I need to find time to do to be me.
Finding Balance in Chaos
Probably the biggest lesson I learned in 2016 is not to overextend myself. I am writing this on Steemit, so I have literal blockchain record of calling myself out on this subject, and I really need to get better at saying, "No," especially when I know I can't give my full effort with my schedule being crazy between Steemit content creating, music making, music interface learning, and just general live music schedule--it's crazy and crazy awesome. I'm starting to truly feel what the grind they speak of feels like. It's constant.
...but I need balance.
...working on that.
@jessamynorchard's Sunday's Spotify Playlist:
Theme: cathartic sad bastard songs
Track Listing:
- Every Shining Time You Arrive (Sunny Day Real Estate)
- Neither Here Nor There (nothing,nowhere)
- Kill [demo version] (Jimmy Eat World)
- Apple Cider, I Don't Mind (Modern Baseball)
- Weight of the Wind (nothing,nowhere)
- The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows (Brand New)
- The Camper Velourium II: Backend of Forever (Coheed and Cambria)
- Cat Like Thief (Boxcar Racer)
- In Circles (Sunny Day Real Estate)
- Everyday (Modern Baseball)
Not going to lie...this week, in addition to being very creatively stimulating, has also been filled with some heartache and some bad news. Without going into full details of everything (maybe at some point soon in a different post), the person I've considered my absolute best friend for the past year (and who I thought was ultimately on the list of the best friends of my entire life) moved away for what feels like for good...I didn't have any details, it blindsided me as I felt like I was the last to know, and that's ended up hurting me much more than I felt like I was capable of being hurt by an adult friendship.
In addition to that shit box of information, I also received some totally separate news that was fairly disappointing...and when shit like that happens, I go to a lot of different places: but basically all of them sad bastard music of some variety.
The bands on this playlists are a combo of both my all-time and new favorites. On the exterior, they can seem quite different (nothing,nowhere verses Sunny Day Real Estate, for example), but these bands have something much deeper in common in my head.
...and not just the pain, but the specific ways they manifest that pain through their lyrics and even through the structures of the songs. Each of these vocalists convey pain in a way that I've always really related to, and the newer artists included in this list (nothing,nowhere and Modern Baseball) I feel embody these same original principles that embodied the original "emo" artists: Braid, The Promise Ring, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World, Rainbow, The Getup Kids, et. al...NOT MCR, BVB, and other bands that you can find tshirts for at Hot Topic (I get very opinionated when it comes to true emo and the unfair stigma it received from other bands who came later and took credit for something going on starting as early as like 1995 in some arguments).
Anyway...these were my go-tos last week as I was dealing with all this weird, confusing, and sad stuff.
Click here to enjoy this week's playlist curated especially for Steemit by @jessamynorchard. It's so fun to enjoy some new music, and I would encourage other Steemians to make a playlist and share it, too!
Please check out these live performances by one of my new favorite bands on the scene. I really think these dudes embody the emo of the late 90s and early 2000s that really has my heart.
Immersing Myself In New Stuff!
So, recently, I've become obsessed with Launchpad Mobile for iOS. When it initially came out, I saw a bunch of cheesy remixes of Skrillex songs and thought it seemed more like a toy rather than an actual useful instrument.
However, with whatever recent updates they've had to it, combined with a relationship with BLOC, I'm honestly impressed by what I'm able to do on my phone when it comes to actually programming these pads to do what I want them to...and if I wanted it to do more, the upgrades to the system are pretty cheap ($1.99 to $5.99 I think) and can be added as one needs them.
I've started customizing my pads using instruments and samples from other packs to create more of my own sound, and I've actually even written words to my first song that was solely composed using Launchpad Mobile and GarageBand.
By the way, the integration between Launchpad Mobile and GarageBand is really fantastic. I go into GB, set keys, time signature, tempo, and other necessaries, then through their virtual audiobus, am able to pop back into Launchpad Mobile and record my live mixes directly into GB (as one mix...not separated out between my tracks). Then I can apply VSTs and other fun stuff using my MIDI controller in GarageBand and truly make these tracks my own without ever having to leave my iphone.
New music for my Steemit friends every Sunday!
Resteem to share the word! Discovering new tunes feels so good!
Follow me @jessamynorchard for more assorted randomness!
Support Steemian-Original Music by tagging YOUR tunes with # originalmusic
I even blogged about it.
ALL proceeds from my Steemit account go toward furthering my dreams of being a full time artist and creator. This includes needed equipment, recording costs, gas to and from out of state gigs, and things like food when I'm on the road. To be a full-time creator has been my goal for as long as I can remember, and your upvotes absolutely help me get there. All of my love and thanks to you.💚
All photos, unless otherwise credited, are taken or edited/altered by me and are all hosted at Imgur.
Love what you hear? Consider becoming a monthly Patron at:
http://www.patreon.com/jessamynorchardmusic
