Perhaps an attic I shall seek...

So Kristen and I are moved in to our Oak Creek apartment. Oddly enough, this apartment is starting to feel more like home than our old apartment ever did. I love the way the office/studio is set up. In fact, I have already written and recorded a new Cranston tune called "Gunslinger." As you can probably tell, the music is rather inspired by the old West, featuring for the first time, real harmonica and a maraca. I was going to make a new album based upon that theme, but there are extenuating circumstances that have changed the way I'm thinking about making music.

As I posted on the Facebook, I recently lost out on $250 for a song I wrote due to poor timing and other circumstances. I was pissed, but am over it. Basically, I contacted the agency that wanted to pay me for the track and they would like to work with me in the future. They enjoy my work and think it fits great for their type of ads. It's an affirming feeling that I haven't necessarily been waiting for, but kind of have. I have never really expected anything out of Cranston, but now that things are kind of happening, I become more and more excited to potentially cushion my wallet with those earnings. I have also received numerous e-mails from grad students wishing to use my work for their projects. It's just cool to have people I've never met be interested in what I do.

As a result of the previous paragraph, I will no longer be posting new material on the FMA

website or the Bandcamp. Those sites will serve as samples, but are also available for purchase. Since the potential buying of that track, I have looked into the license that my work is protected by on the FMA site. Turns out only I can charge for the music, and that the license just insures that I am the only one who profits. So when I compose nowadays, I believe I'll focus more on the individual tracks and making them a little more polished than before. An album or two may creep in there though.

Interestingly enough, it appears like my degree may actually dictate my future job (for once.) I received an e-mail inviting me to an Apple Hiring event in Madison on my birthday. I only applied for the Creative job, so hopefully that's what I'll be interviewing for and potentially be hired for. I also met with a guy at a local music store today that sells nation-wide. He said that as soon as something opens up (it will either be a sales position on the phones...no outgoing calls, or warehouse) I am first on the list of people to call. It was very encouraging to know that somebody out there wants to hire me. It almost feels like the Oak Creek/Milwaukee area/Universe wants me to return to music...

Things happening fast/ rant

We move in less than a week. I'm completely checked out of Baraboo and am anxious to get back to Milwaukee, but the lack of a job scares the crap out of me. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't bleeding money for rent and moving costs. But hopefully one of my best friends will be able to hook me up at his old place of business. Have a few gigs coming up playing some guitar and bass, but I could always use more.

I'm getting really excited for the band that I've been getting ready, Miss Misery Trio. It consists of myself on vocals, guitars, and keys, my friend Tim on bass and vocals, and my old next door neighbor Kevin on keys, guitar, and vocals. Hope to throw some percussion in there, but there are no plans for a drum set at all. The music is a lot less "rock" oriented than past bands. I think that the music is very accessible to a general audience which should score us a considerable amount of gigs.

Spent a little money on me today. Bought the new Bon Iver album and two Elliott Smith albums that I lost when my desktop took a shit. After some advisement from my eldest brother about the production techniques that could help out the Miss Misery Trio songs, I'm really going to study up these Elliott Smith recordings. He made gold with less equipment than your average musician. Beyond the amazing song-writing, the production techniques are what make them shine. The double-tracking on his voice and the simple instrumentation are key.

These are the things they should be teaching in the Audio Production classes at Whitewater, less emphasis on mixing and panning, which is important, more recording techniques based on what the music requires. They completely miss the point of recording and the creation of the art that it is. That's actually one of the reasons I decided that the business was not for me. I enjoy making music and recording it, but the industry is wrong in their approach to recording. They treat recording like math. It isn't. Math doesn't involve emotions or personal/ gut feelings and instincts. Math is based on numbers and calculations. Recording is about the music, but that somehow gets lost in translation. Something went very very wrong. And it makes me sad.