July 2024 notes

Dump of updates from my life and work lately

Two months since I left my job. Tracking progress, plans, problems, and play (fun stuff that’s not necessarily about productivity).

Progress

• Tracked 5 (with the December session, that’s 10 total) songs with one producer

• Tracked and self-produced another song (so now 11 songs)

• Did vocal overdubs on that extra song

• Scheduled tracking for the last song on the record (so we’ll have 12 songs)

• Wrote 10–20 new songs

• Did some production for my brother’s band

• Confirmed interest from strings and production people for next record

• Started working as a consultant, learning what that’s like

• Shot a music video for next single

• Shot a visual thing that’ll play behind the band for an upcoming live electronic music project I’m helping a friend with

• Rewrote the words for another single—need this to get done!

• Built a new website with my real name, which I might use instead of artist name

• Drew some sketches

• Read six (?) books—can’t really recommend any of them

• Met some new people, said yes to a lot, showing up to as much as I can

• Saw music at a few venues I hadn’t been to before

• Booked my first real venue solo set in NYC

• Almost booked a second show with small band, but it fell through

• Listened to a lot of new friends’ new music

• Spent time in weird, new environments

Plans

• Make a poster for August show

• Finish lyrics for the other single that’s ready, make plan for tracking it

• Review music video—see if there’s any update there

• Make a plan for vocal overdub tracking for the 10 songs on record

• Track the twelfth song on record

• Spend some time with the eleventh song on record—could change the production and a few lines based on some recent feedback

• Book studio time in September or October to begin tracking next record when we have strings lady in town (or go to London!)

• Start picking other songs for next record

• Book a small band show in NYC for September

• Apply for fall residency programs

• Put something on social media

Problems

• Lots of things slowed down after tracking, so have had to put my energy elsewhere while I wait for updates (e.g., waiting on files from session work, waiting on music video first edit, waiting for collaborators’ free time)

• TYJB growth mostly stopped, but I’ll put more into it as the season approaches

• Haven’t been super confident about booking shows because I don’t have go-to bandmates to ask—the show will be better with a band—but I’m getting better at this and just reaching out and trying stuff!

• Not exactly sure what I’m supposed to be doing while I’m waiting for things—not exactly spinning my wheels, but I feel like I could take on more (and I’d like to work with other people on different projects more!)

Play (fun updates, not necessarily productive stuff)

• When Jalen Brunson signed the new contract a few weeks ago, I saw an organic spike in TYJB streams—pretty fun!

• I’m slowly finding a community for music work, feels good after so many years of remote teamwork

• Noticed some of my new songs are getting more interesting instrumentally, feel like I’m growing

• Got a lot of music to listen to: starting to get more diligent about writing people’s recommendations and filling gaps in my music history knowledge

• Changes in my personal life have made work slightly harder but also put things in perspective: I’m unblocked to focus entirely on music for this phase, and I’m going to arrange the pieces to support 1) me doing that and 2) just taking care of myself and making sure I have a nest to work out of and recharge in

Also going to make some simple, small goals to complete by the year’s end: do one pull-up, play one real show, make one dollar from music.