Short post: when I first thought about creating a blog, there were a number of uses and functions that immediately came into my mind. I wanted to be able to write consistently and succinctly but also not have to dig deep for content every time. I felt like I should write this post as a pre-cursor to the real stuff. I will keep this an open list for new rhythms that I will start. A major reason for why I want to have these rhythms is that they will keep me accountable to being inspired. As a writer, it is too easy to become focused entirely on creating and not on listening and reading and being inspired.
My Life Think of this as the scattered musings of my brain pieced together neatly into small sections of text with pictures and numbered lists and all that.
Song Stories I write a lot of music and I love the experience of hearing other writers talk about their work. I will describe the writing process of many of my songs, going into further detail with the lyrics and stories behind the songs, and sharing demos and rough sketches of earlier versions that brought the song to its completed state.
Artists You Should Know This rhythm is largely designed to bring lesser-known artists’ work to light. Many of these will be local artists and friends; there is nothing better for artists that are just starting out than sharing fans. Music happens in community.
Album of the Month (ish) My new rhythm for listening is to visit the library and peruse the cd section until something catches my eye. After checking out, I throw the disc into my car and then proceed to swim in the music for the next three weeks. I have found this to be a very helpful and effective way to digest music. Three weeks of consistent listening gives me enough time to let the melodies and nuances into my subconscious, thus aiding in the writing process. About once a month, or whenever I finish an album, I will post about it.
More categories will undoubtedly come up along the way, but for now I’ll start with these. My goal is to post once or twice per week. Thanks for reading!
- Ben
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The main inspirations for this blog are:
- my friend Steve Goold's blog titled "The Steve Goold Blog". Incredible drummer, even better human. Go check it out - he is unreal.
- Ryan O'Neal's blog from Sleeping At Last. I dare you to find me a better lyricist.