A SONG A DAY

Going STRONG! Finally made time for a long overdue BLOG!  As I've been working on making this "song a day" a habit; I must admit that it can be challenging. Besides the obvious, the songs need to be produced, mixed and mastered which sometimes can take longer than expected. (lyric/vocal tracks)

Here are a few things  I've discovered on my journey so far that I'd like to share. ( and really, it applies to anything you do) 

#1 CONSISTENCY

-Do it everyday! Just do it. 

-Give yourself a specific time and time frame. (2pm-4pm) If it's on your to do list, there's no panic or the "I don't have time" excuse. NO interruptions. 

#2 PURPOSE

Why am I doing this? Speaking for myself I do it to:

-Get better and faster at my craft

-Treat it as a job 

-Structure, discipline and self-motivation

-Up my production and writing skills

-Build my catalog

-Train myself to write wherever, whatever, without having to wait on inspiration. 

Inspiration is everywhere. Once you start, once in the zone and amazed what comes out.

#3 CONCEPT

-Think albums

-Specific genres

During my 31 Songs in 31 Days challenge, I was writing full songs with lyrics and vocals. I gave myself two hours. The goal was to write a complete song, start to finish. I didn't think too much about a specific genre, I let myself write whatever I wanted which was very liberating and fun. Now that I have the 31 songs, as I finish them one by one (production) I'll find them a home, some will be on my album, while others will go straight to a library. 

For Instrumentals. I think of it as making compilation CD's for music libraries. Specific themes and genres. Either Holiday (Halloween, Christmas) or Drama, or EDM tracks. This way, the end of the month I have 30 tracks to submit. It just makes sense and it helps to focus.

#4 EXPAND

-learn and experiment

It's easy to go to the same Virtual Instruments, (I do it all the time) while it is extremely helpful to have a go to Instrument if you need to write fast for a specific  request, force yourself to use just one instrument for example, write the entire piece in Massive, next day just use FM8 or Omnisphere and so on. The point is, we do want to expand and learn our instruments. Most of us have a ton of toys we hardly ever use or don't even know how to use.

#5 LISTEN

-Educate yourself

-Learn the genre you're in (or a new genre you're interested in)

-Stick out while still fitting in, be different from the rest

If you do library tracks, go to the high end libraries sites and listen to the genres you do, compare where you stand out yet still fit in. Same goes for songwriting, listen to the new releases on Itunes, 

As an Artists we do want to sound unique, different and fresh but we still want to know what's going on out there and stay current. Obviously, if you do vocal tracks for libraries, you do want to be able to make sound-alike tracks, you need to know what that artist sounds like. And it can inspire you to make it your own.

#6 KEEP ORGANIZED

-Find a system that works for you

-METADATA

-Register your songs with PRO

-Create Song Inventory to keep track

As you keep writing more and more music, it can get pretty overwhelming. I make folders for each month. (Sept. 2014) Inside that folder each song gets their own folder , I name the songs "Sept.1st, Sept. 2nd and so on" I also have a MIXES folder inside main folder where all the mixes go from all 30 songs; this way I don't have to go to each individual song folder if I need a track. Make wav and mp3 files. Vocal and Instrumental tracks.

Metadata, so important to have all the info about the song, like bpm, name, genre, artist info, description etc. It will make submissions way easier if you have it all in one place rather than having to listen to each track way after you worked on them.

Have a track inventory of all tracks, where the tracks are, (what libraries) non-exclusive or exclusive. (That just seems a blog all by itself) It can get overwhelming quickly.

#6 HAVE FUN & STAY FLEXIBLE

While it seems like a lot of work and  requires lot's discipline, we are doing it because we love it. We do it because we want to work our creative muscle. Not every song has to be the most amazing thing you've ever written. It's not about that, it's about putting it out to the universe that you are living your purpose, so your subconscious mind knows that this is what you are meant to do. It's so that your catalog grows, as well as you as an artist, composer. singer/songwriter. We only get better by doing.

There might be a day or two where you don't write, it happened to me a few times, I wanted to beat myself up but decided to just acknowledge that life happens, things come up and throw you off balance a bit. You go off track, you get back on. Write two the next day, make up for it. Laugh it off.

#7 READ

Read reviews, interviews, articles that catch your interest, use it as inspiration for lyrics and themes.

#8 COLLABORATE

While I personally love writing alone, especially instrumentals, I LOVE collaborating, it's expanding, fun and magical with the right person.  Together you'll come up with things you would've never done alone. It's easy to get stuck doing what you always do. Collaborators are great teachers and often become great friends and inspiration. Find collaborators that will care about the song as much as you do and help shop the song as well. There's power in a TEAM! No one succeeds doing everything alone.

#9 MOMENTUM

The more you write, the more creative you'll get. The more you hit the gym , the firmer your body gets, the stronger you become. And your CONFIDENT grows.  Confidence is very attractive! Successful people love confident people. Do not confuse that with arrogance or cockiness. Stay humble and keep living your purpose!!!

DAY SEVEN

It's been pretty fun so far.The biggest challenge has been to not write about the same old things and to use different approaches, let's say, one song starts with a vocal melody, another get's inspired by a drumbeat, guitar riff or synth sound. Yesterday was my first Collaboration on this project, felt good to only come up with lyrics and melody. I did feel a little resistance at first but once I let go of the "inner judge" allowing myself to just dive in, it became effortless.

I don't always have a concept when I write, some writers do. I usually let the music take me, picking a theme has been another one of my challenges. The beauty in writing is, it doesn't matter how you start the journey, as long as you end up with a completed song that resonates with you. A song that captures a feeling, a vibe, a mood. And of course if I was writing for a specific project, a music library, I'd have more of an outline and theme, most likely writing a sound alike. What's fun about this project is that I can write whatever I want without having to fit a format. It's fun to express myself any way I want, goofy, serious, off beat. No RULES! Of course in the back of my mind I am thinking about where that track could be placed and ultimately, I want to find those 31 babies a good home but as of right now. All I need to do is give birth to another creation. ;)

I've been pretty good as far as only spending a couple of hours on writing,  not all in one sitting, I work for 30 min, get the idea down, take a quick walk with the dog or do my workout  than come back with a clear head and fresh perspective. It's working really well.

The frustrating part is that I can hear some of the songs fully produced and want to do it right than and there (yes, I've spend several hours on a couple of songs I felt strongly about). I have to remember to just WRITE the song first, start to finish, THAN focus on production, although in some cases tweaking the sounds along the way is extremely inspiring, as long as I don't get caught up in "tweaking" that sound forever.

What I did notice is that I am more creative, ideas keep popping up consistently, I've recorded some ideas right after writing a track or while waiting for a student. The fossett is open and little symphonies keeps flowing, effortlessly. Day Seven accomplished. (Just realized, I spent so much time on this Blog it's already day Eight, hahaha.

Starting tomorrow,  I will post snippets of the tracks, I don't know if it would be a good idea to post the entire songs. (copyright, quality and time wise)

My goal is to do at least 10 Collabs on this project.
Stay tuned the fun is just about to start!
xoxo
JVB

31 SONGS in 31 days!

Happy 1st of July. I can't help but wonder what I did the first half of the year. Setting big goals and plans surely wasn't part of it. I made a tough and hard decision at the beginning of the year;  I let my baby, long time commitment "Otto's Daughter" go. Probably the hardest and most painful thing I've done, and I've done some pretty challenging things in my life.

I felt a lost, not sure what to do next, besides the obvious, writing music for libraries and film/tv placements. I can't stop making music and being who I am living my purpose. I am an artist and need to express who I am not just by writing but through love performance. I'm a performer and need the stage.

So many of us get so busy with life that the one thing we love the most we do the least. Something so painful and sad about this picture.  And time goes by and another year passes. You make money, lose it all but you can make it back, your relationship collapses, eventually you find someone better,  fall back in love and be happy again, all is good. One thing we don't get back is TIME!

Today I decided to challenge myself, to write one song a day for the entire month of July. It doesn't have to be a vocal track, nor does it have to be a completely well produced song. Just a good foundation, first draft that can later be perfected with a re-write and production skills.


The idea is to just write, step outside the box, get creative and allow myself to just be. Pick different topics, genres, whatever comes out. It's about working that creative muscle, making the time and allowing creativity to flow. I'm completely open to collaborating and invite you to become part of this journey.  Does it spark your Interest? Let's keep it simple.

Do

Here are two different ways to go about it:

Option 1) We collaborate in person. Hit me up, we set a date and time and spend 2 hours writing a tune. (Yes, two hours only, trust me this works)

Option 2) Online. Send me a track, an idea. Can be a piece of music or hook or lyric and I'll take it from there (or the other way around)

Important is, that it needs to be done on that day within a certain time frame. No excuses. No over analyzing, criticizing, just writing, letting the creative juices flow)

Many artists feel like they are not inspired, they have writers block, can't write while under pressure, the goal is to work through this resistance by just having fun and not taking it all so serious! Just allow the magic to happen, or maybe even not, and that would make an interesting song as well, lol

We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for! No more waiting for tomorrow for what can be done today! You want to expand, write, create and collaborate, here's my invitation. Regardless, I am committed to go on my "July 14 - One Song A Day in Journey". 31 songs are waiting to come to life!

I will post updates on here as well as on facebook and soundcloud.
Ready Go!
;)

Every Student Is A Teacher

I give voice lessons a few times a week. I find teaching extremely rewarding, I get to help others become confident singers/performers, encourage them to be creative and to embrace their own unique sound and style.
Inspiring and motivating others gives me great pleasure, seeing them excel and having fun while they're learning is what it's all about! Plus, I get to remind myself to follow my own advice!
I have this new student, she's 5 years old, adorable and smart. She told me that she writes her own songs. So I asked if she would like to sing one of her songs for me. She replied "sure, but I need the piano", so we switched seats.
Her eyes started to search for ideas while tapping her pointy finger on her cheek..."let me think" she said...than she hit the highest note on the piano (twice) followed by the lowest (twice), she repeated it a few more times and finished off with a random note; a little above the middle C.
She looked at me with a big smile and said "that's it". I said, wow, that's a very short song...and with confidence she affirmed..."yes, that's it"
I thought it was adorable. She didn't question her ability to make up a song, she just went for it. I didn't correct her by saying, well that's not a real song. Who am I to judge? I wanted her to be creative and express herself and she did the best she could. And that is what really matters, to start wherever we are, to just go for it.
As creative people we tend to get a little too serious, trying to be perfect at all times, overthink and over ananlyze. It sucks the creative juice and fun right out of us. Of course we need to be great at what we do in order to be successful but we shall not forget that it's ok to suck sometimes, to write or create something that may never be recognized, seen or heard.
We can only get better by doing, learning, listening and keeping an open mind.
Cheers to more fun!
PS: If you are interested in finding out more about my teaching, visit thevocalgym.com ;)

Onto The Next One

Taking a walk at 7:30 am is so refreshing, the crisp air, the morning frost on the grass and leaves, hardly anyone out. Everything feels so pure and new. It was pretty chilly for LA, than again, I'm not a morning person, maybe it's normal? I ended up walking for almost an hour, my dog Bolt loves the park as much as I do, sometimes I'm not sure who's taking who for a walk ;)
Crazy ideas pop in my head all the time and I usually dismiss them or save 'em for a later date. I've been debating whether or not to throw a brand new song at the guys and have 'em learn it for the show on friday(I'm still learning it myself) And so I decided to Just Do It! They got the song via e-mail a few hours before rehearsal. I wrote the song "Onto The Next One" last year after several weeks of writers block. It's become my new favorite, it's where I'm at in my life, it only seems appropriate to debut it at the first show of the new year.
In the past I'd often let someone convince me that we're not ready...truth is...we're never ready. I know what we are capable of, and I'm tired of playing it safe & being comfortable. Our first rehearsal after 3 months was a mess, but I'm confident we'll nail it tomorrow. ;)
ch....ch....changes.......

Fuel for Creativity!

The Music Industry has changed drastically and it keeps on changing. Get over it! If you are in the industry and you resist change, you'll have a hard time moving forward, adapting to the "new way". Most of us haven't even quite figured out the "new way"...we're all kinda in limbo. The great news is, here's our chance to come up with something new and groundbreaking. We can try new things, they may fail, I'm sure many ideas will but so what...you keep on trying.

The worst thing you can do is bitch and complain. What exactly does that accomplish? You hate the budget cuts, the shitty music out these days...REALLY? There's always been shitty music. Music doesn't need to be meaningful and deep at all times. When I'm on the dancefloor, I want to dance, laugh, flirt....have fun! Just because it doesn't speak to you doesn't mean it's bad.

How about all those hating on Skrillex, Rhianna or Lady GaGa, how they don't deserve to be as big as they are. IF you think they suck, DO BETTER! Bring something to the table that tops their production, their mass appeal! Yes, they all have big machines behind them but you can create something out of nothing if you have the drive and the believe that you are great! Saying you don't have the big label behind you is just another excuse to NOT get to work. Let your frustration be your inspiration. Instead of getting bitter, get busy, get creative!

We're all guilty of it, but it doesn't serve us! So now go write a song about it! ;P

Three Reasons to be Thankful that you are an Artist!

I was just reading an article I got in my e-mail this morning,and it made me realize and reminded me, how fortunate I truly am to be an artist. Being a creative person isn't always easy. We tend to be needy, moody, live on a crazy schedule, usually spent a lot of time in solitary, we want instant gratification, make a living doing what we love. We usually can't deal with a 9-5. It sucks the energy out of us, it's exhausting, leaving little if no room for creative time. We deal with our inner demons, criticism, usually don't have too many people around us that understand and support us, well, the list goes on and on. It's easy to focus on all the negative things but let's NOT forget all the beauty of being an artist.

1. You've got a creative outlett!
You are alive and able to express yourself in the form of art, whatever it is you do, it's a gift, a talent that most people wish they had. Embrace it. The more you use it, the stronger it will get. Life isn't always easy and what better way to cope with difficulties in life than pouring it all into your art. How many amazing songs have been written because of a broken heart as well as someone being madly in love or just happy and high on life? It's your way of helping you get through life, it puts perspective into your life. Once the pen is moving, things start to reveal itself, you plant a seed and watch it grow. Make room for your creativity and it will welcome you into a world of endless possibilities!

2. You do something you Love and are Passionate about
So many people live their lives not even knowing what they are truly passionate about. They spent half their life working for someone else than die leaving nothing behind. Everybody has a purpose on this earth. Fear is the main reason most people don't follow their dreams. Your Passion and Love are the fuel for making your dreams come true. It soon becomes not only an obsession, an addiction, it's infectious, it sets you on fire, it's something you can't live without, it makes you act and come from a place that sees no boundaries, knows no limits. It's what makes you thrive. It gives you strength and power, moves mountains. The beautiful thing is, your passion, your gift is the one thing no-one can ever take from you. The trick is to stay focused on your goal, enjoy the journey and take the little set backs on the way as inspiration, a challenge. We grow and learn only by doing, we find out who we truly are. Embrace it. It's a never ending journey. Life is all about growth and decay. You are either growing or dying. It's what keeps us alive inside!

3. You contribution to this world
Your art, your talent can make a huge difference in someone elses life. You might help someone get through a rough time, change someones life, you might inspire someone to follow their dream. Ever heard a song that says it all? It's exactly how you feel right at that moment? Imagine it's your song. How gratifying is that? We all want and deserve recognition, fame and fortune, and there's nothing wrong with wanting these things. Success means different things to different people. I believe the more successful you are, the more can you contribute. Be it a money, time or sharing your knowledge. We are here to live to our fullest and leave a legacy behind, to make the world a better place. Although not all of your work will be seen or heard, they are all stepping stones, part of you and your progress. Your journey to happiness and fulfillment.
As much as it can be frustrating at times, an ongoing uphill battle, no one cares more about YOU and your Business than YOU. You are in the drivers seat! When you really think about it, what a powerful position to be in, what an amazing gift to share!

I'm extremely grateful to be able to express myself through my music, performance and art. I know, you feel the same way! Be grateful and NEVER look back. Leave no reason to regret the things you could've, should've done! Risk a little. Live in the NOW! Follow your inner voice, let it guide you. And NEVER stop doing what you love. If it makes YOU happy, you're on the right path! Enjoy the ride!

xoxo JVB

The brakes are off

I did my power hour today, which felt amazing. What that means is; I took time for myself, I went to the park, did my workout, connect with other human beings and smiled at every single person I met and doggies of course. Did my affirmations, set myself up for a successful and productive day.


It really worked for me. (the power hour) I got great news in the mail, via e-mail and through a phone call.

I ended up doing a last minute collaboration with a composer friend of mine after getting a call from him saying something like "I just got an e-mail from this music supervisor; that's what they're looking for and oh yeh and it's due tomorrow morning; what do you think?" I started laughing and said:" well...let's do it". Not even an hour later he send me a rough track. I send some vocal tracks back and boom, we were on a roll. I love working with him.



We did the song (long distance collaboration) in less than twelve hours. It's crazy and fun! Not what I had planned but I love it. And I was taken to a Sushi dinner in between. Life is indeed great!

I can't wait to set myself up for another incredible day! I'm expecting a call from Dave in the morning telling me the supervisor loves it and they'll use it.


PS: I'm not hoping for it; I'm expecting it!
xoxo
JVB

Let it rain....

The rain and three cats purring on my bed make it really hard to get up early. I managed to get out of bed around 9:30am, got my workout in and even had breakfast before my 11am student.

Pretty good accomplishment before noon! I like that. Something about accomplishing little things early in the day turns my whole mood and motivation up a notch, makes me feel great and want to do more.

After all, we were meant to be productive, have a purpose and go for what we want and love. That doesn't mean going to a job you hate (that's not productive, that's actually soul-drenching)

I made some phone calls, sent some e-mails, learned a few new things about some plugin's; took care of some more important business and received a very pleasant call.

Let's just say that certain people are meant to be in your life and always will be part of your life and it's a very good thing (because it's our choice). That phone call had me even more fired up, I got extremely inspired and excited about the possibility of some future collaborations. Something I've been wanting to do for a while.

I had some computer problems which turned my creativity to null. At first I got kinda frustrated since I really wanted to finish at least one of the 30 tracks I have to have done by February15th but than I realized, I'm just not in a creative flow at the moment and it's okay.


I'm one of those who can't write anything for a week; than bursts out 5 songs at once. I learned to be okay with that and just go with the flow rather than beat myself up and try to force magic. it just doesn't work. After my 5pm student someone took me to Little Tony's for some real italian food and a glas of Merlow. How can I say no? Hahahaha


I watch it rain, wash away, the road is clear and clean and ours to take!
Raindrops & LightingSparks
JVBlossom

In the Fast Lane

One thing for sure, when you are on the road, you somewhat lose touch with a lot of things that are important to you; it's a whole different world, there's the road, the shows, new faces, stories, sleep somewhere in between, different places you stay, sometimes you have access to the internet sometimes you don't. I wanted to work on music but that didn't happen. There's so much to share and blog about, I will have to organize it or maybe just randomize it ;)



Now that I'm back home, I realize how many projects I've put on hold; I really have to make some major decisions about my priorities and time management. Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun-less tasking? A little bit however, I decided right now that I can handle it all and that it is OK to delegate and ask for support!
After all, I am in control of me. I run my life. None of that autopilot nonsense.



Crack the Whip JVB, it's time to get producive and create miracles!
I shall return soon.
xXx
JVB

JVB BOOK?

I've been playing with the idea for a while now and my fabulous encouraging man keeps telling me that I really should write a book about my story. I'm getting pretty consistent with my writing since I'm getting into blogging on a consistent basis. The more I write, the more stuff comes up, it seems like I opened a can of worms. It's incredible. I'm really excited getting up in the morning and blogging/writing. Have I found a new passion? With all my typos I never considered myself a writer other than a Songwriter. lol Well, the proof is in my hear, the pen just doesn't want to stop, well, the fingers pounding on the keyboard, lol.

Of course typical JVB-style, I can't just do one thing at a time, I'm working on 4 different writing projects. One poetry book, 2 coffee table books and one about my journey so far.

They all have a title but once I'm closer to completion I'd like to ask people for their input, after all it's all in the title isn't it? I'm so excited.

Time to work on music! I'm starting to love my new program MUSE, even though it's been a headache from day 1.