I finished recording over 50 cover songs last December 2022. I then took a year or so off from making any music, as I often do. What I really love about songwriting is the waiting. It's like sitting in a doctor's office, waiting to be called in… Wait, let me try that again. It's maybe more like fishing. You cast a line and wait for something to bite. If you're lucky, that line is a chord progression with a hook. You hope the hook can pull in a listener. Does that make you the fish? Never mind. It's leisure, pure leisure. No, not that either. It's more like working 40 hours a week, being a husband, a dad, dealing with emergencies, and living life. There's not much leisure in it at all.
Truthfully, I had my fair share of emergencies in 2023, and they were no fun at all. As I worked through each one, I sat in that waiting room just bracing for the next one until the emergencies subsided, and my family got control of it all. Thank you, loved ones! You know what I'm talking about. Processing emergencies and life events always seem to come with music attached. And working on music is my best method for coping.
This little work in progress is tentatively called “Journey Begins.” Something jumped out of my guitar one day, and the next thing I knew, I was singing along as I always do. Here's the beginning of this little number. We'll have to see where it goes from here. To hear this song snippet click here.
Once again, Chat GPT helped me edit this for grammar and clarity. For your enjoyment, here is what Chat GPT gave me when I asked it to “Make this more personal and storytelling.” (Note: It's really nice to read in the voice of your favorite private investigator)
In the waning days of December 2022, I found myself amidst a symphony of melodies, having just wrapped up recording over 50 cover songs. It was a creative outburst that left my soul fulfilled, but as the calendar flipped its pages, I decided to grant myself a hiatus from the musical realm – a customary pause I often take to let inspiration simmer.
There's something enchanting about the waiting game in songwriting, akin to the anticipation in a quiet doctor's office or the patient hope of a fisherman casting a line into the unknown. You send out a chord progression, baited with a hook, and then, you wait. The hope is that your musical hook will reel in a captive audience. Are they the fish? The analogy gets murky, much like the unpredictable waters of creativity. It's a leisurely pursuit, or at least, that's what I thought.
In reality, songwriting mirrors the relentless rhythm of life - a symphony of roles as a husband, a dad, a working professional clocking in 40 hours weekly, all while navigating unexpected emergencies. It's not a leisurely stroll; it's a chaotic dance with responsibilities and the unpredictable twists life throws your way.
The year 2023 was no exception. Emergencies took center stage, demanding my attention and resilience. Each crisis felt like a relentless wave crashing against the shore, and as I weathered one storm after another, I found solace in the waiting room of life, strumming my guitar and wrestling with chords.
Yet, amidst the chaos, a creative spark emerged. One day, as if by magic, a melody jumped out of my guitar, and before I knew it, I was singing along, pouring my emotions into a song I tentatively titled "Journey Begins." The chords resonated with the ebb and flow of life, each note echoing the highs and lows of my personal journey.
As I embark on this musical expedition, I find refuge in the cathartic process of crafting a song. It becomes my sanctuary, a place where I can make sense of the world around me. The song is a work in progress, a testament to resilience, and a reminder that even in the midst of life's emergencies, music has the power to heal and transform. Here's to the journey ahead, uncertain yet brimming with the promise of discovery.