Life
I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. I am. The weather here in Sweden has been warm and sunny for days on end. The fields are bright green and yellow and the lilacs are in full bloom.
Life as an indie musician is just like everyone else's in many ways: I need to sleep, eat, exercise (don't do that enough), take in the rays (it's been summer hot in Sweden for a week now!), and so on. Life rolls by fast! This week I've held a grill party and tonight I am the guest at another grill party (of course I am bringing my guitar!). I wonder if you love grilling as much as I do?
GREAT GRILL TIP:
Since we are talking about grilling let me share a recipe. Take a banana, slice it lengthwise, fill with your favourite chocolate and wrap in foil with the opening upwards. Grill on warm coals with the hood on the grill until the chocolate melts and the banana is warm and gooey. Use a spoon to enjoy this delicacy! Thanks, Simon and Susanne!
Outdoor Concerts
When the weather gets warmer, I try to do my practicing outdoors. After a warmup at home, I was out in Ystad yesterday doing a set by the pond. It's a beautiful place! People smiled as they strolled by and listened and some stopped to talk with me- it's fun. I love doing outdoor concerts. I have to practice anyway. Doing it live outdoors makes me practice more focused and makes me sing more effectively. Win-win! They get entertain and I get better at it. Let me know if you live in Skåne and want a house concert this summer.
Music Progress
The past few weeks I have been working together with Sonic Media in Gothenburg to tie up all the loose ends on the tracks that we've mixed and co-produced for the Change My Mind album. I had added some new tracks to the songs since we first recorded them (a vocal track here a guitar track there), and now we have three final mixes ready for mastering: the songs Don't Worry, (electro pop, feat. Rebecka Wendesten), Every Day, (Gospel feat. Anna Löwenmark) and Just How Good (Country featuring me).
I sat in my apartment in Rydsgård and worked with the co-producer of those tracks virtually through Steinbreg's VST connect. That way I could hear the music and see his workflow as we edited things in real time. I feel that I can move on to other songs now. It is a great feeling. 3/12 songs isn't al lot but I see many songs are close to being finalised (ready for the mastering process). We will continue to work this way until the songs that we have co-produced are completed. And, I continue to mix the songs on the album that I have produced. We are in the final stages - the last 10 % of the mixing - a stage that requires a lot of patience and accuracy. It is now, with small intricate changes and adjustments that the songs begin to pop out commercially.
I am so excited about seeing the end of the tunnel! This project is awesome.
Patreon
Mixing with Sonic Media costs me on a per hour basis. Accountant fees, bank fees, and other expenses have been especially tough for us this year. If you'd like to help me out with the costs, please consider being a part of my Patreon community. I have two patrons as of date and their feedback has been gold. It's about community. I share music ideas, ask them questions and we discuss things. Sometimes through email and sometimes over Skype. It's a great opportunity for you to be a part of my music making process.
Patreon is a great way to help support creatives like me so we can do our stuff. As a patron (supporter on Patreon), you will get new releases once a month and information that only my Patreon community will get. Here is the link to my Patreon page to find out what I can give you as a patron. Just click on the Patreon picture! Thanks for your support!
An Indie Musician's Diary
Also, I'd like to remind you that the weekly ups and downs of the music making process for the Change My mInd Album is being documented on Wattpad. As a music lover you get to understand the ins and outs of the life of an indie musician - me. If you are into music production you can get all sorts of tips on mixing and mastering within Logic Pro X, music promotion tips etc. In An Indie Musician's Diary, I document what I learn and how I do this project up to the release date. So, whether you are a music lover or a music maker, there are things in it for you. You can read it for free by clicking on the ebook cover.
GDPR You may already be aware of the new GDPR legislation which comes into effect later this month. I'm want to make sure you know that I will only contact you with advice, news, information and offers relevant to Featherhead subscribers. AND, I will never, ever share your data with a third party. Be sure of that! You can unsubscribe from my list at any time via the link on the bottom of the Featherhead Media start page.
If you have any questions about anything, just get a hold of me at info@featherheadmedia.com
Wishing you a warm continuation of this beautiful May weather! All the best!
Kindest regards,
Elisabeth Kitzing