Pacing for Sustained Making
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert) · Solo episode
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Topics discussed
Host note
Making music in the streaming/AI treadmill is easier and harder at once, and that is not the point. I have put out 382 commercially released songs, and the lesson I keep relearning is pacing: music has a tide. It comes in with force, retreats so you can fill the cup, then returns. Miss which phase you are in and you burn the record before it exists.
I lost excitement on the last LP by putting it out as I was making it. Singles 1–6 spent the intensity that belonged to 7. When in doubt, make something — but some art is supposed to be slow. See the whole idea through, then let people accept or deny it.
Selected moments
- Introductory Thoughts on Creativity 0:58 I mention how creativity can fluctuate between fast-paced production and slow development.
- The Tide of Music 1:36 Discussing the nature of music resembling a tide that requires knowledge of when to create and when to internalize.
- Struggles with Momentum 3:01 Sharing personal feelings about maintaining excitement and momentum during the music-making process.
- Releasing Music Midway 4:30 Explaining how releasing singles during the album-making process can potentially harm overall momentum.
- Lessons on Speed versus Deliberation 5:18 Reflecting on my struggles with timely completion and the need to capture inspiration quickly.
- Value of Full Ideas 7:34 Advocating for the importance of completing bigger musical ideas before slicing them into parts for release.
- Artistic Inadequacy and Its Challenges 10:32 Discussing the toxic nature of feeling artistically inadequate amidst commercial pressures.
Selected excerpts
Creativity is so strange because there will be times where things will happen very quickly, times that things will happen very slowly and they both have to coexist.
I think that there is a tide to music. It comes out, it goes in, and in order to really be in it and have a long-term career, you have to know when it's time to fill up your cup.
When in doubt, make something. However, that's not the way that everything goes, and also some art is supposed to be slow, some art is supposed to be fast.
The trick is knowing which is which and when to do which because it's very easy to do the opposite.
I lost excitement on my last record because I was putting it out as I was making it and not enough people liked it.
If you burn out all of your intensity on public reception of one through six before you even made seven, you may never make it.
If I was faster, I would have finished it and I would have captured that moment because I wasn't fast enough. I let that moment go by.
I think the best thing is to see that idea through because then it comes out whole and then people can accept or deny it.
FAQ
What are the challenges of making music in the streaming era?
The challenges include managing the pace of creativity, dealing with public reception, and sustaining excitement throughout the music-making process.
How do I balance my inspiration and output in music?
It involves recognizing when to draw in inspiration and when to actively create, knowing that both elements are essential for a long-term music career.
What should I consider before releasing singles?
It's important to ensure that you don't compromise the overall vision of your project by releasing too many singles before the full work is finished.
Curated notes only — no public transcript. Listen on the links above.