New Years Resolutions… Music Only… Maximum of 3 please 🙏

GeoTony

My three are…
1 Learn how to play Barbers Adagio for Strings (Guitar / GeoShred transcription)
2 Finish two tracks that I’ve had on the back burner for over a year 😊
3 Learn more music theory which I’m sure will help in the future 🤔

jwmmakerofmusic

Okay, my three resolutions are as follows...

1) Continue exploring the genre of Ambient and improving my skills in the genre.
2) Avoid producing EDM (outside of client work that is) until Spring 2025 at earliest.
3) Learn how to use iVCS3, miRack, and other modular environments for creating Ambient.

GeoTony

Love the caveat on no.2 Jim but at the end of the day it’s what you enjoy that matters 👍

tyslothrop1

1. Play physical instruments more often (bass, guitar, maybe even keyboard
2. Instead of just thinking about how to do it, actually transfer stuff between the iPad and Ableton and work on the same tracks in both worlds
3. Pick up some unfinished stuff and make something out of it

1 I'll manage, 2 I'll try and 3 would surprise me

jwmmakerofmusic

@GeoTony said:
Love the caveat on no.2 Jim but at the end of the day it’s what you enjoy that matters 👍

Exactly 100% mate, lol. Also, yeah, that caveat is there since sometimes one of my clients asks for EDM beats. And when I'm paid to do so, then that's alright.

Fruitbat1919

1. Finish my music setup, including hardware and software
2. Concentrate on making music
3. Learn to make better music

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tubespace

1. Avoid mind-barriers (i.e. - not telling myself, "it's supposed to sound different!")
2. Give myself permission for my creations to suck
3. Minimize more often

GeoTony

Finish is a very strong word @Fruitbat1919 , perhaps refine is more achievable ambition 😊
Ukulele, singing and bass sounds like a great combination @Danny_Mammy , looking forward to it already 👌

michael_m

Ah, the dreaded resolution and whether or not we stick to it…

OK, reasonable ones for me:

1. Post some friggin music here! I probably average once a year, and need to do better than that!
2. Play more saxophone. Got it out a couple of times recently and realized how rusty I am. Need to go through some exercises and improvisation exercises.
3. Transcribe more than one piece of music in the year. I haven’t even finished the one piece I started this year yet!

Fruitbat1919

@GeoTony said:
Finish is a very strong word @Fruitbat1919 , perhaps refine is more achievable ambition 😊
Ukulele, singing and bass sounds like a great combination @Danny_Mammy , looking forward to it already 👌

Would normally agree, but a change in circumstances is coming for myself which dictates planning my money for the next 3 years and after that there will be very little for such things. 3 years to buy the music gear, fishing tackle and other hobby stuff I desire. The first year is my music gear. That’s why I’ve set up for 3 different music making kits - standalone hardware, iPad setup and Mac setup, so eggs not in one basket. So after this New Year, it’s unlikely there will be any new gear for music making baring unforeseen circumstances.

So, less an achievable ambition and more just the way life is unfolding lol

Happy New Year

reasOne

Master the minifreak
Complete a 6 song EP
Schedule Time in my calendar as Music Time. I work a lot better when i lay out my day plan in advance and have time set aside for certain things

GeoTony

Some real sax would be nice @michael_m !
Fair enough @Fruitbat1919 , not sure where you are but we’re just about to sit down and watch Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing which is about … fishing 🎣
Looking forward to the EP @reasOne 👍

NoiseHorse

1- bust out my saxophones & throw them into some tunes
2- change up my guitar sound with my new Tele and Fender Mustang Micro
3- rework my priorities so I can get more tunes written and recorded. reload my SoundCloud.

Fruitbat1919

@GeoTony said:
Some real sax would be nice @michael_m !
Fair enough @Fruitbat1919 , not sure where you are but we’re just about to sit down and watch Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing which is about … fishing 🎣
Looking forward to the EP @reasOne 👍

Just looked it up, sounds interesting !

senhorlampada

1 - refine my workflow and get things finished (or posted at least)
2 - learn my recent gear
3 - learn some of the apps I don't master lol

Krupa

Become more fluid on the guitar
Use the wall of synth I’ve built a lot more
Get some more sound packs out
And more music😅
Jam with the beasts more (little group of mates who make noises in a room together)

GeoTony

I think no. 5 sounds wonderful @Krupa … I’ll let you off for listing more than 3 😊

Krupa

@GeoTony said:
I think no. 5 sounds wonderful @Krupa … I’ll let you off for listing more than 3 😊

Oops sorry, I forgot😂

sevenape

Sample it
Loop it
Repeat

Dav

1. Do some serious composing/recording with all these apps I’ve bought.
2. Get an online music account somewhere (like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, etc)
3. Get more gigs that pay well enough to actually pay all my bills (have this one every year)

Blipsford_Baubie

1. Less chatter and more listening to Creations instead.

2. Create and release despite time constraints and dissatisfaction of output.

3. Resume learning and practicing theory.

@tubespace said:
1. Avoid mind-barriers (i.e. - not telling myself, "it's supposed to sound different!")
2. Give myself permission for my creations to suck
3. Minimize more often

That speaks to me too.

craftycurate

1. Have fun, stay curious, stay hungry, journey beyond the familiar creative defaults and head into the unknown
2. Enjoy exploring and using what I've already bought, go deep, push the limits, read manuals, keep learning
3. Encourage others in their creative endeavours, be a positive and constructive voice in our community.
4. Know when to break the rules

Telstar5

Finally learn lp4 for iPad inside out

Wyvern

1. Make an ambient EP of 4 or 5 tracks using just CB3 and its IAPs, and my Arturia minilab III.
2. Become a better guitar and keyboard player.
3. Learn to read music…finally!

pedro

@sevenape said:
Sample it
Loop it
Repeat

Technologic

pedro

1. Stop whatever poisons I’m taking
2. Meditate like I mean it / workout more
3. Music > whatever distraction

reasOne

@pedro said:
1. Stop whatever poisons I’m taking
2. Meditate like I mean it
3. Music > whatever distraction

1….Sugar, food coloring, non organic??

2… meditation is everything

pedro

@reasOne said:

@pedro said:
1. Stop whatever poisons I’m taking
2. Meditate like I mean it
3. Music > whatever distraction

1….Sugar, food coloring, non organic??

2… meditation is everything

Hmm, I could write an essay on each topic

On point 1 I mainly mean alcohol. I keep a very healthy nutrition otherwise, no fast food unless I’m dying from hunger in the middle of the desert
I do smoke my marijuanas occasionally

On point 2, after I learned about Buddhism when I was 17, which was several decades ago, I still haven’t figured the third turning of the wheel, and I believe I have the capacity to do so now, if I put in the effort

yellow_eyez

My goals for 2025

1. Complete one song in Cubasis 3 (iPad) and one song in Logic 11 (Mac) {preferably writing all the drums myself if possible.}

B. Play/practice guitar daily to the point that shredding is beyond second nature so I not only improve, which is its own reward, but I enjoy to just play freely again.

III. Produce an entire album at least 35 minutes in length made on my TE OP-1F + EP-133 KOII (and iPad …)

——- preface ——-

I realize they may not seem like lofty goals to many of you very advanced producers, but I can honestly say, I only got somewhat alright with production in 2024. 2022 was the year I began just with drambo and recording, 2023 was the year I started to acquire and explore the ecosystem to see what I needed/wanted from the iPad and what was available, 2024 was was my year of Teenage Engineering/ slowing my app acquisitions almost to a halt while I concentrated on applying everything.

I’m finally at an intermediate level where I can basically do nearly whatever I set out to do, albeit very slowly, awkwardly, and often times with difficulty or needing references to accomplish my goal. At the same time, I am rebuilding my guitar skills (which atrophies from not playing for almost two years), and seeking new avenues and fountains for inspiration, while attempting to finally fuse the music I have been working on for almost three years with you fine people.

—-Foreward——

At least “my sound” is no longer being hunted. By using the subtractive method, I can now hone in on my ”Arabesque fusion” (dropping the metal for good now ) as I embrace the fact that my drums will always tend toward electronic and hip hop , that my music is unconventional and experimental despite it being accessible and easy to listen to, and that metal and shred are dead but that doesn’t mean I can’t still incorporate elements for sprinkles of flair every now and again (iow 99% of people don’t want to hear a 2 minute solo but a 15 second solo would be enjoyable to anyone I would hope, so I am letting go of being a “metal guitarist,” and am just going to focus on writing music with my guitar)

—- conclusion—
2025 will be the year I go back to my roots (hardcore guitar work) but now I bring with me new tools and new skills to add to my production and give my composition a new workflow and framework.

——epilogue ——

Thank you for making this excellent thread as it is so important to think, create a game plan, and set benchmarks to stay on task. In fact , the overall resolution this year is - ORGANIZATION. That is so crucial to success and why I’ve been so haphazardly motivated. I will begin each day with goal 2 (practice) so that I won’t fall back …

—-PS—

NB: I say all that forgetting in about 3 days I’m gonna hear the pitter pattering of little feet again!! Just before I hit “post message”…cheers fate!!! Touche! lol

pedro

This thread is proving very therapeutic 💪👍