In Daniel Pink's book Drive he talks about how there are two types of behavior that we draw inspiration from and how each person has a dominant motivation type. The first motivation type is Type X Behavior. This behavior type is driven mainly be external variables, such as rewards or recognition. The second motivation type is Type I Behavior, or Intrinsic Motivation. This motivation comes from a self-motivation to better one's self. Type I Behavior is the healthier and more positive behavior.
That being said, after taking the Drive Survey, I was diagnosed with Type X Behavior.
Which really did surprise me. I never really considered myself to be driven by rewards or recognition, but now when I look at myself I think I agree. But not in the sense that I do things mainly to profit off of them, but because the external factors I'm reacting to are more authentic. I think I do things because I want to influence people and make them happy because it gives me some personal satisfaction knowing that I have the ability to do that.
Or maybe I'm just in denial still and trying to romanticize my Type X Doom Sentence?
Well I watched the video and it took me a long time to come up with my statement, but here it is:
"Skyler was a very confused person surrounded by expectation, but didn't really want any of it."
That doesn't really paint me in a positive light but I can explain myself. I am confused, and people tell me everyday what I could be and how much money I could make if I was: a doctor, a politician, etc. Well the truth is I don't really want any of that. I do want fame--I'm not really ashamed of that--but only so I can influence more people. I think the more people that look at me and say to themselves "Hey, look at that kid. He's got it figured out. I'm going to be more like him." even though I don't really have it figured out at all, the more I can feel better about myself.
I guess that's sort of good and bad.
As for my mentor, I think I'd put him in the Type X Behavior category as well. But not in such an esteeming light that I tried to shroud some of my flaws in. I don't think my mentor really does his job for his own personal satisfaction either, neither do I think he takes on the production of other artists for his own personal satisfaction. Of course he loves what he does, he's very good at what he does, and he has his own personal side projects, but coming from some experiences and the atmosphere when I'm talking to him, I think he's more dominantly driven by external factors.
A good example of when I was motivated was when I finally landed my first gig. It took me almost an entire month to land one and when I did (on Thanksgiving in fact) I was suddenly hit with all of this anxiety. I didn't know enough songs to cover an two hours, I had a pretty lackluster voice, and I didn't have enough of my own material written that I was actually pleased with. So starting two weeks before my gig I did nonstop vocal exercises, I sang all of the time, I stayed up very late writing songs.
And then I lost my voice from overworking it; 3 days before my gig.
Long story short: I drank a bunch of hot tea and honey and sucked on a lot of cough drops and tried to perform bizarre paegan rituals that would restore my voice to normal.
Well one of those worked and I got my voice back, but it was the most prominent time in my memory that I worked vigorously to do something I loved.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
5
These are the lyrics to a song I wrote a couple of days ago :)
Today
I'm gonna be
A superstar for you
Please stay
You'll want to see
All the things I did to me
To catch a gaze from you
Today
I'm gonna be
Immaculate for you
Behave
Why can't you be?
Why is this needed to be free?
Can't you see this migraine's melting?
And falling out of head--it's coming, and coming
And leaking out of my ear--it gets so hard to
Refrain from the pressure that builds and bullys
The television in my brain
Today
I'm gonna be
Magnetic for you
All the bridges burning down is just a
symptom of the sound that pigeons
make when they're compressed
The kids are coming undressed
So they can be like the best
And all around them are fancy faces
Sporting flesh-colored vests
With it preparing to pour
And it beginning to shine forever
Tomorrow's just a good guess
For troubles waiting to bloom
Today
I'm gonna be
A superstar for you
Please stay
You'll want to see
All the things I did to me
To catch a gaze from you
Today
I'm gonna be
Immaculate for you
Behave
Why can't you be?
Why is this needed to be free?
Can't you see this migraine's melting?
And falling out of head--it's coming, and coming
And leaking out of my ear--it gets so hard to
Refrain from the pressure that builds and bullys
The television in my brain
Today
I'm gonna be
Magnetic for you
All the bridges burning down is just a
symptom of the sound that pigeons
make when they're compressed
The kids are coming undressed
So they can be like the best
And all around them are fancy faces
Sporting flesh-colored vests
With it preparing to pour
And it beginning to shine forever
Tomorrow's just a good guess
For troubles waiting to bloom
Sunday, March 21, 2010
4
Hello :)
So far my mentorship has been very exciting. In starting out my mentor and I discussed our goals. We will be working to record and produce an up and coming local artist (a high schooler like myself). In the end we will even shoot a music video for her.
But as far as learning goes, the first couple of weeks I was taken through the recording process of the church band. I learned many things about acoustics and recording just by watching the church band practices (microphone placement, gain and fading, mixing, mastering).
Recently I have been going to his house in order to work on drum loops for the local artist. His personal studio has very cool equipment (he actually let me hold a $2000+ microphone in trusting that I wouldn't drop it :P)
I have learned a lot of seemingly random but significant things from working with my mentor.
My individual project is still in the process of brainstorming, but my mentor has decided to let me borrow software and an audio interface in order to start recording on my own and to do assignments he gives me.
Also, he sold me his old Macbook for $400 :)
So far my mentorship has been very exciting. In starting out my mentor and I discussed our goals. We will be working to record and produce an up and coming local artist (a high schooler like myself). In the end we will even shoot a music video for her.
But as far as learning goes, the first couple of weeks I was taken through the recording process of the church band. I learned many things about acoustics and recording just by watching the church band practices (microphone placement, gain and fading, mixing, mastering).
Recently I have been going to his house in order to work on drum loops for the local artist. His personal studio has very cool equipment (he actually let me hold a $2000+ microphone in trusting that I wouldn't drop it :P)
I have learned a lot of seemingly random but significant things from working with my mentor.
My individual project is still in the process of brainstorming, but my mentor has decided to let me borrow software and an audio interface in order to start recording on my own and to do assignments he gives me.
Also, he sold me his old Macbook for $400 :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Independent v. Major Record Labels
Independent v. Major Record Labels
Leading into the twenty-first century the music industry has gone through several revolutions. With the inventions of compact disks, music videos, mp3 files, and torrent programs music has become a lot more accessible to the public. Competition and creativity has increased between artists in getting their music heard. One thing that hasn't changed is the decision between an independent label or a major label when pursuing a career in music. Both fields of the industry have their strengths and weaknesses and both fields can be an all-for-nothing decision for artists.
A platinum-selling record on a major label remains one of the pinnacles of success for artists. Major labels are seen as the ones that are able to push the artist where they need to go. They have vast amounts of funding, charisma over most radio stations and television networks, and enormous distributing power. Because of these advantages, major labels are able to propel an artist to the top of charts all over the world (most notably for American artists, a European following and vise versa).
However there are many drawbacks for artists deciding to take the major label route. For instance, if the artist is lesser known or doesn't already have a strongly established fanbase throughout the nation, they are likely to lose close to all of the artistic control over the music. Although business comes first in both the major and independent world, business is more prominent in the former. Major labels are less likely to take the time to nurture the artists that they invest in. Because of this, signing to a major label can be costly towards the artist's career. If the artist fails to sell the amount of records in order to keep up with industry standards, then they are usually dropped. This can be damaging to the artist's reputation and more than often than not, results in "washed-up" musical acts. But major labels are still seen as the best at what they do and unparalleled in their ability to market an artist. That being said, with all of the benefits and risks, major labels are major decisions for artists (McDonald, concerning major labels).
Independent labels, however, are still major decisions for the developing artist (after all, it is somewhat of a 50/50 decision) but develop their investments more. Most of their funding, which is far less than that of a major label, goes towards recording CDs and paying for tours. Independent labels rely on building up local fanbases for their artists through touring. Independent labels usually have connections with small businesses and are able to acquire small gigs for artists all over the nation.Independent labels are supported by less mainstream means of selling records. They are more akin to vending at shows, selling off websites, and mainly leave the artists responsible for them. While there still is a quota to be met among artists, independent labels usually stick with the artists they do have and work their attention towards developing the artist. Artists are less likely to lose major control over the music they make (although they still may lose some, but not nearly as much as they would with a major label).
However, the cons to an independent label resides in its ability reach general audiences through radio and television play and distribution power. Because most of their funding goes into touring and development of fan bases, independent record companies are usually slower to react to demand, often under or overshooting production of records. They usually lack the reputation and marketing strategies employed by major companies in achieving radio and television airplay (McDonald, concerning independent labels).
Neither route is better than the other per say, but for the individual artist one may. Usually it is best for newer acts to start out on the independent path in order to better learn about the music industry, gain more time to perfect their songwriting skills, gain knowledge in what their audience wants. Major labels have the marketing power for reaching general audiences and are significant career decisions when concerning their black and white (or succeed or fail) business nature. Major labels usually fair the experienced artist better. Many notable musical acts have started out on independent labels and made the jump to major labels (i.e. Ray Charles, Prince, Nirvana, etc.) in order to advance their careers. This is usually seen as one of the safest game plans for artists to take. Owen Husney, Prince's manager who signed a major label contract that gave Prince almost full artistic control, talks about the various advantages that indie and major labels have over each other. He describes the ideal path for an artist to take as starting out on an independent (most notably ones that are offshoots of major labels) and eventually gaining the experience needed to cope with a major label.
Some artists may even choose an alternate route and not associate themselves with a label. With the emergence of mp3 files and websites like Myspace and YouTube, many artists are marketing themselves via the internet. There are also many websites (namely CDBaby.com) that specialize in selling unsigned artists all over the nation. Although a good amount of marketing and popularity is sacrificed in taking this route, many artists feel content without having to worry about signing business contracts.
But whatever path an artist decides to take really depends on their aspirations. It depends on what their personal goals and expectations are. For those seeking to slide gently into the mainstream, an independent label is the right choice. For those that like big risks and quicker fame or even those that are ready to take the next step up in the industry, a major label is the way to go. Sometimes even artists from major labels will choose to step down to an independent label or market themselves. Some artists create their own labels. It all depends on what the artist chooses to do with their music and how they want it to be perceived.
WORKS REFERENCED
Husney, Owen. Interview with Owen Husney. ArtistHouseMusic.org. November 5, 2009. March 6, 2010.
McDonald, Heather. "Major Record Label Deals: Pros and Cons." About.com. 2010. The New York Times Company. March 6, 2010.
McDonald, Heather. "Indie Record Label Deals: Pros and Cons." About.com. 2010. The New York Times Company. March 6, 2010.
Unknown. "Indie vs. Major: Which Record Label Contract is Right for You?" Online Posting. September 17, 2009. MicControl.com. March 6, 2010.
Leading into the twenty-first century the music industry has gone through several revolutions. With the inventions of compact disks, music videos, mp3 files, and torrent programs music has become a lot more accessible to the public. Competition and creativity has increased between artists in getting their music heard. One thing that hasn't changed is the decision between an independent label or a major label when pursuing a career in music. Both fields of the industry have their strengths and weaknesses and both fields can be an all-for-nothing decision for artists.
A platinum-selling record on a major label remains one of the pinnacles of success for artists. Major labels are seen as the ones that are able to push the artist where they need to go. They have vast amounts of funding, charisma over most radio stations and television networks, and enormous distributing power. Because of these advantages, major labels are able to propel an artist to the top of charts all over the world (most notably for American artists, a European following and vise versa).
However there are many drawbacks for artists deciding to take the major label route. For instance, if the artist is lesser known or doesn't already have a strongly established fanbase throughout the nation, they are likely to lose close to all of the artistic control over the music. Although business comes first in both the major and independent world, business is more prominent in the former. Major labels are less likely to take the time to nurture the artists that they invest in. Because of this, signing to a major label can be costly towards the artist's career. If the artist fails to sell the amount of records in order to keep up with industry standards, then they are usually dropped. This can be damaging to the artist's reputation and more than often than not, results in "washed-up" musical acts. But major labels are still seen as the best at what they do and unparalleled in their ability to market an artist. That being said, with all of the benefits and risks, major labels are major decisions for artists (McDonald, concerning major labels).
Independent labels, however, are still major decisions for the developing artist (after all, it is somewhat of a 50/50 decision) but develop their investments more. Most of their funding, which is far less than that of a major label, goes towards recording CDs and paying for tours. Independent labels rely on building up local fanbases for their artists through touring. Independent labels usually have connections with small businesses and are able to acquire small gigs for artists all over the nation.Independent labels are supported by less mainstream means of selling records. They are more akin to vending at shows, selling off websites, and mainly leave the artists responsible for them. While there still is a quota to be met among artists, independent labels usually stick with the artists they do have and work their attention towards developing the artist. Artists are less likely to lose major control over the music they make (although they still may lose some, but not nearly as much as they would with a major label).
However, the cons to an independent label resides in its ability reach general audiences through radio and television play and distribution power. Because most of their funding goes into touring and development of fan bases, independent record companies are usually slower to react to demand, often under or overshooting production of records. They usually lack the reputation and marketing strategies employed by major companies in achieving radio and television airplay (McDonald, concerning independent labels).
Neither route is better than the other per say, but for the individual artist one may. Usually it is best for newer acts to start out on the independent path in order to better learn about the music industry, gain more time to perfect their songwriting skills, gain knowledge in what their audience wants. Major labels have the marketing power for reaching general audiences and are significant career decisions when concerning their black and white (or succeed or fail) business nature. Major labels usually fair the experienced artist better. Many notable musical acts have started out on independent labels and made the jump to major labels (i.e. Ray Charles, Prince, Nirvana, etc.) in order to advance their careers. This is usually seen as one of the safest game plans for artists to take. Owen Husney, Prince's manager who signed a major label contract that gave Prince almost full artistic control, talks about the various advantages that indie and major labels have over each other. He describes the ideal path for an artist to take as starting out on an independent (most notably ones that are offshoots of major labels) and eventually gaining the experience needed to cope with a major label.
Some artists may even choose an alternate route and not associate themselves with a label. With the emergence of mp3 files and websites like Myspace and YouTube, many artists are marketing themselves via the internet. There are also many websites (namely CDBaby.com) that specialize in selling unsigned artists all over the nation. Although a good amount of marketing and popularity is sacrificed in taking this route, many artists feel content without having to worry about signing business contracts.
But whatever path an artist decides to take really depends on their aspirations. It depends on what their personal goals and expectations are. For those seeking to slide gently into the mainstream, an independent label is the right choice. For those that like big risks and quicker fame or even those that are ready to take the next step up in the industry, a major label is the way to go. Sometimes even artists from major labels will choose to step down to an independent label or market themselves. Some artists create their own labels. It all depends on what the artist chooses to do with their music and how they want it to be perceived.
WORKS REFERENCED
Husney, Owen. Interview with Owen Husney. ArtistHouseMusic.org. November 5, 2009. March 6, 2010.
McDonald, Heather. "Major Record Label Deals: Pros and Cons." About.com. 2010. The New York Times Company. March 6, 2010.
McDonald, Heather. "Indie Record Label Deals: Pros and Cons." About.com. 2010. The New York Times Company. March 6, 2010.
Unknown. "Indie vs. Major: Which Record Label Contract is Right for You?" Online Posting. September 17, 2009. MicControl.com. March 6, 2010.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Personality Test
In Monday's meeting the class took a personality test that placed us in one of the four (or two of the four) Greek temperaments. The temperaments or humors were proposed by Hippocrates and classify people as either a sanguine, choleric, melancholic, or phlegmatic.
Sanguines tend to be very excited, bubbly, and social. Cholerics tend to be authoritative and natural leaders. Melancholics tend to be reserved and thoughtful. Phlegmatics tend to be easy-going and peaceful.
I ended up being overwhelmingly melancholy.
I thought the personality test was really cool as we didn't know what we would come out as or even what temperaments were before we found out. I think it's also really cool that the test is based off of something so archaic but seemingly accurate. When I found out I was melancholy I was a little weirded out by it since the modern usage of the term is mostly associated with depression. However as I looked at the strengths and weaknesses associated with the temperament I began to realize how much I had in common with it.
The melancholic is reserved and thoughtful. They are less social and a lot of the time are misunderstood as loners. Melancholics usually have a few strong relationships with people rather than a lot of acquaintances. Melancholics have minds that wander off onto tangents. Paths that their minds take often lead them into depression or even mania and results in them being very moody. They strongly critique themselves and a perfectionists, feeling like failures when they feel to live up to the images in their head. Most of those associated with art fell into the melancholic category.
These are the strengths and weaknesses I found myself to be most associated with. There were some attributes like being vengeful and afraid of public that I felt really didn't describe me. However, for the most part I felt the test was very accurate and surprising. I enjoyed it a lot and even got some of my friends to take it (I even guessed exactly what they would turn out to be).
Sanguines tend to be very excited, bubbly, and social. Cholerics tend to be authoritative and natural leaders. Melancholics tend to be reserved and thoughtful. Phlegmatics tend to be easy-going and peaceful.
I ended up being overwhelmingly melancholy.
I thought the personality test was really cool as we didn't know what we would come out as or even what temperaments were before we found out. I think it's also really cool that the test is based off of something so archaic but seemingly accurate. When I found out I was melancholy I was a little weirded out by it since the modern usage of the term is mostly associated with depression. However as I looked at the strengths and weaknesses associated with the temperament I began to realize how much I had in common with it.
The melancholic is reserved and thoughtful. They are less social and a lot of the time are misunderstood as loners. Melancholics usually have a few strong relationships with people rather than a lot of acquaintances. Melancholics have minds that wander off onto tangents. Paths that their minds take often lead them into depression or even mania and results in them being very moody. They strongly critique themselves and a perfectionists, feeling like failures when they feel to live up to the images in their head. Most of those associated with art fell into the melancholic category.
These are the strengths and weaknesses I found myself to be most associated with. There were some attributes like being vengeful and afraid of public that I felt really didn't describe me. However, for the most part I felt the test was very accurate and surprising. I enjoyed it a lot and even got some of my friends to take it (I even guessed exactly what they would turn out to be).
Monday, January 25, 2010
1
Hello everybody. I'm Skyler and I will be spending this semester mentoring at a local recording studio. I've been playing music since fifth grade and have been writing now for a little over a year. I have a lot of influences ranging from video game music to folk songs to stage musicals. Some of my favorite bands are Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Arcade Fire, etc. I really like unconventional and alternative music that is constantly changing my perception.
The studio I'm mentoring at is owned by a man renowned in the community for his experience of 20+ years in the music industry, his production of other local artists, and his own music records. I hope to learn a great deal from him not only in music recording and production, but also his own musical theory. I feel very confident in this mentorship and am very excited to begin.
There are many lessons I gained from last Monday's lapdog retreat. I learned about how everybody has special talents and that it is the responsibility of the team to use everybody's talents to be efficient. I learned that good teams have conflict within them because it shows that the members care about what they are doing; the teams that resolve these conflicts become better teams. Trust and respect in the workplace was a large overtone with each exercise as they usually required the mutual commitment of everybody to complete a goal.
Synergy is defined as the outcome of the whole being greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is when individuals come together to strive for a common interest. Quite frankly, synergy is teamwork. A product produced through teamwork is usually greater than one that is not.
I don't really have a quote that defines my philosophy of life. What I do have is a quote that strikes an emotional cord with me every time I come in contact with it. It's a song lyric, but the way the words are written and the metaphorical meaning in it is so strong that it has had a profound effect on me. I personally believe that it is one of the most beautiful lyrics written. It reassures me that even in a world filled with destruction that innocence and love can always find a spot to grow.
"When you were young you were the King of Carrot Flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet
And Mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And Dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for
And this is the room one afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go
And Mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And Dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than we could dare to try"
- Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, "King of Carrot Flowers"
By the way, I implore everyone to look them up. :)
The studio I'm mentoring at is owned by a man renowned in the community for his experience of 20+ years in the music industry, his production of other local artists, and his own music records. I hope to learn a great deal from him not only in music recording and production, but also his own musical theory. I feel very confident in this mentorship and am very excited to begin.
There are many lessons I gained from last Monday's lapdog retreat. I learned about how everybody has special talents and that it is the responsibility of the team to use everybody's talents to be efficient. I learned that good teams have conflict within them because it shows that the members care about what they are doing; the teams that resolve these conflicts become better teams. Trust and respect in the workplace was a large overtone with each exercise as they usually required the mutual commitment of everybody to complete a goal.
Synergy is defined as the outcome of the whole being greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is when individuals come together to strive for a common interest. Quite frankly, synergy is teamwork. A product produced through teamwork is usually greater than one that is not.
I don't really have a quote that defines my philosophy of life. What I do have is a quote that strikes an emotional cord with me every time I come in contact with it. It's a song lyric, but the way the words are written and the metaphorical meaning in it is so strong that it has had a profound effect on me. I personally believe that it is one of the most beautiful lyrics written. It reassures me that even in a world filled with destruction that innocence and love can always find a spot to grow.
"When you were young you were the King of Carrot Flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet
And Mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And Dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for
And this is the room one afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go
And Mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And Dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than we could dare to try"
- Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, "King of Carrot Flowers"
By the way, I implore everyone to look them up. :)
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