Open For Criticism

Here it is. I work every day in an job. I get up in the morning and get on the tube with thousands of other tired-looking commuters and stare at the free papers, trying to resist the temptation to correct the grammar with a red pen. I nine-to-five (thirty) and then leave.

Some days I am hungover and feel that I am going nowhere, that I will be sucked under by the mire of admin work. Maybe I will live out my days behind a grey desk, dreaming of music. Most days I don't entertain these qualms, though. Most days I just plan. In the last few months quite a few things I planned for last year have started to blossom, so I plan nowadays with renewed vigour.

Somehow this blog fits into that plan. For a while I have entertained the idea of this being a proper musician/struggling artist blog, where I post my compositions, stick up photos of gigs and really focus on gearing everything in my life towards my music. The only other thing I enjoy nearly as much as music is writing. It seems logical.

Only, of course, that's nothing new! That's been the plan for ages. Lack of web access, lack of time and lack of energy has forestalled it, but it is always lurking.

So I am going to start small. With an open list. People write open letters, so I am going to take that format, make it slightly less interesting, and write an open list. Maybe I want to prove that, all this time that I sit greyly at a desk, watching a computer screen flicker, I am simply gearing up to do something wonderful. Maybe I find it easier to process things when there is a 'publish' button to click. Or maybe (and this is probably the most plausible) I am just a incurable narcissist.

Whatever. Here is my open plan. Feel free to make suggestions, comments or criticisms. I mean it. I would really appreciate the input.

Writing (music) - I have been working on tracks that are entirely composed of layered vocals. The last one I did all the way through had fifteen different vocal tracks, which, although not all on top of each other all the time, more than fills up the space. I have started quite a few more, although haven't actually finished any of them. I want to experiment with different backing vocal styles, as well as explore my limits of the line between spoken word and vocals.

I am aiming to have three songs like this completed within the next two months. Completed enough to be able to take the tracks along to open mic sessions and play them while I sing a lead vocal over the top.

Performance – I am going to continue to go perform at the gigs I currently do, but also start going to more jazz jams. I have a list of about fifty jazz standards that I do, along with the keys in which I do them, so it really is ludicrously easy to go along and sing. Particularly when there are sites like this and this. I can't allow myself to whinge about how I have just worked all day and I'm tired because, idiot, the only reason I work all day is to facilitate my music. Man up, silly girl (is what I'll say).

Work with other people - I am currently working with one producer. This is fine, but I want to also work with live musicians.

Regular Gig - At a showcase I did in January, I got chatting to another girl who was on the line up as well. The gig was running late and it didn't feel much like anyone knew what was going on. We chatted about how frustrating it was to work to someone else's schedule all the time, and the lack of autonomy we both felt. I was surprised to hear her echoing my thoughts, as she is way cooler than me and, I assumed, above that kind of thing. We decided between us to start putting on events ourselves. As a way of providing ourselves with a regular platform, but also of developing our music and getting other people to come and perform. She's called Nyika and she is very cool. She's a bit older than I am, and those years have seen two albums and lots of experience. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what exactly I am bringing to the table, but I know I am not leaving it. We have already been to look at a venue, and are setting a date for the first of our monthly gigs. It'll probably be in June. Put it in your diary.

Internet - I want to have more of a web presence. For marketing purposes, obviously, but also just because I adore the Internet and want to do more stuff on it. Musically and writing-wise. I want to put my songs and plans up to invite opinion, as it can be quite exhausting thinking on my own all the time.

So, do you have any ideas? Insights? Thoughts are welcome. Maybe this is my real reason for posting an open list. I know this list. To me it is old hat. To other people, though, it might be new and it might inspire ideas. I would like to hear those ideas. Very much.