FAWM 2010

[Generic]

Got my second track up.

http://fawm.org/songs/1106/

[Wages]

I just added two more songs:
http://fawm.org/fawmers/wages/

I did some collaborative writing (in person!) last night for the first time. My God it was awesome! The lyrical and melody efforts were completely shared. What an experience. I can't wait to do it again.

And in the collab thread, one set of lyrics has been burgled.

[Madren]

Alright, I have a conundrum.

Given the way that I normally make songs (straight to full-blown electronic indie pop if time permits, no demos) and that school is breathing down my neck right now I know that there is NO way that I can (or should even try to) make a full 14 songs. (Admission: I could WRITE down the lyrics and melody/bassline for 14 songs that don't quite fit together, but I'd be miserable if I posted that as a demo and left it stillborn like that). I do think that I could whack out a pretty solid EP though, given that keeping the thought of it in the back of my head I've fleshed out mentally 3.25 songs right now and almost finished 2.

Should I still participate in FAWM knowing that I will "fail", or is the whole point to do a fully cohesive album or go home?

[Wages]

Alright, I have a conundrum.

Given the way that I normally make songs (straight to full-blown electronic indie pop if time permits, no demos) and that school is breathing down my neck right now I know that there is NO way that I can (or should even try to) make a full 14 songs. (Admission: I could WRITE down the lyrics and melody/bassline for 14 songs that don't quite fit together, but I'd be miserable if I posted that as a demo and left it stillborn like that). I do think that I could whack out a pretty solid EP though, given that keeping the thought of it in the back of my head I've fleshed out mentally 3.25 songs right now and almost finished 2.

Should I still participate in FAWM knowing that I will "fail", or is the whole point to do a fully cohesive album or go home?

You should do what you like. In your case, that means writing 3 or 4 songs that you are happy with. Alternately, if you can write the lyrics, FAWM isn't about necessarily having demos. So you could write all 14 songs but just record the 3.25. You could also offer up the lyrics to others to work on. That's always an interesting experience (to hear someone write a melody to lyrics you composed). Whatever you do, just be happy with what you're doing.

[Generic]

The point of FAWM is to get material out there. If you can only squeeze out four or five songs this month, it's still better than none.

Of course, it would be perfectly valid to say that your schoolwork is more important, and it would be better for you to spend that energy there. In which case, 0 songs would be better than 4. So really, it's all about where your priorities are.

[Ross]

Alright, I have a conundrum.

Given the way that I normally make songs (straight to full-blown electronic indie pop if time permits, no demos) and that school is breathing down my neck right now I know that there is NO way that I can (or should even try to) make a full 14 songs. (Admission: I could WRITE down the lyrics and melody/bassline for 14 songs that don't quite fit together, but I'd be miserable if I posted that as a demo and left it stillborn like that). I do think that I could whack out a pretty solid EP though, given that keeping the thought of it in the back of my head I've fleshed out mentally 3.25 songs right now and almost finished 2.

Should I still participate in FAWM knowing that I will "fail", or is the whole point to do a fully cohesive album or go home?

You should do what you like. In your case, that means writing 3 or 4 songs that you are happy with. Alternately, if you can write the lyrics, FAWM isn't about necessarily having demos. So you could write all 14 songs but just record the 3.25. You could also offer up the lyrics to others to work on. That's always an interesting experience (to hear someone write a melody to lyrics you composed). Whatever you do, just be happy with what you're doing.

It's also not really about writing a "ohesive album" but about writing an "album's worth of songs" so 14 is the goal, and how they do or do not go together or flow is of no consequence unless you make that a personal goal (as I do).

[j$]

I finally got round to getting going - you can check it out if you want here

http://fawm.org/fawmers/johnnycashpoint

Four up so far - the pick of the crop seems to be "I Got Wood" - an exercise in extending a double entendre to breaking point. I succeed and beyond

j$

[Wages]

Two new songs added, one with lyrics (music not added due to crapiness) and one with music.

Collab Thread:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7212&p=148809#p148809

FAWM page:
http://fawm.org/fawmers/wages/

Wednesday I'm hoping to finish writing "Color Blind" with my co-writer, and this weekend I'm supposed to get together with another friend to compose a song together. Rock!

[furrypedro]

Got 4 so far and an instrumental or two to post soon.

I've noticed Thanks for The Frisbee has posted some and they're all brilliant. I've missed him.

[Wages]

Two new songs have been added. One is seeking a collab for "Please Stop". I think it will come together nicely because I'm emotionally invested in it. That is, I was frustrated with work and wrote it about that. The other song is a demo to be done with The EAF.

Collab Thread:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7212&p=148809#p148809

FAWM page:
http://fawm.org/fawmers/wages/

[fluffy]

I have a bunch of ideas for FAWM songs but I haven't actually recorded a single bit of it. I'm not feeling very energetic about music lately. Meh.

[Wages]

Hey hey! New tracks posted here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7212&p=148809#p148809

Here's what's new:
Color Blind demo (finally!): http://www.philwages.com/music/04ColorBlindv3.mp3
Please Stop w/ full band as submitted to SF: http://www.philwages.com/music/08PleaseStopdoublesforSongFightv3b.mp3

[Reist]

I'm nearly done eight. This is tougher than expected, but I think it's possible for sure.

Check out the seven I've got done here - http://fawm.org/fawmers/therman/

[Generic]

I'm nearly done eight. This is tougher than expected, but I think it's possible for sure.

Check out the seven I've got done here - http://fawm.org/fawmers/therman/

Haven't you done 10 songs in one day before? How is this hard for you?

I'm a little behind, but if I throw quality to the wind, I might catch up tonight.

[Reist]

Haven't you done 10 songs in one day before? How is this hard for you?

Yeah, at least three times - but I wasn't worried about quality during those albums. I want this one to be good.

[Generic]

Haven't you done 10 songs in one day before? How is this hard for you?

Yeah, at least three times - but I wasn't worried about quality during those albums. I want this one to be good.

I suspect that concerns about quality are simply not compatible with a time constraint as tight as FAWM's.

[fluffy]

Yeah, it's February album WRITING month, not production month.

[Reist]

I suspect that concerns about quality are simply not compatible with a time constraint as tight as FAWM's.

I don't have as much time for arrangement for sure, but I like to make them listenable (unlike some of those 10-day albums).

Yeah, it's February album WRITING month, not production month.

This reminds me of a little argument people have regarding songfight...

[fluffy]

Yes, but in this case it's explicitly stated by the FAWM organizers.

So… you mean I have to write, produce, and record, a whole album in February?

Well, our focus here is on songwriting, not recording. Rough demo recordings are encouraged if you are able (see below). But don't let production values get in the way of your creative process, there's plenty of time for that later.

[Reist]

Yes, but in this case it's explicitly stated by the FAWM organizers.

So… you mean I have to write, produce, and record, a whole album in February?

Well, our focus here is on songwriting, not recording. Rough demo recordings are encouraged if you are able (see below). But don't let production values get in the way of your creative process, there's plenty of time for that later.

Yeah, I'm aware that most FAWMers choose to go that route - and there's nothing wrong with that. But I decided at the start of the month that I wanted to put out a complete, fully-produced album, and that's what I'm doing. Nothing wrong with that either.

[jast]

Four songs done. Screw the schedule.

[fluffy]

maybe instead of my stupid self-referential bullshit idea (every track being about itself and its place in the album*) I'll finally follow through on my threat to produce an ambient trance album because I'm always like "DUDE I could totally do that too"


* the album was going to be called "title track"