Who here works solo?

[Veracohr]

Those of you who make music, who does it solo? How does that work out for you?

 

I've always been solo, but more and more I think that I need a writing partner. Most of my songs start out with a good burst of inspiration, then I get to a point after which I pretty much drag the song kicking and screaming into finality. I think that if I had a partner, we could work off each other. Unfortunately, I know only one person who likes trance, and he lives 3 hours away, not to mention the fact that he isn't musical at all, and is much more into drum & bass anyway.

 

I've co-written a couple songs with people online before, but it's kind of a pain in the ass. Besides which I don't really think I could know if I was a good match with someone for songwriting if I didn't meet them in person.

[Otto Matta]

Those of you who make music, who does it solo? How does that work out for you?

 

I've always been solo, but more and more I think that I need a writing partner. Most of my songs start out with a good burst of inspiration, then I get to a point after which I pretty much drag the song kicking and screaming into finality. I think that if I had a partner, we could work off each other. Unfortunately, I know only one person who likes trance, and he lives 3 hours away, not to mention the fact that he isn't musical at all, and is much more into drum & bass anyway.

 

I've co-written a couple songs with people online before, but it's kind of a pain in the ass. Besides which I don't really think I could know if I was a good match with someone for songwriting if I didn't meet them in person.

With the exception of a couple garage bands in the 80s and 90s, and a collaboration here and there, I've always been solo. Not so much that I don't enjoy the collaborative experience, but I think my love for being alone and personal with music outweighs it. I find it's very much like a relationship, in that it's not easy to find that right partner, but when it happens it's a lot of fun for however long it lasts. So in the same way it seems one has to "play the field." Unless one enjoys bachelor life too much. Hehe.

[Shaft]

I think my love for being alone and personal with music outweighs it.

Nicely put. I definitely feel that way too, though I do like collaborating. You just got to meet the right people, I guess.

[chans]

i guess all solo artists feel they can be much better with a partner.....so do i....my midi sequencing skills r better than my sampling skills n it's the opposite for a friend of mine....we had collaborated 1ce....but he's 2 busy to meet up nowadays....so i'm now tryin to take a break in producing and rather spend a month only experimenting on sampling and synthesis...n so after an experimental month, i shall be ready with fresh sounds :drama:

[needle ninja]

I have always made music solo.

I had a friend in Minnesota and we got together, but never making anything (perhaps because of his ADD).

I also sometimes wonder if colaborating would be good.

Recently I have been trying to work on a song and been stuck after a great 'verse' -well sythline.

I don't suppose you live neer Portland, OR do you?

I have thought about recording what I have and asking for suggestions on here too.

[Mike A]

I work solo most of the time.

Easier this way, because I usually disagree with whoever I work with. I also tend to take over most of the work, leaving the other dude out of the way.

I did have one collab which was quite successful though.

[Veracohr]

I don't suppose you live neer Portland, OR do you?

Uh...yes, I do. Did you know this somehow? I live in Beaverton.

[Otto Matta]

So sweet. A match in the making.

[Jikkenteki]

I had a friend in Minnesota........

.........

I don't suppose you live neer Portland, OR do you?

Weird, my partner in PAR-2 and I are both from Minnesota. I live in Japan he, but he lives in Portland.

[drekmajster]

I normally work solo, but i also collaborated with a bass player and i really like what we've made (just two sons and one got lost)

It would be best for me if I had a collab project and a solo project. Zalt Water's music is just too me to be made with someone else

[Malevol3nt]

If I'd work with someone I guess I would look for qualities in mastering. I wouldn't really like co-producing something with someone else, not because I wouldn't like it but I'd probably have a different opinion on some things than the co-worker. But I would like to collaborate on a mutual new project with someone, something that's allready been agreed on what we will do.

[needle ninja]

Weird, my partner in PAR-2 and I are both from Minnesota. I live in Japan he, but he lives in Portland.

It is a small world. No?

[needle ninja]

Uh...yes, I do. Did you know this somehow? I live in Beaverton.

I saw in a post of yours you lived in OR.

I never forget anything, it's kind of alienating.

[Anakoluth]

i did record some instruments played by friends (sax, percussion etc.) and used them in tracks, but i always do the actual tunes alone. there's one friend interested in making trance too, but he's far too complicated and slow-thinking to work with imo (we tried it, but it didn't work at all). also, i guess i am a control freak, kinda; i want to make everything alone, and i'm not very ready to compromise if it comes to things like this.

[E-fence]

i did record some instruments played by friends (sax, percussion etc.) and used them in tracks, but i always do the actual tunes alone. there's one friend interested in making trance too, but he's far too complicated and slow-thinking to work with imo (we tried it, but it didn't work at all). also, i guess i am a control freak, kinda; i want to make everything alone, and i'm not very ready to compromise if it comes to things like this.

 

 

I think we are all control freaks. Thats probaly part of what got us into this type of music production

[Otto Matta]

I think we are all control freaks. Thats probaly part of what got us into this type of music production

Yeah, I was going to say a similar thing. It's hard to get around that control thing. At the same time, though, I've known people who need collaborators to be creative. Most rock'n'roll bands are like that, if you think about it. To me, writing music has always been like painting a painting. When you paint, it's a highly personal experience, and you simply don't have collaborators. You paint the painting, alone, until it's done. You may later do some touch-ups to it, put varnish and frame on it. Put your signature on it! Before the varnish, of course. And then you display it to people, like it's something on the wall. That you made! That you put your heart and soul into! All by yourself! Hehe. If you don't like it you're an asshole! No, not really.

[frosty]

i work solo, tryed to do some tracks with a mate n it didn't realy work out, maybe to many ideas trying to be put down at once.

[Anakoluth]

Yeah, I was going to say a similar thing. It's hard to get around that control thing. At the same time, though, I've known people who need collaborators to be creative. Most rock'n'roll bands are like that, if you think about it. To me, writing music has always been like painting a painting. When you paint, it's a highly personal experience, and you simply don't have collaborators. You paint the painting, alone, until it's done. You may later do some touch-ups to it, put varnish and frame on it. Put your signature on it! Before the varnish, of course. And then you display it to people, like it's something on the wall. That you made! That you put your heart and soul into! All by yourself! Hehe. If you don't like it you're an asshole! No, not really.

nice thoughts here. i agree.

 

me and some friends made plans about playing in a band together. that would kick ass really, but i am afraid that i would not let anyone else speak than myself...i most probably would not accept any ideas from the others.

[needle ninja]

Yeah, I was going to say a similar thing. It's hard to get around that control thing. At the same time, though, I've known people who need collaborators to be creative. Most rock'n'roll bands are like that, if you think about it. To me, writing music has always been like painting a painting. When you paint, it's a highly personal experience, and you simply don't have collaborators. You paint the painting, alone, until it's done. You may later do some touch-ups to it, put varnish and frame on it. Put your signature on it! Before the varnish, of course. And then you display it to people, like it's something on the wall. That you made! That you put your heart and soul into! All by yourself! Hehe. If you don't like it you're an asshole! No, not really.

This is true for me as well. I feel usually what I make is highly personal.

I have also made music that 'just sounded good' to me and I wouldn't mind collaborating on that sort.

I just think of Eat Static and Orbital when I think of good collaborations.

[Veracohr]

Yeah, I was going to say a similar thing. It's hard to get around that control thing. At the same time, though, I've known people who need collaborators to be creative. Most rock'n'roll bands are like that, if you think about it. To me, writing music has always been like painting a painting. When you paint, it's a highly personal experience, and you simply don't have collaborators. You paint the painting, alone, until it's done. You may later do some touch-ups to it, put varnish and frame on it. Put your signature on it! Before the varnish, of course. And then you display it to people, like it's something on the wall. That you made! That you put your heart and soul into! All by yourself! Hehe. If you don't like it you're an asshole! No, not really.

I think anyone who writes music entirely themselves feels that way about it, but there's also a completely different thing going on when you write or just play with other people. The interpersonal dynamic creates a "the whole is more than the sum of the parts" situation.

[Otto Matta]

I think anyone who writes music entirely themselves feels that way about it, but there's also a completely different thing going on when you write or just play with other people. The interpersonal dynamic creates a "the whole is more than the sum of the parts" situation.

Definitely. I personally would love to have a collaborative partner with whom I could write music for a long time, but, like I personally feel about pretty much any of my own future interpersonal relationships, the potential is slimmer the older I get. So I just go ahead and do my thing, not really waiting for it to happen. It really comes down to, I feel, severe introversion.

[needle ninja]

Definitely. I personally would love to have a collaborative partner with whom I could write music for a long time, but, like I personally feel about pretty much any of my own future interpersonal relationships, the potential is slimmer the older I get. So I just go ahead and do my thing, not really waiting for it to happen. It really comes down to, I feel, severe introversion.

Otto, you sound just like me. :drama:

You should stop.

Go out and through a party or something !

[Otto Matta]

Otto, you sound just like me. :drama:

You should stop.

Go out and through a party or something !

Heh. I hear you, and I appreciate the advice. It doesn't quite speak to my case though. I wouldn't interpret my being increasingly discriminating as my being unhappy or unfulfilled, because I'm neither. And when my being asks me to let go for a while, I let go. Most of the time, though, my being wants to create, and music has been the vehicle for a little while.