The Creative Process behind "Indiependent" by Mission Man

The instruments used:
Yamaha DTXPress drumkit with 3 toms, a snare, a crash, a hi-hat, a ride, and a kick drum pedal.
Yamaha PSR-510 keyboard
Fender Musicmaster shortscale four string bass
Gibson electric hollow body guitar

I play the drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard on every song with two exceptions. First, the drums for "When I Find You" were preprogrammed drums I found in the Yamaha keyboard. I was going to play an extremely similar drumline and decided that particular song needed perfect timing to make it work. Second, "Ready For Tomorrow." The music and backup vocals were created by Birgitta Lindsey, http://www.garageband.com/artist/birg. I still can't match her vocal line for the chorus in that song.

Generally speaking, I write my lyrics first. The lyrics are the true impetus behind all of my creations. The music is then set to fit the mood that the lyrics are trying to create. I use either a click track or a guide drum track (such as "Playin' a Little Basketball" or "You Gotta Want It") for timing and energy purposes. I almost always record the bass before recording any other instrument, as it is my strongest instrument. I then build the song around the bass, usually playing the drums second, but occassionally recording them last, and just as rarely record them first. I play an instrument from start to finish in the song without a break unless there's a solo, or I can't decide what to do on one particular part of a song until well after recording most of the rest of the song. By playing continuously through I accomplish two things. First, I'm not just looping a beat, so the song has more of a flowing rhythm. Second, and more importantly, the music sounds human. As much fun as "Playin' a Little Basketball" and "Chillin' at the Papa" are, they are lacking what really drives me with music, and that is the full expression of myself, the feeling I get when playing a bassline or guitar riff. Life is not perfect, people are not perfect, and music doesn't have to be perfect either. It just has to be meaningful and expressive.

With every song I create, the inspiration comes and then I write. I have occassionally tried to force songs because I'm close to finishing a CD and I need more songs on it, and it never works. I throw the lyrics away before I finish them, or I read them the next day and decide they are terrible. Just as I can't force love, I can't force inspiration or creation. However, because I have achieved the creation sober, I understand how to get there more easily, and can improve my creativity with each successive song.

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