The RPM Challenge (Record an album in 28 days, just because you can.)

[kidkage]

Not sure where to post this, but I figure since most people check here I'll post it here!

The RPM Challenge

I'm "entering" this year because after 8 years of making music I haven't released an "official" piece... EVER.
They've always been demos or ideas or things that I made sure to point out weren't done. Mainly because I'm kind of a perfectionist and didn't want to leave any obvious flaws unmentioned. And I haven't been confident enough in my production chops. Saying things have been a work in progress has been a way for me to retain control because when you put something into the world, it's not just yours anymore and people will see what they want to in it. By saying "it's not done" I've basically been saying "it's still mine".

But I recently found a thing I wrote when I was 16 for a high school paper about my life and I mentioned I wanted to have an album out between the ages of 18-20. Well, I'm 20 now, so before I'm 21 I'm actually finally going to finish something.

So anyway - I encourage my HR brethren to join me!
This way we can get material finished AND have an excuse if it doesn't turn out the way we want it too lol
"Well yeah it was only a month..."

Check out the site I linked to above.

What if every musician you knew put their music first for 28 days?

What if you recorded the best song of your life?

What if the world was never the same?

What’s stopping us? Nothing. February is Record Production Month. You have no reason to say no, and nothing to lose.

Write some instrumentals, split up the songwriting duties amongst band members, form an RPM side project, write songs on the piano or clarinet instead of your primary instrument, make that metal album you’ve always wanted to - buy a ukulele! Just do your best to make the best album you can. Be unafraid.

 

[kidkage]

Anyone can come up with an excuse to say “no,” so don’t. Many of you are thinking “But, I can’t do that! I don’t have any songs/recording gear/money/blah blah blah...” But this doesn’t have to be the album, it’s just an album. Remember, this is an artistic exercise. Just do your best using what you have in order to get it done. If you have a four-track, become a four-track badass! A mini disc, a pro-tools rig, a Walkman, an 80’s tape recorder – use it. Do your best. Use the limitations of time and gear as an opportunity to explore things you might not try otherwise. If you can afford studio time in a “real” studio, fine, but let’s be completely free of any lingering idea that “good” records can only be made in a studio. If that were so, then all the old scratchy blues records or Alan Lomax field recordings that have changed our culture – the world’s culture – wouldn’t still resonate with us today as they do. Springsteen’s haunting classic “Nebraska” was a demo he did at home on a crappy machine. That album is fricking awesome. What label would put those recordings out now? (See: who cares) There are a million examples of this kind of stuff, but the fact will always be: Well written, honest music is compelling and undeniable no matter what it was recorded on. So put it to tape.

 

[Seafroggys]

There seems to be a lot of these. There's another one going on in February, called National Album Writing Month. That one is more intense....14 songs in 28 days.

I am doing it (the one I mentioend, that is). I'll be doing just basic piano/vocal demos for purposes of the contest, then in March I'll start making the more produced version with drums, bass, organ, etc.

 

[guitaristic]

I'm already doing something kind of like this, but more laid back. It's basically "make an EP in three months" so it fits my schedule better January was writing month, February is recording, and March is mixing/mastering and release. I got it from Recording Revolution. It's pretty cool because Graham (the dude who runs the site) is doing it too.

 

[mjbphotos]

This was mentioned at the first songwriters' group meeting I attended a couple of weeks ago. Some of the guys had put together an RPM entry with 4-5 people/groups to do 14 songs. They passed out CD copies. Some songs were better than others, but all could have used some more mixing/listening/working time, I think.
For me, it's not even an option. Quiet time in the house needed for any mic recording is a premium, and at best I might get a few hours a month. My recording methods and subsequent mixing/resting/listening/remixing... style just wouldn't do it.
For me, it's quality over quantity.
I understand that it can be a good inspiration for those who have 'never got around to it', though.

 

[miroslav]

Hello! Yes, we're here! After some sudden and unexpected setbacks, we find ourselves roughly 9 months behind schedule on website redevelopment, and we're hustling to get the lights on. Hang in there!

They shouldn't be setting deadlines for anything!!!

That’s 10 songs or 35 minutes of original material

10 songs *or* 35 minutes.
That's got "35 minute Blues jam" written all over it.