I’m hoping to come back either this week or next. I have one song this year. It’s been a rough year. On 11 January 2022, my wife what would have been 44 years died. It was not expected, or planned or anything else she was just sitting in her recliner waiting for us to leave for an appointment I went and changed clothes came back she was nonresponsive I called 911 and 45 minutes later in the hospital they told me she had passed. She was my muse, my best friend and the love of my life.

Even though I did not always listen to her she would give me her honest opinion about anything that I wrote if I asked. Did we like the same kind of music? No. As a composer I like the little bit of a lot of things, as a listener she likes a little bit of a lot of things. But that’s for the similarities ended. We both like the symphony pot I was more in the fusion jazz and she was a lot more into Bluegrass.

But enough about that I could go on and on but I will not. I got another computer a new one and I am going to use it instead of my old slow one that didn’t have enough memory. It was finally delivered last week. That’s not what’s been keeping me from composing. What’s been keeping me from composing is that everything I’ve been writing has been not good. Even with my new computer which has been taking its sweet time about setting up really that’s probably more on me to straightening out licenses and all that sort of thing is tedious at best as we all know and it 72 I don’t suffer such things well.

I know I’m rambling but it is something that happens as I get older. I will shall be returning soon and I look forward to doing so. Everybody here is the kindest of critics. I enjoy This batch of creatives. Many of you don’t know how lucky you are to found a group like this so early in your life. Most of the time until I was in my 40s being a creative was not considered a good thing. How they liked it when you were coming up with a solution but you kind of had to keep it under your hat that you were good at doing such things. But at my last job the first thing I did after checking in and was asked my new boss what I should do and she told me go back to your desk and create something and I thought this is the best job in the world. And that’s exactly what I did for the next 20 years.

Anyway I just wanted to say I’m happy to be back and hopefully I’ll have something today if not I’ll have something for next week thank you so much you’re all such a blessing.

I have been on WB since 2014 and this year i made major change: Previously, if i miissed one week, i quitted. Every time. Now, if i miss week or two, i just jump back when i have time.

First week was for me a time to get back on producing after a while. I have been loving of doing more funkier stuff, but as i'm having some big live gigs coming this summer, i should really get back on doing psytrance. Half of my set is still 2020 WB tracks

Stoked to hear you're powering through this year. I can relate to the missing a week thing. Feels way better to not over stress on it for sure. Stoked to start digging through your WBs from years past.

First week was for me a time to get back on producing after a while. I have been loving of doing more funkier stuff, but as i'm having some big live gigs coming this summer, i should really get back on doing psytrance. Half of my set is still 2020 WB tracks

It is harder for me this time than last run I did in 2020... I assume it is because of the family situation (kids are now 1 - 5 - 10 years old, the 2 smaller ones are quite a bit of energy to put on)

I struggle to put much time into my weekly beats, but have my good times recording stuff, even if I am not a great performer.

I don't have too much motivation to get into new tools either (I do stick to Cockos Reaper, even if I do have a Logic Pro and Ableton 11 licence installed on my computer)

I want to put some time on the rock band as well, we do have many songs ready, some of them recorded, some to be recorded but with life, covid and other bad excuses, this doesn't move forward too much. I was able to play with the guitarist of the band last evening and it was fun, but we kinda suck (long time without practice so it is what it is...)

Still, doing those I am pretty sure I improved my understanding of mixing, have more efficient workflows.

I'll probably explore some other genres during the year, probably will try to do a couple of tracks more sample oriented (I do track pretty much all what I do so far this year, did cheat for a midi drum track on my 'Attack on Titans' track).

Anyways, It is more fun than pain so far so I'll try to get another 52 this time.

Really looking forward to hearing the rest of your songs this year DJippy. I'm a big fan of your tracks because they are real live instruments. Nothing against sampled, software instruments of course, but its refreshing to hear real people playing real instruments Here's hoping you can squeeze in a couple songs with your band this year too!!!

Just so nice being a part of this community of fellow creatives.  Love getting feedback on my music.  Before this it was hard to get people to listen to my tracks.

+1 on that.

Thanks for the post! Good check-in set.

Reflections: I'm just super appreciative of all the good vibes here. the comments, gifs, notes, all over the place. it's super encouraging to just keep at it and not get lost in the perfectionist sauce (a sauce past me is all too familiar with)

Hindsights: I can see how I will delay studio time towards the end of the week and that can then bite me for time. So going to try and spend a little bit of time each day to build that routine in.

Wins: I've finished more songs in this first month than I have in the last 12???

Pivots: I'll probably start honing in on things I really want to focus on to improve or explore. So far it's just been getting into the habit of sitting down, not judging the work/process, and finishing to submit. So it's been fairly all over the place, since I create more improvisationally now, versus having a vision in my head (sonision? in my head) and trying to technically recreate it.

"not get lost in the perfectionist sauce"

Well said, and thanks a ton for sharing. All of your reflections are super relatable for me.

Reflections: I've been trying to do the whole thing on Sundays from 11-3 and that doesn't feel great.

Hindsights: In 2012, when I first tried Weekly Beats, I did one hour per day. Drums on monday, bass on tuesday, guitar on wednesday synth on thursday, vox on friday, overdubs on saturday and mixing on sunday. That looks bonkers now that I type it out, but looking back... the process was more sustainable, more fun and the results were mucho better.

Wins: Are you posting your stuff to bandcamp as well? If yeah, shoot me a link.

I like that you mentioned 'pivot plans'
Because now I'll have to think about some

Weeklybeats is usually a couple of hours a week at the moment - and by the time i get there, i have no ideas

Have you thought of any pivots since your comment? Curious for sure.

Also, my Final Fantasy 14 online character is also named drum bender and is a black mage. Just thought you should know LOL.

Biggest lesson from month 1: I need a sleep schedule!

Slowly learning how to estimate the time of making a video though, so that's cool.

Going to slowly start listening to more contemporary music in an effort to educate myself.

I really feel this one, as a person who really struggles with sleep and sucks at self-care. I love how high you've set your bar and you can totally do it... but yeah, watch out for burnout mine friend

recording while traveling is hard, strangers and family members interrupt my recording or make me self conscious. I wish I could do some drums, but every time I try to make beats it just sounds like someone is slapping me in the face with a wet fish. Tips for how do do beats??

Yeah, I can relate to the self conscious thing. Especially with overdubbing vocals.

Tips. When you say drums, do you mean live drums, programming in a daw or drum machine beats? I guess either way, Im not sure if I can help since my universal advice is always... "just have fun and experiment". Or, if you can't beat em... join em and carve out a niche for wet fish type beats for electro-pirate-music bands.

I struggle to put much time into my weekly beats, but have my good times recording stuff, even if I am not a great performer.

I don't have too much motivation to get into new tools either (I do stick to Cockos Reaper, even if I do have a Logic Pro and Ableton 11 licence installed on my computer)

I want to put some time on the rock band as well, we do have many songs ready, some of them recorded, some to be recorded but with life, covid and other bad excuses, this doesn't move forward too much. I was able to play with the guitarist of the band last evening and it was fun, but we kinda suck (long time without practice so it is what it is...)

Still, doing those I am pretty sure I improved my understanding of mixing, have more efficient workflows.

I'll probably explore some other genres during the year, probably will try to do a couple of tracks more sample oriented (I do track pretty much all what I do so far this year, did cheat for a midi drum track on my 'Attack on Titans' track).

Anyways, It is more fun than pain so far so I'll try to get another 52 this time.

Reflections: I'm just super appreciative of all the good vibes here. the comments, gifs, notes, all over the place. it's super encouraging to just keep at it and not get lost in the perfectionist sauce (a sauce past me is all too familiar with)

Hindsights: I can see how I will delay studio time towards the end of the week and that can then bite me for time. So going to try and spend a little bit of time each day to build that routine in.

Wins: I've finished more songs in this first month than I have in the last 12???

Pivots: I'll probably start honing in on things I really want to focus on to improve or explore. So far it's just been getting into the habit of sitting down, not judging the work/process, and finishing to submit. So it's been fairly all over the place, since I create more improvisationally now, versus having a vision in my head (sonision? in my head) and trying to technically recreate it.

Slowly learning how to estimate the time of making a video though, so that's cool.

Going to slowly start listening to more contemporary music in an effort to educate myself.

Weeklybeats is usually a couple of hours a week at the moment - and by the time i get there, i have no ideas

recording while traveling is hard, strangers and family members interrupt my recording or make me self conscious. I wish I could do some drums, but every time I try to make beats it just sounds like someone is slapping me in the face with a wet fish. Tips for how do do beats??

Google Parallel Compression, numero 1 tip for drums mixing IMHO.