Reading through your posts reminded me of the early days of my creative journey—the struggles, the excitement, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. It also made me think about the many junior artists I’ve trained/mentored and the patterns I’ve seen in their journeys.
Your approach—pursuing your passion while maintaining a stable income—is a healthy one. While it naturally limits how much time you can dedicate to music, it also helps manage expectations and avoid the burnout that causes so many young artists to abandon their craft entirely. Too often, I’ve seen people throw themselves fully into the creative world, only to leave it broke, disillusioned before realizing their dreams.
Having gone all-in on my creative path for over a decade, I don’t regret my choices, but I do wonder—would I have enjoyed my craft more if I had done it purely for myself, rather than turning it into something I had to make it work at all costs? Creative passion is unpredictable, and it evolves into something completely different entirely.
People love to say, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” but they rarely mention the other side: when your passion becomes your work, you’re never off the clock. It consumes you, and if you’re not careful, it can take over your identity entirely.
That being said, take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Even after achieving everything I set out to do...and so much more...I still ask myself: Was it enough? Was the sacrifice worth it? I don't have an answer to that, and I am totally fine to change careers and do something else that I find meaningful at this stage of my life. Maybe that uncertainty is just part of the creative journey, something every artist wrestles with regularly.
Your posts allowed me to reflect on my path—thanks for sharing something so genuine and being open about the realities of the creative life.
Thanks so much for your comment! And yeah, I just had a discussion with my parents about the same thing. If it’s possible, it’s important to have an option to keep a certain distance from your art instead of being forced to do it by circumstances. It’s a difficult balancing act.
I love how you draw parallels between your journey in music production and writing. It’s a great reminder that growth happens in small, persistent steps.
I’ve always wanted to write a piece about how to make a demo from a non technical perspective because it’s the scariest thing just because I don’t know how to do it. Thanks for sharing three little steps that can make it more actionable!
Did you naturally come to following the same steps? Or are you still looking for ways to complete a demo? I’d love to read someone else’s perspective on this so please write about it!
Thanks for sharing your journey! I love making demos.. it’s the final production that’s painful but I do every aspect myself so the creative team is a nightmare 😂❤️
I dont know the demo creation process but i felt very much related to the creation/writing process :D also felt related when I read that you had the same idea in your past to write about something but didnt share it :D now look at us, we are here, writing and sharing :D cheers✨
Yeah at some point you just have to set an arbitrary starting point for yourself and use it as an anchor! I started posting on Substack on a Wednesday by accident but now Wednesdays have an added layer of meaning :)
When I started making demos I had a guy helping my on zoom. I’d send some rough sketches and he’d pick one to give feedback and ideas on-like add a kick drum or second guitar part here… I miss having that regular mentoring. I should start again. Thanks for the look at your demo making was very familiar and reassuring
do you also have things that are persistently difficult but the feeling changes ever so slightly so that you understand you’re making some screeching progress? :)
Thanks so much for sharing your story! Do you have any music out to check out? :)
I think it’s also important and helpful to realize that in the times of The Doors and Co. the music industry had wildly different mechanisms than it does now. All the band needed essentially was to be a band and if they got signed, they had a producer and an army of people to promote their music.
Now it seems you have to do it all alone even if you have some contracts in place which is ridiculous of course!
Anyway, you can do it! We can do it! Put that kick into your demo <3
Reading through your posts reminded me of the early days of my creative journey—the struggles, the excitement, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. It also made me think about the many junior artists I’ve trained/mentored and the patterns I’ve seen in their journeys.
Your approach—pursuing your passion while maintaining a stable income—is a healthy one. While it naturally limits how much time you can dedicate to music, it also helps manage expectations and avoid the burnout that causes so many young artists to abandon their craft entirely. Too often, I’ve seen people throw themselves fully into the creative world, only to leave it broke, disillusioned before realizing their dreams.
Having gone all-in on my creative path for over a decade, I don’t regret my choices, but I do wonder—would I have enjoyed my craft more if I had done it purely for myself, rather than turning it into something I had to make it work at all costs? Creative passion is unpredictable, and it evolves into something completely different entirely.
People love to say, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” but they rarely mention the other side: when your passion becomes your work, you’re never off the clock. It consumes you, and if you’re not careful, it can take over your identity entirely.
That being said, take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Even after achieving everything I set out to do...and so much more...I still ask myself: Was it enough? Was the sacrifice worth it? I don't have an answer to that, and I am totally fine to change careers and do something else that I find meaningful at this stage of my life. Maybe that uncertainty is just part of the creative journey, something every artist wrestles with regularly.
Your posts allowed me to reflect on my path—thanks for sharing something so genuine and being open about the realities of the creative life.
Thanks so much for your comment! And yeah, I just had a discussion with my parents about the same thing. If it’s possible, it’s important to have an option to keep a certain distance from your art instead of being forced to do it by circumstances. It’s a difficult balancing act.
I love how you draw parallels between your journey in music production and writing. It’s a great reminder that growth happens in small, persistent steps.
Yeah plus not all the small steps will be forward, sometimes it’s fine to take a step back :)
I’ve always wanted to write a piece about how to make a demo from a non technical perspective because it’s the scariest thing just because I don’t know how to do it. Thanks for sharing three little steps that can make it more actionable!
Did you naturally come to following the same steps? Or are you still looking for ways to complete a demo? I’d love to read someone else’s perspective on this so please write about it!
Haven’t made a demo yet, still looking for ways to make one.😭😭😭😭
Let me know if I can help! Sometimes it’s very important that someone holds your hand through it
Hand holding , yes please 😭😭😭 can I watch your process sometime?
It’s probably difficult to arrange but maybeeee??? I wonder if that could be a format I could do on Substack at a later time :)
In the meantime it’s probably easier if you send me whatever shape your demo is in and I can give you some feedback + next steps?
True! I'd be there where you share more about Demo's! Yes that would be amazing! I will send you a DM this week.
Thanks for sharing your journey! I love making demos.. it’s the final production that’s painful but I do every aspect myself so the creative team is a nightmare 😂❤️
Oh I’m still on my way to trusting myself with this! I’m getting ready to write SO much about all my silly hangups :D
I am happy to see consulting has not rotten your brain yet :)
Consulting is a solid undertaking but it’s not enough to feed my soul :)
I couldn't have said it better
As the witness of your growth, I’d say it grows on you. If one day your music plays from a speaker, for sure I will tell people “That’s my jam!”
I thoroughly intend to have my songs play from multiple speakers one day! Do you like sound jam more than berry jam? :)
Are you kidding me?! I love RiriJam!
I’m really flattered :) it’s especially encouraging since you’re saying it after hearing the demos!
I dont know the demo creation process but i felt very much related to the creation/writing process :D also felt related when I read that you had the same idea in your past to write about something but didnt share it :D now look at us, we are here, writing and sharing :D cheers✨
Yeah at some point you just have to set an arbitrary starting point for yourself and use it as an anchor! I started posting on Substack on a Wednesday by accident but now Wednesdays have an added layer of meaning :)
When I started making demos I had a guy helping my on zoom. I’d send some rough sketches and he’d pick one to give feedback and ideas on-like add a kick drum or second guitar part here… I miss having that regular mentoring. I should start again. Thanks for the look at your demo making was very familiar and reassuring
love this
do you also have things that are persistently difficult but the feeling changes ever so slightly so that you understand you’re making some screeching progress? :)
Yes! I understand
I bet our German neighbor from upstairs hates it even more when you make demos :)
We need to go check on him, it’s been suspiciously long since he last came to ramble about my flute…
🤣🤣🤣
Thanks so much for sharing your story! Do you have any music out to check out? :)
I think it’s also important and helpful to realize that in the times of The Doors and Co. the music industry had wildly different mechanisms than it does now. All the band needed essentially was to be a band and if they got signed, they had a producer and an army of people to promote their music.
Now it seems you have to do it all alone even if you have some contracts in place which is ridiculous of course!
Anyway, you can do it! We can do it! Put that kick into your demo <3