One discovery I made during this process, is just how much I still have to learn about production. I wrote and produced the first draft of the song, and thought it sounded pretty good. Later, Josh sent his version improving on my first draft and the production was just way better than mine. It was still essentially the same song that I had written, but it sounded much bigger and more current. Another thing I discovered during this project was how many resources there are online for music production. I do some research outside of this project on production using Youtube videos, blogs, etc, but relied on them more during this project than usual as this was a part of the process. In the future I need to continue to read and watch these resources to continue to learn and get better as a producer.
Reflecting on this project I can defiantly answer some of my original questions. "10. What will I do to stay motivated throughout the process?" My motivation is the desire to make the best music I can, and get my music signed to a major label so I can reach a large audience. I have been working on music off and on for 5 years now and I know the motivation is there to keep at it. "9. How will I know when the song is good enough?" I knew when I heard the latest version Josh sent me that we were very close. I have an ear for good music and I felt what I was hearing was very close to being done. "3. How long will it take to write the lyrics?" It didn't take me long at all, Vin wrote them! "7. Will the process of working on the same song over an extended period get tiring?" Because I teamed up with two very talented and creative people it has made the process more enjoyable even though it is taking a while. The element of fun is there as well, as you come up with cool ideas, or get something right, though it doesn't always feel like it when you are problem solving in music production. "1. Will it be challenging to collaborate with a vocalist, especially over the internet?" It was moderately so. The results are good, but it would be nice to give suggestions in real time. I can't do that working through email, but many projects, even major records, are done this way now days so it is a skill to continue to develop!
Ultimately I would consider my 20% project a 70% success. I am confident in a month the song will be completed, if not within a few days. After that, I should know within 2 weeks if any label is interested. I learned a lot during this process and hope to continue to learn more in the future.