To get participants interested and started, I want to first sweep away fear and intimidation.
So, this first post needs to be a bit of a TL/DR post. Other posts will not be near as long, I hope!
Project: Orpheus is an interactive guide to building-out your own personal concept album of ten (or more) cuts, plus more program components to be introduced, such as community collaboration, and other fun things ahead.
Over the span of a year, via 6 week (ish) components we will do just that.
Some may choose to forge ahead, some may fall back. No pressure.
Must be stated I have absolutely ZERO experience at this, BUT... as a lifelong creative, I see the process can be broken down into smaller pieces. Makes these things MUCH less daunting. This is something I feel I do have experience with. Bear in mind I’ll be taking part myself, while also building out our road ahead as we go. Therefore, I understand your process may not be like mine. Perhaps you’ll find other ways, move faster - but I suggest you try to follow the plan I’ve put some effort into, so we can enjoy traveling together. I also believe it may help some participants avoid possible roadblocks looming ahead.
Participate any way you wish, but all will be making and sharing creative pieces of ourselves, however we choose to create them.
Hardest part of Project: Orpheus will be to get going! If we make ONE small step forward right now, the next ones become way easier.
I
f you are still only considering taking part, why not join in this first step to get ready for the official/official start in December?
May be the hardest for some, the easiest for others. Later on the music-making begins.
As of today I’m practically starting from scratch too. Some ideas bouncing around my head, but NO solid plan on where I’m going.
And that is ALL we need to start. Raw small ideas. Concept albums do NOT magically appear out of the ether, after all.
To begin, all you need to do is begin striking a mental flint to come up with a few creative sparks. As the journey continues, you’ll gently add tinder, blow on those sparks.
Hopefully it'll start to build into a fiery creative blaze. Don’t worry too much yet about theme, mood, or characters - your epic tale will come to life later.
Simply put, we’re about to tell a story.
What sort of yarn do you wish to weave? Think on that. Doesn’t need to be super fleshed-out or complex at this point. Might be deeply personal based on your past, or a complete fantasy world. Right now, only think in terms of a ten-second elevator pitch for a screenplay: the who, when, why, and how.
I suggest you get a notebook to keep handy to jot down your "idea" sparks.
Many of you already know ideas often appear at the oddest, most inopportune times. Wise thing is to GET THEM DOWN on record! Sometimes they’ll be genius, sometimes complete
. But, once you have them down, you allow yourself a palate of simple colours to mix, adapt and choose from, instead of floating randomly in a creative vacuum.
If you don’t jot them down, they’re too often lost forever. An absence of ideas slams the brakes hard on getting started. Even worse, when we fail to collect, artistic frustration begins to infect our brains, eating further away at motivation and self-esteem. Soon you’re left with a nothing but a dark, empty void.
Large, small, wonderful or dumb: Record your ideas. Even bad seeds can often be nurtured to become twisted but interesting vines.
With enough member interest, the first ‘official’ Project Orpheus stage will start with “Theme-Building” in December. No harm in thinking on that, save those ideas. But your sparks are more important right now. If you can build up a bunch of those, you’ll likely be chomping at the bit when the starting gun goes off.
I suggest you relieve a vast amount of creative/production pressure off yourself with
SUNO AI music Creation.
Millions of music lovers all stripes are using these tools today. I’m viewing my own project as more about “Production/Direction” than as a “musician.”
That’s me personally. I am captivated by the idea of having a vast library of digital “talents” sittin’ there waiting for my ideas, guidance and direction.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence allows the widest spectrum of particpants, and will serve to make this journey more interesting for all.
1. Sign up, free or paid to build credits. You can do plenty with the free version, you may want to upgrade later to get even more credits. They add 50 daily I think, but burn off five at a time as you generate songs. You’ll want some in reserve.
2. Experiment. Find plenty of tips via simple searches. You’ll see how flexible it is, how it can REALLY help with lyrics. That’s a block for many, and it will belt out your cut 'n paste lyrics in pretty much any voice or approximate musical flavor you choose.
Once again, scratch-made music absolutely and fully welcome for this project. I salute you!
Discussion now open,
keep it project-focused please. Do NOT dump your random tunes, lyrics, or derail attempts. As we near the December start, she's gonna get real interesting.
Those who wish to participate pleaes lock in before December 1, State it here openly.
It serves to encourage others, and puts you in the mindframe to begin creating.
