RPM Challenge Anyone?

[Ryan Slowey]

Anyone sign up for this years RPM Challenge (http://www.rpmchallenge.com/)?

I signed up yesterday under Hangman. Should be a fun month.

[seaneldon]

Interesting. I've signed up under Ye Olde Classics. Don't know if I'll actually get it done in 26 days but I'll certainly give it a fair try.

I dropped your name under "How did you hear about this" so maybe they'll give you a prize or something.

I have a couple ideas for a similar activity on this forum, albeit on a smaller scale (ie; not an entire album, and more about the process as well as the end result). Now all I've gotta do is figure out how to make it different/interesting from other things like this...

[Ryan Slowey]

Interesting. I've signed up under Ye Olde Classics. Don't know if I'll actually get it done in 26 days but I'll certainly give it a fair try.

Sweet! I'm a little nervous about actually completing it as well, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I have a couple ideas for a similar activity on this forum, albeit on a smaller scale (ie; not an entire album, and more about the process as well as the end result). Now all I've gotta do is figure out how to make it different/interesting from other things like this...

That would be rad. Looking forward to hearing more about this.

[seaneldon]

After an all-nighter, I've got one quickie (1m30s) basically in the can.

And the Black Beauty needs a new head.

And we need drum sticks.

[Joao Brandao]

i've never heard of this..

very cool!

[Sandyrb]

You know, something like this is a great idea but ... holy smokes ... where on earth would I find the time? I imagine I'm not alone in asking that either! :)

Being said, it would be a fun thing to do.

A friend of mine back in the old country boasted that he could write an album in the time it takes to play it. Now, him being him and the phenomenally talented bugger that he is, I would be willing to concede that he could probably write it in the time it takes to play it twice. But to me the idea of completing an album of original songs from scratch in four weeks of my own limited time — and to a decent standard — would only be reasonable if A) the material was ready to go and B) I didn't have to worry about other stuff not getting done. So, to all those on this forum who are going to take a crack at it I wish you all the best!! :)

It would be interesting for participants to post some of their results too.

Cheers,

[seaneldon]

You know, something like this is a great idea but ... holy smokes ... where on earth would I find the time? I imagine I'm not alone in asking that either! :)

I don't really have a lot of time either, but I'm still going to attempt. I need a kick in the ass with my music and finishing what I set out to do last year. And now it's like a speed and technique competition against jagoffs on the internet. Count me in.

would only be reasonable if A) the material was ready to go and B) I didn't have to worry about other stuff not getting done.

A) Check.
B) Half check. I'm still doing my job, and will do outside work as well, and still have some fun time with ball'n'chain on weekends...but at this point I feel like I can bang out one or two songs in a single session without an assistant and get what I want.

We'll see...

[Jon Nolan]

yo dudes. I'm in under the name of........."Jon Nolan" :)

[Jon Nolan]

"You know, something like this is a great idea but ... holy smokes ... where on earth would I find the time? "

"I don't really have a lot of time either, but I'm still going to attempt. I need a kick in the ass with my music and finishing what I set out to do last year. "

this is exactly what this dealio is all about! there's never enough time. the mix is never right. it's never perfect.

hell, i've got like, three frickin' albums of my own stuff in various stages of completion right now. I'm always threatening to carve MYSELF out some time. Never do. Between my three kids, my own gigs, and sessions that shit never gets done. to say nothing of my own penchant for analysis paralysis and lack of perspective with my own shit. it's a helluva lot easier to producer other peeps stuff, no?

Last year, at midnight before the deadline, I only had six songs in the can - four short. and i was nowhere NEAR the 35 minutes. (it's supposed to be ten songs or 35 minutes.)

choices were:
1. quit
2. stay up all night
3. write four songs as quickly as possible and get 'em down without being all precious about it.

I woulda felt like a douche quitting, and I'm not frickin 25 anymore - so an all-nighter was out. Gotta get up with the kids!

I set up a GT MD1a> hamptone. Grabbed a notebook. wrote out three tunes super quick - mostly two verses and an lyric free "B" section.

the fourth one, I just hit record, and started singing. no idea what the eff i was gonna sing/play.

the last one notwithstanding, which took as long as it took to record it to write it....I wrote all of 'em in ten minutes.

Scorecard:
one of the songs was a complete turd of a song. So bad and embarrassing! hahaha.

but you know what? the other three were pretty damn good!

Now, nobody is gonna accuse me of being a genius or anything. But i think, for my style of singing/playing/writing, one would have to agree that these tunes - at the least - are a pretty damn good start. coupla lyric tweaks, maybe another verse, a solo, and there it is. best case - maybe a couple of these have enough charm as is.

http://www.myspace.com/jonnolan
"I wanna make it mine" is one of the super quick tunes

never woulda happened AT ALL if not for RPM.

Getcher shit done fellers! I wanna hear it!

Mine is gonna be a crazy 80's dance/old school hip hop/soul/pop thing. and I'm doing it on a Tascam 238 to limit myself to 8 tracks. Whee!

[Ryan Slowey]

Going into week 2 of February, I'm feeling that pressure that I used to feel in college when I knew I had a big paper due, but had little to no preparation done for it.

Got those papers done though, so I think I'll make it.

Honestly the hardest part so far, is getting the people that I want to contribute their talents, to get together. NO ONE has time to jam.

Started writing a cool tune over the weekend though. Fortunately for me, my songs are generally [too] long, so it shouldn't be too hard to fill 35 minutes.

[seaneldon]

Gonna attempt to knock out a big batch of songs tomorrow (Saturday).

I am quite a bit behind schedule.

Still think I can do it.

[Sandyrb]

I am quite a bit behind schedule.

Well, you've got about two weeks. I think you'll do it and it'll be good. There you go, how's that for positive reinforcement? :)

Go Sean! Go Sean! Woo woo!

Cheers,

[Joao Brandao]

Less than a week to the deadline. How are your projects coming along?

[Ryan Slowey]

Less than a week to the deadline. How are your projects coming along?


Well, it depends how you look at it.

Am I even close to accomplishing this? No. I don't think it's going to happen.

BUT...

Did it get me off my ass and motivate me to start making some great music after a long period of NOT doing so? Yes, yes it did.

I'm OK with that.

I just work too damn slow, and had no material coming into it, so the time just isn't right. Maybe next year.

[Joao Brandao]

Well, it depends how you look at it.

Am I even close to accomplishing this? No. I don't think it's going to happen.

BUT...

Did it get me off my ass and motivate me to start making some great music after a long period of NOT doing so? Yes, yes it did.

I'm OK with that.

I just work too damn slow, and had no material coming into it, so the time just isn't right. Maybe next year.

thumbs up!

[jim]

Interesting. I've signed up under Ye Olde Classics. Don't know if I'll actually get it done in 26 days but I'll certainly give it a fair try.

I dropped your name under "How did you hear about this" so maybe they'll give you a prize or something.

I have a couple ideas for a similar activity on this forum, albeit on a smaller scale (ie; not an entire album, and more about the process as well as the end result). Now all I've gotta do is figure out how to make it different/interesting from other things like this...

any progress on this?

jim

[Torea]

this sounds like "Script Frenzy" where TV writers try to write two TV pilot episode in one month.