Creating and Sharing Music at a Time of Quarantine
Written by: Toots Orosa
Throughout this lockdown, I have never felt more defeated with regards to my artistic pursuits. In the same vein, I’ve never felt more hopeful.
The past three months have been a whirlwind of highs and lows as a musician—and I’ve learned to accept that it’s fine. The future is bleak and unpredictable, and one can only think so far ahead. We’re scratching surfaces and testing waters to get by, and I wanted to share some of my experiences doing just that.
Dealing with burnout through active rest and compassion
My biggest mistake from the start of quarantine was forcing myself to write. I’d sit down on my desk and stare blankly at my notes, begging my brain to produce words. I grew impatient and questioned my own artistry, all because I couldn’t get myself to make a song whenever I wanted to.
Eventually, I took a step back and just let things be. It’s easy and completely normal for us to succumb to our anxious thoughts, especially when we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. Sometimes we just have to keep that in mind and learn to be forgiving towards ourselves whenever we can’t churn out a melody or a couple of lyrics.
I was constantly in no disposition to be creative, and so I treated myself with active rests, doing other things that were more in my control—I cooked, played video games, caught up with friends, watched some movies, and slept. A lot.
At the same time, I knew I couldn’t afford to do just that. To be able to rest is undeniably a privilege, and so I made it a point to stay informed by reading news, share helpful articles regarding current events, perform benefit gigs, and sign loads of petitions. I believe the wise words of Uncle Iroh still ring true, and apply even during moments of burnout: Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.
It’s important to think outside of ourselves from time to time, and question what more we can do within our capabilities. Heeding the answers to these questions, taking our rests, and creating art should all be a check and balance. Admittedly, I’m still learning to be better not just for myself and my craft, but also for the people around me.
Pilot runs
Whenever I felt like I was ready, that’s when I dove back into my craft. My creative process is fluid; full of trial-and-error, and involving a lot of experimentation.
Sometimes, it starts with a soundbite. I’m in the shower and a catchy tune comes into mind. To remember this tune, I grab my phone, get on a recording app, and record melodies to turn into something more later on. This kickstarts the process, but it’s not a surefire means to an end. Often I still struggle turning my recordings into full-length songs, and I know I couldn’t always rely on my eureka moments.
I decided to try a different approach. With my time at home, I’ve been learning a lot about Ableton and musical production by binging YouTube tutorial videos. Taking this leap of faith felt like opening a door to another world, and has led me to explore new sounds beyond my guitar. Through this, I was able to reimagine what were once soundbites through the help of programmed instruments. Learning the basics of production has also helped me start what I finish, whether or not I stuck to what I initially envisioned my soundbite to be.
Conquering the learning curve production brings has been no easy feat, but man is it fulfilling. For the times tunes never entered my mind randomly, creating loops through my laptop has helped me stay inspired. I know I have a lot more to learn, but I never saw this as a step back.
Above all, no matter what the process was, the line “do it when you feel like it” always rang true to me. It’s more important to me that I enjoy what I’m doing, rather than dread something I’ve grown to be really good at out of pressure. It helps me to revisit why my passions are called my passions in the first place.
Get that show on the web
As soon as my projects piled up, I knew I wanted to share my craft.
Love it or hate it, everyone is online. It’s the only way we can stay connected at a time when distance is essential. It’s not something within our control, but certainly something we have to adapt to.
At the start of the lockdown, online gigs were on the rise and I was invited to perform in one. Initially, playing within the confines of my bedroom wasn’t something I was comfortable with, as opposed to performing in front of a crowd latency-free.
But the more I had these gigs, the more I understood its appeal. It’s a different kind of intimacy altogether; having an audience listen to you in your home straight from theirs. And perhaps the best part about it is how accessible it is, both to the audience and performer. Missed a set? Wanna know how you sounded? Watch the Facebook Live replay. No gig opportunity? Start your own live show.
And that’s not all. Because everyone’s online, there are many ears that would willingly lend themselves to you, if you make yourself present. I made it a point to post snippets, DIY demos, and quarantine-versions of my songs I wouldn’t normally make. It didn’t matter to me if my little gimmicks were not as grandiose or ambitious as the big leagues. After all, listeners don’t expect you to create high budget masterpieces; they only expect you to stay at home. So, post that amateur phone recording. Get people to know your music. Get them engaged.
Peace in practice
If I could wrap everything I’ve learned throughout this lockdown into a single word, it would be mindfulness.
I once had crystal clear plans for my musical career, but these plans grew less and less plausible as the days flew by. That’s when I realized that focusing on things in my control was much better not only for my mental health, but also my artistic endeavors.
Alternately, keeping an open mind with goals are equally important as setting them. We just can’t afford to be fixated on how we form our careers, or at least not with everything going on. Accepting my limitations made me feel more attuned to what I can and can’t do at the moment, and that really pushed me to make the most out of what I have.
The challenge we’re facing now as artists isn’t something we ever thought we’d experience in our lifetime, but knowing that this challenge isn’t exclusive to ourselves makes bearing the weight of it feel a lot lighter.
As Joseph Morong once said, relax. Take that nap, read today’s news, and help in ways you can.
But once you’re back in your groove, learn more about your craft. Write that song. Share that talent. Form your plans, but leave them open to change. Things may be far from normal, but we’ll continue to do what we want to—all in our own time.
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