…And what’s a good question!
If you visit frequently this page, you’ll have noticed that after the release of «The Illusionist» in September I don’t speak anything about my music, future projects and so on. Except for the brief review about Mr Dogbelle’s videos, I’ve not written anything during the last months! The reason is easy: I don’t write because I’m not doing anything really interesting concerning my music.
This is strange for a guy who has had the head full of so different projects and musical ideas along the last years, but there is too a simple explanation: I have wanted to stop with the rhythm of creation of the last times.
A bit of history:
When I moved to Granada in summer of 2007, I had ahead a very nice free time to spend, and I decided then to make a bit of music, to take more seriously that project of thrash metal called Cautiva :-). Then the experience was really great and I was captivated 🙂 more and more. The process of recording of the album «Human» (June, 2009) was very hard, during months, but fascinating. When I finished, I was motivated to connect again with my old music and I made a strong effort programming the EP «Tunguska» (2009) and later the album «No More Faith» (2010). After «Human», when I decided to stop with Cautiva and explore the neo-classicism through the computer, this was because the Cautiva project was very demanding and -I thought- changing to the other style, my old ideas and stuff, everything would be easier… But I was very wrong. I never thought that working through VST programming was so hard, tedious and difficult to have good (realistic) results. The music of «Tunguska»/«No More Faith» was beautiful, but I had a personal result: tiredness.
I had a rest for two months, but I didn’t disconnect really of the music and, when I began again to record (end of summer of 2010), I was feeling more and more all this was like a job (not only making music, but making this website too, learning about computer music production, etc.), a strange obligation with myself, when making music for me isn’t my real job (I’m teacher and actually directive in a school), just a hobby… In autumn of 2010 had the “great” idea of making music around different projects and music styles. I thought: “I’ll make all kind of pieces and styles I want, but not with the idea of finishing an album or EP; when I have a good collection of tracks of the same style, then I’ll do the release as collection, calmly, just for pleasure…”. This idea was looking for more freedom and not spending so much time and concentation with this hobby, but it was a failure, because the only thing I got was working hard in all the music I could for finishing all the projects and so on. There were four different projects: the «La Boîte» soundtrack, the EP «Don’t Kill the Vinyl», the secret project “«Improvisation For…» series” and, the main stuff, «The Illusionist» concert for solo piano… Too much, especially valuing I have my own job and a family to take care.
O.k., four projects… So, during the last year, I was more and more centred in my music, but not feeling the pleasure of “the CAUTIVA months”. My perfectionism and hard working with the music carried me to this situation and I felt more and more I had to stop all that mentality and self-pressure. I decided to stop when «The Illusionist» was released, September of this year (well, 2011). I decided to stop, not to spend a minute in music for a few of weeks (I did it) and then just to play and make music for pleasure.
Does it mean that I’m not going to release any music more??? Not at all! Frankly speaking, I thought about it, but I love anyway making music and it was obvious the problem was the strong rhythm of creation, not making music itself. Just I must dose it! 🙂
So, what has it changed? Essentially, the time I dedicate to the music. The last year was all the time I could; actually, not every day, no more of 1 or 2 hours per day. I want to have more time for my family, friends, for reading, playing videogames 🙂 and everything I wish. As result, I’m not going to make as much as before, and I want to concentrate in the pleasure of the activity, not in the results. So, I’ll not compose and record so much music, but I would like to be playing my piano or guitar just for pleasure, to mix music of some friends, maybe to make some collaboration, to experimentate with new programs, to make some changes in this website… Of course I would like to record more music, but actually it’s not the “leitmotiv”. If I record something, it will be independent pieces or thinking about an EP. I discard releasing an whole LP. This is what actually I think.
My strongest ambition now? Cautiva 🙂 Yes, I would like to record new music for the project and to release it in 2012, but there is actually a long previous way. First of all, I’m practicing again with the guitar and developing my habbilities and so on. And during the next one or two months I want to work again in the production of all the instruments and mix, from zero. If everything is going well, I’ll be writing some new song for March…
This is everything for now.
By the way, recently I made a facebook page for José Travieso music and other facebook page for the Cautiva project. You can visit them clicking here:
–José Travieso music’s Facebook page.
>I wish you a happy 2012. Let’s hope the Mayas don’t have the reason…
Now playing – Metallica: Creeping Death
