I feel I’m getting close to narrowing down how I want to go about doing this project. Narrowing my ideas and staying focused has always been a really big challenge for me. I want everything. But the reality is I can’t have everything. So, I think being really really poor has helped make some decisions for me.

For instance, I will be creating and tracking most of the music on my own… maybe have a guest artist or two.

Anyway, I’m almost done with my first track. I named it after my experiences with this entire process of creating a solo project.

It’s called The Chemist. It’s about decisions and unexpected outcomes. When I finish, I’ll be posting it up.

That picture above is the gist of the song. It started with a rhythm… Then a chord… Then a bowl of three hard-boiled eggs.

Currently, I have a bad case of tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, so I’m always looking for new ways to hold my bass guitar. I found something called the M-Brace guitar stand.

For me, it seemed promising, until I tried it. There is a built in backwards tilt that actually makes my hands feel really uncomfortable. Sure you can adjust the angle of the bass guitar, but the backward tilt is just awkward for me. Plus, it’s not the most sturdy.

So, I decided to redesign the same product, with a design that works specifically for me.

Fortunately, Mark had all the tools and more. He gave me some tips and let me melt up some scrap pieces of metal. But, in actuality, I just explained my vision, then let him do the real dirty work.

I ran today, even though it was raining outside.

It felt like my legs were going to collapse. But I did it. I ran up the hill, out my neighborhood, continued on to the next neighborhood, ran down the hill and back up the hill, out that neighborhood, back towards my neighborhood, down the hill, and until I reached home.

So far, I’ve spent more time listening and reflecting, more than actually recording anything. I listen to a lot of my old ideas. I listen to a lot of musicians that inspire me. I watch people around me and I observe.

Then, after all that, I reflect on what I don’t want to do and what I do want to do.

I know I don’t want it to be a “solo bass” album. I like hearing other timbres other than just bass.

I know I want the album to focus on communicating emotional states that I often feel: dark, dense, sometimes thick and luscious, intensely reflective, always rhythmic.

Rhythmic is not really an emotion. But it’s a feel. I think. So it’s gotta have rhythm.

I don’t want it to be a downer though. Just cause something is dark, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be a downer. Dark chocolate makes me happy, and others too.

I don’t think I want bass solos splattered across the album. Honestly, I hate bass solos. I don’t even consider myself a solo bass player.

Technique can be overrated. So, don’t expect anything insane. I want the focus to remain on the emotional feel.

Anyway, over the past few days I was able to track a few things for the first song that will set the tone for the rest of the album.

So far, I think I like where I’m going.

Harp Impressions: acrylic on canvas

Woman in Red: acrylic on canvas

Purple Me: acrylic on vinyl

Paper Bags: pencil on paper

Sketches: pencil on paper

One: acrylic on vinyl

LN: oil on canvas

Benny & Green: lithograph