Lo Ft and I got together to make a beat. It’s called Banana Currents. Lo Ft (facebook)is a tall dude, so his feet are low, hence the name. He is a bear. This track falls into the “Live Creation” category and was, for the most part, a product of spontaneous and improvised musical parts. Cool huh? Tell everyone.

I’ve taken the last week off work with the express purpose of recording some of the mental shrapnel that’s been in my head for years. Things are forking off in all sorts of directions, and I find that through this, I’m forced to define what Pravda23 is – mostly by excluding the material which I feel it isn’t. Either way, I feel privileged to have this time. There is no shortage of creativity being applied to the recording and producing of the material. I just feel some kind of ‘wrap’ is in order, so here are a few things I’ve picked up through living out my ideal week:

1. The recording is everything. Practice hard and record it right rather than trying to fix it in the mix.

2. While recording (especially vocals), don’t even let the thought of ‘what it’s going to sound like’ cross your mind. The best takes are when you’re completely focused on the task, and dismiss the outcome. Don’t judge yourself, just do your best.

3. If you’re doing it all on your own, accept what you can and can’t do. Don’t try ‘just throw in’ some piano because you ‘used to play.’ Rather get good through practice and then play well.

4. Forget where the music is going, who’s listening to it, and if it’s good enough. You are doing this for yourself. Always have.

5. Take time. Nothing is more of a creative buzzkill than a deadline.

6. Be weird. Experiment.

7. Learn. I’ve been looking up tutorials on vocal recording techniques. Avoid the rookie errors – someone already made them and wrote a blog about it. Practice your knowledge.

8. Don’t force it. If you need a break, take a break. If you need to create, create.

9. Before you start doing anything, always get in the musical space by listening to artists which you would like to sound similar to.

10. Be disciplined but fair. Putting pressure on yourself is something that people have to do when they’re working for someone else. Your top priority is to PLAY. Have fun.

A friend of mine does the marketing for Pravda vodka up in Johannesburg. When I was up there on tour recently, he gave me a few samples and joked about getting a mention on this site. You understand, right? Besides, my brother is in with RedBull, so there may just be a winning combination here.

Version 5′s Kinetic Mystery: something like an African beat. Sounds like Quantic, Groove Armada, Bonobo. Share your mother’s milk on the P23 Facebook page.

An afternoon sampling my students and the fun that comes along with “intertainment”!

Soundtrack is Lithuania off current version 5.0. Still require some vocal parts for the half-finished track. A reminder to all aspiring Pravda23 fans: submit links to your audio files to get featured in the next Pravda23 release! More info here.

Welcome to a new trend in Pravda23 music creation. Mechatronic is the latest track to be added to a growing collection of songs created live and spontaneously. Voices are recorded, mutated, effected and warped into often hilarious music tracks. I think of it as holding up a mirror to the world around me.

Well…?

It’s called YourVoice. Listen to some open-source music.

Think you’re a rockstar?

Submit LINKS to your audio files to fun@pravda23.com or via Facebook. Submissions may, but probably won’t be considered and made into upcoming Pravda23 tracks. Bonus: you’ll also be tagged in the prestigious Facebook Gallery of Contributing Artists. For the love of blasphemy, DO NOT SUBMIT MP3s AS AN ATTACHMENT. LINKS ONLY! Or give me a CD.

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