Blog #9 (5-11-17)

I'm currently at the point in my project in which composing gets a bit difficult. It is frustrating to decide how to continue on from what I've gotten. To learn more about how others dealt with this, for an even longer time than me, I decided to find my primary source now. Since the song Hallelujah was an inspiration that I went off of, I found an interview with Leonard Cohen, the composer. I found it on https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/07/15/leonard-cohen-paul-zollo-creativity/ . Leonard Cohen talks about hard work, inspiration, and the complications in composing with the speaker. The Canadian admitted that he actually takes a long time to create a final song; he creates many versions of one to find the perfect choice. He takes from a month to more than two years. The inspiration that he finds to make music is the fact that the lyrics can make others relate. Despite the numbers, there will always be at least one person that understands what he is trying to get though. With this in mind, he creates music to pour out the feelings of others, not just his own. About his work, he said that composing is just as "hard work" as any other job. It is like hard labor in which he has to make use of his whole body. Cohen also considers himself fully employed, while some others, who are employed in reality, are actually unemployed. Employment to him means giving the utmost efforts in the tasks that they have to do, despite whether it is to their liking. The composer uses a lot of his time to create something others would like. At times, he actually composes full songs but ends up throwing it away. His belief is that you must create the product before you decide whether you like it. "The cutting of the gem has to be finished before you can see whether it shines." To Cohen, a song will either click or it won't immediately. His brain is described as an endless chatter that can only be stopped with an idea that deeply interests him. It is nice to learn that even professionals struggle with creating music. I'm currently done with the middle verse, and I have created a rap. But, I am still trying to find a rhythm and placement that will make it fit in. When I have found the right way, my song will officially be done. Friday and Saturday will be dedicated to finishing it and creating the piano instrumental. I am also planning on recording the music video and TedTalk video next week with the help of my friend, Thinzar.


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