Acceptance

Six months ago, I offered to produce, mix, and master a friend’s debut album. One out of several good reasons to do so was selfish: use their project to complete a process of re-igniting my music production workflow, and rekindle with all the intrinsic mechanisms that are needed for a quality delivery. A process that I had successfully started with Zavajer at the end of last year.

The idea was to start offering sound production services again, as a side activity. I didn’t think that through. Taking six months for a 6-song album uncovered an obvious problem, especially if compared to how, back in the day, it used to take less than three weeks, including all the back-and-forth with the author and proper quality testing.

I can go on however I want to find reasons as to why it took me so long, but it boils down to a simple linear truth: I don’t want to do it. Having a day job means that I can only use a few hours here and there, or the weekend, or my holidays, to work on music production. Reality showed me that it’s my free time, time to do personal stuff, enjoy relationships, go visit places, do house chores, et cetera.

Having said that, I’m proud of the album, no matter how my obsessed mind will always consider my work as sub-par. Obsessed by a past standard that’s currently unattainable to me, that I used to achieve because I poured ten hours a day into the craft, every day, for years. Yet, the simple fact of being proud of this new production is a giant step for me. It means starting to accept that perfection is not of this world, and that sometimes good enough is the best for everyone.

Acceptance is sometimes hard, but when it comes it’s satisfying.