RPM 2020 - Anybody Doing It?

[MannequinRaces]

Is anybody doing the RPM challenge this year? I’ve never done it before but might give it a shot.

[Yonatan]

What is RPM?
Release Per Month?

[aeox]

What is RPM?
Release Per Month?

Complete 10 tracks in February

[reddust]

What is RPM?
Release Per Month?

Complete 10 tracks in February

I haven't been able to complete a track in years

But release per month is actually a good idea to try to finally be more productive

[Yonatan]

Ah, thanks, now I remember there has been a February challange. 10 tracks in 1 month, that is a whole album.

Yes, I think 1 track per month could be achievable for me. But in the sense that if I postpone, I just make it tougher later on. In other words, if I have not finished any tracks, December will demand 12 finished tracks in one month. So every months work into taking tracks forward (inclusive writing a new song) makes the 12 track goal less bloody in December. But that is a dangerous path but ok if having goal of finishing an album in 1 year.

One could also push it so that end of June needs a release of a 6 track EP, and same 6 track EP until end of year 2020. I am taking that route. End of June EP plus end of December a second EP.
2 EP per year is quite managable. Some others might have a higher pace, especially if making instrumental. Puttning lyrics and voice, more than 12 tracks would be a no no for me.

But February is a good month to write songs.
I wont partake in 10 track finished, but 2 tracks would be possible. But I like the high ambition in 10 tracks...it really pushes you to take faster decisions and not being all too picky. So I could give it a try for own sake, but not officially...

February challange with 10 tracks can work if it is a bit like "come on and finish those halfmade tracks from 2019 you never bothered finish".

[MannequinRaces]

It’s either 10 tracks or 35 minutes of music made in February. More info here: https://www.rpmchallenge.com/

35mins doesn’t sound as daunting as 10 songs.

I have trouble finishing songs... big time. This time limitation might help me focus and maybe something good will come out of it.

[platzangst]

I'm going to attempt it, though my track record in getting it done hasn't been so great last couple of years.

[reddust]

I would consider the one song per month during ten months challenge, 10 songs or 35 minutes of music in February sounds very stressful to me

[MannequinRaces]

I'm going to attempt it, though my track record in getting it done hasn't been so great last couple of years.

What’s been bottlenecks for you in the past to getting it done?

[MannequinRaces]

I would consider the one song per month during ten months challenge, 10 songs or 35 minutes of music in February sounds very stressful to me

I’m already stressed out thinking about it, lol. I don’t have examples but surely throughout history there has been some decent creative output during crunch times.

[platzangst]

What’s been bottlenecks for you in the past to getting it done?

Two broad problems:

1) I work a full-time job - more than full-time, lately - which leaves me tired and less able to focus when I do have free time. It isn't helped by February being the shortest month of the year, so I just don't have a lot of good quality time to devote to getting anything done, let alone an entire album.

2) I often aim way too high when starting out: "This album will be, let's see, a symphonic pop masterpiece, full orchestration, multi-part harmonic vocals..." That's an exaggeration, but the gist is real enough, I try to do more than I can realistically expect to get done (especially given point 1), and some years I've had to abandon an attempt mid-month, bashing out something much easier in less time just to have completed something, as opposed to some years (like recently) where I get to a point and say "well, this isn't going to work," and just throw up my hands and leave everything uncompleted in a folder on my hard drive and fail the challenge by not putting out anything, even something terrible.

[MannequinRaces]

What’s been bottlenecks for you in the past to getting it done?

Two broad problems:

1) I work a full-time job - more than full-time, lately - which leaves me tired and less able to focus when I do have free time. It isn't helped by February being the shortest month of the year, so I just don't have a lot of good quality time to devote to getting anything done, let alone an entire album.

2) I often aim way too high when starting out: "This album will be, let's see, a symphonic pop masterpiece, full orchestration, multi-part harmonic vocals..." That's an exaggeration, but the gist is real enough, I try to do more than I can realistically expect to get done (especially given point 1), and some years I've had to abandon an attempt mid-month, bashing out something much easier in less time just to have completed something, as opposed to some years (like recently) where I get to a point and say "well, this isn't going to work," and just throw up my hands and leave everything uncompleted in a folder on my hard drive and fail the challenge by not putting out anything, even something terrible.

Thanks for your breakdown of reasons. My number 1 is similar, full time job with some overtime, plus family time leaves very little large chunks of time left to do the challenge.

I’m going to try and go into it with not high expectations and see what happens. I figure if I don’t push myself I might never know what I’m capable of when I have a tight deadline. As a hobbyist there really is no deadline to music and getting things done so having one and being in the same boat as other people might help. Or... I could fail spectacularly and spiral into depression, lol. I see either outcomes as a possibility.

[Yonatan]

35 mins of unicorn dolphins, rainbow cats and bpm of 40. 1 track to rule them all.
February feelings are strange indeed.

[demt]

once upon a time a long time ago id of been in