Putting your work out there is always a bit of a gulp-inducing experience. I've put my various art/music available for praise or ridicule for many years. I think the first time was when I was 9 years old, playing "Snoopy and the Red Baron" on guitar at a recital. All four verses...instrumental. Uggh. And I still remember it. There are other shows that stick in my mind, a mix of triumphs and embarrassments. But while my ego may have been tied up in those, it gets a little more intense when your ego is lined up next to your professional cred. Such is the lot once you move into "creative" for a living.
And to make matters worse (or better?), in this case there are multiple "clients" including my boss, who is legit in the biz. So here comes Dr. Digital (yours truly), in over his head...or maybe not. Perhaps that is just the old defense mechanisms lining up. At any rate, at some point it comes down to putting it out there. Saying, "ok, here's a cut, what do you think?" It will never be perfect, and you can tweak it forever. But that isn't what it is about.
And then the reviews come in. The sponsor loves it, but of course has some notes (minor things). The boss...well, he's a tougher audience as he really *knows* this stuff. And so the judgement comes down. And mostly positive. Actually quite positive. I think the words, "well crafted" were involved. Of course there were notes, and they make sense and will help tighten the piece considerably. And so it'll be back to shoot some pickups, and redo the beginning to clarify what we're doing and why we're doing it. The ending actually did that well, so one suggestion was to actually take that approach in the beginning of the piece.
So the world didn't end. And I actually am not faking it...I can do this. Check that - I am doing this. Of course I know that, but sometimes the ego likes to get in the way in both directions from the middle. But the best part was creating something. And today ending up with a little less fear for the next time notes are needed. They are *always* needed. You can't create in a vacuum. Take advantage of the talent and expertise around you, and make something. Then make it better. Then move on to the next project. Because there is always something to create. And there always is another story to tell, another angle to explore, another sound to capture, remix, and release. That is the key. At some point, you have to release it. Otherwise, it isn't art.
