Five years from now?

I was talking with someone earlier today about life and plans, and where I see myself five years down the road.  In my mind, a dream is not a plan.  I have many dreams and desires for my life, things that I would like to fulfill over the course of the next five years.  If they don't happen and something else occurs, I'm fine with that.

I've tried the educational route of music, and I've found it lacking. I've also tried the band career route once, and found that disappointing.  Unfortunately, when plans require other people, they tend to work in ways that are not intended. If one person's dream is to be successful and make something for oneself in one's band, it requires that the dreams of the other individuals in the band take this into consideration. Every band or group of people involved in similar pursuits together must ask this question together at some point:  "Where do we want to take this?"  If there is conflict at this point, it must be resolved so that plans can be made with goals that have realistic expectations.

I've asked myself that question about my life, music, relationships--everything. I am not an island; everything that I do involves people. I play in a band with four other people who all have their own lives, separate interests, careers (well, sort of). While things are looking up now, they haven't always been positive. I imagine that in the near future, we will be asking this question of ourselves.  After all, we're about to record our second album and make decisions for where we'll be playing shows at from now on.  (We can't keep playing at the Submarine all of the time.  There's no way to sell merch or get publicity if you stay in the same place.)  To be honest, we probably need a manager.  In all likelihood, we'll have to play shows in places we don't particularly have a desire to play at in order to get our name out there. We'll have to sleep less, practice more, write more, and play more.  How much do we really want to accomplish, here?

Other questions stem from that, for me.  At some point I will have to determine whether or not my involvement in this inhibits other dreams and plans I have. It's difficult to pursue a career as a musician. It is not something that you can half-ass when you start, though it's been proven that one can half-ass it later on.

Where do I see myself five years from now?

Retired.

Totally Modal

I encourage everyone who is a musician to use different modes in their music. I keep forgetting that there are (at least) four other modes that can be used apart from the more common mixolydian, ionian, and aeolian modes. With the strange array of influences that Icarus Aquanaut draws from, I think that our band could likely pull ideas wholecloth from these other modes.

Guitar solos oftentimes deviate from the mode that the rest of a song is in.  For example, you may have a song in A-minor with a guitar solo that has sharps and flats scattered throughout it.  A-minor has no sharps and flats, so this guitar solo would be considered separate from the mode. Most songs don't follow one mode entirely.

I did some research.

Icarus Aquanaut's "What's Left Come Morning"

SimulacraRock -- B mixolydian with a guitar solo that deviates with augmented intervals

Ghost in the Red Room -- D ionian

Kite -- G ionian

Dear Justine (album version) -- This song is a stranger beast than you might think.

Intro/verse -- E ionian, heavy emphasis on G# chord as a major third

Chorus -- A aeolian with chords outside of the mode

Bridge/etc -- E ionian.  Root is not played in the first half.  G# chord is now a minor third.  Last half is same as intro/verse.

Honey -- E ionian

Angel Song

Intro/verse -- E ionian

Chorus -- D ionian

Solo -- E ionian with a guitar solo that deviates from the mode

Hero -- A aeolian with an E major chord, guitar solo that deviates with augmented and diminshed intervals, ends on a Piccardi third

Of Explaining -- B ionian, some chords that deviate

End of the World -- practically atonal (I really don't have the time to sit down and chart out what possible mode it could be in)

Dreaming With The Upsides Down -- Chorus is A aeolian, verses are C mixolydian.  Bridge is C mixolydian.