Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.” This comes from an illustrious inventor, reportedly a workaholic, who seldom slept for more than four hours a night. And while I might quibble with the relative percentages, the point is a good one. Genius, along with its potential fruits, is hard work.

Many times I have felt the fluttering butterfly of inspiration land in the soft recesses of my cerebrum. It’s a pleasurable feeling, and I recognize it as something of worth. Often I just let an idea flicker in my mind while I watch in bemusement. Sometimes I have the foresight to write the idea down, hoping to get back to it later. More often, however, I postpone any action until a later time when I think I’ll have the leisure to flesh the idea out in more detail. Of course, later times come, but other priorities elbow their way to the front of the line, leaving the original idea as little more than a hazy memory. Why do I let this happen? Simple — creative production is hard and often thankless work. Also, it seems self-indulgent at best – not the acceptable work of doing repeated tasks in order to make money.

One of the things Sound Traveler wants to do this year is to produce a CD of original music. Oh, we have enough ideas. We actually have more than enough songs that I think are worthy of display in this way. But there is still so much work to do. Each lyric has to express the idea that we want it to express in a way that makes the concept both accessible and meaningful. The music needs to be simple enough to be catchy, yet complex enough to be consistently interesting. The recorded performance needs to be professional in quality, but human enough to feel real. And we have to have the patience to be willing to record each song once, twice, multiple times, always realizing that the final product will still whisper that it could have been better. Finally, I need to be gentle with those working with me, like Patty, who will give so much to feed life into the “vision.”

Then after the dust settles from our creative whirlwind, we’ll have to market the CD. We must convince others that they really need it, that it will make them “perceive” in a slightly different way. And we’ll have to throw the seed money after it, hoping for at least a break-even harvest.

Yep, it’s hard work, but it’s a goal. We feel inspired now, but I expect there will be plenty of perspiration before it’s all over. — Bob Tatum

Come see Sound Traveler tomorrow night at the Brevard Art Museum in Melbourne. Also, we just learned that we will be performing on the Indian River Queen on Feb 4. That should be a great time.

To respond to this post, click on the title, scroll down and produce your own work of literature.

3 Comments to “SongTravelin’: 01.06.11 – Sound Traveler to Produce a New CD in 2011”

• January 6, 2011 at 10:08 am
  Laurence says:

  I’ve had lots of ideas for songs, but people get so wrapped up in themselves that they don’t listen to the ideas of others. Good luck to y’all, but don’t get your hopes up.
• January 6, 2011 at 10:31 am
  Ellie Hjemmet says:

  Bob, you’ve never been anything but “gentle”!!! You’ll have a wonderful time with this project. It is one of those “meant to be” things! You and Patty just “spark” each other!
  I sure do have a good studio to recommend, if you want to take it on up here in the mountains. I’ll email you specifics if you’d like.
  Great news this morning!
  Love from Ellie
• January 6, 2011 at 10:06 pm
  Patty says:

  I’ve been saying for a while that Bob needs to market his original music, because he is a truly versatile, gifted, and innovative songwriter. I’m just thankful that I’m the one with whom he has chosen to collaborate.

  It’s time for the journey to begin.