Chris Puckett
To begin, my name is Chris Puckett and I am anything but an ordinary musician. I am a Jazz performance major at East Carolina University. I have been playing guitar and bass since I was 13 (I am 21 now). Studying music at a university level has given me a greater appreciation of what it takes to become a successful musician. My educational experiences are not limited to within the school; it’s the experiences that happen outside of the classroom that are the most important. The world itself is a learning environment, and so many people fail to let it teach them.
The average musician can play through pre-written chord changes to make it through a song. The average musician can play through a song note for note without making any mistakes. It takes a true musician to know what mistakes are, pertaining not only to music, but life as well. A true musician knows what it is like to fall short of success, and to do everything it takes to gain back their pride.
As a musician and as an individual, I have experienced things that would discourage most people from entering the music business. Being a musician is not as simple as “playing” music to entertain others. To me, becoming a musician is a never-ending journey that undoubtedly has its ups, but unfortunately comes along with its lows. There are moments in music that are indescribable to anybody who does not play an instrument themselves. Then, there are moments that make us wish we had chosen a profession like engineering or accounting. These low moments differentiate the average musician apart from the wise musician.
Every musician gets that ecstatic feeling that comes from performing in front of others. That feeling keeps me coming back for more. I yearn for feedback from others that listen to the music I create, and what it is I can do to improve it. My music is constantly being developed and constantly being criticized. It is sheer criticism and the fear of failure that has musicians reconsidering this lifestyle, but these things should motivate musicians to become greater than they once were.
In regards to the music that I create, my current project is an EP that my friends and I are vigorously working on. It started as a new year’s resolution of mine that I have now nearly completed. On the first day of 2014, I posted my first song that I had individually written and recorded. For me, it was a milestone that had been long overdue.
Every month of this year I wrote a new song and recorded each one. I would then post them on my SoundCloud for the public to hear. As you scroll through my page you will be able to see the chronological order of the songs I have released. What was neat about this project was being able to hear the growth and improvement one song after another. Comparing my older tracks to my more recent releases, I felt as if my songwriting and musicianship throughout the year drastically improved, one song after another.
In regards to the style of music, I would consider the genre under indie rock. It has hints of Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, etc. The instrumentation itself is based around acoustic guitar, so it will be an original sounding album.
Each song started as acoustic guitar, so that is the main theme of the album. Drums and electric guitar are also used to add color and energy to each track. What is interesting about these recordings is that we are using live drums as opposed to programed drums. We believe even though the drums are tedious to mic, as well as keep in time, overall a live drum track will add more flavor and musical qualities than a metronomic feel.
As 2014 came to an end, I was ready to release my final song. Of the 12 songs I had written for this project, I chose only half of these songs to be released for sale. The 6 songs I chose for the EP are the strongest of the songs I have released.
As a critic of my own music, the other 6 need much improvement all around. I have decided to set those songs aside, for they are in my past and I cannot see them abiding me much success in my near future. They are what I will consider someday my “lost dogs.” Though home recorded, that does not mean it is a low quality record. The amount of time put into these tracks show. As people hear them, they will be surprisingly impressed. You can hear the original versions of these songs on my ReverbNation page before we release the EP.
The working title changed throughout the year, but we plan on releasing it officially as Anything You Want It To Be. It is a play on words, if you will. The EP title has a humorous, yet mysterious tone to it.
While we record the tracks, the songs come to life even more when I communicate my ideas to other musicians. It is interesting hearing them interpret their own musical ideas into mine to create a more diverse sound. So far, the songs are coming along great and by early 2015 we plan on releasing our project to the world on iTunes and any form of social media we can post it to. Months of hard work are hopefully about to pay off.
Speaking of my ReverbNation page, I advertise my music under the company Sweet Relief. They are a non-profit organization that strives to assist musicians that struggle with their finances as well as disabilities. If someone chooses to purchase one of my songs, 50% of proceeds go to this charity and the other half to me. This is a win-win for musicians all around the world that are dependent on this organization.
Who knows? Maybe someday my success will help another musician that is in need just as much as I am, if not more. I am confident that my upcoming EP will make sales, not necessarily to benefit myself, but to assist the musicians whom are less fortunate than I am.
With all that being said, I am a struggling musician who simply wants to get a gig. Nothing in the world makes me happier than playing music. In these modern times where electronic music is exceeding in popularity, it’s more difficult for acoustic songwriters such as myself to play out more. Though it’s not impossible, being a professional musician is a challenging lifestyle, let alone a being solo act musician.
Even though life becomes progressively harder, I will not let it prevent me from achieving my dreams of becoming a more respected, as well as skillful musician. Check out my music if you will. Though it’s not perfected, I like to think of it as my start to the real world. You can check out my music profiles in the links bellow. I hope you like my tracks, because I have put my heart into them.
Chris Puckett
Facebook
ReverbNation
SoundCloud