![]() With AESOP, I was fortunate enough to work with like-minded individuals who shared the same drive I have. Being in an original band is a double-edged sword, as it has provided me the most direct path to creative expression and also shown to be a vast cloud of personal frustration. While one was financially rewarding, the other was more creative and free of restrictions. The years I spent in both a cover and various original bands have given me a ton of insight into the music industry. At the end of the day, when something isn’t getting accomplished, I only have myself to blame. There are no big breaks or easy paths, and honestly, I’m very appreciative of that. Part of being a musician in 2020 is also about being self-reliant. No single client is going to make or break your business ambitions and not every client will value your services. It comes down to believing in yourself and having the confidence to say “no” when it’s necessary. It took me the better part of two years to achieve both market-value and a solid client list. Starting out as an engineer and a teacher, I had no clue on how to promote myself and was constantly undercutting my prices to maintain client retention. There have been many struggles between my professional pursuits as an engineer and a teacher, as well as my own personal musical journey. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you? We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. A lot of us have dreams that are never fully realized until we learn to change our approach and perspective. I am also currently taking the time to create more teaching content for Ghost Note Audio and develop that channel. AESOP is now in its third year and adapting to the experience each band member has brought to the table. ![]() Throughout this journey, every step has helped me refine my approach to the creative process: from seeking full creative control to learning to cater to someone’s vision while finding the niches I could express my creativity in. Our partnership saw immediate success as we were able to work with 20 bands and produce over 70 songs within the past year. In 2019, I decided to repurpose Ghost Note Audio to be solely for teaching, and begin collaborating with Cody Casillas on Black Oil Recordings, which focuses primarily on production and mixing. ![]() It started with two bands, I Welcome Judgement and The Augurist Complex, and through word of mouth grew to include many other talented local metal and rock artists. Early 2016 noted the beginning of Ghost-Note Audio, as well as the inklings of our musical project, AESOP.īy 2018, I had accumulated 40 students, teaching six days a week and was able to start recording bands in my spare time finally. In 2015, I met my wife, Kristyn, and through her encouragement, decided to pursue mixing and teaching full-time. The entire reason I was drawn to music in the first place was the freedom to create, and I found myself in a place of performance without passion. While this career was financially fulfilling, I had lost my drive to create for myself. In 2014, I relocated back to DFW and was working full-time in a cover band playing weddings, casinos, and bars on the weekends. For the next six years, I would bounce around different freelance gigs, learning the ins and outs of self-promotion, networking and other skills that would help me establish myself as a self-employed musician. Within a few months, I began composing my songs and attempting to record everything I could through basic freeware.īy 2008 I had just finished my Commercial Songwriting degree in Waco and had decided to test my luck in Austin as a freelance musician. ![]() Around the same time, I started to take up the guitar. Over the next few years, I found my frustration with the school band begin to grow as I would be reprimanded constantly for changing my parts and playing out of time. At that age, I couldn’t have anticipated the impact that music would have on my life - it was just a means to hang out with friends and be noisy. I was first introduced to a musical instrument (a saxophone) when I was 12. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. Thanks for sharing your story with us Clay. Today we’d like to introduce you to Clay Schroeder.
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