Tell us about your 2023 wrap-up

[digitaldrummer]

I posted a similar thread on another site, but interested to see if 2023 was a better year for you in the studio? It was for me (especially the session drumming side). As it gets to be tax time, I usually tally up some totals and compare to previous years. I'm sure many of you did a heck of a lot more, but 2023 was overall better for me. Here's a few highlights of mine:

drum tracks: 112 (counted so far but there may be more...)
69 were online/remote (via my own website or Soundbetter), and the rest were for local clients or my own bands.

albums, singles, or demos recorded/completed/released: 8

other clients (still WIP): 3

I also played 63 live shows (paid gigs) around my local area. So yeah, it felt pretty busy again.

[markjazzbassist]

preface - primarly hired gun side man bassist, home studio recordist

gigs - 100
session work - 5 different projects i got hired for

the covid frost finally thawed in terms of live gigs (bars, restaurants, wineries, breweries, community events, private parties) and i played more than the previous year which was encouraging. it seemed most places realized it was safe again and people wanted to get out of the house, or they needed a draw to get people out of the house, which is very encouraging. i noticed fans/crowd/random patrons enjoyed the music more and commented more previous to covid. sad that it took a gnarly pandemic to make people realize art/music is worthwhile but the realization is appreciated regardless.

studio work was pretty standard, there's little to no session work in town, and i did a little bit but got connected with a guy who owns/runs a studio that's busy so that's encouraging for next year.

all in all a great year, looking forward to another great year in 2024

[trodden]

I helped make a handful of records with other engineers this year, assisting just to keep myself relevant, interested, and practiced.
I was only the principal engineer for one record.
Still working on a "new" blackQueen record since 2022.
I spent March to October working 60-80 hours a week between 5-6 jobs, just to pay down some debt on top of debt of getting a new roof on the house. I still haven't finished my studio, and still overdubbing and mixing in the living room. No time and money for large construction projects.
I did start a new career path, diversifying my audio skillset by doing audio/A2 work for broadcast sports TV, a union job through I.A.T.S.E. Local 793, which is funny amongst everyone because we all know I don't give a fuck about SPORTZ, but my work ethic, able to troubleshoot, and knowledge of signal flow makes me good at that job. I'm very pro-union, so it's nice to have a second union job besides my "day job" as a legal assistant for the State of Washington, which is still killing me slowly, but at least I work from home, thanks to the global pandemic (there are some silver linings).
2023 saw a lot more events at KEXP 90.3 FM come back, slowly getting better each year post-pandemic, still not quite where we were in 2019, but at least my live sound work picked back up a little.
I haven't been on a stage as a performer since 2019. I don't miss it, nor do I really desire to do it again, but I do miss making music on a regular basis, and hoping with the new direction and money coming in doing the A2 work along with KEXP, I'll have more music time, and I won't also be stocking grocery store shelves overnight, or crewing hot air balloon rides for the wealthy, both I did for financial assistance from April to October of 2023. It was fun, (well, the grocery store fucking sucked) but I'd rather be working less and when I am, it is audio related.

I don't seem to be going to shows nearly as much. I think 2020/2021 broke me, and made my social anxiety even worse. I don't have the energy or desire to sit through 3-5 bands, and end up leaving after the first or second, which is a waste of money when I'm usually paying for the headliner, and I can't even make it through to their set. I'd much rather be at home with my wife and our cat.

2024 looks up. I've got an actual "modern"/up to date Pro Tools rig, some new plugins that actually sound good. My AMEK is still halfway working but in a manner that I can deal with. I hope to finish most of the garage by the end of the year if I can afford it and have time for it. I can't believe I turn fucking fifty this year.

[Nick Sevilla]

Did not work much as an audio engineer, did a few EP projects and a few album mixes. Personal and family stuff came first, and always will. This year hoping it is better business wise.

I'm developing a product related to guitar pedals, should be advertised on TapeOp soon.

Also joined Amazon Audible to get a little more audio engineering stuff on the side, hopefully not too complicated.

Making my own music for real this time, maybe towards the end of this year I can release it someplace.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

I'd much rather be at home with my wife and our cat.

Same. We have very little desire to go out and see shows any more, I think we maybe saw one show all last year, and we left early.

Anyway I haven't added anything up yet, but I'm pretty sure last year was my best ever, if not it was very close, and definitely better than 2022. Just hoping to stay busy this year!

[Recycled_Brains]

I worked on a few really cool records this year, and am proud of my growth as an engineer, but if I'm being honest this year was maybe the biggest damn slog of 'em all. Between moving my personal residence twice, setting up shop in a place run by someone who was way out of his depth and who refused to accept my ideas and advice to improve the space ultimately leading to the situation dissolving with a whimper and leaving me without a dedicated workspace, clients poorly communicating and scheduling time in the least efficient ways possible (there were exceptions of course), very scary family matters taking precedence...

I'm so fucking glad it's over and am looking forward to a much more organized year where I'm more proactive about my own music and MUCH more assertive about creating boundaries and making sure I'm only working with artists that meet me eye to eye philosophically and in terms of how things should be done to get the best results.

Happy new year all!

[Recycled_Brains]

I'd much rather be at home with my wife and our cat.

Same. We have very little desire to go out and see shows any more, I think we maybe saw one show all last year, and we left early.

Anyway I haven't added anything up yet, but I'm pretty sure last year was my best ever, if not it was very close, and definitely better than 2022. Just hoping to stay busy this year!

Interesting. I saw a lot of great shows this year. Felt like I finally came out of the pandemic cocoon in that regard. I rekindled my deep deep love of violent, crushing deathmetal and hardcore, but also saw some really special nuanced performances well outside the lines of those genres.

[trodden]

I'd much rather be at home with my wife and our cat.

Same. We have very little desire to go out and see shows any more, I think we maybe saw one show all last year, and we left early.

Anyway I haven't added anything up yet, but I'm pretty sure last year was my best ever, if not it was very close, and definitely better than 2022. Just hoping to stay busy this year!

I got some archival/anniversary/streaming debut shids on deck for your magic touch!

[trodden]

I worked on a few really cool records this year, and am proud of my growth as an engineer, but if I'm being honest this year was maybe the biggest damn slog of 'em all. Between moving my personal residence twice, setting up shop in a place run by someone who was way out of his depth and who refused to accept my ideas and advice to improve the space ultimately leading to the situation dissolving with a whimper and leaving me without a dedicated workspace, clients poorly communicating and scheduling time in the least efficient ways possible (there were exceptions of course), very scary family matters taking precedence...

I'm so fucking glad it's over and am looking forward to a much more organized year where I'm more proactive about my own music and MUCH more assertive about creating boundaries and making sure I'm only working with artists that meet me eye to eye philosophically and in terms of how things should be done to get the best results.

Happy new year all!

Oof, yeah, that will do a number on anyone. I'm still picking up the pieces from 2016 from moves and losses of dedicated work spaces! All of those things you mentioned were the catalyst for me taking a brief "break" from all of it. Looking forward to your new year!

[trodden]

I'd much rather be at home with my wife and our cat.

Same. We have very little desire to go out and see shows any more, I think we maybe saw one show all last year, and we left early.

Anyway I haven't added anything up yet, but I'm pretty sure last year was my best ever, if not it was very close, and definitely better than 2022. Just hoping to stay busy this year!

Heil Seitan!

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[Scodiddly]

Less of everything in general, but on the upside a rather significant health issue is finally diagnosed and being treated.

Recording specifically, it's not something I did much until Covid, then it was a lot of church virtual stuff. That's mostly gone now too, but at least there are live gigs again. Not to many of those either, I've been aging out (and taking on other responsibilities) of the show staff at the sound company. Still building stuff a bit, though, including working on a V2 of the grand piano mic system. I guess mostly I've been learning how to repair pianos.

[trodden]

Less of everything in general, but on the upside a rather significant health issue is finally diagnosed and being treated.

I hope for the best for you in regards to this.

[vvv]

Finally have a steady bassist in my little band - having a blast jamming and recording.

Recorded a female-fronted act for the first time this year, then they broke up - was a lotta fun.

Kinda went nuts on gear, so looking forward to exploring it more.

Working thru the 'rona as I type ...

[Scodiddly]

Less of everything in general, but on the upside a rather significant health issue is finally diagnosed and being treated.

I hope for the best for you in regards to this.

Thank you! Let's just say that thanks to very modern science it's really not bad at all, versus the "possibly very bad" of only a decade ago.

[digitaldrummer]

Finally have a steady bassist in my little band - having a blast jamming and recording.

Recorded a female-fronted act for the first time this year, then they broke up - was a lotta fun.

Kinda went nuts on gear, so looking forward to exploring it more.

Working thru the 'rona as I type ...

and judging by the number of Bandcamp links you posted, I'd say you completed another half million songs this year!