Meet Jarrett Nicolay

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jarrett Nicolay. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jarrett, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

I’ve been writing and recording music since I was 13. Both parts are equally interesting to me. Initially, I focused on sound more than words. But as I got older and had my heart broken a few times, lyrics became more of a focus. (Heartbreak is responsible for the majority of music that exists today so in some ways I was finally happy to have that muse.) Fast forward to now… I’m happily married but still have the desire to make music. And since no one wants to hear a song called “I love my Wife and Family”, I had to explore other subject matter for songs. I’ve always been drawn to artists/bands that were creative lyrically. My goal is to write from a sincere perspective while hopefully being relatable to at least one other person so the song has at least one other pair of ears to pass through besides my own. I’ve always referred to the act of songwriting as solving a 4 dimensional crossword puzzle. But now I’m realizing that even 3 dimensions would be more challenging than the standard 2D version found in most newspapers. Regardless, there is a dopamine hit every time a new lyric snaps in to place or a new melody presents itself etc.. And after the initial writing phase, the editing process helps you learn early on (hopefully) that just because something seems awesome in the moment doesn’t mean it won’t be topping the cringe charts the next day. Editing helps you “kill your darlings” for sure. Which is a skill that comes in handy outside of songwriting as well. So songwriting for me is akin to a healthy drug habit in that there don’t seem to be any side affects from all of that extra dopamine. I’m fortunate to still be doing something I’ve loved and been obsessed with for over 30 years now both for myself and for anyone who chooses to work with me at my studio. I absolutely love being a part of peoples creative processes and am generally grumpy when not in the middle of a creative endeavor. Thankfully, I’m keeping busy both with other peoples music and my own at the moment. There’s a breakdown of linear time when things are clicking in the studio that translates into a buzz I would equate to a “runners high”. (although I’ve never experienced thee latter first hand). I think it would fit under the larger “flow” umbrella.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My professional focus is hard to totally extract from my personal life in that music is something I’ve loved since before I can remember. I can’t over emphasize how much I appreciate being a part of other peoples creative endeavors and I guess my ultimate professional goal is to be as helpful as possible in those situations. These days, the role of a music producer can and usually involves also being the engineer and a musician on a recording session. And for me, every role is equally inspiring and rewarding.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

It’s hard to create a one stop fits all blueprint for anything arts based but for me… I have had a compulsion since I was probably 13 years old to learn as much as I could about MUSIC. Listening, writing, recording, and performing are all important and necessary elements of the overall music realm. I’m not saying you need to be the best in all areas but I’ve found that a healthy balance provides a fluency within the larger music world that is invaluable. It also increase your chances of being able to work in the competitive music field.

I think balancing your worth with a healthy lifestyle expectation is also important. Maintaining a work/life balance is a constant balancing act and sometimes not super easy.

Possibly the most important skill is learning to respect other peoples ideas even when you totally disagree with them. The job of producer usually involves having opinions about elements of the music you’re working on but also knowing when to back off. There’s nothing worse than killing the vibe on a recording session. Nothing.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I love working with open minded people! That’s the first box to check if the goal is to end up somewhere unique and inspiring creatively. I’ve always been a little suspicious of musical genres. Using words and titles often sets up limitations on how creative you can be. Obviously, having a vocabulary is helpful in being efficient in the studio but I most enjoy working with people who don’t mind being a little “genre fluid” when it comes to their musical journey.

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