Lenny Krevitz is credited with playing 18 different instruments (!!) plus handclaps and sound effects. Plus writing all the lyrics and composing all the tracks, around half of them in partnership with Craig Ross.

​

          In the Backstreet Boys album we can count a total number of 28 different producers and songwritters, in only 13 songs. I repeat, 28 (!!) different people.

 

Go alone? or in a team?

 

          Having a lot of people involved in your album is not, by all means, a necessarily bad thing. That way, you can have a lot of different specialists giving their pitch and contributing to make your music better. If you struggle in some part of your creative process, getting a helping hand to pitch is not at all something you should avoid.
 

          Yet, when you are starting out, because you don't have a big budget like a recording company, you cannot hire a bunch of professionals to help. You have to learn to produce, to compose, to write lyrics. If you are like me, you try, make a big mess and write random stuff in despair until you get it right.
 

          If like Lenny Kravitz, you are involved in all steps, you have a very big control of your music. Nobody knows better than you, what you want to achieve with the music you write. Therefore, you are always in control.

 

My personal experience

 

          I write a lot of classical music that other people have to perform.

​

          When I write for an orchestra, there is usually a conductor, plus dozens of musicians. It's a lot of people between me and my audience. I have to trust them. However, even though I composed the notes, they can still change a lot with the way they play (for better or for worse). One time, a particular conductor had some ideas for my music which I didn't find fitting. It was not working. Instead of finding a new conductor, I replaced him. That day, I guess I "became" a conductor. My technique was bad. I had little training as a conductor. I just knew the basics but I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to achieve. If you have that, then technique comes along in a natural way.
 

          Lenny Kravitz is not known for playing the harpsichord. There are professional harpsichord players, who study the instrument for a lifetime. They know more about the Harpsichord than Lenny Kravitz, but by playing the harpsichord himself, he has complete control of the final product. In his vision it is better that, than to hire a harpsichord player. It can also be because it is just cheaper to do it yourself, so there is also an economical reason.

​

To team or not to team

​

          It depends a lot of what you want for your future. Some musicians like Joshua Bell (violinist) or Tina Guo (cellist) play only one instrument and make a career out of that. They perfected their craft and they like the exposure of playing for live audiences.
 

          Or perhaps you love music but feel too nervous playing in front of a crowd and prefer writing songs and manipulating sounds in your studio. In the current age, you can release music and sell it online, without even performing live!
 

          In general, some basic knowledge of music production, composition and arranging can help you a lot. That way you are not so dependent on other people. Today the technology is way cheaper than before and tutorials are everywhere.
 

          Otherwise, assemble a super team! Talk to your friend who loves to write poetry. Run to your violinist friend who can play Paganini Caprices. Show your songs to your cousin who loves to sing. The whole team becomes bigger than the sum of its parts! Here is an article giving you some tips on how to find the right musicians for your band. (3)

 

 

Collaborating in groups

 

          If you are going the group way, the most important thing is to have a common goal and a common vision for the project. It happens often that bands replace members or even cease to exist because they don't share the same vision. Here is a quote by Roger Waters, on the Pink Floyd's album "The Final Cut" (1983). It was the last album of Pink Floyd he worked on. He later left the band in 1985.

​

           "It was a horrible time. We were all fighting like cats and dogs. We were finally realizing – or accepting, if you like – that there was no band. It was really being thrust upon us that we were not a band and had not been in accord for a long time. "(4)

            So, if you want to write heavy metal riffs and your friend wants to play saxophone in a jazz group, perhaps that combination won't last too long.

          Since we are talking about groups, why not mention one of the greatest groups of all time? The Beatles! Each member of the band was genius in its own way, but do you know the impact of George Martin in the band's sound? He was producer, composer and arranger of the Beatles. In this video essay (5) by "Polyphonic" you can see how a good backstage person can be so important for a group.

 

People who do a lot of stuff

 

          To conclude, I put here a list of amazing artists who do a lot of stuff to get you inspired.

​
 

          - Björk: Besides singing and being an actress, she is an innovator in many fields, being one of the first artists to use software like Pro Tools. She often produces her own songs and her album "Utopia" can even be paid using Bitcoin! (6) In this interesting documentary you can check how Bjork managed to do so many things. (7)
 

          - Steve Vai: Known as being the virtuoso rock guitarist, he composes and produces his own songs. In his album "Fire Garden" (1996) (8), he is credited as composer, singer, arranger, engineer and producer!
 

          - Dave Grohl: Usually known as the former drummer of Nirvana and the founder of Foo Fighters. In his side- projects "Late!" and "Probot" he composed all songs and performed all the instruments. Besides that, he is also a film director. (9)

​

​

​

Useful links / Sources:

​

1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Time_for_a_Love_Revolution

​

2 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backstreet_Boys_(1996_album)

​

3 - https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-find-the-right-musicians-for-your-band-2460397

​

4 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Cut_(album)

​

5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WscjZkIYjr8

​

6 - https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/nov/12/bjork-utopia-interview-people-miss-the-jokes

​

7 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbJCqnITC7s

 

8 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Garden

​

9 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Grohl#Filmography