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Make An Album In A Month: The RPM Challenge

by Bob Boilen

There's nothing like a deadline to get me motivated. That's what the RPM Challenge is all about. The challenge: write and record an entire album in the month of February and submit it.

That's it, no winners, no losers, just the satisfaction of creating.

I did it last year with my old band Tiny Desk Unit and it was about the most fun I had all year.

So now it's time to mount the hard drives, fire up the guitar, the Adrenalinn and all my software. This year will be another long distance collaboration with my friend Michael Barron. We each start writing, then exchange the files over the net and add to each other's ideas.

You too can join the fun and make your own album by going here

Write and let me know how you're doing. I'll start a blog of my musical progress soon and I'll post a link. You do the same if you wish.

Happy music making!

Here's more on the RPM Challenge from NPR's All Things Considered:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7120210

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7670018

Bob Boilen

4:11 PM ET | 01-29-2008 | permalink

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this small label from michigan, Suburban Sprawl, used to do an annual "Instant Album Party" wherein all of the bands on the label would meet at a recording studio/house put all their names in a hat, and draw names to make bands. if your group didn't happen to pull a drummer, oh well, if you pulled all singers, i guess you did an acapella number. you had one day to write and record your track. it was pretty cool.

what a great idea
bb

Sent by k.l. | 5:41 PM ET | 01-31-2008

bishop allen had an album a month last year, i believe. some real gems in those EPs.

Sent by shawn | 1:35 AM ET | 02-07-2008

i did this last year and i've started the process all over again!!! i can't wait to see what this year brings!!

Sent by el-tin fun | 9:34 PM ET | 02-07-2008

Bob

Check out Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys - They were born out of RMP in it's first year and have thrived and contiue to make fantastic music and art

http://www.myspace.com/armyofotys
http://www.armyoftoys.com

Sent by Sarah Oliveira | 10:36 AM ET | 02-13-2008

Ha! I did it!!! lol... just kidding, but i did get a weird look!

I'm almost done with mine too!
http://www.bobboilen.info/Tiny_Desk_Unit_Music/RPM2008/RPM2008.html

it is such a great thing to make an album in a month


bob boilen

Sent by Kaylin | 10:22 AM ET | 02-24-2008

My co-writer and I did the challenge and manage to do three CDs between us. Brian did Sometimes www.virb.com/briankeithhutchison(solo), I did Oz2 with my 14 year old son www.virb.com/oz2, and we did Geezer www.virb.com/ohho. So we managed to do 31 original songs in the month of February. A challenge well met, I think.

Sent by Terry Osborne | 10:16 AM ET | 03-15-2008

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