As most people anxiously awaited the rapture on May 21, Kaitrin McCoy and Dean Tartaglia were watching a different clock run out.
“It got down to the point where we had 1.5 hours to write three songs,” said Tartaglia, an Ohio University senior studying music performance. “We didn’t realize how fast time was passing.”
McCoy and Tartaglia embarked on a musical experiment which involved writing, recording and producing eight songs in eight hours. Inspired by a similar project by Ben Folds and Damian Kulash (OK Go), Tartaglia had approached McCoy to collaborate on the venture.
“We were two friends who wanted to write music together and then Dean asked me about this project,” said McCoy, a former Post employee and OU junior studying journalism and music composition. “I liked the challenge of writing, recording and producing in eight hours, but I also liked the idea of collaborating with someone on a project.”
While both musicians said they had looked forward to working together, their distinct music styles presented a challenge.
“It’s weird but the first thing I noticed is how different we were as musicians,” Tartaglia said. “We definitely clashed the first couple of songs.”
McCoy agreed, saying that the first song they wrote together felt “very disjointed,” while songs written later “meshed our styles a lot better.”
After his contentment with his first 8in8 project, Tartaglia decided the time was ripe for another one. Tartaglia held his second 8in8 Sept. 4, this time working with Jake Loew, known for his skill with the ukulele.
“The 8in8 was a great experience because it’s very limiting to write and record so much music in so little time,” said Loew, a sophomore studying music recording. “Having many limits makes you put forth a new kind of creativity though.”
While Tartaglia and McCoy initially struggled because of their different styles, Tartaglia said he was more deliberate in striking a balance with Loew.
“I knew Jake was more of a folk guy, and I’m not, but I wanted to approach it more from the folk side,” said Tartaglia, whose own style involves a more quirky rock sound.
Adam Rich, president of Brick City Records and an OU junior studying audio production, agreed that the second 8in8 had a more cohesive sound from the get-go.
“The first one wasn’t so much about embracing each other’s styles, while this one definitely does that,” said Rich.
While McCoy said it can usually take countless hours to perfect just one song, the 8in8 experiment allowed the musicians about an hour per song. With the process so significantly sped up, McCoy said the project was a strong learning experience.
“Even if what you wrote is utter crap, it’s really, really good practice,” McCoy said. “For example, I’m currently working on my own album, and although I’ve got most of the songs written, I need a few more but knowing I can write songs quickly takes some of the pressure off.”
Tartaglia agreed, adding that this experiment was more about the process than the outcome.
“It’s about what you’re doing, the process of it all, because that’s what you’re going to remember,” Tartaglia said. “And you know what? The songs are going to end up good no matter what.”
nb360409@ohiou.edu
