Doug Sxmpson’s FREE

FREE is the latest project by Doug Sxmpson, the ASCAP award-winning music producer, songwriter and composer.

The instrumental project features four tracks “Open Road”, “Mirrors”, Top Down Roof Back” and Free (Keepsake)”. Doug Sxmpson’s FREE is available for pre-order now and will be available on all digital streaming platforms on November 3rd.

You can check out more of Doug Sxmpson’s work for recording artists, songwriters and content creators on his official YouTube Channel.

DOUG SXMPSON. on YouTube

I am on YouTube! I am so excited to share my work on my new channel with you. I have been a producer and songwriter for quite some time now. My music has taken me (and you) into theaters, living rooms and digital and streaming devices across the globe. This is a safe space for me to share my new content with music lovers like you , fellow recording artists and folks in the music supervision and editing spaces. My hope is to grow this channel by sharing content with you that you can enjoy and share. It will start with my music (of, course). So, here we go!

Thanks for watching!

Please Like, Share and Subscribe!

Spend this currency wisely

What is absolutely fascinating to me is that, on thsi linear construct we call TIME, we can choose how to spend it. With friends, with family, alone. Spend it with established relationships, or venture into the unknown and seek new ones, unsure if the currency will have been well spent adventuring. Spend it attempting to try everything, or spend it doing nothing at all. The caveat is that every purchase is expensive. We’re using the most valuable currency known to man. Every purchase has terms and conditions that may benefit or hurt you or someone else.

At times, I might be sitting at a red light and catch a glimpse of another driver peering deep into space, or planting their face into their palms between the moment it takes the ruby light to turn emerald. I imagine the battle(s) they might be facing that is causing that physical response, and think if they have the tools to combat and come out of it on top. Then I realize that I too, exist on this plane and should be accounting for my “spending” habits.

My conditioning was one of servitude. I am to want for nothing. Anything I did or accomplished was, and always should be, for the benefit of someone else. If I “won”, my guilt was triggered. The only way to free myself of the “burden of success” was to absolve myself of any and all spoils of victory. Deep conditioning.

So with the time remaining, which none of us know exactlty how much of it we truly have, what does one pursue when your programming constantly fights against “winning”?

It’s easier to watch and criticize and ponder than it is to participate, stumble, regroup and win.

The thing is, if you choose to spend your precious currency in the watch/criticize/ponder department for too long, assessing everyone else, soon you’ll discover your account is empty and your choices amounted to nothing (unless that’s your calling. Then rock-rock on).

Spend this currency wisely. Worry is the cousin of fear. Seek to spend it on uplifting, motivating and enriched experiences, even if that’s just doing nothing when needed. Do nothing richly.

One day, we’ll want to look at our empty accounts and be proud of our diverse portfolio of a life.

Well spent. Fully enjoyed.

 

Work backwards, fall forward

Work backwards, fall forward.

I have found this to be the most effective way to work for me. I find my target, then strategize and plan on what tool(s) to use to hit or get me close to hitting the target. Then, I take the steps and execute. Bullseye is always the goal. Ballpark is the next best thing. The great thing about the ballpark is that I can adjust the strategy, aim again and fire with the understanding that I am at least in contention. But if I were to to forego the strategizing and planning phases, then I’m just wasting ammo and more importantly, time. Wide-spraying hoping that something sticks. The “fall forward” is the ballpark. If what I do doesn’t make it into the ballpark, then it let’s me know that I missed something(s) in my planning. Or maybe I wasn’t listening to the market with intent.

But even with the best of strategies, timing, market climate analysis, consumer tastes and attitudes still determine the success of any product or service.

Work backwards by setting the goal, then plan the attack. Fall forward if you misfire, but keep timing, climate and value in  mind.

Your North star

I have been blessed and fortunate to be in the presence of great minds, thoughtful leaders, and gracious spirits. On the other hand, I have been in the thick of things (blessed?) to be in the presence of the insecure, fearful, and inept. The danger with the latter group was that that group lacked empathy and accountability (literally ran from it), were narcissistic, and was quick to transfer their flaws and issues to anyone that would bare them. They feared being discovered as frauds in their entitled positions. If and when the time came for their house of cards to come crashing down, they would make every desperate attempt to fault others, blame the world, and in many instances, would attempt to burn it all down to feed their ego.

Be mindful of your North star. It might actually be pointing you and yours in the wrong direction. The beacon may leading you astray.

Trust the Process

Admittedly, at times, I want to skip steps. You know, the uncomfortable, tedious parts of a process. Sometimes you want to just get to the result. The finished product. The end. So you can finally begin.

What I have learned is, unfortunately, there is no skipping steps in a process if the goal is to win or succeed. Whether its career, health and wellness, family, friends, and/or relationships, all steps must be taken including the uncomfortable ones. You can never truly the wins without the challenges. Pound of flesh.

My experiences have surrounded me with some who want it yesterday. Battering ram, spammy approach. Misinterpreted definition of “not taking ‘no’ for answer”. The absence of empathy, combined with entitlement and a pinch of narcissism is a dangerous combo.

I have been retraining myself to control and moderate ego, pride and self-loathing. I expect great things all while giving myself grace. A day at a time. It’s not easy. Conditioning is real. De-programming then re-programming that conditioning is a mutha.

Some days I just have to stop. I am exhausted. Weary, mentally mainly. But I know I’d be doing myself a disservice by continuing when I’m not in the correct headspace.

Busy in fear is dangerous. Productive with purpose is golden.

Home-cooked always beats microwaved. Even when it’s daunting, scary and lonely. The win’s yours regardless of what you “see”. Trust the process.

Sean Robinson’s single “WHUT!!!!” debuts

Singer/songwriter and recording artist Sean Robinson has just released his latest track “WHUT!!!!”, the gritty follow-up to his single “U Gon’ B Mad”.

Sean Robinson’s “WHUT!!!!” takes a darker tone and questions where does a seemingly shaky relationship go when it has hit an impasse, finding the crooner delivering weighted lines like ’I’m the victim/if not, I am now.” Raw and exposed, Sean Robinson is not afraid to delve deep on the track, looking for an answer to the hardest question in their rocky relationship, “do we even care”?

The pain in Sean Robinson’s tenor voice bounces right along with the pulsing rhythmic drums, syncopated percussion, heavy 808s and an atmospheric, melodic electric piano, all provided by award-winning record producer and songwriter Doug Sxmpson (House Rules series, One Bedroom original motion picture soundtrack, Grown-ish, Fast Five, Fast and Furious 6).

WHUT!!!!” is available now on Apple Music, Amazon Music and rolling out to all digital streaming platforms.

U Gon’ B Mad” is also available now and is currently streaming on Apple Music, Amazon Music and other digital streaming platforms.

[FREE] Firestarter 6 Sample Pack

There’s always something special about the warm, lush sound of an electric piano. When I write, I usually start on some type of keys. I play around with some chords and see where it takes me. This session found me back in the ARTURIA realm and tinkering with their Stage 73 electric piano Rhodes emulation. These were longer compositions and I left them at full length because each section of the piece was inspired by the section before it. I set these to 80bpm.

The sixth in the series, my Firestarter 6 Sample Pack is available now and FREE to download here.

Hope these pieces spark something creative in you!

You can also check out the rest of my FIrestarter Sample Pack series, all of which are FREE.

Enjoy and be safe.

Respect.

[FREE] Firestarter 5 Sample Pack

Hey guys, hope all is well with you and yours. I was messing around with ARTURIA’s Cinema Layers Grand Piano. Inspiration hit and in the midst of me writing, I created a ton of new pieces, 6 of which I am offering to you in my Firestarter 5 Sample Pack. I made these at 138bpm. My hope is that this sample pack spark ideas in you and keep you in a creative headspace, despite everything going on in the world around us.

Feel free to download here. Remember, all of my Firestarter Sample Packs at my beat store are FREE.

If you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to leave ’em. As always, thank you for your support.

Respect.

Sean Robinson’s “U Gon’ B Mad”

Singer, songwriter and recording artist Sean Robinson has released his latest NSFW single “U Gon’ B Mad”. Sean’s smooth tenor and matter-of-fact lyrics bounce and glide over heavy drums, melodic 808s, and gritty yet sultry atmospheric synths and Rhodes courtesy of producer Doug Sxmpson (Grown-ish, One Bedroom, Fast & Furious franchise).

Sean Robinson’s next single is set to release on March 5th and his as-yet untitled EP is set to drop April 1st.

“U Gon’ B Mad” is available now on Apple Music, Amazon Music and rolling out to other digital streaming platforms.