Big changes for my career this year/More activity here (UPDATE)

Okay so I'm going to make it short here because I want to address everything in a video, but it's clear that over the last 2 or so years, I've been a little overwhelmed with work. But in all honesty, things were still manageable. My neglect for my mental health was the huge issue behind me being late for updates or having intense music block.

I've also come to realize that while YouTube can be amazing and open a bunch of opportunities for me, it can also be extremely mentally taxing. Spending countless sleepless hours making a song and then an entire video around it (only to play the algorithm lottery on whether it'll be worth something or nothing) is crazy and I honestly have no idea how I've been writing new originals every single week. Bands will release like 14 every few years. Video game composers are a different story, but at least there is no video editing/thumbnail making/SEO titling involved.

SO here's the deal...I might slowly inch away from YouTube. I've been thinking about it for a long time. Let me talk how the benefits and risks and how it affects you (spoilers, it could be only positives for you oh no how terrible)

The risk comes from the algorithm absolutely burying the channel, meaning it'll be a lot harder for people to find my Patreon, commission sheets, twitch, etc. This can be scary because if everything somehow slows down, I can be out of a job. This is worst case scenario though!

The benefits: I can still make content here. You'd still get free music and all the rewards with it. You'll only be charged when there's actual content as usual. Nothing changes EXCEPT it'll be a lot easier for me to give out proper rewards on time and maybe even include more. It might help with me being more social on here too, but I don't want to guarantee that, as I'm still figuring out mental health and social media stuff. Introverted energy too. I just want to be fully transparent (:

More benefits: I'm slightly raising my commission prices as I got way more requests than I thought to the point I was overwhelmed. If I continue to make money from those, my twitch, song sales, and Patreon, I wouldn't even need to rely on YouTube. And of the commissioned projects do well and get my music out there more, things will go extra smoothly and honestly I'll have so much time to just... live and have fun doing music. Which comes to the biggest benefit:

I can learn and practice music again. I can get better at mixing and writing. I can learn more guitar and get better at it (and genuinely enjoy it again rather than see it was a tool for YouTube work). And that would mean better and more thought out songs for all of you.

I wouldn't quit completely. I still LOVE content creation. But it'd be an absolute pleasure to make them without a deadline. Quality over quantity.

This is a very scary path and I am treading carefully. I want to thank you if you read all of this. Thank you so much for helping me get to where I am. If you have any questions or suggestions or whatever, leave them in the comments below!

P.S I also thought this would all be a good opportunity to try other random vids like video game music analysis stuff, reactions, video game soundtrack reviews?, Etc!