My New album tenatively called "Hop"

Hello, I am Latham Green and this is my blog about my recordings. Right now I am working on a new record tenatively called Hop.
I have decided to make this a funky album, and I have been listening to a lot of Prince and James Brown to prepare for this, but like Prince I would prefer to make the album be not just funk but a hybrid of rock and funk and whatever else I feel like mixing in. I find it is always best to mix musical genres together rather than try to be a purist.
I have been using midi programming and midi software instruments so far but I have been unpleased with the results because it sounds thin and small, but I can write better music with midi, with less playing errors than I would make if I tried to play and I don't really have time to memorize complicated parts (I can't sight-read music) so the midi is good on that aspect. I have been experimenting with different mastering schemes to try to make the instruments sound fuller, bassier and more analog. I wish I could just afford to pay session musicians, that would be excellent.
I have noticed that Prince often makes pretty sparse pop spongs: just a drum machine, some synth sounds, and the bass is often in the background. For example, "When Doves Cry" has no bass at all and is almost just drums and acapella, but its so funky and psychadelic and passionate. When Prince sings about sex its sexy, if I tried to sing about sex it would just be dirty.
I may try adding some real instruments to the tracks to lend some timbre, like "At the End of the Day", although I often think I could re-recourd the guitar on that one.