So, I've borrowed by friend's dad's guitar (now my friend's guitar). I don't know a damned thing about guitars, but I think I can safely say (or maybe I'm all-the-way wrong) that it does not have a HumBucker. That is to say - there is hum. It's fun to play and I love how raw it feels - acoustic guitars are way less good than electric.
So, today I bought a new cable to replace a "problematic" audio cable (I should, but didn't, throw this bad cable away)....and 3 new picks of differing thicknesses. Today was the day where I selected a pick thickness and declared the type of guitar player that I will be. Unfortunately, I can't seem to distinguish differences between .73, .88, and 1.0 mm thick picks. I mean, they feel different - I just have no preference while playing. I'm just too damned new at guitar.
Regardless - it didn't stop me from jamming 2 songs out today with the gee-tar (and Ableton Live effects) going on. Fun shit man! Finally - I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Soon I'll be able to ditch all of my guitar friends (everyone knows that guitar players have huge egos, and only care about guitar lead rock). I'm looking forward to the day when I can ditch singers also (singers have huger egos than guitarists - I KNOW! Look at David Lee Roth - good yes, but ego gigantico).
So tonight, after my singer-wife left the house, and after I chucked the kiddos into bed, I brought the gee-tar upstairs, and plugged it in. I really don't know how to play it yet - I know maybe 5-8 chords, none of which I used tonight. I can finger pick a bit....very slowly. On the pad-guitar song I'll post, you'll note that at 2:20 I freak out in the middle of a boring and fucked up picking part and revert to my brand new effective trick - POWER CHORDS. Holy crap - I can do power chords on the piano and it is fun, but on guitar - it's almost all you need.
Here is 2 songs, 2 hours work. The guitar is basically the same for each. I was having fun with guitar effects on Ableton, and revelling in basic Power Chords on the low 3 strings in the key of E.
On this song - http://www.box.net/shared/ju186mz8xx - I use a software "pad" for background noise, and put some guitar overtop of it. Bam - that's it. It is just a little jam session so I can record myself on guitar.
"On this song - http://www.box.net/shared/53hyppsrle - I created an 8 measure drum loop using Ableton Live....and then put guitar on top. I thought it was too plain for posting, so I added some synth bowed double bass after, just for texture.
Whee. I'll be giving t-shirts away, for free, at the door.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
You give me fever (ode to the flu).
The following is the basics of what I wrote down in the middle of the night while having my 4th night of significant fevers from the flu:
Last night I escaped from a fever. Within this fever was a dream.
I'd fallen into a new world....it was built entirely with music.
The day started quietly with the sunrise.
As the day unfolded new
textures, colours, feelings
were revealed.
But eventually, the world started to unravel.
There was confusion, chaos.
Disppointment.
Lost beauty.
Simplificaiton.
Nothing left,
But me
Alone.
Last night I escaped from a fever. Within this fever was a dream.
I'd fallen into a new world....it was built entirely with music.
The day started quietly with the sunrise.
As the day unfolded new
textures, colours, feelings
were revealed.
But eventually, the world started to unravel.
There was confusion, chaos.
Disppointment.
Lost beauty.
Simplificaiton.
Nothing left,
But me
Alone.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Coffee and Jam.
This morning, in typical rock and roll fashion, I had a buddy and his kids over for a playdate starting at 9:00 am. (insert bill and ted da lada-lada-lada-lada-lada-lada air guitar)
I served coffee for Renaldo, and hallowe'en candy for the children. Then we sent them away and we served up a delicious spoonful of jam.
At first, I played piano. Then, I felt that was stupid with Renaldo's guitar plugged in; we couldn't get a groove going.
So, we had an hour left and decided instead to have me plug in. Of course, my wife is out of town at a scrapbook/drinking weekend (which is a bit of an enigma - but whatever) and took the laptop with all of my music stuff installed. I had to spend 15 minutes installing drivers for my keyboards on the other computer, before I could begin.
Anyways, this is what Renaldo and I came up with in about an hour. I've got two tracks here - one with and without Renaldo's guitars. This is a starting point of a song - we've no chorus, verse, or vocals yet, and the drums were just a quick loop I created in 10 seconds to keep a beat, but it is an idea set in motion, rough.
Enjoy or not. Remember - this is going on a rarities album in several years.
WITH-GUITAR
WITHOUT-GUITAR
I served coffee for Renaldo, and hallowe'en candy for the children. Then we sent them away and we served up a delicious spoonful of jam.
At first, I played piano. Then, I felt that was stupid with Renaldo's guitar plugged in; we couldn't get a groove going.
So, we had an hour left and decided instead to have me plug in. Of course, my wife is out of town at a scrapbook/drinking weekend (which is a bit of an enigma - but whatever) and took the laptop with all of my music stuff installed. I had to spend 15 minutes installing drivers for my keyboards on the other computer, before I could begin.
Anyways, this is what Renaldo and I came up with in about an hour. I've got two tracks here - one with and without Renaldo's guitars. This is a starting point of a song - we've no chorus, verse, or vocals yet, and the drums were just a quick loop I created in 10 seconds to keep a beat, but it is an idea set in motion, rough.
Enjoy or not. Remember - this is going on a rarities album in several years.
WITH-GUITAR
WITHOUT-GUITAR
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Here is the cheese.
A lot has happened. My non-rock and roll life is a bumpy road. My company may cease to exist, or may purge me at any moment. I started a new job at this company, and I don't feel like a genius yet despite working my ass off. My babe's knee is kinda broken and requires extra lovin from me, and I've recently jammed with some friends and we're going to do it again.
So - you'd think it would be a piece of cake to write some new material. If you thought this, you would be a big idiot. For, I am tired, lack creativity, and instead thirst for beers and couches.
However.....I did buy a larger midi controller (5 octaves, a 250% increase) and a microphone.
Before I get into this - let's explore the recent jamming: fun. We used Luke's place @ Capital Rehearsal studios - we'll probably go back soon. He's very helpful - helped us get the mixer set up correctly, told us which amps we were using incorrectly, made my keyboards sound good through the monitors......very nice unshaven man. The jamming was fun too, despite the total chaos. Keyboard guys get drowned out by guitars unless a plan is in place. I think our plan next time is to bring some songs to the table rather than bringing nothing to the table (MGMT? Metric, Shout Out Out Out Out? Dandy Warhols?) and to perhaps write some of our own stuff ahead of time and bring that also. The bass dude is into the ambient mellow layered stuff which I think is my bread and butter - we'll see if we can meet again. The jam session was still pretty fun overall - we took turns laying out jams, and then layering over top and seeing what happened - jammy goodness.
Anyways - enough of that. Let's see what I've created today. I have a very busy background drum loop that I created - too busy. I am playing some type of Ableton Live fender rhodes sound.....it gets a bit busy and annoying but hey - if I didn't submit this then there would be nothing. The bass is analog - plugged my bass into my Xstation to record it. There is a tiny bit of harp in the background at one point - just a and g notes - nothing fancy, since I suck at harmonica, and my harp is in the key of C, and I'm playing this tune in the key of A.
Oh yeah - I also sing a bit. I almost want to throw up. It seems that no amount of reverb and effects can make my singing palatable - as my wife repeatedly has pronounced over the eons. That said - somebody must pay for my lack of talent, and it will be you foolhardy listeners.
If there is one thing to take out of this song, it is the timing. I think the timing is ok. The content - not so much. Also - I discovered today a fancy lyrics generator on the internet. My next song will use a computer-created set of lyrics that I received today (from my input). It will probably sell millions.
Word to your mothers.
The song is called "Riding Cheese". Why? Because it is about me riding my motorcycle, and is cheesy. Geez - do I have to spell it out for you? Just listen, dammit....
http://www.box.net/shared/h7h1o69f5e
So - you'd think it would be a piece of cake to write some new material. If you thought this, you would be a big idiot. For, I am tired, lack creativity, and instead thirst for beers and couches.
However.....I did buy a larger midi controller (5 octaves, a 250% increase) and a microphone.
Before I get into this - let's explore the recent jamming: fun. We used Luke's place @ Capital Rehearsal studios - we'll probably go back soon. He's very helpful - helped us get the mixer set up correctly, told us which amps we were using incorrectly, made my keyboards sound good through the monitors......very nice unshaven man. The jamming was fun too, despite the total chaos. Keyboard guys get drowned out by guitars unless a plan is in place. I think our plan next time is to bring some songs to the table rather than bringing nothing to the table (MGMT? Metric, Shout Out Out Out Out? Dandy Warhols?) and to perhaps write some of our own stuff ahead of time and bring that also. The bass dude is into the ambient mellow layered stuff which I think is my bread and butter - we'll see if we can meet again. The jam session was still pretty fun overall - we took turns laying out jams, and then layering over top and seeing what happened - jammy goodness.
Anyways - enough of that. Let's see what I've created today. I have a very busy background drum loop that I created - too busy. I am playing some type of Ableton Live fender rhodes sound.....it gets a bit busy and annoying but hey - if I didn't submit this then there would be nothing. The bass is analog - plugged my bass into my Xstation to record it. There is a tiny bit of harp in the background at one point - just a and g notes - nothing fancy, since I suck at harmonica, and my harp is in the key of C, and I'm playing this tune in the key of A.
Oh yeah - I also sing a bit. I almost want to throw up. It seems that no amount of reverb and effects can make my singing palatable - as my wife repeatedly has pronounced over the eons. That said - somebody must pay for my lack of talent, and it will be you foolhardy listeners.
If there is one thing to take out of this song, it is the timing. I think the timing is ok. The content - not so much. Also - I discovered today a fancy lyrics generator on the internet. My next song will use a computer-created set of lyrics that I received today (from my input). It will probably sell millions.
Word to your mothers.
The song is called "Riding Cheese". Why? Because it is about me riding my motorcycle, and is cheesy. Geez - do I have to spell it out for you? Just listen, dammit....
http://www.box.net/shared/h7h1o69f5e
Friday, January 9, 2009
Experimentation - Acoustic meets Electronic
Time for some fun, kids.
You can share this one with your gramma, after she's had her evening hot toddy.
It's just a happy little number made using Ableton Live's happy little sounds. I've got Gigs and Gigs of samples of strings, oboes, etc.....so, I used a bit of it in this tune. A cello, violin, oboe, ride cymbal (wait for it) and the rest is electronic stuff.
The idea for this song started this evening from the pulsing electronic background that you hear starting this song - I always planned to mix cello and electronic together, and today it worked for me.
In my head.....this song is kind of about birth - a seed is sprouting (fast motion videography) and growing into something big.
There is oboe in this song - I added it last, and I'm not convinced that I should have put it in - perhaps not necessary.
My favourite part of this whole song is the ride cymbal that is used only once. Man, I loved doing that!
Using these sampled analog instruments is a blast - I've read some interesting articles about people who have careers making orchestral style music - on their home studios using only computers and sampled music. Next step - get the microphones to do some vocals, and record the acoustic piano I have in the other room.
ps. This tune is loop-free. I didn't actually use patterns like I usually do - this was beginning-to-end recording of each track, a little different than my "norm".
Check it out cool cats: http://www.box.net/shared/c2ynvqdrfe
Word to your mothers.
You can share this one with your gramma, after she's had her evening hot toddy.
It's just a happy little number made using Ableton Live's happy little sounds. I've got Gigs and Gigs of samples of strings, oboes, etc.....so, I used a bit of it in this tune. A cello, violin, oboe, ride cymbal (wait for it) and the rest is electronic stuff.
The idea for this song started this evening from the pulsing electronic background that you hear starting this song - I always planned to mix cello and electronic together, and today it worked for me.
In my head.....this song is kind of about birth - a seed is sprouting (fast motion videography) and growing into something big.
There is oboe in this song - I added it last, and I'm not convinced that I should have put it in - perhaps not necessary.
My favourite part of this whole song is the ride cymbal that is used only once. Man, I loved doing that!
Using these sampled analog instruments is a blast - I've read some interesting articles about people who have careers making orchestral style music - on their home studios using only computers and sampled music. Next step - get the microphones to do some vocals, and record the acoustic piano I have in the other room.
ps. This tune is loop-free. I didn't actually use patterns like I usually do - this was beginning-to-end recording of each track, a little different than my "norm".
Check it out cool cats: http://www.box.net/shared/c2ynvqdrfe
Word to your mothers.
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