Unless my math skills have failed me, this is song #50 and 50/90 is complete! WOOHOO!
This song broke my one 50/90 rule... sort of. The rule was that all ideas get used immediately. Nothing gets dropped and everything I try stays. The idea…
This one is pretty sad. Sad as in, it's not very good, not sad as in it's a sad song.
I spent one afternoon working exclusively in 7/8. This was the third thing I came up with. It's the worst of the three. I still sort of like the groove…
Wow. This 7/8 stuff really works! I like the groove too. Nice one.
I've got this gut feeling it could be really good with very little change - no idea what needs doing though, I think it's arrangement, varying the instrumentation involved mebbe so the choruses stick out... but I don't really know - the 7/8 keeps distracting me! (I might have to see if my drum machine can count to 7...)
Another song that is entirely in 7/8. I like this one a little bit even though the riff seems a bit forced. The guitars are all Les Paul.
I won’t try to hold you back
I won’t try to keep you down
I just want to build you up
I just want…
Like it. I've never been able to write/play anything in an odd time signature. I'm always in awe of folks that can stick a decent melody and lyrics over one.
Another song that is entirely in 7/8. I like this one a little bit even though the riff seems a bit forced. The guitars are all Les Paul.
I won’t try to hold you back
I won’t try to keep you down
I just want to build you up
I just want…
Good rocker ...finesound on the drums especially with this odd timing.
There's nothing like a Les Paul for this style of tune. Excellent guitar work .... thick crunchy rhythm and killer wah! That cymbal crash at the end sounds great.
This is the 47th 50/90 song posted, but it was the 49th idea. I figured one last head banger before I was done. The lyrics are supposed to be political without really trying to pick a side. Eh.
The guitars are all ES-335
how do we handle…
This is the 45th song posted for 50/90, but it is really the 50th song to be worked on. Somehow it seems fitting to close off the festivities with a sappy love song that swings a bit.
Of all the crap I've written this summer, this is the…
Not quite sure what I was going for musically with this one. It was just a couple of off the top of the head ideas. Not a lot of thought or planning. The lyrics are an Florida Man story about a guy who called 9-1-1 to ask for a ride to the…
This is the 47th 50/90 song posted, but it was the 49th idea. I figured one last head banger before I was done. The lyrics are supposed to be political without really trying to pick a side. Eh.
The guitars are all ES-335
how do we handle…
Not quite sure what I was going for musically with this one. It was just a couple of off the top of the head ideas. Not a lot of thought or planning. The lyrics are an Florida Man story about a guy who called 9-1-1 to ask for a ride to the…
The verse and the chorus are pretty much the same thing except the chorus is louder and heavier. I consider that a gimmick and a bit of a cheat, but I very often really like the way it works out. Shoot me.
The lyrics are about being afraid…
The verse and the chorus are pretty much the same thing except the chorus is louder and heavier. I consider that a gimmick and a bit of a cheat, but I very often really like the way it works out. Shoot me.
The lyrics are about being afraid…
The verse and the chorus are pretty much the same thing except the chorus is louder and heavier. I consider that a gimmick and a bit of a cheat, but I very often really like the way it works out. Shoot me.
The lyrics are about being afraid…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
The verse is a 12-bar blues phrase, but the rest of the song isn't. Clever? Probably not. The lyrics are kind of about work stress, but maybe not completely. I can't really tell anymore. The guitars are all Stratocaster.
Mixed up confused…
Something tells me I'll be mixing this one again soon.
The lyrics here are specifically about 9/11, but I guess it would apply to any major event. I was just listening to the accounts of people who were there at the time and comparing their…
Nothing special about this one. The riff is kinda cheesy, and the lyrics are a lot cheesy. It has a pre-chorus section which is unusual for me. That's about the only thing that's interesting at all. The mix might be awful, but I was 99% asleep…
Nothing special about this one. The riff is kinda cheesy, and the lyrics are a lot cheesy. It has a pre-chorus section which is unusual for me. That's about the only thing that's interesting at all. The mix might be awful, but I was 99% asleep…
Throughout the whole zaniness that is 50/90, I have never written, recorded, and mixed a song in one day.
Until now.
This whole thing was done on Saturday 9/6/14. The vocals were recorded in the car while I was waiting to pick up one…
So, what do you think... could it use more wah-wah?
This was written for the 2014 RPM Challenge. The chromatic thing at the beginning had been rattling around in my head for years and years but had never found a home.
The lyrics here…
That plinky little sound in the verses is an organ with some distortion on it. I wanted Jon Lord to play the part but he wasn't available. It's playing eighth notes in the verses and a sustained pad in the chorus. If I remix this I might bring it up. I haven't decided yet.
The sound at the end is actually a grunt of frustration. This is the easiest song every written in all of the history of music and it took me 700 takes to get the rhythm guitars right. I was going to cut it out but when the time came I thought it was funny so I left it there.
The first song completed for the second round of re-recorded Quarantine Tunes. This one was written on the last day of the 2016 RPM Challenge. I had written a bunch of songs saying that people who think the Earth is flat are somehow defective…
It's not a cocked wah, all of those mids are coming from the Klon pedal. I was a scooped mids guy for 30 years before I finally figured out that if I just boost the mids a little the rest of the band can hear me without me cranking my amp until it hurts. Now I overdo it in the other direction. heh
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
And here we go - Edith FINALLY gets it...
Actually, she's been getting it ever since I wrote it on the 29th May. I thought it would take a week or so, but it proved to be more of a fight than I was expecting.
On…
RPM 2k15
vocal by Gregg Todt
is it the medication
that makes her stare off into space?
those little pills in the bottle
grab your collar
smack you in the face
i want to make an appointment to see
that drug, so he will give her back to…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
So 50/90 is an unnatural forcing of a crap ton of songs in a relatively short period of time. We're half way though and I've learned one thing. I've learned how easy it is to repeat something you've already done. This one sounds a LOT like…
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals!
I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else.
In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
Opening song by Kent Good. We played pretty good in Feb. We are not "chops" players, but i think we rocked this one pretty good.This song will evolve a bit as we break it in live.
Apologies to Peter and the rest of Genesis - from back when they were good - 1974
And the lamb lies down on Broadway.
Early morning Manhattan,
Ocean winds blow on the land.
The Movie-Palace is now undone,
The all-night watchmen have had their…
"Stupid Punk Song" is... well... stupid. I woke up one morning and the entire song, lyrics and all, was stuck in my head. I let it rattle around for a few days before putting it down on my new 8-track. I played it for Break Even once but they…
This is a pre-release of a song from my new album. The song still needs some polish and rubbing. I will change it out once i get done with the final version. The lyric was written a long time ago, of what could or couldn't have been:) Thats the…
Comments on Robert James's stuff
Man I love the vocal intervals, strong riff holds it all together, Keeper
Wow. This 7/8 stuff really works! I like the groove too. Nice one. I've got this gut feeling it could be really good with very little change - no idea what needs doing though, I think it's arrangement, varying the instrumentation involved mebbe so the choruses stick out... but I don't really know - the 7/8 keeps distracting me! (I might have to see if my drum machine can count to 7...)
Like it. I've never been able to write/play anything in an odd time signature. I'm always in awe of folks that can stick a decent melody and lyrics over one.
Good rocker ...finesound on the drums especially with this odd timing. There's nothing like a Les Paul for this style of tune. Excellent guitar work .... thick crunchy rhythm and killer wah! That cymbal crash at the end sounds great.
Dig the lyrics and chord progression and wah-wah -- Rock on!
Those eight bars are pretty damn good! And I'm loving the 335.
Fine guitaring. Do you reckon they'll deliver take-away as well?!
Rocking :)
Great guitar work.
Me too. Great little solo!
You got a great handle on songwriting and you certainly know how to make a guitar smoke -- Rock on!
Well that works! :)
Dig the mellow mood....Reminds me of Todd Rundgren...
The acoustic bass sound comes from GarageBand. I haven't been using it much lately, but every once in a while I feel the need.
Love it. How did you get the bass sound? Please don't tell me you actually have an acoustic double-bass... (not allowed one here!!)
And another nice one... you're a LOT more productive than I am!! At least I've got some time for doing some listening now...
Nice one :-)
Enjoyed this a lot.
Nothing wrong with kinda cheesy! Cool playing.
I'd suggest raising the vocal tracks by 3dbs, but otherwise, ROCK ON!
Comments made by Robert James
That plinky little sound in the verses is an organ with some distortion on it. I wanted Jon Lord to play the part but he wasn't available. It's playing eighth notes in the verses and a sustained pad in the chorus. If I remix this I might bring it up. I haven't decided yet. The sound at the end is actually a grunt of frustration. This is the easiest song every written in all of the history of music and it took me 700 takes to get the rhythm guitars right. I was going to cut it out but when the time came I thought it was funny so I left it there.
It's not a cocked wah, all of those mids are coming from the Klon pedal. I was a scooped mids guy for 30 years before I finally figured out that if I just boost the mids a little the rest of the band can hear me without me cranking my amp until it hurts. Now I overdo it in the other direction. heh
Love the slide! What a great song. No one warns us that vowel sounds matter when writing lyrics, but you nailed it.
Damn it man, each song is better than the one that came before. Nice work. Really loving it.
The acoustic bass sound comes from GarageBand. I haven't been using it much lately, but every once in a while I feel the need.
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals! I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else. In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
I love everything about this song.
Live music! Sounds great.
Have I mentioned that this is the BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!? Because it clearly is the BEST SONG EVER!!!
BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!!
Syd would be proud. Thanks!
Put on a fox head mask and channel Peter Gabriel. Nice!
Hey Steve, I don't think you were there that night. I know i played it for at least Jeff and Dave and they both sort of looked at me funny.
I like both of these songs a lot. Thanks!
Great song! Here's to hoping you add some more.
Some excellent guitar playing! Thanks
I'm so impressed that I can't think of anything complementary to say. Thanks!
Wow!