My second [songfight.org](songfight.org) song.
Once again, I knew about the song title for the song fight in advance, but waited for the last day to actually write/produce the whole thing.
If you followed me back in August, you might remember how I spent several days porting this song over to Logic.
Well, now that I'm using Reason+Record, I basically threw out all of that hard work and started over.
I haven't yet had the time…
LE SIGH. This is an incredible song. Absolutely beautiful. I don't think I ever heard this with a vocal before? Would love to hear more songs like this from you - and also to read the lyrics. "Dancing with the sky"?...I might have to steal that!
At 180bpm, it's definitely way faster than I generally write.
We'll call it "tempo creep". It started out at 140bpm, and got increased automatically to 160bpm when I imported some drums. I didn't notice it until later, and then found that 140bpm…
Of all the days I had to get up super early, it happened to fall on the first day of spring. Also known as (fingers crossed) the worst day of spring.
I spent part of the early morning digging my car out from underneath the ice and snow. Later…
Silly song. Silly lyrics.
One live take. I recorded the piano and vocals simultaneously, though if you want to get geeky about it, the piano was via MIDI. However, if you listen closely you might be able to hear me hitting the keys in the background…
This song is what happens when you decide to bandage together multiple takes that were done without a click track.
To explain the following, first I should explain this. I see the piece as being 3 different parts: the intro that hints at the…
At 180bpm, it's definitely way faster than I generally write.
We'll call it "tempo creep". It started out at 140bpm, and got increased automatically to 160bpm when I imported some drums. I didn't notice it until later, and then found that 140bpm…
At 180bpm, it's definitely way faster than I generally write.
We'll call it "tempo creep". It started out at 140bpm, and got increased automatically to 160bpm when I imported some drums. I didn't notice it until later, and then found that 140bpm…
Of all the days I had to get up super early, it happened to fall on the first day of spring. Also known as (fingers crossed) the worst day of spring.
I spent part of the early morning digging my car out from underneath the ice and snow. Later…
Today sucked.
I had been working on a longer post to explain it. But I'll basically just sum it up as follows [*ed. note:* consider that this was the *shorter* version. Haha]:
* I live in a part of town where noisy neighbors are a problem…
yelyah - "solo piano 20100319" (live improvisation)
I have mixed feelings on releasing the song this way.
If you heard my 24 hour album ([insert "poor you" here]), 17.1 of the total 26.2 minutes was completely live/improv'd. I'll admit that…
I improvise every time I find myself up near a piano. If I'm in the same room as one, I gravitate towards it until I'm close enough to touch it. The last time I improv'ed, my husband said, 'Oh, play that again!' :-/
yelyah - "solo piano 20100319" (live improvisation)
I have mixed feelings on releasing the song this way.
If you heard my 24 hour album ([insert "poor you" here]), 17.1 of the total 26.2 minutes was completely live/improv'd. I'll admit that…
yelyah - "solo piano 20100319" (live improvisation)
I have mixed feelings on releasing the song this way.
If you heard my 24 hour album ([insert "poor you" here]), 17.1 of the total 26.2 minutes was completely live/improv'd. I'll admit that…
Another live improv.
Listen as I start out with a semi-interesting left hand pattern that I totally can’t maintain independently and end up resorting to patterns I already know.
Oh, I had such big plans for this song. Acoustic guitar, tin whistle, maybe go and drag the bagpipes out of storage (cough, or as the case really would be: fire up Logic, so I can use an external plugin).
I went to storm spotters training instead…
Today sucked.
I had been working on a longer post to explain it. But I'll basically just sum it up as follows [*ed. note:* consider that this was the *shorter* version. Haha]:
* I live in a part of town where noisy neighbors are a problem…
My first attempt at doing a songfight (songfight.org).
Though I've known what the title was for a week+, I finally decided to write the thing the night before it was due.
PROCRASTINATORS REPRESENT!
Oh, I had such big plans for this song. Acoustic guitar, tin whistle, maybe go and drag the bagpipes out of storage (cough, or as the case really would be: fire up Logic, so I can use an external plugin).
I went to storm spotters training instead…
Oh, I had such big plans for this song. Acoustic guitar, tin whistle, maybe go and drag the bagpipes out of storage (cough, or as the case really would be: fire up Logic, so I can use an external plugin).
I went to storm spotters training instead…
My first attempt at doing a songfight (songfight.org).
Though I've known what the title was for a week+, I finally decided to write the thing the night before it was due.
PROCRASTINATORS REPRESENT!
Sounds like you had a good time writing and performing this. Maybe I'll check out songfight.org sometime, but I'll most likely keep putting it off indefinitely. :)
I wanted to play more directly with noise of various kinds so this piece focuses less on techniques and fancy plugins and more on selection & arrangement of sounds.
I spent many hours going through Reaktor ensembles I've downloaded searching…
Damn. How on earth do you manage to get all of these separate things to fit together so well?
And reading through the liner notes.... I am in awe of your ability to focus on one piece for so long and what must be an amazing attention to detail. Where can I get me some of that? :)
I elected to pursue my theme for RPM 2010 even though, ultimately, I decided not to take part.
So I'm going at my own pace, not trying to produce "finished" works, or to be governed by anything except my experimental muse.
The theme I chose…
Written and Recorded: Feb 07, 2010
Details: Epiphone Les Paul (DADGAD - capo VII), Seymour Duncan Pickups, POD XT, Boss RC-20 Looper, EBow, Audacity...all fingers, no picks.
2010 RPM Challenge
I'm a complete idiot when it comes to all things midi related. Recently got myself a midi keyboard though and came up with this short piece just messing with sounds in Proteus. Really looking forward to the possibilities of combining this sort…
Really interesting to hear your take on electronica, if you will.
Definitely looking forward to seeing what hybrid electronic/acoustic songs you come up with!
Sitting around in my shop a couple of days ago with the Goodall and the Zoom H4N. First time I've really messed with using the internal mics on the H4N in multitrack mode
Written and Recorded: Feb 05, 2010
Details: Epiphone Les Paul (DADGAD - capo V), Seymour Duncan Pickups, POD XT, Boss RC-20 Looper, EBow, Audacity...all fingers, no picks.
2010 RPM Challenge
This is the first tune for my 2010 RPM Challenge.
A bit short...my first attempt earlier in the evening (completely different tune) I ended up scrapping at 1:30 a.m., so this one was done in just a few minutes...
Written and Recorded: Feb…
By no means the first song that popped out. It's just the first one I'm calling done beyond a remix. I think this will wind up leading in to a metal tune and will likely be shorter.
Written and Recorded: Feb 04, 2010
Details: Epiphone Les Paul (DADGAD - capo III), Seymour Duncan Pickups, POD XT, Boss RC-20 Looper, EBow, Audacity...all fingers, no picks.
2010 RPM Challenge
This is my second experiment with "song form".
In this case I tried out probably the simplest form: "IABABCABE" where I - intro, A - verse, B - chorus, C - break, E - end.
Although I'm not sure if the verse is supposed to build into the…
First let me say that this is wonderful, especially for someone who keeps claiming that things "are a mystery to me". :)
When it comes to song form, I'd say it's a big fat "it depends". Probably most of the time, you would want one section to lead into another via some... thread? So this could mean anything from like a chord progression, a melody, lyrical content, even instrumentation I'd think.
But then again, you may also find that you can get the emotional impact you want by having an abrupt change from one section to another. It all depends, eh. :)
That said, I think you did a fine job on the transitions between verse and chorus on this piece. They're different enough that they sound like independent sections, yet lead well from one to another.
As for harmony, I want to say that it was Aaron Copland who said something pithy along the lines of "There's no such thing as dissonance - it just means you haven't heard enough of it."
Personally, I feel like the chord/melody at about :45 and 1:28 are a little too clashy for my tastes. Though it's such a blip in the grand scheme of the song and not all that noticeable, even for someone who's looking for it.
I'd say you have a good ear for picking the right patches and effects to make a piece really gel as a whole.
And I'm impressed because it sounds like you're really progressing with each new piece you release. Keep 'em coming!
Written and Recorded August 29, 2009
Details: Martin D1 (DADGAD - capo V), Shure SM57, Audacity, Sound Forge.
I can't hide the fact that I've listened to Pierre Bensusan. Or that I've longed to return to Paris.
Recorded August 28, 2009
Details: Martin D1 (DADFGC - capo II), Shure SM57, Audacity, Sound Forge.
After digging this tune up really I really wanted to try it again on acoustic (which I don't play much). This is a second take recorded in…
Written and Recorded August 29, 2009
Details: Martin D1 (DADGAD - capo V), Shure SM57, Audacity, Sound Forge.
Late night improvisation in remembrance of my father.
This is the first song I ever wrote that I was proud of. and I haven't matched it since. I had the first line in my head for like a year, then I switched it round and had the second line. With that, I sat down at my guitar and played the first…
This song is about someone giving you a lift, and while they drive you there you fall in love with them by watching their eyes in the rear view mirror. It had like five verses but I cUt it down to two with one repeated. In cutting those verses…
I won't claim to know anything about expiring free trials. :)
You might give Reaper a try. I haven't used it, but I've heard good things over the years. And it's the "full, uncrippled, unexpiring evaluation version".
http://www.reaper.fm/
The song was constructed around a field recording of Lacandon men paddling across the lake in Métzabok, Chiapas (Southern Mexico). The Lacandon speak "Hach T'an," which is a Mayan dialect-- this is the language you hear in the track. Unfortunately…
"blah blah blah"
Proof that some of the things that the composer finds mundane, fascinates the rest of us.
Where's my "how to glu" distance learning course?
Solo acoustic finger picking thing I've been working on for a while. Sometime around 1968 I started studying with Mr. George Bennett who taught me the rudiments of finger picking. Later when we played some gigs together he also taught me the rudiments…
Comments on yelyah's stuff
Lovely smacks of Aimee Mann here! Great song! I hope you won.
LE SIGH. This is an incredible song. Absolutely beautiful. I don't think I ever heard this with a vocal before? Would love to hear more songs like this from you - and also to read the lyrics. "Dancing with the sky"?...I might have to steal that!
Speed demon.......
Jean Michel Jarre, eat your heart out.
Freakin' fantastically fanciful. Fabulously flakey. Fav'ed :D
:) Flows pretty good for plastic surgery.
Beautiful piece!
This is beautiful piano!
Nice one! Like it!
I really like this.
I improvise every time I find myself up near a piano. If I'm in the same room as one, I gravitate towards it until I'm close enough to touch it. The last time I improv'ed, my husband said, 'Oh, play that again!' :-/
Sweet!
Well done also.
Very nice to wake up to.
LOL. funny
Today may have sucked but your musical output was just fine.
HAHA! Great fun!!
We Irish ignore anything that we can't drink or punch. :D
Lol Happy belated Paddy's Day Sláinte
Sounds like you had a good time writing and performing this. Maybe I'll check out songfight.org sometime, but I'll most likely keep putting it off indefinitely. :)
Comments made by yelyah
Damn. How on earth do you manage to get all of these separate things to fit together so well? And reading through the liner notes.... I am in awe of your ability to focus on one piece for so long and what must be an amazing attention to detail. Where can I get me some of that? :)
Very out there man! I'd love to see a walkthrough of your setup some time.
Another lovely one! Looking forward to the next.
Really interesting to hear your take on electronica, if you will. Definitely looking forward to seeing what hybrid electronic/acoustic songs you come up with!
Enchanting. Love all of the change-ups (if that's the word) that you have in this piece.
Dig all of the guitar layers going on in this one!
Dig this funky little track. Leaves me wanting more!
I hear some cinematic themes here. Lovely and moving!
(Hoping I'm hearing this right...) There's something that really works about the tunings that adds some lovely depth and color to this!
First let me say that this is wonderful, especially for someone who keeps claiming that things "are a mystery to me". :) When it comes to song form, I'd say it's a big fat "it depends". Probably most of the time, you would want one section to lead into another via some... thread? So this could mean anything from like a chord progression, a melody, lyrical content, even instrumentation I'd think. But then again, you may also find that you can get the emotional impact you want by having an abrupt change from one section to another. It all depends, eh. :) That said, I think you did a fine job on the transitions between verse and chorus on this piece. They're different enough that they sound like independent sections, yet lead well from one to another. As for harmony, I want to say that it was Aaron Copland who said something pithy along the lines of "There's no such thing as dissonance - it just means you haven't heard enough of it." Personally, I feel like the chord/melody at about :45 and 1:28 are a little too clashy for my tastes. Though it's such a blip in the grand scheme of the song and not all that noticeable, even for someone who's looking for it. I'd say you have a good ear for picking the right patches and effects to make a piece really gel as a whole. And I'm impressed because it sounds like you're really progressing with each new piece you release. Keep 'em coming!
so beautiful
lovely!
Kirk Lynch does indeed humble us all. But you're also not giving yourself enough credit. :)
short but beautiful!
Wow. Just so lovely and... drift-y.
I love this one on so many different levels!
"and I haven't matched it since" I've had that feeling before. And there's only one fix for it. Write more material. So keep going. :)
I won't claim to know anything about expiring free trials. :) You might give Reaper a try. I haven't used it, but I've heard good things over the years. And it's the "full, uncrippled, unexpiring evaluation version". http://www.reaper.fm/
"blah blah blah" Proof that some of the things that the composer finds mundane, fascinates the rest of us. Where's my "how to glu" distance learning course?
Lovely as always! And cute story. :)