Category: Guitar

A Song at Bedtime

I mixed a song tonight. A little gift to the universe (gift?) before hitting the sack for the night.

I was listening to the two Jack Bruce/Robin Trower records from 1981. I was sort of digging the whole aging-white-guys-making-a-show-of-being-funky vibe and decided to steal it. The result is this cheese ball of a 12-bar.

In GarageBand terms, I have been trying to keep the different projects kind of similar in that each month is using the same bass sound and drum sound (mostly, as March is using the Drummer function on 9 of the 10 songs). As I was mixing this one though I suddenly felt really, really bored with the sounds I’d picked for April. I switched the muted bass to an upright bass (which I used across the board back in November) and went for a little more of a smaller, more vintage drum sound. The results, again, aren’t that great. I don’t care.

The lyrics are another @floridaman story. This time the drunken fool made death threats to the arresting officers before sobering up a little and changing his tune to bribery in terms of offers to pressure wash their houses. Really. Check out @floridaman. You cannot make this shit up.

Two Songs Mixed

I mixed two songs tonight. Both include the sound of the new Fender guitar.

The first is from March. It’s called “The Universe Next Door” because I can never sound pretentious enough. The title came from a news story I read back in March. I wrote the name down, but not the link to the story. Sorry. I don’t know what any of the lyrics are actually about. Paranoia? How rock and roll!

http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/the-universe-next-door.mp3%20

The second song is from the April list, but it is actually ancient. It was written in my bedroom back in 1993. Maybe 1992. I guess it might have been 1994. Who the hell knows! It’s old! It was played by all of the short lived bands that came after Tempest Fero but before Prime Meridian. Maria the drummer didn’t like it (I think… it’s been a really freakin’ long time) so Mike and I agreed to drop it. Almost immediately we wrote another yipppeee dance song to replace it. That one might be included in the next album in a month batch.

http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/falling-star-1.mp3%20

Mother’s Day Music

I put rhythm guitars onto the one song left that needed them, and I added leads to two additional songs. I now have five that are ready to mix.

I used the new Strat for everything today. I haven’t changed the strings yet, and those that are on now are heavier than I’m used to.

Ouch.

Musical Morning

I have three April songs that are now ready to mix. I recorded leads on all three, and re-recorded some of the rhythm parts on one. I only have two more to finish from April. March is another story.

Now the Bruins have to win tonight. That is all.

Two Songs

I mixed two songs last night. Let’s start with the bad news. This song is from April. You’d think it would be bad enough that after finishing the recording I realized that it’s awfully similar to a 2013 RPM song, but I had to go and put together this crap fest of a mix. I expect to be doing this one again.

http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/its-not-easy.mp3%20

On a slightly better note, I also mixed one from March. This is the first of the RPMarch songs, and one of the Christmas vacation things. All that’s left from the original iPad file is the bass, and even that is using a different sound. I like this one… sort of. The vocals were sung in the car while sitting in a parking lot waiting for the kids to get out of karate. The lyrics are about how weird it is that so many people get so wound up about RPM, and about how dumb the idea of doing a second RPM right away felt.

I’ll probably end up remixing this one too. I have no confidence in any of the mixing I’ve done. I’ve already redone two of these things. I have been using more plug in effects and some how I just get bogged down with the individual tracks and I lose the sense of the complete song. When I go back and listen a few days later, everything is swimming in reverb, or the bass is buried, or the lead is buried, or the drums are too loud. It’s always something. I might end up remixing everything.

http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/overkill-1.mp3%20

Guitar Solo

I just put lead guitar onto a GarageBand file called April01. That’s two of 10 song finished. I hope to mix them tomorrow.

All of the guitars this month are using Amplitube apps. The leads are using the Jimi Hendrix app. Fuzz boxes and univibes for everyone!

20140424-214406.jpg

Quick April Music Update

I just recorded the 10th vocal. I have part of one rhythm guitar part to redo because it’s a little out of tune. I then have nine leads to record. Why nine and not 10? Because I snuck one in a couple of nights ago. My playing is awful. Just brutal. I don’t care.

April’s music project is going to be 10 songs at a shade under 45 minutes. Time to get crackin’ on those leads!

Productive Music Day

Let’s see, where was the April music project the last time I mentioned it. Seven songs partially recorded, three getting as far as the full arrangement, lyrics and vocals and all. Two more songs that consisted of just one riff, and one planned song from the roaring 90’s that I wanted to do but hadn’t started yet.

Where are we today? I started the 90’s song Tuesday night. Just the different sections on bass and drums. Last night I added the rhythm guitar. I also took one of the single riff things and recorded rhythm guitar, bass, and drums for a songs worth of sections. The second riff has advanced to a single fully recorded riff, but it’s still only sixteen bars.

Oh and today I wrote and recorded the vocals parts for three more songs.

That’s nine songs with the music completely written, although not necessarily fully arranged, one song partially written, and six songs with finished vocals. There is also the one old song that already has lyrics, but that kinda doesn’t count.

Musically speaking, I’ve had a decent couple of days. Nothing ready to mix yet. No lead guitars anywhere. But good progress made.

So Much for March

I haven’t written or recorded a note since Thursday. Tomorrow is April 1st. We can officially declare RPMarch a failure.

Now what?

Well, I’m going to finish these 10 songs. I’m also going to start another 10 for April. All of this is silliness, but I feel good about life when I engage in this sort of silliness. What can I say? I’m silly.

As with March, April will be a mix of new, old, and unfinished songs. I just don’t know what the old and unfinished songs will be yet. For now I just know I want 10 things.

I will continue to bore all with updates.