Category: Music

Even More Car Music

Car music was a success today. Well, 80% success at least. I had five songs ready to go and I did four of them. The last time I did this I was really struggling to find pitches and get the melodies right. Today was the opposite. Lots of first takes. So many that I added harmony parts everywhere. Way more that I was planning. I probably could have gotten through the fifth song too. It wasn’t the clock that was the problem today, it was my bladder. When you gotta go…

Sundays at the movie theater parking lot are nice. Very few people out for jogs. Lots of cars driving up and down the road though. No one stopped. Sort of. There was one car that was driving around and wouldn’t leave. I’m 99.9% sure it was a parent teaching a kid to drive. They didn’t come very close.

Looking through the Trello board for the 50/90 project, there are now only four songs left without vocals. Three of them still need lyrics. I don’t want to say that I’m almost done, but finishing the 50th vocal would feel pretty good.

Still Going

50/90, still going.. I mixed a song last night and another this morning. I’m up to 38 songs complete.

38 down, 12 more to go. I should note that saying 12 to go doesn’t mean those 12 songs aren’t already in progress. In fact, this next song… is the 50th song started.

Number One is Back

I’ve only played one guitar, my Gibson ES-335 Pro, since May. That changed tonight. Tonight, the #1 came back. The Gibson Les Paul Custom. It actually felt strange and took a little while getting into the groove. I put leads on three songs. Kinda weak. Pretty repetitive. Oh well.

The good thing is, the Les Paul and the new Black Lives Matter pedal got to play together a little. Also, it was the first time the Les Paul and the AC15 played together too. They all sounded happy. They all got along. More to come.

Car Vocals

I took today off from work so I could drive my father to a doctors appointment. I wanted to get up early and crank out some car music. I kinda failed. I actually got up a little late but I still did some singing. I put voices onto three songs. I usually shoot for five, but I didn’t want to be late to get dad.

Current 50/90 status:
Six have vocals and are ready for guitar leads.
Three have lyrics and are ready for vocals.
Six have all of the rhythm tracks done and are ready for lyrics.

I’m hoping I’ll do some leads tonight. Maybe a mix. Maybe another lyric or two, and then more car vocals tomorrow morning. That’s how we’re going to get this puppy done on time.

50/90 – 35 Down, 15 to Go

I uploaded song #35 today. There are only 15 more to go.

Four have vocals and are ready for guitar leads.
Five have lyrics and are ready for vocals. (Tomorrow morning in the car?)
Six have all of the rhythm tracks done and are ready for lyrics.

That’s all that’s left. Only 16 days left in September. I can do it, he said with confidence he didn’t really feel.

I was going to put a song file onto this post, but all of the songs I’ve been finishing lately are pretty lame so maybe next time. Instead, watch this video of The Great Tony Levin demonstrating the Chapman Stick.

50/90: Time Running Out

There are 17 days left in the 50/90 Challenge. There are 17 days left in September. I’m running out of time. How did that happen? Where did the time go?

Two ready to mix, four ready for lead guitar, and and a whopping 11 ready for lyrics. Yikes!

If I live to see October without my hands completely turning traitor I’m going to alter my monthly writing/recording game. Instead of writing 10 new songs I’m going to go back to The Great Re-Recording Project of 2015 and do another batch of tunes. If I have time I’ll try to add a few new songs to the list, but that won’t be the priority. Quarantine Tunes Vol. II will happen.

In the meantime, we’re going to watch that Princess Bride script read over Zoom (I think) tonight. That should be fun, I’m looking forward to it. I don’t have a link though, so you’re going to have to Google it for more info. Sorry.

50 Guitars

I put rhythm guitars on four songs tonight and lead guitars on two.

I have to check my math here but… I think that’s 50 songs with rhythm guitars. 50/90 just hit a gigantic milestone. I still have a lot of lyrics and melodies to write and a lot of recording to do.

Happy Birthday, Neil

Today would have been Neil Peart’s 68th birthday, Notice how almost immediately after we lost Neil, society went down the shitter. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

I’ve got two Rush pins on my guitar strap. The Test for Echo pin was bought at a merch stand at a Test for Echo show in either 1996 or 1997… I think.

The Exit… Stage Left pin was purchased at a t-shirt store in the old Billerica mall probably in… 1982? Maybe? Can you say, family heirloom?

Guitar Like Crazy

I feel a little less mentally defective now. I spent an hour and a half or so playing the guitar. I recorded five songs worth of rhythm guitars and two songs worth of leads. My fingers are sore, my ears are sore, I’m covered with sweat.

I feel better.