Category: photography

Sunday Morning Car Music

Three days in a row. This is becoming a trend!

Car music this morning. I put vocals on the four songs I wrote lyrics for last night, and one extra that was left over from last month. At least I parked in a different spot today. You know, just trying to keep things fresh.

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Here’s hoping I get a chance to record some lead guitars today. Maybe add another song idea or two and put rhythm guitars on them. We also need to start mixing some of this crap too. Time to start finishing these puppies off.

On the way home I took some point and shoot pictures, mostly stop light theater because I got stopped at almost every light in the city. Happy Sunday!

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Stop light theater
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Stop light theater
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City hall
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Stop light theater and the clock
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…and the clock

Guitar Fun

I spent two hours recording guitars today. I got through so much that I can’t even remember it all.

I started by adding song idea #37. I threw it together on-mic, as it goes. I recorded it as I was writing the guitar parts. It’s super simple but it exists now when it didn’t before. Cool.

I then put rhythm guitars onto three more songs. There is a twist on one of them, I’ll share it in a bit.

I put lead guitars on a bunch of songs… I actually forget how many. Let me check my trello notes… five songs. I put leads onto five songs.

Add the five songs that got vocals this morning and it’s been a pretty cool day, music-wise.

How about some gratuitous guitar pics?

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So what about that twist that I mentioned? Years ago my step son was taking guitar lessons. For his birthday I bought him a very inexpensive beginner/student guitar. Given that it was me doing the shopping, I of course bought him a Les Paul. Not a Gibson, but an Epiphone package deal that came with a tiny little solid state amp.

When he moved out we cleaned out his room and I saw the guitar sitting in his closet. He doesn’t play anymore. He’s a piano guy and a percussion guy. Guitar fell off of his musical map. I told him I wanted to play his guitar on my recording project thingie and he didn’t say no so…

One of the songs that got rhythm guitars was played on Harry’s Epiphone Les Paul Special II. Gratuitous photos, of course.

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What’s left to do tonight? Hopefully more lyrics and melodies. Maybe a mix or two? We’ll see.

Saturday Morning Car Music

I had another banger car music morning. I wrote lyrics and melodies for five songs last night and I cranked the vocals for all of them out this morning.

The studio view:

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I want to play a ton of guitar today too. I think I can pull it off. Fingers crossed. I want to write more lyrics tonight as well so I can have a third straight car music morning tomorrow.

Obligatory drive home pics:

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Lily

I posted a film pic of Robin so here is a digital pic of Lily just to even things out.

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I think I am going to give the Casio point and shoot digital another chance. I messed with the settings. I turned off the Auto ISO and just set it at the highest value. Maybe that will help.

Friday Morning Car Music

I recorded some vocals this morning. Three songs worth. I drove to the movie theater parking lot so no one could hear me, which is how I do things because I am such a wimp. Here’s the view:

I was only out for about half an hour and I did cut things off early. I had three songs ready to go that were written in August and two more that were written in July. I did the three August songs and was about to start one of the July songs when I opened up the GarageBand file and found there were a lot of lyrics to sing. I just didn’t have the energy and decided to save the two July songs for a weekend session.

I have changed up my workflow a little. Mostly in terms of standards. I am thinking of quick and dirty demoes now, due to flaking off for three weeks and falling so far behind the 50/90 pace. Last night when I wrote the melodies and lyrics for the three songs I recorded this morning I purposely decided to use the same parts in multiple places. Meaning I wrote one verse part and used it 2-3 times. I usually do that with chorus sections but I’m doing it more often now. I also purposely did not write a lot of harmony parts. One or two here and there but nowhere near as many as I usually write. I’m also lowering my standards for what is a useable take. That goes for vocals and guitars. I’m going to be much sloppier than usual and much less nitpicky. Is nitpicky a word?

I want finished demoes from here on out, rather than quality demoes. Know what I mean?

Anyway, here’s the obligatory downtown Methuen clock from the drive home pic:

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