Category: Song Writing

Three Songs

Musically speaking, I had a good day yesterday. The first three April songs have vocals. When I got up yesterday morning I still hadn’t worked out the form of any of the April songs. They were just 4 or 8 or 12 bar phrases that happened to kinda fit together. Before work I brought up song #1 and stitched everything together into a form. It actually ended up almost like a suite. I had two 8 bar phrases with clean guitar, and two with overdriven guitar. So the clean pair became verse/chorus of one song and the heavier pair became verse/chorus of a second song. Then I reprised the first song at the end. Next thing I knew I was close to 7.5 minutes worth of rawk. How prog of me!

I had most of the lyrics and melody written and the vocals recorded by the time I had to punch into work. As it turned out, yesterday was a parent/teacher conference for one of the kids. I thought it was going to start at 6:00, which would have let me get there on time (just barely) but it actually started at 5:30. I work until 5:30. So how did I deal? I took some vacation time in the afternoon so I could leave with plenty o’ time to get to the school.

That meant that instead of having a lunch hour, I had a lunch three hours. I finished the vocal on song #1, then blew through the form, lyrics, melody, and vocal for song #2. That’s when I realized I should probably shower and stuff before I go meet with a teacher. Blah, blah, do the right thing. After the shower I had 40 minutes before I had to go. I somehow managed to blow through the form, lyrics, melody, and vocal for song #3! Now three songs in 4-5 hours is not nearly as impressive as my usual RPM Vocal Days, but it’s not bad for an old fart like me.

I still have two songs that aren’t ready to be song-formified. One (the left over from RPM) is still just one 16 bar phrase. The other (the left over from RPMarch) is now up to two phrases, one of which has drums and bass. Then there is the old post-Tempest Fero/pre-Prime Meridian song I want to add. I haven’t started recording any of that yet, although I do have a really bad tape recording of it available for when I do start recording.

The goal is to finish April before I go back and finish March. I might bend that rule from time to time, but that’s the plan for now at least.

So that’s the musical update for today. Maybe I’ll be able to sneak in some more this weekend. There probably won’t be time on Saturday. Maybe a little on Sunday. We’ll see. I’m also still itching for more ocean sun rise pics. Again, we’ll see.

10 Songs

There are only nine songs on this playlist. The 10th song is an old pre-Prime Meridian thing that I want to resurrect. One of these is a left over from February. Another is a left over from March. The other seven didn’t exist prior Friday night. They are just in the phrase/fragment stage for now, but they’ll grow up to be real songs. Do they suck? Why yes, every single one of them sucks. Do I care? Hell no. Do I ever care? Hell no.

Musically Successful Day

Last night I started recording ideas for the first April song. I’m up to song idea number four. That’s right, I’ve stitched together three more since I woke up today. All of the ideas originated on the guitar. I feel happy about that, even if my playing is getting worse and worse by the minute.

It’s all been on the iPad. I noodle together a phrase, record it, then add drums and bass via Garageband, then I rerecord the guitar so that it’s almost actually in time. I guess just having a click track isn’t enough for me anymore. Was it ever? Who knows.

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.

Some Progress

Last night I recorded two rhythm guitar parts. There are only two left to do. Today I wrote and recorded a vocal. There are only six left to do. Urgh.

I wanted to do more but I’m too tired to think. Maybe before bed I’ll do more guitar, but this six vocals are making me feel pretty sad.

March Music Update

I got some music in today. Surprised? I am!

I recorded rhythm guitars for two songs, worked out the arrangement for the most recent iPad thingie that was just three separate riffs, and started another couple of riff ideas on the iPad. So there are 9 songs (about 30 minutes) that are actually underway recording wise. There are now three that are just in the rough idea stage.

Again, no way this gets done by April 1st, but all of this crap will get done.

Failure Day

I recorded the guitars for RPMarch02 this morning. I wanted to do more. I really did. I wanted to do more guitars during lunch, and I wanted to do some vocals in the car during the kids’ karate class.

I did none of that. I didn’t get a lunch break. Today was major stressful and I just couldn’t stop. I left the laptop at home during karate and just watched The Walking Dead on my iPad.

(After last week’s gut punch of an episode I have decided to start season four over again to see if I can pick up any clues. Look at the flowers, Lizzie.)

I’m not giving up on March, but I am thinking that RPMarch might be turning into RPMarch/April. We shall see.

March Music Continued

I don’t see myself finishing my March music project by the end of the month. I’ve got nine songs in progress. Three have rhythm guitars and one has vocals. Hopefully I’ll be able to add one to each count by the end of the day.

My USB interface wouldn’t connect on the new MacBook today. Not sure what’s going on there. Hopefully I only need to reboot. I used the iMic thingie (which makes TONS of noise) while recording some guitars this morning. Hopefully I can get the Lexicon thing working again. We’ll see.

March Music Update (a little one)

Just when you thought the March Music project goofiness was dead and buried…

I came up with something new last night. Just a few little riffs. I put them down on the iPad just before bed. This morning I added some guitars. That’s nine songs in progress and two more ideas that I haven’t made go anywhere yet. Tomorrow. More will be done tomorrow. Really. I promise.