I don’t know why, but for some reason whenever I do one of these music challenges I pick one electric guitar and use it exclusively. In November I used my Les Paul, so this month was going to be all ES 335.
Until this morning. Songs 1 and 2 are all acoustic so far. Song 3 is the 335. I worked on 4 and 5 today, but I used the Les Paul. Weird, huh?*
*I warned you there would be a lot of lame posts this month.
Last night I started song #4. It uses the ancient riff I’ve been talking about for the last four days. I had it sketched out before I went to bed, but tonight I added an organ part to it.
When I was satisfied with song #4 I started playing with new ideas. I wanted to keep noodling with the organ sound so I stayed with that. I also wanted an odd time signature so I set the GarageBand project to 5/4 time. I ended up with a 5th song project, but I’m not happy with it. I forced it tonight. It didn’t come to me the way the good ones do. I dragged it out of my head, kicking and screaming and the end results will show that. I didn’t outright dump it. Not yet at least.
I am working on RPM and FAWM at the same time, as always. RPM needs 10 songs, FAWM needs 14. I think I have two that are destined to be FAWM only (songs 2 and 5). I’ll finish them for the project’s sake, but I don’t see them being anything I’d listen to again. Last year I managed to like everything I had enough to put it on the RPM CD. There was one that I was on the fence with until the last minute, but something made me keep it. In 2012 I had 15 songs (FAWM, leap year style) and only used 13 on the CD. At this rate I’ll be lucky to end up with 10 songs that I don’t hate.
I put rhythm guitars onto the three existing songs today. The first two got the 12-string, and the third got the ES-335 with lots and lots of wah-wah.
The playlist won’t embed for some reason, and the one I posted the other day won’t update (I’ve since deleted it) so you get a link today. Bad Music Found Here.
The second song doesn’t have any drums. I’m trying to decide if I want it to stay that way. I think I do. I’m not sure though. I tried using the GarageBand Drummer function again but I wasn’t pleased with the results. I think it’s better without the drums. I can’t decide.
Completely changing the subject, there were a bunch of deer in the woods this morning. They were all over to the side of the house. I saw one staring intently toward the street. Something out there spooked her because she bolted off in the opposite direction. All of the others followed. I counted six as they were running by. It was pretty cool.
I didn’t do nearly as much as I’d hoped today, but I did get a third song kicked off. Again, not the riff I’d planned for the second song, but something new. Jen was in the kitchen making dinner. I was helping, but she gave me a few minutes off. I picked up my iPad and, using a piano sound, played the first couple of things that came into my head. Tonight, while sitting in bed, I changed the piano to a bass, and then gave the new GarageBand’s “drummer” mode a whirl. It inserted a drum part into each of my three bits. I messed with the settings a little and came up with something that I would not have thought off, that was also clearly better than what I had in mind. I don’t know if I’ll use it again, but it was cool to play with it tonight.
I don’t know why I am doing this, but I am going to make a soundcloud playlist of all of my works in progress and update it every time I record anything. It’s kind of a dumb idea, but what the hell, I’m kind of a dumb guy.
Song idea #1 is underway! I am bending my RPM rule of working all songs from scratch. During November’s NaSoAlMo silliness I bought a new 12-string guitar. When I took it home I opened up garageband on my phone and recorded the first thing that popped into my head. It was just a little 2 bar thingie in A minor. Yippee. I meant to use it for that project, but I didn’t. Now it makes up one little bit of RPM song #1. I think I’ll bend the rule again for what will be song #2. I’ve had a silly little idea for a riff that couldn’t really work as anything other than a bridge that’s been in my head since the mid 90’s. It keeps coming back to me for some reason. I’ll use it in the next song, if I can.
It’s February first kids, The RPM Challenge is officially underway! You can all look forward to a full months worth of pointless posts about how I dreamed up another repetitive guitar riff! WOOHOO!!!
And now that it’s time to start the music? I have to go to a weight watchers meeting! WOOHOO!!!
I finished re-recording another song from my 2011 RPM. This time I didn’t monkey with the arrangement at all. I just added some fruity effects and a couple of vocal harmonies.
Here’s the new version:
http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/ice-redux.mp3%20
Here’s the old version:
http://alonetone.com/robertjames1971/tracks/ice.mp3%20
I did a little recording this morning before work. I did a little more on my lunch hour. I played guitar, mostly.
Then… What the hell is that thing? Is that a blister? What tha… A blister? Five days before RPM starts? Wha… How… Who…
Urgh
Earlier today I posted about the RPM Challenge website still being off line. Well, low and behold it is back! The re-written site will have to wait as they are bringing the old site back from the grave. It went online this afternoon and there are already 49 people signed up for this year’s event.
Are you a musician? Do you have a way to record audio? Anything will do, from a full studio to a micro cassette recorder. If so, you should totally get on this bus. It’s a great learning experience and it’s fun (in a panic inducing, slightly stressful way). Write and record 10 songs or 35 minutes worth of music, all within the month of February. You should do it, all of you!
Inside the Red Head's Head 