Wow. Almost a month. That's quite inexcusable, I suppose. The new band has been taking up a bit of my time, I suppose.
Still, I haven't totally neglected the playing. While I haven't been composing much, still working on covers a bit. As part of my lessons I have been working on Miles Davis'.
All Blues. Without going into it too much, here's something I sequenced in and did a bit of soloing/arranging on. Nothing too elaborate, but a bit of fun. I tried playing some of this organ stuff on non-weighted keys. I am trying to get back into that style of playing to at least some extent. Also, the finishing drums were played entirely by me. Can't say the same for the ones during the song. Ha.
What else? Tascam finally released the drivers for my recorder! That means I am actually able to record things on my computer. This is good. I've also got the right amount of midi ports now, so I can play in and out of all of my instruments without re-rigging. Getting a bit more out of the synth now, which is nice. Talking to this guy I met about a synth band, too. Could be interesting. I wish I still had that moog. :(
Monday, 29 October 2007
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Before this dance is through, I think I'll love you too.
Until Saturday...or maybe it was Sunday, it had been an unproductive few weeks. Paul has me working on 16ths in my jazz tunes, as they've been neglected of late in favour of triplets and swung eighths. Its significantly harder to play 16ths, and that's been a good challenge.
Compositionally, its been pretty dead. I really need to sit and work on my existing tracks. I had a pretty good run a few weeks ago, but I haven't had much time, or perhaps interest since. Started a new band with me on drums, and we've got shows planned pretty soon, so that's taken up a bit of my time and musical thoughts.
Being off piano for two weeks, though, I didn't want to sleep into stagnation. I've been meaning to learn Damien Rice's 9 Crimes for a while now, and on Sunday I finally figured it out after some heavy wrestling.
Its quite simple when you figure it out - there is almost always only one note, and its just eighths, but it took a while to get my head around it. I am not sure if its quite right, but its pretty close. I think some weird timing things are happening when the vocals come in, but I am pretty sure the piano line stays the same. Its hard to tell for sure though.
Tonight I tried another one that I've been meaning to tackle - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's Falling Slowly, from the soundtrack to the film Once. I had the soundtrack before I saw the film, but when we did go see it, I realised that it was in C major, (or is that a Minor) so I had no excuse.
I am pretty sure its a bit off, but I'll get there. I am working out the vocal melodies, too, but didn't record that yet.
These songs make me really wish I could sing though. It's painful.
Compositionally, its been pretty dead. I really need to sit and work on my existing tracks. I had a pretty good run a few weeks ago, but I haven't had much time, or perhaps interest since. Started a new band with me on drums, and we've got shows planned pretty soon, so that's taken up a bit of my time and musical thoughts.
Being off piano for two weeks, though, I didn't want to sleep into stagnation. I've been meaning to learn Damien Rice's 9 Crimes for a while now, and on Sunday I finally figured it out after some heavy wrestling.
Its quite simple when you figure it out - there is almost always only one note, and its just eighths, but it took a while to get my head around it. I am not sure if its quite right, but its pretty close. I think some weird timing things are happening when the vocals come in, but I am pretty sure the piano line stays the same. Its hard to tell for sure though.
Tonight I tried another one that I've been meaning to tackle - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's Falling Slowly, from the soundtrack to the film Once. I had the soundtrack before I saw the film, but when we did go see it, I realised that it was in C major, (or is that a Minor) so I had no excuse.
I am pretty sure its a bit off, but I'll get there. I am working out the vocal melodies, too, but didn't record that yet.
These songs make me really wish I could sing though. It's painful.
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
The Spiral Architect...
Its been disgracefully long since I put anything here. Disgracefully long since I started this blog to have so little to show for it. At least this time though, I haven't been really slack.
Lessons have been going well with some good progress on the Ben Kweller and the Jazz side of things. At home, I've been working on a few ideas and had a jam with Emmet the other day trying to get some guitar on board. I am not sure it all grabbed him that much, but we'll see what comes of it all...
Tune Up.
So I've been working on a Miles Davis song called Tune Up - fast bop, I am told. Anyway, its fraught with odd timings and weird notes that were really messing with me. It should have been a really good challenge to my sight reading, but I couldn't even get to that stage - it was just going nowhere.
I relented and sequenced the track, putting note names down where I needed them...which, funnily enough, was everywhere. I was a little embarrassed taking them to the lesson, but I think its worked out well in the long run. On that note, jamming with Emmet was interesting - he wasn't actually able to tell me what notes he was playing when I wanted to play along - self taught and all in his ear. For those of us without such fine aural skills though, I think there's something to be said for decent practise and reading.
So here's a run through of tuneup at about 155BPM, breaking down into a jam after 16 bars. Paul showed me how it progresses across a few scales - I need to find out if its actually changing keys or what.
And then here I am trying it at about 200 or 220BPM. Its a bit harder to hold it at such a tempo, but it introduces some fairly interesting ideas that don't really come at the lower tempos.
In both cases, changing instruments was the death of my. Probably should have cut that crap off? Listening to the originals is a real ear opener though - they must be up at about 300bpm...or maybe 150 at double time. Still, it sounds completely different to what I've come up with. I did try it at such high tempos, but it was a ridiculous mess.
Top12
This track is operating under the working title of Top12 (actually I think its top12_piano version III at this stage, but that's academic at this point). It was inspired not by, but while watching Australian Idol. In fact, I worked on the last iteration during the footy on Friday - volume down of course. Maybe I should rename it to TV.
It was born out of the electric koto sound you can now hear a little less, and has developed from there. I was really conscious of my tendency to rush through the ideas very quickly so I've worked hard on drawing out the intro - Jing thinks to much so, but Emmett thinks I should stay on it further. Either way the rest of the song needs to be drawn out to some extent. My only concern is perhaps that the song contains too many disparate ideas. How will I bring these hooks together? Time will tell I suppose...
Skipping points include:
Anthony and Alf
So I have named this song
after a friend's paternal issues. I'll admit it started more in a search for a name for names sake, but I am now working to have the feel follow my perception of events. Maybe I should just change the name. I only started working on this track on Saturday, but its actually a rehash of an idea that's been floating around for a while. I think I initially came up with it playing piano during lunch when I worked at UC.
I've gone for a bit more of an ambient feel now, but the piano is still quite dominant. The MIDI fucks out for a couple bars at some point...2 minutesish I think, and its live recording at about the time of the positive change, so timing is a bit off - made evident by the delay.
So I haven't been slack in playing. Just blogging. I wish I had more time for both, though.
Lessons have been going well with some good progress on the Ben Kweller and the Jazz side of things. At home, I've been working on a few ideas and had a jam with Emmet the other day trying to get some guitar on board. I am not sure it all grabbed him that much, but we'll see what comes of it all...
Tune Up.
So I've been working on a Miles Davis song called Tune Up - fast bop, I am told. Anyway, its fraught with odd timings and weird notes that were really messing with me. It should have been a really good challenge to my sight reading, but I couldn't even get to that stage - it was just going nowhere.
I relented and sequenced the track, putting note names down where I needed them...which, funnily enough, was everywhere. I was a little embarrassed taking them to the lesson, but I think its worked out well in the long run. On that note, jamming with Emmet was interesting - he wasn't actually able to tell me what notes he was playing when I wanted to play along - self taught and all in his ear. For those of us without such fine aural skills though, I think there's something to be said for decent practise and reading.
So here's a run through of tuneup at about 155BPM, breaking down into a jam after 16 bars. Paul showed me how it progresses across a few scales - I need to find out if its actually changing keys or what.
And then here I am trying it at about 200 or 220BPM. Its a bit harder to hold it at such a tempo, but it introduces some fairly interesting ideas that don't really come at the lower tempos.
In both cases, changing instruments was the death of my. Probably should have cut that crap off? Listening to the originals is a real ear opener though - they must be up at about 300bpm...or maybe 150 at double time. Still, it sounds completely different to what I've come up with. I did try it at such high tempos, but it was a ridiculous mess.
Top12
This track is operating under the working title of Top12 (actually I think its top12_piano version III at this stage, but that's academic at this point). It was inspired not by, but while watching Australian Idol. In fact, I worked on the last iteration during the footy on Friday - volume down of course. Maybe I should rename it to TV.
It was born out of the electric koto sound you can now hear a little less, and has developed from there. I was really conscious of my tendency to rush through the ideas very quickly so I've worked hard on drawing out the intro - Jing thinks to much so, but Emmett thinks I should stay on it further. Either way the rest of the song needs to be drawn out to some extent. My only concern is perhaps that the song contains too many disparate ideas. How will I bring these hooks together? Time will tell I suppose...
Skipping points include:
- 1:20 Intro develops
- 2:00 Piano is introduced
- 2:20 New melody ( should be piano only - I think that synh is too waily)
- 3:20 Introduction of new, angular line...new drum beat...piano ostinato...
Anthony and Alf
So I have named this song
after a friend's paternal issues. I'll admit it started more in a search for a name for names sake, but I am now working to have the feel follow my perception of events. Maybe I should just change the name. I only started working on this track on Saturday, but its actually a rehash of an idea that's been floating around for a while. I think I initially came up with it playing piano during lunch when I worked at UC.
I've gone for a bit more of an ambient feel now, but the piano is still quite dominant. The MIDI fucks out for a couple bars at some point...2 minutesish I think, and its live recording at about the time of the positive change, so timing is a bit off - made evident by the delay.
So I haven't been slack in playing. Just blogging. I wish I had more time for both, though.
Monday, 27 August 2007
"Owen was found with a nearly empty bottle of pills next to him."
So I recorded some blues stuff tonight, but I am not happy with it. Not at all. Though I never am happy, eh.
I've finally got a recording of 'in other words' up. I tried tempo matching and doing the sheet music, but they slow down after about 25 bars or so. There's also this 2/4 change that messes with me if I actually endeavor to count. Who does that though?
So here it is, pan balanced. I could keep learning more, but I think I'd do better to figure out the bassline rythms and lead licks for the progressions I already know:
Jeez, between watching Australian Idol [ha] and playing this stuff, I am hardly listening to any music. Loving this 'Buddy Rich VS Max Roach' LP.
I've finally got a recording of 'in other words' up. I tried tempo matching and doing the sheet music, but they slow down after about 25 bars or so. There's also this 2/4 change that messes with me if I actually endeavor to count. Who does that though?
So here it is, pan balanced. I could keep learning more, but I think I'd do better to figure out the bassline rythms and lead licks for the progressions I already know:
Jeez, between watching Australian Idol [ha] and playing this stuff, I am hardly listening to any music. Loving this 'Buddy Rich VS Max Roach' LP.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Saturday looks good to me!
So I posted a blues here a week or so ago, but it seems to have completely disappeared. Some people had trouble viewing it, so who knows what happened there.
Here it is, anyways.
Not sure what I had to say about it. I was sick at the time. Paul is giving me heaps of techniques to try on bluesy jazzy things.
Ben Kweller's 'In Other Words' is coming along quite well. I can play about half of it in terms of chord progressions now. There's some melody shit that I haven't gotten down yet, but its coming along. I'll post a play along later. Not quite there yet. I should also repost Death Cab's 'Passenger Seat' That was like the first song I learnt. I need to relearn it though, I think.
The main point of all this is to put some songs up so that I can convince a guitarist to come put some structure to my ideas. Its pretty similar stuff to what we were doing in TDN!S, but its not really getting anywhere just by myself. Actually some of those songs are alright, hey.
Anyways, as for these songs:
Clouded
Something
Intro
Hard.
Here it is, anyways.
Not sure what I had to say about it. I was sick at the time. Paul is giving me heaps of techniques to try on bluesy jazzy things.
Ben Kweller's 'In Other Words' is coming along quite well. I can play about half of it in terms of chord progressions now. There's some melody shit that I haven't gotten down yet, but its coming along. I'll post a play along later. Not quite there yet. I should also repost Death Cab's 'Passenger Seat' That was like the first song I learnt. I need to relearn it though, I think.
The main point of all this is to put some songs up so that I can convince a guitarist to come put some structure to my ideas. Its pretty similar stuff to what we were doing in TDN!S, but its not really getting anywhere just by myself. Actually some of those songs are alright, hey.
Anyways, as for these songs:
Clouded
Something
Intro
Hard.
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
I have been playing even less than I've been typing of late, if that makes sense?
Tonight's lesson was a bit more productive, and I am not going to fourty gigs this week, so I should be able to present a few things.
I am to get some Gotye, some Ben Kweller, some random melody stuff up.
In fact...I'll do that now..
Still none of the new songs though. I want something more in them yet.
Tonight's lesson was a bit more productive, and I am not going to fourty gigs this week, so I should be able to present a few things.
I am to get some Gotye, some Ben Kweller, some random melody stuff up.
In fact...I'll do that now..
Still none of the new songs though. I want something more in them yet.
Friday, 20 July 2007
Yes, yes. Slack in playing, slacker in blogging.
No sound examples today, I am afraid. I've been looking through a lot of my previous compositions this week, sorting them into three categories 'electronic' 'jazz/blues' and 'pianoy'
I want to turn the short electronic ideas into proper songs, maybe get some people singing and set that shit up on a myspace. For now I want to re-image my computer. Anything to procrastinate.
On the piano itself, I was just playing some string 7th chords, playing C7- F7 on the quarters and just practising different melodies on the right hand. Hardly challenging, but it makes me feel like I can actually play something decent.
I also dug up a couple compositions I made in the old lunchtimes when working at uni - trying to teach myself to play them fluently again. I think I said this last time.
No sound examples today, I am afraid. I've been looking through a lot of my previous compositions this week, sorting them into three categories 'electronic' 'jazz/blues' and 'pianoy'
I want to turn the short electronic ideas into proper songs, maybe get some people singing and set that shit up on a myspace. For now I want to re-image my computer. Anything to procrastinate.
On the piano itself, I was just playing some string 7th chords, playing C7- F7 on the quarters and just practising different melodies on the right hand. Hardly challenging, but it makes me feel like I can actually play something decent.
I also dug up a couple compositions I made in the old lunchtimes when working at uni - trying to teach myself to play them fluently again. I think I said this last time.
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