Category Archives: music

Inspired! ...

13Dec2008

Last night, Rene and I went out to the Rhythm Room to meet up with our friend Howard. He had recommended we check out the band Turn Back, O Man. We totally enjoyed the conviction that the vocalist projected in his singing and the complexity of the lyrics. The backup band meshed real well, with drums, bass, slide guitar and Hammond organ.

This morning, I woke up inspired. Late in the morning, I revved up the studio and started recording some tracks to midi. Rene made a cameo and we played a waltz together and sang a funny song about dachshunds.

Later in the evening, I stepped back into the studio and made another pass at a recording. In particular, I wanted to get a slide guitar into the mix, so I tuned my electric to an open tuning and picked up the slide and started to wail. Here it is:

Down on Weighted Knees – Todd’s Mix ...

21Nov2008

For a long time, I’ve been collaborating on music and listening to music and talking about music with a group of old high school friends from Mahopac, New York. We’ve have lived in separate cities for going on 30 years now, and the quality of our friendship and our work together musically has expanded in so many good ways over the years.

Recently, I handed off the song, Down on Weighted Knees (from my last post “A New, Old Song Done Differently“) to my good friend Todd. I was so amazed at the beauty that he coaxed out of the song and the celebratory tone he created towards the end that I almost cried.

You can hear his mix of the tune here.

A New, Old Song Done Differently ...

23Aug2008 1 Comment

Here’s a new, old song done differently: Down on Weighted Knees. It’s based on a poem that I wrote back in the ’90’s. I want to release it under Creative Commons in such a way that it promotes collaboration. We’ll see how that goes. Here’s the first mix. No reverb. It may even be mono. But there’s an idea there. Partly inspired by the tempo of a Leonard Cohen song that I was reminded of by the folks at NPR’s All Songs Considered, partly inspired by the music of Beach House. Partly inspired by the lyrics. Hope you like it!

Jamming with Andy! ...

31Jul2008

Last night I got together to jam with my cousin. Here’s some music that we put together.

Jamming with Andy

Superstition Blues ...

22Jun2008 4 Comments

I recently got together with my friend Howard and we put together this blues. It’s the first real song that I’ve put together using the BR864. I may re-take the accordion part, but as a proof of concept, I’d say it’s pretty good! The lyrics were lifted, real quick, at the last minute from a book on the blues. I’m thinking that they’ve fallen into the public domain.

Have a listen, and let me know what you think.

Thanks Howard, for all your help!

Someday You’ll Find it Easy ...

20Mar2008

Before heading out to Marseille for the past two weeks, I got together with my friend Walt Lockley to make some music. While I was working on a mix of a different song, Walt wrote the lyrics to the song “Someday You’ll Find it Easy”.

This morning, during a cold-induced bout of insomnia I decided to put the words to music and record it. You may notice I’m using the same chords as “First Kiss”. Given this mother of all sore throats – and the meds I’m on to combat this thing – I kind of floated through this one.

Have a listen. Hope you like it!

My First Composed Lead ...

28Oct2007

While we all love the brilliance of inspired improvisation, there is something to be said for a musical phrase that has been crafted and thought over and written out in the form of actual notes. While it may not be 100% divinely improvised at that moment, the initial inspiration may have made it to the page, and when the notes finally make it to your ears, they’re the ones that the composer has chosen, and they’re the notes that are right.

I recently ponied up the cash for four guitar lessons with this ASU student named Jake. He had me write out on manuscript paper a lead that I had been working on using tab as well as regular music notation.

Then, to record it, I started by loading a General MIDI blues tune by Otis Redding (which contained the drum and bass parts) into the BR-600. I then recorded the rhythm and lead guitar parts.

I’ve been obsessed by the creative process lately, figuring out the optimal approach for many things (like managing podcasts, creating comics, and – in this instance – creating music).

Have a listen to the results:

First Kiss ...

21Jul2007 6 Comments

Here I am married for two years and I can still remember my Rene and and my first kiss. I was sitting down to write a song, and this is what I happened to write about. It’s a first draft, and one where I am starting to get the idea of popular song form. Have a listen and see what you think!

Morning Walk ...

21Jul2007 3 Comments

For those of you who endured even a few seconds of my Knock On Wood Knock Off – my apologies. You may notice how that song was recently taken off the blog, only to be replaced by this pleasant piano musing.

I call it Morning Walk. It’s a first draft. And there are things to improve with this, for sure. I need to work on varying the rhythm track. I’ve been writing out the sections, so I can go back and re-record some of the parts that are a little rough.

What suggestions do you have? Words? An additional melody line?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

A Happy Songwriter ...

06Jul2007 1 Comment

It was the Fourth of July the other day, and I did what a lot of people do on The Fourth, they go down to their local Guitar Center and indulge themselves by purchasing some audio equipment for their studio.

I picked up a Boss BR-600 8-Track Digital Studio Recorder!

And I could not be happier with my puchase!

So far, I’ve spent about three hours with the thing and was easily able to put together two demos. Nothing ready to share with the public, but look for some music soon!