BlackhawkFan

I'm back. Decided that talking about it isn't the same as doing it, so I backed off and crawled back inside myself and started to write again. Found a snippet of verse I wrote back in '92 (or thereabouts) and began to build a work around it. Every time I picked up the guitar or sat at the keyboard, the same old crud came out. So I wrote a second version of the same tune. Still not happy. But I kept at it, even though I felt that everything that came from my pen, flowed from my fingers, or poured out of my mouth was rehashed diatonic slime. I moved my studio from the dining room to the living room. I spent thousands in equipment and software. I even picked up a bass guitar so I could fiddle with bass lines. Regardless, I was still stuck in the same rut. Went back to the original version of the work. It had two changes I liked. It was everything else that sounded like drivel. Then one day I found myself humming a bass line as I drove home from work. As I worked it out in my imagination, I found my excitement growing. Got home and fired up the electronics. Next thing I knew, it was way past my bed time. I'd neglected the dogs. I forgot to eat. I was tired, but strangely energized. I'M BACK! In spite of the whisperings in the back of my mind that I no longer have the gift, I kept going. That was three days ago. I just finished uploading the work to my soundcloud account and will start a thread in the appropriate forum. The take away is, I don't need no stinkin' muse to write. ----- Edited to add linky to my new tune. http://forums.songstuff.com/topic/21028-wings/

Update. Everything is working. Here's what I did.... Replaced the soundcard with ASUS Xonar Essence ST. EZD still didn't work. So, one day I'm going through my box o' cables and saw a roll of CAT5 and thought, "Why not go CAT5 instead of the WiFi for Internet?" Hooked it up and immediately realized almost 100% increase in bandwidth. So then I thought, "What if the WiFi USB device is causing a hardware conflict that Win7 isn't reporting?" Went back into Cubase and selected ASIO Full Duplex and woohoo, EZD works correctly. Also, I can now record within my DAW instead of going Zoom. Replaced my Zoom with my old 12-Channel mixer and the world is bright and shiny again. Just thought I'd throw this out here in case someone else has a similar problem with their system. Cho

Zon, My opinion, so get some salt.... G F G could be an arpeggiation (Fsus2?). The (G Ab) and (B C) stuff are probably roots. If runs, maybe consider parts of a inverted triad like (Abmaj7 or Emaj) and (Cmaj7 or Abm) respectively. Some of the bass line shows quick vertical movement which could mean the notes are passing. I didn't hear any syncopation, so the chord supporting would appear typically ON the starting beat of the bass run, preferably at the first or third beat of the measure. The only diminished part I can imagine is in the described bass in your post. IF Ab is the centerpoint and F and B (substituted for C) are the "ends." If this is true, this is an Fdim. But honestly, I don't hear it. Oh, I totally miss the point about this piece being evil or eastern. It does, however, sound like good mood music...something to listen to while you're unwinding at the end of the day, snuggled up to a martini. Cho

Been Googling for several days. Spent some time on Steinberg's forum site. Still don't have a definitive answer. Here's my problem: ESD plays stand alone just fine IF I select a non-ASIO driver for my card from the Toontracks Solo app. ESD is silent if I'm trying to play via instrument track on Cubase. Yes, I downloaded ASIO4ALL. No change. Sound card is SB X-Fi Xtreme Gamer SB073. Yes I know it's a gaming card, but the link says it's ASIO 2.0. http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=SB073-FB-R&cpc=RESX While I prefer to write my own percussion tracks, I'd really like to get EZD working so I can buy the plugin that has brushes. Any thoughts?

Pretty good. Your outro was interesting, but there was only a few seconds before it faded out. I agree with Cheryl. Sounds like you're overdriving the mic slightly. There are other techniques to making the vocals stand out in a mix.... Keep up the good work. Cho

If I'm tight and I need to run vocal tracks, I'll make myself some (chai) tea with honey and wait for it to cool a bit before sipping. Seems to relax me. And letting the cup cool gives me time to adjust my mental attitude. You probably already know to stay away from milk when singing.... Cho

No offense taken. None at all. The rolling tape is parallel to the notepad or sketchpad, depending on what you're trying to paint. I spent all last night with my own sketch pad (engineering pad, guitar, mics), woke up this morning and before I had my first cup of coffee, I was back in the cockpit of my studio, working. I almost feel normal again. Put EZD aside for a while. I ordered a soundcard (a Soundblaster product, but forgot the model) that's supposed to work with Win7/32 and Win7/64. I'll give EZD another try when it gets here. Should be tomorrow. Also thinking of moving away from the stand alone recorder (Zoom) and going back to HD recording. Probably fewer moves that way. Cho

John, Mahesh, I'm in. Popular western music is mostly as you described. I'm more interested in themes and movements. Anything to (gently) break modern rules/fads/trends. Cho

Added to my favorites. Looks like you can import MIDI. Thanks for the tip. I'm currently exploring Cubase and EZDrummer, but having problems getting EZD to output audio. The real issue is probably with Win7/32.... Doesn't support my Soundblaster cards and haven't found (not that I've looked) a sound card that actually runs in that environment. This "futzing around" is exercising my subconcious, which is probably my primary writing tool. Participating on this forum, especially listening and critiquing some very good music is beneficial and a muse of sorts. I'm starting to have ideas again, and at times I'll stop what I'm doing and grab the guitar or fire up a keyboard. I'm also finding that I'm working late in the evening on this stuff. Didn't get to bed last night until 10:30pm, which is really late for me, as I get up at 3:20am pretty much every day. Cho

Listened to the example you gave in your post. Sounds like you were singing in your throat a bit. Just my opinion, of course, but I suspect if you open your throat and sing deeper in your chest, your voice would become fuller. Listened to your original on your youtube site. Good song. Your singing was much better as well (IMO). Maybe because you recorded keyboard and vocals seperately (reduced performance stress)? Listened to the third tune, a "gaga" cover I believe. Sounded like the singing was a bit strained as in the first example. So maybe it's a concentration issue? In any case, you show talent with your vocals. Welcome to the forum. Cho

Tenor sax is concert pitch Bb, which is a full step down from C. Could explain some confusion. As for pitch memory, I'm not real good at it, but when I write, I cross sences in an attempt to "describe" the overall feel of a key in order to choose appropriately for what I want to convey to the listener. For instance, a piece written in Cmaj would be described as "<fat> blue (the actual color, not the emotion/mood)." A piece written in Dmaj would be described as "royal, triumphant." Bb is "dark, sad." These are some of my associations given as possible help. One thing I would warn against is, as you continue in your singing career, DO NOT use memory of muscle tension or lip/mouth formation as pitch association, as you can be sharp or flat depending on mood, time of day, etc. True pitch association/recall for me, at least, is an actual form in my memory. Can't describe it, but it's real nonetheless. My buddy Mahesh is giving good advice as well. Most guitar tuners have built in microphones. You could tune your sax (remember to compensate for concert pitch) as well as use it for voice. Otherwise, practice, and if you can afford it, some good professional instruction will go far. Cho

Yeah, this is different from writing for guitar, bass, drums and choir. Like your earmuff comment. Never noticed (thankfully). Currently working on the last stages of rebuilding my studio, getting everything to play nicely together. I have tools I can fall back on, but this is opportunity to not fall behind technologically. Appreciate your input and insight, Mike. Cho

Good pointers, Mike. I can see where this is an exercise in exploring the depths of what I already know, only putting it into different forms. In a sence, it's quite similar (and parallel) to J's suggestions. Break up the familiar and explore from different settings/perspectives. Thanks. Cho

The sung lyrics sound almost Appachian. The rest of the work sounds like a clever melding of several styles. That's about the extent of the help/impediment that I can offer. The tune kept me interested with the poetry, orchestration, and lots of twists and turns superimposed over a seemingly stodgy 4/4 beat. I can see why you're curious about this piece. I am as well. Cho

J, Great suggestions. I especially like the hat trick. Good exercise. The color stuff, however, may well be beyond me. Not that I'm color blind, but I can't draw worth spit. Caused some problems for me when I was studying Calculus. I can visualize, just can't get much of it on paper. I pretty much gave up on color by association. As for the political examples...well, let's just say that I try to avoid that while in my studio. I don't like the direction my country seems to be heading, and I don't like to slander or write angry words. Anyway, thanks again for your input. Cho

Good article, John. I would add emphasis to the following: - Know the written and spoken language you wish to work with - This includes the rhythm of phrasing - Includes being able to make the same point with several phrases - Rhyming, while important, is trumped by meaning and rhythm. Some good tips on recording when inspiration strikes (in your case, the small notebook).

I agree that plywood just doesn't sound as good as solid. But solid can be a PITA to maintain properly. I'm not a good guitarist by any measure, but I've been playing for 35+ years, and owned high end solids and low end laminates. For playability, I'd look at the following in order: Fretboard/neck -- Does it seem to fit your hand? Is it too fat/thin/wide/narrow? Hold the guitar the way it should be held and try playing a few chords and runs. If you don't know any, ask the guy at the store to show you how to play an open D, open C, and a barre chord. See how that feels to you. If the guitar fits, you shouldn't experience excessive stress in your fretting wrist. Intonation -- pick a string and pluck it with your hand off the string. Then place a finger on the string at the 12th fret and pluck. You should hear the same pitch, only twice as high. Do this with several strings. Body size/shape -- for the guitar to sit properly, the soundbox must be correctly sized for your body. Too big and you'll be reaching. Too small and you'll be searching. This is an intuitive knowledge, but bringing along a trusted buddy could help with the decision. Hold the guitar and ask your friend it you look cool with it. If yes, it probably fits. If the strings seem high over the fretboard, that can be adjusted with the truss rod. If the strings aren't nylon, the neck should have a truss rod. Ask the store to adjust the neck before you give them money. FWIW, I recently picked up a plywood top that has become my go to guitar. I play it almost every day and I love the way it sounds. It comes with a pickup so I can process the signal the way I want, and it seems to mic pretty well. Ovation Celebrity. Cost me $200. Man, was I surprised.

I might add that if you suffer from heartburn and you've verified that it isn't symptomatic of heart disease, put a little vinegar in a glass with water and drink it maybe twice a day. Your heartburn could well disappear.

The example you give is clear. Second person, then the author gives his opinion in the first person. First person/third person is generally a bit trickier. Clarity is the guide and goal. In keeping with that, do what fits the song.

Oooh, what a great post! Yes, writing everyday is recommended for novelists as well, but I keep setting my manuscript aside to pursue other avenues. On the up side, I pick up my guitar almost every day and noodle a bit, although it's tough sometimes to decompress. Weekends are better, in that I have more time to get back into the frame of mind. Depressed Zombie -- name of a grunge band on prozac? Yes, I have a love of form and pattern, but I despise the "repeat four times" found so often in mainstream rock. Another pattern I find boring is the Verse/Chorus/Verse/Bridge.... Sometimes it's better to let the music dictate form and pattern instead of trying to jam it into a box. Also, I grow tired of the same timbre throughout a song, and like to crossfade different voices.... So form and pattern have their uses, but mostly, it's just a set of rules to gently break IMO. Cho

John, I think you're right on the money here. I've trained myself to try to distill everything into shades of black and white, which isn't compatable with emotive pursuits. Cho

Interesting that you say this. I've pulled out an old guitar piece that I'm thinking of re-lyricing. Also considered re-recording a few of my earlier work since my studio is virtually completely different (including the space) from the old days.

Thanks for the reply. You reinforced what I know to be fact -- emotions drive the creative juices. I've spent too many years shutting myself off from feeling. Partly due to my profession, partly due to my fears. In any case, I'll keep plugging along until something breaks out into the open. You're up late....

Much appreciated. I think the subject of reverb is especially important. I know I use too much on my stuff.

Others have already addressed this, but I'll try my hand at phrasing it in a meaningful way in the spirit of helping. Concerning the riff, which are long notes and which are short? Also, what beats do each fall on? This will suggest which chords go where. I had a bass player once who didn't read music and had never held a bass before in his life. What he had was a deep desire to play and learned the first five frets of the neck. I showed him a lead sheet and told him to play the letters of the chord names as they appeared, 4 beats to a measure in 4/4 while listening to what the drummer was doing. After a while, he began to do little fills and stuff and became a decent player.