INSTRUMENTAL - inspired by two chords

[GregB]

Every song needs a spark, and just the first two chords did it for me, leading to "The Coast", track 2 on the album Prescient (2015).

 

I’ve always loved Eadd9 ... especially on a 12-string!  On a whim I tried exactly the same shape elsewhere and finally found the 2^nd chord (Am7+6 is my guess at the chord name).  These two together somehow got me going.

 

After working up the sections, it was a relief to realise I had enough harmonic variation for a complete instrumental.  There was no need for any theme with 'deep and meaningful words and metaphors' and, even better, no need for singing!!  HOORAY!  

 

The bass on this is unusual for me ... a melodic instrument.  Getting the right sounds to match your imagination is often a pain, but it’s great once found.  The MIDI bass here comprises three separate samples ... plucked bass, fretless bass and synth pad.  Together these give each note a percussive start, a shortish buzz, and an ongoing tail. I felt this sound removed any requirement for additional instruments other than the lead synth.

 

This was also the first time I used the EZ Drummer 2 plugin.  This was a huge turning point for me as I no longer had to trawl the net for loops (which need to be found and auditioned by the barrow-load).  Now I could quickly specify the beat, choose the vibe, tailor it for each section, and build it throughout the track.

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Greg 

 

 

 

 

 

[MikeRobinson]

Very nice.  The only thing that I would personally do it is to adjust the relative volume levels: that "high treble brassy part" is fairly overwhelming the plucked strings, but I don't think that you really meant for it to be the one that is most prominent.

[Jim622]

Very good arrangement and performance. The arpeggios anchor the song well for the vibes on synth. I was expecting a little more of crescendo, but the way you took it home worked very nicely.

Edited February 2, 2022 by Jim622