New Music Friday #15

[john]

Hi Gang

 

Woot woot!

 

It’s time for New Music Friday!

 

Post up your current music projects, anything from just a melody through to a full production. As experimental as you want. I look forward to hearing your music!

 

I recorded a few 1 take songs on my phone. I will post one up a little later. 

 

Cheers

 

John

[john]

Phone recording of “I Am Here With You”

 

 

[Steve Mueske]

This is a great song, John. Looking forward to hearing it develop.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Steve Mueske

[Steve Mueske]

I worked on a few things this week, but I returned to the piece I started for NMF 1. This is still way too hot, but I like how it is developing from a sound design standpoint. It still needs a lot of work.

 

https://play.reelcrafter.com/whoisthemuesk/musicistheriver

 

Edit: I had created a reel specific for that track earlier. Upon reflection I decided to swap it out for my master "working" reel. This is everything I am working on (and for which I welcome feedback in any form), but the specific track I am referencing for this week is Sequences, which is second in the list. I also did an end to end version of "Bereft" (formally titled "The Death of Love") and a first pass on another track called "Here" by Emily Quinn. This is where I am working. Sessions are updated daily on this reel. It's live but not publicized.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Steve Mueske

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

4 hours ago, john said:

“I Am Here With You”

 

Very nice song John!  Leave the dog in the Intro we are dog lovers 😁

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

I am going to break a hard rule of mine and add this in an attempt to get in the spirit of things.

 

This is mainly Bass and Drums but if you listen please go through the Synthesizer transition at 1:40.  This will at least give you some insight into my creative process of how I craft a piece from the bottom up.

 

I was planning to finish this today but got carried away working out this week as the weather was warm and slightly injured my right shoulder.  I am fine but it dampens the mood for playing.

 

These are the foundation tracks for Fever.  I will probably also add some cymbals to the B section when I add the lead and support instruments.

[Steve Mueske]

Clay, the drums feel pretty solid, but the bass doesn't sound like it's in the pocket yet.

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

1 hour ago, Steve Mueske said:

Clay, the drums feel pretty solid, but the bass doesn't sound like it's in the pocket yet.

Thank you.

[john]

16 hours ago, Steve Mueske said:

I worked on a few things this week, but I returned to the piece I started for NMF 1. This is still way too hot, but I like how it is developing from a sound design standpoint. It still needs a lot of work.

 

https://play.reelcrafter.com/whoisthemuesk/musicistheriver

 

Edit: I had created a reel specific for that track earlier. Upon reflection I decided to swap it out for my master "working" reel. This is everything I am working on (and for which I welcome feedback in any form), but the specific track I am referencing for this week is Sequences, which is second in the list. I also did an end to end version of "Bereft" (formally titled "The Death of Love") and a first pass on another track called "Here" by Emily Quinn. This is where I am working. Sessions are updated daily on this reel. It's live but not publicized.

I do love Bereft. It always leaves me wanting more.

 

Sequences evolves nicely. I especially like the long end with sudden finality. It’s very fitting after the chaotic industry of the earlier sections of the song.

 

The mind is a dark place to live has a number of distinct sections. I do love the metal sections, though I have to say I thought those sections screamed for an up front, deep bass.

[john]

22 hours ago, Clay Anderson Johnson said:

I am going to break a hard rule of mine and add this in an attempt to get in the spirit of things.

 

This is mainly Bass and Drums but if you listen please go through the Synthesizer transition at 1:40.  This will at least give you some insight into my creative process of how I craft a piece from the bottom up.

 

I was planning to finish this today but got carried away working out this week as the weather was warm and slightly injured my right shoulder.  I am fine but it dampens the mood for playing.

 

These are the foundation tracks for Fever.  I will probably also add some cymbals to the B section when I add the lead and support instruments.

I love how different people approach things differently. I use a variety of approaches to get to a set point fairly early in the recording process, but my path to that point varies.

 

There are certainly times the bass groove is not in sync, but I can see where it is going… right up to the synth section. I don’t mean I find any problem with that section, only that it was a little unexpected and the whole thing is at a draft stage, so the role and relevance of sections is still to be revealed. This is a stage I love in music creation. You are the artist with the clay in front of you, and you lay out the basic structure ready for you, the artist, to shape it. I’m looking forward to seeing where you go with this Clay.

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

32 minutes ago, john said:

There are certainly times the bass groove is not in sync, but I can see where it is going… right up to the synth section.

 

I certainly will tighten the Bass line.

 

My biggest issue is the second part of the transition not sounding "breathy" enough.  The panting sound needs work.  I am attempting to emulate a woman having an orgasm musically.

 

I may research Pond5 for a sound effect.

[john]

2 hours ago, john said:

I do love Bereft. It always leaves me wanting more.

 

Sequences evolves nicely. I especially like the long end with sudden finality. It’s very fitting after the chaotic industry of the earlier sections of the song.

 

The mind is a dark place to live has a number of distinct sections. I do love the metal sections, though I have to say I thought those sections screamed for an up front, deep bass.

 

I meant to add…. I typed up my reply last night, sometime around 3-4am… but fell asleep before posting! Lol

[john]

1 hour ago, Clay Anderson Johnson said:

 

I certainly will tighten the Bass line.

 

My biggest issue is the second part of the transition not sounding "breathy" enough.  The panting sound needs work.  I am attempting to emulate a woman having an orgasm musically.

 

I may research Pond5 for a sound effect.

An interesting challenge! Many moons ago, circa 1987, I wrote a song about the moment before orgasm, when it hasn’t happened yet, but it can’t be stopped now if you tried… it’s happening! It was cunningly titled “Almost There”. I used a post orgasmic musical plateau as a new theme. It was an interesting exploration. I’m really looking forward to see how you interpret it musically!

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

@john @Steve Mueske  Here is the latest.  It still hasn't been mixed so has some hot spots.  I will redo the lead instrument parts as they have the right general feel but basically are place holders at this point.  I want better note choice.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Clay Anderson Johnson

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

@john @Steve Mueske  @GregB It's a little past Friday but here is the latest on Fever.  Still polishing...

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Clay Anderson Johnson

[john]

3 hours ago, Clay Anderson Johnson said:

@john @Steve Mueske  @GregB It's a little past Friday but here is the latest on Fever.  Still polishing...

 

 

Brass is such a mood setter! What is that instrument you are using panned hard left in the verse? I love the dissonance it provides. It sounds like an electric piano, but it could be bass guitar chords or something completely different for all that. Overall it’s not what I expected from the first snapshot you provided, but It’s not disappointment, just your mind fills in blanks. Sometimes the blank guesses prove accurate, other times they prove to be wildly wrong.

 

The synth section fits more within the broader context now. It’s. Nice hearing it evolve.

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

2 minutes ago, john said:

It sounds like an electric piano

 It is vamping on an electric piano and I love horns, both brass and woodwinds.  Almost everything I do currently has some horns in it at one point.

 

Thank you for your kind words.  As you probably realize by now I'm nothing if not eclectic.

[john]

3 hours ago, VoiceEx said:

 

I think this might be the first comment I ever really made about a song of yours! I really like it and I hope to see it get developed more! in my mind, this could totally be a cool rock ballad i'm not entirely sure if NMF is meant for actual critique, but there is one thing I want to point out.

 

This is just a personal preference of mine, yes? but I think the song could benefit from more vibrato during the vocal performance. You also seem to be struggling a bit, possibly running out of air in certain sections. Especially near the climax (2:02), which was my favorite part of this song.

 

Overall its a very, very cool concept! id love to hear it when its finished!

A post covid reality in two ways. Some days my mouth and throat can suddenly become parched dry… which unfortunately brings on vocal strain very easily. I recorded this after a few other songs so I was already pushing it. I might have run out of breath too, my capacity was definitely reduced after covid, but I might also have rolled back my projection to protect my vocal cords.
 

Just a little over a year ago I would have had no problems at all.

 

I need to avoid straining my voice and then rebuild my singing voice (I recorded a few weeks worth of NMF songs last week so I could give my voice that break.). 

[Clay Anderson Johnson]

9 minutes ago, john said:

I need to avoid straining my voice and then rebuild my singing voice

 

Producer George Martin said the Beatles all had weak singing voices and could only be recorded for short periods.  

 

The Eagles were known to drink lemon juice (not lemonade) in their recording sessions to keep their vocal timbre as clear as possible.

[john]

I use pineapple juice before and after a session, and warm saltwater gargles if I have an already irritated throat. When I am singing, I tend to use plain, room temperature water.