The Song Fight Bulletin Board

hey June is here. Kick...Kick.

closer to july now... and i felt left out... wanted a place in the history of the inets!

Just seen this thread, and I thought...











... something!

.

Calm down, Oats.

Lord of Oats wrote:.

Oats got his period

Niveous wrote:Fluffy, if you could make your avatar cry for Reist, it would be the raddest thing ever.

Or at least if you could make it wink periodically.

Well, instead of starting up a new thread (especially since I have no qotd), I figured I'd hijack the my life thread with something about my life.

Last night I came home and the wife and kids were still out watching Wall-E and so I had free time and a quiet home, so I took out the guitar. Over the last few months, I had been swimming in a mind funk over my music. I felt like I couldn't make the kind of music I wanted. But over the last few days, there's been this slow change. First I started listening very critically into the music that I enjoy the most. I listened to a lot of the music from my three favorite bands (AFI, Rasputina and Made Out of Babies) and saw how lyrically different they were from me. I want to make music that tells stories in a completely different way.

So then I started playing last night and it was mainly just dabbling, getting back into the groove. Towards the end of my session, I played my song "Nocturne" (from the "o.s.& b." album) and I was really happy playing it. Then I did that jangly Gary Numan cover I did from GoM. Then I did a new song called "Atlas Dropped the Ball" and I found a happy place. I had the same feeling that I got when I was on stage at SF:BK. I finally realized that I was playing the music that was inside me. Sure, it's lacks some of the crunch of the music I like to listen to, but it's how the music manifests inside me. And definitely not everyone is going to get it (especially since it's acoustic experimental goth rock usually about really dark topics) but it's me.

I think I've finally gotten past my mental block. I would still love to have some people to work with (dammit, why is it so hard to find local musicians) but I think I'm finally ready to make some new records.

Self awareness, it's what's for dinner.

Yeah, Niv, you do have to make the music that's inside you. There is some benefit to stretching, but not if it causes you to stop making music entirely. Glad you've gotten past this one, now let's hear the new music
-bill

There will be some stretching. I definitely need to add some new chords into the mix. I'm already playing with all sorts of new rhythms. And I've got an acoustic bass now, so that'll be in the mix.

Niveous wrote:I definitely need to add some new chords into the mix. I'm already playing with all sorts of new rhythms.

Just remember, what's in between the chords is just as important as the chords them self. A fun exercise that I like to do is to set the drum machine up with a cool beat that gets you groovin'. Then program in some cool fills, double kicks, flams, etc. Loop a nice 16 or 32 measure and come up with a rhythm. Once you are fluid with the rhythm, start using your pick to work with the drum hits. Like, cross pick with the double kicks, add the space to match the flams, match pick for hit with the rolls, a gallop strum to match up to double and triple flams or pataflaflas, etc. It's a great way to work out and develop new patterns, riffs and picking techniques, etc.

edit: I'm sure that you can youtube those techniques if you're not familiar with them by name.

You know you lost me at "set up the drum machine", right? I've got a nifty new drum machine and I have NO clue how to work the darn thing. And the instruction manual sucks ass.

Hint: Press the button with the triangle on it.

king_arthur wrote:Ouch, sorry man. I've done my best to forget that one myself, but like Reist's "My Life" post in the DRC (which, by the way, hasn't been bumped since July 3rd), it keeps coming back...

Ah, whatever happened to that anyway?

Rabid Garfunkel wrote:Hint: Press the button with the triangle on it.

HAHa! How did I miss this one.

Hello. I haven't been here in a while.

I thought I was going to make a song for this week, and I've got a pretty bad-ass metal tune brewing, but lyrically I've got nothing. I guess I've still got a week and a bit though.

big crouton wrote:Hello. I haven't been here in a while.

I thought I was going to make a song for this week, and I've got a pretty bad-ass metal tune brewing, but lyrically I've got nothing. I guess I've still got a week and a bit though.

I'd love to work with you, but I'm more of an instrumentalist as well, these days. I've heard your work and I wouldn't mind running a progressive rhythm next to your scales.
....ahh, never mind. Paco would kill you if he knew I was working with another shredder.

BLT wrote:Paco would kill you if he knew I was working with another shredder

What, are you kidding? That guy kicks ass! Mine very much included. Well, at least as far as 'shreddage' goes.

Well, once again I think I might be in for this fight with a pretty groovin' tune. Once again though, the completion of my song will be entirely dependent on me getting some lyrics together, though I've got a bit of a start on that part of things. Hopefully it pans out, cause I definitely want to finish this tune and make a triumphant return to songfight.

Fortunately for my song, My semester is finished, but I'm still stuck out here in kelowna with nothing to do until the 17th.

big crouton wrote:Well, once again I think I might be in for this fight with a pretty groovin' tune. Once again though, the completion of my song will be entirely dependent on me getting some lyrics together, though I've got a bit of a start on that part of things. Hopefully it pans out, cause I definitely want to finish this tune and make a triumphant return to songfight.

Fortunately for my song, My semester is finished, but I'm still stuck out here in kelowna with nothing to do until the 17th.

Why don't you finish the song, then take a bus back to Calgary for the week?

Because I'm going to a seminar of sorts held by Eddie Kramer (and Waves) in Vancouver on the 17th. I'll probably head home on the 18th, or early on the 19th.

big crouton wrote:I'll probably head home on the 18th, or early on the 19th.

Well you'd better, since I've got your golden ticket for Michael effing Angelo! Man, I'm excited. Elton John tomorrow, Michael Angelo in a week. What else could go right?

ps - Kramer? That's awesome.