Mr. Beany's Bedtime Band

[mrbeany]

I knew about SongFight back in 2000, around the time of "Standing in the death car". I think I checked the site regularly for a week, but I had fallen in to the SongFight gap. Since the site was so young, I figured the site was an experiment that had come and gone, so I stopped visiting.

Then earlier this year I saw some SongFight music on a friend's computer. I started listening and voting. But there were all these songs from previous weeks that I hadn't heard before, I became hooked. I now exclusively listen to SongFight music. (Except when my wife is around, as even though I tell her that SongFight is the real American Idol, she is less fond of it than I am.)

So, I've been listening to a lot of SongFight. I have not (yet) downloaded the full archive, and I have not (yet) listened to everything that I've downloaded. I work through it as I can.

I decided (perhaps after listening to some less stellar performances) that I should do what they do at Burning Man and participate. Recently I decided to get off my ass and get involved as I can. Practice makes perfect and all that.

So as it stands now the only thing standing in my way is my total inexperience with writing songs, or playing any instrument. I made an attempt at song lyrics for this week. I'll probably keep that up until I actually get to a point where I can make actual music.

I don't plan to actually try learning a "real" instrument, as I like to plan for the possibility that I could lose my arms at any minute. (As I make a living sitting down, I'm already set if I lose my legs at any minute.) I don't have a particular health concern, but in the course of my life, there is a reasonably good likelihood that before I am done with it, one or both of my arms will become useless. I've been planning for this since childhood.

This means I need to find a method to get my computer to make music. Ideally, I need to find a way to get my computer to make music that doesn't totally suck. Software exists, I just need to become familiar with it. My preferred musical genre will then be, "something I can reasonably make with my skills and not totally suck at."

I'm a huge fan of the "Theory of Obscurity" as promoted by the band The Residents. This means I'm going to try my best to remain as anonymous as possible. I don't really want fans, as I feel they detract from the art. Once you start pandering to your fanbase you become just another corporate whore. In fact, I don't think it is possible to have a traditional record deal without becoming a corporate whore. (If the record deal doesn't require you to tour, and allows you to focus on making new music, then it may not immediately turn you in to a corporate whore.)

Then again, I like music for the art. I don't go to shows, as performances and performers bore me. I like it crisp. I like it clean. I like it artsy.

I fully expect my stuff to suck until I get the hang of things. (Speaking of the band The Residents, IIRC when they formed none of them had any musical skill or experience. You can really tell in their early stuff.) My only hope is to hold off submitting until I think I won't be the absolute worst.

Until I'm actually ready to send in some music, I expect to be regularly posting lyrics to the Ye Olde Lyric Marte. I expect to suck there, too, for a bit. I've dabbled in poetry before, but lyrics are new for me.

Cheers,
Mr. Beany

[Billy's Little Trip]

Welcome Mr Beany.
Yes, I saw your lyrics. Not bad. You never know, someone might use them. Good luck.
Chris

[Denyer]

You should name your band El Hijo de Rone.

[Teplin]

Welcome!

I don't plan to actually try learning a "real" instrument, as I like to plan for the possibility that I could lose my arms at any minute.

Sounds like the kazoo might be just the instrument for you. Just make sure you don't get an evil one that tries to kill you

I'm a huge fan of the "Theory of Obscurity" as promoted by the band The Residents.

My take on it (as someone who's spent years making music that nobody's ever heard): Submitting a song violates the Theory of Obscurity because Songfight is an audience, and you will get lots of feedback. But that can be a good thing. The challenge is, can you remain true to your vision for your art in the face of positive and negative feedback? Can you learn things from it that helps you make better art, but still keep it pure and pander free?

Given your stated feelings about art, I'd advise you to chuck this part right out:

My only hope is to hold off submitting until I think I won't be the absolute worst.

Isn't that already pandering? Fuck that. Hold off submitting until you make something that YOU like and are reasonably happy with (I say "reasonably" because perfectionism is a trap. I'd never submit anything if I had to be 100% happy with it).

Best of luck to you, Mr. Beany!

[slats]

Sounds to me like you have more than enough issues to become quite the artist. Can't wait to hear your first attempts.

[jb]

Stop thinking about it and write a frikkin' song already.

[roymond]

I'm a huge fan of the "Theory of Obscurity" as promoted by the band The Residents.

Well, their attempt was eventually outed by their record company, and I'm not sure they really minded that in the long run. As for their musical "experience", I'd say they were more naive artists than artists without musical ability.

Yeah, welcome. And stop justifying why you may not just do it. Just do it.

[pegor]

Mr beany ? no arms? is this you?

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[Chadderandom]

I'm sure someone with no limbs could probably put a capo on a guitar with their mouth, one of those ones thats basically just a strap you tighten, and drop objects that they've picked up with their mouth on to the guitar. Get a live looping pedal (which I guess you'd bump with your hip, if you still have a hip, maybe your shoulder), record one drop, reset the capo to a different place, drop something else on it, record that, and keep going until you've created the greatest live looped noise that has ever been made.

[The Weakest Suit]

I knew about SongFight back in 2000, around the time of "Standing in the death car". I think I checked the site regularly for a week, but I had fallen in to the SongFight gap. Since the site was so young, I figured the site was an experiment that had come and gone, so I stopped visiting.

Then earlier this year I saw some SongFight music on a friend's computer. I started listening and voting. But there were all these songs from previous weeks that I hadn't heard before, I became hooked. I now exclusively listen to SongFight music. (Except when my wife is around, as even though I tell her that SongFight is the real American Idol, she is less fond of it than I am.)

So, I've been listening to a lot of SongFight. I have not (yet) downloaded the full archive, and I have not (yet) listened to everything that I've downloaded. I work through it as I can.

I decided (perhaps after listening to some less stellar performances) that I should do what they do at Burning Man and participate. Recently I decided to get off my ass and get involved as I can. Practice makes perfect and all that.

So as it stands now the only thing standing in my way is my total inexperience with writing songs, or playing any instrument. I made an attempt at song lyrics for this week. I'll probably keep that up until I actually get to a point where I can make actual music.

I don't plan to actually try learning a "real" instrument, as I like to plan for the possibility that I could lose my arms at any minute. (As I make a living sitting down, I'm already set if I lose my legs at any minute.) I don't have a particular health concern, but in the course of my life, there is a reasonably good likelihood that before I am done with it, one or both of my arms will become useless. I've been planning for this since childhood.

This means I need to find a method to get my computer to make music. Ideally, I need to find a way to get my computer to make music that doesn't totally suck. Software exists, I just need to become familiar with it. My preferred musical genre will then be, "something I can reasonably make with my skills and not totally suck at."

I'm a huge fan of the "Theory of Obscurity" as promoted by the band The Residents. This means I'm going to try my best to remain as anonymous as possible. I don't really want fans, as I feel they detract from the art. Once you start pandering to your fanbase you become just another corporate whore. In fact, I don't think it is possible to have a traditional record deal without becoming a corporate whore. (If the record deal doesn't require you to tour, and allows you to focus on making new music, then it may not immediately turn you in to a corporate whore.)

Then again, I like music for the art. I don't go to shows, as performances and performers bore me. I like it crisp. I like it clean. I like it artsy.

I fully expect my stuff to suck until I get the hang of things. (Speaking of the band The Residents, IIRC when they formed none of them had any musical skill or experience. You can really tell in their early stuff.) My only hope is to hold off submitting until I think I won't be the absolute worst.

Until I'm actually ready to send in some music, I expect to be regularly posting lyrics to the Ye Olde Lyric Marte. I expect to suck there, too, for a bit. I've dabbled in poetry before, but lyrics are new for me.

Cheers,
Mr. Beany

Bean,
i know about three guitar chords, have a horrible voice, and no recording/producing experience but i still manage to participate. if i can do it anyone can. get out of the lyric mart, ramble something into a digital recorder, and submit it. you might just surprise yourself.
Take care,
Chris.

[mrbeany]

Mr beany ? no arms? is this you?

My gods, that was hilarious.

The name comes from a bean doll I had as a child. At some point I'll snap a photo of him.

He actually did have arms and legs. My thing with that is just that I like to plan ahead.

You should name your band El Hijo de Rone.

Yeah, we'll see just how apt that description is.

Sounds like the kazoo might be just the instrument for you. Just make sure you don't get an evil one that tries to kill you

I actually used to have a reasonably nice kazoo. (As in not a toy piece of crap.) I wonder if I still have it...

My take on it (as someone who's spent years making music that nobody's ever heard): Submitting a song violates the Theory of Obscurity because Songfight is an audience, and you will get lots of feedback. But that can be a good thing. The challenge is, can you remain true to your vision for your art in the face of positive and negative feedback? Can you learn things from it that helps you make better art, but still keep it pure and pander free?

Yeah, I was originally planning to submit songs, but never hit the forums. Thus, while I would have an audience, and I would be getting feedback, I would never be paying attention to either one. That would definitely have been more in line with the Theory.

Given your stated feelings about art, I'd advise you to chuck this part right out:

My only hope is to hold off submitting until I think I won't be the absolute worst.

Isn't that already pandering? Fuck that. Hold off submitting until you make something that YOU like and are reasonably happy with (I say "reasonably" because perfectionism is a trap. I'd never submit anything if I had to be 100% happy with it).

Well, really. My real hope is to be better than Rone. I just didn't quite want to say it in so many words. If he knows I see him as my big threat, then he'll be on the lookout.

Who am I kidding? I'll at least be better than some (even if Rone stomps my ass in the votes) as it won't be geekcore.

You are correct, once I figure out the software and don't feel like I'll be making an utter fool of myself, I'll be submitting songs.

... okay, I accept the fact I'll be making an utter fool of myself. I just want to feel like I'm having fun while I'm doing it.

Stop thinking about it and write a frikkin' song already.

That is some sound advice. I really started posting to the forums to give myself a kick in the pants. I've been wanting to do a song for months now.

I'm sure someone with no limbs could probably put a capo on a guitar with their mouth, one of those ones thats basically just a strap you tighten, and drop objects that they've picked up with their mouth on to the guitar. Get a live looping pedal (which I guess you'd bump with your hip, if you still have a hip, maybe your shoulder), record one drop, reset the capo to a different place, drop something else on it, record that, and keep going until you've created the greatest live looped noise that has ever been made.

That is a brilliant idea. I may have to play with that one...

i know about three guitar chords, have a horrible voice, and no recording/producing experience but i still manage to participate. if i can do it anyone can. get out of the lyric mart, ramble something into a digital recorder, and submit it. you might just surprise yourself.

An a capella submission? Well, in my case there is a high chance it would violate what I generally consider good music, but if I'm going to do that anyway...

Hmm... I have tonight to do it... will that be enough? Perhaps I'll give it a go.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Hmm... I have tonight to do it... will that be enough? Perhaps I'll give it a go.

Don't think. Don't stop. Don't analyze or obsess (at least, not until after you submit the song!). Work in bite-sized chunks, if laying it down in a single take is killing your momentum.

Save often.

Race you to the deadline, yo.

[The Weakest Suit]

there was an a capella submission in the "clause 5, sub-paragraph d)" fight (my first fight), and that's one of the one's that sticks in my head from time to time.
if you're interested in it, here it is:
http://www.songfight.org/music/clause_5 ... _cfspd.mp3
i was still very new at the time, so maybe someone can tell me if this was a joke by a regular songfighter, a new fighter who never entered again, or something else entirely.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Okay, I'm in. Written & recorded & submitted today. Vocals by my cat. You can do better than that, surely...

Go man, go!!!

[mrbeany]

Okay, I'm in. Written & recorded & submitted today. Vocals by my cat. You can do better than that, surely...

Go man, go!!!

The only way my submission works at all is due to the topic at hand. It you take it in a 0.5 million nerd context then... wait, then it is still bad.

But I do have a submission. I'm just double-checking the submission guidelines before I send it in.

Oh, it is bad. But at least it is short.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Go man, go!!!

[mrbeany]

there was an a capella submission in the "clause 5, sub-paragraph d)" fight (my first fight), and that's one of the one's that sticks in my head from time to time.
if you're interested in it, here it is:
http://www.songfight.org/music/clause_5 ... _cfspd.mp3
i was still very new at the time, so maybe someone can tell me if this was a joke by a regular songfighter, a new fighter who never entered again, or something else entirely.

You know, I really like some of the Clause 5 songs... but this one in particular just wasn't one of them.

But now I have another challenge, in addition to making a song where Rone doesn't wipe the floor with me, I now want to make a song that sticks in the head of the Weakest Suit.

If that song can do the later, then maybe, just maybe I may have a chance at it, too. And maybe I can actually manage it even if Rone crushes me in the fight.

... but it definitely won't be this week. This week I have no tune.

[The Weakest Suit]

You know, I really like some of the Clause 5 songs... but this one in particular just wasn't one of them.

there were a lot of great Clause 5 songs. my favorite fight, though, is King Me. that's the one i download every once in a while to hear again. it was the first fight i listened to, and it's pretty consistanly great. i wish i would have entered the King Me and Ten Lies fights.

i'm looking forward to your entry.

[rone rivendale]

Sorry to dissapoint you Beany, but I'm not in for this one.

[mrbeany]

Sorry to dissapoint you Beany, but I'm not in for this one.

Don't worry. You'll get your chance to crush me next time!