Song215_Vanilla Camel

Today's song is the final song of January 2010, and this ends the FREE month of music (for those on the Mailing List). Next month starts my 8th consecutive month of recording.

I wanted today's song to be an upbeat instrumental...something I can listen to while I run or ride. I adjusted, edited and arranged 3-4 keyboard sequences, and then I added 3 sets of drums. The bass guitar and electric guitar are the only other instruments in this song. Pretty simple, but also moody and driving. Mission accomplished.

Last night I dreamt of lyrics for a new song. I kept waking up with new ideas...2-3 lines each time. I'm starting to sleep like a songwriter.

-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song214_First Day As A Grown-Up

Today's song happened quickly. I sat down to write/record around noon, and I had all of the music completed by 1500. I knew that I wanted an upbeat song today, so I started the session with the 'click' set to 140, a strong kick drum, and an electric guitar (strumming). Once I recorded the main guitar I edited a rough layout of the entire song. This made it easier to add bass guitar, solo guitars, and a section of brass (2-3 tracks of trumpets and trombones). I took a break to enjoy a long painful run, then I went to a birthday party (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLAYKE AND HANNAH!). We got home around 2000, but I rested for about an hour. Anyway, I hadn't written any lyrics or melodies for this song yet, but I had a theme/title. I worked on a few different ideas for almost an hour, but I wasn't happy with the lyrics or the melody. The midnight deadline was getting closer. I almost re-arranged the song to be an instrumental, but it all came together (quickly) around 2310. Another day complete.

LYRICS: "There's no better way than to start with a party. Like your Debutante's Ball...a 'Southern girl's Bat Mitzvah.' We bought you ponies and puppies, and told you that you look old now. Girl, you're holding my heart, so hold onto my hand. It's your first day as a grown-up, and it's safe to say that you're old enough. Maybe one day you'll want to be young again, but life's kind of like that. There's no better crowd than clowns, family, and friends. And they all had a ball at your 'Southern girl's Bat Mitzvah.' Your face is glowing, and you don't want it to end. Girl, you're holding my heart, so hold onto my hand. It's your first day as a grown-up, and it's safe to say that you're old enough. Maybe one day you'll want to be young again, but life's kind of like that."

-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song213_Running In My Sleep

I wrote this song earlier today on the electric guitar (using a new GR3 preset that I like). I recorded the main electric guitar, then the bass guitar, then the drums...then I realized that the main guitar was out-of-tune. I suspected that was the case when it was recorded to the 'click,' but it wasn't noticeable until the other instruments were added. Fortunately, it wasn't much of an inconvenience to re-record that track, but it was a good reminder to do it right the first time. There are two main sections in this song...one is syncopated (with singing), and a 'book-ended' section that is louder, more aggressive, and has more instruments. The lyrics were crafted during a break and recorded in 2-3 takes. Yes, I do run in my sleep (which is better than dreaming that I have insomnia).

LYRICS: "I ran in my sleep last night on empty streets...a human tumbleweed. Woke up tired, knotted, and kinked...like a human tumbleweed."

-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song212_Living In The Future

I wrote this song on the piano, added bass guitar, then added drums. The synth/sequenced keyboards give this song it's atmosphere since there are no guitars in today's song. I liked this song better before adding vocals, but it didn't seem right without any singing. I wrote the lyrics in 20-30 minutes...probably need to devote more time to the lyrical messages. Creating and layering music seems much easier than creating meaningful lyrics/vocals on a daily basis. It's not just about having something to say (which is the starting point). It's also about: choosing the right words, choosing the right phrasing, melody, harmony, timing... I understand why most bands take a year to create each album (10-12 songs). I sometimes think "A New Song Every Month" would've been a smarter idea than "A New Song Every Day," but there's no turning back now.

LYRICS: "It's nearly midnight, the last day of '09, the scene of the crime, the time of your life. 2010...living in the future. Tenacious and spry, always a party inside, dreams take flight, say goodbye to '09. 2010...living in the future. A quarter to nine, half awake, half alive, really need it tonight, but luck doesn't take sides. 2010...living in the future."

-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song211_All or Nothing

This song begins a new album, Week31_Vanilla Camel. I decided to be a little less formulaic with the writing process this week...not focusing on genres, certain instruments, etc. Today's song is unique in that I wrote and recorded the main electric guitar picking before anything else. Most of it is repetitive, and I wasn't sure what chords would match-up with it...I just picked a melody that I liked. When I went back to add the strummed guitar (also electric) I found that the main chords were 'D' and 'Bm.' However, I arranged a much different progression on top of the picking part that gives the song an edge (D-Bm-C-Bm-Bm-A-D-C-Bm). I wrote some of these lyrics last night (and completed them during the recording process), but I had to rearrange syllables 5-6 times to make it work with the odd timing of the song.

LYRICS: "Time may be everything. God and king. Maybe just nothing at all. An illusion that's supported by the clocks on the wall. It's all or nothing, my friend. And we're here until the end. Heroes are human at best, so careful who you love. Even the pope has sinned, though somewhat of a saint when he's compared to most. It's all or nothing, my friend. And we're here until the end."

PS: Every song this week will have something to do with "time." I just decided that tomorrow's song will be called "First Day As a Grown-Up."

-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song210_Beyond Abort

I didn't have much of a plan today, but I was very diligent for 6 straight hours. I think this song is my favorite for the week. By the way, this song completes a new album, Week30_T Minus 3.

I started today's song by strumming chords on the electric guitar. I found a tempo that I liked, and a few progressions...nothing too complicated...made sure to include a minor chord in the 'chorus' section. I recorded the rest of this song in a predictable manor...drums, bass guitar, solo guitars, synth, tambourine, and cymbals. I wrote the lyrics while eating turkey, sang the main part a few times, and then I went back and added the harmony part (which happened in one take).

LYRICS: "The countdown has ended. The clock is now running. Too late to stop...hold on and move forward. We're beyond 'abort.' Let's go full-throttle. The crowd is all cheering. They're taking our photos. Too late to stop...hold on and move forward. We're beyond 'abort.' Let's go full-throttle."

PS: My wife bought me an early anniversary gift...a banjo instruction book!

-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com

Song209_All Systems 'Go'

Today's song was written on the acoustic guitar (with a capo on fret 4). I like this arrangement of chords, and the slow tempo adds to the off-camber drone. The electric guitar (HEAVY with reverb and delay) is great filling, but I also added a light string section to certain parts. The 'transition' sections were added later in the song, but they became the only singing sections.

LYRICS: "

The newest album, Week30_T Minus 3, will be available for sale tomorrow at www.anewsongeveryday.com.

-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com