Today's song begins a new album, Week42_Common Denominators. In some ways, this week will be a continuation of last week's style. However, I am altering a few things such as: guitar settings, types of percussion, adding more e-bow guitars, more synth sounds, and smoother (more cohesive) transitions than last week. This song is a pretty good example. Hopefully I can continue this theme without being repetitious. The lyrics today are slightly goofy, but they're fitting. After I had recorded 97% of the instruments I sat down with a blank sheet of paper, and 20-minutes later this is what I had.
LYRICS: "We all wait in lines and struggle with traffic and loneliness. We all want more time, money, freedom, and happiness. We're so much the same. A little like distant relatives. Take it day by day. We're all strange. Normal's relative."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Song287_Pulling Stranger's Teeth
Today's song completes another album! The newest album, Week41_Pulling Stranger's Teeth, is now available at http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/ for only $5. Or, you can join the Mailing List and every song in April is FREE.
I kept today's song simple...purposefully. I wanted to see how much noise I could make as a 4-piece band, but then I added a few extras at the last minute (it's only about 10 tracks...including 4 separate vocal tracks). I'm happy with the outcome...fast, full, rhythmic, and melodic. The lyrics were intended to be about groups of humans with a common cause (i.e. a "higher purpose") that let smaller issues distract them from the larger goals.
LYRICS: "Time has come to measure up. Shave your head, join the line-up. I try to love you, but it's just like pulling teeth. We act like strangers even though we're family. We're both at fault here. (There's) Lots of noise, finger-pointing, silent treatments, and hesitance towards reuniting. Something's lost when we misfire. Let's try again. There's no 'last try.' I try to love you, but it's just like pulling teeth. We act like strangers even though we're family. We're both at fault here. (There's) Lots of noise, finger-pointing, silent treatments, and hesitance towards reuniting."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
I kept today's song simple...purposefully. I wanted to see how much noise I could make as a 4-piece band, but then I added a few extras at the last minute (it's only about 10 tracks...including 4 separate vocal tracks). I'm happy with the outcome...fast, full, rhythmic, and melodic. The lyrics were intended to be about groups of humans with a common cause (i.e. a "higher purpose") that let smaller issues distract them from the larger goals.
LYRICS: "Time has come to measure up. Shave your head, join the line-up. I try to love you, but it's just like pulling teeth. We act like strangers even though we're family. We're both at fault here. (There's) Lots of noise, finger-pointing, silent treatments, and hesitance towards reuniting. Something's lost when we misfire. Let's try again. There's no 'last try.' I try to love you, but it's just like pulling teeth. We act like strangers even though we're family. We're both at fault here. (There's) Lots of noise, finger-pointing, silent treatments, and hesitance towards reuniting."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Monday, April 12, 2010
Song286_Tongue-Tied
I got to play 9 holes of golf early this morning. I had great company and great weather, so it didn't matter that I can't play. I came back and worked on a Freehand project, then I started working on today's song around 1500. That's later than usual, but nothing compared to yesterday (in which the bulk of the song was recorded between 2200 and 2350!).
I wrote the initial chord progression for today's song on the electric guitar (Verse=G-D-C-D, Transition=Bm-E...C-D, Chorus=G-A-Em...C-Em-D). Next, I added drums, then bass guitar, and then acoustic guitar. Then, I created two synth sequences to accompany the 'Verse' and 'Chorus' sections. The song had a full sound at this point, so I decided to complete the vocals before adding any other instruments. The lyrical message today deals with those select people in your life that truly keep you grounded, and the difficulty (at times) with finding the right words or actions to equal the thankfulness you have for them.
I completed this one around 2100, but I had taken an hour break to work on lyric/melody ideas and an hour for dinner (so around 5 hours to write and record this one?). Tomorrow's song will be the final song on the next album (Week41_Pulling Stranger's Teeth). I'll be working on album design ideas until I fall asleep.
LYRICS: "In some lights you can't hide. We all get tongue-tied. Sometimes tongue-tied. I can't lie. I need you tonight. I've been lost and alone, and your love brings me back home...back on my way. Stretched thin, you need a 'win.' But we all get tongue-tied. Sometimes tongue-tied. I can't lie. I need you tonight. I've been lost and alone, and your love brings me back home...back on my way."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
I wrote the initial chord progression for today's song on the electric guitar (Verse=G-D-C-D, Transition=Bm-E...C-D, Chorus=G-A-Em...C-Em-D). Next, I added drums, then bass guitar, and then acoustic guitar. Then, I created two synth sequences to accompany the 'Verse' and 'Chorus' sections. The song had a full sound at this point, so I decided to complete the vocals before adding any other instruments. The lyrical message today deals with those select people in your life that truly keep you grounded, and the difficulty (at times) with finding the right words or actions to equal the thankfulness you have for them.
I completed this one around 2100, but I had taken an hour break to work on lyric/melody ideas and an hour for dinner (so around 5 hours to write and record this one?). Tomorrow's song will be the final song on the next album (Week41_Pulling Stranger's Teeth). I'll be working on album design ideas until I fall asleep.
LYRICS: "In some lights you can't hide. We all get tongue-tied. Sometimes tongue-tied. I can't lie. I need you tonight. I've been lost and alone, and your love brings me back home...back on my way. Stretched thin, you need a 'win.' But we all get tongue-tied. Sometimes tongue-tied. I can't lie. I need you tonight. I've been lost and alone, and your love brings me back home...back on my way."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Song285_Cyberville
I barely completed today's song before midnight! I started writing lyrics around 2300, and I completed the final mix at 2350! That means it's time to start writing a new song!
The lyrics today (which were intended to be sarcastic and humorous) are about "Cyber Sociology." I don't know if that term exists, but I think you know what I mean. "Social networking" has been around for ages, but human interaction online is still fairly new and has its own unique set of social challenges, rewards, and consequences. Technology has given us knew ways to communicate, and it has its obvious benefits. However, it has also revealed new problems such as: Internet addiction (the US now has in-patient facilities that cater to this problem) and legal issues (note the recent case in which a son is suing his mother for altering his Facebook profile). Also, it currently seems like most people are in a (secret?) competition to be the wittiest human ever. Clever is the new normal, right? Then there are those that post factual information in 'tweet' form such as, "TGIF...I'm glad today is Friday!" Or, "I'm at the park, going to eat lunch after, then going to store." What inspires someone to log into an online account and share that kind of information with large audiences? I'm being purposefully sarcastic, of course, because the irony is that I participate in this madness (to a certain extent). Every day after completing a new song I add to this online journal and send a tweet. And, although I tell myself it's for documentation/posterity, I could just as easily be keeping an off-line journal. I understand that everyone thinks they're interesting, and that's okay. But I also think it's healthy to realize that far more people write about themselves that read about others.
LYRICS: "Online with the masses 27/7. My online followers and friends, waiting for wisdom, let's meet again. Everybody wants to hear what I say. They haven't said so, but I know that they want to. Everybody wants my thoughts on today, but they haven't said so 'cause they're busy doing the same thing. The safety and comfort of a password 24/7. The Home page makes me feel at home more than my home does, so let's meet again. Everybody wants to hear what I say. They haven't said so, but I know that they want to. Everybody wants my thoughts on today, but they haven't said so 'cause they're busy doing the same thing."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
The lyrics today (which were intended to be sarcastic and humorous) are about "Cyber Sociology." I don't know if that term exists, but I think you know what I mean. "Social networking" has been around for ages, but human interaction online is still fairly new and has its own unique set of social challenges, rewards, and consequences. Technology has given us knew ways to communicate, and it has its obvious benefits. However, it has also revealed new problems such as: Internet addiction (the US now has in-patient facilities that cater to this problem) and legal issues (note the recent case in which a son is suing his mother for altering his Facebook profile). Also, it currently seems like most people are in a (secret?) competition to be the wittiest human ever. Clever is the new normal, right? Then there are those that post factual information in 'tweet' form such as, "TGIF...I'm glad today is Friday!" Or, "I'm at the park, going to eat lunch after, then going to store." What inspires someone to log into an online account and share that kind of information with large audiences? I'm being purposefully sarcastic, of course, because the irony is that I participate in this madness (to a certain extent). Every day after completing a new song I add to this online journal and send a tweet. And, although I tell myself it's for documentation/posterity, I could just as easily be keeping an off-line journal. I understand that everyone thinks they're interesting, and that's okay. But I also think it's healthy to realize that far more people write about themselves that read about others.
LYRICS: "Online with the masses 27/7. My online followers and friends, waiting for wisdom, let's meet again. Everybody wants to hear what I say. They haven't said so, but I know that they want to. Everybody wants my thoughts on today, but they haven't said so 'cause they're busy doing the same thing. The safety and comfort of a password 24/7. The Home page makes me feel at home more than my home does, so let's meet again. Everybody wants to hear what I say. They haven't said so, but I know that they want to. Everybody wants my thoughts on today, but they haven't said so 'cause they're busy doing the same thing."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Song284_Transformer
Today's song is an instrumental that evolves as it goes...never returning to previous sections. There are 4 main progressions that somehow or another slur into one another (sometimes abruptly, sometimes eloquently). I wrote the foundational chord progressions on the electric guitar, then I added drums and bass guitar. Next, I added 4-6 synth sounds in various sections. There are also 2 e-bow guitars and 2 picking electric guitars (added last).
More tomorrow...
-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
More tomorrow...
-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Friday, April 9, 2010
Song283_Captive
Today's song is an instrumental, and it came together quickly. I didn't have any specific ideas before starting this session, but I found the initial part by experimenting on the electric guitar (the guitar that picks 3-note patterns throughout the song). The chord progressions are simple, but they fit together well (Verse=C-Am-Em, Transition=D, Chorus=C-D-G). Next, I wrote and recorded the bass guitar, drums, and distorted guitar. These tracks were completed, edited, and mixed in about 2 hours. Additionally, I added 2 other electric guitars (picking solo notes) as well as 4 individual synth parts (about 10 tracks total). I tried out a few vocal melodies, but I liked this one better without singing.
I hope you enjoy today's song. Join the Mailing List and you'll get a FREE new song every day in April.
I always appreciate comments, questions, suggestions... matthew@anewsongeveryday.com.
-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
I hope you enjoy today's song. Join the Mailing List and you'll get a FREE new song every day in April.
I always appreciate comments, questions, suggestions... matthew@anewsongeveryday.com.
-Matthew
www.anewsongeveryday.com
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Song282_Storm the Gates
Today's song was also written on the electric guitar. I chose 4 sets of chord progressions (Intro/Chorus=E-Em-D-Dm-A-A#-E, Verse=E-B-A-B, Transition=A-E-B, Ending=D-G), and a few of the chords were played using non-standard formations. This song could've worked as a 4-piece song, but it layered well...about 18 tracks total. I am enjoying this style of writing, and I like the new guitar sounds for this week.
The lyrics today are about people overthrowing governments. This actually happened yesterday (on the other side of the world)...though this song is not about that particular situation.
LYRICS: "All these fences must come down now. No more order, we want out now. You gambled to get it. Now this is your time. But what will you do when it becomes you on the run? Sometimes patience doesn't fix 'now.' You gambled to get it. Now this is your time. But what will you do when it becomes you on the run? A pinch of salt, a stitch in time. Storm the gates, what's left is mine. A carrot stick, a children's rhyme. An overthrow will undermine."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
The lyrics today are about people overthrowing governments. This actually happened yesterday (on the other side of the world)...though this song is not about that particular situation.
LYRICS: "All these fences must come down now. No more order, we want out now. You gambled to get it. Now this is your time. But what will you do when it becomes you on the run? Sometimes patience doesn't fix 'now.' You gambled to get it. Now this is your time. But what will you do when it becomes you on the run? A pinch of salt, a stitch in time. Storm the gates, what's left is mine. A carrot stick, a children's rhyme. An overthrow will undermine."
-Matthew
http://www.anewsongeveryday.com/
matthew@anewsongeveryday.com
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