This week it took ten takes. Take three was pretty decent and I didn't make any mistakes, but I'm still not totally fluid with the transitions into B-minor chord, so there were all these pauses while I shifted my fingers and that didn't make me happy. I solved the problem by switching to playing D in all the placed I'd previously played B-m, and the pauses were gone. The song no longer has quite the same sound as it did originally, but it still works.
So then once I was used to playing D, I kept futzing around with light sources (apparently I care about that kind of thing now?) and kept getting the words and/or chords wrong, so it took a few more takes. I figure that I should keep all my aborted attempts and at the end of this project, string them together into a blooper reel. (I suspect is will consist mostly of me yelling "FUCK" and/or flailing wildly upon the strings and/or gazing into the camera with wide eyes and a manic grin as I get ready for yet another take.)
ANYWAY. The song. In my last post I mentioned that this one is about current events...and whaddaya know, they're the same current events that I spent most of aforementioned previous post pondering. I began writing this song when Clarence Clemons first had his stroke, when I was feeling all wibbly and oh-god-he-has-to-get-better. Such was my conviction that his recovery was imminent, that the initial version of the song had a decidedly more hopeful tone. (It also contained a Doctor Who reference. Make of that what you will. I removed it.) Then Mr. Clemons died, and some of the stuff I'd written in the song didn't really make sense anymore.
But I've noticed that I'm basically incapable to writing a truly depressing and hopeless song, so it does look up a bit in the end. (The title reflects this.)
And there you have it. Next week: ????
In other musical news, guess what, I won a ticket to see Amanda Palmer at a super-secret, exclusive, invite-only show new Boston THIS SATURDAY!! I KNOW RIGHT HOW AWESOME IS THAT. Too bad I can't go because my boss won't let me leave work early!
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| Amanda Fucking Palmer disapproves of your shenanigans. |
So I will probably Make The Adult Decision and earn karma points by forfeiting my ticket to let someone else have an amazing time at the amazing concert.
Actually, next week's song may very well be about that.
What are you, new? Go to the first post to learn what this blog is all about!
Actually, next week's song may very well be about that.
What are you, new? Go to the first post to learn what this blog is all about!
Wow! Great song, wonderful imagery!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for your first record!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the laundry hamper in the background-- it's like you're a real person behind the rockstar persona. Rock!
I get the impression your blooper reel will look like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xzWbRwOio
ReplyDeleteOr it will look like all my attempts at recording music ever. Seriously, how did you do that first one in two takes?
But I like this song. Its powerful.
My blooper reel will look nothing like that!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think the first one took two takes because I wrote the song a couple months ago (I just used it as the first song to start myself off and set an official deadline) so I was really used to playing it, whereas I'd been playing this most recent song for...less than a week.
Another awesome song. You are a poet, and I wish we'd worked together on musical things back in school. . .
ReplyDeleteOn that note, would you like to collaborate on something? I think it could be super cool! I was thinking that we'd each write some lyrics, trade them, write melodies etc, and record & post videos. Does that sound good?