Evolution of a song

[jaymz]

I wanted to use this thread to track the progress of a song i am working on. It's a simple song.. I thought I would start with the idea I recorded on my iphone first.. which then led to a rough draft. If you want to follow along with me while I write, record, mix and master (collectively known as producing) this song, feel free to join in with commentary. If it lets me, I'll continue to update this post with the links as the song develops.

To start with, i was listening to conservative talk radio, which just happened to be on, wasn't a conscience thing. This melody entered my head.. so i grabbed my phone and started working it out. I had the rhythm first.. then a melody over the rhythm, then some slight verse ideas, then the chorus..

You'll have to excuse my offkeyness.. this is raw...

SongNotes.mp3

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In rare form, I was able to immediately go home and open up my voice memo.. i grabbed a guitar and started writing the bed of the song. Once I had the acoustic done I put down a simple drum track, just to keep me moving. Once that was done I added my melodies and heavier guitars. I then added a small piano melody in the beginning to remind my roughly of what the chorus melody would be. Lastly I recorded bass guitar and a little piano.

This is unmixed and no DAW effects or EQ have been added yet (other than the filter on the intro).

newsong_54-snip.mp3

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Obviously it isn't done.. My next steps will be to finish the second verse, chorus add a bridge and outro.

Also after listening I would like to change some of the melodies up a little more, I am hearing different things in my head.

Last will be vocals, mixing, mastering, etc.

Ill continue to post links as I record them.

--Update

Here are some tenative lyrics I am working out. Everything in red is unknown or filler lyrics.

Newsong54.doc

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[Krispy]

Heh, I'm glad not to be the only one who talks to themself.

My ideas mostly start with a bit of lyric and its melody, so it's interesting to hear how you apply your musical ingredients in layers. Must be nice to have 'tools' - as in the ability to pick up an instrument and make it obey the voices in your head. And lyrics coming last to reflect the music - who knew?

Like has been said many times before, sometimes it’s hard to believe you're not a little famous and just a hobbyist. . Probably it's because you hang around with losers like us.

[jaymz]

Don't think the forum is going to allow me to continue editing my original post, which is a bummer.

Here is this mornings musing - embarrassing to show you all this stuff especially when my voice is so terrible in the am.

12_1_2010 7_36 AM.mp3

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[jaymz]

Here is some video footage of recording the intro. Don't ask me why my iPhone recorded everything sideways. I wish youtube would allow you to rotate.

http://youtu.be/L6aSPSiGXbQ?hd=1

[Krispy]

[steban]

[jaymz]

[jaymz]

OK, a little more work today.

This appears to be a complete song as far as the music goes. Here are the changes:
* finished out the second verse, second chorus, bridge (lame lame bridge), end chorus
* reworked some of the drum parts, instead of a bed, there's some feel now.. might need some more drum love though.
* added some rhythmic pattern changes on the last chorus and in some of the prechoruses.
* re did the bass guitar, had to because of the new pattern changes
* re-recorded the acoustic
* added some falsetto vox and the ending chorus. Just to hear what it's going to sound like.
* redid the melodies, they are a little better now.

So far the only effects are on the vocals (EQ, compression, had to do this other wise I couldn't hear what I was singing), one of the lead guitars, and the intro. No mixing/EQ/etc on the rest yet.. that's next. Also need to fialize some lyrics.. what I have no is just filler. I have no idea what the song is about.. goat masturbation potentially.

newsong 54_b1.mp3

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[Krispy]

[jaymz]

[cjdenecia]

I'd go with the chris K goat if I were you, it's much more "suited" ...

anyway, this is way incredibly excellent jaymz - for what it is. which is the same song you've done now about a billion times,with slightly different chords. I mean, it's great ... you have it down for sure. but is the style 5 minutes ago? which is too close to now yesterday to be cool like something retro done modernized. or something entirely different.

it's almost like now you've got a formula and you don't wanna break from it ....

[zxyz]

I like it! Most excellent, Dude! You gotta lotta talent and style. Impressive!
(and I don't give away false praise-- especially on this forum) ..
And thanx for sharing your progress notes. It's interesting how much we musicians have in common .. ..Unreal ..

[jaymz]

OK here is version 1 of the full song. I went ahead and flushed out vocals for most of it. being I'll find another singer for this song, I didn't concentrate hard on the performance.. Just wanted to get some of the points across.

I started this mix and this one is pretty bad. In the end I'll give it to the guy that does my stuff, but I enjoy playing with it in the meantime. I need to adjust the following

1. Drums need a lot of work. Snare pops too much, all drums need to sit in the mix more
2. Good god, can someone please shelve the cymbals and the rest of the frequencies above 8khz.
3. My voice sucks.. no EQ will fix it.
4. Bass guitar needs some definition
5. I am pretty sure I just need to re-record one of the minorly clean guitars, in the prechorus it sounds like Alfred the wanna be guitar player came in for a session.
6. That solo and bridge need to be pro.. not amateur.. it sounds armature.. fix.

newsong 54_v1_vox.mp3

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[Krispy]

[zxyz]