My Tunes | MidiMike

Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

“Bookin’ Inst” Made to Order

Posted: June 30, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #blog, #computer, #conversation, #creative, #creativity, #digital, #guitar, #inspiration, #keyboard, #life, #media, #music, #musician, #people, #performance, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #recording, #song, #songwriter, #story, #studio, #studioengineer, #tech, #work, #writing

MSK Studio

Part of the challenge in writing songs is how difficult it might be to convey a particular feeling or message to studio musicians. All players should be heading in the same direction, playing the same tune, moving at the same tempo and so on. Creating soundscapes must be a lot like painting. Drawing the lines and forms are one thing, but which color is best? There are so many available yet each one conveys a unique mood or feeling. Sounds can be like that. We asked a guitar player/friend of ours to come up with guitar tracks for a project I was working on. This was for a cable TV project looking for sound tracks for an automotive enthusiast series. We wanted to give the guitar parts a bit of mood setting so we asked him to create tracks that would generate the feeling of …

an engine or racing car, crunchy, powerful

drive – movement – acceleration, fast, fluid

Using basically no more than the above “instructions” he gathered toys and used the word imagery to shape the sound and the playing style for these tracks. We used the same list to come up with the basic tracks for the song. This song is an adaptation of a song I wrote a long time ago and we called it The Big D Jam. I originally composed this song using the Arp Odyssey synthesizer. I programmed a pretty cool sounding bass patch and came up with the bass line and skeleton of the song. This song in its original version was performed when I was with The Personal Touch years ago. If it was a rockin’ crowd we would let Ric Ahlers jam a bit on the solo parts. I put some simple lyrics to it and it was a really fun song to play out.  Recently I pulled it out of the song closet and re-wrote the chorus. I also used new software plug-ins from my computer for all the sounds. This was amazing for me because I have all this fancy gear with cool sounds and I am not using them at all. In this post, I wanted to give you an idea how the song progressed. The new sounds are just amazingly clear and natural. I will post in the near future the complete mix with vocals and effects. When the sounds and the performance match the request or target, the song seems like it was made to order.

“B4 We Fell in Love” Things Don’t Really Change

Posted: June 26, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #family, #guitar, #inspiration, #music, #musician, #opinion, #performance, #personal, #poetry, #question, #questions, #recording, #song, #songwriter, #studio, #studioengineer, #vocalist, #work, #writing

Some of you may notice right away that this song is a little different. The beat is not the same as many other songs. I enjoy playing in different time signatures. Not too weird, but I like different beats and even tempo changes if done right. This song is played in 3/4 time rather than the more traditional 4/4 time. It gives it more of a waltz kind of feel to the measures. This is a straight forward recording with me and my Ovation 12 string guitar. There is a hint of a long reverb.

Castles To me, this is a rather sad song. I have seen many relationships that should last forever crumble in front of me. People that were dedicated and adored each other turned to bitter enemies. Mutual friends and family stuck with unpleasant decisions. Broken hearts and lives. Sometimes there are innocent and guilty, but not as often as you would think. The rooms themselves seem to whisper a sad tale. Even the pictures are affected by the loneliness and help tell the tragic but all too familiar tale. Using common excuses as cliche’s the chorus sums it up fairly well while the verses bounce from past to present.

This is not about the relationships that start out with lies or Jekyll/Hyde waiting for you. This is more about someone wanting to mold you. Over powering or just with persistence. These extreme situations would quickly spin out of control. Some that begin with love turn vicious. And as a reminder these are people that professed they loved each other not long ago. I don’t know how that is possible, frankly. Best wishes to you if you have ever had to deal with this situation.

“Hearts Of Stone” Poem Set To Music

Posted: June 22, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #music, #musician, #personal, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #studio, #vocalist

I kept hearing a melody line while reading the poem “Hearts Of Stone” I posted earlier. It is a haunting melody in many ways. The music behind it is sparse and supports the vocals with open space and fluid timing. The music seems out of place at first as the lyrics are happy, hopeful and even loving. On the other side of the chorus the lyrics take a darker look at the conditions many people live with. The minor key and slow progression of the instruments come into play and help paint a portrait of dismal human experiences.

As with a number of my original recordings, I wish I could sing the piece with power and passion the way it needs to be sung to convey the ideas in my head, but this is probably the best I can do. Close your eyes and pretend your favorite vocalist is singing. That MIGHT help lol. Comments suggested a rock song for the lyrics and I agree. I am playing with the idea and may have another version in the future. For now, here is my eerie version of “Hearts Of Stone”.

Heart-of-Stone

The Wrong Reply: Another Tune from the Closet

Posted: June 18, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #computer, #conversation, #creativity, #family, #inspiration, #life, #media, #music, #notes, #people, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #tech, #truth, #work, #writing

I have been planning to pull out songs I wrote years ago that have never been recorded before (other than live jams in living room sessions…) and record them. I have been doing a bit of that lately and here is a song I posted the lyrics to earlier called “The Wrong Reply”

For a number of these songs it is difficult for me to imagine hearing the songs in any other way than with acoustic guitars and vocalists. I often think of harmonies, but adding instrumentation really opens up the choices of how the song is transformed. Many people are not aware that the popular Jimi Hendrix song, “All Along The Watch Tower”, was written by Bob Dylan! If you listen to both versions you can see how much the instrumentation and interpretation of the song can change it dramatically. There are many other examples, of course, but this is a good one as I appreciate both artists. This also demonstrates the power of doing a ‘cover tune’ someone else wrote, but that is a subject for a different article.

As with many of my recordings I play all the instruments – sometimes performing in the studio and sometimes using sounds stored on my computer. The drums are usually triggered sounds using MIDI controllers (like my keyboard or drum pads). Sometimes I will use drum loops that are pre-recorded drum patterns that you can pick and choose to match your song. My songs usually have a twist or odd groove to them and do not always lend themselves well to existing drum beats. I wanted something other than the standard drum kit sounds for this song and used other familiar percussion instruments. The bass guitar is recorded using the keyboard as MIDI triggers.

I made up the instrumental part as I forgot what I usually play there and may add a solo instrument of kind in the future.

Studio Ways

Posted: June 13, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #blog, #brother, #conversation, #creativity, #family, #friends, #inspiration, #life, #media, #music, #opinion, #people, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #stories, #tech, #truth, #writing

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I may have some free time for a little bit and I would like to catch up on a bunch of things that have been on the back-burner for a while. I also hope to pull up old band and other video projects and push them hard into the hi-def age. It will be a lot harder than it sounds as some of my media is very old tech. We shall see.

I also wanted to share with you some of the songs my older brother David did in a studio years ago. I was not involved in writing or recording these songs. My home studio was meager by today’s standards and I was only set up for one-man songwriting stuff. I was not able to record an entire band at one time back then.

My brother’s band was doing some original songs and jamming pretty often. Tom Collins and David had an inspired writing session for a couple of hours before practice. The band mates were so excited with the new material they made calls and booked time in a recording studio the next week!!##!!

I will detail the studio experience and give the band members and authors their due in future blogs. Here is a tune from the Studio Ways session that will kick things off well. “My Dog Loves You Too” is a heart-warming love song with a pleasant twist of humor. David was faced with a challenge to write a funny love song. His ex-wife Cynthia came up with a few guitar parts and the song writing took off! Like this one, all the songs were literally finished and arranged in the studio the day they were recorded. It gives a great live feel to the collection. Tom Collins wrote most of the music for this recording and my brother wrote the lyrics.

Please enjoy “My Dog Loves You Too”.

From the beginning

Posted: May 7, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #blog, #brother, #conversation, #creativity, #family, #friends, #inspiration, #life, #music, #people, #personal, #poetry, #thanks, #truth, #writing

Those that have visited my site from the beginning to those that have read my posts and comments over the years will know that I started a musical path early-on in my childhood. From my parents selecting musical instruments for Christmas and my birthdays to my older brother David writing poetry that I would turn into beat and melody (using whatever toys I had available at the time!).

As my interest in poetry grew I tried to soak up what he already knew. Younger, I did not have training, but I had a natural feel for timing/rhythm and melodies. I picked up theory, arrangement, recording techniques and a million other things from people way smarter than me in later years, but early it was just experimentation and the fun in creating.

We shared a lot, critiqued a lot, and bounced around things as they got better and better. Writing lyrics is funny. We use them to tell a story or create a mood. Vocals can put us in a trance or allow us to laugh ourselves silly. Lyrics by themselves they are often trite or ‘nothing, really’. But put them in front of the right music and performance and they can become life altering.

Over the years there were countless songs we co-authored in one way or the other. I often leaned on my strong points in the beginning and created the chord progression and melody, but David learned to play the guitar and we later played piano/keyboards. It is difficult if not Impossible to know what parts originated where. I stopped trying decades ago!

I have posted songs that we are particularly proud to have been even a small part in writing. (I think there might be one or two more I have not posted yet, I will have to check LOL). In the following weeks I would also like to post a number of songs my brother wrote and recorded years ago. He and a few friends went into a recording studio and laid down his new songs even as some were being finalized. As I did not record or perform in his “David K and Studio Way” session, it was great to hear this completed project for the first time.

Here are a few of the favorite songs I posted on this blog.

https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/205

https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/173

https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/116

https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/50

I will do a little research and post a few tunes from “David K and Studio Way”.

Just An Idea

Posted: March 16, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #inspiration, #life, #music, #personal, #poetry, #truth, #writing

It’s not so much the definitions,

Or the way things are said.

Some people come as missionaries,

While others won’t be led.

Every start has an ending

That goes on flawlessly

You know there’s nothing worth defending

If it won’t set you free.

It was Just An Idea

That stayed inside my head.

It was Just An Idea but it’s over now

But,

I know

It’s time to put away the toys,

If they’re no longer fun.

Most of it was pretty embarrassing

So I won’t tell anyone.

I was told when you put on the brakes

You gotta be wastin’ gas.

I’ve come around a lot of curves since then and

Some I took a little too fast.

It was Just An Idea

When streets are made of glass.

It was Just An Idea, I should have let it pass.

But,

I know how.

It was Just An Idea

That stayed inside my head.

Still making my ears ring.

Whose ending has begun.

Recovery Time

Posted: February 26, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #blog, #computer, #conversation, #creativity, #life, #media, #music, #people, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #tech, #work, #writing

Message_1519664996642

I guess my age and the labor-intensive job I have will collide more frequently than I would hope. The impact on my body is two-fold:

On one hand I maintain strength and flexibility.

On the other I stress muscles, tendons, bones and stamina beyond what is probably safe or healthy.

I am a dork. I like to work hard. Like walking slowly……. I can’t do it. It actually takes more effort for me to slow down and it feels awkward. I work the same way. If there is a deadline or clear goal I work harder.

Just over a week ago I went to an orthopedic doctor to perform bi-lateral carpal tunnel surgery. I could have done one hand at a time but each recovery would be about six weeks. Even if there was no time in-between – or they overlap a little, that is a long time. I don’t want to go back to work sooner, but I would like to start playing instruments and recording. If I do them both at the same time I will be ready to start working on getting my chops back up to speed sooner. If I am really lucky, there will be improvements in dexterity and endurance.

I still do things I can. I write poetry and lyrics. I look at their musical possibilities and as soon as a melody or chord progression forms I can’t let it go. I cannot play guitar or drums, and very little keyboards at this point, but I managed to put some drum loops down for my recent post: “Something To Say”. Without other instruments I wrote a melody from the drums and meter of the lyrics. Usually I would have instruments to sing against, so this is kind of working backwards from my usual creative flow. Maybe I will complete the song with other instruments. Maybe you will, and send them to me!

Lyrics to “Single Desire”

Posted: January 9, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #blog, #inspiration, #life, #lyrics, #music, #musician, #personal, #poetry, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #studio, #truth, #writing

“Single Desire” is one of my favorite original lyrics. I think a number of my songs get too “preachy” and sound like I know all the answers. I usually don’t know all the answers, but I sure have made a lot of mistakes to learn from. Single Desire takes another path. With fewer words than many of my songs it tries to paint images using sights from our normal day to day lives. I like using the sunset comparison as sunsets are one of the most beautiful things we get to enjoy on this planet. Yet in this analogy, they can be burned permanently into our hearts and minds. Sometimes the loss of beauty is the worst experience of all.

https://midimike.com/2017/12/06/single-desire/

“Single Desire” (C) MSK 1988

You left your mark upon me

Like sunsets on fire.

Plunged deep into the sea

With a Single Desire.

Always got what you wanted

Nothing worked more than your charm.

As the hunter you hunted

Without thinking of the harm.

I never let you down

“But did you really care?”

I never put you down

“You just tried to keep me there”.

Once I had to follow:

Now I walk away.

You left your mark upon me

Like sunsets on fire.

Plunged deep into the sea

With a Single Desire.

I never let you down

“But did you really care”.

I never put you down

“You just tried to keep me there”.

Truth is hard to swallow

My Single Desire

Once I had to follow.

Now I walk away.

“Single Desire”

Posted: December 6, 2017 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #creative, #digital, #guitar, #Midi, #music, #musician, #recording, #recordingstudio, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #story, #studio, #studioengineer, #vocalist

MSK Yellowstone

Photo by MSK Yosemite

Burning Impressions That Last Forever

“Single Desire” was written in a time when I must have had a lot to say. The year was 1988. Once love has grabbed you it can burn deep. No matter how you want things to turn out, sometimes you have no control on the direction they take. You find yourself helpless at the time and unable to avoid mistakes that seem obvious even to you. Single Desire tries to describe the condition when adoration is not reciprocal. When you are not loved in return. Only one thing matters and nothing you can do will make it happen.

When the other person learns that type of control is in their hands, they have power that can turn lovers insane. He/She can make the helpless romantic into a tool that can be discarded when no longer useful. There is no cost to them. Displays of charm and hints of affection can destroy all resistance and common sense in the admirer.

We need to wait until the fire burns out completely before we can stop following and finally walk away. The problem is there is usually very little left to walk away with.

I tried to give this song a full arrangement as powerful as the lyrics (or the idea behind them) felt to me. I knew I could not sing it the way it required so I called my good friend and band-mate Gary Jefferson as I have many times over the years to do the vocal tracks. My wife Ellen does the chorus ‘response’ vocal parts. I used my keyboards and MIDI tone generators to do all the instrumental tracks including the drums, strings, brass and bass guitar parts, and invited my buddy Shawn Anderson to come over and lay down the lead guitar tracks. Harlen Lee, another great friend of mine, came in and added additional guitar parts. I really like the bass guitar line, and think the strings add movement and dramatic accents to the song.

Please give “Single Desire” a few plays to let it sink in and I hope you enjoy.

MidiMike

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

Deep Inside

Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

“Bookin’ Inst” Made to Order

“B4 We Fell in Love” Things Don’t Really Change

“Hearts Of Stone” Poem Set To Music

The Wrong Reply: Another Tune from the Closet

Studio Ways

From the beginning

Just An Idea

Recovery Time

Lyrics to “Single Desire”

“Single Desire”

Archives

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

Deep Inside

Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

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