Where did your name come from?
Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category
My family has been asking that question for decades!
Posted: August 24, 2023 in My TunesTags: dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2037
3
The Wrong Thing
Posted: August 11, 2023 in #poetry, My TunesTags: #lyrics, #michaelskennedy, #midimike, #midimike.com, #mistakes, #music, #musician, #personal, #poetry, #singersongwriter, #songwriter
Maybe I’ve been lookin’ for the wrong thing.
Searching for the perfect harmony,
When I can’t even sing.
Maybe I am way out of my depth.
Thinking; just another minute
Right when I lose my breath.
I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
Listened to the righteous, but above all
Followed those thought of as weak or small.
Independent, courageous and defiant;
Yet I can’t seem to help myself.
Beat the dumbest giant.
So sure of myself all those years ago.
Put everyone that I love on hold.
Places I’ll never go.
I can solve everyone else’s problem.
Yet can’t even see my own.
The Wrong Thing lives again.
I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
The Wrong Thing lives again.
The Wrong Thing lives within.
In the early days I worked at a musical instrument store. This was when MIDI keyboards were first introduced. I was a geek so programming and learning midi keyboards and interfaces was not difficult for me. That’s how I got the nickname MIDI Mike.
Posted: July 28, 2023 in My TunesTags: dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2010
What’s the story behind your nickname?
What would you change about modern society?
Take Away One Lyrics and Music
Posted: July 21, 2023 in #poetry, MUSIC, Music Theory, My TunesTags: #korgnautilus, #lyrics, #math, #mathematics, #michaelskennedy, #midimike, #midimike.com, #music theory, #musician, #musicismath, #poetry, #Presonus, #recording, #recordingstudio, #singer, #singersongwriter, #songwriter, #studioengineer, #studioOne
I wrote lyrics for Take Away One based on the idea of removing a particular note from a 4-note-chord. This leaves you with a specific 3-note-chord. Hence the name of the song and also the foundation for the original poem. I had to add a verse to the poem converting them to lyrics because for a few weeks one band member or the other could’t make a scheduled music jam. Often three members would drop out one by one leaving me as the only bandmate that made it for the jam! Sometimes we travel and jam in person, but more often we use a program for on-line musicians and connect from our homes. That is how we survived the Covid-19 lock-down.
You will notice the difference right away. This is another example of a song that came together really fast because it was based on a mathematical theme or idea. The chord pairs were based on the idea above, but the progression was completely random. The arrangement was pretty basic so it wrote itself. Once I had the title it was easy to think of examples in life where things get taken away. You’re probably doing it right now.
If you get writers block, try starting from a different point. I’ve never had writers block in my 50 years of writing and recording songs, so maybe I’m on to something.
I had fun with the ending and the arrangement has a few twists as usual. Enjoy Take Away One.
Reading a great book will do it every time.
Posted: July 19, 2023 in My TunesTags: dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2001
Which activities make you lose track of time?
Music for “Take Away One”
Posted: July 14, 2023 in Music Theory, My TunesTags: #korgnautilus, #lyrics, #michaelskennedy, #Midi, #midimike, #midimike.com, #music, #music theory, #musician, #musicismath, #musictheory, #poetry, #recording, #singersongwriter, #songwriter, #songwriting, #studio, #studioOne
I posted a poem called “Take Away One” recently. I knew this one was a song in the making so I started working on writing music around the theme. I tell my friends that I ‘feel’ music theory more than I know or understand it. Sometimes I look at the patterns and rhythms, often I get fascinated by melodies that twist within the chords. Often I get distracted by simple mathmetical relationships in music – ’cause that’s what it is.
There are many tonal relationships between chords in any arrangement. For background, two notes played simultaneously is an interval. With three or more individual notes you can form a chord. The more notes within the chord the greater the potential for complex tones. Some combinations sound calm, delightful and inspiring. Other combinations are uncomfortable or have a lot of dissonence. Some are downright ugly by themselves if truth be told.
Not to get too deep here, because I can’t swim in these waters, but the arrangement uses the relationship when you have a 4 note chord (of any root note you prefer). Start with a G Major 7th chord as my example. It consistes of 4 individual notes: G (the root here by definition of the chord name), B, D and F#.
If you Take Away One – the G in this example as root note of the chord – you have a 3 note chord called B Minor. The arrangement consists of alternating between pairs of Major 7th chords and their relative minor 2nd chord. (or is it its 2nd relative minor?). Then I pick another random pair of Major 7th/2nd Minor chords and continue. Hence the name of the song.
I am working on the melody line and recording the vocals but here is the instrumental version of “Take Away One“.
Take Away One
Posted: June 30, 2023 in #poetry, My TunesTags: #lyrics, #michaelskennedy, #midimike, #midimike.com, #musician, #personal, #poetry, #songwriter
Take Away One
The song has already begun.
Look at the possibilities
And Take Away One
Take Away One
Makes it more difficult to run.
Everything used to be a breeze
‘til you Take Away One
Take Away One
It’s now someone else’s problem.
All dressed up and eager to explain
Then they Take Away One
Take Away One
Not enough shade from the sun.
Finally only one will remain
Until they Take Away One
Take Away One
Take One Away.
Soon they take another one away.
Take Away One
Take One Away
Now there’s no more to take away.
When I Dance
Posted: June 2, 2023 in My Tunes, PoetryTags: #dancing, #eternaloptimist, #michaelskennedy, #midimike, #midimike.com, #musician, #personal, #poetry, #songwriter
Destined to walk in a city
That does not care or love.
My hope drains as I go
But, eventually……
With an uncontrollable urge to laugh
I can’t help but dance.
Look around: they’re just friendly faces
The feeling of romance.
Working endless hours is no way
No pay, no praise, no life.
Needing what I can’t afford
Goals are for another day.
You don’t have to know why
Simply let it move you.
The energy is powerful
Rising up from the groove.
With an uncontrollable urge to laugh
I just can’t help but dance.
Look around they’re just friendly faces
The feeling of romance.
You don’t have to know why
Simply feel how it moves you.
The energy becomes powerful
Rising up within the groove.
Destined to walk in a city
That does not care or love.
My hope drains as I go
But, eventually……
With an uncontrollable urge to laugh
I can’t help but dance.
Look around: they’re just friendly faces
The feeling of romance.
MidiMike 