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Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

Lyrics to “Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes” – Per request

Posted: March 26, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #bass, #drums, #guitar, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #poetry, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #stage, #story, #studio, #TheWho

Well, I tripped,

I didn’t fall.

I looked up,

And I slipped down.

You look up and still don’t find the sky.

The last time.

Who’s there to damn them if they don’t try.

Their worst crime.

Well, they slipped up.

God one more time.

They got their money,

So they don’t mind.

You look around and wonder why,

Your friends die.

No one can blame you, I saw you try.

Ain’t your crime, ain’t your crime.

You wake up in the morning,

With red on your blue suede shoes.

They don’t give you no warning,

When it’s your time to lose.

You look up and wonder why.

Your friends die.

Who’s there to blame you cause you don’t try

Your worse crime.

You wake up in the morning,

With red on your blue suede shoes.

They don’t give you no warning,

When it’s your time to lose.

Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes

Posted: March 25, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #band, #Cincinnati, #demo, #digital, #dreams, #guitar, #keyboard, #Liveband, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #recordingstudio, #runningsound, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #speakers, #stage, #studio, #TheWho, #vocalist, #vocals

So many tragedies have happened and each gets buried under the other.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/perigee

I was walking downtown recently and took a picture of graffiti on the bridge going from Covington to Cincinnati and used this opportunity to look at the past and hope for the future. I know this is an old subject and many people have forgotten all about this and therefore some may think it unimportant. Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes is an up-tempo catchy rhythm but the lyrics are in stark contrast. The song is in honor of the innocent victims of bad decisions and prejudice. During earlier years, concert promoters tried to cash in on what they called ‘festival seating’ where they could remove chairs and pack in as many people into an area as they can – as long as they are all paying customers, that is. This by itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but it was combined with bad decision making, planning and execution. As the crowds in Cincinnati Ohio anxiously anticipated a great performance by The Who, the doors remained locked. The crowd now gaining mass and enthusiasm, wanted to make sure they got a good spot for the concert, and people started pushing toward the many closed doors before anyone was allowed to enter. Unbelievably, the venue only opened a few doors in each area and kept the others shut. Once this happened, everyone tried to rush into the few open doors so they could get to their spot.

Thousands of people squeezed and pushed those in front to try to get in. Not everyone was able to handle this crush. Some people fell down and literally got trampled to death by other fans. The Red on their Blue Suede Shoes came from walking over fellow human beings that are unable to maintain their balance. I am not sure if the song is mostly anger toward those who could do something like this or mostly hope that many did try to stop the dangerous mob to assist fallen fans. This song is dedicated to the Cincinnati 11, and the Who. I will never forget.

Chopper – An Instrumental Song

Posted: March 18, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes, technology
Tags: # mixer, #atari, #audio, #digital, #guitar, #keyboard, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #runningsound, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #speakers, #stage, #studio, #studioengineer, #synthesizer, #tech, #Yamaha

When I first went to a music store near my town to see if I could get a job, I naturally went to a store I shopped in a bunch of times. I was one of the first customers to purchase a new keyboard that was starting to break all the sales records at the time. It used FM (Frequency Modulation) to essentially create or ‘synthesize’ new sounds not possible before, ……… and …… you could play up to 16 notes AT ONE TIME!!! You take that for granted now but that was a thrill for electronic keyboards (other than organs and all that).

So I went over and talked to the owner. He walked us over to the keyboard I had purchased and said, “can you program this thing?”. I told him absolutely and I can show him now how to create cool new sounds. He said, that was OK and I was hired. That started the sales portion of my journey. This song got the name and the main groove from the keyboard sound in that Yamaha DX7 synthesizer.

If you played individual notes in the right tempo, the thumping sound would build just right and you got this effect like a helicopter at a distance. I did write lyrics for this song, but I always hear it as an instrumental. For the early instrumentals, I was recording on the first computer for consumer electronics that had a built in MIDI port, the Atari and I had the 1040 ST. Again, that means nothing today, but this was space-age technology and had a lot of musical applications. I still have it (two, actually and two monitors) and it still works to this day. I can fire up the Atari and still play all these MIDI pieces as I did when they were written.

The drums are all programmed. In fact, everything is. All the sounds are triggered from the Yamaha DX7 and recorded via MIDI. Each time you hit play’, you are regenerating all the sounds to make this song. See the MIDI series for MIDIMike’s intro to MIDI by clicking here.

MIDIMike

St. Patrick’s Day – A Part of Me

Posted: March 17, 2015 in Holiday, MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #American, #audio, #band, #demo, #digital, #dreams, #family, #Irish, #Liveband, #livesoundreinforement, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #recording, #retro, #runningsound, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #St. Patrick's Day, #stage, #studio, #studioengineer

Speaking about lyrics that never become songs, etc., sometimes I write and record a demo or rough track of a song and it just never seems to go anywhere. Some of them do get resurrected, many don’t. For some it may be as simple as a tempo change or a different arrangement. Other times for me it is mysterious. In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, I would like to post lyrics to a song in the making. As this platform gives us access to followers around the globe, I do not want to leave anyone out, so please take this as intended. If I don’t mention your country, other people’s songs will!

Then in a later post I can bring in the recorded demo tracks. I like the lyrics for the most part and I love the idea behind the song, but it is not there yet. Maybe after a pint or two of Guinness and some suggestions from you I can finish this song. And of course, that could be a topic in and of itself. We hear phrases like “final mix”. Some people say there is no such thing. Others say you just have to stop at some point and let it go. Much of this may depend on your final goal. Are you a singer/songwriter trying to get a break and some air-time? Are you shopping for places your band can perform your unique style? Do you want to have a clean demo to send to your favorite artist? Is this a sound-track for video/YouTube? Do you make sound effects for games?

We can always say make it as good as possible but that is very subjective. Hire 50 sound engineers and you will get 45 different mixes (there are always people that look over your shoulder!) Tip for today; it takes a really long time to fix it in the mix even if you know what you are doing. It is much easier and preferred to get the great sound first, and then record it properly (using gain staging and other procedures mentioned earlier). When you record a great sound it will sound great. As a sound guy for a local band I would get compliments on the sound (House from the audience but almost always monitors from the band). I thank them and tell them the band sounds great, I just let everyone hear them.

“A Part of Me” © 08-2000 MSK

American Indians gave me my soul,

A spiritual guide for all living things.

Each man’s fate is his to control

Peace with Nature, the warrior sings.

A Part of Me belongs to all of Them

From the Germans strength was my first lesson.

Trial and precision as you master these.

Pride that’s passed down from son to son.

Built in each hand crafted Masterpiece.

Oriental neighbors have shown me the light

Truth, Balance, Eternal harmony.

The beauty of patience and delight

Traditions deep within history.

A Part of Me belongs to all of them.

I’m proud to be an American.

Sisters and brothers from every shore,

That’s what makes us Americans.

Part of Me belongs to all of Them

From the Irish I inherit my pride

I stand my ground and I will speak my mind.

I will honor the lands and the tide,

And I’ll never leave a neighbor behind.

My English side embraced nobility.

Dry humor in the face of foes

Hardy enough to capture the seas.

Portraits legends and heroes.

African Americans forced to become

A torn people of two nations.

Tribal tales and melodic rhythm

Passed onto the next generation.

The French helped me understand

Style and grace can be nurtured like wine.

To believe there is no better place

Life shared with friends, bread and wine.

A Part of Me belongs to all of them.

I’m proud to be an American.

Sisters and brothers from every shore,

That’s what makes us Americans.

Part of Me belongs to all of Them

Year after year

They want to raise their children here.

Because sweat blood and tears

Can amount to something here.

There’s a lot of people in my life

A part of Me belongs to all of Them.

Your song may be different and that’s OK.

Sing it with your fellow American.

Per request – Lyrics to “Our Bodies Move.”

Posted: March 5, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #DollyParton, #dreams, #fan, #guitar, #KennyRodgers, #keyboard, #love, #lyrics, #motivation, #music, #musician, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #stage, #studio

Our Bodies Move aka FOR THOSE WHO WAIT” ^(c) 12/1987

Lyrics Michael Kennedy

Music by Ric Ahlers

So many people look for love and affection

Think they’re heading in the right direction.

They go searching through the heat of the night

Alone again in the morning light.

I’ve seen a lot of selfish devotion

Hopelessly lost in mixed up emotion.

Opening; then closing every door

Never know what they’re looking for.

CHORUS: I’ve never felt a woman feel this good before.

I’ve never listened to her whispers

Or knock upon the door.

Nothing to hide, nothing to prove,

Its love that makes our bodies move.

In the beginning there were many pretenders

Holding on ‘til everyone surrenders.

Strangling the love they create.

Love is For Those Who Wait.

CHORUS: I’ve never felt a man feel this good before.

I’ve never listened to his whispers

Or knock upon the door.

Nothing to hide, nothing to prove,

Its love that makes our bodies move.

Co-Authors and Distant Dreams

Posted: March 3, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #band, #demo, #digital, #DollyParton, #dreams, #drummer, #drums, #family, #guitar, #KennyRodgers, #Liveband, #livesoundreinforement, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musicequipment, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #runningsound, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #speakers, #stage, #studio, #studioengineer, #tech

Performing with other musicians requires a deeper channel of communication than normal language. When creating in this environment, every nuance has a meaning. Every motif can create musical ripples. Sometimes, two thoughts are better than one. Co-writing can take a piece further than you would have thought possible on your own. Try it. You might like what comes out of it. Over the years I have worked with a group of songwriters. Each writer diving in to show off the latest and greatest. While in one of those small traveling bands from hotel to hotel, I was playing in Corpus Christie TX. We played a lot of different music for three people, and one of us did not play any instruments. We wanted to come up with something with a bit more country flavor, and the lead guitarist was working on some soft ballad type chords during practice. I told him I had written some lyrics that might fit. I had finally given myself the title of songwriter as you know, so a while back I challenged myself to write a country song. I had something specific in mind.

I write a lot of songs. I write a lot of lyrics that never become songs (not yet anyway). I write a lot of poems that may never become lyrics. I write a number of songs and I might not even have a recording of it, even though I love to archive and preserve original performances. Some songs I write for others and do not have a real interest in recording myself. Maybe because I already have a good idea of what the song is supposed to sound like when a real performer/band records it. I am not putting myself down here. I simply do not have the talent or resources of famous stars. You might laugh, but when I was writing the lyrics below, I wrote them as a duet for some famous country music stars at the time; Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton!

I have only one recording of this song and I will share it with you, Kenny and Dolly you too if you’re listening! I am singing the male part on this recording. Not sure if this was ready before we moved on from Corpus Christie to another hotel, but it fell together quickly with the ballad chords at practice, so we performed it live to the more country leaning southern audience. We were surprised that it went over so well and people in the hotel/audience that were regulars, were singing the words after a few nights in town. So, I will probably never record this song. It has always been a distant dream to one day hear others recording this as their own. I have already heard in my mind what it sounds like with them performing, but this live two-track recording is not too bad for a working representation.

Miracle In Your Hand – A Guy and His Guitar

Posted: February 27, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #guitar, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #studio

A reason is such a small thing,

Can’t you give me one?

Seems to me you were holding out,

Were you really just holding on?

The things we did won’t mean a thing,

The memories drift away.

The things you said hang in the air,

Like a light that will not fade.

CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,

Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.

I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.

When the answers seem so distant,

Questions lose their fun.

You thought that I was shutting up,

I was really just shutting down.

It’s time we found the meaning,

In the games we have made.

And a reason makes the difference,

When the last trick must be played.

CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,

Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.

I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.

After a break-up some of these lyrics just poured out. Seeing the same thing and coming to opposite conclusions. Having an early exposure to poetry first, I try to keep those ideas reflected in many of the songs I write. The chorus was an idea I had been playing with lyrically for a while and it seemed to immediately fit with the loss described in the verses. What would you do if you held a miracle in YOUR hand? What if that couldn’t save you?

This is a fairly early recording of this song. The recording was low tech. I have an Ovation 12-String acoustic/electric guitar. This was so long ago I don’t remember which microphones I had. But I don’t have any fancy microphones even now. I took the guitar line out and recorded that on track one, and a microphone (Audio Technica ???) positioned at the sweet spot in front of the guitar and sent that to track two. After recording the guitar tracks I played them back and used the same microphone to record the first vocal on track three. Then I played all three tracks back (through headphones and in a different room, but more on that stuff later), and recorded the second vocal on track four. I am now officially out of tracks, by the way.

For the mix I panned the guitar track one (electric jack out…) all the way to the left and the guitar track two (microphone) is panned all the way to the other side. The 12-String is full by itself, but this separation on both levels tricks the ear into thinking there are more than one guitar performances being played. At the other end the vocals are attempting to duplicate or double each other to make them sound full, but with one vocal track.

You can check out the rest of the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelskennedy

All Night Long – The Tale of Two Singers

Posted: February 25, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #livesoundreinforement, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #studio

While this is not the first song I wrote I will use the same lyrics, the same instruments, the same arrangement, the same studio and recording gear to show how differently the same words can be interpreted. In this case the only difference is going from a male lead vocalist to a female lead vocalist…… but the outcome is totally different. No, I am not the lead vocalist, so that will have to wait a little longer. I am playing my favorite 12 string acoustic/electric guitar and a rhythm electric track. Writing lyrics is a powerful tool. Maybe because they can be interpreted in various ways.

Now the only change is the lead vocalist. The song has added controversy if you will, and maybe the subject has more acceptance now than in the past, but it changes how the lyrics are interpreted. All Night Long took me about fifteen or twenty minutes to write. I wanted a simple R&R theme. Most of my songs are not main stream. I do not pretend to be commercial. The other reason I wanted to introduce you to this song now is because it is not like any of the others I have written. Throughout my life I have searched out unusual artists and creative ideas. Art, poetry, sound engineering, acting, I have been drawn to and inspired by some amazing people. So this is more cookie-cutter. Predictable song with the usual topic and repeating lyrics. I still have fun with it!

As I was practicing my wife did a mic check to set levels and she started singing the song. I thought immediately that was IT! It totally changed the song’s meaning. So changing the vocalist in effect took it off main stream and cookie-cutter. The subject material was not so acceptable back then……..

I entered a few of my recent songs into a local radio band contest. Too much to go into now, but at this point, my wife had never really performed in front of an audience. She is a bit shy in that area. It was a total shock when one of the songs we submitted was played on the air and a runner in the contest and another song I submitted for another friend of mine was selected to a battle of the bands in a large venue to compete for title and prizes. We were jazzed…..

But there was one little detail missing; He did not have a band! His song was picked and we (we, because it was my bright idea to enter his song into the contest!) were to compete against other bands in less than three weeks from the day we were notified. We worked in the same music store at the time and we quickly merged members from three different local bands. Each band would bring 2-3 songs to be added to the set list. We had to play for about an hour! That is how All Night Long was performed for the first time; live, to a packed house. My wife will have to give you her thoughts of that evening. I cannot do it justice. All Night Long is added to the set list and we all agree that my wife should sing…… She is terrified. We practice for two weeks learning the other band’s songs…

On stage now and good crowd. We knew they were not here to see us, because until two weeks ago, there was no US! We also figured there was no way to win, but we were going to go up there slamming. We set up and play the first songs on the list. When it is time to start All Night Long, my wife….. A little bit nervous to say the least, walks up to me and says, “if nothing comes out of my mouth, START SINGING!”.

She did great and it was a blast. I will encourage all of you to push the comfort zone a little. Be prepared to take advantage of the feedback and be ready to change and adapt. Work with other artists you appreciate. Encourage them to adapt if needed and support them when they do. My friend would never have submitted a song on his own and he even had me pick out which songs to enter. My wife’s big ambition was not to sing in front of a crowd, but we all remember that event to this day. Fortunately, a friend of ours was in the audience with one of those hand-held video recorders and got the whole thing. WE didn’t win, but they knew who we were… we were NRSB!

You can check out the rest of the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/perigee

Introduction to My Tunes

Posted: February 25, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #keyboard, #livesoundreinforement, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #soundman, #studio

As the Live Sound Reinforcement Series (LSR) continues, I would like to share some of the events that allowed or inspired what I refer to as captured creativity. Let’s address a couple things now; the most amazing show/event with powerful and talented performers has little meaning if no one is in the audience. The performers will feel great and energized, but if there literally is no audience (even in the form of recordings), it will be lost. The other obvious reality check is no matter how talented and smart you are – or think you are – will NOT make you loved and famous. Touching on my daughter’s gracious note to me, some of the most talented musicians out there we will never hear. You will not find them in a search and no one will point you in their direction. But they just keep on creating. Soloists, artists, groups and garage bands.

I know that thrill. I understand the communication link that HAS to happen when you perform with someone. I first got that thrill in my preteens when I put some of my brother’s poetry to music. In truth, I exaggerate; I played on bongos and sang a rough melody line with his poetry still intact for the most part. I would get another type of thrill when I began to write lyrics and finally a bunch of ideas became a song.

We also knew right away that I was not the best singer out there. I never really excelled while playing various instruments but over the years I got pretty good at a few of them. But at least I was a songwriter and I knew I had a powerful tool. I love to teach by sharing. Or is it the other way around?

MidiMike

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

Lyrics to “Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes” – Per request

Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes

Chopper – An Instrumental Song

St. Patrick’s Day – A Part of Me

Per request – Lyrics to “Our Bodies Move.”

Co-Authors and Distant Dreams

Miracle In Your Hand – A Guy and His Guitar

All Night Long – The Tale of Two Singers

Introduction to My Tunes

Archives

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Archive for the ‘My Tunes’ Category

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