#creative | MidiMike

Posts Tagged ‘#creative’

Before or After

Posted: May 16, 2019 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #archive, #back up, #chores, #creative, #creatve, #documentation, #maintenance, #preserving ideas, #productive, #recording, #recordingstudio, #updates, #writing, recovery

As a creative person, I will often get struck with ideas or projects and even solutions to existing work-blocks without notice. (this is a good thing lol) If I can’t preserve the thoughts at the time there is a good probability I might lose them forever. So I try to get to the computer, writing pad, recorder quickly.

Invariably, I find myself in a creative mood with a great thought…….. ready to capture what will be my greatest work…….. only to have to wait for the computer to do a software download and update. Then comes the mandatory restart and my idea is totally gone. I go to record in my home studio and face load times, cables not connected for this project, something decides not to work for no reason other than it knows I am in a hurry and other events that would be funny in other situations. I can’t find a pen and the pencil point breaks and the notebook is downstairs.

When I get a cup of tea and a block of time to get things done I like to power up my computer or studio and start working. I don’t want to wait for the updates. I am on a mission.

I feel the same way about other areas. If I need to vacuum the floor, I don’t want to empty the container first. When I am ready to paint, I don’t want to stop and clean all the brushes first.

It might seem to others that I waste a lot of time on preventive maintenance and cataloging, but I know the frustration of losing something that could be wonderful.

I am a Before person. How do you look at the day?

“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.

“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.

Stainless Steel

Posted: September 12, 2017 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #creative, #family, #guitar, #inspiration, #life, #lyrics, #music, #musician, #opinion, #people, #personal, #poem, #poetry, #song, #songwriter, #story, #thanks, #truth, #work, #writer, #writing

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Fortunately, when I have too many things on my plate and never seem to get to putting some of my best lyrics to music, I have many talented friends that bail me out. Often I write poems – but almost as often I begin writing lyrics intending to put music to them at some point. Today I will share the lyrics and the original live recording to one of my favorites.

I found myself thinking of musical relationships and what, to some, becomes a long path that never gets close to ‘stardom’, whatever that is. The late-night conversations with many friends – musicians reflecting on the efforts and rewards involved in the lifestyle we have chosen – became metaphors in these lyrics.

The title “Stainless Steel” refers to one type of guitar strings. I also use silk and stainless steel strings on my Ovation 12 string guitar, but Stainless Steel captured the feeling I was surrounded by when writing the lyrics. There is a certain pride creative people get when sacrificing for their art. So many things are put on the back-burner or postponed indefinitely to accomplish turning a dream or idea into a treasure; even if it is only for a select few to enjoy. No one else may ever know what gems were created, and it appears to many that you have nothing to show for your time and talent. Only a few will understand the trade-offs you have made; those sitting around with you late at night, year after year.

In this recording my good friend, the late Mark Kelsey, plays guitar and sings. He is accompanied by Ann Ellis from my band “The Personal Touch”. Mark has worked through the arrangement a few times and I believe this is the first time Ann had heard the song. He quickly recorded for me to listen to and was later to record a final version in a professional studio where he lived. This is my favorite recording and I will always think fondly of him when I hear this recording. While the living room quality is easy to hear, the mood and inspiration comes through clearly.

In our busy lives, it is all too easy for us to overlook the efforts our friends and loved ones make for us. Sometimes it takes far too long for us to fully appreciate those acts of love. I have let many go unrecognized – unappreciated – unacknowledged until it was too late. Looking back I find myself humbled to realize how much my life would have been uplifted and how many friends deserved my – – – I do not know the correct words, but ‘praise’ seems as close as any I can think of. It may also have uplifted their lives in a time when they needed it most. It can be sad and joyous when time finally reveals the reflections of our lives.

Stainless Steel Shining Bright

Broken Glass Shattered nights

When we talk, What we feel

Lights the fire Turns the Wheel

Turns the wheel

Stainless Steel Sharp and cold

Day by day Bought and sold

Take my hand Close your eyes

Say a prayer Throw the dice

Throw the dice

Waiting for a Miracle is like waiting forever

When there’s nothing else to do

I hope that someone’s out there waiting for me baby,

The way that I ‘m waiting for you

Oh Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel Deep within

Who we are What we’ve been

Reaching out Find ourselves

Kiss goodbye, What the hell

What the hell

Stainless Steel Never bends

No one blames Or defends

Smiles will fade Tears will fall

Memories of Nothing at all

Nothing at all

Waiting for a Miracle’s like waiting forever

When there’s nothing else to do

I hope that someone’s out there waiting for me baby,

The way that I ‘m waiting for you

Oh Stainless Steel

Cotton Song

Posted: February 23, 2017 in My Tunes
Tags: #creative, #digital, #keyboard, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #personal, #recording, #song, #sound, #story, #studio, #studioengineer

Going With the Flow This is a calming piece based on the string sounds from one of the plug-ins on my recording software program. Sometimes a new sound or new toy can inspire themes, songs and projects. This is one of those situations where I am listening to new sounds and noodling on the keyboard to hear the new tones and to see how the patch responds to the keyboard and controllers. As I was listening to the new sounds, I enjoyed the string sound I was playing with and started recording the noodling I was doing. I played for about five or six minutes and stopped recording to listen back.

The first section I scrapped and the rest was rather pleasant (sometimes this is a surprise indeed!). While listening I started hearing harmonies in my head so I started recording on a 2nd track and used the same string sound to add another layer. After that I stopped. I like the mood this inspires. I am not sure why I called it Cotton Song, but I got the feeling of being in the South overlooking plantations. So it stuck! I did not change anything and mixed it down to what you hear in this post. Other versions of noodling or just playing with sounds rarely turn into a solid piece, so I have tons of snippets that have nice themes but to date have never been expanded upon. One of these days I will listen to other noodling sessions and I might make something out of them. For this song, have a cup of tea, sit back for a little bit and let your mind and body relax. Admit it… you could use that right about now!

Selfish, Not Greedy

Posted: February 1, 2017 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #alone, #creative, #introvert, #life, #opinion, #personal, #story, #writer, #writing

As I was growing up there was always something going on. Six kids in my family, pets, friends, school, chores, projects, neighborhoods and a world to discover kept things active. Then came work, children, music, art, more projects and hobbies, more moving, supporting creative efforts, grand children, changing jobs, helping friends and family members move, it never really stopped.

I never had time by my self; I have never lived alone. Room mates, family members, partners, spouses, kids, working then practicing in spare time and playing out in bands, learning new skills and keeping up with technology all demanded time from me. Time from my own projects. Time by myself. I sleep less than most people I know (other family members aside LOL) and I got a lot done. My older brother told me that he comes to me to get a task or project done because he knows I am the busiest person he knows…… He sees that I don’t put things off or put them on a list for later. Later may be busier than now.

I get things done.

Now so you understand, I am the world’s biggest procrastinator; if it doesn’t NEED to be done NOW, and there might be a more efficient (or comfortable) time to do it, I will wait until that time. I often lump tasks and projects together to save time. I never wore a watch and I keep my ‘daily planner’ in my head. I did not need them. I did not have the luxury of scheduling events as they came at me at all times with varying levels of necessity and priorities already set.

Later in my life I would be surprised when a situation came up and there was no one around. I don’t mean waiting in a doctor’s office or standing in line for something. I mean no one around and no immediate task at hand. It got me thinking about how little time I do have by myself without a deadline or project or finally having time to get that low priority job done. It was hard to come up with many times over the years when that happened at all.

Now that I am older, I find myself relishing being alone. Thinking. Quiet. Experiencing life outdoors. Playing or listening to music. Reading. I consider myself a hermit in many ways and I think this is one of the driving forces behind the desire to ‘cut myself off’ from the rest of the world. As with many things in life this is a double-edged sword. I can see now that when I hesitate or postpone seeing a friend, going out to see a band, joining in on projects that I am actually being selfish. I just want to have some time by myself. Not to be ‘alone’, necessarily, but that is the cutting effect.

My friends will say that I am always there to help, a great friend and willing to do anything for my ‘tribe members’. I thank them for sharing their lives with me and for loving me as I am. But I do not go out of my way to contact people any more. I often avoid gatherings or opportunities to be part of the group. Inside I think I am very selfish. Not greedy as I do not want anything and do not need more of anything. Selfish about time to think. Time to play with my toys. Time to relax and do nothing.

Maybe after some time I will have had enough and venture out more. Maybe this is short term to make up for lack of space over the years. At this point I am not sure.

Chase The Dream

Posted: December 8, 2016 in Video
Tags: #audio, #band, #creative, #guitar, #keyboard, #music, #musician, #performance, #performer, #recording, #recordingstudio, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #stage, #story

Our banner designed by Marty Gillaspy

“Chase The Dream”

When one of the bands I worked with collapsed under the pressures of day to day life, it was quickly resurrected in a new form. Most of Euphoria members did not want to stop playing so we regrouped with a new guitar player to replace one of the founding members and became The Chase. We played out with about ten different names for a few months – Scenic Route was another favorite of mine – until we settled on The Chase. These guys were great. We had a solid rhythm section, a great lead singer and back up vocals that were tight and an amazing lead guitar player that could feel everything he played. We could play cover songs no other bands would play live. We also threw in originals from time to time. The banner was hung one each side of the stage vertically as seen in one of the photos below, and horizontally behind the drum set. It was pretty eye-catching and a lot of people complimented it.

I am an archivist. I record everything. Audio recordings of practice sessions and live performances. Video of many performances and photos of major events. Before YouTube I posted a number of them on our cable TV Local Access channels using their video editing suite. I had my fingers in everything. Some of the projects got finished, but a lot of the raw tapes have only been viewed by me and a select group of people.

I just put together a new video that uses a lot of this vintage raw video and some of the photographs from the time period. The medium is so old that the quality suffers, but it does a good job of representing the events of the time. We played in many clubs and outdoor events and I will create future videos to highlight more venues. For this video I used an original instrumental song that Nick Robinson was working on and our new band, The Chase, made it our own. There is no video of the song as we only played it out a few times. Nicky has since re-joined Euphoria when it regrouped a few years ago and is still playing out with some amazing players.

Please check out my latest YouTube post (and other videos while you are there) of his original tune: “Chasing The Dream”. Enjoy!

Mike Gill

Timmy Gillaspy

Michael S Kennedy

Chase The Dream

Nothing Comes For Free!

Posted: November 30, 2016 in My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #creative, #guitar, #inspiration, #keyboard, #life, #music, #musician, #personal, #political, #politics, #recording, #recordingstudio, #song, #songwriter, #studio, #studioengineer, #truth, #vocalist, #vocals, #writer, #writing

I’ve admitted in earlier posts that I observe people a lot, and that I get a number of ideas for songs from watching other people; friends, family, co-workers, I steal from them all! I can empathize with people as they face challenges and triumphs in life. I try to understand what it feels like to be in those situations even though I myself might not be directly affected by them.

I also have some rather obvious political points of view. I can understand why there are those that do not always agree with my positions but in many cases I can still understand theirs. In this song I basically insult every group I can think of! As you are more than likely in at least one of these groups I apologize in advance. In a lot of ways, this song summarizes the items on my Love – Hate list. I hate things that should work but do not, and I really hate personal and corporate greed. The song uses a lot of references to things we would hear on the news, although it was written a long time ago. Unfortunately most of the issues are the same today!

Recording this song took a LONG time. We did rough mixes here and there changing this or that, but it did not feel right from beginning to end. Eventually, I think we rearranged some of the chorus/verse structure and it just fell into place. For some songs this is the agonizing part; all the components are there and sound good, but the piece as a whole just does not grab you. I might have even tried changing tempo on this one to get it right.

If this is not the first song I did using my new Alesis ADAT recorder it was one of the first. I was also transitioning from the Atari computer to a Windows machine, so not everything went smoothly! I played electric guitar on this one (I have a few guitars and do not know which one was used for each song but my guess this is either my Ibanez or a Yamaha 6 string) and did all the sequencing and drum tracks as described earlier. My wife does the vocal main lines. Using the limiter/compressor chain I described from other songs the vocals are recorded so they stay soft and spooky and a little eerie as the lyrics become more and more cynical. A bunch of family and friends came in and did the voice add-ons. You can hear both our daughters, my co-writing brother and a few neighbors help out with the spoken parts. I ‘sing’ the chorus.

The bass line in this one is particularly cool because it is my Oberheim Matrix 6 synth and it has this patch or sound that continues to play an arpeggio (sequence of predetermined notes) as long as you hold a key down. So the bass lines are done by holding one note for a while but hearing many notes played. We even got to play with one of the audio samplers from the music store and used it to trigger the ‘broken word’ parts. Once we got the arrangement right it was just fun to ‘decorate’ the basic tracks and add a little movement to the mix. Have fun with this one.

“UNCHANGING MOON”

Posted: October 27, 2016 in My Tunes
Tags: #creative, #inspiration, #lyrics, #music, #musician, #personal, #photography, #poem, #poetry, #song, #songwriter, #story, #writer, #writing

MSK Moon 1

Another song of mine from the year 1988. This was a time of emotion and passion. Learning and truly seeing things for the first time. Life still ahead but so much of it spinning past me out of control. In many ways the perspective is what makes our feelings push us the way they do. The moon to some can be magical and inspiring – to others it can be bitter and unyielding. Often the battles of the day do not end once the new morning arrives. We often wake up to face the same struggles and disappointments that devoured the day before. Reflective, introspective, in many ways bewilderment and confusion, yet we still need to continue and choices must be made. All too often the choices have already been made and we are forced to face the consequences; alone.

That was pretty easy,

Rings of fire spinning ‘round.

What is it that you see,

Watching the candle burn down?

Never start to finish,

Rather try to succeed.

Don’t try to understand,

But consider what you need.

Smiling, empty faces,

A swelling darkness of fear.

What is it that you see

Trapped behind each falling tear?

CHORUS: Power, Passion,

Colors in tune.

Freezing, Bitter:

Unchanging Moon.

Today’s the beginning

When morning takes to flight.

Tomorrow’s the ending,

Without rescue from the fight.

CHORUS: Power, Passion,

Colors in tune.

Freezing, Bitter:

Unchanging Moon.

Power, Passion,

Colors in tune.

Freezing, Bitter:

Unchanging Moon.

One Last Time

Posted: September 29, 2016 in Poetry
Tags: #creative, #guitar, #love, #lyrics, #personal, #poem, #poetry, #story, #writer

“One Last Time” (C) MSK 9-22-2016

There are no ways to describe

How much I would give

To see the stars one last time.

To hear your voice again.

And feel the warmth of the sun.

To hold you in my arms.

There are no limits to how long

I would wait

If I knew I would hear your voice.

To watch you as you laugh.

Or share the sadness of your tears.

And love you as you grow old.

But there is no chance.

No last minute plan.

The end of this dance

Is already at hand.

I wish to see the stars one last time.

To tell you that you are mine.

I’d love to help in times to come

Give you courage when you have none.

But there is no chance.

No last minute plan.

The end of this dance

Is already at hand. ————————————————————–

MidiMike

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#creative’

Before or After

“Bookin’ Inst” Made to Order

“Single Desire”

Stainless Steel

Cotton Song

Selfish, Not Greedy

Chase The Dream

Nothing Comes For Free!

“UNCHANGING MOON”

One Last Time

Archives

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#creative’

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