tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31421632426627586872024-03-13T16:05:55.937+00:00Plug Me Inc.Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-8105571301427225042016-04-12T14:02:00.000+01:002016-04-12T14:02:19.832+01:00The Carolan Guitar SongsSo, fans of the Carolan Guitar, did you ever wonder about the finished products?<br />
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As you all know (of course), one of last year's projects was test driving the Carolan Guitar - I caught it for a week or so, before it travelled to the US, and then on its way to France. These intensive days produced a bunch of recordings, videos and even prompted the resurrection of this blog!<br />
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As you may remember, I also started off writing two songs on that curiously carved semi-acoustic guitar. The first was an unfinished instrumental which ended up with the title <i>Judith</i>. I posted the primary results in the hope that someone would pick it up and finish it. Nobody ever did, so I simply reclaimed it.<br />
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To hear the original demo, played, in part, on the Carolan Guitar, go <a href="http://ymaginatifandmusic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/carolan-song-judith-draft-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I added more and more overdubs, removed some of the tracks (so much, that in the end *none* of the original ones were used!), added some vocals, wend mad on the drums, and knitted a giant guitar riff together. A very convoluted process, that, surprisingly, ended up sounding very loose and live (played to a virtual audience only). I was basically making up this song on tape.<br />
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Have a listen:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/251629349&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Sometime later, when I had a Boss drum-machine running, while fooling around on the piano, I returned to that same song. I stumbled upon a piano-based arrangement, focusing on a left hand bass-riff. Then I added several layers of of trumpets and brass (on synth), bass and electric guitar, more drums and vocals. The results were quite poppy and commercial:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/251556377&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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How different from the previous, gritty guitar version!<br />
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But these songs were just playing around. The <i>real</i> Carolan Guitar song, written deliberately on that instrument was <i>Shut This Door - </i>a deeply sad lament that goes one or two steps too far. In the finished version (played on my regular Cimar acoustic guitar, I'm afraid), I share vocals with Claire. Chambo plays a Nick Drake-like guitar intermezzo (that pushes the song's protagonist over the edge):<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/251556416&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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And that's a nice little CD single for the twenty-first century.Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-31670469971465749222016-03-01T10:33:00.002+00:002016-03-01T10:33:36.883+00:00Now Ur Back - The return of the fabulous EMF All Stars!Can you believe it, it's been three years since we've had a release from the EMF All Stars!<br />
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I'm sure you have forgotten all about this outrageous band. Just to refresh your mind, the EMF All Stars are a bunch of (mainly) Prince fans that hang out on the internet. ('Do you like 'HitnRun Phase 1?' 'I think it's rubbish!' 'I think it's absolutely great!' 'Ow, shut up already!') Although existing in different parts of the world, they meet in virtual places to create something that some may call music. Even though not all of them are strictly speaking musicians. Some are better described as magicians. They have guitars, basses, drums, keyboards, vocals, computers, which they blend and roll into a ball of otherworldly pop, funk and rock.<br />
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You remember now?<br />
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After big hits, such as '2 Ways 2 Dance', 'Scratching the Surface (Mrs. Microphone)', 'Still Waiting (4 The Chocolate Invasion', 'Entropy People' and 'Power Lines', they sort of disappeared in 2013. Probably pursuing individual successes in different continents. See whether you can find them! Now, with the threat of the end of the world looming once more, they've come together again, and are working on a whole new album. Let's call it 'The Games' ...<br />
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And this is the opening track and first single: 'Now Ur Back'<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/249519439&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Maxim: basis and bass<br />
Ymaginatif: guitars and vocals<br />
Maceo: vocals and computer<br />
<br />Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-56067028803567181132015-05-21T13:26:00.003+01:002015-05-21T13:26:23.415+01:00'Blackbird' on the Carolan Guitar (ft. Dylan Jones)Last thing I heard the Carolan Guitar paid a quick visit to Real World Studios in Wiltshire, and is now on its way to France?<br />
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Well, here's some fond memories of when the instrument was in my hands, and when I invited my friend Dylan Jones to come over and do some songs. Here is a rough version of the Beatles song 'Blackbird':<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DeQJdL6SoTk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Take 47. Or was it 74? :)Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-39846677028231419122015-05-20T09:36:00.001+01:002015-05-21T08:36:08.072+01:00Return of the Dodo - The Aimee Mann tribute albumSome of you might remember ... a year or two ago I recorded my own version of a complete Aimee Mann album: "Bachelor #2 or the Remains Of the Dodo". I started with the first song and enjoyed it so much, I just did all the others too. Some of them came naturally, others were a bit more of a struggle (without the help of Glen Tillbrook, Benmont Tench or Jon Brion). In any case, verything was done in two months, with a little major help from a friend to do the mixing (and some vocals).<br />
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Rather ambitiously, this album was then posted in two giant sound files: Side A and Side B. Then we all forgot about it. Ha!<br />
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Until a couple of days ago, I listened to it again on a train journey, and I actually quite liked some of the songs - particularly impressed by Maceo's rich and wide-screen mixing sound. So I thought, maybe it's time to give the album another online chance. But this time, more user friendly, as 14 separate songs - for you to pick and chose, love and hate, ignore and cherish.<br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZWCM0SK1L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZWCM0SK1L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(only vaguely relevant picture)</span></div>
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So, if you scroll back in time (or go to<br />
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<a href="http://ymaginatifandmusic.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/normal-0-false-false-false-en-gb-x-none.html">http://ymaginatifandmusic.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/normal-0-false-false-false-en-gb-x-none.html</a><br />
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you'll find them waiting for you!Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-21142974900201559882015-05-13T19:37:00.000+01:002015-05-14T10:15:01.884+01:00Carolan Guitar and its aestheticodesSo, the question was asked yesterday, what would sort of information would you insert into the patterns of this guitar?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6J4E03G19ib8_80KMidVfOUqIIBxXWfMIEA6kZDTzON_fi4Sg5gMoYKgUMIrSy9N1j3W7X9pG6GIyjEI_40lbKtqtJ8aA8Bc89cLMHmoP8A5-QwOOtB7IrDnlkDwxOE6Q3lzu7agp3w/s1600/IMG_3512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6J4E03G19ib8_80KMidVfOUqIIBxXWfMIEA6kZDTzON_fi4Sg5gMoYKgUMIrSy9N1j3W7X9pG6GIyjEI_40lbKtqtJ8aA8Bc89cLMHmoP8A5-QwOOtB7IrDnlkDwxOE6Q3lzu7agp3w/s400/IMG_3512.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Just to clarify, the Carolan Guitar - a unique artefact - has 9 distinctive patterns etched (or laser-cut) into its body. These designs contain codes (they call them 'aestheticodes') that can be scanned with a smartphone, tablet etc. Currently, these codes are already linked to 'experiences' online, but since the project is still in its try-out stages, one of the questions asked by the developers was: what would <i>you</i> link the guitar to.<br />
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Well, after a (very) brief week of having this guitar around, it's time to add my thoughts to the debate ... It seems to me that there are, in general, two ways in which a 'coded' guitar like this could be envisaged: it is an instrument that either gets sold (or given) to a single person and becomes property of that person, or it exists as a 'social' guitar, one that gets handed around from user to user.<br />
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In case of the first option - the individual use - the codes could link to information that is relevant for the single owner, to take with him or her wherever he or she takes the guitar. One design could lead to a personal collection of guitar tabs of all the songs that that guitar player usually plays. Another to the youtube channel with all the videos he or she has uploaded. Another one to their music blog, and another to their online shop. One for their photo collection. Evidently, whenever these get updated online, the guitar 'is aware'. In other words, everything that the Carolan Guitar player was (musically) involved with could be focused in and on this guitar. The guitar would function as a composite tracker of someone's entire musical career.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm85BX2XWTgGmw-HPgn1ktZ0_HF2Qo06db7Xe931juU4WJm_USahG7czgrDiijtdGnnbAV38K2Tb1J_gyMMBIRGA-sZ9mr3-V_0OBwJS-n6n0szpAiHZXCPLQ7oiJzrKjpDmgqvKojX8/s1600/IMG_3508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm85BX2XWTgGmw-HPgn1ktZ0_HF2Qo06db7Xe931juU4WJm_USahG7czgrDiijtdGnnbAV38K2Tb1J_gyMMBIRGA-sZ9mr3-V_0OBwJS-n6n0szpAiHZXCPLQ7oiJzrKjpDmgqvKojX8/s400/IMG_3508.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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Another single-user option would be to have guitars like this as ultimate 'deluxe editions' of an album. These are the days when you can buy impressively expanded versions of an album, sometimes for hundreds of pounds --- 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' on 7 discs, including some marbles, a scarf, a piece of the moon and much much more. These things do sell (I, for one, can't resist them). So what if the extremely deluxe edition of, let's say, Prince's <i>The Truth</i> (to name but one totally acoustic album), was a proper guitar - a replica of Prince's guitar - but with the music embedded into the patterns on it? No CDs, no LPs, not even MP3s, but just the guitar. One pattern would lead to the main album, another to the bonus disc with outtakes, yet another to a section with videos, and finally one to a dress-like-Prince game, etc etc. Just a crazy idea? :)<br />
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The second option - the social guitar approach - is much more appealing to me. A guitar that would change hands every month or so, that travels from country to country, reaches amateurs as well as famous artists, and, in doing so, would keep track of every single stage. A guitar that would keep its own diary and archive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyGC3CHWPM7ZTXUcUKhaAj6QDy_yxTucFXhkUs5RuyYh4inhReHRaICrgyoI2LPR2__jXDKXJTorr2Gc5EEhlm3tEIE_7gqBpaP4O97V-Ovjr0ouMDdpesq6jcvKwnBokFmxcG_K5_vU/s1600/CE4_DylWoAA_sl-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyGC3CHWPM7ZTXUcUKhaAj6QDy_yxTucFXhkUs5RuyYh4inhReHRaICrgyoI2LPR2__jXDKXJTorr2Gc5EEhlm3tEIE_7gqBpaP4O97V-Ovjr0ouMDdpesq6jcvKwnBokFmxcG_K5_vU/s320/CE4_DylWoAA_sl-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As it is now, the guitar already does this to some extent: players can write their blogposts, add information to their own sites, and link (or hope to link) all that to a central website/blog, run by the guitar-creators. But I think it would be much more useful if this was done by the person with the guitar in a centralized way: Having the guitar would also allow you access to that central blog - if, by using one of the patterns on the guitar, you get a special key, to go and add everything you chose to that 'official' blog. The life-blog of the Carolan Guitar that would grow and grow over the years.<br />
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Similarly, getting handed the guitar would mean you have to 'log in' to its life-span (and subsequently 'log out' when it leaves you). A perfect time-line of players could be produced in that way (this is the historiographer in me speaking). People could write a short piece about themselves, add pictures if they want. Refer to the their own websites. Everything to make sure that these people aren't anonymous.<br />
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A second symbol could take you to a place that lists all the gigs for which this guitar was used. Again, maybe with pictures or even live recordings of that particular gig. It would be great to know that the guitar landing in your hands had had a stint in, let's say, the Royal Albert Hall or the Aberystwyth Arts Centre - once or twice.<br />
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A third symbol, and I don't think it really matters which one (discovering what is what would be part of the fun of having this guitar), would take you to a section that chronicles or archives all the songs written on this guitar. These could be finished products, with lyrics, recordings, anything people would like to contribute and share, as well as a section (which I mentioned before) with 'unfinished songs'. This fourth symbol would be a playground for people to go, pick up ideas and/or find long-distance writing-partners. It's certainly possible - I've written songs that way with people, some of them in London, others in the USA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2HR8m5l1mBf-CHv-YcU8d6EiMcu9mP4DUe-9y7k6GOGLS2XOavFp_Y0DeEDO27Lp1AI3pNS9UuYDU9OWqlQTM67rs1m4XJ4Qz-PYihfhC31_L1IBVPhL_JjiWb61eU8dGcl8lgOiSuw/s1600/IMG_3511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2HR8m5l1mBf-CHv-YcU8d6EiMcu9mP4DUe-9y7k6GOGLS2XOavFp_Y0DeEDO27Lp1AI3pNS9UuYDU9OWqlQTM67rs1m4XJ4Qz-PYihfhC31_L1IBVPhL_JjiWb61eU8dGcl8lgOiSuw/s400/IMG_3511.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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Symbol five - we have to keep that manual (it worked for me :) ), including the early history and creation of the guitar.<br />
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Symbol six - all about the creators of this guitar: who they are and what else they are up to. Related projects.<br />
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That would still leave a few symbols. I like the little one, almost hidden on the side and under the neck - it takes you some time to find that one, so maybe that should be a special one. How about accessing that symbol entitles you to an extra week with the guitar? A sort of prize-symbol?<br />
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The one underneath the strings I would never use - I always learnt never to take off all the strings at the same time (it's bad for the neck). Maybe that symbol should take you to a place that teaches you how to look properly after the guitar ... :)<br />
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In conclusion, being handed the guitar, would also mean being handed its history. And that, I imagine, could be very thrilling and inspiring. That would make this a very special and unique guitar project. So much for my musings. No time to waste now: I better go and work on the song we started on yesterday, as I've only got one day left before the Carolan Guitar is leaving me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKjoGe1wG2PrhVGYBUcn5eDZaAddjbpTy2w8KbhwY2z0-nRGTj-P5-XAPUxuQjKUKUavG9Zg9LwrobbiCpECDI_4aPkQF8hp3NNT1TrO07g3wnVg9A3wvqc4qrWm73MrUBcWYhoOfSo0/s1600/IMG_3504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKjoGe1wG2PrhVGYBUcn5eDZaAddjbpTy2w8KbhwY2z0-nRGTj-P5-XAPUxuQjKUKUavG9Zg9LwrobbiCpECDI_4aPkQF8hp3NNT1TrO07g3wnVg9A3wvqc4qrWm73MrUBcWYhoOfSo0/s320/IMG_3504.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-91176490799036044472015-05-11T11:20:00.005+01:002021-11-06T10:08:14.865+00:00Carolan Guitar in DutchI'm not sure whether this has been tried before, but I just had to see whether the Carolan Guitar was versatile enough to play a quiet song in Dutch. Enough amplification for the time being.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zD4nFUGl2lA" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<i>Heel wat weken al geleden</i><br />
<i>Zei je dat je toch zo graag eens bij me langs kwam</i><br />
<i>Je had een reden ...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Op je groot geworden kinderfiets z</i><i>ag ik je rijden</i><br />
<i>En je straalde tussen mensen die jou niet zagen</i><br />
<i>Je slikte goeiedag.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Na al een heel lang leven heb ik eindelijk geleerd zoiets te zien.</i><br />
<i>Ik tilde heel de wereld op met mijn beide handen</i><br />
<i>En gaf hem aan jou</i><br />
<i>Maar je zei dat je zoiets niet wou.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Wie wil nu nog spelen in de oude boomgaard</i><br />
<i>Wie is nog tevreden met zijn kinderhandvol kleine dromen</i><br />
<i>Die enkel 's nachts tot leven komen.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Kleine mensen worden sneller dan ze willen</i><br />
<i>Groter voorgesteld dan ze zijn vanbinnen</i><br />
<i>Laat ze lopen - ze zullen zelf wel vallen</i><div><i>En groot geworden zijn<br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Na al een heel lang leven heb ik eindelijk geleerd zoiets te zien.</i><br />
<i>Ik tilde heel de wereld op met mijn beide handen</i><br />
<i>En gaf hem aan jou</i><br />
<i>Maar je zei dat je zoiets niet wou.</i><br />
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Ancient song by GDW, from his Meander days.</div>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-80152710269824119552015-05-10T16:43:00.000+01:002015-05-10T18:36:59.305+01:00Codes and pre-amps of the Carolan GuitarSo I finally got the tablet out, and entered the interactive world of this guitar ...<br />
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Like I said, the Celtic looking patterns on the Carolan Guitar contain (or disguise) code in their designs, which read by a smartphone or tablet take you to different online places. The first one I tried happened to be the little square-ish one on the side of the body. (It decorates a lid which, when you lift it off gets you access to the pre-amp and battery etc.) I had no idea where this particular symbol would take me, but It made perfect sense for it to activate ... the online user guide.<br />
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This user guide has tips from previous players (on how to record this guitar - useful!), but also gives advice on how to change the battery, where to find the volume control etc. The volume control, which had stumped me earlier today, turns out to be a small wheel attached to the inside of the body. Thank you, guitar, for telling me :)<br />
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So, once this sorted out, I set up the gear again: guitar in the effects pedal into the amp. Drum machine right next to me. Switch on the camera, and here it goes:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aQAcPLv1DCM" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-34929024378570507872015-05-10T14:13:00.001+01:002015-05-10T18:37:16.596+01:00Carolan Song: "Judith" (draft 1)Trying out some more things with the Carolan Guitar, I thought I'd record a song. The digital eight-track is set up, the computer is equipped for mixing multi-tracks. So that's what I do. And since the Carolan is basically an acoustic guitar, I thought I'd try to make it sound as electric as possible. After all, the guitar is wired up with a pre-amp and has a jack plug!<br />
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I don't know what I did wrong, but apart from a loud buzz, I wasn't able to get anything ... Something in the settings? A flat battery? I didn't waste any more time trying to figure this out, and set up a microphone, ran it through the Boss ME-70 pedal, and started recording that way. Some flanger, delay, compression and overdrive thrown in there - just to make it entirely unrecognizable :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZm_ABBb8UxMS0sP7z3U-gwU73fAlQyoQJk7FYI-yUpGpHpXQmBmemM4lpDirbKB17SweCYa0KFLkzjNqssa2zazBwR8tZC0vbcCE-jnpOrFeSxDi1tKBc1LpPZbmQOYEy_VTb1wr6uqQ/s1600/IMG_3491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZm_ABBb8UxMS0sP7z3U-gwU73fAlQyoQJk7FYI-yUpGpHpXQmBmemM4lpDirbKB17SweCYa0KFLkzjNqssa2zazBwR8tZC0vbcCE-jnpOrFeSxDi1tKBc1LpPZbmQOYEy_VTb1wr6uqQ/s400/IMG_3491.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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(making the Carolan my own :) )</div>
<br />
With a couple of guitar tracks recorded on the digital eight-track (together with a five-year-old talking in the background. Always difficult to avoid that in this house when recording with a microphone ...), I inevitably added two drum-tracks (SparkLE beats and Yamaha electric kit), some piano, and a squeaky synth (Roland). The result, so far, was 'Judith' --- a somewhat wobbly mixture of funk, new wave, folk, grundge and jazz. Or none of the above, of course :)<br />
<br />
Now, keeping in mind the whole Carolan Guitar concept, I stopped right there. Normally I would clean this up a bit, add a vocal or two, strip some of the superfluous instruments of, and mix/balance it properly. What if I didn't do that, but what if I 'gave' this draft-version to the guitar? For somebody else, somewhere somehow, to discover it, to play around with it and to finish it?<br />
<br />
How would that work? Well, here is the song:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204785859&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
and here are the multi-tracks for you to download should you be interested:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/download/pbibpm8637s3g2g/326._Judith.zip">http://www.mediafire.com/download/pbibpm8637s3g2g/326._Judith.zip</a><br />
<br />
I'm posting them here on the blog now, but I can now also place them in a link embedded on the body of the Carolan Guitar. That's right! As I mentioned earlier, the patterns all over this guitar contain codes that can be read on smartphones or tablets, and that bring you to online places. What if one of these online places was a playground of unfinished songs?<br />
<br />
Imagine someone picking up this guitar and using it as a medium to start a songwriting partnership with someone they never met. Only through this guitar - which gets handed from person to person?<br />
<br />
So, if this one reaches you, have a try. If you like the song, add something; if you don't like it, well, make it better then! :)<br />
<br />
It would be really great if you could let me know the results - I'd love to hear them. Bring them together. Make them album of the same song that grew into different shapes all over the world ...<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm going to have a look around inside this Carolan Guitar, to see whether I might be able to find someone else's unfinished song to play around with!Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-85857065659867950262015-05-10T10:13:00.002+01:002015-05-10T18:37:40.030+01:00Carolan Guitar VisitTime to revive this site! Not that I have any. Time that is. Music there has been plenty, so hopefully you might pick up some of it here in the near future.<br />
<br />
Something very new to begin with! This week I'm test-driving a brand new type of guitar - the hand-made "Carolan Guitar", or the 'acoustic guitar that tells its life story'.<br />
http://carolanguitar.com/<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpjkMihLNAodxpb5NXkQC3L-LnlmqCfaVIQnucixGw_9yQFbv2rtzJ1gnT2XGMYnwPFc93QgkmNNteQlVv_4IhAZE6FUjF5Kb5iyToZrZ8IsdAGBEycEsxX7H2kH-K7hpZ1zMvaydGTM/s1600/IMG_3487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpjkMihLNAodxpb5NXkQC3L-LnlmqCfaVIQnucixGw_9yQFbv2rtzJ1gnT2XGMYnwPFc93QgkmNNteQlVv_4IhAZE6FUjF5Kb5iyToZrZ8IsdAGBEycEsxX7H2kH-K7hpZ1zMvaydGTM/s400/IMG_3487.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This extraordinary guitar forms part of a project run by Steve Benford et al. for the Mixed Reality Laboratory - School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham.<br />
<br />
Let me explain. These people developed a whole new type of guitar-experience - not in the playing, but in the meta-experience: The sharing of ideas, the artistic set-up, the fame and the fortune, all attached to a single instrument. I'm happy to see that this beauty has been in the hands of quite a few people already - and the fact that you can go and 'ask' the guitar to show some of the little films they made playing it is quite a thrill. So, many thanks to Alan Chamberlain for picking me as the next person in line to try and figure out its many possibilities.<br />
<br />
The first eye-catching feature of this guitar is its beautifully designed patterns. And its these patterns that turn this guitar into a marvelous box of possibilities: Every intricate knot contains a code that can be read by your smartphone and lead to some different experience. More on this later.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6TRtAI4bO4ZMmgL4je7L0uzKwIKUxuihg8JZxztZcMTo6lhLe6njjIdEp8iUPOQhtmDmwxyphpLxHjlC7MWMElCvdERd44dZiz2Jqd7lD2uPDsJOC0v-THmX7MfBlLfYplzloIzeHQ/s1600/IMG_3490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6TRtAI4bO4ZMmgL4je7L0uzKwIKUxuihg8JZxztZcMTo6lhLe6njjIdEp8iUPOQhtmDmwxyphpLxHjlC7MWMElCvdERd44dZiz2Jqd7lD2uPDsJOC0v-THmX7MfBlLfYplzloIzeHQ/s400/IMG_3490.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Actually, my first experiments consisted of just using the guitar as a straightforward instrument - how does it feel to jam on it as an acoustic guitar? The strings are new and still sound a bit brash (I prefer that old-string warmth - or I'm just too lazy to change strings ...), but you can't really blame the guitar for that. The action feels great, and for an acoustic guitar, it's very comfortable to play.<br />
<br />
A quick video here (this guitar comes with its own camera -- not attached I have to say, but travelling with it in a small suitcase) of me playing an 'old hit' - just testing whether the guitar can be funky.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/127361264" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="https://vimeo.com/127361264">"We All Fall For That", played on Carolan Guitar</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user40027415">Geert De Wilde</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
Time for some breakfast now :)<br />
<br />
<br />Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-32964809134462806402013-03-13T09:37:00.000+00:002015-05-10T09:44:53.058+01:00The #41 EPSo the DoDo Project didn't set fire to the charts.<br />
<br />
Instead I learned to play the drums (didn't really succeed), turned up the
volumes on everything and ditched the careful production/arrangement approach.
Prince released his 'Screwdriver', and 3rdeyegirl raised the hopes that a
rocking little band could be fun. Somehow that leaked into my system.<br />
<br />
Since DoDo, 41 songs were recorded, most of them originals this time, with
complete freedom as to their sound, structure and arrangement. Maceo listened
to most, if not all, of them. And it was he who suggested it was time to
release some of these to the wider world.<br />
<br />
I thought a full album of Y-originals might be a bit much to ask of anyone's
attention, so we agreed on an EP. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB3vPAK8RLEBIGz6Bsf5OzrZEM82KNCJtsYsL7EURuFICIsSDFPtU9VPeGzL-GjRN3urqdAYYXKtdrJ_kZwSdT8tHBHUOgJZWnYkKnZiYvdKncEhgu8U724ALSWVsi-Djod_QAcJvV_A/s1600/GDW+%2341+EP+cvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB3vPAK8RLEBIGz6Bsf5OzrZEM82KNCJtsYsL7EURuFICIsSDFPtU9VPeGzL-GjRN3urqdAYYXKtdrJ_kZwSdT8tHBHUOgJZWnYkKnZiYvdKncEhgu8U724ALSWVsi-Djod_QAcJvV_A/s320/GDW+%2341+EP+cvr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>1. Better Than Before</b><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204771671&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
<b>2. What Is Going On</b> (Ymaginatif- BrunoVanden Broecke)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204771936&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
<b>3. Snow Storm</b><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204772043&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
<b>4. All These Things Were Burnt</b><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204772247&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Let me know whether you like them.<br />
PS. Thanks MaceoGeerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-2317388951094275122012-04-20T14:23:00.004+01:002015-05-20T09:22:01.424+01:00The "DoDo Project": The Album!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
At last it’s here!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ‘DoDo Project’ is a complete performance of Aimee Mann’s
2000 Album <i>Bachelor No. 2 or the Last Remains Of The Dodo</i>, put together by Ymaginatif and Maceo in
the first four months of 2012.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ymaginatif recorded
guitars, bass, keyboards, drums and vocals at home (at moments when the baby
was asleep), and sent the masters to Maceo who then provided some more vocals
and took care of mixing and valuable post-production (also at home and at moments when the
baby was asleep).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The result is a wildly
varied and out-of-character album (Ymaginatif’s second virtual album), purely for your
entertainment and in honour, not only of Aimee Mann’s superb lyrics and song-writing, but also of www.entropymc.com (and its creator) for providing the playground of the people involved.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaj7AQCeOlAkyEvZXEAW0Ls62XVhMD2rBMTHLimh6CGKTBtPVFm4f7u7csiL7s0HWZKMiA_XsSj8E0tzJdnWeePXpPB8THqAnxzG2kEMNwrm6OWJoD8UExgZFWEun2ZydXhAVdwvGems/s1600/DoDo%7B912%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaj7AQCeOlAkyEvZXEAW0Ls62XVhMD2rBMTHLimh6CGKTBtPVFm4f7u7csiL7s0HWZKMiA_XsSj8E0tzJdnWeePXpPB8THqAnxzG2kEMNwrm6OWJoD8UExgZFWEun2ZydXhAVdwvGems/s320/DoDo%7B912%5D.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (artwork by Maxim)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Side 1:</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
1.<i> How Am I Different </i>(Brion-Mann)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
2. <i>Nothing Is Good Enough</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
3.<i> Red Vines</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
4.<i> The Fall Of the World’s Own Optimist </i>(Costello-Mann)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
5.<i> Satellite</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
6. <i>Deathly</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
7.<i> Ghost World</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Side 2:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
1. <i>Calling It Quits</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
2. <i>Susan</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
3. <i>It Takes All Kinds</i> (Brion-Mann)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
4. <i>Save Me</i><br />
5. <i>You Do</i><br />
6. <i>Backfire</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
7. <i>Just Like Anyone</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/109075590&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let us know what you think! :) </div>
Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-18252933028087155932012-03-30T11:01:00.000+01:002015-05-10T09:40:57.429+01:00The "DoDo Project": Preview Single!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Press Release:</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The “DoDo Project” starts here!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m sure you all know, but <i>Bachelor No. 2 or the Last
Remains Of The Dodo</i> is Aimee Mann’s third studio album, which was originally
released in 2000. It is one of the best albums in Pop Music. Says Y.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Aimee_Mann_-_Bachelor_No._2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Aimee_Mann_-_Bachelor_No._2.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By mid-March 2012 Y had recorded sixteen tracks for the
project. At that point he was contacted by soundman Maceo, who had heard about Y
working on something. Before having heard any of the songs, he volunteered to
do some post-production on some of the tracks. However, after a few very
effective test-mixes, both he and Y agreed that he should have a go at the entire
album. His input was essential to opening these songs up to a wider sound-spectrum,
whilst cutting out Y’s tendency to overproduction. He even added some vocals
here and there. In Maceo’s words: ‘The album sounds better with each listen!’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the end of the month, the project is now nearing its
completion – give them another 2 or 3 weeks for finalizing the mixes and sequencing
the whole thing. But we love the album so much that a preview single is called
for!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Well, here it is</u>: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Backfire (Maceo Mix) b/w Just Like Anyone
(Demo)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Side A:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204772845&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Side B:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204772758&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
Both songs are written by Aimee Mann and performed by Ymaginatif in his (rare) spare time.
Backfire has post-production by Maceo!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
PS Original artwork by Maxim </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-39789106449050380022012-03-28T12:37:00.001+01:002012-03-28T12:40:49.098+01:00The "DoDo Project": the remix EPGood news!<br />
Maxim has just agreed to produce an EP of remixes of selected tracks from the "DoDo Project"!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3QFgwNcqGbibYUOkDeKKlgXl0yg4oeY2Kut8jWLmYInSjTB96IjY3cCgj9in9iHDdaUvva_7zIj9gmngzgb5Qx60d1SW1O96KRluuoP8Urkf20-HhU0QiBl0H75ZDWDWMv9q_tOXi2E/s1600/DODO+Stamp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3QFgwNcqGbibYUOkDeKKlgXl0yg4oeY2Kut8jWLmYInSjTB96IjY3cCgj9in9iHDdaUvva_7zIj9gmngzgb5Qx60d1SW1O96KRluuoP8Urkf20-HhU0QiBl0H75ZDWDWMv9q_tOXi2E/s400/DODO+Stamp.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The album itself probably won't be ready before mid April - but I'm think of perhaps previewing a single here by the end of the week!Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-81456057593244645022012-03-26T11:16:00.004+01:002012-03-28T12:42:59.640+01:00The "DoDo Project" Artwork Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMksF80ipTIMkjICY6dJ52GEEniP1CCV46p1RDyVe0COIEP8Si8fNdeLhAd6kudsVSQJNDhquYoaG9dBjIWMiqVERi9G8KgKce_oYz4mkAB81Cg6DAMBUZWHTx9vSL4IZX9Bew_4U0V8/s400/DoDo909.png" width="400" /></div><br />
As I said before ... it's coming soon!<br />
<br />
(Thanks Maxim for the artwork)Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-38825178648729081162012-03-21T11:02:00.001+00:002012-03-28T12:40:26.549+01:00Update On the "DoDo Project"16 songs are now recorded for the "DoDo Project" - which is now in its finals stages!<br />
<br />
Two people in the world have listened to it, and they loved it ...<br />
<br />
But before I put it out here, Maceo has agreed to do some of his post-production and mixing on these tracks! Lovely!Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-73744605590685675202012-03-01T12:47:00.004+00:002012-03-28T12:39:51.656+01:00announcement<div style="font-family: inherit;">You may think things are a bit quiet around here?</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Is this another blog that went down with the megaupload crash?</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">no </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The truth is that I've been working on something bigger than usual, which started in mid January.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Now, forty days later and with the end in sight, I can say: coming soon on a site near to you:</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Ymaginatif - The DoDo Project"</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.davidreilly.com/dodo/images/gallery/DODO1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.davidreilly.com/dodo/images/gallery/DODO1.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">... what?</div>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-17847698683769956492011-12-08T15:41:00.001+00:002011-12-08T15:47:59.387+00:00"Little Boy Jake" b/w "What? More?!" (Home-Recordings)The wind outside is blowing so much, I thought you all might need a new virtual Y-single?!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MAmxG4v29Xn-r9W8xxXOP9tOyUcI3pmH9RIdmD9bmbQce4E6mV2h4iFgDhanpjwK1jyqk6nyFBxlzAFu74e7HDWv6o5Ml3oYc61UdEkv7HM3SqhwwPmU-uKSjHZRM8kcZg2Je0PK53w/s1600/11894_11_22_2009_1_28_49_AM_-_mwoods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MAmxG4v29Xn-r9W8xxXOP9tOyUcI3pmH9RIdmD9bmbQce4E6mV2h4iFgDhanpjwK1jyqk6nyFBxlzAFu74e7HDWv6o5Ml3oYc61UdEkv7HM3SqhwwPmU-uKSjHZRM8kcZg2Je0PK53w/s1600/11894_11_22_2009_1_28_49_AM_-_mwoods.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The A-side is the make-up-as-you-record 'Little Boy Jake'! Yes, you might be used to me reproducing every single instrument with canned Roland sounds ... but so far the guitars had been left real, genuine and untouched.<br />
Until last month, when I thought it was time to give the synth-guitar a try ...<br />
<br />
So this song started as a random riff played over and over again on the keys. (I was suprised to hear how much this sound is reminiscent of Prince's Batman era songs. He must have been using the same tools back then ...)<br />
<br />
Then I added bass, synth-drums and percussion, a 'real' guitar solo, and to end with, a vocal. I didn't have an existing song, but turned the whole thing into some social criticism rant. One day I might re-record this one, and give the contents a bit more thought. But as it is now, I think it already makes a pretty convincing demo.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/little-boy-jake?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=blogger&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/little-boy-jake">Little Boy Jake</a><br />
<br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F30076145"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F30076145" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/little-boy-jake">Little Boy Jake</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif">Ymaginatif</a></span> <br />
<br />
The B-side is the aptly titled "What? More?!" This was an improvisation, in seventies style, when I had only just bought me electronic drum-kit. The one where you use sticks and pedals instead of keys. It was nothing more than just flexing a bit of musical muscle, with drums, guitars, bass, organ, but it turned out quite nicely, and it's perfect for a B-side.<br />
<br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F30076249"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F30076249" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/what-more">What? More?!</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif">Ymaginatif</a></span> <br />
<br />
(btw, my conclusion, after having drummed for a year now. I can't drum a beat, but I can do fill ins. As long as it's just fill ins I'll be fine! :) )Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-5079364007281933362011-11-26T14:45:00.005+00:002015-05-10T14:18:36.119+01:00"Kiss" (Home-Recording)<u>Day 4 of the ever so glorious month of celebration</u>:<br />
<br />
Time for something brand new: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/kiss-26-xi-2011?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=blogger&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/kiss-26-xi-2011">Kiss (26 XI 2011)</a> [- removed, because Prince didn't like it.]<br />
<br />
FUNK!<br />
<br />
New? well, not entirely ... Every three or four years I end up recording a version of "Kiss" ... It was a song I already played before I was into Prince, then became a regular setlist member during the Absence days (when I *was* into Prince), and ended up being a track I record when I'm not very inspired but want to have a shot at something funky. It's an easy so many-bars blues, so it doesn't take much memory to call it up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT2D0SqhMQw3vs7zWE8h5h_aEh9eLeCTiss2C1cUJYuEstpzdtScg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT2D0SqhMQw3vs7zWE8h5h_aEh9eLeCTiss2C1cUJYuEstpzdtScg" /></a></div>
<br />
For this version, I first heard a 2006 8-track recording of mine. That one was trying to sound as 1980s as possible so it was adorned with marimbas, goofy synth-bass and fake brass all over it. I thought it was a good version (you might not agree ...), only let down by a somewhat limping drum track. So I decided to load the multitracks abck onto the machine, and re-do those drums.<br />
I ended up adding three drum- and percussion-tracks (all finger-drums on the keyboard), and they came out quite well. One problem: they didn't fit the song at all - they were too fiery and funky!<br />
There was only one solution and that was to throw away all the other instrumental tracks and to record new bass, electric guitar and keyboard.<br />
<br />
So, all that was left was my 2006 vocals, now dressed up in a totally new 2011-backing. Sort of a reverse karaoke version of myself!Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-78602178142616244762011-11-18T11:35:00.001+00:002011-11-18T11:37:31.313+00:00"Out Of Place" (Home-Recording)<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/out-of-place?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=blogger&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/out-of-place"> </a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><u>Day 3 of this month's ‘Ymaginatif: A Celebration’</u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">After the astounding success of last night’s acoustic set, we’re gathered here today to get through this thing called ‘the next song’. I hope you’re still with me? :)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Let me take you back to 2008, December 2008 to be precise. This is a recording of a very old song of mine, called ‘Out Of Place’, which goes back to the mid 1990s. It’s a classic blues pattern tune with weird and somewhat Halloweeny lyrics. I used to play this one a lot with erstwhile band-member Bruno – a favourite in impromptu live jams (on trains and in bedrooms) which sort of got requested again and again. It was an exuberant up-beat little thing with a lot of humour in it, which was a welcome change from the sometimes ponderous Dutch-language ‘art-songs’ we were wont to play in those days.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cristinabria.com/content/out-of-place-2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://www.cristinabria.com/content/out-of-place-2.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Many very different versions were made of this song (although no recording of the original arrangement with Bruno seems to have survived ...), noticeably one with brother Jeroen on tambourine and back-vocals, and another one using a toy synthesizer. But the one I’m presenting you today is the smoky, late night version – seriously slowed down in tempo, with acoustic guitar, piano and brush-drums (on keyboard) as well as a low, rough vocal. It takes away most of the humor, but creates something which, I fancy, Purpleblues might appreciate?</div><br />
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/out-of-place?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=blogger&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/out-of-place"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F28327429"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed allowscriptaccess="always" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F28327429" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" width="100%"></embed> </object> </a><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/out-of-place"></a>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-42431605090224159722011-11-08T13:06:00.000+00:002011-11-08T13:06:50.096+00:00'Handle With Care' (Home-Recording)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">Day 2 of the November Celebration:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Back in 2008 I was recording very quietly. My oldest daughter was two then, so when she was finally tucked into bed I was able to switch on the multi-tracker and do some recording in the evening again. Still, I couldn't do anything really loud, because she was asleep in the room next door ...</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.freehandmusic.com/preview/530x4/hal_leonard/hl_dds_0000000000242120.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.freehandmusic.com/preview/530x4/hal_leonard/hl_dds_0000000000242120.png" width="226" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is the main explanation why I decided to turn this rather exuberant Traveling Wilburys hit into a slow and ponderous acoustic grumble.</div><div class="MsoNormal">That being said, I was quite pleased with the result, as it got rid of the many-cooks novelty-mood of the original (which happily veers from George Harrison's sweet-voiced but biting sarcasm, to Roy Orbison's operatic pathos, to Dylan and Petty's sand-papery lustfulness), and replaced it with an all-encompassing gravitas. Yeah yeah ...</div><br />
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F27402114"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F27402114" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif/handle-with-care">Handle With Care</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif">Ymaginatif</a></span>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-16978272060643463042011-11-01T12:33:00.004+00:002011-11-01T12:51:19.865+00:00"4 Those About 2 Funk (Mrs. Microphone)" (Home-recording)A special feature for CKJ-funkyfive on Plug Me Inc.!<br />
(day 1 of November's 'Ymaginatif: A Celebration' ...)<br />
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In the early days of Entropy, young Maceo was easily convinced by a moustachioed Maxim and a more hairy Ymaginatif to join their brand new (and still nameless) virtual band.<br />
Taking the once-in-a-lifetime oppportunity with both hands, he borrowed Mrs Maceo's skype-microphone, and recorded a few rather random sentences. Then he sent the wav-file to Y, who cut it into pieces, and then slowed them down, speeded them up, and sprinkled them all over a 'music' track Maxim and he had just finished.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu4/Ymaginatif/entrop10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu4/Ymaginatif/entrop10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span id="goog_215974028"></span><span id="goog_215974029"></span><br />
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This track, '4 Those About 2 Funk', was a very Batman-like eletronica adventure couresty of Maxim, to which Y had added a dubious bouquet of extra synth-sounds. But it was only after the addition of Maceo's vocals, and Y's new multivoiced chorus prompted by one of his comments, that the song was really finished.<br />
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So there we have it - something to reminisce from spring 2009.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26902883"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26902883" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif"></a>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-59216113646063510782011-10-24T13:26:00.003+01:002011-10-24T13:54:51.601+01:00'Child Of Nature' / 'Here Comes The Sun' (Home-Recordings)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This month I've been going back and forth between angry protest rock and sweet Beatles-covers. Tossing a coin on which ones to 'entertain' you with (first), the choice fell on the Beatles-covers. Lucky you! Maybe because there has been a lot of sunshine over the weekend? ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Anyway - time for a thematic 'virtual single', I thought. Or afterthought, it was. But is somehow seemed to fit ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ogd5ij0UgosoKHvGpNIdEsHELQYbbryLKOartXjRJuWSkyO7wWs2Tpxye4u8DEsBCK-pKDmejrEr9xw32J2wVr2XpTFJoL8SW8OlGbK-PnDQA0vGASg-gvOvva8kkeaSFuP2P3jw1vU/s1600/dress%252Cgirl%252Clegs%252Clight%252Cnature%252Csun%252Ctree-a3a58233a66d4e6f7f36442dc5c23df3_i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ogd5ij0UgosoKHvGpNIdEsHELQYbbryLKOartXjRJuWSkyO7wWs2Tpxye4u8DEsBCK-pKDmejrEr9xw32J2wVr2XpTFJoL8SW8OlGbK-PnDQA0vGASg-gvOvva8kkeaSFuP2P3jw1vU/s1600/dress%252Cgirl%252Clegs%252Clight%252Cnature%252Csun%252Ctree-a3a58233a66d4e6f7f36442dc5c23df3_i.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/a3/a5/dress,girl,legs,light,nature,sun,tree-a3a58233a66d4e6f7f36442dc5c23df3_i.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>A. Child of Nature</b> (Lennon)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Or 'Jealous Guy', as most of you might know it. I started to record this song as 'Jealous Guy', but these 'great classic' compositions are always a bit daunting to pull off. I found that once I decided to re-instate John Lennon's original 1968 lyrics, suddenly things were a whole lot easier: now it made sense to have a sitar in the arrangement and to replace the whistle-solo with a vintage synth sound. At least, that's what I thought.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The vocal is way too high for me, but as usual, I did't let that stop me ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26120781"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26120781" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>B. Here Comes The Sun</b> (Harrison)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Finding that I was able to play the acoustic guitar riff of this one (after 15 years of looking for it, haha), I gave it a quick recording. The sound turned out quite nicely (despite the barking dogs outside and the crying daughter in the background), so taking my cue from the original Beatles arrangement (not trying to copying it, but thinking of this as a quiet acoustic song with some surprisingly robust band-backing), I added drums, bass, percussion and synth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Let's see whether you can spot the dogs and the daughter! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26123486"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26123486" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-39940124578813738872011-10-03T13:43:00.002+01:002011-10-03T13:52:39.231+01:00'I Want You' (Home Recording)After a long wait, here's a new song - recorded last Friday!<br />
<br />
'I Want You' has always been one of my favorite Elvis Costello songs, and I even managed to include it in the early setlists of The Absence. Its moody, bombastic, pathetic protagonist sort of fits my singing style :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvZXDfY_ScRGh78MUTT3H81ssK4ZCEGymHzw2kZmqOPFsYH2eHWS3VZ6GIoqxYcE2lVPWXzhbhODrE0PCBz9i8TDqB9n7UEwlxbKAHKzFHHWBUv6TYQaFUuk0m03YZXRveIRUQBGgaaA/s320/elvis+costello+I+want.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvZXDfY_ScRGh78MUTT3H81ssK4ZCEGymHzw2kZmqOPFsYH2eHWS3VZ6GIoqxYcE2lVPWXzhbhODrE0PCBz9i8TDqB9n7UEwlxbKAHKzFHHWBUv6TYQaFUuk0m03YZXRveIRUQBGgaaA/s320/elvis+costello+I+want.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Despite its repetitive chord-sequence and length (at more than 6 and a half minutes this is one of my longest recordings ever!), I believe that it holds some wonderful musical tension, that carries the listener all the way through. At least, *I* don't tire of it. Let's see what you think. (For those who don't know the song: don't worry, the acoustic, cheesy-folky introduction is TOTALLY different from the main body of the song)<br />
<br />
What have we got? Acoustic guitar (in the intro only), electric guitar (through 2 effect pedals at the same time), real bass, two quiet organs, a crazy 6-second solo-guitar (expressing utter desperation) and drums. I meant to do this with live-drumming, but the sounds kept triggering badly, so I had to revert to finger-drumming on the keyboard. Nevertheless, the initial kit-drumming had given me a few idea, which I then imitated on the keyboard, and which I would not normally have doned had a started straight from the keyboard (for one thing: the bass-tom fill-ins).<br />
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Here it is:<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F24691579"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F24691579" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-366950076325436062011-08-19T10:45:00.002+01:002015-05-10T14:17:59.568+01:00"KISS (Club Mix)" (Studio+Home-Recording)Two band-reunions in one song? Everything is possible these days!<br />
<br />
Last week I saw Tim B. again - as some of you might now, he is the co-founder and erstwhile bassist of The Absence. The band that rocked Leeds between 1999 and 2003.<br />
Despite one or two attempts, Tim and I never got round to recording anything new after 2003.<br />
<br />
But this changed, when last week he handed me a copy of the demo-CD his new band had just finished recording in a proper studio. This new South-English band goes by the name 'Imaginary4', and consists of him on bass and two old friends of his on guitar and vocals.<br />
Old friends yes, because together they used to be called 'The Honey Street': Tim's acoustic folk band from the early 1990s.<br />
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<a href="http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/profile01/115/8d1ca4dd35c64bf499431f1a5bb97a16/p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/profile01/115/8d1ca4dd35c64bf499431f1a5bb97a16/p.jpg" /></a></div>
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One listen was enough to find that they have changed completely! They are now playing their own tight, electric pop-songs with a hint of 1980s Goth and Siouxsie and The Banshees. Cool!<br />
They have one problem though: they are looking for a drummer. And they can't find one. So the four-song demo-CD ended up drumless ...<br />
Until I laid my hands on it ...<br />
<br />
In true EMF All-Stars fashion, I overdubbed the existing recording, adding drums and a few more things here and there. Just for the fun of it.<br />
Here's the first song I tried: 'KISS'. With all its talking about iphones and texting, I thought I'd give it a modern backing. Perhaps more modern than Tim would have liked?<br />
It's got drums played on keyboard (I tried on the kit, but that was just too hard ...).<br />
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There you have it: Imaginary4 featuring Ymaginatif - in a reunion of The Honeystreet and The Absence! Exlcusive to Plug Me Inc.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/151871219&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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PS. For more information on Imaginary4, go to http://www.myspace.com/imaginary4bandGeerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142163242662758687.post-2342175223821858152011-07-20T11:13:00.002+01:002011-07-20T11:20:55.867+01:00"Hope!" (Home-Recording)I can already play my own 'oldies' :)<br />
"Hope!" was written back in 1990 – more than 20 years ago! Shock horror.<br />
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It was one of the first real songs I was able to put together, and featured heavily in Meander's early repertoire. We've busked it on the streets, practised it in basement rehearsal rooms, and recorded it in radio-studios (though not on air). It's a song with a past ...<br />
Dozens of versions of it were recorded, and this is the most recent one – done on the digital eight-track in February this year (2011).<br />
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It had a little touch of Muse in the original idea I had for this arrangement, but that quickly disappeared. That aside, it combined a neatly rising chord-sequence for the chorus with a chunky guitar-riff for the verses (based on Bruno vanden Broecke's (who was the band's co-founder) bass-riff for that song).<br />
Ah yes, I'm afraid I had forgotten the chords of the middle bit, which here morphs into a semi-improvised new-wave coda. ... And it ends with big drum-fest on the toms.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F17447720"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F17447720" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ymaginatif"></a>Geerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12338166677080588763noreply@blogger.com2