April 2009 Archives (all archives)

April 30

Thanks to the Wishing Well

If not for MeFi Challenge deadlines, I might never actually finish a song. This one has only two chords (D and G). Instruments used, in order of appearance: Autoharp, marimba, marxophone, triangle, glockenspiel, and accordion. [more inside]

posted by Karlos the Jackal at 6:41 PM PST - 8 comments

Afternoon ditty

Sloppy simplistic cheerful beat from way back, with some recycled sounds (2:06).

posted by jchgf at 4:08 PM PST - 6 comments

U

An love letter to the letter "U" [more inside]

posted by raisindebt at 3:24 PM PST - 8 comments

Looking at Witches

Like a dry drunk Down at the mall

posted by Jawbones at 11:14 AM PST - 6 comments

Morning

For the April two chords challenge: As usual, a repetitive song. This time written in a slightly confusing time signature. [more inside]

posted by azarbayejani at 11:09 AM PST - 1 comments

April 29

Spring (like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers)

I made some power-pop. It's crunchy. [more inside]

posted by Jon_Evil at 10:43 PM PST - 8 comments

The Last Native Speaker

Languid and lingual. [more inside]

posted by doubtfulpalace at 10:10 PM PST - 3 comments

The Underground

Making Sure Technology Fails [more inside]

posted by speicus at 9:59 PM PST - 5 comments

Help me figure out how to look for singers!

I want to get perspective from anyone who's recorded and produced an album with local artists. [more inside] posted by jake at 6:32 PM PST - 8 comments

Lorem Ipsum

A hypothetical j-rock anime theme song using a simulated choir, simulated singer, simulated orchestra, simulated drums, but very real guitar and bass -- it is at least somewhat rooted in reality, as is the well-known passage that serves as the lyrics. [more inside]

posted by jake at 1:12 PM PST - 13 comments

Gone Gone Gone

For the April "two chords" Challenge. The two 3-note chords even share a note in common, so we're talking a total of five notes serving as harmonic accompaniment for this song. Played on the strumstick. There's a hoop drum, too, of indeterminate pitch. I posted a lo-fi, live version of this song to YouTube as well, direct from my 6-mat tatami room at home. You can see it here.

posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:23 AM PST - 12 comments

Cover: One More Time

Acoustic guitar instrumental cover of a very popular song, I won't mention the artist, perhaps a commenter can spill the beans :) Recorded in two parts.

posted by Admira at 2:03 AM PST - 3 comments

April 28

Friday

A song mostly written on a Friday. [more inside]

posted by azarbayejani at 8:20 PM PST - 3 comments

Lackawana Standoff

Bluesy, down-home saga of rebellion. [more inside]

posted by Liv Pooleside at 8:00 PM PST - 5 comments

Why donchu go

On man.. the first line and the rhythm were written while walking to class three or four years ago in a wisdom tooth Vicodin sunshine. A couple of days before April this year I woke up early some Sunday morning and just started playing the same two 'chords' over and over again (A7#9sus4 (just bar the 5th) and Amaj .. although it probably was closer to Amin/E to Amaj/E). Combine that with a corrupted version of the 'Why don't you move back to Massachusetts!' line from Do the Right Thing and you've got something sounding like early tired Sunday mornings. [more inside]

posted by xorry at 4:14 PM PST - 1 comments

April 26

Circus [EP Mix]

The final track on our four-track demo EP. I posted a very early version of this a while back, but since then it's gone through quite a transformation. [more inside]

posted by jhighmore at 3:32 AM PST - 2 comments

The Ghosts Sing About Ayler

Albert Ayler wrote music about ghosts, witches, devils, demons, and angels. The levels on this range widely. If you use a compressor, you get a declawed piece, but not the one I wrote. [more inside]

posted by idiopath at 12:13 AM PST - 6 comments

Hey, Hey Rock 'n' Roll

There are times I wish I had an electric guitar . . . [more inside]

posted by quadog at 12:06 AM PST - 4 comments

April 25

Rough Around the Edges

A fast boppy instrumental guitar piece, recorded in one take and as the title suggests, its a little rough around the edges. A little rocky in sections, would be interesting with distorted electric guitar with bass and drums behind it. Hope everyone enjoys it!

posted by Admira at 7:30 PM PST - 1 comments

chthonian planets 4

A curious alien has snatched one of our spacecraft from orbit and sent back a very strange signal...

posted by wastelands at 4:05 PM PST - 3 comments

Ataraxia

'Ataraxia' is Greek for 'tranquility', which is what I was trying to convey with this piece. [more inside]

posted by semblance at 3:27 PM PST - 3 comments

Japonisme (2)

MeFiMu stalwart micayetoca asked me if there was anything else from the Japonisme project, so I dug up this other one that I'd done a while back. It's just a simple little ditty that uses an a cappella vocal (slowed down a bit) from a 7" record I picked up at a flea market, to which I've added a rhythm track and some bamboo jaw harp. I put it to some video footage I shot here in Tokyo, too, and uploaded it to YT earlier today. If you'd like to see it...

posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:14 AM PST - 9 comments

April 24

Handclap breakdown

Tips for recording handclaps [more inside] posted by umbĂș at 8:59 PM PST - 13 comments

Model Home

Demo of the first track from a dumbass pop concept album I'm working on.

posted by frenetic at 6:17 PM PST - 8 comments

Uncle Wayne Plays Some Church

Last night I was trying to find some inspiration for the bluegrass I'm working on and the first thing that came on youtube was THIS. It's a pretty slow version of Home Sweet Home. [more inside] posted by snsranch at 4:21 PM PST - 10 comments

Joy In The Morning (Cast Your Stone)

An older recording that I just dug up. One of my friend Hawk Coleman's best vocal performances. A bit of a folky melodramatic march that builds pretty big towards the end. [more inside]

posted by dagosto at 12:19 PM PST - 2 comments

Oscillendulum 4

Here's another Oscillendulum, once again performed only on my beloved old Roland JUNO 60. About an hour ago I also posted this to YouTube, as a soundtrack for a raft of ducks swimming around in Ueno pond. Yet another Oscillendulum went up on YT a few hours before that, as a soundtrack for a revolving restaurant display. Be the first on your block to see 'em!

posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:07 AM PST - 12 comments

April 23

Big Big Big Big Big Big Titties (TimbaLake mix)

Subtle ode to the mamaries. [more inside]

posted by ba at 8:30 PM PST - 4 comments

No Talking From You!

When a spoken-word performance goes wrong, improvise. [more inside]

posted by man vs sun at 6:58 PM PST - 0 comments

The Apathetic Type

Track 3 on our four-track demo EP. This one was written, recorded and produced entirely by yours truly, at about six in the morning, with lots of coffee and other various enhancers. [more inside]

posted by jhighmore at 8:01 AM PST - 2 comments

April 22

Song in Am

No the most imaginitive title, I wrote this for a friend who was meant to put lyrics onto it and never got around to it - its lengthy at about 4 and a half minutes, the second guitar melody kicks in half way through. Slow, relaxing and as always, hope its enjoyed by all who listen to it.

posted by Admira at 7:30 PM PST - 0 comments

Explain noise music to me

After being a total dick in one of idiopath's recent postings, I realize that I need to understand what I am not appreciating. [more inside] posted by dobie at 11:49 AM PST - 24 comments

Emotion Experiment

This is a piece I've composed to express or represent emotion. Please let me know what you think it expresses. If you really want to be serious, then copy and paste the questionnaire posted inside (without reading the comments!) and send your answers to me by email. [more inside]

posted by leibniz at 6:33 AM PST - 3 comments

April 21

Drip Drop

A song written for the very specific occasion of riding home on a bicycle in a light drizzle. [more inside]

posted by dagosto at 11:57 PM PST - 2 comments

APATHY//GOLD

the safeguard of apathy... [more inside]

posted by god particle at 10:28 PM PST - 0 comments

Moonshake (two chord version)

Can cover, E7 and A7. Response to two challenges. [more inside]

posted by arcanecrowbar at 10:13 PM PST - 4 comments

I Got Whiskey

A simple country song about how life sucks until you realize it ain't so bad.

posted by markulus at 9:28 PM PST - 3 comments

Florida

My version of Florida, by the Butthole Surfers, off of the Rembrandt Pussyhorse album. [more inside]

posted by idiopath at 7:20 PM PST - 6 comments

It Was A Great Year (Movies With Robots)

Easy, nostalgic, cinematic electronica. The challenging part was getting the robots to sing - not too mechanically, but not too uncannily either.

posted by gmm at 10:38 AM PST - 20 comments

It Came From Mexico

Track 2 of our four-track demo EP. [more inside]

posted by jhighmore at 6:19 AM PST - 3 comments

April 20

Give Up On Us

Folksie fun-times with my band, Borachio. (I'm on drums.) We did this in my guest room, separately, so it's only so decent, but hopefully you'll see what we're going for.

posted by disillusioned at 10:24 PM PST - 5 comments

If It Be Your Will (Leonard Cohen cover)

I just listened to the man's Live in London album tonight, and decided to spend the rest of the evening hammering this out. [more inside]

posted by Saellys at 9:41 PM PST - 2 comments

Everywhere With Helicopter (feat. jessamyn; Guided By Voices cover)

So, what was it, November when the MeFi Challenge was unofficially "requests for covers from other MeFites"? But this goes even further back... sometime last summer, Jessamyn said she wanted to do a cover--with me!--of Guided By Voices' "Everywhere With Helicopter." "OK," I said, "but you have to sing and make jangly noises with things around your apartment." [more inside]

posted by not_on_display at 8:28 PM PST - 3 comments

Take Five

Since I recently started learning alto sax, I've been trying to learn the well known Paul Desmond standard Take Five, but don't have a playalong for it. So tonight I made one. This is it. [more inside]

posted by motty at 8:27 PM PST - 2 comments

The Sky's The Sky

I don't have a description.

posted by scottMontgomery at 7:22 PM PST - 1 comments

Cover: The Rose

Instrumental guitar cover of The Rose by Bette Middler. Done in one take, as its recorded with just one guitar line theres been a few compromises with the melody. Also a few dud notes but every time I tried to re record it the cats kept getting in the way! Perfect for Mothers Day which is coming up here in Australia.

posted by Admira at 6:21 PM PST - 2 comments

Dance For Me

In case you thought I went soft, here's some butt rock for you to blast in your Trans Am. [more inside]

posted by uncleozzy at 5:59 PM PST - 7 comments

Where the Nest Goes

A resurrected ditty from more than a decade ago -- finally retooled it and recorded it properly. Another Geese tune. I originally wrote it for my then-infant son Mikey (who was heard on other recent tunes I've submitted to MeFi Music). I think it has an old-school flavor (with a pinch of the Monkees and ABBA). Enjoy. [more inside]

posted by grubi at 12:17 PM PST - 4 comments

Administrative Professionals' Day

There are many hot dance jams about the lifestyles of the hot, rich, and fabulous. There are comparatively few about administrative professionals. And perhaps even less about their oft-overlooked holiday (this Wednesday, April 22).

posted by blapst at 9:47 AM PST - 5 comments

Sweet Thames Flow Softly

Follow along on the map... [more inside]

posted by doubtfulpalace at 1:49 AM PST - 0 comments

April 19

Your Shout

Another instrumental guitar piece, lively, fun, and a bit of an exercise in tonicization. Hope everyone enjoys it.

posted by Admira at 5:46 PM PST - 1 comments

Estranha Forma de Vida

An old Portuguese song.

posted by micayetoca at 1:56 PM PST - 11 comments

April 18

Sanbian

A birthday present for my girlfriend a year or two ago. [more inside]

posted by nthdegx at 12:25 PM PST - 0 comments

Fight Test

Part 2 of the drunken covers story rampage (part 1 was pretty angsty), in which our hero borrows from the Flaming Lips as he muses on how to incorporate violence into his law-breaking.

posted by COBRA! at 9:53 AM PST - 0 comments

April 17

smooches

Fluidsynth with the Yamaha piano soundfont from http://zenvoid.org/audio.html. My mouth. A zoom H2 personal recorder. [more inside]

posted by idiopath at 6:38 PM PST - 4 comments

enigmatics III

Yes, I already contributed something to the two-chord challenge, but that doesn't mean it's the only song I've done with only two chords. This track uses Fm and G.

posted by NemesisVex at 6:32 PM PST - 4 comments

In the Morning We Awoke

A song recorded with Synthesizer and guitar. My submission for the two chords competition [more inside]

posted by orville sash at 2:39 PM PST - 1 comments

Breaking the Law

2 guys drink more than they should while listening to Merle Haggard, decide to assault Judas Priest. [more inside]

posted by COBRA! at 7:21 AM PST - 3 comments

Everyone Here Wants You (To Go)

Track 1 of our four-track demo EP. I shall be posting more in the future if this gets any kind of reception... [more inside]

posted by jhighmore at 4:02 AM PST - 2 comments

April 16

Soon

A little two-chord reverie that shuffles around for a bit and then disappears. [more inside]

posted by uncleozzy at 6:39 PM PST - 10 comments

doesn't have to hurt

A loud composition, in 7/4 time, 120 BPM. [more inside]

posted by idiopath at 5:48 PM PST - 30 comments

One Complete Revolution

Just a simple little guitar ditty. [more inside]

posted by metagnathous at 10:39 AM PST - 3 comments

Darwin IV

There's a way in at the back. It sounds better inside.

posted by nthdegx at 8:47 AM PST - 5 comments

Short Hills CRITIQUE VERSION

Please listen to, think about, and heavily critique this song! I'm working on mixing it and finishing up the recording, and would hugely appreciate any constructive criticism! Thx!

posted by tmcw at 7:46 AM PST - 13 comments

April 15

Pastrami on Rye

Performed by a vegetarian.

posted by man vs sun at 9:42 PM PST - 6 comments

Soundscape 001

My 19-month-old son has just recorded his first piece. [more inside]

posted by ba at 9:19 PM PST - 2 comments

Need record jacket design inspiration?

I know how it is: you've got the music all together for your upcoming CD, everything sounds great, but... what about the jacket? You need inspiration, you need an idea, that perfect design that screams "buy this record!" Well, friends, look no further, for inspiration abounds at the Life's Railway to Heaven - Wholesome Gospel Family Record Covers flicker pool. [more inside] posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:49 PM PST - 12 comments

Everything (is on fire)

This is an old song, but it only uses two chords (well, okay, so there's a third, brief chord, but still), and it's taken me four years to get around to the massive amount of hiss reduction the song required to make it postable. Because I'm lazy.

posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:01 PM PST - 14 comments

April 13

All Day Long

Very short and perhaps sweet. I've been working on this kind of music for a while and this is a good example of where I'm at with it right now. Two Chord Challenge!!! ENJOY! [more inside]

posted by snsranch at 6:51 PM PST - 9 comments

The Turducken Song

A very dirty ode to Easter. [more inside]

posted by millipede at 6:33 PM PST - 2 comments

Bathe Your Children

Insomnia is a terrible thing to waste.

posted by doubtfulpalace at 12:58 AM PST - 17 comments

April 12

Letter & line

For the two chord challenge, though a bit of a cheat because it's more like two notes... [more inside]

posted by freya_lamb at 1:51 PM PST - 4 comments

Catastrophes

This is one of seven tracks off my friend Brian Rozendal's updcoming debut EP, Lean. I'm on piano. A whole bunch of details within. [more inside]

posted by cortex at 8:20 AM PST - 10 comments

April 11

Hollow Rooms

At home one Saturday night in about 1984, I got interested in just how hard it was to say words backwards, flip the tape, & have them come out intelligible. It took hours, and was much harder than I thought. [more inside]

posted by Devils Rancher at 12:49 PM PST - 2 comments

April 10

lupus_yonderboy callback dis

A little over a minute. 174 bpm freestyle joint. Still better than his offered doggerel.

posted by ShawnStruck at 11:39 AM PST - 2 comments

Jiggy Romp (short version)

This is an upbeat guitar instrumental idea with a rock/tropical feel. [more inside]

posted by brickmachine at 6:08 AM PST - 1 comments

April 9

Jersey (Cruel and Unusual Mix)

If you like New Jersey, don't hit play. [more inside]

posted by man vs sun at 6:02 PM PST - 2 comments

April 8

Rescuer (cleaner mix)

Finally -- a MeFiMusic Challenge I can do! Or rather have done. I actually posted this song before, but I've since gone back and cleaned up the EQ and gated some of the noise from the vocal. The two chords used are D and E.

posted by NemesisVex at 11:44 AM PST - 3 comments

Kimo

Am7 + Gm7. My submission to the two chord challenge.

posted by micayetoca at 10:48 AM PST - 14 comments

April 7

You're Not Alone

My contribution to the two-chord challenge. A sleepy little song with fingerpickin' guitar, piano, and some three part "harmony." I experiment a little more with my voice on this one. [more inside]

posted by ORthey at 11:35 PM PST - 15 comments

April 6

Portland, City of Roses, City of Dreams

Ok, so I was playing around with the two-chord song idea, struck on something that sounded nice, and this is the end result. Brought to you by the letters G and D7. [more inside]

posted by kaibutsu at 11:52 AM PST - 8 comments

April 5

Boots of Righteous Defense

The first finished recording for my band's new album. [more inside]

posted by dobie at 5:31 PM PST - 21 comments

accreting protostar

High dynamic range and distortion wrapped in a a heartbeat-like 73 BPM.

posted by wastelands at 1:44 PM PST - 1 comments

April 4

This Much

A two chord challenge song that EXPLODES! [more inside]

posted by Corduroy at 2:47 PM PST - 11 comments

April 3

Stars

My first song post. An existential (yet musically simple) electronic/acoustic pop, sorta trip-hoppy, song.

posted by lovermont at 8:42 PM PST - 23 comments

I Said It All

For the April "write a song with only two chords" Music Challenge. Brought to you by the chords E and A. [more inside]

posted by chococat at 2:52 PM PST - 14 comments

Principles for Artist Compensation in New Business Models


A Little Gift to Make Up for Not Participating in More Challenges...

On April 21st, my band Tangemeenie is issuing a small limited CD release of "The Gilded Age," our first full-length since our only previous full-length debuted way back in 2002 on the tiny but mighty indie label Animal World Recordings. Since the MeFi music community played such a key role in helping me to complete this project (by providing feedback on rough mixes and helpful advice on the nuts and bolts of different stages of the production process), I'd like to invite everyone here to help themselves to free downloads of the final, mixed, mastered and officially-certified finished product over here before we release it in the usual way. [more inside] posted by saulgoodman at 10:59 AM PST - 4 comments

April 2

Ballad of the Mountain Creek Lake Park Hill Forest Trail Spring Creek Park Murders

Inspired by the Metatalk thread. [more inside]

posted by kaibutsu at 8:08 PM PST - 8 comments

Paranoid: A Chant

Taken from Stephen King's short story collection, Skeleton Crew.

posted by man vs sun at 6:20 PM PST - 2 comments

You're Wrong, Your Wrong

This is a swingin' number my band recorded last year and finally have finished mixing. It features guitars, drums (including a piccolo snare), bass, and a stalker. The title is not a spelling mistake. Enjoy!

posted by awfurby at 12:41 AM PST - 1 comments

April 1

Australia

Another old one. It's a little rough, but enjoyable. Contains guitar, didgeridoo, part of some commercial, and small flammable animals. Bits were inspired by bagpipes and Albert Ayler.

posted by xorry at 8:18 PM PST - 0 comments

My Amnesty Song

Something for the Choral challenge, although, it ain't quite choral. [more inside]

posted by snsranch at 6:12 PM PST - 5 comments