Streetlight Serenade

1000 eyes, 1000 stars
Watch from above
Watch from afar

Forced outside my ring
The shadows slowly dance
As the street-light softly sings

Time slips away with a feeble yawn
No one the wiser
As he rouses the dawn.

I wait, impatiently, for signs of the light
Twisted and hungry
With only dreams and eyelids to fight

Then a flash, a firefly's haze
Shadows torn open
By a headlight's gaze

Stunned, I smile and reach out a hand
Quivering, but happy,
Wind at my feet, ground in my hair, and -

The headlights roll on.
I am left waiting
For morning to come.

---

(Low-Down, Up-Town) Leavin' Blues

"Final Version"



"Rough Version"



The Story:

This is a bit of an interesting one, because as you may have noticed, there are two audio files to chose from. I'm doing something I normally wouldn't with this post by including a "rough draft," of sorts to what I am considering the final work. There are a bunch of reasons to consider it a rough draft. 1) It was done when I had a cold. 2) It was done without a pop filter. 3) Some parts of it just sound bad. 4) The lyrics have been somewhat revised in the final version. I hope to show that there is a difference between the rough draft (kind of like the "demo" of the song) and the final product. I've generally spent more time writing and performing than balancing the levels of my tunes, butu even in the short time I spent on these two versions, I feel there is a noticeable difference in quality.

The other thing that I'd like to point out is that it contains a chorus, verse, middle solo, and end solo. Normally I wouldn't jump right into the lyrics, but I think it worked out alright for this song. There are still definitely points where I am unhappy either with the guitar or the vocals, and the drum track is completely one-dimensional (it is literally just one loop), but I think this is an improvement on my previous works and ideas. It seems to me the best way to improve as a singer, song-writer, or guitarist is to try things to see what does and does not work...or get lessons. Whatever comes first, right?

The Lyrics: (Chord Progression: C-F-G)

Chorus:

Low-down up-town leavin' blues
Tell me mama, what can I do?
I don't need no post-man
To tell me the news, I got the
Low-down, up-town leavin' blues

---

Once was a girl
I used to know
She said she loved me but
She had a funny way of showin' it
We'd been together three months
'Til she took a train and a plane
To sip margaritas
In the Spanish rain
I never saw her again
But at least I still have
My money

[Chorus]

Once met a girl from
Foreign lands
With the sweetest smile and
The biggest plans
But when I asked her to take my hand
She up and ran off with a
China man
But at least I still have
My dignity

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]

Once met a girl with
Her mind all wrong
She would bark like a seagull
And flap like a frog
But when I took her to the farm
To set her free, some one was committed
And hell, it was me

Life sure is hard
Can't get my way
It seems these blues
Are here to stay
But if I save them
For a rainy day
Maybe my ladies will come back
Without delay

(That'll happen.)

[Outro]

---

Edit - I was quite happy receive some feedback on my work today. It was mentioned that I still suffer from vocal inconsistencies, and after listening more closely, I definitely agree. Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in the moment of song-writing, and not realize a certain section should be revised. In light of these comments, I have produced yet ANOTHER version of the song. I actually recorded it very quickly, so...enjoy!

Mountain

---

This one is interesting. It started life as a random keyboard riff, and somehow flourished into a full song. My mom ended up liking the beat enough to put it on her iPod as one of her workout songs, and what's more...it has a DRUM SOLO. I've been meaning to put one of those in one of my songs for some time, but I finally did it. Playing a drum solo on a keyboard is actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'll definitely take this into account for my next keyboard drum solo. Before I go any further, let me give a few of my "inspirations" for writing this song.

- Jimi Hendrix, "Voodoo Chile"

I had the chorus stuck in my head when I wrote part of the lyrics, even if the melody and the words ended up being (I hope) reasonably different.

- The Theme To Batman (campy 60's version)

There's really no excuse for a horn section that raunchy, but I put it in because it made me smile. It still does...the horns in this song rawk.

- Blue Oyster Cult, "Cities Aflame With Rock and Roll"

This one inspired parts of the solo more than anything. I tried to get a really cool, fast, face-melting guitar solo, but ultimately I fell short of that goal. I'm still fighting on, though.

- The Theme to about any campy cop show ever.

Can't you hear it, lol?

I hope the lyrics were easier to hear this time, but just in case you need them, here they are:

---

1-2-3-4

I was standin' next to a mountain
'Til I tore him down
I was standin' next to a mountain
'Til he went and turned around
Can't stop me now baby
Devil can't drive me down

---

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - this song is proof that I shouldn't quit my day job to become a blues singer.

Whatever Happened to Audrey Lane?

---

The Lyrics -

Audrey Lane
She lived on
Audrey Lane
She lives on
Audrey Lane
Lane

Audrey was an actress
Such a pretty little actress
Dancing out her heart
On the stage

But Then no one
No one could find her
Just a letter
And her wage

Where have you gone my dear?

Letter waiting
Anticipation
Was this all a
Hallucination?

Open the letter
Do not delay
Reading the words
What do they say?

I'm sorry if
I'm sorry if I scared you
But it's time for me to go

This can be
Our little secret
No one else needs to know

I won't need this skin any more...

Audrey Lane
She lived on
Audrey Lane
She lives on
Audrey Lane
Lane

The Story -

I suppose I am going to be a little bit mysterious on this one, and not provide an explicit explanation. Any interested parties can feel free to e-mail me about what I had in mind when I was writing this song. What I would like to talk about here was the production and composition aspect of this song. It's been a roller-coaster thrill ride, for certain. For the first time ever, I composed EVERY track, including the drum beat. To be fair, it is basically just a bass hit, but it is definitely great to have control over more than just pre-made beats. I also consider this song a pretty big step forward in the quality of production for my songs. I've recorded almost everything in stereo, and the new box that I'm using has been good for the most past. Let me give you a few details.

Line 6 KB73 Computer Interface and MIDI Controller




Pros:

- MIDI control
- Line and Mic in
- Cool input dials that move in real-time
- Access to new tones through included software

Cons:

- No firewire support
- No 1.8 (standard) headphone support
- Not plug and play with my Mac
- Some buttons are useless unless they are programmed with additional software
- Some buttons are tempermental and only work some of the time (for me, the "pitch" and "mod" wheels)
- Somewhat unimpressive plastic construction

I bought this device to give me new creative freedom with GarageBand, and I think it has. It has replaced my ailing M-Audio box nicely. For me, the pros outweigh the cons. The lack of firewire support has not been a problem, and a headphone jack converter was acquired at RadioShack for a cool $3. The MIDI is limited by the quality of the loops, but for what I do, it has come together nicely. Though GearBox (the software you have to use to get everything connected, and to access tones) has not blown me away, but the interface has been easy enough to work around. The keys are small and plastic, but I'm not primarily a keyboard player, so this has not been an issue with me.

All in all, if you just want MIDI support, pay the $40 for a MIDI conversion cable, and grab one of the RadioShack keyboards that seem pervasive in closets, attics, and garages (depending on your location). However, if you want MIDI support, a decent way to record, and access to some reasonably good guitar and vocal tones, this is a good "all-in-one" to consider.

Score: 8.7 / 10.

---

Sound Check...

PART 2 - The Video



The Lyrics:

None.

The Story:

EDIT - Here's the link to the eBay auction:

http://tinyurl.com/yppmuo

Okay, this one is a little bit different. I recently bought a guitar, more specifically a Washburn Dime 333. Since the people who frequent this blog probably have access to my Facebook (marketplace), you can see a picture of it there. For the uninitiated, here's a picture (click for the full sized picture):



Now that my initial plans for this guitar have basically been shot to hell, I'm trying to resell it on Facebook, Craigslist, Ebay, and any other service that I can get my hands on. There guitar is a little dinged up cosmetically, but everything else is in order. It's a good player with some nice features (I particularly like the neck joint - it's a very nice change of pace from irritating low-end Squier necks), but it's just not the guitar for me.

You may be asking yourself - well what the heck is this post about? Part of it is a blatant advertisement for the guitar, but the other part is a "sound check." The song happily situated at the top of this post was played entirely on the Washburn (with the exception of the drum track). It consists of a "60s" texture (the backing track), 2 lead guitars, and one clean guitar. I tried to show what this guitar is capable of as well as what it sounds like, but there are two limits to this. First is the fact that I am not exactly the most proficient guitar player in the world. Second is that the sound of the guitar depends a lot on the effects / pre-amp that you use on it...but I still think the overall product turned out pretty well. Even if it doesn't sell anyone on the guitar it was still fun to play and come up with riffs that were a bit speedier than the ones I normally seem to play.

In any case, for more pictures or for a purchasing price, feel free to send me an email at...

fromthewayside [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com.

Atypical Love Song

The Lyrics:

Blue eyes
Pull me closer
Clear skies
Shining full of stars
Lost hearts
Find your rest now
Soon I'll
Find my way home

---

If the wind called my name
Would you kiss the sky?
If heaven gave you wings
Would you fly to me?

---

I'm coming home.


The Story:

Let me talk about the music to this one a little bit before I start delving into meaning. I'm happy to report that I am more satisfied with my singing and my vocal tone on this track, but I can definitely hear places where I need improvement. There are certain points where I wanted to do a really cool vocal scream (a la Chris Cornell), but it was for naught. I still need more time / practice refining my tone before I start working on new styles. I think the guitar part is reasonably well put together, though there doesn't seem to be anything outwardly complex about it. I wanted to make it more complicated, more complex, more intricate, but ultimately I decided that a sort of "slow flow" was the best route for this particular song. I'd like to point out that I am happy with the sounds of everything, considering that my recording box managed to get dropped again...I'll probably be replacing the little bugger soon, even after all that years of work he's put in. Now, about the meaning of the song...

The title is "Atypical Love Song," for several reasons. First, there's no explicit "I love you" mentioned in the song. Second, there is no chorus to speak of. I'm not troubled by this; I have no complaints about a more free-form approach. Third, the song is very sparse with regards to the lyrics. This was done deliberately, to (hopefully) give the song a more open and free atmosphere. As usual, I'm not going to offer an interpretation of the lyrics here. If you want to talk about them please feel free to email me. Let me point out one more thing before I go. I was watching M*A*S*H yesterday (don't ask me why, it just happened to be on the TV), and something really profound was said. A doctor was speaking to a wounded soldier who a lso happened to be a very gifted pianist. He had recently lost the use of his right arm, and had fallen into a sort of depression about his inability to play. During the course of their conversation, the doctor said, "I can play the notes, but I can't make music. The song in your heart is what makes the piano sing, not your hands." That really inspired me...I always hope to be making music, not simply playing notes.

Force Jansen

EDIT - Now available in blog.

For some reason the typical place where I upload songs is not cooperating with me...until it decides to work, the song will be available at two separate locations:

http://hypnosis.dmusic.com/

and

http://www.myspace.com/projecthypnotize

Sorry about the inconvenience!

---

This is a song dedicated to Mr. Jansen, my 11th and 12th grade physics teacher. The major goals I had for this song were...

- Short
- Minimal Lyrics
- Shred / Tapping Solo

I'm not 100 percent satisfied with the solo, but it's passable for what it needed to be. I think this song taught me some valuable lessons about technique, which I will definitely apply the next time I need the tapping technique.

They Lyrics:

We were hit
By a Force Jansen
Everybody
Started dancin'
Lasers went
Pew-pew
Everybody
Started to
Mo-o-ooove...

3-2-1 Blast-off!

Note: If the song is too quiet...TURN IT UP!