NOT A FULL SONG. JUST AN EXPLANATION IN HOW A SONG PROGRESSES. WILL KEEP UPDATING THIS AS PROGRESS CONTINUES.
Tonight? I began writing a song completely differently to how I normally do this songwriting thing. I usually have a tune and an idea of lyrics. But not this time. And when recording?
Usually it is always drums or percussion beats down first. That currently comes from a choice within the GarageBand library. I can edit the drums at any time to suit purpose. Albeit naively. But they can be tweaked and tailored as the song progresses.
Drums of a basic nature did go down first tonight as is standard. Result is below. But usually the first thing recorded are the guitars. They go on top of the drum beat and layered with three or four different rhythms. Bass, even though I play bass guitar primarily, is not often included in many songs uploaded here on the blog. Weird but true. But, I do have a few songs here on the blog site with bass inclusions.
Back to tonight. This time, after a chosen drum beat, I played four simple harmony keyboard parts. I began to develop the semblance of a vocal melody by humming an old song tune and lyric along whilst hitting little keyboard tunes. The old song melody wove in and out of its own tune. Began to find new paths. The guitar sound I wanted to get for this project was a hard, but melodic, driven one. So the drum beat was chosen as appropriate to what I am hearing guitar wise in my head. The drums can have a few sensitively added cymbal crashes added by myself too. The keyboards seemed a nice juxtaposition of dynamic. Weaving in nature to a more solid guitar sound.
I would like this song to build on build. Over sixteen (eight of each low and high) part sequences keep adding another layer of sound. The seventeenth low part is an outro to be faded out. So layers will be chosen ad hoc and added bit by bit. Maybe empty out the build, back to this basic rhythm below, at around three quarters of the song and then get a big crescendo sound coming back in and slamming into the last sequences.
It’s late at night over here in the UK. My wife is sleeping so no guitars to experiment with tonight. Tomorrow is hopefully the beginning of guitar experimental day. Depends if Frankie the Fella cat behaves himself. But, definitely Bass Guitar included this time too. I have no real idea of nailed down guitar sound. Just a riff rhythm tune in my mind. Don’t even think I may be able to play it adequately anyway. But let’s see.
The trick with a song is to not sing the same tune to every verse like a mantra. Let the voice subtly go into different places in the verse certainly. The chorus is more cemented. But. Different developing harmonies on each chorus changes the mood and dynamic of each chorus as the song progresses. Choose a nice guitar lead tune too. An added new melody to the verse and chorus.
SOME OF YOU WHO ARE MUSICIANS YOURSELVES MAY BE HEARING YOUR OWN MELODY OR TWO TO ADD TO THIS ‘BASE TRACK’. IT MAY BE DEVELOPING AND BLOOMING IN YOUR OWN MIND AS YOU LISTEN.
BEST HEARD THROUGH HEADPHONES OR EAR BUDS. 🎧 OR WEARING A TIP TOP HAT. 🎩
Tentative lyrics below sung whilst playing the keyboards: these were from an original 1970s song. So in reality these won’t be used. The whole vibe could well end up completely different. Certainly needs a lot more lyrics and ideas added for this song above anyway. But I do like the song title. Good theme to run with.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY:
I need you
To prove my innocence
I’ve no alibi
It’s up to you
To make them see sense.
Goodbye you
Hello me
Mistaken identity
Unified, unified, unified, unified
Goodbye you,
Hello me
Mistaken identity
Unified, unified, unified, unified.
What’s his name?
Find out.
What d’ya mean
It’s the same as mine.
This ain’t no game
I’ve been sentenced
To a life inside.
Goodbye you…..etc.
Middle:
Wonder what I’m doing here. (Whispered…..Inside)
Wonder what it’s like there. (Whispered……Outside)
I need you.
I need you.
I need you
To prove my innocence
I’ve no alibi
It’s up to you
To make them see sense.
Goodbye you. Hello me………..
Gray Summers 