Monthly Archives: January 2025

#Frail Autumn,, #GarageBand,, #Lyrics, #music, #songwriting

Comparing dynamics on a song. To get ideas for overall sound.

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Today I began by loading up the 18 years was 50 years ago song. There are seven individual tracks played on. A need to muck about with tentatively bringing an improved brightness to the overall sound was the intention.

AND SO….TODAY I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO BRIGHTEN UP A SONG. ‘18 YEARS WAS 50 YEARS AGO’ NEEDS THOUGHTS FOR CONTINUATION. WHAT TO ADD INSTRUMENTALLY AND CHANGE THE ARRANGEMENT FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR INCLUSIONS. IF AN IDEA OF WHERE TO SET FUTURE SOUNDS IS FOUND, WHEN RE-RECORDED IT SHOULD BE EASIER TO GET AT A CLOSER DESIRED END RESULT.

BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO WITH THIS SONG.

1). Coffee Shop percussion. From GarageBand library.

2). Grand Organ. Played on the external AKAI Professional MPK Mini Plus – 37 mini Key USB MIDI Keyboard.

3). Baroque Organ . Again the AKAI Professional MPK Mini Plus – 37 mini Key USB MIDI Keyboard.

4). Azure Crystal Synth Bells. AKAI Professional MPK Mini Plus – 37 mini Key USB MIDI Keyboard.

5). Echo Strum. Guild D25 Cherry Acoustic dreadnought guitar with small flick fills played through the external Shure MV5 condenser microphone.

6). Echo Strum. The Guild guitar again. This time strummed chords.

7). Echo Strum. The Guild played and singing at same time through the MV5 microphone again. Therefore vocals sung into a guitar audio choice on the system.

Original which feels flat.
#2 Change with dial in Output Master levels below.
All Seven tracks here.

Added the opportunity of two more tracks presently for keyboards (a Steinway Grand Piano) and an electric guitar opportunity (Country Gent). Either of these can be deleted or changed for different instruments. There are no limits or written in stone choices. I have written a Bass Guitar melody for this song. So next up will be to add it as the next stage.

The 3 acoustic guitar sounds were isolated also and the compression slightly changed on each. Focused settings on each individual instrument is important. Each played instrument has to mix in with the others and give a good synergy.

All Seven tracks have been used. Those of you who play keyboards can probably see the notes I played here.
Coffee Shop percussion chosen with Boardwalk Rhythms. No fills or Swing. Different types of percussion added at levels on bar. Fairly loud and mid complexity. This shows the variations to choose re: percussion dynamics. It’s a listening and feeling the groove exercise.
OUTPUT MASTER’S LEVELS.

LYRICS.

It’s the season where the reason is to chase your dream

Blow your blues away

There’s no profit in the pocket of an empty room

Sitting and wasting the days

Don’t hide in the corner in your tip-top hat

Dreaming you’re back on the stage

Throw down some colour on the black on white

And…Brighten up every page of your life. Mmm.

You look like an angel all dressed in rags

Miles from your relevant age

Life has a choice of a million kinds

Allows you to escape the cage.

So when you’re shattered and you’re tattered and your life’s a mess

It all feels wrong, not right

Pick up your grief from the Autumn gloom and

Kick it out into the night.

Stop hiding in the corner in your tip-top hat

And think it doesn’t suit your age.

Become the prophet in the corners of a worn down mind

Pen a tune and seize the day

You can always sing

Na na, na, na, na, na na

Na na na na na na na

Na na na na

Na na na na

And chase all the blues away. Hey!

Gone are the promises that held your hand

Leading you into the fight.

What once was…. is now has been

So drag yourself into the light

Living was forgiving was for those who did

Played the game and won

No taste of the fruits of a richer kind

Turn everything into lies.

Eighteen years was fifty years ago