Thought it may be an idea to put three little try out songs together here. I have recently, over the last week or so, been using the computer again for recording some additional keyboard track layering on top of old songs. These songs below are new tryouts. All in infancy concerning how to develop them.
What to remember? A moment of time that you, as an artist, feel is actually okay, but never stable, is still progress. It is never written historically in cemented time’s timelines. But, we all have to experiment. And present to others, when we are inherently happy but uncertain with our own input, and leave outcomes to tell their own stories. They will always be challenged down the line. The thing is….just do it. Please don’t hide anything away that you give heart to. Always grab the scenario of self naivety, show them willingly and allow the questions that inevitably come back at you. At least you have started the ball rolling. And remember too that people exist that love the base. Where they see the initial value of trying the vibe to realise the final result. I love to check out early recordings of, for example, The Beatles, T.Rex, and others…..and I always say ‘Thank you for persevering’. I wouldn’t love those songs that stay for a lifetime if the basement, front room or Aunty Mimi’s kitchen table tape results weren’t followed up.
Firstly:
A different short intro for the Vlogcasts. Getting tedious thinking this idea through regarding the ‘And so the story goes’ malarkey, but hey ho. This is gentle. And I thought it would be nice to sit with each different musician and play the song together at start of Vlogcasts. Imagining a saxophonist, harp player, fiddle player, accordion player, etc. playing alongside. Or a vocalist changing the dynamic harmoniously. Short and easy to play.
Secondly:
‘Give me something real’. It’s a song from a short while back that’s been sitting on the shelf. Got no idea of how to develop it, but did add a bit of crazy keyboard notes played at random. Sometimes it gives me backing ideas when I do this. Wish I could play keyboards properly. And, no, it’s too late to learn. My fingers are all aches and pains still from a January double whammy virus attack that’s still dawdling around my joints.
First up the vocal and the downward strum guitar first try out.
Sang and played it again but added a bit of keyboard mysterious malarkey.
Thirdly:
She Said. I wrote the words and tune to this back in the late 1970s. Came along with the bass line here and sang it. Think it was in another key though. Higher, so out of reach now. She Said is accredited to myself, my brother Kev and Dave the guitarist from The XCerts. Towards the end days of the band, we just gave the writing kudos to all three of us because, well, we just did.
This as rough as houses, but gives me direction of new ideas to add that is different from the original.
So, today was a bit of a muck about to kick start feeling confident to begin recording in earnest again. Here it has been awful on and off rainy weather today. And yesterday too. A bit brighter now at 17.30. So stayed in instead of hitting the road with the VeeDub Bus.
These songs above? I enjoyed getting at least a kick start going, even though I trundled along in first gear. However. Any intended journey starts with one first step as they say.
Gray Summers 
Like your first idea Gray of blowin’ out over a few chords…nice to share your raw ideas with yourself and others many miles away…I’d have the keyboards down in the mix when singing…it’s hard to keep up with all your posts here and on the tube…Ol’ Dawg Hisself
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Cheers Shep. I wondered what a harp would play notes wise and sound like on the first little ‘Story goes..’ song ditty. Was also thinking of writing a second verse too. Angie has a staff member who plays saxophone. And one of my friends from social service days has a wife who plays fiddle. I know an accordion player who plays also various pipe wind instruments. Angie’s best friend’s son. A few more too. Be nice to have those choices on the first few Vlogcasts.
YouTube was a case of just choosing my photographs from iPad files or typing the messages or lyrics on top of iMovie coloured backgrounds. So they just spilled out quickly. YouTube is a hard nut to crack visitor numbers wise. I have never been bothered concerning my own promotion to be honest. But if I am to involve others in this Cloud 9 project, it would good to get a few visits for it to feel worthwhile for them. But maybe they aren’t bothered either and just want to visit the VeeDub without anything video recorded.
The mix results on all songs is something that would be better if I found someone who does that naturally. I have frequency problems aurally. Listening to music played too loudly over decades. Knocked the cochlear fine filaments structure into oblivion probably. Sound synergy in mixing? I remember way back having different producers. Only three or four, but they could hear in totally different ways to each other.
I love to watch YouTube uploads of Visconti, Langer, and others when they grab a song and lift it to another place. Visconti especially talks through songs well. Even revisits his classics and does them again. I just like trying to get hum along melodies and am always trying to get lyrics that I can be happy with.
The lyrics are hardest. Words in songs matter in both giving a message, but also certain words can be sung more strongly, suitably and just fit ‘sound’ wise. Lyrics are my downfall. Too lazy to investigate properly. I should do the above and substitute weak sounding sung words and phrases for alternative ones.
Thanks for your feedback as ever Shep. Much appreciated. I just go off in tangents when I reply to your thoughts. 😊 Hope all is fine in Shepland. 🥃🥃
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Hey, you’re having fun, and if one or two punters do to (on YouTube or here) that’s a gift and a blessing. I’ve heard this somewhere ‘It’s the journey not the destination’. I reckon your lyrics are mighty fine. I’ll checkout Visconti and Langer – thought they were two Aussie cricketers. So true about the impact of some words. Getting old in Shep land, but good news my son Lachie is engaged (Tuesday) to his sweetheart Astrid (Ess). 🍾🥂🤠🐕
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Cheers Shep. What is fun is the getting together of bits and pieces for the VeeDub. I do love an atmosphere of calm in the Dub. And you can’t beat a few comforts around you when parking up somewhere perfect. Just bought a fold away log burner thingy off Amazon.
Dug out my old plumbers bag from decades ago from the shed and washed it in strong smelling washing shampoo. Smelt all fusty and damp. Smells all Tallow and Ash Oud scented now. 😊. Going to throw some eco friendly Hotmax natural wood dust fuel logs, dropped shedding Silver Birch branch-lings from the garden for kindling, Dr. Heat sweet honey scented straw fire lighters into it. And a pile of saved melded together resins of Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin and Sandalwood from Amphora Aromatics for setting up a night under the stars brazier fire. Sit, sing and play my Guild D25 Cherry dreadnought into the Shure MV88 microphone 😁
Joking here. I am actually using this stuff for my fires and music. But….isn’t that what lots of YouTubers do? Sponsors and promotion malarkey. Crazy what people do to get noticed. Music, a great calming vibe and, as you say, just having fun is all that matters Shep. A gift and a blessing is having you guys and gals on WP. As you say, a nice tidy few of you, but priceless. To be honest, it has kept, and still keeps, my mind alive writing the blogs and recording music.
Clive Langer is from the band Deaf School. Produced a fair few famous albums. Deaf School are probably the most important band after The Beatles to come from Liverpool. I have all four albums. Way ahead of their time back in the 1970s. And still going now. Cult following. Saw them a few times back when and also a few years back in London. Tony Visconti is famous for producing Bolan and Bowie.
So pleased for you with Lachie and Astrid getting engaged. Big wedding plans ahead then. Becoming Grandpa Shep to look forward to maybe. My two have partners and children of their own. But aren’t married yet. My daughter is 40 next year too. Modern relationships hey. 🙃
Cheers Shep. All the best. 🥃🥃
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…one first step…
you’re enjoying, Gray … that’s the best part …
and to your words starting off here… “what to remember “…i like…
🤍
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Cheers Destiny. It is good to have an aim for producing ideas in each day. Sometimes though, it is good to forget doing activities and simply sit back and read, watch TV or just listen to other’s music.
All the best and thank you. 🙏🏽
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