#Frail Autumn,, #GarageBand,, #music, #Retirement Projects, #songwriting, Vlogcasts

Storyboard. The Den songs.

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Today I had a small lightbulb moment concerning what to do concerning recording a video as a storyboard in the VeeDub Bus.

I believe that the songs that are already finished and have been recorded on the Apple Mac M2 in the little home studio, known as The Den, would be ideal played in acoustic fashion out in the open air. Then a comparison study would be a good theme. Especially to chat about how the songs can progress. An acoustic version of these songs below, stripped and laid bare, would give ideas to how my songs develop. Sometimes it may be said that the simplicity of an acoustic version may be far better. Who knows.

The storyboard format would have specific sections every time. And two of those sections are now sorted. #1. Acoustic song and #2. The Den song. Trouble is! An idea of what to put visually over The Den songs below is the hardest thought process at the moment. Playing an acoustic version of them is simply myself alone, or myself alongside another musician with an instrument or a singer. Alongside? Simply chatting about the ways of getting songs recorded.

These songs below are the core for the first videos though. Use what has already been done. And what is quite nice about the versions below, is that with my new fast fibre broadband, I can send out the highest quality option into the universe. Before, the songs have been uploaded here on WP on basic levels.

For the possible new visitors to this blog, here is the background info regarding the songs below. All songs written by myself, Gray Summers. All the instruments, apart from the drums which are from the GarageBand library, are played by myself. So guitars, keyboards, vocals and a bit of percussion. I don’t like AI one little bit. So will never use it. So the songs will have mistakes. But that’s okay. I’m only human after all.

If you have the opportunity to do so, using headphones is a far better listening experience. Thank you.

🎧

Cheers and all the best to you all.

Intro song to the YouTube Vlogcasts.
Rhythm of Lies. Wind of Sorrows.
Eddie Loves to Dance.
18 years was 50 years ago.
Old Man…I guess that’s me.
Clean Start to Nothing Yet.
This Instrumental is an intended introduction to the Cloud 9 Vlogcast on YouTube when there are other musicians involved in the ongoing video. The intention is to write an upbeat lyric of simple introductory content intent and find a melody to attach. A kind of ‘Hello, Hello. Here we Go’ type of involvement which is suitable for The VeeDub/Cloud 9’/Musical Vibe storyboard scenarios.
And…..remember to not to get too cheesy!
Faded Walls. Time to burn them down. If the Outside looks Right in at You, then, don’t turn around.
November, the Stereo and You…..My Friend.
Year One.
Stop this Heartache.
Stars above the Dunes.
Currently an instrumental. Considering rewriting the intended melody/lyrics. Removed the vocal/lyric track as to sing over just this presentation above.
He Said, She Said.
Hey Yano……. A little vocal ditty attached too.
Groovin’ with Mr. Summers on Cloud 9.

AND NOW THERE BECOMES A TIME OF ENQUIRY. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC PLATFORM ‘BANDCAMP’. TO UPLOAD SOME OF THESE SONGS ABOVE. AS WITH ALL NEW VENTURES AND THE ENQUIRY NEED, I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TREPIDATION BEFORE JUMPING IN TO THE EXPERIENCE. NEED TO BITE THE BULLET AND JUST WEATHER THE POSSIBLE STORM.

AND…….SOME FINAL INSTRUMENTAL INCLUSIONS FOR REFLECTING WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE LOCAL SCENERY OR SIMPLY FILMING LOCAL SPOTS.

Be Humble …. i-know ……..that I know nothing. Socrates.
TADA.
#black and white photography, #meanderings

And so the story goes……

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And so the story goes.

To where?

No one knows.

Borne from?

Well!

Out of self promises.

Not worn out wishes.

I’m a Staff Nurse. Capitals on the S and N. I’m proud to be a nurse. It was hard won. And is still really hard to win on a daily basis. I have loved my life so far. Every 10 years I would subconsciously change direction career wise. These changes would just creep up on the Summers’ lifestyle. Unknown until they arrived. No planning involved. Left school in the early 1970s and picked up a guitar (musician) and it felt ‘right’.

10 years go by touring, playing, dreaming and writing my own songs singing to an initial audience of myself alone to audiences of thousands. Toured with my band supporting the Specials, Selector, Madness, and Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Lived above a Whole-food Shop, which had a Potter supply his hand thrown stoneware coffee/tea pots and domestic ware. He gave me a lump of clay, and ‘hey’ I started making Raku and St. Thomas White stoneware Mythological and Mystical travellers and warriors. I became a ‘ceramicist’ in earnest. Couldn’t call myself a Potter because I couldn’t throw anything on a wheel. Completely useless.

Craft fairest, exhibitions, shop supplying were my selling places for ceramics. Even opened up and ran a shop with another craft worker. It was located behind Coventry Cathedral. It was short lived. After 10 years go by working with clay? My nephew, born profoundly Deaf, meant we all, as a family, went to college to learn British Sign Language. I took this up as a career and supported Deaf students in higher and further education. I move to Wales in this role and…..

10 years go by again. Sitting having a coffee with a lecturer in Aberystwyth, I bemoan my age of 50 and say I’d love to do something different. “Become a nurse,” he says. He takes me onto his Access to Nursing course, which allows me into the General Adult Nurse degree course in Swansea (well the Carmarthen site of the three University’s sites), and there you go. After three years trying I become a Staff Nurse.

10 years have gone by. Now? I’m 61 and it seems my 10 year change has stopped. I have my Volkswagen T2 Crossover 1972 Bay Bus, “Wow, an old camper van!” as people call it, nearing renovation completion. I used it as my daily transportation (that’s ‘My Daily Ride Dude’ when I would have been in my younger days) and it will once again become my ‘daily ride dude’ when I get it back home very shortly. I’m thinking I may use it as a central life changer. It’s name is Billie Bud and it will carry my interests including guitar, djembe drum, Pentax cameras (LX, 645, MX), lots of black and white film, my aromatherapy essential oils (120 plus) to create new synergy concoctions, decent pencils and art paper and my small collection of beautiful fountain pens (1930s to 1990s) to write thoughts and songs.

So the story goes, to where? No one knows.

WELL…….AN UPDATE IS REQUIRED NOW I SUPPOSE.

Now soon April (tomorrow) of 2026, it has been four years and eight months since retiring at 65 years old. So now a soon to be 70 year old in September this year. I have been a gardener, decorator/DIY enthusiast on renovating the house for about two and a half years when retired and nearly two years as a musician again. I have been songwriting and recording the results on a MAC M2 home studio. It’s been fun.

So I suppose, change still is ongoing. The VeeDub Bus has had some new carburettor updates and now returned. Hopefully music can be recorded on the go. Ambitions are to get a ‘van studio’ set up and record amongst nature whilst chilling in the VW Bus. Blogs of course have been ongoing and will still be a future aim.

Cheers to everyone that has stuck through this WP adventure. So very much appreciated. Thank you all.

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

Holiday Vibes. Song vibes too.

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Sitting here, thinking.

The day before arriving here on holiday, it was a case of quickly recording this song below. Humming an intentional exploration to see where an already made melody and simple lyrics could go further. The ‘do, do, do’ crazily rushed one take out of key tune was a rough affair. Preparation for the holiday and leaving early the next day interfered with concentration. But it is nice to quickly throw down an idea that isn’t going to matter. Deletion of a track isn’t like the old days with reel to reel taped capture. Digital computer recordings of individual tracks means press a button and ‘gone’.

A quick experiment on a song ‘Where in the World’ idea in the video below. Maybe you could sing some of the lyrics below in the video over this weird humming of mine here. It’s what I was mucking about with this morning.

Thing is…..the above capture was sent by email and I opened it up, downloaded it to files and listened to it this morning here on holiday. I laughed at my out of key humming. When I get back next week, it will be nice to access the Mac/GarageBand recording and do some polishing up of both out of key instrumentation and get a decent vocal down. With harmonies attached.

Life after becoming 70 years of age? Thoughts here on holiday began to swirl around the mind. Lightbulb moments are nice and an intention to pursue a calmer attitude to life was cemented. My 70th birthday on the Friday of last week made me think of answers as to why profound anxiety has been paramount in life for quite a number of months this year. Thinking that life left on this little old planet is growing less.

Lightbulb ? Lifetime living could actually now only stretch to the time equivalent of my time where I began to train as a nurse to nowadays retirement. I began training as a nurse in the year of 2005. 21 years ago. And the staff nursing period of my life has gone by so fast! In 21 years a 91 year old face will be looking back from the mirror.

And so, future time is going to now become a seriously considered ‘relax and cherish every single moment’ vibe. Basically……I ain’t rushing about no more.

Where in the World is the first song on the video above.
Sat writing some thoughts down this morning on holiday. Below I typed it down for the blog. It is easier to read .

Songs to record simply with acoustic or ‘swirl guitar’.

Then add subtle full set drum beats akin to the song ‘Where in the World’. A non intrusive backbeat background of solidity. Remember how it was the intention regarding how laid back the GarageBand drum library search had an actually intentional aim to find uniformity in sound. You simply trust the brand and style of consistency. It would then be fantastic to create an ability to listen and relax into a Frail Autumn ‘sound’. This is paramount for future aims.

But….this means I have to write consistent melodic tunes that are strong and have variety. It also means no clever lyrics that try to be too arty. Tell general emotional stories that many can relate to.

Also consider no full drum set on all songs, but cafe percussion beats, with simple use of hand slapped bongoes, various ethnic drums, tambourine, egg shakers, etc. This is done by creating a vibe of cradling a song. Drums in whatever form? It isn’t a drive beat that’s wanted, but an ambience of hypnotic warmth, organic in nature. It becomes part of the song. Like Ringo plays basically.

A Bass guitar, in a story telling running riff or a constant anchor pattern, has to be introduced now into every new song. It’s got to be the most important consideration that changes the dynamic vibe.

If no lyrics? Don’t wait! Just La La La or hum ideas for where the tunes should go. Lyrics develop that way. It is a kind of auditory kick to get the process cemented down. Sometimes the instrumental music vibe gives me an emotional hint.

Working titles that will probably change when lyrics, especially choruses, are done and dusted.

1. AND SO THE STORY GOES.

2. WHERE IN THE WORLD.

3. THERE SHE GOES.

4. TODAY.

5. GIVING IT TIME.

6. PINK HEARTS.

7. LIVING IN THE NINE ‘TIL FIVE.

8. TELL ME SOMETHING THAT I DIDN’T KNOW.

9. DISTANT LANDS.

10. GIVE ME SOMETHING REAL.

11. TRUST ME.

12. MOVE INTO THE RHYTHM.

13. AUDIENCE.

14. NATURAL LADY.

15. STARS ABOVE THE DUNES.

16. WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN.