Don't normally do this, but here is an idea I've been working on for a few days. I doubt it'll turn itself into a song by the end of the month, so I'm basically just trying to save face by posting this. This is an instrumental idea (not really a song) at the moment. Some of my tunes start just like this. A single idea. If I play it and listen to it enough I'll come up with some other stuff to go with it. Maybe I'll keep coming back to this post and update any progress that is made with this. Talk about "transparency in the writing process"!
Anyway, give it a listen. It's just the same thing done three times. When I can't come up with a change, melody or lyrics I'll usually make it into a CD and listen to it over and over in my truck until something comes to me. Then it's back into the studio. By the way, I thought enough of this idea to actually record it in the studio. It's just a single mic recording, but a vast improvement over the work tape recordings I usually do. The Martin sounds so good when it's recorded like this. I can't wait to hear what it sounds like in a real studio!
07_0919_idea.mp3
But WAIT... there's MORE! I was sitting around after posting this tonight listening to the work tapes for this song and pondering the "creative process". I really enjoy listening to/reading about people's creative process. Steve's video where he documented the making of a song is a great example of this. In that spirit, I present the work tapes for this idea. Probably not many people will have the patience (it's pretty brutal listening if you're not totally into this sort of thing) to check them all out. But consider them posted here for posterity's sake. These recordings ARE made on my little portable Olympus Digital Recorder. And, as near as I can recall, were made last week over a two or three day period.
Work Tape 1 (3:42) - You can hear the basic idea here as well as a whole lot of hacking away on the Martin which, in the interest of my creative reputation, we'll call "running down the idea". It's funny listening to this now because I can hear bits and pieces that actually made it into the mp3 recording. And, yes, that's my furnace kicking on at about 1:09. Hey, it was cold here in Michigan that day!
Work Tape 2 (1:20) - Mercifully shorter. The C/B/Am transition is becoming more apparent. Also working on the Am ending (which wouldn't feel right until the studio take). Also the hammer on the last Am chord would be kept in the studio take as well.
Work Tape 3 (2:01) - Starts out almost identical to the studio take. Still didn't have the last Am chord worked out (as is painfully obvious from about :57 - 1:30.. ouch!). And, like the last take (and eventually the studio take), I hammer the Am at the end. Only on the studio take would I hammer three strings instead of one.
So there it is. My soul laid bare. Do with it what you will.
And, for the record, if I don't come up with anything by the end of the month, this "idea" will suddenly become a "song".
Out.
J
