Grea's Home Recordings Thread

[Anon La Ply]

Thought I'd put all these recordings together like Luke Snyder's Drum Channel thread. I'm keen to hear any suggestions for how to improve the pieces! It's hard to be objective working alone.

Here's the latest - sounds like a soundtrack for a weird spaghetti western. As usual it's all real playing that's been processed in Audacity (no sequencers or drum machines)
- West of Mars:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKOOuEfrT2c

The others are below with a brief description so you can decide to click or not.

Main influences so far: Pink Floyd, Eno, Sun Ra, King Crimson, Stomu Yamashta, Miles, Deep Forest, Felix Laband, Virgin Black (in one song), Cecil Taylor, Pharoah Sanders ...

1. Looking for the Spoon (maniacal, spooky, parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXvtcv1iv9w

2. Modern jazz to my 13-year old ears (this is what jazz sounded like to me when I was young) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JVidc0vh_I

3. Australian History Project - a soundscape (spooky parody) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUcBbdICuS8

4. The Mosquito (mostly ambient) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRzUek0DS44

5. Tuning in to the Space Station (acid jazz and ambient) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h8mQY2MRYg

6. The Sound of Metal (in every way) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXBjcacpUX8

7. Thought Bubble Holiday (Australian Hawaiian jungle rap, um) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6qhGey6br8

8. Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part 1 (abstract cover version of one of King Crimson's more abstract composed pieces) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvs8MfULo-A

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Here's the latest ...West of Mars

Here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhKJb8yETmQ

[Bo Eder]

This'll take me some time Grea to go through them all. Please be patient for my reply!

[mikeyhanson]

Great! I was just looking for the Larks Tongue thread, and now they're all together!
Love your stuff!

[Anon La Ply]

Old threads (with some good YouTube links):

There is No Spoon

Bebop to my 13-year old ears

Australian History Project - Soundscape

Mosquito at Night

Tuned into the Space Station

Metal

Larks Tongues in Aspic Pt 1 - cover version

Henri - a French Clint??

Cheers Bo - and if you notice any jarring EQ ... *smile*

Thanks Mikey - in a weird way that last one's a bit like your Devil with a Two Step tune - they're both subverted C&W.

[Mad About Drums]

Sorry to hijack your thread Grea, but I was feeling a bit nostalgic and I was listening to this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ_2S...feature=relmfu

... and I thought of you and your spooky ambient music, there's some spooky moments in that classic track, especially at the end :)




*Did Clint had a french accent???*

[8Mile]

Awesome. It's going to take me a while to get through all of this, but I'm looking forward to it. I randomly picked Tuned in to the space station first and I LOVE IT. This is right up my alley, Grea.

I will comment after I've had a chance to digest more!

[Anon La Ply]

Henri, the link reminds me that Ken Hemsley had a bit of a spooky approach. Like David's weird yelp at the end :)

Track #10 - From Sea to Sky ... the first purely ambient track of this batch ... probably good for late night listening or to accompany meditation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYAodzJM2X0

Back story: I messed heavily with an old song I'd put together on sequencer in the 80s. Added some dubs with misc percussions and my favourite beeps and boings :)

Thanks Larry. I actually had you and our jazz chats in mind when I did Space Station!

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Track #10 - From Sea to Sky ... the first purely ambient track of this batch ...

Very cool... I just close my eyes and I see all sorts of images...

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

...probably good for late night listening or to accompany meditation.

... or some games, it reminded me of the vibe of this soundtrack for the "Ico" game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvpHk...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKdQj...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0dwP...feature=relmfu

[keep it simple]

Loving the modern jazz one Grea :) I really "get" that. "Walking" bass line had me laughing.

[bigiainw]

2. Modern jazz to my 13-year old ears (this is what jazz sounded like to me when I was young)

Grea, That's what most jazz sounds like to me now. I liken it to someone throwing randon instruments down some stairs- I just don't have ab ear for it, althougyh i can appreciate the technical side. Love the walking bass line though. Most excellent!

[mikeyhanson]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

... probably good for late night listening or to accompany meditation...

I took my medication and you're absolutely right!

[Anon La Ply]

I think I've gone too far this time - 12 minutes of throwing random instruments down stairs (figuratively speaking). Mikey, By the end of this you'll need medication!

Three Blind Rats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZyvLGMtgno

Henri, amazed at the similarities between Sea and Sky and the Ico soundtrack. Good pickup. Maybe there's actually practical use for some of this music, thought I'd need more pro gear.

I had no choice with the "walking bass", that was before I fished the keyboard from the garage (when I moved in the care for Dad a lot of my stuff ended up crammed in a dark cave at the back of the garage). Glad I didn't wait for the keyboard now :)

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Three Blind Rats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZyvLGMtgno

Geez Grea, you're a machine, it's almost one a day, lol...

Yep, acid jazz is there, also drum'n'bass type of feel, Pink Floyd too, soudtrack music... it's a bit of a mix you got there (pun intended), but my fav part of this "trip" is the opera section as you call it, the ambiance is spooky and funny at the same time, and the keyboard is sad, which gives an interesting contrast, I can hear you cracked up with some laugh during the recording, and used it to good effect... strange title though (well it's strange music I guess, isnt'it?)

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Maybe there's actually practical use for some of this music, thought I'd need more pro gear.

Yep, some of your creations are genuinely awesome, and featured in the "right" type of musical/visual element were ambience/mood/texture are needed, it will certainely work IMHO, you've started something for fun and pleasure, but with the right equipement (more pro stuff) and your vivid imagination and a natural vibe for atmospherical psychi-spooky-ish music/sound, then yes, maybe... where do you go from there, I have no clue (pretty bad for an agent), you could send some samples of your music to... someone, haha (I'm lost here)

Good thing about the keys resurected from the dead though :)

[Anon La Ply]

Thanks Henri - great to get detailed feedback. Yeah, I've been listening, playing and mixing for 12-15 hours a day for a few weeks now. I've been a bit influenced by people like Felix Laband and Amon Tobin of late, along with Sun Ra, Uncle Frank and Stockhausen.

Yes, I cracked up doing the "opera" - if it was a public performance I would have been run out of town!

The song is basically a subversion (to put it mildly) of Three Blind Mice. Originally I was going for a Zawinul type intro but I couldn't get past the resemblance with Three Blind Mice, so that became the theme.

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

The song is basically a subversion (to put it mildly) of Three Blind Mice. Originally I was going for a Zawinul type intro but I couldn't get past the resemblance with Three Blind Mice, so that became the theme.

Oh I see how the rats came about in the title now, it makes more sense, lol.

[drstrangefunk]

digging your return. favorites are Rats and Australian. particularly liked the keyboard chords on Rats. the theory was rather tastey. i liked the succinctness of the History Project.

i had no idea you are so proficient on other instruments. the drumming is tight too. had no idea your jazz drumming was so.....good.

welcome back : )

i must return the favor and play you some of my noise sometime.

good on ya.

[dmacc]

These are flippin way too cool!

[Anon La Ply]

Originally Posted by drstrangefunk

i had no idea you are so proficient on other instruments. the drumming is tight too. had no idea your jazz drumming was so.....good.

Thanks for the feedback, Uncle Ghee. I think of it as pretend-jazz drumming with some effects to help it along, same with the other instruments. There's always some kind of useful noise even a dabbler can make. Have you ever sat at a piano and pretended to play like Cecil Taylor? Much fun!

Originally Posted by dmacc

These are flippin way too cool!

They're certainly flippin, David :)

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

I think I've gone too far this time

I liked "Three Blind Rats" very much. I found it very relaxing. Ok, I was tired anyhow, but I put my phones on, & fell asleep at around 6 minutes :)

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by keep it simple

...but I put my phones on, & fell asleep at around 6 minutes :)

Mmmh... perhaps a bit too relaxing, eh? ...which imply you missed the Opera part of the song, one of the highlight of this flipping creation :) ...from 8:11, the sad/melancholy intro of the keyboard bring a twist to the composition, and mixed with the opera voices, it creates a very interesting contrast (as I mentioned in my previous post)

...does our mind keeps listening while we're sleeping? ... do you remember what you were dreaming about?

[drstrangefunk]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Thanks for the feedback, Uncle Ghee. I think of it as pretend-jazz drumming with some effects to help it along, same with the other instruments. There's always some kind of useful noise even a dabbler can make. Have you ever sat at a piano and pretended to play like Cecil Taylor? Much fun!

not familiar with him. any recommendations ? i do play piano, so my mind usually goes straight to HTF Did S/he Do THAT ? Mode.

but i am familiar with pretend jazz noodling. i always get a kick out of hitting any darn bit of nonsense on the keys (with a jazz feel of course) and hearing true jazzers yell "Yeah !!!" and run over to the piano expecting more...not realising that beedly-deedly-bonk (pause) beedly-deedly-bonk was about the extent of it. i've done it a million times and it always has that effect. don't get me wrong, i like jazz just fine and can play it to a certain extent, but every time it happens i chuckle inside and think to myself....yeah...just as i suspected...jazz is bs.

regarding your always self effacing take on your skills...sounded good to me. when i get chance, i want to break it down so i can figure out - WTF did she Do ?????? : ) at this point i take it that you employ the Scotty Method Of Skillz Assessment. after all of those years, Scotty (Star Trek TOS) finally fess'd up in one of the movies that when Kirk needs something done in 5 minutes, he tells Kirk he has to have a minimum of 7 minutes at best to pull it off...then, he gets the job done in two...earning himself Major Props in the process.

hey. whatever saves the universe.

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by Mad About Drums

Mmmh... perhaps a bit too relaxing, eh? ...which imply you missed the Opera part of the song, one of the highlight of this flipping creation :) ...from 8:11, the sad/melancholy intro of the keyboard bring a twist to the composition, and mixed with the opera voices, it creates a very interesting contrast (as I mentioned in my previous post)

...does our mind keeps listening while we're sleeping? ... do you remember what you were dreaming about?

Nooo Henri, I woke up & resumed my listening pleasure, so I was fully exposed to that lovely section. The reason I fell asleep = I was so exhausted, not anything relating to the music. Grea's creation was just the catalyst :)

[Anon La Ply]

Ha! A bit after 6 mins is about where you'd fall asleep - after the chilling robot music section (a section of a failed piece I'd put together called "Robot Music") it goes into a bit of a flat spot. Andy, like any of us I'm glad when people find a use for our music ... sleeping aid is fine by me :)

Agree Henri, I like the "classical" section best too - could this be the first ever attempt at autotune opera?

Thing is, young Doc SF, jazz was originally about "it's not what you do but the way that you do it" ... until Sun Ra, Trane etc realised that what you did could have a jazz attitude too. It's about how much tension you can apply to note choice, placement and dynamics to obscure "the one" (both rhythmically and melodically), always moving further away from the bleedin obvious to more adult levels of complexity and expression.

Then some players are so sophisticated that they can turn the whole thing on its head, playing seemingly random notes while undetectably (but definitely) retaining the song's thread. Like Cecil Taylor.

As with Jackson Pollock, people say "a monkey could do that", they can't see the deep and genuine knowledge and skill needed to create their works ... but ... a keen noob pundit buff who plays without fear (and maybe a little tongue in cheek) ... like you and I ... can fake it for a minute or two :)

[Midnite Zephyr]

I thought your drum beat in The Space Station song was incredible. Mad props! I was really digging the bass line too and all the space, as well as the pics.

I heard the Metal one before. But West of Mars is cool and it reminded me of some movie background music like when people are sneaking around a dark house trying to catch something or get away from something.

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Midnite Zephyr

Mad props!...

Thanks Bon... :) :) :)

Originally Posted by keep it simple

Nooo Henri, I woke up & resumed my listening pleasure...

Cool, so you didn't miss it... did you dream during your nap?...

... perhaps something like this?

:)

[Anon La Ply]

Cheers Bon, even if Henri's horning in on the props :) I was just giving the drums a bit of mixing board love and suddenly I adjusted the echo and it fell in synch. Since I wasn't playing to a click the feels swaps between 16ths and almost Vinnie-like triplets, depending on where the echo fell.

Was definitely thinking "John Wayne" with West of Mars. I'd be thinking Jackie Chan if it was East of Mars haha

Hopefully have a fresh track in a couple of days!

[Midnite Zephyr]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Cheers Bon, even if Henri's horning in on the props :) I was just giving the drums a bit of mixing board love and suddenly I adjusted the echo and it fell in synch. Since I wasn't playing to a click the feels swaps between 16ths and almost Vinnie-like triplets, depending on where the echo fell.

Was definitely thinking "John Wayne" with West of Mars. I'd be thinking Jackie Chan if it was East of Mars haha

Hopefully have a fresh track in a couple of days!

That's a pretty cool mixing board magic. So you were bouncing your beat by using an echo? I'm very pedestrian when it comes to production. I'll have to hear it again.

John Wayne deserves a song. Looking forward to your fresh track.

[Anon La Ply]

Good timing - just uploaded to YT today.
A Little Reassurance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zID7J9XhMu8


Believe it or not, this one's a traditional down home, good ole swampy blues, well kind of ... well, not really :) The harmonica parts are sampled from a blues harp demo clip ... the rest of the source sounds are drums, acoustic slide guitar, Technics keyboard (bass organ and accordion) and caterwauling.

Bon, bouncing echo and delay to complement a drum track using Audacity is a matter of guesswork and trial and error. I experiment with different echo rates on a beat and see if anything comes up that's an improvement. Most times it sounds like a mess, but every now and then you get a funky doubling or tripling effect.

I love home recording. I'm much more easygoing with the band now - I don't care what crappy songs they choose any more because I get to play what I want at home :))

[keep it simple]

Yeah baby!!!!!! I'm loving the structure of this. Lots of tension, as it has the vibe of a string of band intro's that never blossom into a full track. Very unsatisfying in that respect, & that's what I like about it :)

Grea, I'm seriously thinking of getting into some home recording, & I find your efforts are inspiring me to take the plunge. I have no issues with the basics, but I am fearful of the computer processing/mechanics side of things. I'm useless with sub menus & all that stuff, it's so counter intuitive to my old fart brain. Guess I need to go on a course or something :)

[Anon La Ply]

Cheers Andy. You wouldn't believe how primitive my setup is - I record everything onto the H2 Zoom .. that's right, no DIs, no quality remote mics, no mixer. Just exported STE MP3s from my little H2. You could do it easy.

Then I throw the parts into Audacity - apply noise filters and EQ and mash the parts up - working the effects until things sound good. Sometimes a part that sounds terrible forwards sounds great in the right spot played backwards.

I think about George Martin, Paul Ehrlich, John and Paul's experiments in the studio - cutting things up, turning them backwards, changing pitch, speed, EQ and adding whatever effects - basically experimenting and looking for lucky combinations (eg. Strawberry Fields).

Smart modern home recordists use samplers and Pro Tools but I'm yet to grapple with the tech side of things.

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

A Little Reassurance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zID7J9XhMu8

I love this, as Andy rightly said, lots of tension... and a wonderful feel, I also like the spacy modern ambient echo you included in the piece, it's a link and a trademark of all your recordings Grea, some of the drumming really impressed me and played a major role in the tension departement, inspiring stuff... the caterwauling's add to the whole blues spirit of the song, it's certainely one of my favourite of your creations :)

Yes, I can understand your feelings regarding playing with the BM's, there something really satisfying when you're not putting all your eggs in the same basket, it reminds me the days I played with 3 different bands, I felt it made me play better in each band, with more authenticity within each band's style.

[Midnite Zephyr]

Ha! You know what BM is typically an abbreviation for? I know you know so I'm not going to say it. Let's just say that I wish my band waas called the BM's because they are a bunch of ....ahem! jk.

Great song again, you nailed the spacey blues vibe. Is that you singing? Do I detect an Aussie voice doing that bluesy wail? I bet if you keep it up, you'll have some real gems to showcase. I remember having a Dr Rhythm machine for awhile and it brought out this creativity and style I never knew was in me. Unfortunately I was broke and in need of cash (story of my life), so I sold it to my uncle who lost the songs (of course, cuz he's a bonehead).

[Anon La Ply]

Thanks Henri, yes, I've gone crazy with effects. I used to have a bit of an old school "that's cheating" attitude.

Today's musicians seem to have a more pragmatic attitude - machines, samples, effects, whatever it takes. I'm inspired by Amon Tobin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlYBPuHeZxw, who puts a lot of attention and creativity into his drum tracks, and Felix Laband http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnjYi-syJAU.

As for the band, it's now just something that gets me out of the house. Seems to me that the well of creativity in the group has run dry.

Bon, um, I don't know. Must be one of those cultural things, like people from the east named Kok or whatever. Yes, that was me trying to ape Billie Holiday at first but ending up struggling for survival - queen of the flat note :(

Bummer about the Dr Rhythm. I had a similar experience with an ESQ1 in 87 - I lent it to a guitarist, who then went interstate with it, developed a habit and hocked it, along with my 4-track and effects.

It's now been 25 years since I've had the chance record at home again. In 87, my last "creative period", I took a few months off from work - I need big slabs of time to experiment and the ability to stay up all night when I get on a roll.

[drstrangefunk]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Thanks Henri, yes, I've gone crazy with effects. I used to have a bit of an old school "that's cheating" attitude.

Today's musicians seem to have a more pragmatic attitude - machines, samples, effects, whatever it takes. I'm inspired by Amon Tobin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlYBPuHeZxw, who puts a lot of attention and creativity into his drum tracks, and Felix Laband http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnjYi-syJAU.

As for the band, it's now just something that gets me out of the house. Seems to me that the well of creativity in the group has run dry.

Bon, um, I don't know. Must be one of those cultural things, like people from the east named Kok or whatever. Yes, that was me trying to ape Billie Holiday at first but ending up struggling for survival - queen of the flat note :(

Bummer about the Dr Rhythm. I had a similar experience with an ESQ1 in 87 - I lent it to a guitarist, who then went interstate with it, developed a habit and hocked it, along with my 4-track and effects.

It's now been 25 years since I've had the chance record at home again. In 87, my last "creative period", I took a few months off from work - I need big slabs of time to experiment and the ability to stay up all night when I get on a roll.

i didn't know that was you singing. i must listen closer. i like the ones with more real playing and singing. samples don't really do it for me unless it's a sample of one's self. the benefit of found art in production is that you can learn to use the equipment without being (everywhere at once) on both sides of the board. much less taxing.

[Mad About Drums]

Originally Posted by Anon La Ply

Today's musicians seem to have a more pragmatic attitude - machines, samples, effects, whatever it takes. I'm inspired by Amon Tobin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlYBPuHeZxw, who puts a lot of attention and creativity into his drum tracks, and Felix Laband http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnjYi-syJAU.

I wouldn't call it cheating, if I would contemplate creating music on my own, it's the only way I could possibly do it, I could find the inspiration and be creative, but I couldn't "play" any other instruments than the drums.

I loved both Tobin's and Laband's clips, very good stuff.

Have you heard of Sysyphe? ...someone put a link the other day on this forum, and a kinda like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfzdjg3ijg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnkX4...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPTbJ...eature=related

[Anon La Ply]

Doc, "singing" isn't a word I'd use, but I guess close enough. Yes, it's me. Yes, I prefer to play my own parts, even if I spice and dice ... I only ever use samples played by other people if I can't get the effect any other way. It's much more fun to do it yourself.

Henri, thanks for the Sysyphe links - relaxing music. Personally, I'd give those pieces more edge with some added organic instruments but the sound quality and production of the digitised tracks (and of Amon T, Felix L etc) is phenomenal. My played track recorded onto a Zoom is a logn way from that kind of clarity!

I can only play drums (and I'm hesitant to even say that after seeing Emanuelle's clip). I just find it fun to pick up other instruments and pretend to play them. It's surprising what can pop out if you refuse to be tentative and just tear in. I'm still tentative with vocs, though - I'd need great soundproofing to really let rip :)

[aydee]

Damn, that space station one is genius. Great comp, bassline and the drums are on fire. You sound like tony williams. The sister cheryl groove..? kinda... awesome.

wow.

...

[Anon La Ply]

Thanks Abe. Looking back, I think it's the best of them so far.

The drum track is a bit of a silk purse from a pig's ear :) When I first posted the clip I provided a snippet of the source file to show how delay and echo can transform a drum track when they're timed right.

Since you're a jazz fan I also recommend track #2 "Modern jazz to my 13-year old ears" ;-)

[Anon La Ply]

Very sombre and moody offering today - it's called Sadness http://youtu.be/Qakvp6Ua0_I

Promise I'll be more upbeat next time!