I really wanted to have an actual song and not just do some editing in ableton, but I actually got lazy, nor was I alone enough to feel comfortable singing to my heart's content, so I ended up doing something quick and dirty. Ryan mentioned the tweakbench plugins so I decided to download them and play around with them (thanks Ryan!), I used some of their intruments and effects and used the glitch some more on this one too. I feel like this one was a little more repatative than I would have liked, but it was fun to make. And even though I say quick and dirty, i ended up spending a couple days on it.
This beat was also made on Reason. It is a combination of hard edged synth stabs, piercing drums, and adrenaline-pumped fully fledged Bruce Springsteen piano samples. It also includes a line from the film 'Night of the Demon.'
When I first heard Beyonce's chart-topper "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)" it sounded quite Christmasy to me. Â I suspect that was part of their intention, but I have been informed that the song came out before Thanksgiving, so maybe they were not attempting to make subliminal references to Christmas. I present to you here my not-so-subliminal holiday remix.Â
This song is not completed, but this deadline will be a good stopping place, so I can sit back and evaluate.
This song is a product of practice in a few different areas of song writing and production. First of all it is an attempt at making more interesting song structures. I have a certain knack for developing choruses and loops, but I am focusing on learning to create interesting transitions between parts. As I work further on this song I will try to make it as dense as possible with subtle changes, while still retaining enough repetition so that parts are recognizable. (The drums will get a lot more focus.) This song is also a departure from completely electronic music. Recording live instruments and voice is definitely a growing edge for me. I layered some vocals for this piece. Each vocal layer is a unique performance as well. I am also working on writing lyrics and singing. Turning off my self-editor is a continual struggle, but I am pleased with the results so far. I am going to attempt to carry that momentum into the process of writing the second half of the song.
The bands that I will be thinking about as I continue to work on this song: Of Montreal, and The Fiery Furnaces. I admire both of those bands for their sound, song structure, and lyrical content.
I'm sorry this is such a sad story on Christmas Eve. I have an idea for a bonus Christmas post that I am going to get to work on presently, and I should be able to post it later today. See you soon!
