passing tones

we’ll hear them up close

APRIL 24th, 2009

As a new father, I’ve had a lot of late nights where sleep was simply not going to happen. This song started in a lost hour during one of those nights. I can remember wanting to stretch my fingers out, so I chose the low F on the guitar. In this piece, my index finger plays a pedal point with the chord’s root note on the 1st fret of the low E string (then skips up to the fifth of the d minor triad). The furthest stretch extends my pinky finger to the 5th fret, G string. The ostinato in the verse is essentially a big old F9 chord (sans the third and seventh) that walks into the d minor triad. The melody played above it suggests the vocal melody and crosses voicing at the middle and end of the ostinato. The tonal center of the piece is actually C, although it’s only referenced at the very end of the phrase.

I’m still trying to figure out what time signature(s) I’m playing in the intro and verse is/are. It seems to change once I start singing, but goes something like: three measures of 6/8 & one measure of 5/8. Once the vox comes in I think it all evens out but I don’t know yet… The chorus is good old 4/4 with a swing-version of the verse which leads to an angular reworking of the main theme.

This song is going to give me carpal tunnel syndrome…really soon.

(image was found on the Internet: scanned from an old science fiction novel. I’ve been staring at it while writing this tune- artist, unknown. if you know please let me so I can give them credit)

1and0 lyrics - up to 2nd chorus

APRIL 24th, 2009

So Rise up
and Make haste
We’ve entered
a strange place
They’re sentient
and feel pain
They say, Science
is their faith

With numbers
as our new gods
We’ll find peace
Absent of thought
With new eyes
Shadow becomes light
With new minds
Will Heaven suffice?

Still I won’t let go
Nothing will make me
Let go of you

Distant
Stars will explode
We’ll know
We’ll hear them up close
We’ll take shape
Inside their systems
Embrace
Like when we’re children

They’ll claim
We’ve lost asylum
Disdain
All that we had can become
Well in time
We have will evolve
All our sins
Have been Self-absolved

Yet I can’t change this
The damage has been done
The ghosts took over

vamp trio on semi-structure

AUGUST 06th, 2009

After playing this idea out with the band the other day, I’m certain the time signature weirdness is the result of the vocal melody creating a sort of polyrhythmic mind-fuck over/ with the guitar line. It’s kind of cool, but I don’t know if it’s worth the effort to realize the effect with the band at this point..? This song is technically demanding enough as it is…

Anyway, I just picked up a mixer with pre’s and eventually convinced Garage Band to play nice with it. The result is a helluva huge improvement over the quality of recording I’ve been getting for quick reference takes. Plus, I get to overdub with G.B! Good bye Sound Studio/ laptop mic setup. Hello Splooge Fest!!

Enter: this sketch

The main track on the left is my best attempt at making it thru the song up until the bridge. The other two (right) are half-hearted overdubs I patched together primarily as a test of my new and improved home studio. Then I started effing around with the keyboard plug-in. Playing E. Piano with a mouse is fun. period. If anything, this amounts to an acceptable step forward in form for this song. Much remains to be fleshed out…

1&0 up to bridge vox demo

AUGUST 07th, 2009

I just added the vox to see if the vocal melody could work…I think it can. The “female” vox parts are where Kat would come in.