48

52:48 by ChristianLeBlanc



Two different bass lines, a few lines on the Triton (including drums), and I decided to keep my demo vocals recorded earlier in the week instead of re-recording them.

As I approach the end of this project, it strikes me just how much effort I've been putting into these songs, and how glad I'll be to have the free time back. Between work, CGA courses, and a song a week, I can tell you that I really need a break (almost any vacation I've taken in the last two years has been to ramp up my studying for CGA courses, and most of my work on this project takes place over the weekend - specifically, late Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday morning. So, weekends haven't exactly been all that relaxing for me, either).

With that in mind, I'm going to try to make the last four songs of the project as easy on myself as I can. Jill's going to help me with 49-51, and I have the general notion that I want them all to be connected somehow. Whether I pull that off or not will remain to be seen.

52 itself will be a lot of fun - to celebrate the completion of the project, I plan to drink heavily and do the song in one session, and just see what kind of mess I come up with. Since one of the goals of this project has been to experiment, I see this as valid! ;)


"There's noone around me so
It leaves me free
To build this busstop, yeah

Where I will meet you there
Travelling
To far-off places

I'm already starting to
Lose my nerve
So I'll work quickly, yeah

Lay the foundations down
Put a cover on
My three-sided structure"

47

52:47 by ChristianLeBlanc

The Triton rises again!

Motives this week:
- work a little more dry
- get it done quick. Exam in 9 days (!!!)

Consciously went with one vocal pass instead of doubling, in an effort to force a better vocal performance. Great for recording 'good' versions of songs, but takes forever just for making a demo. Unless you're a good singer.

(crickets chirp) :)

Anyway: I wrote these lyrics for a reason, which you will hopefully see in a couple of weeks. It was interesting writing with a goal in mind; I really enjoy limiting myself to spark creativity. With no limits, it's easy to get lost sometimes.

EDIT: Here's the reason I wrote these lyrics the way I did: a light-painting video!



Also worth mentioning! My original vision for this week was a slow, sensitive acoustic guitar song with some glockenspiel. I enjoy letting something change direction, if it wants to.

"I had a flashlight in my room
It lent wonder and warmth and it dispelled the gloom
I fell asleep with it on all night
So in the morning it would not light

Your eyes used to shine with that very same light
They gave colour and fear and a secret delight
But the power expired through a force I can't see
Now your eyes, they still shine, but they won't glow for me"

46

52:46 by ChristianLeBlanc

While not my favourite tune of the project, and there's still plenty of room for improvement, I think that this week's song represents a lot of growth for me. I have the lovely folks from the Middle Audio forums to thank for their comments and suggestions for things to try this week...these people are something akin to mystics when it comes to critically listening to music. They can divine quite a lot by communing with a piece of sound, and I'm grateful (and humbled!) that they would answer my call for help.

My focus this week wasn't so much on the tuneage, or even song structure (you'll notice it's a very simple, two-chord song); I more had things like dynamics, compression and eq in mind.

First of all, vocals: I tried standing up and givin'r (2nd part of the song), instead of sleepily sitting and singing (1st part). I recorded two takes, and panned both square in the middle (usually I pan about halfway left and halfway right, close to where the guitars are sitting at hard left and right). I also compressed the vocals harder than usual to try and get them to stand out better.

Dynamically, I was made aware of how 'loud' the last few tracks were. I peeled off some higher frequencies on the guitars, which I think helped. What also helped was finally finding the 'master mixer' panel in Cubase (face palm!), where I noticed the audio levels for the song happily going into the red. I dialed it down (a lot) and exported it into Cool Edit, where I could tell just by looking at the wav form that things would sound better this week (jagged, as opposed to friggin' SQUARE).

I normally have trouble hearing the bass guitar when I use it, so my bass hasn't made many appearances in this project. I was feeling pretty confident this week so I brought it in, and actually used my low B string just so I could try hearing the low, low frequencies. They're too loud in the first part, but sound a little better in the second.

In other news: bought a small, indoor faux-rock water fountain for a certain kitty this week who won't drink out of her water dish.

(photo by C.S. Graves)


"What I wanted was not you
If you would be honest you'd see it too
This awful revelation is not that bad
There's a harmonic resonation that drives the past

There's no more room for our pictures on your shelf
I don't have you but I have myself
I used to have some good friends - I'll reconnect
They can help me make it through what must come next"

45

52:45 by ChristianLeBlanc

There's a lump in your throat 'cause you're singing so foolish.

There. I said it.

This week's song: trying out new things, for me; the only other time I tried singing like this was for my metal sendup; I don't have satire to hide behind this time (although I'll understand if you disagree with that!).

I also finally found my ebow, and used it in two ways: as a pad, and as arpeggios, quickly moving vertically up and down the strings (you can particularly hear these near the end of the song).

Way too many different elements competing to be heard in this song, but I think I can at least say that I probably did a better job mixing than I would have if I tried this even 10 weeks ago. So that's something to be said, at least.

"This isn't working out like I hoped
Nobody laughed and nobody spoke
There was no fire, there was no smoke
File another night away
Quietly feeling out of place

What I fear has taken hold
Another evening wearing out the cold
If something warm would touch me
Perhaps I'd find it easier to breathe
I'll say it again

This isn't working out like I hoped
Nobody laughed and nobody spoke
There was no fire, there was no smoke
Tell me why is there a lump in my goddamned throat"