A lump of my fascination with Ben's music is tethered with his ability to stitch together a song in the toolshed, and that 'recording techniques' thread really got my mind racing. I wouldn't begin to suggest that I know what I'm doing when it comes to music production. My equipment had been gathering dust for over a year. Well, one of my good friends wanted to "get down his ideas," so we spent a quick afternoon utilizing a bedroom setup: Garageband, Oktava MK-319 mic, and my Apogee Duet. The only instruments used were a baritone ukulele, acoustic bass, and a homemade box drum. Other sounds came from ambience out the window (rain and train). One take for each track. Consider it a work in progress and a huge learning experience. Dan's work keeps him traveling almost endlessly, but we sure try to make the time for some jam sessions (and they usually start out with Welcome Home)! So, anyone, post up some home-brewed songs you have! Bedroom, garage, attic, whatever. Here's ours: http://soundcloud.com/b0keh/chasing-the-rabbit Ben, feel free to post up The Branches.
I wasn't sure about the start, but once the other instruments came in, I definitely liked it. It does sounds like it was made in a bedroom, but that gave it a little bit of a special feel, and I really enjoyed that My friends and I made a deliberately very bad rock song in my room a while ago, but I really don't want to disgrace a forum made by my favourite musician with that.
Wow I really love the sound to that track, thanks for sharing! I'd agree with the above, you're not sure where it's going to begin with but then it kicks in with that badass riff and you're away, love it! I've recorded music since I was 15, picked up guitar when I was 13 and was something I always wanted to do. Have mini recording setup in my room now and put some recordings online from time to time. I did a little project last month when I had a week off work. One recording a day, one track day one, two tracks day two through to five tracks on day five. Didn't work out quite like that but was a fun experience nonetheless - first time gave any direction to my music. I put my music up on www.soundcloud.com/iamnotlost for anyone interested
I'm digging both of your guys stuff. Peace was well put together, I could see it being used as a cinema score. Ben has been a huge influence on my music. I found myself really listening to The Roots and trying to dissect it layer by layer, and it really opened up my mind to song composition, particularly his use of percussion, and the dynamic it played, (knowing when to have it and when not to and how that can add to a dramatic buildup) and especially the use of floor tom (a technique I borrowed for this track). It's really cool to think that one of my biggest songwriting influences could hear this. http://soundcloud.com/pedromeadows/these-walls Track consists of Ukulele as the core track, banjo, melodica, floor tom, hand claps, jew harp, and a shitty little pen synthesizer I bought on amazon for $20
I really enjoyed that, mr meadows. While I'm certainly not as talented a musician as anyone else in this thread and I don't have anything except a pretty mediocre mic and audacity, I've been playing around and I made a short little track. It's by no means finished or anything but it's the best thing i've come up with so far. http://soundcloud.com/magicalzebra/a-c-chord-and-stuff
Why thank you. Your track is a step in the right direction. I like the buildup, but what it needs is a second chord. I can't say which one but I can hear it in my head. keep Working on it!
There's some really great stuff being shared here, I'm afraid I havent got anything worthy or listenable uploaded at the moment but i'll get round to it soon. What I'm actually posting is to express an idea that I thought of a few days ago. I figured with a group of willing amateur musician/songwriters we could start our little version of Mothers Basement. Someone (maybe even Ben) would suggest a theme or set guildlines in which anyone can have a go a making something and share it with everyone. It wouldn't be anything serious, just a bit of fun to trying out different ways of writing and recording. Well, thats my idea. I'm not sure what your all gonna make of it but anyones up for it i'm sure it would be great fun
I'd definitely be up for something like that, maybe do something like everyone interested comes up with a chord progression/riff, they then record it or type it up roughly, and give to another musician to develop? Just an idea, I'd be open to any guidelines really Have been trying to build bigger sound for myself, recorded this today if anyone wants a listen, it's a little heavier than would usually record! http://soundcloud.com/iamnotlost/entropy
well i hate to self-plug when i dont have anything really noteworthy uploaded but im working on some new material. most of the new stuff will have that sort of find-whatever-and-beat-on-it type bedroom percussion. but im going to post anyway and maybe someone will rediscover the link with better music on it. but for now, http://soundcloud.com/itsrandizzle there's stripped down acoustic stuff and electronic stuff on there mostly from my freshman and sophomore years of highschool (currently a junior haha)
Something a friend and I rustled up in my bedroom a few weeks ago. The video quality is pretty bad, and we made it up about 5 minutes beforehand so my playing isn't entirely up to scratch.
Ha cool, how hard is it playing a banjo compared to a guitar?? I've always fancied one, really like that 'twangy' sound! Not done many recordings recently but just put this together if anyone's interested http://soundcloud.com/iamnotlost/apart
If you do fingerpicking on guitar, the transition isn't too difficult. There are different techniques for types of banjos, the one I have is actually for old-time style playing (which I have trouble with) cause it's an open back. Resonator banjos are the ones meant for bluegrass and fingerpicking and such. So technically I play it wrong, but i guess it's open to experimentation as all instruments are. I'm still a beginner anyway. I really like Apart. What are you reversing to get that sound from the beginning?
Ha cool, I'll definitely end up picking one up at some point in the future! With Apart, there's two parts that are reversed in the first part. The reverse sound at the beginning plays throughout and it's just a clean riff sort of like (capo 4th): e- B- 10 8 7 8 G- 0 0 0 0 reversed and then looped. Then the chord bit, I picked Em, played C with natural harmonics on the 12th and D with natural harmonics on the 7th, then duplicated the track and reversed each chord segment. So I've got the normal chords alongside the reversed chords, panned I think 100% left+right. I really like this technique, gives song a sort of electronic/synth vibe without overdoing it!
Thanks a lot that's really nice to hear. That was actually one of the first "proper" songs I wrote, I even performed it with lyrics at an open mic - with some very questionable vocals!!
Me and my friend actually put out a new single today. It's right here if you want to listen: Little Lion/Revelation We also put out an album last year call "Moirae" that you can listen to here: Moirae Let me know what you think guys. Thanks!
I'm a bit nervous about sharing my music, but I'll give it a try. This is a very simple, short instrumental I did http://soundcloud.com/seamus-coleman/song-for-oceans There are some other songs on my soundcloud too, if anybody feels like listening. I'm not much of a singer though! Any feedback is appreciated.
