G,F,C, common 4/4 rock song (and with Em, Bm, sections too)

[ButchA]

This hit me so hard the other day, I had to almost barricade myself in my music room, arrange all the instrumentation, rough it all out, and play & record all the instruments....

1) My Fender Stratocaster thru my Boss Katana Artist amp, along with an MXR Phase 90 guitar pedal effect swirling around in the background.
2) My old worn out POS Samick bass.
3) My old Ibanez mandolin (hey, Led Zeppelin used a mandolin, so why not?)
4) My big Yamaha DGX-505 keyboard, in church organ mode.
5) My newer Alesis Nitro Mesh, electronic drums.

The original mix doesn't have a guitar solo, or vocals, or even a main melody...
G, F, C, G. (3 times)
Em, Bm, C, G.
Em, Bm, C, D...
repeat... repeat... repeat...

I used my Tascam DP-03SD to record everything, and I made a quick video with my smartphone of the process. But, as disaster happens, I accidentally deleted the live video clip of me roughing out a ripping high gain guitar solo at the end. The only way it can be clearly seen is through Facebook. I kind of re-did it watching it again and re-recording it with my phone. *sigh* lesson learned....

 

[ButchA]

Here's the whole track mixed down (roughly) to Sound Cloud:

https://soundcloud.com/butch-ammon/...d&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

 

[-mjk-]

You have a good bed to start with. What are you considering for the hook?

 

[ButchA]

Thanks... I have no idea yet. I had a spur-of-the-moment idea, and it all hit me at once. I roughed out what I was thinking and/or hearing in my head.

 

[shredd]

Here's the whole track mixed down (roughly) to Sound Cloud:

Eggs-zellent! The sounds are great.
If it's not imposing: I'd suggest putting a bridge/break in after Chorus2, sort of like I did when I worked on another one of your tunes. Breaks up the 'drone', gives the song a shape/feel, provides opportunity for leads or other accoutrement, and (if the song gets vox) a chance to spice up the narrative the lyrics create...

(all these ideas brought to you by someone who has to remember which way the pointy end of the guitar goes every time I sit down to play!!!)

 

[ButchA]

Thanks.... I have an idea of a 70's type of rock/ballad song starting out with lyrics about missing a loved one. All you can do is live each day - day by day by day, carrying on with whatever you have left. You get sad at times (the Em, Bm, sections) and the lyrics make you kind of yearn for a time when you, yourself, ascend up to Heaven and meet Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. Once there, you are finally reunited with your loved one, and happiness abounds! That's where the extended jam on G, F, C, and G. happen at the end with a ripping guitar solo.

Am I crazy? That's the whole concept of this rough idea of a song thru my Tascam MTR.

 

[shredd]

Nope...not crazy...in fact, I think you have a fascinating methodology of how you conceive songs, maybe even a little unconventional. You should def'y take that well-developed story/concept and turn it into lyrics - should be easier with the music already done (unless you change it to suit your lyrics).
I think I'd stand by the idea that there should be a break/bridge in there - not only to create musical interest, but to make room for the lyrics to develop/explore the subject.

Then again...the first song I ever wrote (back around when recorded music was a novel new development) was meant to be a morose musing on the price you pay for suppressing how you feel...but the lyrics I wrote were SO BAD that I recorded it (TWICE - once in about '05, and a new mashup in about '08) WITHOUT vocals, and it ended up as a sort of upbeat instrumental jam...

Point: ignore me and do what sounds/feels good to you!!!

 

[ButchA]

Thanks.... Things hit me and it's like I have to immediately stop what I'm doing and record what I hear in my head. Then I work it out, add other instruments, and lo and behold, it all comes together, as a rough sketch or rough idea of a song.

I can certainly rework it, add a key change, bridge section, etc... and whatever else it might need. That's what I love about MTR's, you can do anything with them and not use up all sorts of processing power, computer resources, etc...

Don't like a certain track? Delete it, and try again.
Keyboards not loud enough? Adjust the slider to raise the volume in the mix.

With a Tascam, the possibilities are endless!

 

[shredd]

Have listened to this several times...me likey. Really good sounds (love mando, the Yammy sounds great, the Fender/MXR too. And very decent drumming (waaaay better than I can do!).

The producer wannabe in me still pipes up:
I'd want a bridge/break.
A key change after a break (like going into the git'r solo section to charge up the peak/culmination of your story for the song) would be killer.
Maybe a couple of "hooks" or riffs; there was some nice mando riffs and drum fills...that kinda stuff...

And the lyrics could be great.
Sadly, I'm about as good at writing lyrics as the US Congress is at actual public service.

 

[ButchA]

Here's an updated video, where I kind of explain the concept, the instruments, and then around 2:30 in the video, on track #6, I rip into a solo with my Fender Stratocaster and a Fuzz Face effect pedal.

I don't know if it actually "goes well" with the overall theme of the song, but what the heck, I decided to go all out and get nasty and see what that would sound like.

 

[shredd]

Hey Butch -
Gotta say - it's "fleshing out" nicely. Enjoyed the various fills 'n riffs (w the mando, the drums, even git'r bits) that give it dynamics. Very good base from which to develop it into a "full-scale" song, if you so decide, and the lyrics-fairy gifts you a concept...

I'll suggest - again - the idea of putting in a break, pre-chorus's, whatever, to break up the repetitive nature of the chord structure...I've found it creates 'points of interest', keeps the listeners' interest, and provides great opportunities to divert the theme of the lyrics, and come back to the main thrust ...

And lots of room for different sound treatments and production decisions. Ain't Tascams great??

Whatever - that's ME...but I think your little project has come along nicely and has lotsa potential...

 

[ButchA]

Thanks, @shredd ... I appreciate it!

You're right about a "bridge" or type of break in it, along with a key change. I was just messing around with it (acoustically) and after the mandolin riff, bringing everything back to "G", I decided to play an extra bar in "G", gathering everything back together... Then I changed to Bm, C, D, D, A, and back to G (well, just roughing it out).

That's another wonderful thing about Tascam MTR's... You can do try something, and if you don't like it, start over and try it another way. You can even take pieces of tracks and save them, and incorporate them back in the exact spot 02:15:07 (for example).

So much fun!

 

[-mjk-]

I like it @ButchA.

 

[Arjan P]

First off: I really like this as a rough idea and can see where it could go. But for a finished recorded song I would be more critical if you don't mind. The first thing that comes to me is the timing. The drums to my ears are simply not cutting it - did you use a click track?

And ofcourse as a rough idea I totally understand: you get this idea and want it down on 'tape' before it slips from your mind. But if it really becomes a recording I would start again with a tight rhythmic basis. The song-to-be deserves it!

 

[ButchA]

Thanks, @Arjan P .... Yes, everything hit me at once (as it always seems to). So, I had to "capture the moment" on tape before it slipped away (as the saying goes).

I used a metronome at first for the main tempo, and played the assorted instruments to the metronome. Then, I added my Alesis Nitro Mesh E-drum kit, trying to match the same tempo as other instruments.

There is a gazillion ways to take this arrangement. Re-arrange it, tweak it, re-do a track or two, etc... That is what I (and everyone else) loves about Tascam MTR's, is that you can record something, and then scratch it, and re-arrange it, and re-record it. Didn't quite get it right? No worries. Delete it and do it again! That's what makes these portable MTR's so special. You can do anything, anywhere, anytime. Add... Subtract... Delete... Enhance w/onboard EQ if needed... Whatever is needed. Tascam can handle it!