On composing and recording music
9th February 2009
Here’s the good nudes: I’m keeping things short. And the bad? I’ve just run out of biscuits.
Two weeks ago I purchased a MacBook, as touched on in my previous blog. My word they’re good, MacBooks. I’ve never had a Mac before. I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered mine. Indeed I would say I haven’t mastered it. But I’m enjoying it – and the main reason is it has a built-in recording studio called GarageBand.
I’ve been recording my own music. This is something I love to do but have done little of since I was in my late 20s. Recording music is so consuming that all too often you find yourself in your dressing gown, unwashed and unfed by 9 at night. On Saturday I was so into it that by the time I left my flat to buy the Guardian they’d sold out. Now I have to do without The Guide. That’s just not like me. My cousin also likes to record his own music and has experienced similar problems. In his case, the last time he was recording he looked up, only to discover that his son had grown up, left home and found a job.
Anyway I said this was going to be short and so it is. I thought I’d post my first keyboard/voice effort. It’s probably better to listen with headphones, though if any nuances are lost through your laptop/desktop I guess we’ll just have to live with it.
Please note there is a ten second delay before it starts. I’ll sort that another time. It’s called ‘Summer’ and it’s just below. It’s not finished, either – but then as Picasso once observed, a work of art is never is…
You know what? Since you’re here and since I’m unlikely to post another music-based blog for a while I might as well give you a couple more to be going on with. The next piece is a dance track called ‘I Heart 1989’. You’ll soon see why.
The third track, entitled ‘Watermark’, is an Enya rip-off (Enya?? Saul! You’re rocking out man!).
Let’s end with a bit of rock. I christened it ‘First Go’…as it was my first go with GarageBand. The recording quality is poor since I’m still having to use the inbuilt mic but I hate people who make excuses so I’ll shut up. It’s vaguely reminiscent of the Kings of Leon, though I wrote the riff years ago. That means I’m better than them (not difficult, they’re rubbish).
Not quite ready to bear my lyrical soul. Another day, perhaps…
TTFN y’all
S’all
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