I was futzing around on the piano right before putting the kids to bed. I came up with a simple piano part. I liked it enough that I worked on it tonight and eventually fleshed it out into a song. From my brain to an MP3 in a few hours time!

I had a 4-track many moons ago (okay, I still have it) and I was so intimidated by it. I was so intimidated by recording music. I felt like I didn’t have the knack for it. But it really is quite easy for me now. That’s neat. And I like it. I don’t note the passage of time — it absorbs my attention completely.

Okay, here’s the song.

–> The Argument
As always, enjoy (or don’t)!

Hey, I had another Saturday night with nothing to do, nowhere to go. Jesus, that sounds depressing. I almost don’t want to continue this blog post. Okay, I’m pressing on.

I made a new song.

I’ve had such hangups writing and recording music in the past. I have always sought other people to play with prior to writing any music. If I don’t have any bandmates, it’s really easy to not write. REALLY easy.

I have a motivation to write music now, in that I have agreed to record like a kazillion songs (or musical snippets) for a short film of a friend of mine, and he keeps on asking me about my progress.

I still think that writing and recording with other people is the ideal situation (magic can happen, sincerely), but I have not been in a band in a long time, and I don’t know how I would easily go about finding/joining one, mostly due to my busy schedule as a dad.

I had fun doing this one. Again, I have no idea if it’s good. I guess I think it’s good enough to share with you.

Tank Green Tank

As always, enjoy (or don’t)!

I don’t know if this is good. I think it is? I don’t know.

I do music so infrequently, I treat every new song I write/record like a special event. I wrote and recorded this on Saturday night (and a little bit into Sunday morning) for my friend Andy’s movie.

I’m not sure if he’ll use it or not. It’s a bit much, I reckon.

Help.mp3

As always, enjoy (or don’t)!

So, I have been sitting on my ass and not writing music for my friend NOLA Andy’s movie.

I have no excuse. Well, I am kind of hesitant to dive in with technologies. I did some music some months back with Tim, where we were recording on a PC using Ableton, a piece of software that completely baffled me. (Tim did all the recording tech stuff.)

Now that the Splotchy household has a Macbook laptop, I thought I’d check out some software that came with it — GarageBand. So, I finally got around to fiddling with it (did I mention that I am also a notorious procrastinator?).

It’s a lot of fun to play around with stuff in GarageBand, and the application is pretty darned intuitive to use. I was able to use the built-in mic to record several acoustic guitar parts very easily — I’m sure some audiosnob would scoff at my using the built-in mic, but it didn’t sound bad to me. I ran the guitars through some filters, added a drumbeat and some handclaps, and voilà! Instant song!

Here’s what I did, if you wanna hear — it’s only a little over two minutes. I recorded the song with the intent of it being used for Andy’s soundtrack — something with a nice beat but which also wouldn’t overwhelm any accompanying visuals.

It’s in M4A (iTunes) format — apologies in advance if you’re lookin’ for an MP3.

Splotchy – Da Da Da Dah Dah

Enclosed please find a small trip down memory lane, and a little freestyle blrapping.

blrapping – The art of rapping via a blog. Passing the figurative mic is encouraged. (not to be confused with blapping!)

Hey, I think I have coined a word that is more unpleasant to speak/hear than ‘blogging’! Kudos to me!

So, you may be happy to learn, I’m nearing the end of the musical novelties of Tim and myself. Shortly after we took the world by storm with our unique take on R.E.M., we turned our sights on the burgeoning world of rap. The song is definitely of its time — note the Tone Lōc-inspired “Lezzzzdoit” at the beginning.

We were actually trying to be funny at first, and then kind of liked how it was turning out, then tried to make the attempt a little more than half-assed (let’s say 3/4-assed).

Click on —> Bunkatania
Timeshare bider
Surrounded by spiders
And you always want to solve things
With your supercollider

Imminent danger
Everyone’s a stranger
And your only savior
Is away in a manger

Bunk is the word
So kick in the funk

Saturday drivers
Sunday survivors
And problems arise
From the reruns of MacGyver

Always been wishing
But your mind’s out fishing
And the guts of your goat
Have the hint of premonition

Bunk is the word
So kick in the funk-AY

Media hell shoot
They’re in cahoots
They make it easy
To be led by your manr