Song-A-Day 2019

Is there something more opposite than 180 degrees? Could we maybe add a fourth dimension? Because that’s what happened with this song. I had started writing a bog-standard 80s synth-pop song. I had a drum pattern going, worked out the bass line, and was writing the first verse when Piece by Piece popped into my head. I’ve learned to follow these distractions when they’re strong. The first time I did so resulted in ABEND, which a lot of people have said is their favorite track on my first album. Writing the Song When the first verse came out, I thought … Continue reading

Well, hello, what’s this? Certainly not the downer piece I was expecting to write today. Sitting down to the keyboard, I loaded up a lovely Chapman Stick sample, and that opening riff is the first thing that came out of my hands.

I don’t know if this is the same song I started out writing. The words are all there, but somewhere between writing them, testing a web page, walking the dogs, and so on, I lost the melody that I’d originally had. Maybe. This could be it. It works in any case. I do have this weird feeling like I’ve rewritten a song I’ve heard before, but it could just be the inherent familiarities of this style. I also found the beginning of a bridge between the 2nd and 3rd verses, but whatever melody I had for that was long gone … Continue reading

Sometimes you just have to walk away from something that’s not working and come back at it with a fresh mind. For all the trouble I had with this one yesterday, the writing process clicked into place fairly quickly for me today. I gutted the initial chord progression and got rid of about 75% of the melodies I’d started with. I’m not 100% happy with the composition/melody, but it’s very close. Synth selection/programming and arrangement and the drums went very quickly, especially given that there’s a lot more going on in this one than any of the other tracks so … Continue reading

The first instrumental track of the month, and certainly not the last. I’m unofficially trying to write a lot more vocal songs this month. I had a lyrical snippet show up while taking a shower , but it continued to elude me for most of the day. Procrastination was hitting me hard. I ended up in the studio around 6:30, intent on forcing the issue, but some funky weather hit and the dogs wouldn’t leave me alone. Suffice it to say that slush storms make scary noises if you’re a dog. They also leave a bunch of… slush… that needs … Continue reading