Let's make an EP, no problem!

The Studio got to help out a friend in need today.  We took the multiple CD recordings he had and got them compiled on to one cd that he carried out to his car and played as he drove off to his gig for the evening.

It is impressive to me how much we can do, technologically, these days, so fast, and so inexpensively.  Granted one needs a computer, but Mac computers come with so much on them, right out of the box, and add ons to go further with are a reasonable investment, especially considering what it would have cost for studio time to do the same kind of thing in the professional world.

I am looking forward to doing some real recording with Steve in the future and making some High Quality LOW Fidelity recordings at the Boat Shop Music Studio.

By the way I am wondering if for future recordings, I will have to credit the black rat snake,
(about 4' long) that seems to have taken up residence in the studio.  I'm thinking "Assistant Producer".  Actually I am hoping that playing loud, especially on the drum kit, will convince him to move on for the season.  Otherwise I may have to create a new logo for the label including him, or her, on it.

July 12 at Bunbury's Cafe, in Piedmont, NY
Steve Kelman, and that's me in the back.
(Photo, L Rodgers)

My album "Summer Sessions 2018"  available at,  https://richardamaldonado.bandcamp.com

"I'm always the fan of a prologue"

ON SONGWITING
     In a recent interview of Ethan Hawke on his film "Blaze", about singer songwriter Blaze Foley, Ethan was describing his director choice for the opening of the movie.  He said that he was always the fan of a prologue, something that set the mood for what was yet to come and a perspective from which to view the story.
     In my path down the road of songwriting, I have often wondered about what is taught as song structure.  Most of the formula that is taught is not what I do.  But what I do makes sense to me.  Often times, very often, I begin a song with what will be the chorus later in the song.  That's not what "they" teach in songwriting.
     Hearing this interview with Ethan rang the bell of recognition for me.  Putting the chorus at the tope of a song gives place, time, and texture to the story that follows.  After the often repeated chorus sets the mood the song, the verses go on to explain, even justify it.
     Thanks Ethan Hawke for helping me understand what it is I'm doing, a bit better.

Ethan Hawke on KEXP doing the promo tour for his film "Blaze" (via youtube)

The Boat Shop Music Studio is open for the season!

this is the high tech level of things here at the Studio,  a paper plate recording sign!

THE shop/studio has been open for a month or so now.

6 or 7 "demos" of new songs have been recorded

The drum kit isn't set up yet, as the Shop side of the studio is being used for storage while the Vanagon (the subject of "Rest Stop") is being worked on.

   I think that there may be 3 different categories of song:
     1). Songs that are vehicles for musicians, or styles of playing
     2). Songs that are stories, the musicianship is secondary
     3). Songs that are equally story and musicianship, or style

Of course this is only my opinion.  I think a lot of popular music is about the musicianship, or the particular genre's style of playing, with the lyrics serving as a method of making the music accessible thru "hooks", an interesting phrase, or repetition.  I'd say my music falls into the number 2, occasionally managing a number 3.  My musicianship is not developed enough for me to make songs that fall into the number 1 category.

THE album project "Heart at Sea" is a bit stalled out at the moment.  There are about 8 songs that are suitable for a smallish album, but I just haven't had the enthusiasm for the topic currently, and have been distracted with other new songs.  "Heart at Sea" is to be a collection of songs about the sea, sailing and sailors lives.  A funny thing is that two of the songs are actually sung from the perspective of a lover, a woman, back on land.  Writing from the perspective of a woman might seem to need a bit more effort, but in truth the songs came about relatively easily, and I never consciously acknowledged that it was a woman singing the songs, til they were done.   I have a feeling that the album might get put off until the Fall.

I made a new bit of signage to have up at my "gigs".  It's simple, like the music, like me.

new signage for my gigs.  I am very happy about "LOVE Music"