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"

Fiddle About!

I had a wonderful experience this week while playing my weekly gig at the Nyack Farmer's Market.  Just about the end of my time playing the market manager came up to make a request.  She wanted to "You and Me" a song of mine that she especially likes.  being that Ian Moore was there onstage getting ready to take over and play his set, he suggested that we do the song together.

     Ian is an amazing performer, a singer of songs and a story teller, who mixes in wonderful dancing with his fiddle playing.  He is also a fine composer.

     I was very happy to have him accompany me on the song, but also a bit nervous.  I get worried of being able to play and sing at his caliber, well not worried really, I flat out know I'm not in the same league.  But I was so excited for the idea too.

     I showed him the chord progression and gave him a quick idea of what the song is, that took about 15 seconds, and then we went at it.  That was quite enough time to let Ian know where to go with his part.  That's the kind of player he is.

     It was work for me to keep my mind in the attitude of he performer because I so wanted to be the observer and get the full affect of Ian's playing on one of my songs.

     He played a beautiful line, quite sensitive and appropriate, but creative.  I was very moved.  It seemed as though others listening were too.

     Sometimes 1+1 don't make 2, they make so much more, or Moore, Ian Moore.  I love that guy.

The great Ian Moore.( photo from https://www.reverbnation.com/ianmooreplaysfiddle )

     

Song writing, for me is like

Song writing for me is like looking out in the woods and seeing a shape in the bushes.  I can tell something, someone, is there, maybe a fox, or a dog, or a coyote, or a deer, but I have to look harder, be patient, in order to discover what, who it is.
If I see the flick of a tail I might realize it's a deer, or a dog.  I look a bit more and determine the color of it's coat, and then the general size.  And so it goes until I have a confident idea of who it is I am discovering.
Then, I need to spend some more time finding out the particulars of this particular being.  If I say I know it's a dog, or even a dog with a black and brown and white coat, about 50 pounds, with a long tail, I still don't know the disposition of this particular dog.  That take time and more observation, listening for a growl, or whine, or wiper, or friendly bark.
And so it goes.  This is how songs get written for me.  So far.  It can take a little time to become well acquainted with a new song.  Patience is always a virtue, as well as a willingness to listen, and look, and discover.

https://richardamaldonado.bandcamp.com

Winter Music activities

I started playing, at the Winter Indoor Farmer's Market in Nyack, last week.  It made me very happy to be back at the market, and to be able to play for the patrons and vendors.  The indoor space is the Nyack community Center, and the room has an elevated stage but I chose to play on the floor level because this allowed a bit more interaction with the patrons, especially the little ones, as well as the canine contingent.  It seems to me that the lower to the ground, the better the person, i.e. children and dogs.
It was great to be playing for people again and the time off allowed me to bring a few new songs to my rep.
Link to the Market:

hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/nyackfarmersmarket/?hl=en

Gone Til Spring

"Gone Til Spring" the title of a song I wrote last Fall about the end of the sailing season.  I had just gotten a new sailing rig on a small boat and was struggling with getting comfortable with sailing a small light boat, after years of really preferring a heavier full keeled boat. I like the song because it can easily be perceived as the end of some time with a person and missing them.

I've sent this song out as part of a set of "Seasonal-Musical greeting cards."  It's number 3 of 4 songs that folks will receive.  They are all Demos, which is to say, rough cuts, but in the spirit of fun and celebration, I've sent them out this way, blemishes and all, just like a family would sound singing Christmas carols.

The other significance of the song is that the Boat shop studio is closed up til Spring.  It being a music studio converted from a boat shop, converted from a garage, it can get a bit cold out there, even with the wood stove, which is not tight and singing and breathing smokey air is another challenge my singing does not really need.

The Winter sun will now only get stronger as the days grow longer.

I have released the single of "Return, A Solstice Song" on Bandcamp.  It's a demo version, but I thought with it being the Winter Solstice,  why not.  I want to develop the song a little more, but I'm glad to have celebrated the Solstice with the song as it is.

I haven't been keeping at the blog because I wanted to take a break, have a bit of a cloister as the Winter set in.  I will probably be back at it in the new year.

Seasons Greetings

https://richardamaldonado.bandcamp.com

Winter 2018 songs can be heard at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w0KX3g8q6E