tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24823530597071592952024-03-13T16:37:34.978-06:00ZifflerThis is a blog about my music and the process behind writing it.Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-1347456343508335052013-07-18T10:44:00.000-06:002013-07-18T10:44:11.432-06:0050th is the Niftieth<b><i>The Golden Anniversary</i></b><br />
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Roughly one year ago, it was decided that my parents, their children (that would be me!) and their children's children, would all convene for a one week vacation near Traverse City, MI to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Being the sneaky and creative crew that we (the four children) are, we decided there needed to be a secret show. In my mind it would be a lavish Broadway show with full sets and an orchestra. In reality, it was a little less polished, but still entertaining.<br />
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And so, I began writing the theme song. My brother came up with the title, and I took it from there. As my parents are "oldies" themselves, I wanted to write a song with the feel of something you might hear on an oldies radio station. It also needed to have back-up singers (my sisters) and, what I call The Preacher part (my brother). <br />
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Some of the lyrics, such as the chorus, came together quickly. But I was struggling with the verses. I wanted the song to be about them specifically; perhaps about their early romance. But as I knew nothing about that, it was rather difficult. So once I decided to go more generic, the words fell into place. One detail that stayed though was "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053320/" target="_blank">A Summer Place</a> at the movies." This, according to some sources, was one of the first movies they saw together.<br />
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After the song was blocked out, I kept having a nagging feeling that it needed a bridge. I had a chord progression in my head, but for some reason, could never capture it when I sat down to play it. What I ended up with was the part, "I see the colors of the rainbow...". I think it works well and leads nicely into The Preacher.<br />
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To pat my own back, my favorite parts are the "shoo-bop shoo-bop shoo-be-do-bop" (not an easy assignment for my sisters) and the line "They say that love is golden, cuz it's better when it's you I'm holdin'." All in all, I'm quite pleased with the results.<br />
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But wait! Earlier this year, I subscribed to Adobe's Creative Cloud because I needed Premiere Pro for a work project. So here I had this professional video editing software aching to be used, and a dusty green screen that I had for another pet project years ago. Let's make a video!<br />
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My vision was a band playing a small high school-like auditorium. I kept imagining that scene from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waojxR20oRk" target="_blank">Back to the Future</a> where Marty plays guitar at the high school dance. Indeed, even the song has a strong influence of "Earth Angel" from that scene. So I set to work with my 3D modelling software to create the virtual auditorium. While most of the scenes are shot from a still camera, I was able to animate the mirror ball and even "fake zoom" a couple of scenes. <br />
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We all did a video shoot one at a time against the green screen except for the three singers shot in one take. There were two "couples" dancing which were repeated over and over so the auditorium looked populated. The Preacher was shot with a hand held camera to give some contrast to the rest of the video.<br />
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Finally, to include the grandkids, we shot a little "commercial" before the actual video. They also performed this live for my parents at our "show" in Michigan. <br />
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Well, it's been a fun year planning all of this, writing a script, and making music and videos. Now that the anniversary has come and gone, I can finally share this with the rest of you. I hope you enjoy the results as much as my parents did!<br />
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-Uncle ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-60987544618682861112013-03-25T16:17:00.002-06:002016-04-12T12:28:27.399-06:00I Sang a Little Song<i>A silly little ditty</i><br />
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<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/i-sang-a-little-song">I Sang a Little Song</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
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It's been over a year since I've posted a fresh new song (as opposed to remixes or old demos) and I'm sorry to tell you, it's a silly song. A very silly song. But I was just playing the guitar, this came out, my computer was on, and I had better things to do. So of course, I decided it was of the utmost importance to commit this to hard disk right away. (That just doesn't sound as nice as saying "commit this to tape." Oh well.)<br />
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Fortunately, this song only required a few hours of work, start to finish. Aside from the bridge, this song is essentially just three repeated verses. I figured if <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7oQEPfe-O8">REM</a> can do it, why can't I? Though I doubt this will be a hit single any time soon.<br />
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I felt this song should be kept largely acoustic and intimate so I refrained from adding too many elements. No drums, no pad/synth, no effects (aside from some reverb, which only barely passes for an "effect") and minimal vocal overdubs. Usually by this point, I'm adding all sorts of layers and overdubs. I initially had my accordion ready to go but I experienced an unusual amount of restraint and left it in the case. The song simply didn't need any more.<br />
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<b>I Sang a Little Song</b><br />
<br />
I sang a little song to my baby<br />
I sang a little song to my girl<br />
I sent a little note to my baby<br />
And now my baby's next to me<br />
<br />
[So on, so forth, and etcetera.]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Uncle Ziffler<br />
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<br />Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-4893387230556227202012-07-27T21:46:00.001-06:002017-05-09T21:55:27.283-06:00Through the Window<i>Therapy</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/through-the-window">Through the Window</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
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This song was written years ago and it remains one of my favorites. I have tried at times to adapt this to be played live but it has always fallen short of the demo version. My blog posts to date have started with the music, then moved to the lyrics. But today, the lyrics come first.<br />
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<br />
<b>Through the Window</b><br />
<br />
Some may say<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am far away</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dark cloud today</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red turned to gray</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saw the world begin to move</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I want to fade away</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fade away</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other side of the window</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was too much pain</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I closed my eyes in shame</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Never looking</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Any sign of bitter weather</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a blissful day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Makes me look the other way</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All along the way home</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll wait until I am numb</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll wait until I am home</div>
--<br />
<br />
I've been thinking about posting this song for quite awhile, but the recent tragic shootings in Aurora have made this song very relevant. How does one cope with such news, especially so close to home? How can one even process this information? This song wasn't written with any specific event in mind, but more about the general way in which I respond and cope with other people's pain and suffering. For better or worse, I take a position of detachment. I generally choose not to watch the news. I choose not to really place myself in the shoes of those who are suffering. I'm not proud of this response, but it is the coping mechanism that has arisen that works for me. I'm not suggesting that this is always the case with me, but that's what this song is about.<br />
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And writing music for me is a sort of therapy, especially with a song like this. Writing lyrics can help me recognize my own inner struggles. Looking "through the window" is how I feel sometimes when I'm faced with such pain or struggles. It feels as though I'm on one side, the safe side, and the suffering is on the other side. Of course, there are no answers here. I've revealed no alternate methods of dealing with pain. But simply the process of writing provides a sort of relief.<br />
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As for the music, there is just one thing I want to point out, and that is the synthesized choir-like vocals that can be heard throughout the song. For this, I sampled my own voice, recording several notes of "ah"s. Each "ah" is looped seamlessly so that when triggered by a keyboard, the notes sustain indefinitely. This results in sort of a surreal vocal part, especially when playing notes which are outside of my natural range. Adding to the unnatural quality of this vocal is a fast vibrato which is tied to the tempo of the song. This provided a wonderfully appropriate tension throughout the song which reflects the inner struggle of the lyrics.<br />
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If this effect sounds familiar, it's probably because I used the same keyboard patch in my song <a href="http://ziffler.blogspot.com/2012/04/simply.html" target="_blank">Simply</a> which was posted in April. While I haven't used it since, I have re-created this patch with my current software and will likely use it again in future songs.<br />
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If this post has left you feeling down, I apologize. Perhaps revisiting <a href="http://ziffler.blogspot.com/2011/12/tomorrows-christmas.html" target="_blank">another song</a> will lift your spirits.<br />
<br />
Uncle Ziffler<br />
<br />Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-2094350202951995252012-05-13T09:38:00.000-06:002017-05-14T08:19:16.253-06:00Mother's Day<i>He he he huh, yeah</i><br />
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<span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/mothers-day-song">Mothers Day Song</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a></span>
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Some have perhaps heard this one before, as it is several years old. But I can't resist re-posting it on this Mother's Day as it is one of the more entertaining songs in my collection. At least to me and my family. Or at least to me.<br />
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Several years ago, my brother and I decided to write a song for our mother for Mother's Day. At the time we had been trying to use an early version of a voice-over-internet phone call. It wasn't a great solution to the long-distance call at that point, but we could easily record a conversation. So the day before Mother's Day, we called up Mom and secretly recorded the conversation. We of course tried to prompt her to say certain things like "Mother's Day". But we also got some great things we weren't expecting like "Sunday. Son-day!", the choke, and the comment on the echo, which had sometimes been an issue with that type of internet phone call.<br />
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As for the music, we pretty much came up with it by the seat of our pants. If I remember correctly, I handled the bass and guitar parts while my brother took care of the keys and drums. Then we chopped up our mother's words, bounced them around, changed pitch at one point, and added some echo where appropriate. All in a day. Then on Sunday we e-mailed the song to her and she claimed that she liked it. But mothers are supposed to say things like that, which is why we have a day to celebrate them.<br />
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So thanks Mom, for everything you've done for us, and have a wonderful Mother's Day!<br />
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Love,<br />
<br />
ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-10131169714569527052012-04-22T10:39:00.000-06:002017-05-14T08:21:22.269-06:00Simply<i>The Influence</i><br />
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<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/simply">Simply</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
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Often, one of the first questions you'll hear in an interview with a band or musician, especially a new and unique artist, is, "Who are your influences?" Then they'll spew a list of bands that you probably never would have guessed. Some make sense, like when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Cobain#Musical_influences" target="_blank">Nirvana cites Pixies as an influence</a>; but even then, it's difficult to say, oh yes, this Nirvana song sounds like this Pixies song. That's because the best bands (in my opinion) are the ones which try to have a unique sound. If Nirvana sounded like the Pixies, then they would not have been a special band.<br />
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Influences can come from anywhere, and they don't have to be musical. As noted in my earlier post, <a href="http://ziffler.blogspot.com/2011/11/snake-crow.html" target="_blank">The Snake, The Crow</a>, I was inspired by the mood I was in that day. Of course, behind the mood influence was years of listening to music that reflected that same mood. Music doesn't come from nowhere. Could I tell you specifically my musical influences on that song? Not a chance.<br />
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However, once in a very great while, I hear a song and decide that <i>I want to write a song like that.</i> In cases like these, there is a single, direct influence. Songwriting is, hopefully, an ongoing learning process and trying to write a song within specific guidelines is an exercise. You analyze the song, try to capture its essence, and maybe lift a few specific ideas from it. In the end, hopefully, you have a new song and have perhaps reshaped your ideas on how to write a song.<br />
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I decided that Simply would be a nice segue from the previous post about remixes because this song was inspired by a remix. Beck has a wonderful album called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guero-Beck/dp/B0007SL1LW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335106333&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Guero</a>. Shortly after this album was released, he released a second album called Guerolito, which was a collection of the original Guero songs remixed by guest artists. I fell in love with a song called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKZxR6PpZJo" target="_blank">Broken Drum</a> and I decided I wanted to write a song as beautiful as that.<br />
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As this was written years ago, it's difficult for me now to go through the writing process with you. So I'll skip the deconstruction and let you deconstruct it for yourself.<br />
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<b>SIMPLY</b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday, I lie awake</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm lazy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply amazing, crazy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This sound</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I follow. The sun’s
still low</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the sky</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The laughter of children</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Floats to my ears</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see you with your gentle smile</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel the skip of my weak heart</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I hold on to fleeting thoughts</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A chord to strum, a song to hum</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Almost slipped away</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like so many days before</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply another day</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply amazing<br />
--<br />
<br />
Yes, I know - the lyrics are uplifting! Such a rare thing for me, which writing in this way helped me to discover that I can do effectively. So thank you, Beck.<br />
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Before you leave, be sure to treat yourself to the influence for this song, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKZxR6PpZJo" target="_blank">Broken Drum</a>.<br />
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Uncle Ziffler</div>Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-84873907352524992482012-03-07T20:46:00.000-07:002017-05-14T08:22:29.468-06:00Drift Away [Mobius Mix]<i>The Remix</i><br />
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<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/drift-away-mobiux-mix">Drift Away [Mobiux Mix]</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
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I know you've all been waiting patiently for me to post another song. I'm sad to say that I've had no time for songwriting recently. I have plenty of back-catalog demos to post and write about and perhaps I will have to resort to such things in the coming months. This song, however, is a little different. This song is a remix done by my brother.<br />
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A couple of years ago when I actually had a band, we went to record an album at a studio. To make a very long story very short, we recorded all of the parts, but those parts never got mixed into actual, playable songs. Just individual tracks floating around. And that is how they've remained.<br />
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One of the members of said band was my brother who played drums for us. While that was his primary duty in the band, he is much more than a drummer - he also writes, records, and mixes his own music as well. This past Christmas I received a gift from him - five songs that we had recorded in the studio that he remixed for me.<br />
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Ok, technically he only "mixed" them since I suppose a song has to be mixed a first time in order for it to be remixed. But what makes them different from studio mixes is that he picked and chose the original individual tracks that he liked (bass, guitars, drums, etc.), edited them however he liked, added his own instruments, adjusted tempos, adjusted beats, and, well, whatever he felt like doing. He basically took the band's songs and created something new and fresh from them.<br />
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The best way to demonstrate this would be to have the "studio mix" with which to compare. Maybe some day I will get around to mixing these songs as originally intended and will update this post. In the mean time, you'll just have to imagine this song as originally recorded with only drums, bass, guitars, and vocals.<br />
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It was difficult to chose which of the five songs to post, but I really like this one. This is a very old song written at a time when I was dealing with the aftermath of a breakup. It's a pretty simple song but a fun one to play with the building gritty guitar solo in the middle. Because of that, I continued to keep it in set lists over the years with whatever incarnation of a band I had.<br />
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<b>DRIFT AWAY</b><br />
<br />
I'm standing beside you now<br />
At least where you used to be<br />
Slowly I come to realize<br />
You're only a memory<br />
<br />
Some day you drift away<br />
Replaced by other memories<br />
I will be happier then<br />
<br />
But still you stand next to me<br />
I can't seem to shake you from my thoughts<br />
When will this emptiness end?<br />
Or better yet, when will I see you again?<br />
<br />
When will I see you again?<br />
When will I touch you again?<br />
When will I love you again?<br />
When will I live again?<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Uncle ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-17564164573182984442012-01-29T16:42:00.000-07:002017-05-14T08:25:12.980-06:00Far From Here<i>Ziffler Goes Goth</i><br />
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<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/far-from-here">Far From Here</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
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I have recently taken a job. A job which I thought was going to be a part-time job but has turned into a 60 hour a week job. I'm a mail man. And this seems to be my life now, for now.<br />
<br />
And yet last Sunday I found time to write this little gem of a song. Not that it's a great or innovative song, but that it was fun and, quite frankly, easy to write and record. My inspiration was my new job, and how I felt about it. To capture the essence of my new-found exhaustion, I drew upon my inner <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL_nrQxU-wE" target="_blank">Cure</a> (note the drums and bass) with a healthy dose of psychedelia.<br />
<br />
The song started with the synthesizer which, while it runs through the whole song, can really only be heard in the intro. The words and melody were written on the fly in one take, though I did re-record the vocals once everything else was in place. The two guitar tracks, played with an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJamLzgfSyM&feature=related" target="_blank">e-bow</a> and slide, were also done on the fly, mostly in one take.<br />
<br />
I started the song at a very slow tempo of 56 beats per minute. But as I was listening back to the first part, I could imagine a nice drum part sneak up underneath the music. The drive of the drums essentially doubled the feel of the tempo to 112 beats per minute. So I ended up with a nice contrast of the rhythm section providing a driving beat while the melody and guitar counters with a gentle slow pace.<br />
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But my favorite part of the song has to be the backing vocal track in the bridge ("Take me from here..."). This is an exact double of the main vocal track but pitch-shifted up an octave with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant" target="_blank">formant</a> adjusted so it didn't sound like an animated chipmunk. The result is an other-worldly vocal that is, well, kinda creepy. Even creepier is the fact that when you listen to it by itself, it sounds a little like Miss Piggy.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>FAR FROM HERE</b><br />
<br />
I want you<br />
To take me home<br />
From here<br />
<br />
Lay me down<br />
In the bed<br />
To sleep<br />
And dream<br />
<br />
Take me from here<br />
Take me far from here<br />
<br />
Rest my head<br />
Rest my soul<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
I know, it's a grim outlook on my new job. The first week was an incredibly difficult adjustment for me. But, while I still don't like the long hours, it has gotten easier. Maybe there will be songs about mail boxes and dog bites in future blog posts.<br />
<br />
Postman ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-11544086737975674152011-12-24T19:47:00.001-07:002018-12-23T12:51:31.938-07:00Tomorrow's Christmas<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/tomorrows-christmas">Tomorrow's Christmas</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/549193188&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
I started this song about a week ago and had not gotten around to finishing it until today. Given the subject matter, I figured I'd better get it done ASAP, so I didn't spend as much time on it as I perhaps should have.<br />
<br />
Though maybe that's ok. It has a less-refined feel to it than I usually try to achieve and is therefore more relaxed and fun. Like a Christmas song should be. I tried to let loose a bit on the vocals and I only did one or two takes for most of the parts. I even threw caution to the wind and added some whistling!<br />
<br />
And I think that's all I'll say about today's song. I hope you enjoy it, and have a wonderful Christmas!<br />
<br />
<b>TOMORROW'S CHRISTMAS</b><br />
<br />
It's cold outside and the snow's falling,<br />
Coloring the ground with silver sparkles<br />
I can't wait<br />
<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas day<br />
<br />
I see the tree it's glowing<br />
With its colored lights<br />
Lighting a sea of presents<br />
On this winter's night<br />
<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas day<br />
<br />
I can't wait one more minute<br />
<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas<br />
Tomorrow's Christmas day<br />
--<br />
<br />
Happy holidays from Uncle Ziffler.<br />
<br />Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-51494449594100756392011-11-29T19:08:00.001-07:002017-05-14T08:27:36.835-06:00The Snake, The Crow<i>A Story</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/the-snake-the-crow">"The Snake, the Crow"</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
<iframe width="100%" height="80" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29327358&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
I had been working on something not quite my style and reached a stopping point when the song was no longer telling me how to finish it. Then on a melancholic Saturday, I was inspired to start writing a new song, a sadder song. I'm pleased to say I was successful.<br />
<br />
Sometimes it works out that a song turns out exactly like the song I intended to write. This is not to say that I had the complete song in my head when I started. In fact, I had nothing specific in mind other than a mood I wanted to capture. This is that mood.<br />
<br />
The main elements of the song all came together quite easily and there was very little decision making about how the song should progress - it just happened. This is definitely the way I like my songs to be written! Of course, the lyrics - now that's another story.<br />
<br />
<b>THE SNAKE, THE CROW</b><br />
<br />
Try as she might, she cannot see<br />
She cannot find her way out of the woods<br />
She asks the snake<br />
She asks the bear<br />
She asks the crow for help<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>[the crow] </i><br />
<i>I am the snake</i><br />
<i>I am the crow</i><br />
<br />
Said the bear, "turn away my dear,<br />
I've no time for your grief and worries"<br />
<br />
Wait, there is no wood for a fire<br />
There are no blankets for night<br />
Find a way to make it through this<br />
<br />
<i>I'm right</i><br />
<i>I fight</i><br />
<i>I fly away</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Said the snake, "won't you stay?<br />
Walk in circles 'til you tire<br />
And stay with me<br />
Follow me, deeper still<br />
And embrace the darkened forest"<br />
<br />
"Please, please" said the fallen girl<br />
To the crow<br />
"Won't you please help?"<br />
Crow, with a silent reply<br />
Simply flew<br />
Above the trees<br />
<br />
<i>I lead the way</i><br />
<i>Just rise up</i><br />
<i>Rise up</i><br />
<i>From your view</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rise above the trees</i><br />
<i>Fly far from here</i><br />
<i>----</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRfXmOforEvzQzPWYtPj68c76QqD1riQYU6RSKIdQL90Cnb-0g6KWOH76SsPmUVVd7RZjvZ_BWnzoucMDOSm3ZS7L1IjUp8GeMWsEFf5ah-k8Llhulv4X7F-z38np8zgXliGv860dROw/s1600/Corbeau_branche_Kyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRfXmOforEvzQzPWYtPj68c76QqD1riQYU6RSKIdQL90Cnb-0g6KWOH76SsPmUVVd7RZjvZ_BWnzoucMDOSm3ZS7L1IjUp8GeMWsEFf5ah-k8Llhulv4X7F-z38np8zgXliGv860dROw/s400/Corbeau_branche_Kyo.jpg" width="128"></a>I spent the better part of a day writing lyrics. They were written in the first person and were about reacting to adversity. It was good therapy (as songs often are) but at the end of the day, the words just didn't reflect the mood of the music. So the next day I started from scratch. I decided to stick with the theme of adversity, but instead of a first person therapy session, I turned it into a story. I had in mind a forest, a girl, and a crow. I added a snake and a bear to represent two ways of approaching adversity, with the crow being the final (and best) way. Those crows are pretty <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/a-murder-of-crows/full-episode/5977/">smart birds.</a><br />
<br />
Once I had the main scope of the story, the words came fairly easily. And I managed to keep some of the words from the first draft ("there is no wood for the fire...") which fit nicely into the story.<br />
<br />
The sort of tinny vocal that shows up throughout the song, as sort of a call-and-response to the main vocals, had been there since my first pre-lyric draft of the song. I love this part and think it really makes the song what it is. I needed to write words for this part (well, I guess I didn't <i>need</i> to considering you can't really understand the words) and I decided to give this part to the crow. Especially since it almost sounds like a crow's call. True, the first line is "I am the snake", but this is a very subtle way of saying that all of these parts - the snake, the bear, and the crow - are just different parts of the single inner-dialog of the protagonist (the girl).<br />
<br />
I did notice an error in the lyrics, however. The first verse introduces the animals; the snake, the bear, and the crow, but the verses are in a different order. I probably should have changed the introduction so the animals are in the order in which they appear in the verses, but I felt it was fine as is. Or maybe I was just too lazy to change it.<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy the song, it's one of my favorites.<br />
<br />
Uncle ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-9531866324794009202011-11-09T15:38:00.000-07:002017-05-14T08:29:59.757-06:00The Bunker Boys<i>(This one's going out to all the ladies.)</i><br />
<br />
"<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/the-bunker-boys">The Bunker Boys</a>" by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a>
<iframe width="100%" height="80" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28107953&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
The subtitle of this week's entry is a flashback to a band I was once in. Any time we wrote or rehearsed a more "sensitive" song, we would jokingly preface it by saying, "This one's going out to all the ladies." It gave us an excuse to write sappy songs without admitting to ourselves that we actually like them. This song is a sappy song and gosh-darn-it, I like it.<br />
<br />
The beauty of not writing for a band or for an album is that I get to write whatever I want without feeling like I need to conform to a style - even if it's my own style. I did something with this song that I almost never do: I wrote it in a major key. [Gasp!] I also used a fairly standard chord progression and a fairly standard song structure of verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus. I chose to head in this direction because 1) I wanted to keep this week's song fairly straight-forward and 2) it was something new to try. I do have a few other major key songs, but they are few and far between.<br />
<br />
I was pleased, for the most part, how this song progressed at an early stage. I wrote the parts (verse and chorus) on the guitar and quickly laid down some scratch vocals (no lyrics yet) and filler instruments including bass, accordion, and this lovely scratchy singing synth patch that I created. So far, so good! Initially, I had not written a bridge, but something told me to give it a shot. I'm glad I did because the bridge in this song is the best part. It takes the listener to another place, both sonically and emotionally, then resolves into the final chorus, doing exactly what a bridge is supposed to do. There's a reason they call it a bridge.<br />
<br />
Then came the lyrics. The dreaded lyrics.<br />
<br />
<b>THE BUNKER BOYS</b><br />
<br />
I travel down stairs and I find you there<br />
To celebrate my birthday, to my surprise<br />
<br />
All the years have made me glad<br />
To rise above the urge I've had<br />
To raise my voice at you<br />
<br />
Oh I, once again,<br />
Can't help but feel<br />
That I am the same as you<br />
<br />
Does the two-headed man have one soul or two<br />
Is one himself without the other<br />
Are we all each distinct one-and-onlys<br />
Or are you connected to me?<br />
<br />
I fell down the stairs today<br />
You broke my fall, set me right again<br />
<br />
Am I so vain<br />
To think that I am one without you?<br />
I can't help but wonder<br />
<br />
(Oh, ahh)<br />
<br />
Does the two-headed man have one soul two<br />
Am I myself without you?<br />
How can it be said we each stand alone<br />
You're a part of me<br />
And I'm connected to you<br />
----<br />
<br />
This is a song inspired by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang_and_Eng_Bunker">Chang and Eng Bunker</a>, the original Siamese twins. There are nearly an infinite number of variations of conjoined twins. On one extreme, one twin can completely absorb the other, resulting in pretty much a single "normal" human being. On the other extreme are Chang and Eng, who were joined by only by a small piece of cartilage at the sternum - nearly two complete human beings. Somewhere in the middle, the lines get blurred. What gives an individual his soul? Does the absorbed twin in the first example have two souls? Do Chang and Eng share one soul?<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
So this is what I wanted to write about. Not so much the twins specifically, but asking the question if we as individuals can also share the soul of another - connected or not. Maybe there are no 100% individuals. Deep stuff, I know.<br />
<br />
Ok, on to actually writing the words.<br />
<br />
My typical lyric writing approach backfired on me. This was a rare song where I knew going in what I wanted to write about, though I had no specific lyric ideas. As is my usual approach to melody, I recorded mumblings on a scratch (temporary) vocal take and ended up with a melody I liked. I also ended up with a few phrases which now seemed like they just had to be a part of the song. One of these phrases is "...to raise my voice at you." I liked the phrase, but even more than that, I loved how it led into the following phrase where I literally raised my voice and pitch.<br />
<br />
The problem? Now I had to figure out how to work these phrases, or at least similar sounding phrases, into the concept that I wanted to write about. It took a few days, but I managed to get some words I was happy with. But then there was a new problem: The chorus - both chord progression and melody - sounded exactly like the chorus of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WOxNA2T9rw">Billy Joel's "Piano Man"</a>. I wish I was kidding. Nothing against Joel, but this had to go.<br />
<br />
Three different chord progressions and countless melody variations later, I finally had a chorus I was happy with. Interestingly, the original scratch vocals were still there in the last chorus after I made the chord changes. Surprisingly, they worked for the most part which was nice since it allowed a contrast to the first chorus.<br />
<br />
And finally, I was pleased to discover that the software I'm using easily allowed for a <i>ritardando</i> (slowing of the tempo) at the end of the song. This was an afterthought that couldn't have been easily achieved (if at all) using old-school recording technology without re-recording the individual parts.<br />
<br />
-Uncle ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-16772388178160488222011-11-02T18:09:00.000-06:002017-05-14T08:31:29.051-06:00Convincing<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Convincing</span></b><br />
<i>The Bad Song</i><br />
<br />
"<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/convincing">Convincing</a>" by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a><br />
<iframe width="100%" height="80" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/27036605&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
While writing and recording this song, I had several ideas about what this post would be about. But I think for this entry, I will focus on "The Bad Song".<br />
<br />
My emotions have been mixed throughout the process with this one. I actually began this song prior to writing <a href="http://ziffler.blogspot.com/2011/10/wave.html">The Wave</a>, but shelved it because I couldn't seem to get much further than the initial groove, which I liked. I laid down some preliminary lyrics and melody, but honestly, they were terrible. Sometimes you just need time to forget the original idea and start fresh a few days later, which is what I did. What I ended up with was the staccato, monotone vocals that you hear in the first and second verses.<br />
<br />
Now there are certain things about writing music that I shy away from. One thing is this almost rap-like style of singing. Though it's fair to say that most of the music I write doesn't lend itself to this style of vocals either. But this is where my song led me, and I try not to question what the song tells me to do. Another thing that I prefer to avoid in a song is speaking. I am not a good speaker and I don't much care for my speaking voice. So when I decided to end this song with a rant, it was a huge step outside of my comfort zone. I managed to record a decent cadence and expressive voice but was still not happy with the timbre of my voice. So I transposed it a couple of steps down to deepen it a bit. Enough to sound more authoritative, but not so much that it sounded fake. Hmm. I wonder if I can somehow apply this effect in my daily life. Probably not.<br />
<br />
Around this point in the song, I realized that I hated it. It just wasn't a style I was used to writing and it sounded stupid. But one of the beautiful things about writing solely for the sake of writing is that I can feel free to explore things I wouldn't otherwise explore. If I was writing for the purpose of recording a cohesive album, or to play gigs with a band, I would've certainly shelved this song for good. But as this blog is about the process of writing music, it's important to demonstrate that bad songs happen to good people and it's all a part of the process.<br />
<br />
Since I planned on posting it, I felt I needed to finish it. So I persevered and fell into a trap that I often find myself in. When a song seems too empty or boring, I just add more tracks. More delays, more reverbs, more overdubs. Anything to cover up the underlying turd that is the song I'm writing. Well, it worked. At least to the extent that I no longer hate it. Though I suspect I will never look back on this song fondly and think, <i>"yeah, now that's a good song!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<b>CONVINCING</b><br />
<br />
I can't convince you that I'm not making this up or lying<br />
I have the facts to back me up but you won't listen to them<br />
Why is it I can't convince you that I'm wiser than you?<br />
Why is it I can't convince you that I am everything that...<br />
<br />
...I claim to be in my mind?<br />
Are you stupid or just blind?<br />
<br />
I can't convince you that I'm not the person you think I am<br />
I can't convince you that you're not the person you ought to be<br />
Wherever I look all I see are people disagreeing<br />
We all think that no one thinks that we are everything that...<br />
<br />
...I claim to be in my mind<br />
Are you stupid or just blind?<br />
<br />
Your arguments are based on emotion<br />
And your logic is circular<br />
I know you believe what you say<br />
But that doesn't make it true<br />
<br />
I cannot listen to you when your words are full of nonsense<br />
Your preconceived ideas won't let you listen to reason<br />
There's no amount of logic that will open up your eyes<br />
You fool yourself with scientific sounding explanations<br />
<br />
[The rant]<br />
<br />
What are you trying to tell me?<br />
That this feeling you have is more important,<br />
more truthful than the facts?<br />
Just because you were raised to believe in something doesn't make it so<br />
<br />
You go ahead and keep believing what you want to believe,<br />
but don't stand there and try to tell me that your way is the only way,<br />
the right way<br />
<br />
I've studied the facts, I've studied the science behind the facts,<br />
and there's just no sense in arguing with science<br />
<br />
A + B = C = You're wrong, and I'm right<br />
<br />
[Back to the lyrics]<br />
<br />
I might be wrong, but I'll never tell you that<br />
Though deep within, I long to agree<br />
From hardened facts, save my heart<br />
I hope I'm wrong<br />
----<br />
<br />
Whew! That's a lot of words! I almost never write that many words, but again, the song said I had to so I did. These lyrics were inspired by a book I recently read regarding the clash of science and religion, written by a scientist. As I tend to be more on the science side of things, I wrote mainly from this point of view. But even though I may agree with the science and the conclusions of science, it still bothers me when scientists feel that their way is the only possibility. The problem is that science deals with repeatable, observable information and religion simply isn't compatible. This makes it very difficult for the two sides to find common ground. So I inflated the ego of my protagonist and at the end gave him a hint of a heart. Or rather, the longing for a heart.<br />
<br />
Next time I'll try to scale back - maybe I'll try something more bare-bones.<br />
<br />
-Uncle ZifflerZifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482353059707159295.post-55356563761971905422011-10-22T11:22:00.004-06:002017-05-14T08:32:31.417-06:00The Wave<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to my blog!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I've started this blog for the main purpose of motivating myself to write music. It's been a couple of years since I wrote my last song and, well, it's about time to start up again. Ideally, I'll post a new song once every two to three weeks, or more often if it happens to work out that way. Each post will feature a song - usually a new song, but I might also post old demos too. Aside from the actual audio file, I will also write a blurb about the song and the songwriting process. If you have any suggestions about what I should include (or not include) in the blog, by all means, let me know. Ok, on to today's song.</span><br />
<br />
"<a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler/the-wave">The Wave</a>" by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/ziffler">Ziffler</a><br />
<iframe width="100%" height="80" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/26072289&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
As this song is the first song I've written in a couple of years, not to mention record, I wanted to start out fairly simple and I think I've achieved that, though the song does build up near the end. In general, I have two methods of writing songs. The first (and most typical) is to write a song completely on the acoustic guitar, then add parts around that when recording. The second is to write segments on the computer and arrange and fill in parts within the recording software. The second method is what I used here, and is likely what I'll be using for most songs in this blog.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As I began playing with some sounds, I loaded up a piano sound and the main piano theme of the song came out. I felt it had a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L21WI_LrFb0&feature=related">The Black Heart Procession</a> feel to it and it is reminiscent of several demos I've written in the past, so I was immediately comfortable with where the song was already heading. Adding to the keys is a simple drum part and a pad synth. A pad in a song is essentially added atmosphere and can take many forms. In this song, I've chosen what sounds sort of like metal scraping on metal. I know, it sounds like a bad thing for a song, but I love this kind of stuff and creating the sounds themselves is a good deal of fun too. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, the part I struggle with. Lyrics. I had absolutely no direction for this song when I started, which is often the case. So usually what I will do is mumble a free-form melody over the music until I find a melody that works. In the mean time, I hope that a few words or phrases might materialize in my mumblings which will be a seed for the lyrics. That was more or less the case here and the first verse was born. Ideally from these seed lyrics, the song's theme will reveal itself. Unfortunately, that was not the case here. So I referred to my original mumblings and eeked out a few more lines, then finally the final chorus. As a result, the lyrics from start to finish are not particularly coherent. An obvious example of this is that I began the song in the third person, referring to "he". The second verse refers to "we" and ultimately the lyrics end in the first person, "I". Of course, I could have revisited the lyrics to clean them up, but in this case, I felt there might be something to this, even if I didn't know exactly what it was. I've also been debating if I should include the lyrics in my posts or not. I think I will and let you decide if you want to read them or not. Here they are.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>THE WAVE</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Some time ago</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">From a town I know</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He rides away</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I ride the wave</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Try to be strong</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Someday he'll come back home</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Somebody cries</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Shy like a child</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">From every town he rides away</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We ride away</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Into a fire</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Into oblivion</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Side by side we'll rise again</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To come back home</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One day I'll ride the wave</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> (One day I'll ride the wave)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'll overcome the wave</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> (I'll overcome the wave)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Someday I'll ride the wave</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> (The sun will guide our way)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Arise above the wave</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> (Our sorrow melts away)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As my main instrument is guitar, and I have written most of my songs on guitar, it is notable that there is no guitar in this song. For the final "chorus" (it's often difficult to properly identify segments of my songs given my writing style, but here I'm considering the chorus to be the final lyrical climax of the song) I decided that the original keyboard part got in the way of the other sounds, but there definitely needed to be more underlying motion going on. Naturally, I picked up the acoustic and strummed a simple rhythm over the section. For some reason, it just didn't work. I can't say why, but I had to scrap it. Instead, I created this wonderful bouncing synth patch and it carries the song exactly how I had hoped to the outro. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, I want to mention the vocal harmonies. I love harmonies and vocal layering and you'll find them in most of my songs. What I wanted to point out here is the high pitched, almost screeching falsetto which overlays the end of each verse. I admit that after recording each section I cracked up a bit. Since I listen through headphones when recording anything with a microphone (so it doesn't pick up the rest of the playback), it's funny to imagine someone hearing me (like, say, my neighbors) just singing this high, screeching vocal part. But I love the way it fits into the mix, especially leading into the outro where the notes drop back down and hang on just past the main vocals. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I hope that wasn't too much information! As the songs and the blog posts continue, I might change what I include in the written portion. And again, I welcome any feedback you might have on the songs or the blog. I've written songs for many years, but this is my first blog, so be gentle!</span><br />
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-Uncle Ziffler</div>
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</span></div>Zifflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757841432422648850noreply@blogger.com1