TFSA SOng # 3&4

After the technical difficulties and the bad arrangement of the two songs last week...we strike gold this week.

We still have bass to do on a fifth song, but we ran out of time.

I, however, had enough time to sing the lyrics for "Trouble with Girls" AND write new lyrics and sing them for the song that is connected with "Trouble with Girls"...this one is called "Smooth Operator"
It's pretty awesome!

So next week should finish up the fifth song and start on the new one I wrote most of today.

Until next week...

TFSA first two songs are mixed!

I did the final mixes of the first two songs ("Fairly Secret Attack" & "Next Song") tonight.

I'm excited about the next two we're working on...especially since I've played along with the guitar part to Greg's new song a lot!

I'm not sure what the lyrical content will be, but I'm sure I can figure something out before the end of Feb.

Until Monday...

TFSA Songs 3 & 4, but...

Tuesday was loaded with problems.

1. We arranged the blues song wrong. I recorded (badly) the way it should be, so we can do it again next week.

2. there was a bad connection in the second songs drums, so they are only on the right side for the first section.

SO, we have to start both songs over next week.

On the plus side, we have two songs kinda figured out?

TFSA Song #2 is called "Next Song"

I finished up all the vocals tonight on "Next Song" and I am really pleased with vocals and lyrics.

This song has made me happy about doing music again...hell, this whole project has made me feel that way...and I need that, especially since I had to fix my car (water pump) and soon will have to pay taxes (greedy bastards!)

This song has some cool harmonies and funny call & response parts...and a metal part in an otherwise indie rock sounding song.

I also finished up the vocals yesterday to the first song "Fairly Secret Attack"

Both songs need to be mixed. I'm not sure if I want to do them all at once or as I go...probably as I go, because then I won't be tempted to go back to them and re-record things.

Until next week...

TFSA song #2

So Greg came over, and on his way, he came up with a rhythm...no notes, just a rhythm!

VERY poppy, catchy and cool.

It took us a while to get the first part figured out (20-30 minutes) and then about another 40 minutes to figure out the rest of the song. Then I had to settle on a drum beat for the bridge section that was fast and furious!

Recording:

I almost nailed the drums on the first take, but no, it wasn't to be this week.
We had about 4 false starts and then I got it on take 9.

Guitars went pretty smooth, but we messed with the guitars in the bridge section, and that took about 10 miutes to figure out what we should go with.

Bass was a little more involved, because Greg likes to play fun busy fills, but the main guitars ended up being hard to do that with, so there are only a couple of fast busy parts.

So we started at about 6pm and finished all the drums, guitars & bass at around 9:45.

I just need to do the lyrics and vocals.

I also need to redo the Verses in the first song...and I'm giving myself more time with it, so maybe a song needs to be done within two weeks.

Hell, I'm making the rules!

Until next week...

"Keep it secret...keep it safe."

Tonight will be session #2 for TFSA

If I don't get the vocals redone, they will stay how they are...maybe I should create a loophole?

I hope we can get the 2nd & 3rd songs recorded tonight...maybe not vocals, but I still would have a week to do that.

THE FAIRLY SECRET ARMY song #1

The song is called "Fairly Secret Attack"

Greg and I got together on Jan 10th at about 6:30.
I showed him the arrangement on guitar, and we adjusted the bridge and the verse parts.

We went over the song with guitar & drums about six times before we began recording.

I nailed the drums in ONE TAKE! Which is amazing, because I never do that.

Then we dumped the drums to the computer and began recording guitars. After a few minutes (2o) we had our sound (ie. No reverb was the key!) and started recording guitar.
Greg has a problem with the bridge... going to the highest chord. But that was really the only problem, beside him not really playing guitar in a while (I will note that it has been about 18 months since I recorded drums...and I got it in one!)

We added a few harmonies and extra guitars and then after about an hour and a half, we were done with them.

He tried to record using the four string Ibanez bass, but it has a short, so the six string fretless came out. We recorded through the mixing board, not his bass head. He did up until the bridge, but then suddenly stopped! I was like "What the hell!?"
He made a change in the bridge and basically was done on the second take.

I recorded all the vocals on Tuesday. Started at 5:30 and finished at 8pm. I had to write the chorus and the bridge lyrics as I went along, but it worked out great. I had the two verses already written.
The verses are single vocal parts, but the chorus has some harmonies in it.
I tried some more harmonies, but that was getting REALLY high and it didn't sound quite right.

I would say this is a good start.

Until next week...

THE FAIRLY SECRET ARMY

This is my new project with Greg.
We're going to try and write & record at least 1-3 songs a week, and when we get 8-12, that's a cd!

We'll do homemade artwork, burn copies and give em to friends...just like the old days.

So far, we recorded all but the vocals for the first song. I'm going to finish it hopefully tonight.

Music will be fun again!