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How a song happens.......


Buc McMaster

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A work in progress for those curious about such things. Fiddled with these chords for a couple days, finding a progression that flowed well and had enough movement in it for a strong melody. Speaking of which, I'm still experimenting with this aspect........this one seems pretty nice and might well survive the cut. No lyric yet, a few thoughts and ideas but nothing that moves me.

 

This is often my process.......find something that works well with the guitar and proceed from there. Once in awhile it's the lyric that comes first, but most often it's like this. Working title is Turn Around, which may or may not last..........

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSump1hjGDQ

 

Martin Titaniums, tuned down a half step, capo 3. Just put the strings on yesterday and they are quite impressive, much like Retros with a nickel wrap, but with a round core, giving them a very noticeable reduction in tension, and they sound a bit smoother to my ear than the Retros.

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That's very cool, Buc! I like it alot.

 

I'm incredibly fascinated by the process of artistic creation, and especially by songwriting. It's been quite a while since I last attempted to write a song. I have been busy trying to sing the ones I have, but the other night I grabbed the guitar with the intent to start the process of writing something new. I had about three lines of lyrics, and no music. About two hours later I had the start of a song, a chord progression, a few licks, a first verse and a chorus. No masterpiece, but a decent song by my standards. I don't want to in any way, shape, or form compare anything that I do to the stuff that you come up with. I'm a hack, but relative to my own abilities, there are very few things that I find as satisfying and inspiring as coming up with songs. Knowing that a short while ago there was basically nothing, and now there is the birth of a new song, is really something exciting to experience.

 

It would be very interesting to see/hear other attempts you might come up with along the way, to see where this song goes. Would you mind posting as you keep writing? When you do lyrics, do they evolve from perhaps a few starting lines, or do you have a broader idea or topic that you are going for most of the time?

 

Lars

 

By the way, I know Neil Young once said that at times he felt like a radio station, and that some songs took just about as long to write as to sing. He meant that it felt like the songs were just transmitted to him through the air. I would like to find that station on my dial...

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Think there is a gypsy flavor to this brainstorm, , , you receive an exotic Balkan-breeze. .

 

Suggestion for line 1 to 4 :

 

Everyone come to gather 'round the fire

Even he who isn't there

Barefoot girl far too easy to admire

brings* a lock of his hair

*keeps / hides

Anybody - feel free to edit or chime further. .

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When you do lyrics, do they evolve from perhaps a few starting lines, or do you have a broader idea or topic that you are going for most of the time?

Usually it's a single phrase or even just a couple of words that ring well together that come to mind for no particular reason, but, in songs like 20th Maine, Lucky Stars and Bitter Tears the lyric is driven by the pursuit of the topic.....a more purposeful direction from the beginning.

 

Em: Gypsy, huh. I think I might hear what you're thinking. I can't even tell you what key this is in, being tuned down and capo-ed can be confusing at times, but the opening maj 7th chord (second chord played in the video) moves to a flat 5 (relative to the maj 7th), which is kind of a strange move.......but I think that might be what makes that gypsy flavor you're tasting. Maybe?

 

62: Cool! The mix is tough but what I can catch sounds nice. And since you have done battle with the progression, what do you think of the chord just before the change (ignoring the capo, it's the Am shape). I played it as a major (rather than the minor used between verses) and went after the higher vocal point in the video as a kind of lead-in to the change. Good? Bad? Unnecessary? Not sure what it does for or against a melody yet.......haven't settled on anything for sure there.

 

Thanks for listening people! Got a preliminary lyric underway, and a new working title, Venus Resurrected........subject to change, of course! [flapper]

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How cool is that !

 

I've never done it like that before.

 

About half of mine come like Neil Young's, through the air to the brain. The others are more difficult.

 

Awesome, Buc !

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Buc - thank you for the walkthrough! Really appreciate you taking the time to record this and discussing the process. Also really liking your clip, can't really say why - maybe it's the little bit of a gypsy feel, or feels a little polka-ish to me. - regardless, it captured me and love to see where it evolves to - maybe a song of anticipation?

 

62 Burst and adding the WM to it, - IMO added another layer, and really showed how a song can start to color out. better yet - I love the online collaboration. How cool is that to instantaneously hook up with someone in another part of the world to collaborate together - there's a couple benefits to technology ; )

 

Rgds - billroy

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Em: Gypsy, huh. I think I might hear what you're thinking. I can't even tell you what key this is in, being tuned down and capo-ed can be confusing at times, but the opening maj 7th chord (second chord played in the video) moves to a flat 5 (relative to the maj 7th), which is kind of a strange move.......but I think that might be what makes that gypsy flavor you're tasting. Maybe?

 

 

It's also the rhythm. There's a Slavic mood there.

And yes, the chords are special, but the conventional melody line makes them appear natural.

That combo is a sign of skills, , , or let's just say a good idea.

 

 

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62: . . . what do you think of the chord just before the change (ignoring the capo, it's the Am shape). I played it as a major (rather than the minor used between verses) and went after the higher vocal point in the video as a kind of lead-in to the change. Good? Bad? Unnecessary? Not sure what it does for or against a melody yet.......haven't settled on anything for sure there.

I liked the Amaj, once I figured out where to expect it! (I capo'ed at 2, no tune-down). The discordant second chord was a cool choice; set the mood for the whole thing.

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My hat is off to you. I cannot write a tune to save my life. I always relied on others in the band. But I am not bad at coming up with arrangements. Never give it much though but stuff just pops into my head like playing the sitar part on Paint It Black with a kazoo and then breaking into a waltz on the second and third verses.

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Whoa 62! Very cool tracks, dude! [thumbup](Hear that jazz drummer smoothing out on another track?) Got a swing to it, don't it? I'm happy to see and hear that you like the thing enough to invest the time to add depth and flavor..........nicely done, sir.

 

Lyrics are taking shape.

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