A few of you (which probably means all) are most likely tired of hearing my play around with Regular Folk. I’ll soon make a demo version, but I wanted to try it at a slower tempo as suggested. I don’t think I quite slowed it down to where the waltz model is, but I did work it down to more comfortable trot.
I also broke out my only harmonica and made a little noise with that and picked up a plastic container with some picture hanging hardware and tapped/rattled along.
Well, Frenzy is probably a strong word. Another friend, who I hold just as dear (so to speak) and whose musical knowledge and critical discernment I admire and value equally – no playing favorites here, provided what he thought might be harsh criticism. And it might have been if Regular Folk was anywhere near finished even as a demo.
I realize that I really need to lock down the beat and stay on it. This will take the practice to which I know I must commit. I want to avoid digital fixes as much as possible – specifically using quantization. My friend also gave some suggestions on how to improve the lead vocal recording, in addition to furious rehearsal, by recording 3 separate tracks of the exact same lead vocal and using the best as the main track and panning one of the others hard left and the remaining one hard right and lowering the panned tracks in the mix. I have to look up what panning actually is – not sure if it’s similar to balance on a stereo or not. He also did not like the didgeridoo as I used it.
My daughter, a stickler when it comes to proper grammar usage, had only one criticism that she couldn’t remember, said one phrase was exactly how she would have said it and relayed that she liked the kitten pictures the best!
I got a suggestion from someone who is not only a dear friend, but whose musical knowledge I admire and critical discernment I value . He noted that “the joy of a solo project is to not give a crap about what other people say.”
I decided to create a solo album, but I also decided to share the process. By doing so, I’ve invited input. Comments, suggestions, criticism (hopefully constructive) and questions are welcome.
The suggestion is to slow the tempo of Regular Folk to a “more waltz like vibe.” Noting that the “model for [him] is an old Greg Brown song, Tennessee Waltz.” I found only “The Iowa Waltz” on YouTube (I did see that he does a cover of Jesse Winchester’s Brand New Tennessee Waltz). I think I get the idea. He heard me stumbling and struggling to get the lyrics in on the second sketch version. I am considering the suggestion and also not ruling out the possibility of creating two versions.
In listening to the mix of that second sketch version on my stereo, I really heard the difference from the headphone version. I felt the mbira (thumb piano) was way too high in the mix and the didgeridoo was almost unheard. On my headphones the mix was fine. Here it is remixed:
I also came up with lyrical bits and pieces for a new song (no tune yet) while lying in bed this morning and, since I’m sharing the whole process, they are included below in their disjointed state.
Thanks for your attention, feedback & support.
-Ed “Not Island” Bejzak
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Dangerous/privileged (possible titles)
I’m having trouble understanding
Protect yourself
Your Gun, right?
At a christening, now at a wake
It can only escalate
Defuse the situation
Concealed from all
Your god, right?
Insulated/isolated/incarcerated
Paralyzed
Can I hurt your god
Destroy your faith
Do you have any doubt?
How does/could it affect you
Fear
Been scared
Been scarred
Beggar/thief
There for the Asking
There for the taking
My point is privilege
I’m speaking from it
I’m talking to it
Borrowed
Asked for help
People get shot/assaulted
You/your might
Violence the solution
Never truly [re]solved a problem
Negated
Lost my religion
Found my humanity
Who profits from peace?
Prophet[ic]
Peace profiteering
What are you scared of?
What are you afraid to do?
Last weekend was Farmhouse Just-West-of-Frederick-MD Fest where The Get-Up was the sole band on the bill (with the exception of a few solo meanderings from Alan Schwartz, Bill O’Driscoll and David Husted – and an unaccompanied bass [pedal] solo by Mr. Edward “Rutherford” Bejzak). It was a weekend of craft beer, painstakingly prepared food and all-out “jammination” for all those who partook. After run-through of the set-list on Saturday, the house lights were brought down (ok, we lost power). This led (not 100% sure that it shouldn’t be “lead” – even after consulting the “interwebs”) to chili dinner – then on to port, my yearly cigar and some wonderful discussions on, but not about, the farmhouse’s front porch.
A Band and Tree
So[lo], I unpacked the gear I had lugged up to Jefferson, MD and set everything up to work on Regular Folk. I had the idea of adding some off-beat instrumentation with the thought of using my Cannonball Gourd Thumb Piano (pictured up top & called a “kalimba, mbira, mbila, or marímbula depending on the region in which it’s played” according to the Uncommon Goods website – from where, I think, my wife, Liz, purchased it for me as a Christmas gift), my clarinet and my accordion/concertina. After playing some acoustic guitar along to the Folklore rhythm on my piano (of which only the guitar got recorded – not on purpose), I started with the thumb piano and then thought of my didgeridoo. I was able to get a bit of the “drone” going and mixed it all up after adding a vocal track and left it at that. Here’s the mess that I’ve dubbed Regular Folk, Sketch 2.
