day 13

my days are consumed with thoughts of music and this blog

happy to be thinking about music...
but so much time is being spent on the computer

a little frustrating to say the least

on the plus side i just might have found a satisfactory file sharing host
... so far so good ...

and i have also just recieved, on loan from my friend frank, a music program that will help me to record the music into the computer

no more iphone recordings!

unless of course i am traveling

funny thing is, that little phone records suprisingly well

just can't edit it easily

.................................................................................


tonight i learned a little about ableton

recorded a short strange banjo piece straight to the computer
well...
through a microphone, into the fourtrack, and then into this little usb device.

then added some strange effects from the program
...
so many new possibilities!


day 13 in progress2.mp3">

day 12

so i am back dating this post because i just like the continuity of the days..
for anyone paying attention

even though it says friday the 30th
it's really saturday the 31st

i actually recorded these three tracks yesterday

the first in the evening
the other two at 5 in the morning

technology is not being friendly to me these days

hopefully today will be different



the first recording is not as much music as it is me diving into a specific sound
i am sure it will be a challenge to listen to for some folks

day 12-railroad moon.mp3">

the second is more melodic banjo
revisiting a phrase from a previous day part way through

day 12-countrytime revisit.mp3">

and the third is just a spontaneous banjo shuffle that i am for certain i will be doing some overdubbing on

possibly even for tonights recording

day 12_5am banjo.mp3">

day 11

another late night session

acoustic in the bedroom
only place there was quiet

lots of activity in the house
more monster box creation
cooking
and records being played

.......

And obviously I didn't upload a new track last night.
I recorded one around 2:30am

But I was having more file host issues.
So I try in a minute to see if it works.

Gutar.
Smooth and mellow

Ahhh..... the sound of slide will always soothe my soul.

maybe it will help me to forget there is a lake developing in my house


day 11_ the slide that soothes.mp3

day 10

today was one of the more challenging days for recording something satifying so far

2 different instruments
and 17 attempts later

we get two parts of this melody i was trying to chase down

the second part was reminding me of the grey days in the northwest
the contrast of the dismal and the serene

maybe it's just me

but when i'm listening to it
i feel like i am on a ferry surrounded by thin mist and islands of pines

Day 10 conjuring the narrows

day 10_ conjuring the narrows.mp3

day 9

i felt like experimenting today

been too much of the same thing i am feeling

i have this appalachian lap dulcimer i got at a walmart in utah for 20 dollars
it is quite an amazing little box

i put the microphone in a brass umbrella holder
and the dulcimer on top of it

had to duct tape it to the holder to eliminate the heavy buzzing

and then set off into drone territory with the bow

then i had realized i recorded it in the high speed setting
when the rest of the recordings on the tape are in low (or regular to you and me)

so i played it back in the lower setting
and was pleasantly surprised with the result

went back and put another drone layer at the high speed
and recorded it to the iphone at the lower setting

delicious to me and the drone fans out there

i am sure some won't care for it at all

there does seem to be a hi-pitch frequency that comes in and out throughout
it definitely sounds less abrasive on the tape

consider this fair warning for those with aversions to drone and higher frequencies

----------------------------


i am curious
does it click and pop on your computer too?
my normal file sharing host is acting funny again
so i went to the back up

it sure is pretty
but whats with the clicks?
and it wont play on an iphone
and i only get 5 uploads a month for free

this technology business is taking up too much time
why can't it just be as easy as 1-2-3???

update:::
the old way is back up and running
day 9_ dulcimer drone.mp3

day 8

so i went through a few different ideas today

my first was to layer onto one of the rough copies i did yesterday

then my roommate asked if i wanted to perform friday for his monster box art show

so i set out to practice and possibly record a live didgeridu/banjo set

but i am still congested from the sickness i got last weekend
and the didgeridu is ridiculously hard to play if you can't breathe through your nose

then i had to adapt to the re-appropriation of the space...

same said roommate had a friend come through so they could create a monsterbox for the show in the room i was in

way it goes
into the bedroom with the banjo and the phone

in the end it works out for the best

2 different tracks
2 different styles

this banjo i have is so finicky with its tuning and tone

i have put a bridge that used to be on a sitar in place of the stock bridge
it floats around a bit this way and that
so sometimes it has a clear banjo like tone
and others it is that rolling sitar tone

and then to top it off the tuning machines are waaaaay cheap
so they don't really hold the tuning like they should

that being said
when it's sour i can't get into anything at all

but when it's sweet.....
it seems to play itself

first one has more of the clear tone
second has the sitar feel

day 8_ prt 1_ countrytime banjo.mp3

day 8_ prt 2_ banjo raga.mp3

day 7

the end of week one

i spent all day noodling and overdubbing
and trying to download a music program

so i dont have to record through the iphone if i don't want to

but alas it was not meant to be today

back to the lo-fi to hi-fi

4track recording played through an amp
then recorded on an iphone

recorded several riffs and ideas
chose only one of the rough drafts to put a few layers on
all guitar
all day

it's been a while but once i warmed it up it was like i never missed a day

3 guitar layers and some pecussion
a very loose melody circling round and round

day 7_ guitar shuffle.mp3

update:
so after i listened to the digital version i am not so sure about the percussive elements i have added

might just be better with none

i give both versions
just for fun

day 7_ guitar shuffle_ sans drum.mp3

day 6

i am really getting into this whole idea of a pseudo-outside source motivating me to make music every day

i believe it is the definition of the word cathartic

plus it is helping me to work on ideas
and to slowly get more comfortable as soon as the little red blight is blinking

and perhaps

just perhaps
i might actually write a song someday

who knows

so today i fooled around with guitar...
scrapped that idea

warmed up the didgeridoo...
scrapped that as well

back to the banjo
live recording

no amp or effects

kinda peppy
with the beginning of an idea it seems

i have uploaded two today
one in a major happy key

the other a bit minor and what seems to be a little less happy
but still with pep

day 6_ peppy banjo prt 1.mp3

day 6_ peppy banjo prt 2.mp3

day 5

left the house at 1:30pm

sat around in the cold by a motorhome
while some of the biggest stars out of the philippines did their song and dance

got home at 1:30am
went right to work on this track

a different way of recording today
so far every day has been a live recording
today i got busy with the four track tape machine

got some warm up out of the way

then recorded the first layer

slowed the tape down
recorded some drum-ish type layer
sped tape back up
recorded another banjo part

then slowed it back down
played it through the stereo

then recorded it to the iphone

no music recording software on this laptop yet
so i do what i have to do

somebody out there will like it
perhaps

there are definitely some sloppy bits in there
but its so late
and i am generally pleased with it

so....

day five done and done

day 5_ banjo 4track.mp3

day 4

i have learned a valuable lesson

do not wait until the wee hours of the morning to attend to the task
less pressure this way
and i have my afternoon/evening brain
as opposed to the oh so tired, delirious brain

the weather in chicago as usual is playing tricks on everyone
70 and sunny yesterday
50 and rainy today

perfect sort of day to sit inside and work on a recording

i am certainly more pleased with the track i did today than the one i did at 5am
which technically isn't yesterday
but since i was still up from the day before it counts... to me at least

today we have a bowed banjo loop followed by some sporadic yet melodic banjo with a touch of delay

day 4_ drone loop and banjo noodles.mp3

day 3

third day

a little frustrating

when i warm up its perfect

as soon as i press record
the relaxed feeling i had goes away and before i know it the moment is gone
then i notice i'm trying too hard

so...
tonight i went through 15 takes
still not fully satisfied with the end result
but
i can't stay up till dawn

although it is only an hour or so away
but still

i have to know when to just accept something...
anything
and move on
hopefully it is better than i realize at this moment

besides there's always tomorrow



more banjo tonight
with the aid of a tabla in a box

these links can be played directly or downloaded

day 3_ banjo w_tabla in a box.mp3

day 2

so far i can tell this little challenge/project is going to test me in many ways.

versatility will be helpful.
as well as a fair amount of diligence.

and i can see that if i continue on as planned i can only expect some sort of positive result, whatever it may be.

so here we are onto day two, recording two.
some acoustic banjo plucking.

easy breezy on a balmy october night in chicago.

same track... uploaded 2 different ways

day 2_ banjo.mp3

day 2: balmy banjo by jimcoteiii

day 1

so here goes nothin...
or something i hope...
i could have just kept the idea a secret and never followed through.
like so many other times before.
but this time i opted to tell a few people.
to almost obligate myself in some way to actually stand behind the idea that i am (or claim to be) a musician.
i have just recently acquired this handy little laptop, and a fancy nancy iphone.
recording and uploading seems easy enough.
and i have been kind of keeping my music to myself for far too long.
so now we have this...
a hopeful goal of at least one recording session per day for an entire year.
why wait until some significant date at all...
the idea was today..
i start today.

after a bit of noodling and much deliberation, i decided to start minimal.
bowing an open chord on a banjo that is running through a looping pedal and an amp

day 1_ banjo_ bowed and looped.mp3