END OF DAYS Part I: The Witching Hour.

So, a rundown on the new piece. Well, I finally finished it and it's a first for me too, using computer software to create some of the instrument voicings. I didn't use a DAW though. I merely played the midi keyboard in real time plugged directly into the multitrack. The software I used was the stunning "Quantum Leap SILK" from Eastwest Studios.

 It contains genuine live instruments, painstakingly recorded note for note and in various styles. The instruments focused on are from China, India and The Persian Empire. I incorporated the keyboard, the actual duduk (this was interwoven with the SILK interpretation) and the ravish sitar pedal played with "Selena" - my home made strat. It was recorded in this order:

1: Persian 30 Piece Strings - Bass (Silk)

2: Warm Strings (Keyboard)

3: Sitar Drone: (Guitar & Pedal)

4: Sitar Lead: (Guitar & Pedal)

5: Duduk: (Silk)

6: Duduk: (My lungs!)

They were then bounced to a stereo track to make room for:

1:Timpani (Keyboard)

2: Persian 30 Piece Strings - Lead (Silk)

3: Persian 30 Piece Strings - Harmony (Silk)

4: Sarod - (Silk)

5: Sequenced Bass (Keyboard)

6: Distorted Guitar (Guitar & Pedal)

Just looking at the above list reminds me of the effort it to to create such a relatively short piece of music. I may hire out an orchestra one of these days, lottery jackpot win pending!

You can listen on the link below. Thanks for taking the time to read this and listen.

END OF DAYS Part I: The Witching Hour

No guitar hero....

Wow, I've been away for some time! I hadn't forgotten this place. More neglected it, really. I treat it like a sanctuary to give the hamster in my head some well needed R&R and he's well overdue. I've just been quite busy as of late, juggling weddings and jobs......

I haven't had much time to do anything musical until I revisited "MAMA". I won't go over the subject matter, as it's all contained in that particular post. I originally envisioned it as a simple guitar over an ambient backing. But then I added drums and the rest followed naturally.

Now, I'm no guitar hero, my style is more fluid than technical and the only scales I recognise are found in the marine world or a bathroom. I leave the shred type stuff to the cosmic guitarist disciples of Steve Vai et al, and do my thing. Kind of like taking the line for a walk.

This recording was a little different for me. I rolled back on the treble for a change. I always feared the tone was less expressive without treble and over compensated with it - which in hindsight, left the guitar sounding quite shrill. So this time, I rolled the tone pots all the way back and left the volume up full. Also, I plugged straight into the board and with exception to some reverb, there is absolutely no processing done to the signal at the finish line. It was simply my Burns pick-ups equipped Strat - BSM Silicone Treble Booster pedal - Tech 21 Liverpool V2 pedal - Boss CE 5 pedal - 8 track. My vibrato is something I've worked on a lot recently and I am particularly pleased with it in the upper registers. So just in time to celebrate Mother's Day - Here's "Mama":