Ready, Fire, Aim

I came across an earlier recording and though that is not right – I'd better investigate... One of my earlier efforts, so how I do the recording and mixing had since evolved. In spite of its relative success, I thought it better to apply a little more TLC and make a better job of it!

The song is 'It's Alright With Me' (from 2011)… here a newer version is presented - new vocals and a more balanced mix. I have used the same video, which apart from one bit where the phrasing is slightly different, requiring an editing tweak, the rest of it syncs as it should. (I’d found trying to match the original vocal was counter-productive, so did a fresh unguided take.)

It's Alright With Me

A decent video, with its Spring-time theme, made outdoors in a natural setting – just me, a tripod and a CD player. Shame its isn't HD - I was using a borrowed cassette-based camcorder at the time. Would be hard to recapture the moment…

Ready, Fire, Aim
Sometimes it is more import to 'get on with it' rather than vacillate whilst awaiting perfection or the right moment. Not for the first time, I have revisited an earlier recording that with hindsight and some better experience I could improve. Often when you are absorbed in a creative project, it can be so long and tortuous that you just want to get it done – and sign it off! You listen to something so often you don't hear it properly or you let things go. Early on I had an over-reliance and trust in the headphone mix rather than the ambient mix. It is all a learning curve.

Starting out it is a little hit and miss, and you have to learn techniques, such as separating elements in the recording (MIDI, Vocals, Guitar to facilitate mixing or applying effects); I'm more adept at layering of vocals, so multi-tracking which gives a richer vocal texture isn't so obvious! Vocal plosives too can be an issue if you are not careful!

When you are recording someone else those things get picked up in the moment; recording yourself can be more of a challenge. There is a tendency to over-record and pick the best bits later. Though too much choice isn't always a good thing!

Musical Therapy
The song - 'It's Alright With Me' – was written a long time ago, one of my journeys into musical therapy. A couple of years where "life is what happens when you are busy making other plans" (thanks John). Some great things going on, but a lot of turmoil and insecurity. For a then 22 year old a pretty impressive journey of self-awareness.

The song had been around for many years just waiting for a recording opportunity. With a little talent, some musical ability and a computer set-up, it is amazing what you can do.

Pleased to get it done in a form that I had in my head. Its initial release garnered some praise, particularly from someone involved in mental health, who was using it to help people; for someone doing music that was a big thing – connecting on that level. It is a place I go musically and 'It's Alright With Me' does have some siblings and cousins. One is one of my first compositions, Look On The Bright Side, a few others are in the pipeline…

Happy Anniversary!

It's now two years since I uploaded my first song and video to my tinkersong channel on YouTube, the first of 15 original compositions to date – some old, some newer. Hopefully, choosing the date of the sinking of the Titanic wasn't a bad move! I've not been as prolific as I would have liked, but it takes time to get it together – song, recording, some sort of video – still, it's important for me to be doing it, so the journey will continue.

The surprise to me is that that first song 'You Make Me Feel Better', which I went with in spite of it being more basic and raw than I'd planned, has done so well, almost taking on a life of its own. By some way my most popular upload. It is an unfinished Boys Talk song that I reworked; it became quite a romantic number with the idea of someone coming along and saving you. Quite summery too. A song that I really will have to do properly as a 'studio standard' recording. And one day I will… or maybe someone else will (if they ask nicely). [New 2016 version with video filmed on the Isle of Man below.]

You Make Me Feel Better (2016 version)

The journey has had its moments of excitement, as well as disappointments, each having an impact on the psyche, spurring me on or frustrating somewhat. The Lennon/Beatles tribute 'Mathew Street', an old Boys Talk recording, was a promising beginning that seemed to connect, it brought back nice memories of writing it inspired by a John Lennon poster, and of the recording session with Mike Meade (synth/vocals) and Pat Acres (guitar), and the total high of getting a song down; I would be deluding myself if, given its theme and love of The Beatles, it's done anything near what I'd hoped or expected.

'Wake Up,' which sees me writing with passion and cogency about the skulduggery in a political context, seemed to create a little stir within the blogging world, from where I drew inspiration, which was nice – and appreciated. Still a slow burner given all that's going on in the world and being done to people. I will revisit the themes separately in a future blog; I may even dabble some more musically in this area.

The most recent song 'Have You Tonight' has surprisingly done little (so far). Short and sweet. Good feel to it. A bit of a throw-away song borne of brief encounter and the euphoria of a 'moment.' Worryingly, mustering up less than 50 views in a month is something of a bleak reflection of my life and a prolonged period of self-imposed isolation. It is a bit of a rude awakening. Really hoped that doing this (the music) would effect positive change. If I'm honest, generally, the video views on most of the songs aren't that great, the connections are not really happening, even though I'm pleased with most of the songs and recordings, and how I've gone about doing the videos - given the palette and resources available to me.

Have You Tonight

I shouldn't beat myself up too much, to keep me going, there are some good songs in the pipeline and others I'm holding back for when I'm 'discovered', I’ll keep at it. It's who I am, and when I'm in the moment there is no better feeling. Well apart from…