studentofrhythm

biography



I have played drums for several rock bands, songwriters and a few jazz ensembles, all at the amateur/semipro level.  I am not playing the drums as regularly now as I have, but I hope to in the future.  I have limited and very rusty skill with the piano and a decent singing voice.

Recently I have begun to write songs.
1

Lady Godiva

September 24th, 2010 + 4:09 PM  ·  studentofrhythm

Ok, while I try to either get some rough sound sketches sounding decent or get up the nerve to post the ones I have with their crappy sound, I'll post some of my lyrics.

This is probably the most conventional song I have written.  It's even in 4/4, which I only use as a last resort.  I have the vocal melody and drum pattern sketched out for it with a vague intuition of chord sequences, but nothing else.

LADY GODIVA
Last night I dreamed of Lady Godiva
sitting on that high horse of hers.
She wasn't very pretty, so it's just as well
I only saw her from the back.

Last night I dreamed of Lady Godiva --
a pointless waste of good sleeping time.
She wasn't very pretty, so it's just as well
the dream didn't last for very long.

(chorus)
O -- oh, Lady Godiva,
O -- oh, Lady Godiva.
Such a waste of my time.

If I must dream of Lady Godiva
let it be you, dear, up on that horse.
Come down from the saddle, come back home with me
and I'll do whatever you want.

(sung to chorus chords, slightly different)
I've got a blanket to wrap around your skin.
Nothing's important until we see
eye to eye
again.
6

N00b cheapskate software woes

September 24th, 2010 + 2:09 PM  ·  studentofrhythm

I have been on here a week or two and I like hearing everyone's music.  I was going to start posting some of my song sketches, but I'm seized with doubt.  Here's why:

I'm not a man of means, so I can't afford to buy any gear right now.  I got Anvil Studio a couple of years ago and have been using it for making midi sequences, but it plays back through the "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" which I presume is the computer's built-in generic synth (the free version doesn't support VSTs that I can tell).  The sound quality is laughable, and although it at least gives me a rough idea of what something might sound like, I think I would feel ashamed putting mp3s up here which I've recorded from them.

Questions: would another midi sequencer be able to play or edit a midi sequence created with Anvil?  Has anyone else here used Anvil - or any other free sequencers?  Any recommendations?  I repeat: I can not afford to buy any software at this time.

I went to freemusicsoftware.org and browsed through their audio and midi sequencers.  I've downloaded Madtracker and am trying to make sense of it, but I've gotten so used to Anvil's interface with music staves that it's hard to adjust to a different one.  Also, I use all sorts of odd meters which Anvil allows.  (There have been a couple free sequencers I've tried that won't recognize odd meters which I think is dumb.)
1
September 23rd, 2010 + 1:09 PM  ·  studentofrhythm

I'm glad to find this thread.

I've taken to sketching the number of syllables each melodic line could fit.  It's usually a range of numbers, the maximum number for strictly syllabic singing, and a lower number for melismatic singing -- you could in theory have just one syllable on one melodic line if you want to get medieval, right?   

Then as I write or edit the lyrics for that tune, I can stretch or squeeze for effect.  I won't claim that I'm really good at this yet, but it's something I try to do.
Category: Lessons
Comments (1) by Denis
6

Saturn

September 22nd, 2010 + 6:09 PM  ·  studentofrhythm

A raw improv with vocals and spacey sound effects overdubbed, recorded by Letters on Mountains, Salt Lake City, circa 2004.  Drums and vocals by me, everything else by Mike Smith.
Alias: studentofrhythm
Status: Offline
Threads: 4
Posts: 18
Songs: 1
Joined: September 16th, 2010
Last login: January 27th, 2012



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