Dave's RPM 2011 Thread - 2/20/11 10 Songs & DONE !!!

[tonyoci]

Ready for the master.

Rich http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10236068
Paid http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10243244
Punk http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10243250
Let's Go http://tinyurl.com/4npset9
Sudsy's http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10302091
WantU: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10322327
NuWave: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10322327
Baby: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10328519
Home: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10322325
Pop: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10322324

[criddlerus]

Bill Gates was on The Daily Show last night so I wrote a whole page of lyrics about him. Now to turn that into RPM song #1.

In honor of starting the RPM, I treated my self to a new little gadget. I got a Tascam DP04. It came, fittingly, on Feb 1 as the RPM kicks off. I think this is going to be fantastic for laying down song ideas. I can even work with it on the bus. I probably won't record on the bus but I will probably go back over my songs and work on lyrics on the bus. It is an extremely easy to use, stripped down four track recorder. I like the fact that it has dedicated knobs for volume and pan. That is what kills my using the Zoom H4 for this purpose. It is a real pain to deal with all those menus and sub-menus.

Here is what the cute little bugger looks like. it is about the size of a paperback book. 4" x 6" x 1"

[storpotaten]

In honor of starting the RPM, I treated my self to a new little gadget.

Aha, now I understand the purpose of joining RPM...

I like the fact that it has dedicated knobs for volume and pan. That is what kills my using the Zoom H4 for this purpose. It is a real pain to deal with all those menus and sub-menus.

Copy that. MTR on the H4n isn't really feasible.

Looking forward to hear your BillG song. Assuming it will be an ode to praise a successful man that has granted us so many fortunes over the years.

[criddlerus]

I have got the basics completed with the BillG song but I am really having to resist the urge to re-work it. I could add strings, more guitar parts, write a bridge, guitar solo but I really just need to get it done and move on or this is going to be a LONG month. I at least want to resing the lyrics a little more smoothly and fix the messed up guitar changes while I was "learning" the song. More soon....

[storpotaten]

Dave, are you kidding?! You've spent more than 10% of the time and the first song isn't out. There's no time to "perfect" anything, just throw it out and get on with the next one.

[criddlerus]

Ok, I got song #1 under my belt. and #2 is well on it's way.

This one is called Rich. I went ahead and put some strings on it. I did them using those cool Soundfont strings Manzana posted about but Reaper got all clicky when it tried to render them on both my PC's. Strange. I ended up replacing them with my Native Instruments - Kontakt strings.

Here she blows:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10236068

Dave

[storpotaten]

That was... rich.

On the plus side, a really good melody and tasteful strings.
A little weird without a bass line. Vocals are a tad loud (and pop-y) but it's still difficult to hear what you're singing (shame on those lyrics).

Is your second song about Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet?

[tonyoci]

I gave Dave some feedback via email but I'll add some more. Earlier I listened on PC speakers and the song sounded a lot rougher than it did when I just listened on good headphones. It sounded much better and enjoyable just now. It's difficult to provide input on an RPM style song while trying to remember the RPM ethos. Lyrics are great, melody is great, singing perhaps needs a bit more conviction, strings are great, I think the single drum loop is a problem, I know it makes it simple but it kind of wears you down after a while (perhaps it's a bit loud), no bass from bassist is weird. I also think the song is slightly slower than it needs to be in the same way we've talked about before where you haven't quite learned the song yet and it often helps to speed it up a touch when you're more comfortable.

1 down in almost 4 days Dave, you've got some speeding up to do

[The Cracks]

Good one, Dave. Complicated lyrics for a quickie song. You are a brave man. The drum beat doesn't bother me at all. I am heading for one of these myself, I think. I think this is a great song. Maybe after RPM Challenge, you might come back to this one?

Good work.

[criddlerus]

Thanks Cracks! Yeah, I am hoping that I have several to come back to once this is done. I did spend a pretty good amount of time on the lyrics. I did a lot of scratching out of cliche lines and replacing them with something better.

[criddlerus]

Ok, all you haters doubtin' my pro-duck-tivity. Here is song #2.

I am starting to go with a mini-theme of 1977 CBGB's punk scene. This is my imagination of the Talking Heads trying to get a job:

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10243244

And Song #3 My Ode to Iggy Pop:

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10243250

Next up will be my Blondie "white girl rap"... lol

[The Cracks]

Great song 2, Dave. You capture that style. Great lead guitar break.

You need to update your main thead when you upload new songs. I almost missed this one.

[The Cracks]

I like this theme.

The Iggy song rocks. You can really play that ax.

Cool.

[criddlerus]

LOL. Thanks Cracks. Thanks for the headbanging punk too. Funny enough, I did the music first on that Iggy song. I think that might be the first time that has worked for me.

I don't know how to update the thread title. Do I have the rights to do that?

Dave

[lucas]

song 1
vocal delivery sounds like you're unsure of what you should be doing or something.
however, considering that you wrote & recorded this 'on-demand', it's definitely a good effort.

song 2 & 3
liked these 2 a lot more than song 1.
each song is better than the last, it seems like you're starting to flow and your vocals also sound more confident.
I think song 3 is the best so far, although the vocal seems a little reserved
Iggy's not shy at all, so the vocals could really cut loose a lot more on that one.
However, I also realize that may not be possible in your living situation.

[The Cracks]

Dave, to update the thread, I mean the title. Just go into your first post and click edit and then change your title to read something like:

Dave's RPM 2011 Thread Updated: Song 3 02/06/11

Then hit submit.

[criddlerus]

Thanks Cracks! Unfortunately Tony created this post so I guess I can't do it myself. I will have to have Tony do my bidding. Good to know how to do it though.

Dave