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Post by Rob W on Aug 2, 2015 10:49:35 GMT
Here is where we can comment and vote on the songs on the 'Instrumental' month page at 'robwarner.net'
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Post by Colin Steward on Aug 6, 2015 13:07:32 GMT
I think the hardest part in an instrumental is to actually make it a proper instrumental and not a song that hasn’t had the words written yet. I think everyone has achieved that.
1 Tim & Julie. Guitar Duet Every time I hear classical guitar I start thinking Camberwick Green or Tales from the Riverbank but this is a proper classical guitar duet. Very hard to record a duet by yourself but you pulled it all together very well. I like the key change at 1 minute and how you have subject and answers and sometimes unison playing. Very competent music writing, I like it a lot. Some of the warmth you get from a classical guitar is missing in the recording but that’s only a small point.
2. Stephen Clarke. Instrumental Nice laid back theme which picks up pace in the middle with your signature style of playing. I like how it changes around and doesn’t stand still with too much repetition although some parts I wished were a bit longer. Excellently played and no audible signs of a dodgy finger!
3. Me Just to say it was quite liberating to not worry about metronomes or click tracks and to play in a classical style. Nothing will kill a piano solo more and make it sound mechanical than keeping to a rigid time. Ultimately I'm glad I went with this and not the jazzy one. I should get a bumper sticker saying "My other instrumental is a light jazzy thing"!
4. Eddie Custard. The Day I Knew I Loved You The opening piano has a music hall feel to it. The brass, to me, makes it sound like a theme to a TV programme and the harpsichord later on – the bit we wouldn’t normally hear unless we bought the soundtrack. Your melodies and chord structures always flow and move around nicely and this is a happy little number. I felt that some elements (mandolin(?) and electric guitar) didn’t quite gel into the mix.
5. Mike G & Karl T. The Golden Hour As soon as the main drum pattern starts you know you are listening to a summer chill-out number. It’s very calm and relaxing. Because it doesn’t shake itself up and remains in the same key and tempo, the length didn’t hold my attention. Having said that, it would be a perfect accompaniment to visual images.
6. Phil Sanderson. Leggja Niður I like the main theme – has a slight melancholy about it. It’s one of those pieces that allows you to sit still and be in your own thoughts for a while. I felt the instrumental you did for the heroes task was better on the whole but I enjoyed this anyway. I’m not even going to try to understand the title!
7. Tim & Glyn. ∑xPëriMęnt Tim and I are cousins and in my younger days I always thought Tim had a look of a young Mike Oldfield about him. (He was also cooler than me and played guitar, whilst I was learning piano! And he had longer hair!!) Low and behold, this offering could have come direct from Mr Oldfield himself. I give myself a pat on the back for having such insight in my tender years! I would like to know how it would have sounded had there not been computer problems. It’s ambient so it’s not a piece that has a beginning, a middle and an end. It can be as short or long as you like. I’m left wondering what it’s about as I am with most of the instrumentals here. Possibly, like mine, nothing in particular. Perhaps in most cases they just reflect the mood of the writer at the time.
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Post by eddiecustard on Aug 6, 2015 23:13:53 GMT
Some very calming instrumentals here.
Tim and Julie – Guitar Duet.
Very nicely put together, Tim. We’ve heard your classical guitar playing only fleetingly before, so this is a very welcome return. You’ve got the guitars weaving in and out of one another superbly, and the left and right panning adds to the effect. Sometimes one guitar does a little flourish, then takes a back seat while the other one has a go. There’s a similarly skilful manipulation of high and low notes to make a very satisfying whole. I like the section on about 30 seconds when one of the guitars starts some chordal work. The strident ending is very good too.
Stephen Clarke - Instrumental
Stephen’s win last month has given him a shot of adrenaline because this ambitious and carefully worked piece is one of his best melodic construction so far. There’s a lovely lead guitar figure after 30 seconds, which could have come straight from the plains of a spaghetti western as The Man With no Name arrives in town. Given Stephen's recent injury, perhaps it could be called The Man With No Finger.
A conventional strumming approach kicks in at the one minute mark but within a few seconds there’s some great interplay between the two guitars. Some of the sections have a slight flamenco feel too, which sound very good. For a stretch post 1.10 the guitars aren’t in synch with the percussion, but overall this is bravura stuff, combing the romance and intrigue of Sergio Leonne’s film scores with elements of Latino grooviness. I love the gentle playing on 2.05, and there are some nice chord changes there too. A top performance, and up there with his finest creations.
Colin Steward - piano solo
The boy can certainly play - the use of atmosphere and arpeggios alongside varying speeds and volumes is that of someone who has flair and a feel for the piano. I like the way the theme develops with each cycle, with additions making things sound slightly different each time. There’s a great melodic lilt that starts on 1.12, moving quickly into some nice high parts on the right hand. I wish I had this dexterity and assuredness in my own playing. I’d love to see you base some of your future songs round this sort of piano backing. Last time you did that by bringing in Robbie Good (for Valentine Moon) you produced one of the songs of the year. We’ve learnt from your sleeve notes that you’re not confident about your singing or lyrics, but you should be shouting from the rooftops about your ability to craft a good tune.
Mike and Karl – The Golden Hour
The low bass hum sounds very clear and atmospheric at the beginning. All the ingredients are here, including some beautiful acoustic guitar playing, well placed handclaps and some very nice synth – all gelling together expertly. It’s a good plan to base a song round a pre-recorded percussion track, which Karl has put together nicely. Each bit layers very well to create an uplifting, harmonious mood. It reminds me of one of my favourite quiet bands, Lambchop. This is a very evocative piece and certainly fits perfectly with the calming images in my head of the time of day in your title, during the reddening light, when there is a feeling of wonder and peace. In that sense, and others, it’s a big success.
Mine: the word in the title is ‘loved’ (see original titles page)
Phil Sanderson - Leggja Niður
A beautiful piece of work from Phil. There’s a nice mood from the off, and this of course evokes memories of the excellent Symphonies from a few months ago. He’s got the skill, the lightness of touch and the melodic invention to carry off this sort of minimalism. It’s another one from his Radox Cycle of soothing tunes that cleanse you while you lie back in reverie. There are a few timing missteps with the bass here, especially during the first 40 seconds, but It’s not a big deal because the overall mood is lovely. I like the brevity of it and the use of the higher octave near the end. As for your poser about which instrument didn’t make it to the final mix – I’m guessing it’s your fabled 12-string, although it’d be fun if you told us it was actually a tuba.
My friends in Sigur Ros tell me that leggja niður means ‘shut down’ in Icelandic, so I’m assuming this was originally earmarked for Theme Music month. It would have worked well with those images, but stands up perfectly by itself. Melodic and peaceful.
Tim and Glyn - Experiment
The guitars are powerful here, sounding sometimes liked piped instruments, and the hand drums are a nice touch. I like the staged build up and there’s a good burst of energy on 1.10 as the guitars merge together very effectively. Are there only two chords here? If so you make them go a long way. It’s richly atmospheric and would work well on a TV show where the main character might not be all he seems. Another one to soothe the soul.
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Post by timwarner on Aug 9, 2015 13:58:48 GMT
Stephen Clarke - Instrumental
The start of this reminds me of (a version) a song Rob and Mike wrote and played called in Another Citizen. I really like it’s gentle, clean guitar playing at the intro that gives way to some strumming with a guitar melody over the top. The it kicks into a faster tempo and reminds me of Cockney Rebel. This feels more like a song without words rather than an out-and-out instrumental. I can easily imagine Stephen singing very similar melody lines. I don’t know how you do it but, despite reminding me of some other stuff, you still sounds like Stephen Clarke, even when you’re not singing. There is a pause where it all goes quite at about 2 mins then there is another tune introduced and I love this bit, particularly when the bass slides up as it enters. Then you skilfully take it back to to the original theme. Colin Steward - Piano Solo
For those of you that don’t know (and can be bothered to read the reviews of anyone else songs) I play in a band with Colin and we talk often. It is easy to forget that, while we play ‘Jump’ for the thousandth time to drunken revellers for whom we are little more than a disco substitute, Colin is a very, very good pianist. Colin, your expertise on the piano is only matched by your modesty which seems to be borne out of a lack of confidence. Perhaps this is what makes your playing so good as you try to improve beyond a standard many people (particularly me) would be more than happy with? Anyway, onto the review. It’s very grown-up for someone who gets excited by the return of The Clangers. The lovely rising phrase is answered by the more fluid phrase that cascades down, before a restatement and development. It’s all beautifully played, emphasising the melody while expertly supporting it with unobtrusive lines that are, in themselves, good melodies that are not always going quite where I expected. You seem to keep our attention where it needs to be while there is plenty for the more curious to explore. You’ve covered a lot of ground while never sounding like one of those ghastly music teachers at school. Then, just to rub salt into the wound of my submission this month, it’s recorded really well. This is pretty much how anyone would hope a piano would sound. Eddie Custard - The Day I Knew I Loved You
Trade mark, strong melody from the off. I find there’s something very comforting in your music: it doesn’t always do what I expect but I know it’s going to turn out well in the end. The path you take us on is not obviously the straightest between two points. This time you seem to hang on to the chord longer than I expect but it certainly works well. I like the breezy start and the the great brass section that swells. I really like the bridge part at about 35 seconds. The first real surprise was when i initially listened on laptop speakers: I though the banjo player was standing a bit closer to the microphone than the rest of the band. There was a similar effect with the guitar joined at about 2.00. The effect is less pronounced on better speakers or headphones but, I’ve got the idea in my head by this point and I cant’ shift it. There is a nice change the the harpsichord before the guitarist starts playing loud (sodding guitar players). Then end is a bit of a surprise in it’s suddenness. It is certainly a piece that holds the attention and feels like a proper instrumental while I could easily imagine it accompanying some pictures. Perhaps Rob could use it for his video if the copyright holders come after him for this video? youtu.be/XnfYdGHAiRwMike and Karl - The Golden Hour
A lovely, simple, wistful, acoustic guitar melody to open that is slowly joined by other instruments. My ears really pricked up when the Ebow came in, very Robert Fripp/Brian Eno. It seems to deliberately leave space for your brain to ponder things. It’s almost like music for yoga or meditation. It’s really well produced and the only tiny criticism I could offer is the snare sounds a bit harsh among all these lovely gentle, reassuring sounds. The drop out before it restates the main theme is very effective. While there is so much going on there is complete clarity and separation between all the parts. I know if I was trying to add so many elements it would soon become a mush but the production is far too skilful for that to happen. Phil Sanderson - Leggja Niður
My guess is you playing trumpet with your nose didn’t make the final mix. You are obviously a very capable pianist and have a strong sense of melody. This is really lovely. I know the title is something Icelandic and the piece completely fits the rugged scenery I enjoyed during my brief time there. It flows along very naturally. While this has a very strong melody, it could also serve as ambient music that can allow to flow over me and just bask in the peacefulness of it. Listening to it more closely, I’m not sure it really needed the bass for most of it, although I can see it does give you another dimension to play with when you add it or have it drop out. The bass works best in the final phrase when the melody goes much higher. Now I’ve got Iceland in my mind (the country, not the frozen food place) it can sound quite melancholy (if I was thinking of the supermarket my thoughts would be much more bleak). Tim and Glyn - ∑xPëriMęnt
I guess you and Mike share some musical references from the past. These two tracks could sit very well together on an album. It all sounds very good but I’m curious to know how it would have sounded without the computer problems (get a Mac next time). The percussion sounds very good. I don’t know how you recorded it but the sound is great. Like Mike and Karl you have taken a fairly simple phrase and decorated it so it sounds much more important than I would believe was possible from a starting point of so few notes. Unusually, for me at least, I think this should be a bit longer. It draws me in giving the impression that it will unfold slowly and I will hear the layers repeat and develop as they mingle in slightly different ways on each repeat but, it stops at about three minutes when I was expecting about half as much again. To use an analogy, I feel like I’ve started watching The Godfather (spoiler alert) but, this version ends when Michael shoots the police captain. I guess the thought process may be ‘leave them wanting more’ but, having read your sleeve notes, it could equally be ‘computer says no.’
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Aug 18, 2015 15:38:35 GMT
Guitar Duet - Tim & Julie I have heard this style playing from Tim before, but not for many years and it's really refreshing to hear again. Very easy on the ear and I'm glad you still gave the piece a trademark Tim "odd" moment - I'm referring to the surprising ending, of course. Rubbish title though!
Instrumental - Stephen Clarke Good idea to split the piece in to distinctly different sections, each having it's own space, and just when I thought the faster section was building to a crescendo, it stopped for the delightful ending with a great chord at 2.13 and 2.27. This does benefit from repeated listens, so hats off for that. Even more rubbish title though!
Piano Solo - Colin Steward Yup - the boy can play, and what an excellent showcase this is. Amongst (although not overwhelmed by) all the very competent and fast fingered flourishes lays the really good hook for this piece - so simple, but so memorable. Well done Colin, but I'm going to have one little moan - another crap title!
The Day I Knew I Loved You - Eddie Custard I have no idea where Eddie was born or where he lives now, but no matter how varied his work is, there always seems to be something of a London vibe to it. Sounds like this belongs to a nostalgic musical. I agree with Tim - the banjo and lead guitar do seem a bit too up front in the mix, but that's a minor quibble. Thank you for giving it a proper title!
Leggja Niður - Phil Sanderson Nice intro which immediately put a section from Kate Bush's "Hello Earth" into my mind (great!) and I can imagine a strong, distinctive voice (not necessarily Kate Bush's) coming in at about half way through. What I'm saying is, this would make a great backing for a song as well as being an easy on the ear instrumental. Best title so far!
∑xPëriMęnt - Tim & Glyn This has many of the elements that make for a good instrumental in my view - unusual and interesting sounds which combine to create a great mood. I like Glyn's hand drums and even though it's a shame your PC problems prevented it being finished to the level you wanted, I'm really glad you entered it anyway - not least of all for the title and the creative typography you employed. Nice!
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Post by Colin Steward on Aug 18, 2015 18:55:52 GMT
To please Karl I'll call mine "Nocturne in F for Piano" which means short romantic solo.... In F..... for piano!
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Post by stephen on Aug 20, 2015 16:15:01 GMT
Sorry if these reviews are a bit short - I've been very busy holidaying, and now I've got tons of work to catch up with. But overall what I liked was the way people took the opportunity to show some real musicianship. I'm sure we all do our best even when we know there'll be someone singing over the top, but there were some really nice performances here.
Tim & Julie Guitar Duet This is great fun. It reminds me, in a very pleasant way, of a kids' programme I used to watch. Puppets moving about accompanied by this sort of jaunty guitar. It's a mix of Vivaldi and English folk, really tuneful. I enjoyed the bridge bit on the minute mark, especially when it got minor for a few seconds, and then the almost ceremonial ending as the two guitars take a bow. All really uplifting.
Mine If I had to give this a title, it'd be "Lick My Love Pump Part 2 (Slower This Time, Please)". It's a romantic piece. Seriously, I don't have words for it, but as I was playing the first part, I was sort of thinking to myself "especially when the sun goes down", whatever that means. So that could be the title.
Colin Steward Piano solo Very thoughtful piece. Jazzy, classical, bluesy, with those really effective pauses before you set off on a different variation. Sometimes it reminded me of Satie, at other times of film music from the 1940s, the high point of jazzy classical. I really like the way it comes back to the opening theme, and gets the key riff really hooked into our minds.
Eddie Custard and the FES The Day I Knew I Loved You Proof that there is a point to a good title. Very evocative. It sounds as though it was a sunny day in winter, on a beach maybe, strolling along laughing on the sands. A joyful piece, with that bouncy melody holding it all together, while the guitar pops in and out like parts of a conversation. I really liked the Beatles-y harpischord, which makes it even more seaside-like, as does the short final guitar riff at the end, which was a very Harrison touch. A really well rounded piece of music.
Mike and Karl The Golden Hour Effective moody opening with that brooding bass sound, and a very enjoyable build-up of instruments over the top of the theme. Effective use of the rhythm track, with the snare playing those weird offbeats and dropping out now and again to create "quiet" sections. I especially enjoyed the trebly electric guitar arpeggios that come in or around the three-minute mark. Very Coldplay (he's a great guitarist, I think). Once they're there, the melodic theme feels satisfyingly complete. Memorable stuff, uplifting and calmly summery.
Phil S Leggja Nitha Surprising - you usually go for massed ranks of instruments, and here you stripped it down, as if you felt more confidence in your melody than usual. If so, you were right to do so. You don't need any more, because it's as though you want to give us time to let the tune sink in, which it really does. Sparsely effective.
Tim & Glyn Experiment Very different from what everyone has been doing, with the bare sound at the start and then the surges of volume. It's really effective just after the minute mark when that electric guitar comes in to dominate proceedings. I'm glad you didn't randomize it - it feels as though it has a real progression to it. Much darker than what everyone else has done, so it stands out. Very effective main riff, too, with a sort of urgency about it.
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tandg
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by tandg on Aug 20, 2015 23:11:26 GMT
1 Tim & Julie - Guitar Duet
This is a charming piece, with really well thought out guitar parts that come together very well. I’m full of admiration because there’s really nowhere to hide with such simple instrumentation and no other backing or vocals to distract from the sound of the playing. It does immediately take you back to children’s TV, which is a strength (nostalgia is a powerful thing) but a little bit of a distraction (trying in vain to remember which programmes used classical guitar themes). One real strength of your composition is that it really doesn’t sound like it would have benefited from a vocal part – while some of the others could be developed into songs, this really is a proper instrumental.
2. Stephen Clarke - Instrumental
This has very good variety – I love the changes throughout the piece and thought you could imagine developing this single piece into 3 very good songs. There’s lots of variation of tone and style – it feels like you are jamming with yourself and it feels very laid back – a sort of JJ Cale vibe I thought. I wanted it to go on for longer and I’d have been very happy to hear a few repeated themes but I can always listen over again...
3. Colin Steward - Piano solo
This is just lovely Colin. The playing is really loose, with good variation of tempo and slight subtle pauses and yet it is very tight. I never heard any pauses that sounded unintentional and I'm full of admiration for the playing and the writing. The melody is beautifully crafted – for me it manages to be familiar without being twee and never sounds forced and I listened to it several times without tiring of it. Great stuff.
4. Eddie Custard - The Day I Knew I Loved You
There’s definitely a bit of Bacharach in this one. This such a well-crafted piece – it manages to sound happy without sounding trite. There’s a very interesting selection of instruments, some very skilled playing and a real joy about the whole piece, which is well reflected in the title. I really wanted you to burst into song though – perhaps you could weave the themes into a future song so we can hear where the title leads.
5. Mike G & Karl T - The Golden Hour
Wow! We both really loved this. There’s a charming simplicity to this, with intriguing sounds – I love that reedy organ sound (at least that’s what it sounds like to me) and an oh-so-simple melody that still manages to withstand several listenings. I always feel very envious that Mike has proper live drums and Karl’s chilled drumming on this is just lovely. Well done both of you. I listened to it once and was still humming it hours afterwards and wanted to hear it again at the first available opportunity.
6. Phil Sanderson. Leggja Niður
This sounds so relaxed and natural, it’s an absolute pleasure to listen to. It never sounds forced or contrived and is another piece that rewards multiple listenings. While Mike’s piece is very simple in terms of its melody, this sounds more sophisticated melodically but unusually for Phil is more simple sonically, with just the piano. This is a beautiful piece and didn’t you play it well? It would be good to develop with a vocal line. I don’t necessarily think it needs it – I just think it could be developed from a lovely piece of music into a really haunting song.
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Post by philsanderson on Aug 21, 2015 7:13:10 GMT
1 Tim & Julie. Guitar Duet Takes me back to TV themes of the past. When I hear it I can imagine a young Tim Warner playing a great duet with his guitar teacher, and at the end he adds that final note to get the final word in. It’s like a lovely conversation between the two guitarists. I especially liked the section just after the minute mark. At some point I’d like to play 12 string to this, either as a third instrument or take on one of the guitar parts.
2. Stephen Clarke. Instrumental I like the way the piece is split into different sections, when a new idea starts it flows from the previous even with a ‘pause’. I can imagine you singing over this, but it sounds absolutely complete without words, so well done. I can imagine this being used as part of a soundtrack for a film. I look forward to the release of ‘When the Sun goes down’ sometime in the future...
3. Colin Steward. Piano Solo Wonderfully accomplished piano playing and even more accomplished writing. Each musical phrase is so well played. There are probably echoes of some of your influences throughout this: the opening makes me think of Joni Mitchell, but at about 50 seconds I get Keith Jarrett coming to the piano- thank goodness there are no groans and grunts in the background. I assume we are hearing your wonderful new Korg being used here. It’s a wonderful sound you have produced. Lovely.
4. Eddie Custard. The Day I Knew I Loved You Another very English sounding composition. I immediately pictured the opening titles of a TV series ( set in London, definitely ). It’s a really jaunty piece, joyfully played throughout. It stands perfectly well on its own as an instrumental, although I can sort of hear you singing along to this on subsequent listenings.
5. Mike G & Karl T. The Golden Hour What great combination of sounds. Calm yet slightly haunting at the same time. The instrumentation is so well judged and immaculately recorded- all the sounds have their own space and clarity. Especially like the bass sounds. I really like this, although I was looking forward to some wild Mike Gosling guitar work ‘à Prometheus’ !!
7. Tim & Glyn. ∑xPëriMęnt. I love this piece as it is, even though I know Tim had other plans for it. The guitar sounds are sublime- I especially like the part at around 1.10. It’s another piece which would serve really well as a soundtrack for a film. Will we ever hear the intended randomisation version? I hope so, and I also hope to be playing on a version of this sometime in the future!
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Post by mikegosling on Aug 23, 2015 16:18:25 GMT
Many apologies for my late reply. I enjoyed all the entries this month and it was interesting to hear how people had approached the task of writing an instrumental. Tim/Julie, Colin S and Phil created pieces around a central instrumental performance (betraying their classical training?) whereas the rest of us seemed to create multi-instrumental pieces which occasionally sounded like backing tracks in need of a vocal to complete them (maybe down to our lack of classical training?!). Anyway, here goes with some brief thoughts.
Tim/Julie - Guitar duet is a nice idea and you pulled it off well. I particularly like the initial theme with the two guitars play question and answer. I also really like the (octave) unison part and the part where the left hand guitar plays some nice chords. Sometimes the guitars sounded a bit brittle (a production quibble rather than a performance issue) but overall a lovely piece to listen to.
Stephen - Sorry to hear about your fingers - doesn't seem to have caused you many issue here - the playing sounds fine. I really like the countryside slide guitar in the 2nd section and the the 3rd section has a distinctly Clarkeian feel to it. The 4th section sounds a bit more like a song backing than a complete instrumental and I think I missed hearing your witty vocals at this point in the piece. A nice laid-back feel to it.
Colin S - Stand-out performance of the month. Some terrific piano playing and a very well constructed piece. The main theme at the start is the melodic highlight for me. I enjoyed its Satie-like simplicity and slightly quirky classical feel. I personally felt that the romantic Russian flourishes in the 2nd part weren't needed - it felt a bit too classical for my taste! The piano was recorded very well - a really lovely sound to match an excellent performance.
Eddie C - Well this really felt like music from a swinging sixties film set in London. The music had a bit of Bacharach about it and when the harpsichord entered the picture was complete. Like a few of the others, I felt that the guitar overdubs were a little out of place / too loud. Very atmospheric and evocative.
Phil S - Theme music for the original Icelandic production of the hit series Shut Down (before HBO bought the rights and remade it). The piano playing is lovely and I really like the main theme - it has a wistful quality to it and is not unlike the theme of Colin's piece. The simple bass notes are effective especially at the very end. Favourite part is the end where the theme is played an octave higher. A very restrained production for Phil - which I liked a lot. There's a bit of a story regarding the missing instrument - Phil had been invited to travel to Reykjavik to complete the mixing of the theme for the TV series and whilst he was there he thought he would drop in on Jonsi (from Sigur Ros) in his home studio. The Icelandic people are very friendly and welcoming and Phil had a great time chatting with Jonsi about his music. Phil actually persuaded Jonsi to record some of his trademark bowed guitar for this piece. Unfortunately, due to a bout of food poisoning (Phil blames the Sheep's head that Jonsi persuaded him to try), Phil had to rush out of the studio and back to his hotel to recover. You'll be glad to know that Phil is feeling better now, but disappointed to learn that the Jonsi bowed guitar never made it to the final mix.
Tim/Glyn - I think Tim/Glyn were on the same wavelength as Karl/I as there are quite a few similarities here! The Ebow guitar is nice and used quite sparingly. I like the main body of the song, but for me it all starts to work together at 2:20. It's at this point that I feel the hand drums gel with the instrumental backing. I like the end section a lot. I do feel this could be developed with a lovely ethereal vocal from Glyn. I hope the PC is up and running for next month's entry!
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Post by mikegosling on Aug 24, 2015 8:57:45 GMT
Congratulations Colin - very well composed and performed. A pleasure to listen to.
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Post by timwarner on Aug 24, 2015 18:26:22 GMT
Well done Colin. I'll carry you gear in for the next months gigs. You're a star!
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Post by Colin Steward on Aug 24, 2015 22:00:47 GMT
Well, I've shared the top spot before but never taken it solo so I'm delighted. Thanks everyone. To address Phil's comment, yes, I used my new Korg which is a 61 note semi weighted keyboard, so I linked it with MIDI to my 'proper' piano to play it.
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Post by eddiecustard on Aug 24, 2015 22:43:26 GMT
Well done, Colin - a fine piece.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Aug 24, 2015 23:30:30 GMT
"Nocturne in F for Piano" is the winner! Well done Colin.
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tandg
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by tandg on Aug 26, 2015 9:26:22 GMT
Thoroughly deserved - well done Colin. Not looking forward to drum solo but guitar solo may be OK.
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Post by stephen on Aug 26, 2015 17:23:55 GMT
Well played, Colin, you 'urned it.
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Post by Rob W on Sept 7, 2015 20:22:09 GMT
Instrumental Month
Again, apologies for the lateness of my reviews. I was unable to vote but Colin was a worthy winner. I think my other vote would have either gone to Stephen C or Eddie C so the result would have stood regardless!!
Tim & Julie Guitar Duet Tim was a classical guitarist first and foremost and I cannot remember a time when he wasn’t really, really good at playing this stuff. I loved the sound, the imperfections the overall ambience (though I would have added more reverb to give it that ‘playing in the church hall’ sound so beloved of Julian Bream!!)
I read the blurb after hearing the piece and I take my hat off to him (having never properly learned to read let alone write music ‘on the fly’.) Excellent.
Stephen C Instrumental Knowing Stephen’s work now so well, I was aching for him to start singing. But even without his vocal this is definitely a Stephen C song. He can just…do it!! Stephen has ‘it’ in my eyes (ears) and possesses that indefinable quality (the ‘X’ factor, if you will!) After the fast section, the ‘calming’ section has a beautiful selection of chords and I felt myself drifting off down the river. Wonderful work. I’m a big fan.
Colin S Piano Solo Colin can actually play (the bastard.) This is lovely and felt quite Manhattan, in places. It belongs in a film. The piano sound is wonderful and the playing flows beautifully. From memory, this was the winner and on first listening, it was a worthy winner (second and third listens confirmed this for me!) Wonderful transitions and lovely ‘hooks’ bringing us back to where we started. Top work.
Eddie C The Day I Knew I Loved You Having said that Colin’s song was a little ‘Manhattan’ THIS number, with it’s instrument choice and chord progression is pure New York. This also belongs in a film and if I’d been played this and told it was from a film, but from which decade? I’d have said that this could have been late 70s or very early 80s. I could see this making an appearance in ‘Arthur’! I absolutely loved this and I feel that this, at this stage of my listening, would have secured a vote (although I just read that we only had two votes so it would have been very tricky!)
Mike G & Karl T The Golden Hour I enjoyed the ‘chilled out’ opening and beautiful spread of the shakers. I wasn’t sure about the papery sound of the snare but it didn’t take for it to really grow on me and this song starts to draw one in like the very best of some of the songs by ‘Elbow’. I loved Mike’s impossibly brilliantly sustained guitar melodies. It was like Steve Hacket was in the studio with you! This all works very, very well and I thoroughly enjoyed this. This is the only, thus far, that made me think ‘I could definitely add a vocal to this’ as if you’ve left enough room for another instrument. Wonderful.
Phil S Leggja Niður Phil is a continually surprising package. Not only does he run brilliantly, he can turn his hand to most instruments. (If he sang like Nat King Cole, I’d be suicidal!) But he seems most at home on the keys and plays them beautifully on this. It’s a very well constructed and well executed piece. Again, it belongs in a film (a foreign film. The scene would be in Paris on an autumnal Sunday and our heroine (a brunette with a sickeningly fashionable short bob and a gap in her front two teeth) would be walking through the falling leaves and traveling on trams (do they have trams in Paris?) her face reflected in the window. It would definitely be in black and white. I really enjoyed this. Very beautiful.
Tim & Glyn Experiment I love the guitar sound at the beginning (and loved the way it was juxtaposed with the cheap-sounding Tony Hart keyboard.) I think you did a fine job with the hand-drums. They really cut through and at times sound like fantastically recorded Tablas.
The overall sound (probably the guitar mainly due to the amazing sustain sound) is quite early Genesis.
I didn’t think about films for the first couple of numbers but since Colin S’s tune, they’ve all leant themselves to being in a film and this is no exception though I can’t quite put my finger on where this one would fit (though it would definitely be the music that accompanied a journey somewhere that involved lots of twilight shots and street lamps reflecting in the windows of buses.)
This was a great month of songs and I would really have struggled to pick a couple of winners (and luckily, I’m too late to do so!)
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Post by timwarner on Sept 8, 2015 10:48:35 GMT
I was walking the dog this morning with my iPod on shuffle and a tune came up that was familiar, I knew I liked but, I couldn't quite remember what it was. I let it play for a while before I realised it was Mike and Karl's 'The Golden Hour' instrumental. It was lovely and certainly holds up when against the other stuff my iPod served up. Thanks for such a perfect sunny morning tune.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Sept 8, 2015 16:23:47 GMT
... and thank you to Rob for getting his comments up here. It's good tp hear from you!
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Post by mikegosling on Sept 20, 2015 20:46:32 GMT
Tim W - thanks for our kind words re The Golden Hour. I too am fan of the shuffle feature and it's interesting to hear our "original" songs up against some of the recorded work out there. I also think that the context the songs are listened to is very important. I tend to listen to these Songwriter Collective songs whilst sitting in front on the computer, pen in hand and ready to write a review. That's definitely not the best way to listen to most music! I think in future months I will vary my listening habits for the SWC songs and try to appreciate them in a more normal listening environment.
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