aLONE by E.A. Poe by jmt
Genre: Spoken Word-Poetry
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Keywords:
Edgar Allan Poe (3), Alone (40), Poe (6), bass (277), fretless (15), footsteps (1)
Description:
ALONE by E.A. Poe
This is my interpretation of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. I felt I could relate to the words, and the sound I created comes from that.
This is my interpretation of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. I felt I could relate to the words, and the sound I created comes from that.
Lyrics:
ALONE * by Edgar Allan Poe * (1830) From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
* -- THE END -- *
Hardware:
Fretless 5 string bassM-Audio Keystation
an unbelievably crappy microphone
G5
Software:
GarageBandYou must be registered and logged-in to comment.
Peter Greenstone
Oh, this is just so creepy good. I feel like I just spent a very eerie night
with this strange little man in his dark castle. Excellent job. The sound
effects and the voice effects, the grim, patient music, all so perfect in
telling this story.
jmt
Thank You! I have never attempted anything like this, and when I saw the suggestion for it (Thanks cjorgensen!) in the forum I couldn't help myself! Baltimore son, ya know... I hope I did it proud.
on the poem,,,, you set the perfect atmosphere
for the words....the crappy mic works so well for
this, thank god for crappy mics. Gottsa love the fretless bass.
This is a great one.
Cheers
jmt
Thanks! That crappy mic was responsible for some of those effects too, not just the voice. It's not what you got, but how you use it...
screaming.org
Those footsteps make the voice creepier somehow.
This gets at the right emotions for the season!
jmt
Thanks for the comments. The footsteps, to me, seem to conjure up a feeling of paranoia, almost fear... They really help propel the "song".
Mystified
The use of doubling half-sung vocal tracks with different effects is
marvelous!
You seem to capture harmonic overtones in this technique, which gives
the voice a more chilling effect than you would otherwise get with a single
track.
The constant pulse of the background music is also very effective in
creating both suspense and a sense of Poe-etic dread.
jmt
Thank You! After posting I noticed some feedback on one section of the vocals that really accented the harmonics. It's amazing what you can stumble across! The plodding bass was a no-brainer...
Kevensor
I agree with screaming. The footsteps do make it creepier. Probably because they sound so lonely.
Vocals need to be a shade louder.
Great performance!
jmt
Thanks! Yeah, the vocals... This is stupid... I did this in haste and overlooked the most obvious, primitive effect - panning! Duh... Maybe a remix in the future...
cjorgensen
The effects and footsteps remind me of a cartoon for some reason. I
am also reminded of David Bowie;s "Please Mr. Gave Digger," as he has
footsteps throughout that as well. It adds and element of active
engagements and serves the pauses in the poems well.
Nicely done. I too would like to have the vocals upped a bit, but then I
am on a crappy sound system.
I'm making a playlist of all these and plan on going for a drive with
these as the soundtrack.
jmt
Thanks for the comments, and thanks for the idea to do this! Take a bow, y'all! I can hear this in cartoons... Like an after-school special or something...
jgurner
The deep droning bass, the foot steps, the eerie distorted voice all
combine to give a distinctly wonderful creepy feel. The melodic interludes
are perfect in offsetting the spoken-word verses. Very nicely done and
very origonal.
jmt
Thanks Mr. Gurner! To me the melodic parts are like the uneasy smile one gives when asked how they're doing and they've really had a crappy day... sort of a false sense of comfort.
atonalis
this is just a wonderful thing here man. quite the poe fan myself.... but you probably know that already. the footsteps and that creepy ass bass.damn. you put that crappy mic to great use. wonderful track man. hey....... what about that track you did a while back ......"walk in the park". loved that one quite a bit. - shawn
jmt
Thanks Shawn! I had a lot of fun doing this. I took it on like an assignment... from conception to upload in about four hours total time!
You can find "A Walk in the Park" HERE.
Rebsie
Very darkly atmospheric and seriously creepy. The rhythm in the words
is so subtle but it quickly becomes hypnotic. I love the way the two
voices sometimes veer into partial 'harmonies' and then out again ... a
very clever idea. All in all a brilliant concept and very well done.
jmt
Thanks for the kind words! I pulled one vocal just slightly behind the other so it would have a natural chorus effect. I had so much fun, this was a blast to make...
Macaudion
Very nice work here. I have no idea how you created such an
interesting and quite an intriquing track here. Very nice. Great use of
effects to create such a deeply creepy piece here. The weiredest thing
you'll here about this, I heard Peter Gabriel in here. When he was wilth
Genisis of course. And as well, the synth at the end, it also reminded
me of the ol T Genisis stuff. I know I'm a little off base here, but I don't
know any other way....
This was very rich textues, lots of coloring of tonal expressions and
even, rythmic in a facinating way.
Nice job, JMT
Dion/Cydniko
jmt
Wow, thanks man! A Peter Gabriel comparison? I don't deserve that... It is rather dramatic though, and the music box does sound sorta Gabrielesque. Thank You!