Home Community Music Blog Old MJ More...      
17/8 Jam Draft by The Composer [Email]

Get Flash to see this player.


Having playback trouble, try the Quicktime player:

Attribution-NonCommercial
SONG STATS:
Hits: 2462
Comments: 39
Votes: 21
Plays: 431
Last Played: Oct 09, 2008 - 11:54:31 AM
Downloads: 145
Fans: 15
Uploaded: Dec 09, 2005 - 08:33:51 AM
Last Updated: Dec 09, 2005 - 04:59:54 AM
Fan List
Keywords:
jazz (404), fusion (102), beebop (1), instrumental (439), open collaboration (5), 17/8 (1), 1960's (1), 1970's (4), live (94)
Description:
This is a song that originally started off as something completely different, with the only similar thing being the time signature. The majority of whats being played in this song was recorded with my only condenser mic... yeah thats right... every part of the drum kit was recorded separately... with good and bad results.

This song is still in its draft form because for starters, I want a soloist in there. Idealy a reed or guitar player, but I'm pretty open to ideas.

I also want any suggestions from people about what works and doesn't work so far. For example, I think the recording of the cymbals worked quite nicely (even though they are dodgy cymbals), but my snare and bass drum sound like cardboard so I might sample them for the final version.

Other than that... this piece is mostly in 17/8, divided up into 3 groups of 4 and one group of 5. There is one slow section (double bass solo) where it becomes 9/4 (alternates between 4 and 5) but thats easier to play to anyway. I'm going for a live 60s 70s or so fusion/beebop type sound and groove... hence the audience at the beginnign and end.

If anyone wants to solo make sure to email and I'll tell you everything you need to know.

Hardware:
Beringer Eurorack UB1002, eMac, Behringer C-1 Condenser Mic, my crappy drum kit and my Gors and Kallman Piano.

Software:
Digital Performer and Garageband for the acoustic bass.
You must be registered and logged-in to comment.

Dang! &mdash 12/09/05 - 09:00:00 AM
Awesome beat, although kind of hard to follow. I lost count after a few
beats, then I didn't find it again until after the slow section - that's a good
thing.
I think you're right about the drums, they sound pretty raw compared to
the rest of the ensemble, which is pretty darn smooth. I really like the
cymbals and the rest of the percussion, though.
Now we'll just wait for a brave soloist, for this'll be quite the challenge.
Great!

[ Reply to This ]
i like the drums how they are &mdash 12/09/05 - 09:49:29 AM
this is GREAT. I love the feel. and despite the drums sounding "raw," i
think it only ads to the recording. makes me feel like the mike was placed
there in the room, closer to the drums. i'm diggin' it. 9's for everyone!

[ Reply to This ]
i like the drums how they are &mdash 12/09/05 - 09:49:32 AM
this is GREAT. I love the feel. and despite the drums sounding "raw," i
think it only ads to the recording. makes me feel like the mike was placed
there in the room, closer to the drums. i'm diggin' it. 9's for everyone!

[ Reply to This ]
If I have time &mdash 12/09/05 - 01:17:52 PM
I'll take a stab at some solo stuff or just melodic messings around!

[ Reply to This ]
Standing ovation &mdash 12/09/05 - 01:38:32 PM
Dig the way this song starts out with the hand clapping, nice touch. Really loose and the way I like it. Great job.

Regards
John

[ Reply to This ]
I like &mdash 12/09/05 - 02:42:46 PM
odd meters, and this is smoothly done. The drum sounds, as you say, are cardboardy; but the overall tune is excellent.

[ Reply to This ]
it, overall &mdash 12/09/05 - 07:30:24 PM
Cool tune, daddy-o! The "live" feel to it (not the crowd sounds) was pulled off nicely. The drums didn't bother me that much, although a few tweaks would certainly enhance it, overall... How about a melodica solo?

[ Reply to This ]
it, overall &mdash 12/09/05 - 08:23:52 PM
One of the things I used to try and get the live sound was to record the
recording from another room (played the track on some speakers in one
room loudly then had my mics set up in another) and just added a little
reverb to that track aswell... was a much better effect than when I was just
plain reverb for some reason.

---
The Composer, previously known as The Pianist who hasn't played the piano in a while...

[ Reply to This ]
it, overall &mdash 12/09/05 - 08:25:17 PM
Oh yeah, thanks for the comments

---
The Composer, previously known as The Pianist who hasn't played the piano in a while...

[ Reply to This ]
it, overall &mdash 01/10/06 - 11:55:09 AM
Clever ... Thanks for the tip!

[ Reply to This ]
This just might be .... &mdash 12/09/05 - 09:06:29 PM
the "new" jazz ......

[ Reply to This ]
Like fine wine... &mdash 12/09/05 - 09:33:50 PM
...you can just tell it's good music from the first few notes. The
rhythm and bass combo really give this life and the "offbeat" time
signature propels it along in such a unique way. Piano is well
played... this sounded live to me and the cymbals sounded fine to
my ears, although I am listening on cheap speakers right now with
the volume not too loud. Great ending, too... a good ending
means a lot to you , I can tell.

[ Reply to This ]
nice clapping &mdash 12/10/05 - 06:49:44 AM
Nice applause and clapping. Like the rhytm and beats on
this a lot. very nice drums in genera, and yes the symbals
seem very well recordedl. I would hav loved to hear a piece
like that this at a dirty Jazz club in a late and dark hour. Very
nice bassline and i like piano like thisa lot! Thanks for sharing!
Good Day!


[ Reply to This ]
very cool. &mdash 12/10/05 - 11:28:40 AM
smokey jazz ala '70's lounge style. wonderful composition. made great use of shuffle..... and the sliop of odd time signatures didn't seem so odd. the piano was on point.... notmuch to say really. i loved the "crappy" drum sounds on this...... it seems appropriate..... he he. (they aren't crappy at all). excellent. - shawn

[ Reply to This ]
Cool &mdash 12/10/05 - 12:54:56 PM
The crowd noise was a nice touch to this recording. But that's beside
the point. Great job of making the odd meters feel as comfortable as
possible. The cardboard-y drum sounds work for the vibe to this track.
It's not like most recordings made in the 60s and 70s had pristine
drum sounds in the first place...

Anyways, very cool stuff here. I dig it.

[ Reply to This ]
This really goood!!! &mdash 12/10/05 - 08:39:40 PM
Very unique. Cool groove for sure. Mesmerizing bass riff. Everything
has that cool cool open jazz feel. I hear a trumpet solo in there. You
should ask that Russian cat who's been hanging around. I'm not sure of
his name but he smokes. This a very nice groove. I not sure of the
crowd though,
I think this is a great tune

[ Reply to This ]
This really goood!!! &mdash 12/10/05 - 09:18:35 PM
About the russian cat... I think you're talking about jazzru (Vladimir
Galaktionov). That would be absolutely fantastic... just begs the question of
'how do you go about asking someone like that to play?" Will have to ask
Drakonis about that because he's the only one I've seen so far that has
Vladimir playing in his songs so far. Thanks for the suggestion though

---
The Composer, previously known as The Pianist who hasn't played the piano in a while...

[ Reply to This ]
very nice &mdash 12/11/05 - 08:10:13 AM
sounds like something danilo perez would do or bad plus with the time
sig. as for the drums. i too think they sound fine except the snare
sounds heavilly stepped on with fx but the rest of the kit sounds
natural . which doesn't allow them to sound like they are from the
same live kit.
but totally digging what you are doing here. keep it up!

[ Reply to This ]
very nice &mdash 12/11/05 - 09:13:43 AM
Heavily FXed? Interesting... I think I used a little EQ... but unfortunately, thats
just mostly how it turned out in the recording... I don't own a great kit by
anymeans. Thanks for the comments though.

---
The Composer, previously known as The Pianist who hasn't played the piano in a while...

[ Reply to This ]
Very Live Feel &mdash 12/11/05 - 09:51:32 AM
I don't know if I'd change a thing, I'd say it's the snare tone that gives it a
real live '60s feel.

[ Reply to This ]
7-8-7-8 &mdash 12/11/05 - 11:13:11 AM
Good feel to it and it will be interesting to hear how it sounds when it's
finished. The drums, as you say, are weak but that wasn't a huge
problem as they don't have to be that strong anyway.

[ Reply to This ]
bravo &mdash 12/11/05 - 01:08:29 PM
nice work composer!!!

[ Reply to This ]
Very open! &mdash 12/12/05 - 10:17:18 AM
Great feel! It's alive!

[ Reply to This ]
Twining string &mdash 12/13/05 - 06:00:42 AM
Bryan
This is a very interesting attempt.
I feel your talent.


[ Reply to This ]
Twining string &mdash 12/13/05 - 06:01:56 AM
Bryan
This is a very interesting attempt.
I feel your talent.


[ Reply to This ]
cool beans &mdash 12/13/05 - 05:12:38 PM
Hip, mod, and off the beaten path all at the same time. I love your characterization of "my crappy drum kit". I would like to hear the kick drum more, but the cymbol stuff you play does a great job of driving the rhythm.

The bass feels very real for something that was programmed. Kudos - every time I've tried to program bass in GB, it sounds like butt - I had to suck it up and go out and buy myself a bass instead.

I'm not sure if has a real "live" feel to it. I'd actually expect a little more reverb on the master track to give the ambiance of the room. Maybe a little hint of crowd noise through the recording - at the end it seems a bit abrupt. Not sure if it's "bopping' enough to be real bebop, but definitely has the fusion bit down.

The weird thing about this jam is that I kept almost expecting a crushingly heavy guitar to come in with some carny-esque Tool tom-fills. The overall rhythmic feel would work just as well with a prog rock song a la Lateralus.

Overall, I love the rhythmic feel, I just wish the drums were mixed to give a bit more snare and lot more kick. Your stuff is quickly zooming to the top of my favorites - interesting and introspective while also maintaining a very accessible feel.

Malachai

[ Reply to This ]
nice &mdash 12/14/05 - 08:57:42 AM
i don't care what the time signature of this is, it's cool.

if you want the signature to be emphasized, i wonder if it might be of
value to add even more emphasis to the 17th beat? would help bring
the ear back into time when you get lost in there.

i like the emphasis on the bassline - like i said in chat, it reminds me
of miles' pre-fusion stuff. would like to hear the piano a bit higher in
the mix, though - it's some good playing. makes me want to hear a
crazy solo!

my biggest problem with this i guess is that it isn't live... i feel that
jazz needs to be live - that's what gives it its real energy... put this on
a stage with a full ensemble and i'm sold!

[ Reply to This ]
Interesting stuff &mdash 12/14/05 - 10:00:00 AM
Very interesting, typical jazz style drumming - syncopated rhythms, lots of cymbal use. Being a drummer my self i loved the time sig. Great work

8 7 8 8

[ Reply to This ]
Your Opinion &mdash 12/14/05 - 10:00:53 AM
Would appreciate your opinion on "History Not Geography" and "Expedition" they're both african songs of mine.

[ Reply to This ]
OK, I admit... &mdash 12/16/05 - 07:05:20 AM
Jazz in eccentric meters usually brings me out in hives. But this really,
really works. There's something very human and organic about the way
you feel this circular, shifting rhythm - I think a lot to do with the fact
that you've left the drum and bass patterns in the really simple, making
sense of the signature. I'd also suggest that maybe kcsaito could make
something of this. I know he's another piano player, but I think he has
a great ear for jazz melody.

[ Reply to This ]
title &mdash 12/16/05 - 08:52:01 AM
Great piece, enjoyable even by itself. Can't wait to hear it with some
solos. The interesting thing would be to get a variety of different
approaches to the solos, i.e. instumentation and instrument, and see just
how different they are from one another.

[ Reply to This ]
neat &mdash 12/17/05 - 02:21:04 AM
interesting sound. crazy beat stuff

[ Reply to This ]
Wicked cool &mdash 12/18/05 - 04:24:32 PM
This is a great piece; it flows quite nicely and the production is superb. Very spacious - I especially love the piano. Like sitting in At My Place in Santa Monica with a martini and a huge stog. Beauty.

[ Reply to This ]
Very Herbie &mdash 12/23/05 - 01:47:35 PM
circa mid-late 1960's. Also reminiscent of some stuff 10 years ago by
Henry Threadgill's Very Very Circus.
Too bad all the midi saxes sound dodgy, you could put in a woodwind
section and maybe a trombone or two yourself.

[ Reply to This ]
Very Herbie &mdash 12/23/05 - 01:49:44 PM
I agree completely with what I wrote under my nom-de-loop Death Nougat.

---
Mungo

[ Reply to This ]
Bold..adventurous &mdash 01/02/06 - 11:43:57 AM
if I missed this song a few weeks ago, i must have been really out of the
loop. not much of a jazz afficionado here, but I can appreciate a great
piece of instrumental when i hear one, regardless of style...This is very
innovative.. and for me breaks some new ground in terms of
experimentation with sounds and arrangements... Very daring and bold in
approach without losing its grip on musical appeal...

[ Reply to This ]
Great ! &mdash 01/10/06 - 11:56:18 AM
Wow such a great job! Amazing live presense! Nice music too! Good
mood!

[ Reply to This ]
This is sweet &mdash 01/10/06 - 08:13:39 PM
Hey, this is an excellent porduction. I'm amazed at how identical it sounds
to a live performance.

[ Reply to This ]
Fine groove &mdash 02/17/06 - 07:47:12 PM
17 is pretty unusual, not? I once did 13.....

This flows remarkable well. Someone who wasn't paying attention could
just be nodding their head and never, eh, skip a beat.

Ok, the drums don't sound that great, but the piano and bass sound very
good. In all a fine piece.

[ Reply to This ]
Copyright 2008 Simig Media, Inc.