October Rain v3

Doug Somers

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Description

Here's a change of pace again. October can have a lot of light rain showers that seem to pass by with the ever changing clouds. It's not the heavy downpour of the summer thunderstorms, being more gentle, and often with bright moments during the course of a shower where the sun almost can shine through a break in the clouds. Water drips from branches and the eaves of roofs, soaking into the green grass below.

When composing this piece I found that it could have used a sax riffing over the middle section however I don't play that instrument and the synth doesn't cut it. A guitar solo might also work. If anyone is inspired to have a go I'm quite open to collaborating.

Version 3 has been updated to clarify a few instruments in the mix.

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Song Stats

Hits: 1978
Comments: 24
Fans: 6
Plays: 182
Downloads: 155
Votes: 4
Uploaded: Oct 21, 2007 - 09:32:41 AM
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2007 - 09:32:41 AM Last Played: Apr 20, 2013 - 11:36:14 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Keywords:

rain (138), smooth (117), jazz (819), bossa nova (16), samba (18)

Hardware:

MacBook Pro

Software:

Comments

musichead	musichead said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)
	nice Id like to know what instruments you are playing here. a great feel the pizz's on the strings is a nice touch. To me and this is just me,,Bacharach comes to mind here. very nice genre!!! Check out my latest song called Attack of the Media

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)

Thanks Steve
I appreciate you stopping by and leaving your comments. Burt Bacharach is certainly showing up in the influences to this tune. There is also a bit of Andre Gagnon, a touch of some Pat Metheny Group and a smidge of Dave Grusin too. The instruments were all software, and I used a combination of stuff I entered by hand and of course loops. So, in a sense I don't play anything live on this piece. I haven't got a mike, and the one I have used in the past is in my son's set-up. I hope to borrow it back soon though as there are some Celtic pieces I want to record.

Keep well, and thanks again,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)

Rich Textures
...wow, I swear I can smell the rain as it comes down through the leaves. Beautiful feel and evocative state of mind. Simple, spare melody lines that form a startlingly lush atmosphere that in turn paints vivid pictures of dark skies streaked with touches of sun, and eveywhere this gentle rain.

Gonna go walkin' through the Stittsville flea market, feel the rain and poke through the treasures. Hey, it's Sunday!

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)

Hi Rik!
Not many from outside Ottawa know about the 'famous' Flea Market! (alas it is now a mere shadow of its former glory). I'm so glad you enjoyed the piece and that it evoked a pleasant scene for you. The simple melody is one that came easily, however I found this piece the most difficult I have created so far. I wanted to break out of the repetitive chord pattern and the piece just didn't want to go there! Instead it wanted to kind of dance and play with small variations on the melody and countermelodies.

Thanks again for stopping by and for your kind remarks!
Keep well,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

peacepiano	peacepiano said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)
	Almost Classical The way you have structured this song, it is almost in the classical genre. The melody is beautiful and you use it well with your choice of instruments. Thanks Bill Check out my latest song called Sex tet

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)

Bill,
I hadn't thought of this piece as having a classical structure but you never know what will sneak out of the old grey matter and onto the keyboard! I certainly agree that the ending is rather classical sounding (and the more I hear it now the more I want to shorten it to a snappier close - maybe someday).

Thanks for your very kind remarks, and for listening!
Keep well!
Doug

PS - for some reason the comment originally intended for Rik ended up below. Maybe finger trouble...

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)
	Or is that ended up above? Rats.... Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Feter	Feter said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)
	October Rain I can see this piece is a live song anyone can share its a song of life and rain ..its absolutly a gem my friend ..welldone !! Check out my latest song called Roll with it

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 2037 days ago (October 21st, 2007)
	Hey Feter! Great to have you stop by! Rain and life... life and rain. They are pretty entwined, no? Thanks so much for your very kind comments, and please keep well my friend! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Mystified

Mystified said 2036 days ago (October 23rd, 2007)

a sparkling, fresh rain...
This piece is so joyous, sparkling and glittering! (So different from my own somber tones!)

I really enjoy the verve and vitality in this composition. A sense of celebration, too.
I can just see the sunlight gleaming gold upon the raindrops that have settled upon the autumn leaves.

Joyous and beautiful! :)
Thank you!

Check out my latest song called the snowflake dances

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2034 days ago (October 24th, 2007)

That is so sweet
of you to say so. Yes, this is a playful kind of piece that revels in the joy of gentle rain, cloud, sunshine, and all life outside - just as they are. Of course, somber wouldn't be somber without joyous and vice versa. And personally, I love the diversity! Your music, as with that of others on MJ, has been very influential to me and touches me deeply. Thank you for that and for your very kind remarks.

Keep well,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

	said 2035 days ago (October 23rd, 2007)
	Ahhhhhh.... What a pleasure to listen to after shredding my ears all day trying to mix my latest rocker. A truly soothing sonic balm Doug. Beat skips along joyfully. Lovely arrangement. Good choice of instruments...and the nature sounds are blended in quite well. Abrupt ending caught me off guard, but overall I really enjoyed this one. Be well!

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2034 days ago (October 24th, 2007)

Hey Michael
Nice to hear from you and thanks for your comments. At some point I too might lay down a rocker (that would be cool) but for now the tunes arising are taking other forms.

The instrumentation was calling for staccato sounds for the drops (piano, dulcimer, pizz. strings) and the slower changing strings, solo cello, oboe, and synth to represent the changing light, clouds and breeze. I have also had this bossa nova beat banging around in the back of my mind for a while and it finally emerged on this piece.

I find it quite funny how aspects of a composition come together - for me it is never a very detailed plan. It's more like dumping a bunch of lego on a table and starting to build something with only the vaguest sense at the outset what that might be.

I laughed about your comment about the ending as I think it is still too long and I was going to cut it shorter. In any case, I'm in no hurry to do a remix so it will likely not get any more abrupt!

Thanks again, and
Keep well,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Moviz	Moviz said 2035 days ago (October 23rd, 2007)
	This is really nice and fresh and to me it's an October answer to " There's a Summer Place' from the 70's if you can remember that. This also like that song, could stand the test of time. Lovely listening, no need to change a thing for me, M Check out my latest song called Shine Your Light

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2034 days ago (October 24th, 2007)

Hello Maurice
Thank you for your thoughtful comments - I'm glad you think this piece has staying power!

If you mean "Theme from a Summer Place" by Percy Faith (and re-recorded by a zillion others) then yes, I know it well. I don't think that October Rain is quite up to that league (but kind of you to draw the comparison!) I agree that both do evoke a sense of season in an easy, lyrical and upbeat way.

Thanks again for stopping by.

Cheers mate,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

	said 2033 days ago (October 25th, 2007)
	Nice Very catchy and lingering, a nice produced song very clean and wonderful!

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 2033 days ago (October 25th, 2007)
	Hey thanks for the supportive comments! This work seems a fair stretch from most of your territory and I'm glad you came by for a listen. (in fact, October Rain is more like something my parents would listen to, but....that's how it came out!) You've provided me a reminder to pop over and see what you've been up to. Keep well! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

	said 2032 days ago (October 26th, 2007)
	La pluie Belle musique , melodique et calme , bravo ! .

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 2032 days ago (October 26th, 2007)
	Merci monsieur Vous etes tres gentil! J'espere de composer avec un coeur sensible et manifeste. Merci encore, Doug (et pardonnez-moi pour les accents qui manque.) Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Scott Carmichael	Scott Carmichael said 2032 days ago (October 26th, 2007)
	that dripping percusion is perfect... this is quality stuff... and your production really shines... what did you use for bass... it sounds like synth... but the way you' ve played it really sounds like real player choices.. very good work Scott Check out my latest song called Dogwood

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 2032 days ago (October 27th, 2007)

Hi Scott
Thanks for your very kind and encouraging remarks. I am so glad you liked the piece!

Thanks for noticing the bass, which was worked on more than I usually do. I did use loops for the bass - Laid Back Jazz Bass - however I went through and ordered them in a way that was intended to sound as un-loopy as I could get while still trying to sound like it had a natural 'live player' flow to it. I think they are in sets of 16 bar segments that do get re-used but with enough variation that it seems to work.

Thanks again for stopping by, and keep well,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 1942 days ago (January 24th, 2008)
	Great Great effects here, Doug. An enjoyable listen. Lots of very believable instrument sounds and performances, especially the cello. The acoustic guitar towards the end is especially effective. Check out my latest song called Woodwind Family Song

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 1938 days ago (January 28th, 2008)

Hi John
Thanks for stopping by and having a listen. I appreciate your comments about the instrumentation which was fun to put together but left me a little disappointed about the quality of some of the sounds. I plan to re-work this with some of the new sample packages I have bought so stay tuned. The guitar bits did sound OK and in fact the ending of this piece is the part I like best.

Thanks again!

Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

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Artist Info

Name: Doug Somers
Location: Ottawa Ontario Canada

I make music for pleasure, usually using a computer to create soundscapes around all kinds of music. I used to jam with a local celtic group, playing bodhran and 12 string guitar, but I find that my technical and live performance skills fall short o... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

Smooth jazz is generally described as a genre of music that utilizes instruments (and, at times, improvisation) traditionally associated with jazz and stylistic influences drawn from, among other sources, funk, pop and R&B. Since the late 1980s, it h

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