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Description:
I wanted to do a song that didn't sound anything like me. Just a total departure, including -- especially! -- the sound of my voice. So I imagined how I would sound and feel were I a small child, alone in the dark, huddling in the corner wondering where everyone was. I tried to capture that innocent voice (and no way could I use my naturally throaty, low vocals for that). This is another of my improvised songs -- no lyrics or melody in my head. I just started singing. There is a point where my voice breaks with emotion, so I left that in, feeling that it was true to the character I was singing. My intent was to capture a mood. Let me know what you think.
Lyrics:
Isolation
©Copright December 2004 Joanna Sandsmark
There's nobody here
I'm all alone
There's nobody here
I'm all alone
I'm searching for
Someone to
Open up a door
But I'm all alone
I'm all alone
I wish I knew
Where everyone had gone
Wish I knew
There's nobody here
I'm all alone
There's nobody here
To answer me
I wonder where they've gone
I ask the darkness
Ask the corners
Ask, but never hear
Echoes
Silent echoes
There's nobody here
I'm all alone
Alone.
Hardware:
eMac, Shure SM58 microphone
Software:
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Wow! &mdash 01/01/05 - 04:26:08 PM
Wow! &mdash 01/01/05 - 04:47:12 PM
Broadway, LOOK OUT! &mdash 01/01/05 - 05:42:08 PM
This could be adapted for theatre, Joanna. A one woman
(child) show. It has an edgey, dark, but "alive" feel. I see
your talent for voice manipulation. Very nice indeed. I
believe you succeeded with your intent. [ Reply to This ]
Broadway, LOOK OUT! &mdash 01/01/05 - 06:03:20 PM
Thank you, Alimar! It's funny, but a friend of mine heard it and told me it
sounded like a show tune. Since I'm a big fan of musical theatre, it made a
certain kind of sense.
I really appreciate your kind words, Alimar -- thank you so much! [ Reply to This ]
is...that...you? &mdash 01/01/05 - 08:45:33 PM
I love the fact that you are experimenting with your
voice! I almost didn't recognize you. This one was
very curious... childlike, in a way, but could also be a
lonely old woman... I like the simple percussion,
tinkling piano and did I hear background flutes?
Almiar is right, this sounds like a song from a
theater production. [ Reply to This ]
is...that...you? &mdash 01/01/05 - 09:37:40 PM
You have a great ear, SN! That is a flute. I put it at an extremely low volume.
Its purpose was to create mood, not call attention to itself. The percussion is
a shaker and a tambourine (drums sounded too harsh). Then I grabbed the
tambourine loop and plopped it into a flute track. It was a really interesting
sound. I then grabbed those slightly disphonic, but very rhythmic, notes and
duped them, slipping them up and down the scale within the flute, creating a
somewhat unnerving, but very quiet, undertone to the piano. [ Reply to This ]
sad, beautiful &mdash 01/03/05 - 12:18:30 AM
very well done. i really like the subtle instruments & lower
volumes-they seem to draw the listener in & capture
attention. i also liked the work with the echoes here &
there. keep experimenting! [ Reply to This ]
sad, beautiful &mdash 01/03/05 - 01:52:28 AM
Thank you, _nder! I learn something new with every song. I'd never put a
percussion loop in an instrument track before, and I'd never thought to use
that really low volume, either. Playing with GarageBand is a blast! [ Reply to This ]
imaginative and new &mdash 01/03/05 - 10:41:24 AM
I like what you did with your voice on this song very much,
although some of the end sounded a bit strained and out-
of-tune. Maybe you were going for that child-like quality?
Even so, you might want to hone in on the intonation.
I understand that you wanted to have your voice be the
prominent ingredient in this song, having the instruments
more in the background. But I think you went too far with
this; the piano part is very interesting and I would have
liked to hear it better. The flute as well. Maybe split the
difference?
I think this song has a lot of potential and hope that you
develop and refine it more!
[ Reply to This ]
imaginative and new &mdash 01/03/05 - 09:10:14 PM
Cameron, some good suggestions. I may try to re-record this one and see
what happens. I did lose some volume on the piano and flute when I mixed it
down to an MP3 (they were more prominant in the GB file). If I redo it, I'll
compensate for that. Thank you! [ Reply to This ]
Whimsey &mdash 01/03/05 - 02:38:29 PM
I liked this piece quite a bit, I just wich that the
istrumentation had a bit more whimsy to it. The vocals
are so child like, but the piano felt very mature to me,
buthe flute help out with that a lot. [ Reply to This ]
Whimsey &mdash 01/03/05 - 09:12:32 PM
Iseae - I understand what you mean about the piano. If I could play piano, I'd
be able to do something about that. Unfortunately, at this time, I'm bound by
what loops I can find. Perhaps if I upped the volume on the flute just a bit, it
might help that problem.
Thank you for listening! [ Reply to This ]
Itty bitty Joanna &mdash 01/04/05 - 12:00:31 AM
Of course, I'd like to know how Skipper was able to vote 5
times, giving you a "1" and a "0"... jus' kiddin' :P
I like it, real potential here... there, oddly enough, was just
one thing I wanted to hear, but it's more an idea than a
criticism. It would've been very cool if you began to use
the echo of yourself to harmonize, kinda' like some old
Queen songs. Just lends itself well to the concept.
Other than that, cute, sad song with a nice different flavor
of your voice. Couple of cracks, but it works well, like a
child's voice cracking. [ Reply to This ]
Itty bitty Joanna &mdash 01/04/05 - 12:15:08 AM
Ooh, interesting idea. So the echo would actually be two voices in harmony?
Is that what you mean? Or just one voice with a harmonizing line? I'm
beginning to think I should redo this song, incorporating some of these
suggestions. Take it out of the improv mode and finalize it. Truth is, I hadn't
expected anyone to like this song. It was just an experiment. But it's gotten
much more positive reaction than I expected. Might be worth working on a bit
more. [ Reply to This ]
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