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Attribution
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Keywords:
opera (13), contemporary (23)
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Description:
I was going to name this Charon's Daughter, but it ended up sounding too much like a requiem. This is a collaboration between myself, TobinMueller (who helped me learn Live 4 in the process of putting this together and played keyboards), and the marvelous soprano Alessandra Zwegler. I'm on post-modern guitar (my Beefheart was eaten out long ago).
Maybe turn the track up louder. The track ended up too soft, I think. But I didn't want to compress the singer any more.
Lyrics:
You have to be dead to understand them.
Hardware:
Nails, pails and comet tails.
Some people wanted a lead guitar on the track but I said enough is enough. You can, if you want. I never played lead and am beyond rusty.
Software:
Live 4.1
iTunes LAME
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Adrift on the Styx &mdash 04/27/05 - 03:07:47 PM
The sounds evoke the bobbing back and forth of a boat,
and the mood is very haunting and ethereal. Everything
sounds very balanced and quality. I love this modern
opera stuff. Music without moorings, like stepping out of
life into the beyond. Very cool grooves. Very cool
experiment. Alessandra sounds great. Thanks for bring
these tracks to me to work on. I still hear an electric guitar
in there, tho. I like the effects you picked for the organ.
Fascinating track. [ Reply to This ]
Adrift on the Styx &mdash 04/27/05 - 07:13:57 PM
Thanks again for all your tips and tricks. And inspiration. And unobtrusive, elegant playing. Been wanting to get back into it. This was a departure for me but loads of fun. Live is a cool app. And macjams is such a cool place. Thanks for traveling across the river with me! [ Reply to This ]
Soprano &mdash 04/27/05 - 03:45:11 PM
Were parts of the soprano's part sped up for effect? If not,
she's got some great colouratura. (Well, it sounds like she
is talented, either way, but those little runs and trills are
very cool.) Interesting track. [ Reply to This ]
Soprano &mdash 04/27/05 - 07:23:16 PM
Aspects of the soprano line were altered to create some new notes, using Live's transposition tool. I was going for a Fifth Element effect. Since her line was what started the whole process, I realized after getting into a bit that I needed some more notes out of her. I then thought the synthetic vocal effect melded with Tobin's keyboards in this cool way, especially about two-thirds in. But she does have a great range even without me messing with her. [ Reply to This ]
Marvelous is the right word &mdash 04/27/05 - 09:16:38 PM
for the soprano (Zwegler), and for the piece. An intriguing
combination of sounds--modern, ancient,
oppressive, plaintive, intense...I have no idea how some of
this was done, but it was done well.
Very nice job to all involved. Downloaded. [ Reply to This ]
Marvelous is the right word &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:16:28 AM
Some of the things I did: I started with the melody, which is totally weird for
me, and built "backward." I played a single acoustic chord like a tolling bell
on the 1s, added chorus and reverb and harmonics. Layered bass and guitar
and experimented with effects and created loops in Live. Used some
percussion and some found sounds to create a loop to groove it. Sent the file
to TM and bugged him with questions. After several suggestions, cool organ
and keys, and draft cut-pastes, I added a couple of loops from the Internet
for color. I think I mixed and remixed just the final draft 8 times to get
something that was good enough to let me stop obsessing. Thanks for
listening. It still sounds creepy to me, which is a good sign. [ Reply to This ]
HOLY CRAP &mdash 04/28/05 - 12:46:37 AM
This one was a mindblower! What a collaboration.
Just love it, I do... the contrasting sounds of the
smacking beat paired with the operatic voice... the
slippery jigsaw way this has been crafted with such
attention to detail... and just the overall uniqueness
of all the sounds... You must have been working on
this one for a while, eh? Just waiting to release it
when it was good and ready... damn! This takes me
to strange places. [ Reply to This ]
HOLY CRAP &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:25:41 AM
Yeah, a while. Freaked out by how good some of the stuff is here. I was
gunna do some other stuff, when i was trying to learn these new computer
music apps, but then I heard the stuff on here one thought I better work a
little harder. I totally dig your stuff, by the way. You were the first guy I
studied here. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 04/28/05 - 02:28:03 PM
I don't know, man, if you keep making tunes like these I will be
"studying" you... [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 04/28/05 - 03:39:19 PM
Thanks &mdash 04/30/05 - 09:45:07 PM
Great sound collage! &mdash 04/28/05 - 01:00:56 AM
Very impressive mix of sounds...kind of reminds me a bit
of the Eno/Byrne collaboration 'My life in the bush of
ghosts'. Would like to have heard a bit less of the soprano
vocals though, I found them a bit distracting in places,
particularly when there are so many other more
interesting bits going on! Thanks for sharing this..
S [ Reply to This ]
Great sound collage! &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:30:23 AM
Thanks for the comments. My next tune will not feature a singer. But my
favorite moments in this are when it is mainly A singing, when it is thinner.
But, yeah, after working so hard on little sound things, too many get buried.
Kind of a drag. Way more fun listening to it as it grows. [ Reply to This ]
Other-ness &mdash 04/28/05 - 01:15:10 AM
Freakin nice! I enjoy the tension between the vocals and backing. They almost seem dissasociated at times. Great ambient textures, often straddling the line between music and sound effect. To be honest, my fingers were itching to get in there and pull some of the sounds around with reverb and motion in the stereo field. This piece evokes such a sense of surreal space that I think the production could do more to enhance it. Very original and creative! [ Reply to This ]
Other-ness &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:33:47 AM
Totally cool that you wanted to remix. Same thoughts occurred to me, but I
wanted it to stay kind of grounded. I was really thinking of making this an
Industrial Opera piece, but backed off some of the noises I had going. [ Reply to This ]
strangely soothing &mdash 04/28/05 - 01:29:20 AM
wonderfully soft, fuzzy field of sound-all of the electronic
notes seem to be blown across walls of sandpaper, or
something. especially enjoyed the percussion & minimal
synths, altho i think it could stand to be riddled with a few
more incidentals. the disturbingly beautiful vocals do a
great job of humanizing the piece [ Reply to This ]
strangely soothing &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:37:34 AM
There are some really cool effects in Live, and it can handle VST. I massaged
every track with at least something, and did try and create a sanded off feel,
to contrast it with the rounded vocals, although I didn't realize that was what
I was doing until I read your post! [ Reply to This ]
Good job man! &mdash 04/28/05 - 01:40:37 AM
This track amazes me. Yes, you read it right. Who would
have thought that singing off key would add to a mood?
This is just a medley of ecclectic sounds, all of which
seem to fit together in such a way that I want to go be all
mopey and do drugs. (I need music for that..)
Keep this up, and someone might send you a dollar. [ Reply to This ]
Good job man! &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:42:34 AM
I can send a PayPal link! Wanted the song to be like Odesseus and the Sirens,
but it was spookier than that so I went with Charon's Daughter until I realized
he never had one. Some of my favorite music makes me reach for a joint.
Totally great comment. [ Reply to This ]
Pick up StyX &mdash 04/28/05 - 08:43:26 AM
Totally weird and demented! Right up my alley.
Wow!
I liked this very much! More please.
DL/9s!!
[ Reply to This ]
Pick up StyX &mdash 04/28/05 - 03:46:38 PM
You must live in the alley behind the train station. You definitely take your
life in your own hands there. (What a weird expression for actually taking
risks that may end up handing your life over to someone else, in the dark.) I
wonder why people never see Lord Charon during near death experiences.
Well, they may hear A's voice at least. [ Reply to This ]
"A cup of pathos for legless mister..." &mdash 04/28/05 - 09:53:32 AM
Frist of all, yummy with a spoon.
Texturally tasty. Harmonically lush. Melodically miasmic.
"I laughed, I cried. It was better than 'Cats'."
Okay I didn't laugh, and not so much crying as wetting my
pants from fear.... But it was really better than 'Cats".
Loved this piece. I would like seconds please? More... or
I'm going to tell my mum.
And lest I forget. Your MaJams name is one of my
favorites. Sounds like a super hero for the freakish. [ Reply to This ]
"A cup of pathos for legless mister..." &mdash 04/28/05 - 03:55:50 PM
When I was little I used to run around in a white t-shirt with a purple magic
markered S and a black lightning bolt just behind it. I couldn't be superman,
since that was taken and kind of pastiche, and I liked the idea of Flash (if he
only used ray guns) better anyway. It had to start with an S, since the t-shirt
took me so long to make, so I used Spasmodic Man. It got such a great
reaction from my dad, I thought it must be totally cool. I still dream of the
video game in my honor. [ Reply to This ]
OK, I'm Annoyed &mdash 04/28/05 - 03:45:49 PM
What other songs have you been holding out on us?
Cough 'em up, man.
Excellent work here.
This is inspiring and other-worldly. [ Reply to This ]
OK, I'm Annoyed &mdash 04/28/05 - 03:48:20 PM
I'm less annoyed, of course, if you're a more regular artist here doing this
under a pseudonym. :) But still, more stuff like this is needed.
---
Mungo [ Reply to This ]
very cool &mdash 04/28/05 - 04:00:17 PM
one of the most interesting tarcks i've heard since i
got the new mars volta record. the soundscape
you've created here is impressive. thought the mix
was very cool, i especially liked that, as important as
they are, the vox aren't pushed too high. great job. [ Reply to This ]
very cool &mdash 05/01/05 - 07:26:33 PM
Mars Volta. Wow. I wish. That would be a dream. Thanks for the
compliment. The kind comments for this track helped give me confidence to
start another. Now the expectations worry me yet again. Oh, hell, give me
those headphones... Mars Volta, too cool. [ Reply to This ]
Cool and creative &mdash 04/28/05 - 04:24:37 PM
I always like the exploration of the 'classical' voice with other genres and experimental soundscapes, so this was a very welcome composition to listen to!
Kudos to all involved. :)
[ Reply to This ]
Cool and creative &mdash 05/11/05 - 04:39:05 AM
Love your voice. Thanks for your comments. It'd be cool to do something
with you too. Collaborations are a whole new world. [ Reply to This ]
Amazing &mdash 04/28/05 - 04:34:19 PM
Very haunting composition and very professionally
performed and produced. Makes me feel like a rank
amateur. Oooh, I am a rank amateur! More! [ Reply to This ]
From reading your comments &mdash 04/28/05 - 05:09:48 PM
it sounds like you're thrilled to be back making music.
Can wait to here your next creation. Oh, and sorry this is a
little too mainstream for my taste... Just kidding. [ Reply to This ]
Modern opera &mdash 05/04/05 - 06:21:12 AM
I hear the Fifth Element influence. All the low notes sound
real, and the high notes, especially those first ones, have a
pure instrumental sound. There are a few notes after
half-way that sound synthetic, but that only adds to the
mood, never detracts. Truly fascinating. [ Reply to This ]
Modern opera &mdash 05/09/05 - 12:24:58 PM
yeah, this also reminded me of the tune the blue alien sings in The Fifth
Element but this tune is WAY cooler... [ Reply to This ]
Modern opera &mdash 05/10/05 - 06:30:22 AM
Thanks. It was what I was going for, Blue Woman with Less Pop. Still, I dug
her look. [ Reply to This ]
Very Experimental &mdash 01/18/06 - 08:39:13 PM
You've inspired me to go down this route again. Perhaps I'll
continue the "Ersatz Prunes" series begun in my university days.
It's great therapy. Now that I see there's an audience, it's on.
Instead of compressing sound to maximize loudnes, you can also
use the limiter on the master track. [ Reply to This ]
Cold as hell &mdash 01/26/06 - 09:15:07 AM
Freaky, cool, nightmarish, otherworldly. How do you think up this stuff? [ Reply to This ]
I love. . . &mdash 01/26/06 - 11:01:36 PM
the glitchy drums, but some of the synth levels (especially the swells in
the first part of the song) seem a little too loud. The synths attack too
hard, drown the nifty percussion and vocals too often. Maybe notch the
whole recording back a couple clicks. I think the whole track is great
idea and well put together over all. Keep it up! [ Reply to This ]
hmmm... &mdash 02/06/06 - 09:52:33 PM
funky sounding, but I was in a classical mood. I didnt like that along with the soprano. [ Reply to This ]
... &mdash 03/30/07 - 05:03:24 PM
it does have this 5th element thing going on: with the
soprano and surreal backing and I liked that alot, scrares the doo doo out of me anyway. Great mix. Lead guitar? really? where? [ Reply to This ]
Nice find! &mdash 04/14/08 - 12:58:29 AM
This is amazing on so many levels. 2:06 I experienced chills. The vocals are surreal...
Loved this.
C. [ Reply to This ]
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and the mood is very haunting and ethereal. Everything
sounds very balanced and quality. I love this modern
opera stuff. Music without moorings, like stepping out of
life into the beyond. Very cool grooves. Very cool
experiment. Alessandra sounds great. Thanks for bring
these tracks to me to work on. I still hear an electric guitar
in there, tho. I like the effects you picked for the organ.
Fascinating track.
[ Reply to This ]