Version galore!

One of the weird things about this whole project is that I'm pretty much a month ahead of my "audience" all time. I just released this month's song but I'm already deep into thinking about/planning the song for June 1st.

I really like the song I have planned for June as well. Totally different from last month's song. One of the other thing that makes it different is that I consider it a "version". So far I've released several sample based songs and one original. This next song is different. In many ways it's based on reggae versions of rhythms. It's not a cover version. But it uses the music of a famous song with very different lyrics. Maybe it is sort of like "The Hate Song" in that way? But I think it's an even more extreme example. "The Hate Song" had a very different sound from the original because of the bass and guitar parts. Next month's song keeps the sound of the original but changes around the lyrics. That's what makes it a "version" in my mind.

A legacy

Two different friends have died in the past month. It was sort of strange to take a couple of emails off the mailing list at the beginning of the month.

Last night I was talking to a coworker about "modern" deaths. How often it seems people end up putting up some sort of website that becomes a virtual morning area to share stories and pix, etc. I was saying that I thought it was sort of a cool use of technology and the web. A great way for people across long distanced to connect and share thoughts. Just what the web is for. It also ends up leaving a site that is sort of a legacy to that person. One of my friends who passed away kept a blog about the experience. It was sort of sad to see her stop posting after awhile knowing that the end was near.

Then it sort of hit me this morning. The Pudge Song of The Month will be a nice online/virtual legacy that will remain after I pass away someday. What a morbid thought. I hope I can contribute songs each month for years to come so I have a huge legacy that remains.

The Pudge Song of the Month for May

It hit me the other day that I should probably go ahead and post the song of the month each month on the blog as well. Hit it from all angles. Perhaps there are a few people out there that have stumbled across the blog but don't know about the actual website? In any case here is the song of the month for May.

http://www.pudgenoise.com/may.html
http://www.pudgenoise.com/DeadPope.mp3

I was going to send out the email yesterday but it hit me at a certain point. I could wait one more day and release it on a Sunday. For some reason it seemed more "appropriate" for some reason. :-)

I hope I don't offend too many people. I really like the song a LOT! and I also know that next month's song is going to be a "nice" song. So my karma will all even out in the end.

Return of the Minutemen

I spent about six hours yesterday mixing the new song. And the song is only 56 seconds long! There's some dedication to the craft there eh? I think it sounds awesome though. The guitars are crunchy and loud and awesome and it freakin rocks. All the web pages are good to go. Tomorrow is May 1st so I'll upload everything sometime tomorrow and send out the monthly email.

Three months down and it's all good so far!

Mixing is an interesting process...

I'm taking a quick break while I'm in the middle of mixing down the latest song.

One of the things I do each month is take the time to go through each track, remove the noise from the beginning, and put in nice fades at the end of each track. make it sound as clean and nice as I can. (although sometimes I also love what I find in the background and leave it in on purpose)

This month I thought I would spend the extra time to really go through each track one by one and really get them to "sound" right. Make sure the levels weren't peaking out and distorted. Check out the different sounds for the guitars and vocals. Use the built in EQ to really make each track sound really nice.

So I just spent the last two hours going through track by track and doing this. I made the guitars sound awesome and crisp and sharp. I made the vocals stand out a little more. I really balanced the tracks and made sure nothing was distorted. It sounded great in Garageband when I listened to it really loud. When I transfered it over to iTunes it didn't sound as good for some reason. It may have been just volume but it just didn't sound as good as I remembered it. Everything is really clear and crisp and separated. One the one hand it sounds great. but it seemed to be missing something...

So then I listen to the mix I had before I did all the tinkering this morning. and it sounds great! I thought it sounded better to be honest. It's distorted and ugly sounding. I think I made the song sound too "nice"! Now I'm not sure what to do... I'm going to listen to the various mixes with a clear mind and try to figure out a plan... What I might do next is take the original "dirty" version and at least clean up the tracks at the beginning and ends but otherwise leave it the same and see what I think. Compare the two... maybe try to figure out how to make a compromise mix between the two?

I'm really glad I saved the original version before I started doing all the mixing stuff I did this morning.

Noise annoys!

So I finished up all the web pages and everything is pretty much ready to go.

but I wanted to spend some time today working on the vocal tracks. I think they're fine the way they are but I thought I would see if I could do them even better. improve on them. but first I needed to do a few chores.

So I loaded up the dishwasher and started the washing machine and finally was able to sit down and work on some music. I set up my computer and mixing board and plugged in my mic. I put the headphones on and realized that I could hear the washer and dryer running in the background.

crap! It hadn't occurred to me that the washer and dryer were on the other side of the basement from where I work on music!

thank god I have all day off on Thursday. It really shouldn't take me long to work on the vocal tracks. gee wiz. do real "rock stars" have to put up with this?!

Punk Rock

I actually really love "Dead Pope" and I'm really looking forward to releasing it on May 1st.

While "The Hate Song" was a deliberate attempt to write a "pop" song, "Dead Pope" was my attempt to write a spot on straight edge punk song. I think it sounds totally like something that could have come out in the classic punk period of the late 70's. Very much inspired by the Clash.

To be honest I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. If I had it in me. But I think it turned out fantastic if I may say so myself. It's weird for me to really like my songs like this. Usually I'm more full of self doubt. but I love this song...