Category Archives: Music Sound Noise Audio

CeMeGo… Another Round (2nd Solo Album)

This is my second solo album. This collects everything I’ve done throughout the “year of personal hell” known as 2017.  This collection includes use of the Novation Launchpad.  I really tried to work more with phrasing (probably too much) where everything is more structured and looped.  This probably makes things more cold and clinical, but you have to learn sometime.  There is one long track that was a jam session with little planning (Track 13-Air Head Full of Fluff).  Everything else was looped, overdubbed, or (vaguely) planned with soloing on top.  Some tracks were never posted on this blog (marked with an *).  This, of course, is to gyp listeners into downloading an album of tracks to hear 3 for the first time.  Here’s the run down/liner notes.

  1. Waiting on Hold for Bob* (1:05) This was literally slapped together while waiting on hold with Bob who was talking with his mom on the other line (as usual).  One piano loop and pointlessly pounding away in real time over top.
  2. For Another Day (4:07) I am most proud of this sound for the big “Trevor Horn sounding” bridge in the middle.  Yes, for you local folks, that is an audio sample of the WTOP traffic report for DC mixed in there.  Further write up located here.
  3. Crunch Numbers (2:47) Write up located here.
  4. Bright and Fast* (5:23) Every type of metallic percussion (that I liked) was used to make loops on this one including glockenspiels, xylophones, vibraphones, and marimbas.  I had a lot of fun programming the drum patterns.  I probably went a little overboard with most of it.
  5. Get it Right (2:27) Write up located here.
  6. Atmosthing (4:10) Write up located here.
  7. Holdsworthian (4:35) Write up located here.  (RIP Allan Holdsworth).
  8. Phone Waves (3:59) Write up located here.
  9. Pianosplosion (4:43) Write up located here.
  10. Political Optics (I Don’t Apologize For It) (3:37) Write up located here.
  11. No Driver No Problem (3:35) Write up located here.
  12. Volcanoid (5:18) Write up located here.
  13. Air Head Full of Fluff (12:52) This is the long jam session.  Write up located here.
  14. The Warfare* (3:50) This is the last track to be made for this album.  It started on Veterans Day 2017.  I finished it today (Dec 23, 2017).  The spoken samples are a half speed recording of Jim Bakker talking about how people are trying to kill him because he’s “preaching the word of God”.  I think it’s because he’s a felon manipulating the minds of the poor and desperate people who tune into his show to be exposed to horrific fears of a false prophecy.  Either way, he is fun to audibly abuse.  He sounds drunk at half speed.

Here’s the 59 meg zip file of all the tracks and the cover!  Enjoy!

As always, maximum enjoyment can be achieved by listening in a car or in headphones.

FYI:  The first solo album “Cemego… It Alone” can be found here.

And just for a peek into my sordid life, here’s a picture of the stuff that makes all this magic possible.

The rig

4 Minutes of Phone Ambience

Had the start of this laying around on the hard drive for months. It was improvised with no clicks (BPM setting). The phone beep/rhythm was done on the Kaossilator pro first live with fingers (no real looping). The strings were made with the MicroKorg. I added the upright bass, some “angelic” type synth vamp and, one of my favorite things, far away piano. Put a few little phasing effects on a few things (including the upright bass) so it travels around the speakers. Suddenly it was BOOM! MAGIC!

Hope you enjoy and it puts you in another place.

Guest Parking (with CHOB)

Nice parking, man!!!

Here’s a song for something we all know.  It’s a  song about parking, traffic, and driving.  Bob doesn’t know what an Oxford comma is but he will learn someday.  Maybe after 10 minutes of listening to Guest Parking?  Maybe you can learn something toe?

Hope you like it.  Use headphones!

NEW!Completely jive and pointless lyrics below!NEW!

Now the next step is picking a spot for parking
So lets pick a spot first
Lets say we want to park here
So whatever spot you pick for parking
You want to count that spot as number
ONE.
Then you drive forward to the next spot
And count that spot as number
TWO.
Then you drive up one more spot
And count that spot as number
THREE.
Don’t worry I’m not gonna take you back to kindergarten
And make you count up to
HUNDRED.
Fa fa fa fa…
After printing this parking permit
please make sure it is displayed
in the front dashboard
of your guest vehicle.
All guest parking is
located on the 4th floor
marked with “visitor”.
Guests that park in any other spaces
may be towed.
If you need to make changes to
your reservation or
you have any questions
please contact ussssss.
Parking is at your own
risk.
Management is not
responsible
For theft or damage to
vehicle.
Valid for 24 hours
only.
All guest parking is located
on the 4th floor
and marked with “visitor.”
Guests that park in any other spaces
may be
towed.
May be
towed.
For now we’ll stop
HERE.

Selfish Political Optics (I Don’t Apologize For It)

A new hit! Guest starring (or like the hip hop people say “feat.”) Chris Christie and drums by Rush’s Neil Peart!

You gotta love a hated politician that doesn’t give a shit about his constituents.  And the funny part is, people are RAGING about him lately, but, if you aren’t completely politically myopic, you could see this in his behavior since he was first elected.  I guess the republicans in New Jersey are completely idiotic, until crap like this is brazenly shoved down their throat in the media.

Either way, this song is HERE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND the man and the SELFISH EGO that is Chris Christie.  Let us all hope after this, he just GOES AWAY!!!

Created this with:

  • Korg Volca bass
  • Korg Volca Keys
  • Korg MiniKP(red box)
  • Korg MicroKorg
  • Ableton Live
  • Adobe Audition
  • Audacity
  • Novation Launchpad
  • A sampled drum fill from Rush’s track “Red Lenses” (from the “Grace Under Pressure” album)

This took about 4 hours to do.  This was tons of fun.  Listen in headphones “cause they’re really gonna help you on this one…”

So How Is The Job Hunt Going?

A listing for a technical writer position came up in Rockville. SIX different “recruiters” called me for it.

  • All offering different lengths of contract.
  • Some showed a salary range and some didn’t.
  • Some of them called BEFORE sending a job description i.e., “cold called.”
  • 3 left a message.

This was the one that I could understand the most. This is an example of one of the “great” recruiters in “America” that are the “Warriors of My Future” who will save me from homelessness in this “great” nation. These are the people who control my future and destiny and stand between me and that all so important encompassing enthralling career move that will change my life and make things better for me.

Let’s just listen to the magic and hope for my future.

Think I have any hope? At all?

Do you have a clearer understanding of my “attitude”?

I get this at a rate between 6-12 interactions a day. I’ve had these and answered them and tried to work with them now for 7 months. Do you think these are actual jobs? Any thoughts at all about this would be interesting from anyone. I’ve already emailed 2 congressman about this with no responses.

All I can say is WHAT THE HELL?!?!

UPDATE: I just had a job description that asked if “Any time planned off next few months (Dr appointments, Vacations, etc.)? ”

I replied with “I may get sick. I am human. I do not “need” a vacation ever, but it may be difficult to come to work constantly with no time away. Once again, I am human.”

Volcanoid

Korg Volca Bass, Keys, & Beats

I was in the mood to mess with my much neglected Korg Volca Bass, Keys & Beats synthesizer/sequencers. I needed more analog in my life I guess. So I did this stupid mindless jam on the Volcas then augmented it with some MicroKorg solos and some Ableton MIDI sounds. I even looped some MicroKorg into the Korg Kaossilator. If all this sounds confusing, it is probably because it was. The whole thing is a mess but it was fun to do. This was done at 110 bpm (like that matters).

Enjoy Volcanoid !!!
(as always this is best in headphones or in a car).

EXCEPTIONAL REMIX !!!


WHAT A MESS!!! Many people have said, to mix up the thing or things.

So they say, “OH NO! He’s mixing things up again!” Because, you know, thats what they say. And I mean that, believe me!

SAD!

But we DID mix it up anyways, because, ya know, I thought it was good and smart and talented and successful. Full of common sense. Strong, passionate, powerful, and with great verve. A TRUE PATRIOT !!

NOT PARTICULARLY EXCEPTIONAL !!!


THIS, I can tell you, the very poorly educated individual, or individuals, behind this disaster will be prosecuted.

JAIL!

BELIEVE ME !!!

EXCEPTIONAL !!!

THIS is ONE EXCEPTIONAL CAKE !!!
MOST PEOPLE are telling me THIS track IS THE BEST SONG IN THE WORLD. And I personally, can tell you, that THIS IS TRULY….EXCEPTIONAL !!!

RIP Allan Holdsworth (1946-2017)

One of the few guitarists names that have dropped out of my mouth immediately when discussing guitar playing of any kind.

Allan Holdsworth passed away Saturday, April 15, 2017.

I’ve been having a time with it, as I really love his music. It’s not so much that he is a guitarist of unequaled skill and unique sound, but the way he structures chords and writes music is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. I have always thought it sounded pleasing to the ear, but not normal. It is complex but catchy. It was pleasant but warped. He managed to keep things upbeat and twisted at the same time. Whether with any random number of guest singers (all who are talented in their own right to even try singing Holdsworth’s music), or just instrumental, his music always seemed perfectly unique in quality.

YOU KNOW when you hear Holdsworth play, but when you hear him WRITE its a completely unique experience that just pulls on the ear.

This is possibly my favorite Holdsworth song (which is difficult to say) but its the one that stays in my head for reasons I cannot explain in ANY way.

Notice the way the chords and tune of the song slide along in a pleasant and almost sour tone with a stumbling but consistent rhythm. This is his style. It’s like a roller coaster that is happy it just found out how to go upside down. HA! Just amazing. His genius will be missed.

Here’s another all time favorite that he co-wrote with the band U.K. (with John Wetton on vocals/bass, Bill Bruford on drums, Eddie Jobson on keyboard/violin). This whole song from beginning to end is just polluted with Holdsworth writing style. Also, the late great John Wetton will be missed as well (cannot be stated enough, the Don Pardo of Prog Rock).

Even if you only listen to the last half of UK-Nevermore, you will be amazed. It is just THE SOUND of Progressive Rock, without question. Holdsworth was a key to this.

ALL CHANGE !!!

Now the fun part…

I stole a chord from a song off of his album Atavachron (the song is “Looking Glass”) and I contorted my inexperienced fingers on a MIDI keyboard and played the chord and messed with it rhythmically and loop’ily. I made this thing.

This is Holdsworthian2. I would never even THINK of saying it was a tribute, but I’ve been listening to him a lot and this happened. Think of it what you want, but I don’t think I’m done yet. I wanna tweak it more.