#i fingerpicked the melody first on guitar

[animalfluidz]

a quick lil beat i made bc i was feelin kinda sad

[inner--islands]

Interview with Golden Brown (December 2023)

Golden Brown is the work of Stefan Beck. This year, on Inner Islands, he released Weird Choices back in February and Wide Ranging Rider in September. Here we get to hear more about his creative practice and other musical endeavors from this year.

1. What are some recent inspirations?

I was lucky enough recently to see Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain, and Rakesh Chaurasia play live. It was an absolutely mind blowing performance that I'll carry with me for a long time. Their album As We Speak has been a favorite of mine this year and it was such a treat to see this music live. Four brilliant musicians playing acoustic instruments, they create this amazing sound that is somehow greater than the sum of its parts, even though they are all absolute masters of their instruments. Zakir Hussain is a mad genius of rhythm and the most melody forward percussionist I have ever seen live.

2. You have been playing live a fair bit this year. How has it been translating your pieces into the live realm? Do you take a different approach from the studio versions?

It's been fun trying different approaches with live versions of songs. They do usually take on a different character than the recorded versions. With some of the Wide Ranging Rider songs, this has involved changing from acoustic to electric guitar and incorporating some effects. A few times I've experimented with weaving a few songs into a flowing suite if they are all in the same key/tuning. I try to do things a little differently each time, improvising and changing arrangements. One of my favorite gigs this year was opening for the River Arkansas at the Fox Theater in Boulder. I was lucky enough to have my friends Macon and Robin from the River Arkansas play bass and drums with me on a few songs. They are super talented, intuitive musicians and brought such a fun and different vibe to the music.

3. How composed vs. improvised are the pieces on Wide Ranging Rider? There are obviously strong melodic motifs in every piece, but are there also sections that are more freeform?

Wide Ranging Rider is the first Golden Brown album to be fully written throughout prior to recording. I usually rely on some of the serendipity of layering improvisations when making music, so this felt really different. Improvisation played into some of the arrangements with the additional textural elements of electric guitar and keyboards on songs like Ambergris and Dusty, but the fingerpicked acoustic guitar for each piece was fully realized prior to recording. 

4. How do you write a piece like Wide Ranging Ride I or II? Is it following a feeling or trying to capture an image? How does it go for you?

I didn't have a specific image or feeling in mind when writing, but there is a certain energy that flows throughout. It's kind of tough for me to put into words, but there definitely is shared DNA between those two pieces as well as Little Rider and Withywindle. Similarly, Cobwebs and Sage and Scurvy have some melodic elements and vibe in common.

Wide Ranging Rider I has been something I have been playing for about 20 years, but didn't feel complete until WRR II came about. I was writing a lot in open G tuning (DGDGBD), and at some point realized that several of the themes I was working on were connected. Originally, WRR I & II were arranged into a single long suite, with WRR II sandwiched in the middle of WRR I. Eventually, I decided I preferred them split into separate pieces to open each side of the LP. But I may try and play the full suite live at some point.

Wide Ranging Rider I and II as well as Kirghiz Light are linear compositions. The form is something closer to ABCDEFGA rather than a more typical progression of like ABABCB or ABA.

5. Do you feel like your work with the guys in Prairiewolf has influenced your solo work at all?

I do! It's been really wonderful making music collaboratively in addition to my solo pursuits. And I am lucky to have Tyler and Jeremy as bandmates who I can bounce ideas off of. The most apparent influence is on some music I'm working on for release in 2024 hopefully - it's kind of my version of a Bill Laswell style ambient dub album. I used a drum machine for a few of the songs, a first for me as Golden Brown. I had a lot of fun running the drum machine through my effects and kind of live dubbing the rhythm track as I recorded it. And Jeremy was kind of enough to play some synth and keyboards on one of the songs. It's pretty different in sound from most of what I've done before, though High Tide at Gold Beach (2012) is probably closest. The end result I think will be the most Prairiewolfish I've made music under the name Golden Brown.

6. How did the Prairiewolf group come together? The three of you fit together in such a nice and seamless way.

It was serendipitous for sure. We had all sort of met online and gathered to try it out in early 2022. It wasn't perfect from the get go but there was definitely some synergy there. It's been really fun to watch it develop. Jeremy and Tyler both are really good listeners as well as excellent musicians, and we share a lot of common musical ground. I try not to take it for granted that it works as well as it does. We are working on our second album together and it's pretty exciting. We have a good batch of songs, more than we can fit on one album, and it seems like we are continually coming up with more. We've also leaned into playing live this year and have gotten into some good zones as a result. 

7. Who might a dream collaborator be with someone from an older generation?

Bill Frisell for sure. I can't think of anyone who's had a bigger impact on my music. My dream would be to have a musical voice as emotive, singular, and recognizable as Bill Frisell. My dad first played Good Dog, Happy Man for me over twenty years ago and that music has become integral to me as a musician. I love almost everything Frisell has done but that album, Ghost Town, Nashville, and the Intercontinentals are very special.

8. Do you have any rituals to get you in the zone to work on music?

Not really, often it's just a matter of playing and trying different things until the conscious part of the mind turns off and I am relying more on my instincts. Sometimes that can happen quickly, sometimes it can take a long time. And sometimes in the moment, I have no idea whether what I'm working on is good or not and just need to set it aside for a listen with fresh ears later on. But the one thing that does really help is having my little music room downstairs - to be able to play whenever I feel like it without having to set up/take down makes a big difference in terms of getting in the flow.

9. You had mentioned that The Actual Star was an influence on your Weird Choices album. Were there any literary inspirations on Wide Ranging Rider?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was definitely an influence. Withywindle is named for the river valley in the old forest where the hobbits encounter Tom Bombadil. I felt like the melody/picking pattern kind of reminded me of Tom Bombadil bopping along through the forest. Jeff Vandermeer was also an influence, more on Ambergris than anything else (maybe with the juxtaposition of the natural/organic element of the acoustic guitar with the modified, delayed sounds of electric guitar and keyboard.) But I was also reading his Southern Reach Trilogy when a lot of the music on Wide Ranging Rider was being written and arranged, so there is probably more influence there under the surface as well.

10. Words of wisdom you like to recall in times of need?

Robert Hunter's and John Perry Barlow's lyrics from the Grateful Dead songbook have deeply soaked into the core of my being. I have a list of affirmations from Dead lyrics that is an endless wellspring of solace and inspiration. Apologies in advance, this is extra nerdy.

Every time that wheel turn round, bound to cover just a little more ground

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

I love you more than words can tell

Love is real, not fade away

We can discover the wonders of nature

Inspiration, move me brightly

Light the song with sense and color, hold away despair

Without love in a dream it’ll never come true

If you get confused just listen to the music play

Shall we go, you and I while we can?

The future’s here, we are it, we are on our own

Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world 

Wake up to find out that you are the song that the morning brings 

Sometimes we live no particular way but our own 

Sometimes the songs that we hear are just songs of our own 

I will find my own way home

I’m a stone jack baller and my heart is true

More than just ashes when your dreams come true

Once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right 

One way or another, this darkness got to give 

Let there be songs to fill the air 

A box of rain will ease the pain and love will see you through 

I’ll get up and fly away 

Don’t give it up; you’ve got an empty cup only love can fill

[the-world-is-treating-me-bad]

Thoughts and First Impressions on The Beatles Discography: Beatles for Sale

so, as we all know by now, I am a liar and nothing else, and I should stop saying when to expect a subsequent review, because I will always make myself a liar.

With that being said, it's time for Beatles for Sale!

No Reply: I just love the percussion in this song. The syncopated rhythms are real fun. Also, some tolerable handclaps! I like the piano in the middle eight. The way it goes from more gentle singing to shouty singing really helps in providing contrast between the verse and the chorus.

I'm a Loser: John!!!!!!!!!! The way he's showing off his low range in this song, I can't help but try to sing along, and just scrape the low note. The tambourine in the chorus is a fun time. The little guitar noodles are really neat too! Also the bass is pretty darn audible, which is a treat! Harmonica coming in for a solo before the guitar solo is nice. This song makes me all bouncy and happy!

Baby's In Black: 6/8 6/8 6/8!!!!!!!! I am living for this compound time. The kit rhythm is very nice. And i adore the vocal harmonies. Especially when it goes into three part. When the instrumentation cuts back in the last verse it's really cool!

Rock and Roll Music: RINGO!!!!! I AM ENVIOUS OF YOUR DRUMMING ABILITIES!!!!!!!!!!! really good groove with the guitar and bass, and the piano as emphasis is neat as hell. But seriously this is very good drumming and I am very jealous, i wish i could play kit like this. GOD the rhythm after the lyric "tango". love a good 'cha-cha-cha'

I'll Follow The Sun: Fingerpicking!!!!!!! this one is just so lovely. The instrumentation is delicious, and I really like the lyrics. Having a low harmony under the melody is nice. the nylon guitars are very good :)

Mr Moonlight: MIIIIIISTEEERRRRRR MOOOOONLIGHT! The organ!!!! Is so nice!!!!!!!! And all the harmonies are so tasty I am eating them. God I just love the organ though. It's so nice to get a unique instrument in a song every once in a while.

Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey: This is just a groovy good time. tbh, I'm always pretty take-it-or-leave-it about Paul's more screamy singing, but it does fit good here. Also the call and response vocals are fun :) I will do a little dance when I listen to this song.

Eight Days A Week: The fade-in for once! God this song is good. The 'clap-clap's are very very good. The middle eight with the bits where the instrumentation pulls back make the vocal harmonies stand out really nicely. Another one that makes me all dancey.

Words Of Love: The Harmonies!!! Are Really Good!!!!! I like how gentle this song is, and i love that they keep the three part harmony through the whole song. The guitar flourishes are awesome. Handclaps are at a tolerable level. Also I can really hear the bass again, and it's doing such a good job supporting the other components.

Honey Don't: This Song Makes Me Happy!!!!!!!!! I love the bits when Ringo curves a word from singing to talk singing. Good old walking bass line. When he says "rock on George" :) In general this is just a good mood of a song. This song in general is the bugs starting to get a little country, but I feel it a lot with this song.

Every Little Thing: The intro in is real nice. I really like the timpani in the chorus!!!! compliments the vibes of the chorus so well. The harmonies in the chorus are awesome. I like how the drum kit slowly does more and more as the song goes on.

I Don't Want To Spoil the Party: Another one in the Very Country vibe! The 'ooo' harmonies are good. Tambourine coming in on the chorus adds some texture. Very bouncy and fun in general.

What You're Doing: the guitar riffs are really nice!!! Also the way the first words in a phrase are kinda shouted. Like the high bits in the chorus. The way the piano is kinda roll-y in the instrumental section is neat.

Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby: George song! I love the way the instruments are used to sort of emphasize the verses? The way they switch back and forth is fun.

I really like this album. Almost all the songs are just fun and when I listen I'm just doing a little dance most of the time. This is where there's a definite shift in style becoming visible, which I look forward to seeing in future albums!

Next up is a couple more singles, and then Help! See you then!

[mywifeleftme]

11: Wall Matthews // Spine River

Spine River: The Guitar Music of Wall Matthews, 1967—1981 Wall Matthews 2021, Tompkins Square (Bandcamp) Every collection should have a few pensive instrumental acoustic guitar records, since the life of anyone who spends hundreds or thousands of dollars on a pointedly outmoded format is bound to be one touched by a frequent need to have a lie-down in the dark. If it should cross your path, Spine River: The Guitar Music of Wall Matthews, 1967—1981 is a fine specimen of its kind.

Matthews is principally known as the guitarist of The Entourage Music and Theater Ensemble, a mid-‘70s acoustic avant-garde group whose compositions for modern dance performances have enjoyed a revival in recent years. While the earliest numbers here, recorded when Matthews was a teenager, are fingerpicked country folk in the Leo Kottke mould, his style changes dramatically after joining the Entourage in 1974. Though the previously unreleased 1978 home demos that constitute the bulk of this release are solo recordings, the “E Minor Suite” and “The Doves of Venus” gesture towards chamber ballet; I can readily imagine the increasingly-gnarled “Wendy’s Piece” soundtracking a single dancer’s descent into frenzy.

The LP wraps with a few selections from his first solo album, 1981’s The Dance in Your Eye, which in their faint jazziness and dewy melodies could be at home on one of the better Windham Hill releases of the era. Ultimately, the evolution of the guitarist through this period is organic enough that Spine River hangs together well as a collection, and showcases Matthews’ deftness and imagination as a player and composer.

11/365

[alaawritesablog]

Songs of My Life: Minova

Minova is an indie-pop musician based in the UAE, born and raised in the extremely multi-cultural city of Abu Dhabi, and it's safe to say how they got to that place is an incredibly interesting story. After we recorded our podcast, I had the pleasure of having Minova explain the tracks that are important to them and helped form their musical journey.

Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

I would listen to the radio on my way to school and this would always be the song playing, I guess it reminds me of simpler times. I'd just go to school, come back and play with my toys then go to bed, wake up and do it over again the next day. I didn't have much to worry about and one of the things that stuck with me was the music that played around that time.

Listening to music was a big part of my childhood, especially with MTV being popular, and Radio One was also a big thing. They played genuinely good music at the time. this song is very catchy, and I remember singing along to it with my family, most likely during karaoke.

Riptide by Vance Joy

My school didn’t really have a music teacher, and the only time we have anything to do with music was when I brought my guitar in. Riptide was one of the songs that my class and I would sing every time I brought my ukulele or guitar in. it was just a nice environment because everybody got to bond together through music. It was especially fun to sing along to because everybody knew the lyrics. 

Where’s My Love by SYML

This song was a major part of my guitar-learning journey. at first, I started with the basic chords then I went on to finger-picking. As a result, I started listening to different types of music to learn guitar parts. That’s how I came across this song, and other artists, like Hozier. I fell in love with the melodies and the style of guitar playing. I spent a lot of my childhood learning and expanding on my hobbies and interests like guitar and music in general. 

Everything about this song from the atmosphere to the lyrics to the melody to the fingerpicking pattern is so beautiful, and it inspired me to learn how to make this type of music, music from the indie genre. I have some unreleased music that I wrote to try to emulate this sound. 

The songs in this playlist are not just about my life, but they also represent my musical journey as that is a large portion of my life. I like to stay at home and learn new things in music so I don’t have many experiences in music outside of my house.

Jealous by Labrinth

Learning the guitar evolved into wanting to learn the piano. Jealous is such a beautiful song about a beautiful topic, and the way Labrinth sings on top of the piano parts just made me crave playing the piano again. Before I learned chords, before I learned anything else, I learned how to play the beginning of this song. 

Where Did I Go? by Jorja Smith

After going through my piano phase, I started listening to a bunch of different songs from different genres and that's how I found Jorja Smith and just… wow. The first song of hers that I listen to was On My Mind, and after that, I dove headfirst into her music and her albums. I found Where Did I Go? and it blew my mind. everything from her voice to the atmosphere of her music just amazed me. I was just astonished at the sound she was able to create and the creativity behind it, along with her other tracks. This song got me to start listening to other R&B artists such as Mahalia, Daniel Caesar & Frank Ocean. 

Dræm Girl by No Vacation

After listening to R&B-type music for a while, I got back into indie, but this time the music was a little bit different and it's more on the indie/bedroom pop side of things. This was when I started figuring out the sound I wanted to do. i started playing major 7ths, major 9ths and other jazz chords. I also started getting more into indie by listening to artists like Men I Trust and Clairo and all of those indie artists. 

Rings by Pinegrove

I usually associated the use of major chords with pop music, but Pinegrove amazed me with their ability to create such an indie sound without using jazz chords. I didn't think it was possible before coming across more music like theirs. They've had such a huge influence on my music. They manage to create such a balance between all of the different sounds they explore and keep it feeling so indie. A big reason why I love Pinegrove, and really all indie music, regardless of how well it was mixed and mastered, is that it doesn’t have to be that way for it to be considered good. People like it not because of the quality of the recording, but because of the quality of the music itself.

The French Library by Franz Gordon

At this point in my life, I started getting back into Piano, and as a result, I got more into modern classical music. The French library is a dark piano theme and the reason why I fell in love with it is that the feeling it gives me is indescribable. as soon as I listen to it for the first time I fell in love in a way that I cannot explain. 

Colpevole by Nicola Arigliano

As I’m currently learning Italian, I wanted to indulge myself in the Italian language. A great way to do that is by immersion. I chose the method of listening to music and one of the Italian artists I stumbled across was Nicola. This song's production and quality are immaculate, but the thing that hooked me the most about this song in this artist, in particular, is how much he reminded me of an Italian Frank Sinatra. His voice’s smoothness feels like butter but what makes this song, in particular, great for learning Italian is how I can understand every single word he says.

Burning Hour by Jadu Heart

Now we go back to indie! The artist I collaborated with for my earlier songs, Yajin, was the one that introduced me to this band. A lot of their music inspired the way that he produces and makes music. When he asked me to collaborate on sanity, I immediately fell in love with the sound and vibe of the track, which was very inspired by Jadu Heart. Jadu Heart, and Yajin, are so incredibly talented.

Logiche by Altea & specchiopaura

As I mentioned before, I am still learning Italian. I found out about this artist by trying to find the same music that I listen to in English, but in Italian, I found Altea and her track Logiche. The energy and the vocals match the atmosphere and production so extremely well. Her music is so similar to that of Jadu Heart and this song is actually my favourite at the moment.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Shana Cleveland Album Review: Manzanita

(Hardly Art)

BY JORDAN MAINZER

On “Mystic Mine”, the whistling psychedelic folk tune from her third album Manzanita, Shana Cleveland sings, “I feel so relieved to be back in the country,” the last four words delivered in harmony with electric piano and whizzing synths. The singer-songwriter’s music has often occupied this reflective mood, whether embedded in the garage pop of La Luz or the abstract pastoral nature of her solo records. Yet, as they say, this time, it’s personal. The songs on Manzanita were written during the sort of major life changes many songwriters metaphorically describe as a move: relocating to rural California, and becoming pregnant with and giving birth to her first child. In a sense, many aspects of the album are literal, from the album title’s namesake California-endemic evergreen tree to references to the exploited natural areas and their resulting ghost towns. Moreover, Cleveland grounds you in the audible scrapes and squeaks of her close-miked fingerpicked guitar, getting you lost in the earthly sounds of fingers hitting strings at different angles. Still, Manzanita is a self-described “supernatural love album,” rich, lush, and as unmistakably strange as the country itself.

Many of the songs on Manzanita see Cleveland finding commonality between her own pregnancy and childbirth and her surroundings. Metaphysical opener “The Ghost” was inspired by her realization that pregnancy is a “psychedelic experience;” atop a Mellotron and acoustic guitar sway, she sings, “When you wake up in the night, I’m lying next to you / Can I come through?” She could be singing to her child in utero, or her life partner Will Sprott, who plays keyboards, dulcimer, glockenspiel, harpsichord, and synth on the record. “Faces in the Firelight” is addressed to both of them, its genesis a moment where Cleveland was watching Sprott tend to a burn pile in the distance and thinking he looked like the image of her ultrasound. Lilting guitars, crisp, relaxed drums, and golden hour synths soundtrack the multi-faceted question that buoys Manzanita: “Do you love me like I do you?” Her pause before “you” suggests Cleveland also recognizes the importance of self-love, as someone about to undergo a major life change, needing to balance her needs with her devotion to her family. And the shaky “Babe” revels in the strangeness of it all. When Cleveland sings, “Look at that beautiful babe,” the song breaks from its shuffle and atonally tiptoes to an off-kilter melody, calling back to the idea that being pregnant is psychedelic, indeed.

Yet, Manzanita is also an album of contrasts, Cleveland admitting that she’s imperfect, and so is the the living, breathing country. On “Gold Tower”, accompanied by Olie Eshleman’s melancholy pedal steel, she feels, and wants to give only. “If I let you down, bury me in the ground,” she sings, continuing, “I want to be yours totally.” Meanwhile, the presence fire does not always symbolize the ember of possibility. The minute-and-a-half spoken word track “Ten Hour Drive Through West Coast Disaster”, with its descriptions of “Cattle farms out of horror films” and “flames and fire planes” gives Cleveland doubts as a person and a parent. “Will you find a way to love this world?” she asks. The beauty of her fingerpicked guitar on “Quick Winter Sun” and “Sheriff of the Salton Sea”, recalling the likes of Jansch and Basho, is subsumed by the cloud of instrumentation beneath. Final track “Walking Through Morning Dew” describes spring bloom as not a picturesque view to fawn over but a time when the bugs come inside. “The wasps are crawling in our rooms,” Cleveland sings over instrumentation that sounds like your ear’s up to their hive. It’s a fitting end to an album that peels back the layers of life and travel experiences that some will tell you are nothing but idyllic. Manzanita knows better.

[destinymusica11]

Guitar Classes in Mulund

Music has the power to move souls, ignite emotions, and create unforgettable memories. If you’ve ever felt the irresistible pull of strumming a guitar, humming your favorite tunes, or tapping your foot to a captivating rhythm, now is the perfect time to nurture that passion. At Destiny Musica, we believe that everyone—regardless of their age or background—can harness the power of music to enrich their lives. Our guitar classes in Mulund are designed not just to teach you the fundamentals of playing the guitar, but also to help you experience the profound joy and satisfaction that comes from creating beautiful melodies with your own hands.

Why Choose Guitar as Your Instrument?

The guitar stands out as one of the most versatile, popular, and expressive instruments in the world. Whether you’re a fan of classical, rock, pop, blues, jazz, or any other genre, the guitar can effortlessly adapt to different styles and techniques. From fingerpicking soft ballads to belting out power chords in a rock anthem, the possibilities are truly endless. Moreover, learning the guitar can boost your creativity, improve hand-eye coordination, and even enhance cognitive skills. When you sign up for our guitar classes in Mulund, you’re taking the first step toward a lifelong journey of musical discovery.

About Destiny Musica

At Destiny Musica, we are passionate about guiding aspiring musicians toward their fullest potential. Our roots lie in a deep love for music and a strong commitment to imparting knowledge. With a dedicated team of experienced instructors and a supportive learning environment, we have been nurturing budding talents in Mulund and beyond. We firmly believe that every learner is unique, and our personalized approach ensures that each student progresses at a pace that aligns with their goals and learning style.

Our mission at Destiny Musica is to empower students with the right tools, techniques, and confidence so they can perform, create, and share their music with the world. Whether you’re an absolute beginner curious about learning your first few chords or an intermediate player looking to refine your techniques, Destiny Musica has a place for you in our guitar classes in Mulund.

Our Approach to Teaching

Personalized Curriculum: We recognize that each student has distinct musical tastes and skill levels. Our instructors at Destiny Musica adapt their teaching methods to accommodate individual preferences, so no two learning journeys are the same. This personalized structure ensures you remain engaged and motivated throughout the learning process.

Holistic Learning: Playing the guitar is about more than just strumming chords. Our program covers essential musical elements like rhythm, melody, dynamics, and improvisation. We also teach you how to read tabs, understand music theory, and develop your sense of timing. By integrating theory with practical sessions, we create well-rounded guitarists capable of exploring various genres.

Practical Sessions and Jamming: The best way to improve is by playing with fellow musicians and performing in front of an audience. Our guitar classes in Mulund emphasize group sessions, ensemble practice, and jam sessions where students get to collaborate, learn from each other, and hone their performance skills. These interactive sessions also help build confidence and camaraderie among our learners.

Performance Opportunities: At Destiny Musica, we believe in celebrating every milestone. We regularly organize recitals and concerts where students can showcase their newfound talents. Such platforms not only give you a chance to perform live but also teach you the invaluable lessons of stage presence and audience engagement.

Flexible Scheduling: We understand that our students come from diverse backgrounds—working professionals, college students, homemakers, and school-goers. Our flexible class schedules and multiple batches ensure that you can find a time slot that fits conveniently into your routine.

Who Can Join Our Guitar Classes in Mulund?

One of the most common misconceptions about learning an instrument is that it is too late or too early to start. At Destiny Musica, we welcome learners of all age groups and skill levels. Here’s a brief overview:

Young Beginners (Ages 6+): Children have an innate curiosity and creativity that make them quick learners. Our kid-friendly approach ensures they pick up the basics in a fun, engaging manner, building a strong foundation for future musical pursuits.

Teenagers and Adults: Whether you’re in high school or navigating a hectic work life, playing the guitar can serve as a much-needed creative outlet. Our classes help teenagers and adults alike channel their energy into something productive and fulfilling.

Senior Learners: If you’ve always harbored a secret desire to learn an instrument, there’s no better time than now. Playing the guitar keeps the mind active, the fingers nimble, and the heart joyful, making it an excellent hobby for retirees looking to explore new avenues.

Why Mulund?

Mulund is a bustling suburb known for its dynamic community and love for arts and culture. Surrounded by a vibrant local music scene, students at Destiny Musica benefit from easy accessibility to resources, community events, and fellow musicians. Our guitar classes in Mulund leverage this environment to provide enriching experiences—by connecting students with local performances, open mic nights, and community gatherings. Whether you’re a resident or live nearby, you’ll find that Mulund is an excellent place to nurture your musical aspirations.

The Destiny Musica Experience

Supportive Community: When you join Destiny Musica, you become part of a supportive family of music enthusiasts. Our instructors, staff, and fellow students form a tight-knit community that celebrates each other’s progress.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: We offer comfortable and well-equipped classrooms to ensure a conducive learning environment. Our guitars and learning aids are routinely updated to keep pace with modern teaching methods, so you’ll have all the tools you need at your disposal.

Goal-Oriented Path: Whether your dream is to perform on stage, write your own music, or simply strum your favorite songs at home, our curriculum is structured around your personal goals. We take pride in helping students chart their own paths to success.

Affordability and Value: Quality music education need not be prohibitively expensive. We offer various pricing plans and package deals to make sure our guitar classes in Mulund remain accessible to a wide range of learners without compromising on the quality of instruction.

Join the Melody: Enroll Today

Your musical journey can begin today with just a single step. At Destiny Musica, we offer free consultation sessions to help you understand our teaching methodology and how it aligns with your aspirations. These sessions are a great way to experience our learning environment, meet our instructors, and clarify any questions you may have before fully committing to our guitar classes in Mulund.

Music has the unique ability to transform lives, and the guitar is a dynamic, versatile instrument that can reflect your personal style. Whether you see yourself mesmerizing an audience with complex solos or simply enjoying a soothing strum on a quiet evening, the guitar can be your faithful companion on this beautiful adventure. Don’t let this opportunity slip away. Take the first step toward realizing your musical aspirations and unlocking the boundless possibilities that come with a deeper understanding of guitar playing.

Contact us today at Destiny Musica for more information about our schedules, fees, and any other queries. We look forward to welcoming you into our thriving community of music lovers and helping you embark on an incredible journey of self-expression, creativity, and sheer joy. Let us together create melodies that resonate with your destiny—starting right here in Mulund.

[paulmusicblog]

J. J. Cale Influences: A Quiet Revolution in Blues and Beyond

Blues fans know J. J. Cale as a musical enigma—a man whose understated style reshaped entire genres. Yet, many casual listeners might not even realize how far his influence extends. How does someone so soft-spoken and private leave such an indelible mark? Let’s dig into the rich tapestry of Cale’s inspirations and his subsequent impact on music.

The Roots of J. J. Cale’s Style

Cale didn’t just happen—his sound was built on the shoulders of giants. Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cale soaked in the sounds of legends like Chet Atkins, Les Paul, and Chuck Berry. The fingerprints of these trailblazers are all over his unique, laid-back style. According to his biography, Atkins’ fingerpicking and Les Paul’s innovations with electric guitar recording deeply resonated with young Cale.

Rock and roll was another bedrock. “My first influences were Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley,” Cale was quoted as saying. It’s easy to see how the rockabilly swagger of Presley’s guitarist, Scotty Moore, seeped into Cale’s DNA. He blended these diverse elements into something entirely his own—a subtle form of storytelling carried by bluesy riffs and an effortless drawl.

The Birth of The Tulsa Sound

J. J. Cale didn’t just develop a style; he helped define the “Tulsa Sound.” This unique genre blended blues, rockabilly, and jazz, underpinned by a relaxed, almost hypnotic tempo. It was music that didn’t demand to be listened to—it invited you in quietly, like an old friend. Tulsa musicians like Leon Russell were right there with him, crafting this sound that would grow to have a global reach.

The Tulsa Sound wasn’t loud or flashy, but its easygoing charm resonated deeply with artists looking to strip their work back to the essentials. Cale’s track “After Midnight,” later made famous by Eric Clapton, is a perfect example of the genre’s minimalist appeal.

His Influence on the Greats: More Than Clapton

We’ve all heard about Eric Clapton covering Cale’s songs, most famously “After Midnight” and “Cocaine.” But Clapton wasn’t the only one. Neil Young even said once, “When I listen to J. J. Cale, I’m listening to the best.” High praise from a man known for doing his own thing.

Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits? Another big fan. In fact, Knopfler once stated that without Cale’s influence, he wouldn’t be the guitarist he is today. According to this American Blues Scene article, even Waylon Jennings leaned into Cale’s ethos for his outlaw country vibes.

Cale’s reach extended beyond just individual performers. His approach—stripping music down and focusing solely on the groove and melody—has influenced everything from modern blues to alternative rock. He made restraint an art form, and artists across genres took notice.

The Mysterious Songwriter and Performer

One of the most intriguing things about Cale is how he managed to have such a massive impact while dodging the spotlight. The man seemed to loathe fame. Even when Clapton’s covers boosted his profile, he stayed behind the scenes, living a quiet life. In fact, a fantastic retrospective from uDiscover Music calls him one of the most influential yet least acknowledged blues innovators.

Cale’s humility allowed his music to shine without the distraction of rock-star theatrics. If anything, his low profile may have made his songs more accessible—sprawling across genres and enabling countless artists to interpret them without the weight of his personality hanging over the work.

Key Tracks That Tell the Story

If you’re new to J. J. Cale, here’s where to start:

“After Midnight” – The understated groove that Clapton turned into a global hit. This was Cale’s first big break.

“Cocaine” – Another Clapton-covered gem. The simplicity of the chord structure combined with that gritty bluesy edge is quintessential Cale.

“Magnolia” – A bittersweet ballad that highlights his softer side.

“Call Me the Breeze” – Later covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd, this track captures the laid-back, roll-with-it nature of the Tulsa Sound.

Each of these tracks carries the DNA of Cale’s influences while also showcasing his singular touch.

The Legacy Lives On

J. J. Cale’s music is alive today, whether fans realize it or not. His less-is-more approach and commitment to authenticity continue to resonate. You hear Cale every time a song strips down to little more than a beat and a melody. Every time a solo feels more whispered than shouted.

Discover more about how his legacy intertwines with music history by visiting resources like Tripping Out on J. J. Cale, which digs into how artists from Clapton to Taj Mahal owe him so much.

Conclusion: Why Cale’s Influence Matters

J. J. Cale didn’t shout—he whispered. And somehow, the world noticed. His music has a way of sneaking up on you and sticking around long after. Maybe it’s the honesty, the restraint, or just that understated groove. Whatever it is, it’s clear his influence hasn’t gone anywhere. In fact, it’s embedded in the very foundation of modern blues and rock.

If you’ve never spent an evening with J. J. Cale’s music, now’s the time. Pour a drink, hit play, and let the Tulsa Sound find its way into your heart. You’ll see why the greats call him the best.

By Paul Whatley | COMO News and Radio

Photo take from J.J. Cale’s Facebook page.

[independentartistbuzz]

Stephen Jaymes' New Single Release "Last Predictable Summer" is a Folk-Punk Anthem for Uncertain Times

Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Stephen Jaymes has done it again with his brand new single release "Last Predictable Summer"!

Blending the raw edge of punk with the soulful storytelling of folk, Jaymes crafts a track that is as compelling as it is thought-provoking. From the first beat, “Last Predictable Summer” grabs the listener’s attention with its infectious rhythm and maintains it throughout with Jaymes’ husky, powerful vocals.

The song's melody is irresistibly catchy, creating an immediate draw, while the lyrics offer a deeper, more poignant message. With his unique voice, Jaymes brings a narrative that is both supremely urgent and filled with a sense of ironic foreboding.

Listen in here:

“After this, everything’s gonna burn” - a line that perfectly encapsulates the song’s blend of celebration and catastrophe. This duality speaks to Jaymes’ skill in capturing the complexities of our current reality through his music.

Lyrically, the song shines with a sharp social commentary and vivid imagery. Addressing critical issues such as environmental destruction, societal complacency, and political unrest with a wit and swagger that recalls the spirit of punk icons.

One particularly striking verse reads: “The people seem to want a man / Who wants to kiss the people goodbye / One whose bible is upside down / One who doesn’t understand why.” This line stands out, reflecting the confusion and disillusionment pervasive in our society today.

Jaymes’ voice, characterized by raw intensity and melodic charm, evokes comparisons to legends like Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. This vocal style is combined with lyrics that echo the profound thoughtfulness of Leonard Cohen and Phil Ochs, makes “Last Predictable Summer” a standout track. It resonates with the energy of protest songs like R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” and Prince’s “1999,” yet firmly establishes its own identity within the folk-punk tradition.

"My songs are searching for truth and authenticity, but not always both at the same time" ... “I try to refuse all invitations to tell the big lies, and then I see what’s left.”

The accompanying music video amplifies the song's impact, juxtaposing carefree summer scenes with apocalyptic imagery. This visual narrative masterfully captures the surreal dissonance of our era where moments of joy are overshadowed by impending disaster.

The kaleidoscopic journey through symptoms of existential dread, from flat Earth conspiracies to tin-foil hats, serves as a potent reminder of the precarious balance we are all living on.

Watch the official music video on YouTube:

The backstory of Stephen Jaymes’ musical journey adds another layer to his latest release.

Growing up just north of Detroit, Jaymes was influenced by his father’s collection of 1960s and 1970s folk music, while his older brother introduced him to the sounds of new wave and punk bands like the Ramones and Elvis Costello. His journey into music began at the age of eight, thanks to a school bus driver who salvaged an acoustic guitar and taught him to play.

He further honed his craft while attending Harvard University, writing sharp-witted songs on diverse topics. Post-graduation he moved to Prague and immersed himself in the expat songwriter scene, busking on the streets and teaching himself to fingerpick Leonard Cohen songs. His subsequent move to Los Angeles saw him performing at local cafes where he built a loyal following before taking a break from public performances.

“Last Predictable Summer” sees Stephen Jaymes emerging as a reflective and poignant commentator on the state of our world. His music offers a soundtrack to help us navigate our collective anxieties, urging listeners to face the uncertainties of the future with resilience and a defiant spirit.

Keep up to date with Stephen Jaymes on his Website and social media channels Facebook and Instagram.

Stream music on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music and YouTube.

Listen to "Last Predictable Summer" now!

[theloniousbach]

RETIREMENT CHRONICLES 1.5

I wrote the first installment of this series two and a half weeks ago as an end/first of the year reflection on four months of my retirement*. The asterisk reflects that I was for those four months and will be again fully engaged with the academic calendar with teaching and involvement around a very rewarding program.

But this past month has looked a bit more like retirement. I did some of that school work (grading and prep plus some like administrative work and went to campus a very very little), but largely it was up to me to organize my time, to wake up in the morning and say what should I do?

Except, of course, it wasn’t particularly spontaneous. I had plans (and, I confess, a record system) that extended the fall’s goals—exercise, reading/writing, watching music and writing about it, playing music.

Since this is what Summer when I’m not teaching will look like, Winter Break was a rehearsal just as previous ones have been for retirement.

That’s why this one is numbered 1.5 even if the May one is 2.0 and the August one will be 3.0

I kept the EXERCISE habit intact by going to the gym and taking advantage of “vitalities” that mean that I don’t hurt the next day. We walked outside as we could but I also used the home treadmill several times. My home yoga though slipped some.

I READ lots of fiction, spurred on by having now three mystery series going with those books taking me a couple of days each. But I read a couple of books in an alternative history series I’ve followed for years. The one literary novel was the second Aubrey/Maturin historical novel by Patrick O’Brian. There are 18 more which I have on loan. Those will go north for the summer as the idea of buying three Kindle books a week seems too much, even if it may not actually be more than how others get their stories by cable/streaming services.

I WROTE less than I thought I might in part because of an identity crisis born of the realization that what I like about mysteries is the overall arc of the series and not the mechanics and puzzle of plot. I continue to have fun with it, but let me now say that what I am doing is historical fiction as I amuse myself and try to be clever by seeing how my characters intersect with actual events plausibly. I continue to hope that I don’t sabotage myself by falling back on my training as a historian. I am not that careful or deep in particular knowledge about this period, so I’m just trying to be clever for my own amusement while telling stories about my characters.

With reading being a primary escape/past time, I still watched lots of JAZZ taking advantage of the discovery that I could watch both sets of a run in close proximity using the Small’s/Mezzrow’s You Tube channels rather than wait for sets to be archived. Those 25 sets turned into 15 souvenir essays.

I PLAYED piano exactly once and briefly at that and bass not at all, so those remain aspirational. But I played lots of guitar and made modest progress with Drop D tuning where, for some reason, I have the notes in my hands and can fingerpick the melodies of tunes—lots of folk tunes based in the church like I’ll Fly Away or Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, amusingly enough—nearly intuitively. This started with a Homespun instructional video on flatpicking fiddle tunes. I have a tentative grasp on a third one of those, but it’s still unfamiliar territory for my playing. But besides Drop D, my other fingerpicking benefits too.

I’m looking forward to teaching starting tomorrow with lots of familiar and talented students.

But I’m also looking forward to seeing how I extend the lessons of this past month to mid-May through mid-August.

[upalldown]

Sufjan Stevens - Javelin

Tenth studio album from the Detroit-born indie folk singer-songwriter features contributions from Adrienne Maree Brown, Pauline Delassus, Bryce Dessner and Nedelle Torrisi

11/13

Once when Sufjan Stevens was in college, he brought an injured crow to the biology lab to help save its life. “You are doing the universe a great favor,” a woman who ran an animal sanctuary told him once he called her to the scene. This is one of several stories Stevens tells in his 10-part essay included in the elaborate physical edition of his latest album, Javelin, all in service of exploring his ever-expanding definition of “love.” He writes in an inquisitive and self-aware tone, joking about how that experience with the crow provided “endless fodder” for his collegiate creative writing: “So much meaning, so little time,” he reflects. But if a young Sufjan once sought these encounters for their symbolic potential, the present-day writer of this essay, and of these songs, tells a more pressing story: even more meaning, even less time.

Over and over again on Javelin, Stevens contemplates the end. Sometimes his language, along with the hushed longing of his voice and the romantic sweep of his largely acoustic instrumentation, points toward the demise of a very long relationship. “I will always love you/But I cannot look at you,” he explains, tracing the broken logic governing the loss. “It’s a terrible thought to have and hold,” he admits after wishing ill to someone he once held dear. “Will anybody ever love me?” he asks in the aftermath.

Instantly, the songwriting feels as raw and direct as ever. And indeed, Javelin is Stevens’ first proper album in a long time that seems designed with no grand concept to unify the material or inspire theatrical adaptations; no autobiographical insight to make you reconsider everything you thought you knew about him; no jarring musical change-ups to remind you he is a proud member of the Beyhive. Running under 45 minutes, Javelin begins with a deliberate inhale and ends with a cover of a deep cut from Neil Young’s best-selling album—a track that Stevens manages to make sound even sweeter and more hopeful than the 1972 original.

Like much of his defining work, Stevens wrote, recorded, and produced Javelin almost entirely alone, minus a few key appearances: some guitar from the National’s Bryce Dessner in the dazzling eight-minute “Shit Talk,” and frequent vocal accompaniment from a small choir that includes Megan Lui, Hannah Cohen, Pauline Delassus, Nedelle Torrisi, and the activist and writer adrienne maree brown. It’s got at least one song that instantly joins the ranks of his very best (“Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”) and plenty that draw direct lines to previous high-water marks, both thematically and musically. Centering the devotional melodies and heart-tugging intimacy that characterized his early masterpieces, it’s the type of record, two decades into an artist’s career, that tends to be called a “return-to-form,” suggesting an embrace of his strengths and a diminished instinct to surprise or provoke.

But is anything ever so easy? The intricacy of Javelin is central to the essays and art accompanying the album: collages that overflow with faces of friends and family and heroes, paintings whose colors seem intended to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Many songs follow the path of these maximalist projects, beginning with gentle fingerpicking or piano before fireworking into electronic symphonies, orchestral crescendos, and choral rounds. The cumulative effect suggests that, while each story might begin as a stark, personal inquiry, Stevens strives to lead us somewhere divine, an altitude where our lives might appear more beautiful and still.

It is through these trajectories that Javelin, despite its tone of endless searching, becomes one of Stevens’ most uplifting records. In “Should Have Known Better,” a sudden burst of Casio keyboards accompanied an optimistic glance to the next generation—a rare bright spot on 2015’s grief-stricken Carrie & Lowell; Javelin is filled with these kinds of turns. With the notable exception of “Shit Talk,” which dissolves into a long ambient coda that lingers like fog after heavy rain, each song ends somewhere brighter, fuller, and lusher than it began. “So You Are Tired,” which includes Stevens’ most heartbreaking set of lyrics since Carrie & Lowell, climaxes with a lapping wordless refrain from the choir. As his words zoom in closer to a separation (“So you are tired… of even my kiss”), the soothing, major-key resolution suggests an elemental sense of peace, leading to a blend of emotions that feels entirely new within his songbook.

If there is anything Stevens learned from his last proper solo album, 2020’s pared-down synth-opus The Ascension, it is to tell these complex stories in simple ways. Take, for example, “My Red Little Fox,” a love song cast in waltz time, where Stevens uses one of his most classically beautiful melodies to express a series of escalating refrains: “Kiss me with the fire of gods,” he sings, then, “Kiss me like the wind,” and eventually, “Kiss me from within.” Here is the story of Javelin in miniature: The first two are seductions, spoken from person to person; the last is more like a prayer. If the lyrics on Javelin lack the proper-noun touchstones of Stevens’ story-songs, these ones gain authority from an intrinsic sense of self and place. They are approachable like pop songs, but delivered with the same precision as his folk confessionals. They break our hearts from within.

“I know I’ve often been the poster child of pain, loss, and loneliness,” Stevens recently wrote to his fans. “But the past month has renewed my hope in humanity.” He was referring to his ongoing treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare auto-immune disorder that left him learning to walk again after losing feeling and mobility in his hands, arms, and legs. In the lead-up to Javelin, he has taken to Tumblr—long his preferred method of communication—to give frequent updates on his recovery. Sometimes he finds humor in the situation—a post about his dream wheels, the “Porsche 911 of wheelchairs”—and sometimes his words are more troubling (“Woke up feeling trapped”). But nearly every post ends with a positive affirmation, or at least a sign-off with a series of X’s and O’s.

This is the tone that Stevens now favors, something familiar and close, where the stakes are high and his sense of empathy is pervasive. This tenderness is partially how “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?,” with its Morrissey-level self-deprecation and whispered instructions to “pledge allegiance to my burning heart,” manages to feel less like a breakdown and more like time-lapse footage of a flower turning toward the sun. Throughout his career, Stevens has used the language of love songs to express religious devotion, and vice versa. Across Javelin, he seems intent on understanding and being understood, with the purpose of exposing the common thread between his pet subjects: raising the endless questions that lead us to seek meaning in one another, and rejoicing in the euphoria of sometimes finding it. And if it sounds like he is occasionally singing to us from rock bottom, it’s only so we can witness the steady ascent onward.

[yorkcalling]

Discovery: Joey Green

I’m a massive fan of the folk/Americana genres, so I couldn’t help but love Joey Green’s music when I first heard it! By Jane Howkins Heart Lesson is a gorgeous piece of work, really drawing you into Joey’s world after the first listen. It sounds fairly simplistic at times, opening with a mellow, fingerpicked acoustic guitar melody, but it really works, allowing Joey’s raw vocals to truly shine…

[zicmuse]

HET VLIER EEN HOMMEL OP AARDE

What you are listening to is the sound of a forgotten instrument. It has existed since the middle ages, but the earliest example still intact is from 1608. Once a staple in most households in the low countries, it is a true folk instrument, of the people, mainly played in the past by women who used their kitchen tables as a resonating surfaces to amplify & accompany traditional religious & secular tunes. Nowadays it seen rarely outside of museums in Brussels & other places you most likely have never heard of. It is not spectacular, its simplest version is just a long thin box with strings on top. Some of the strings are melody strings, which have frets placed underneath them, some are drone strings that have no frets. Traditionally it was strummed with a goose feather & notes were made by sliding a hard stick with a handle, from fret to fret on the melody strings leaving the drone strings ringing openly. The constant hum of the drones is where the name of the instrument comes from: bumblebee, which in Flemish, is a hommel.

The hommel has all but disappeared from the collective memory of Flanders. If it is seen outside of a display case, it is usually being played in a static way, denied the right to evolve & find a more contemporary voice. It has thus been replaced in the hearts of most Belgians by acoustic guitars & the more well known Appalachian dulcimer, which strangely enough is a descendent of this instrument: the grandparent is lost, the grandchild is celebrated. The first hommel I saw was years ago at the Volksinstrumentenmuseum in Gooik. Curious to how it would sound, I suggested to my father that we make one. A seasoned woodworker, he was up to the challenge & so we began... The sides & top are made from Douglas Fir recovered from an old bookshelf. The headstock block (schroevenstuck) is maple. The end block (staartstuck) is a piece of Oregon myrtlewood & the fretboard... I have to say I don't remember. We cut & sanded the wood, sawed the guides for the frets & set them in, created the bridge & nut out of ersatz granite, found some tuners from an old guitar & assembled the pieces together. Is is not the most elaborate example of a hommel, but, with the relationship I have forged with it over time, it's a beauty to me.

I do not play in a traditional way: I pluck, fingerpick, tap & bow amplified flat wound electric guitar strings. I change the notes with my fingers, metal sticks, bottlenecks steel tubes & the hard stick with a wooden handle, which has a special name : the vlier, which is a more local, Flemish Brabant, name of the instrument itself. I play in a tuning to be in harmony with the tin whistles you hear from time to time & occasionally play shakers I made by hand from branches, wire & bottle caps. The songs in this collection are not traditional either, they are inspired by cycling around Flanders & the landscape that surrounds my home in Niemandaal, a small village in the Pajottenland of Flanders, not far from the capital city, but isolated enough to not hear the constant hum of the highways. It's a nice place to relax, filled with what I would call elegant micro-landscapes: simple combinations of fields, grass, streams, small farms, rolling hills... Sometimes called the "Tuscany of the North", wine is replaced by lambik, a naturally fermented sour beer & it is well-known as being the place where Pieter Bruegel the Elder would set up his easel.

Until I was 40, I only played at home. Thanks to my friends at Herberg Rustiek, who released some tapes & encouraged me to play outside. I made my first public concert on top of an old slag heap near Liège. Since then, I have been invited to play a few concerts in Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, France & Japan. Thanks to Okraïna, you now have this record in your hands. I chose to keep the recordings quite raw in the hope that the natural reverb & warmth of your listening space can evoke the music's spirit & that you will have the impression I am playing next to you in the same room. I highly recommend listening through speakers rather than headphones.

If you would like to learn more about the hommel, I strongly suggest tracking down the out of print "De Hommel in de Lage Landen" written by Herbert Boone in the mid 1970's, coming to one of my concerts, or if you happen to be walking around Niemandaal & notice a warm light coming from my living room: knock. I just may invite you in to share a gueuze & play a few tunes."

(Linus Vandewolken) 

Listen to the recording here:

[dustedmagazine]

Allegra Krieger — I Keep My Feet On The Fragile Plane (Double Double Whammy)

I Keep My Feet on the Fragile Plane by Allegra Krieger

On her new album, I Keep My Feet on the Fragile Plane, Allegra Krieger’s songwriting continues to evolve in subtle and pleasing ways. Last year’s Precious Thing foregrounded her deftly fingerpicked guitar, while this new record highlights her strengths as a vocalist. Barely a moment passes without her voice proudly standing front and center, leading the listener through bittersweet songs that surrender to the ebb and flow of how it feels to be a twenty-something woman in twenty-first-century America.

Though the focus is primarily on Krieger’s voice and guitar, captured on tape by co-producer Luke Temple (Art Feynman, Here We Go Magic) and collaborator Jeremy Harris, many of the songs are also embellished with Sammy Weissberg’s colorful horn arrangements. There’s the plaintive, scene-setting intro to “A Place For It To Land,” which soon gives way to thick synthesized bass, and the horn melody on “I Had Some To Give” cleverly calls out in response to Krieger’s vocal. The spectral fingerpicked arpeggios on aching highlight “Let It Go, Watch It Come Back” are soon warmed by the swell of pedal steel and upright bass. And on stark centerpiece “I Wanted To Be,” the tension coiled within Krieger’s voice clenches the song ever tighter, finally erupting in a crescendo of discordant electric guitar.

Across the album’s scant 27-minute runtime, Krieger keeps many of the songs running breathlessly into one another. It all culminates in “Lingering,” the album’s sole drum-driven track. The song’s slow-motion sway feels contrary to how it might otherwise, given it arrives last and acts as a landing rather than a taking-off point. With it, Krieger leaves the listener with an indelible image: “Pictures on the white walls / Black mold on the ceiling / An old light lingering around everything.”

Tim Clarke

[jasonbeblog]

Finger picking Made Easy: Tips and Tricks for Learning Finger style Guitar

Fingerstyle guitar playing adds a beautiful and melodic dimension to your guitar repertoire. While it may seem daunting at first, with the right techniques and practice, you can master fingerpicking and unlock a whole new world of musical possibilities. In this blog, we will share valuable tips and tricks to make fingerstyle guitar more accessible for beginners. From hand positioning to essential exercises, we'll guide you through the steps to become proficient in fingerpicking and enhance your guitar playing skills.

Hand Positioning: Proper hand positioning is crucial for effective fingerpicking technique. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

Place your thumb behind the fretboard, slightly above the center, providing a solid anchor for your hand.

Curl your fingers naturally, resting them lightly on the strings to avoid muting adjacent strings.

Keep your hand relaxed and maintain a gentle curve in your wrist to prevent strain and tension.

Start with Basic Patterns: Begin by mastering basic fingerpicking patterns before moving on to more complex arrangements. Here are two popular patterns to get you started:

Pattern 1: Thumb (T) - Index (I) - Middle (M) - Ring (R) T - M - I - M - T - M - I - M

Pattern 2: Thumb (T) - Index (I) - Middle (M) T - I - M - I - T - I - M - I

Practice these patterns slowly and gradually increase your speed as you become comfortable with them.

Focus on Thumb Independence: The thumb plays a crucial role in fingerpicking. Practice exercises that develop thumb independence, enabling it to maintain a steady bass line while your other fingers pluck the melody.

Exercise 1: Play a simple chord progression using your thumb to play the root notes of each chord while simultaneously picking the melody with your other fingers.

Exercise 2: Practice playing a steady bass line with your thumb while simultaneously plucking individual notes on the higher strings with your other fingers.

Finger Independence Exercises: Building finger independence is essential for smooth and precise fingerpicking. Here are two exercises to help strengthen your fingers:

Exercise 1: Place your index finger on the 3rd fret of the high E string, middle finger on the 3rd fret of the B string, ring finger on the 3rd fret of the G string, and pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the D string. Pluck each string individually and maintain consistent finger placement.

Exercise 2: Play a simple chord progression, such as C - G - Am - F, and pluck each string individually with your fingers. Focus on keeping your fingers in the correct position while producing clear and distinct notes.

Gradually Add Complexity: Once you have developed a solid foundation, you can start incorporating more complex fingerpicking patterns and techniques into your playing:

Travis Picking: Named after Merle Travis, this technique involves alternating bass notes with melody notes. Start with simple Travis picking patterns and gradually increase the complexity as you become more comfortable.

Harmonics: Experiment with natural and artificial harmonics to add a unique touch to your fingerstyle playing. Learn how to produce harmonics by lightly touching specific nodes on the strings while picking.

Practice Regularly: Consistent practice is key to mastering fingerstyle guitar. Set aside dedicated practice sessions, focusing on fingerpicking exercises, learning songs, and improvisation. Regular practice will improve your finger dexterity, accuracy, and overall musicality.

[musc3603shenanigans]

PROCESS

My first attempt at turning the original riff into a song was a rough draft I made on GarageBand on my phone. It has a much slower tempo than the finished piece, and featured an entirely different chorus. It sounds more stylistically similar to one of the inspiration pieces, ‘Honestly?’, with a slower tempo and call-and-response style vocals. I incorporated the call and response in the final verse of the piece - you can hear the inspiration from ‘Honestly?’ in the EQing of the vocals.

To start on the actual piece, I first recorded several electric guitar parts, starting with the fingerpicked verse riff, then a few different strumming patterns over different chords and lead guitar riffs to play over. I panned one of these riffs to the right. I turned these into loops to experiment with different structures for the piece. I EQd and compressed these as I went, as my guitar has quite a woolly sound that I wanted to remove through EQing. I used a high pass filter and a high shelf on all the tracks, and tweaked it slightly as I thought each needed. I used parallel processing to add reverb to these tracks, and also added overdrive and distortion to some of the original tracks. I used a new overdrive plugin for this piece, which I ended up preferring to my usual plugin.

I then recorded some acoustic guitar parts, - specifically a high strumming pattern and a picked riff similar to the electric guitar riff, and panned this to the left. I EQd and compressed these similarly to the electric guitar tracks, but with more high end. For both parts, I used parallel processing for reverb, and for the picked riff I also added delay.

I recorded 4 takes of the main vocals for doubling. One was a lower harmony, panned centre, and the other 3 were in unison. I panned two of these unison tracks to each side, and set one to the centre. I EQd these vocal parts to have a nice airy quality to them, as inspired by ‘Fear Eats the Soul’ and ‘when you sleep’, but for the centre vocal track I also boosted it at the 1kHz mark for extra clarity. The vocals in the chorus are off-key at best, but it’s in a tough spot for my voice since starting HRT.

I recorded the bass at this point, which mostly followed the chord’s played by the guitars. I had a few different tracks for each bass section, and decided to bus these to a reverb track instead of parallel processing all of them to save a little bit of CPU.

Then, I programmed a simple drum section using Manda Audio’s MTPowerDrumkit virtual instrument, programming the kick, snare, high hats, and cymbals to a separate track each. These were all 1 bar loops that repeated throughout most of the track. This virtual instrument is already quite processed, so I did not compress the tracks, but I did EQ them to suit the style of the piece - I specifically boosted the kick and snare at the transient, and also removed some boomy sounds from the snare. For the hi hats and cymbals, I used a high shelf to further drive the airy top end of the piece.

I also programmed 2 synth melodies to add texture during the chorus. I originally wanted to record directly from my Korg Volca FM, but I could not get a nice sound from the mini-jack output, and I don’t own a 5 pin DIN cable for it either.

After this, most of the process was shuffling around clips and sections to develop the structure. This was difficult for me, as generally my songwriting process is completed before I begin recording a track, but for this I allowed a lot of the composition to be created within my DAW. I recorded an intro section to the piece, as well as a few more vocal tracks, and after that I just focused on mixing and adding volume automation to the piece.

CREATIVE WORK 3

INSPIRATION AND VISION

Originally, I struggled deciding on a style for this piece. I was still very inspired from the previous soundscape task and found myself drawn to experimental and soundscape-like works such as ‘Sad Redux-O-Grapher’ by Xiu Xiu, especially in regards to its combination of synthesised and organic sounds (https://youtu.be/qm_TeOjdUbo?t=47) and harsh vocals (https://youtu.be/qm_TeOjdUbo?t=102). I was also inspired by ‘Fear Eats The Soul’ by Sea Power, this time for its complicated layering of simple instrumental sections and breathy vocals (https://youtu.be/gnG2Jh91AkY?t=168).

I ended up choosing to explore a dreampop/shoegaze-like sound that incorporated some aspects of midwest emo, particularly in its guitar riffs. I felt like this incorporated aspects I already have some confidence in (in composing the instrumental sections themselves), but also parts that I found more challenging, like the liberal use of effects and numerous layers. I was inspired by the sounds of my bloody valentine, Cocteau Twins, and Hachiku for their dreampop sounds. I was really drawn to the vocal production of ‘when you sleep’, the dense instrumentation of ‘Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires’, and the combination particular synth and guitar combinations of ‘Bridging Visa B’. The midwest emo influence of this piece was mostly inspired by the complicated guitar riffs and alternate tuning of American Football, with some of the compositional influence from Modern Baseball. The fingerpicked guitar riff in the versed was heavily inspired by the riff in ‘Never Meant’, and the the structure of vocal phrases and sections inspired by ‘Honestly?’. I first came up with this main riff in August 2022, but I had not used it in an actual piece and wanted to explore what I could build from a single riff. The guitar for this song was composed in EACGBe tuning, which I took from ‘Jewels and Bullets’ by You Am I - the minor chord that the three lowest strings create in this tuning makes for some interesting open chord sounds.