Steps

Steps
Written and Recorded 2015

"Steps" is the second song I wrote in the new year, but I need to share the songwriting struggle that preceded. I was having particularly difficult time coming up with new material. At that point, I wasn't quite sure if the song I'd written a week earlier was actually good or not. Usually that's a bad sign, but it turned out to be one of my better ones (it's about a fox!)

Prior to this, I hadn't written a new song in over 4 months. This is extremely long time for me to go without ANYTHING. Honestly, I became a little worried that the well dried up. I became acutely aware of my lack of production as the next Whiskey Doubles recording approached. I kept telling myself that I hadn't written anything because I didn't want to cloud the preparation for the recording, I didn't want to distract myself or others. But that wasn't true at all.

After the recording weekend passed, my worry escalated to near panic. "What if I'm done?" That thought continued running through my head. Every time I picked up a guitar I hoped something would happen. I hoped the floodgates would open and 10 new songs would come out so quickly that I'd barely be able to record them all in time. That didn't happen.

Instead, one song was created but quickly scratched. I was so excited by it at the time that I forced out a terrible chorus, couldn't come up with lyrics, and two days later I shelved it. Again, more worry set in. The next weekend, the fox song was born. Like I mentioned, I was unsure about it and still wasn't convinced that my time was not over. Another week went by and after recording some Irish tunes for St. Patty's, I stayed up in the studio with my guitar and noodled around with some chord progressions. Suddenly I had the verse progression of "Steps." I knew that if I could write this song and see it through, that I'd be ok. So I let the inspiration flow and crafted the song in about an hour, showered, and went to a work party feeling pretty damn good.

• The lyrics are about a young man who left his home with high ambitions, but ends up losing himself and wanders aimlessly. During the song, memories are triggered by his surroundings and actions. Instead of ignoring them, he uses them to move forward.
• This is another bare bones demo (complete with some flubs) that I gave to the Doublers to fill in their own parts. I knew the harmonies on the chorus would be important to the song, so I laid those down too.
• The lead guitar that you hear was recorded as a guide for the cello part I hoped would come. I don't usually get in Kent's way, but I had some incredibly clear melodic material that I couldn't shake. I thought he'd really enjoy the triplet build up to the bridge.
• Since starting the blog, I've really become aware of some songwriting techniques that I use. The one that keeps coming back to me is the lack of lyrics over the bridge section. Though I'm not sure that I fully realize it while writing the actual song, I always make sure that a bridge or solo has a purpose. In this case, it breaks the song structure up, advances some melodic material, and builds towards the last verse. Being a particularly strong section, I brought it back to end the song with.
• While messing with key and structure, I was tempted to put that bridge at the start of the song too. But I like how we get right into the song and wait for the reveal till after the 2nd verse and chorus. 

Breathe Easy

Breathe Easy
Written and Recorded 2010

"Breathe Easy" is another one of my Songettes made in Baraboo.  Despite the unhappiness I felt with my work and a bit of self pitty thrown in there, I'm always surprised to hear some of the music I made in those times. This is one of many that is (to me at least) very relaxing and calming. I'd like to think this was an outpouring of my subconscious trying to guide me a long. Even now it brings me a little peace.

• 70-80% of the Songettes were recorded as straight MIDI instruments, which I would do through "Musical Typing" in either Garageband or Logic. Musical Typing is when you are able to use the QWERTY keyboard as a mini piano keyboard. It takes some time to get used to, but I just ended up just playing a lot of single note lines.
• I like this one in particular because of the amount of building that goes on in just over a minute. Having an intro and outro helps frame the main section a bit. Also the higher piano unifies the piece with the single note off beats and then doing some uneven arpeggios (Musical Typing is a beast!)

Moons and Stars

Moons and Stars
Written and recorded 2008

Of all the songs that I wrote and recorded throughout high school and college, this is one of the better ones as a whole. "Moons and Stars" originally came about after hearing the Blue Man Group's record The Complex. If you put aside the hilarious antics of the Blue Man Group, it's just good rock music. There is great production and the instrumental tracks keep the listener engaged. It was very inspiring at the time.

I wish I had the original demo, but it is long gone. So we are left with another nice recording by the King's Gentlemen, my college band. Whatever I had on the original demo, Trevor (the drummer) took this song to a whole new level. This recording has probably reached more people than any other. It was done as part of project my senior year. I put a TON of time into this and was extremely proud of it. Still happy with the result all these years later.

• This song was written long before I started thinking about the key I should actually be singing in. I would pick up a guitar and if I liked how to chord progression sounded, I'd stay in that key. Not many songs in Bb minor...
• Lyrically I tried to create extremely vivid pictures. "Tears fall like snow," was a favorite line. I'm not positive where these come from or what I was trying to say. If I had to guess, I don't think I was trying to say anything in particular. But I think that's what makes this one still work to me. It's 100% open to interpretation and the listener can take as much or as little from them as they want.
• This has to be one of the first songs I wrote without a clear cut chorus. Though there are two different chord progressions in what I would call a verse. It just kind of keeps going, gaining a little more momentum as the melody gets higher. In this prog rock-like setting, it works really well.
• The riff between verses is a nice break. Kristen has told me that the octave jumping part of it reminds her of "Salt Peanuts," by Dizzy Gillespie...which I had never heard.
• I had always wanted to learn how to tap a guitar solo. So what did I do? I wrote one into a song that I had no choice but to sit down and learn how. My old roommate can probably attest to how I worked on this solo for hours.
• This is one of those songs that came pretty naturally. I have to give a lot of credit to my bandmates at the time though, they really helped make this one something special. I've often thought of adapting it for Whiskey Doubles, but I kind of like it is.
• The soaring guitar lines at the end of the song were done as a last minute idea in the studio to give the song some extra power at the end. I wasn't sure if it was too cheesy at the time, but I'm really glad I kept them. They help keep the momentum up after the solo into the final section.

BONUS ROUND: Love You Madly

Love You Madly (Cake Cover)
Arranged and Recorded 2014

Because I jumped the gun and posted the blog on "Burn" this past Saturday, I thought it only right to throw in a bonus post. When I started this blog I was really hesitant to put in any covers. But there are quite a few that I've arranged and recorded over the years that are pretty cool.

This cover came into being for a wedding of Whiskey Doublers, Kent and Ellie. Of the North was still around and were booked for the reception. We came up with a few covers, but this one is the coolest. After all, what do you do when there is a trumpet in the band? Cover Cake. (Trumpet on this demo was done by me)

It's always a nice challenge to cover a song with drums...when you have no drums. So I basically changed it to the "Bo Diddley"rhythm, which really keeps it moving forward. I think this one turned out pretty nice! Enjoy this bonus track:

Burn

Burn
Written and Recorded 2014

I think every songwriter has certain insecurities about the work that he or she puts out into the world. Not only wondering if a song is good enough or if people will like it, but often asking, "Do I even like this song?" I can say that all of these thoughts have gone and continue to go through my head, especially the last. For a non-artist, it may seem like a silly thought. How could you not like a song that you just created? And I always thought that I should like everything I make and perform it if possible. After all, nobody is telling me what to write, or when to do it. It is all in my control. As I develop and continue to learn and grow in songwriting, I've made my peace with all of this.

It was a lot harder in Of the North to cut certain songs loose once I was sick of them. With so many people in the band, it took a lot of time to learn a song and play it together. It felt like if I was to cut something out, it would have been a colossal waste of everyone's time. Since Of the North's inception, I've not had much of problem having enough material. But as time goes on, I'm more picky about which songs I present to Whiskey Doubles, take more time with them, and make sure that it is something I'm going to want to play, sing, and share for a good, long while.

"Burn" is the last song that I wrote with members of Of the North in mind. Written about a month before the end, I wanted to create a song that was positive, upbeat, and had some real heart to it. I hadn't quite made the decision to end things yet, and knew that if we were to continue, I had to write songs that were more. I needed to write not only smarter, but also with more emotion. I've talked in the past on how good songs transcend the instrumentation that they were originally written for. For me, this is one of those and one that started a new way of thinking about writing songs. This demo that I've uploaded is one that has Of the North instrumentation (including terrible trumpet playing by yours truly.) If you'd like to hear the updated and far more orchestral version of the song as performed by Whiskey Doubles, check it out on iTunes or Spotify.

• The intro's chords and rhythm came very naturally to me. This progression is very versatile. It can be very tender and introspective (as shown in the opening, solo guitar), but can pack a punch too (full band)
• As if by some happy accident, the lyrics were written very quickly and naturally as well. This song in general is an outpouring of emotions. It has been one of the easiest songs to memorize because it is very real, autobiographical, and deeply personal. I see it as an acknowledgement of the past and hope for the future, which can be difficult.
• I've always loved choruses that have an echo, especially in folk music. I definitely put extra effort into that part of the song. This was a first for me, to have two phrases that work in conjunction, the first with a half cadence and the second ending on tonic. I love the participatory feeling that it gives the song.
• In the Whiskey Doubles version, I tightened up the structure a bit. Now we do what has been dubbed, "The Honoré Two-Step." Essentially, I made the last chord of the chorus the first chord of the interlude. I think it is seamless for the listener, but can be a bit jarring for the musician.
• I'm not sure if has been a conscious decision or not, but I don't often have bridges with lyrics. I say all that I need to say in the verse and chorus portions and leave the instruments to tell the rest of the story or bring out further emotion. This bridge is one of my favorites, despite a very simple chord progression.