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. 

Our Opening Hymn

Our Opening Hymn
Written and Recorded 2010

My mom and dad have this rather Moog-esque synthesizer called a Six-Trak. I know nothing about it other than I can make some cool sounds with it. There were a few weeks in Baraboo where I decided I was going to really lean on this thing to make some music. I had also started a project with one of my brother's friends in D.C. named Aaron DeNu. He is an extremely gifted guy who has some great photography skills. I saw his photographs online and approached him about the possibility of me putting some music to them, also in the Songette style that I had been using. Some of the photos that I put music to were landscapes, architecture, etc. This Songette was written for a picture of an old, old church. I wish I could find the picture to share with you.

• Melodically I tried to make this as much like an older style hymn as possible. I feel like I achieved that through a slow, simple line that a congregation would be able to follow and a basic accompaniment that an organist in northern Wisconsin could handle.
• I dressed it up a bit with the moving Moogish lines and few other things. It gives it a more modern and quirky vibe.
• A lot of inspiration for this comes not only from the photo, but from a childhood surrounded by church music. I learned a lot throughout those years. This is just one small example of that.

That Was Me

That Was Me
Written and Recorded 2006

I have very clear memories of writing this song. "That Was Me" is one of the few songs I wrote following a break-up, this one after my freshman year of college. But unlike most break-up songs, this has nothing to do with pining for a lost love, but was a reflective piece on how I acted during that relationship.

However, the chord progression started as an effort to write a song for a ska band...that's right, a ska band in 2006 called Odd End Out. I had classes with some of the members and was admittedly a little envious of other people having a functional band in college. I was asked to sub for them on guitar on a gig, but it ended up being cancelled. When I got home that summer, I wanted to write a song for them to play. I guess it was going to be my way of living vicariously through them. Because of the lyrics that I wrote for the song, I never presented it to them and it stayed in my computer. Try to picture the rhythm guitar playing quick off-beats and a faster tempo for the ska version that was never to be.

• This is one of my stronger "pop" tunes. It's straight forward enough and the content is accessible. It would have fit great in my non-hard rock band in high school.
• Again, I tend to take pride in my bass lines, this one particularly on the chorus. It's sort of a Paul McCartney-ish "trick" I use by just going up the arpeggio. I also do a quick riff every once in a while in the verses.
• The chorus is repeated each time, but changes from the tonic (I) to the submediant (vi) on the first chord of the phrase the second time around. It' a pretty simple way of extending the chorus and giving the second time through a little more weight emotionally with that minor chord. I'm sure I learned that in a Beatles song somewhere along the way.
• I did try and get a band together to perform this and a few other songs at the start of my sophomore year. We were going to be the Skeleton Blues, but with only one other member and not enough motivation, it quickly fizzled out. We did practice this song with prerecorded bass, drums, and organ on my keyboard while I played guitar and he played trombone. The trombone part was in place of the guitar interlude line. It worked surprisingly well.
• The melody of the verse moves along nicely. Each line has a separate set of notes that build on each other and resolve before the chorus. I wouldn't say it's catchy, but it functions in a way that sets up the hook of the chorus.
• I shared this song with my parents that summer. The one thing I remember my mom saying is, "I wish I had you as a cantor at church!" I took it as a huge compliment (my parents are both church musicians), but this recording is pretty pitchy on the verses. Still had quite a bit of learning to do there.

Fire or Pearl

Fire or Pearl
Written and Recorded 2012

Written almost exactly 3 years ago, "Fire or Pearl" was one of my more ambitious songs. Of the North would go on to play this song for the duration of the band. At the time, I had picked up a book of old Wisconsin folk tunes and was inspired to write one of my own. This song comes from the original Wisconsin Badgers. In the early 1800s, the lead miners who settled here would also dig out tunnels to live in during the harsh winter months. So I made up a little story of my own about a man hoping for a better future for his son, then heading off to the mines. The chorus continues with how the miners embraced the dangerous nature of their job. This is an early demo I gave to my bandmates.

• The song has two different tempos and time signatures. I can't say what originally inspired this, but I felt that the first part of the story should be more exposed and delicate. It is a neat effect when done correctly, but it also makes for 5 minute song.
• The "Ooos" that follow the chorus are the highlight of this song for me. The harmonies are really nice over one of my favorite chord progessions. I always remember audiences looking up and smiling a bit more when we hit that part of the song.
• Overall, I think the song is a bit too long. That comes from the slower intro, a long chorus, a post-chorus section, solo, AND recap of the first verse AND a double chorus at the end. When Kent came on board, he did a lot more with solo section on cello that helped keep it interesting.
• Because I had a clear vision of what the song should be (i.e. Wisconsin folk tune about miners) I probably forced some of the lyrics to work. The chorus is a nice idea to jam those words in, but it's almost too much. Though it was easier to walk into the setting of the song because of the story I was telling. That's always been key for me, especially in terms of remember lyrics!
• This is one of my favorite bass lines. It keeps moving on the chorus and drives the song along. I know it's pretty simple, but it works quite well with the progression.
• The song just didn't come out cleanly. I usually work well within parameters or instrumentation restrictions, but as I've said before, lyrics don't work so well when I box myself in. I think it was a good effort at something new, but still a bit forced. 
• Fun fact: In the early days of Of the North I would play banjo on this song. It was always ridiculously difficult to sing and play, but that was another nice element.