The result of a songwriting challenge with some mates (the brief was “write a driving song in the style of Little Feat”), this needs some development but I’m on it…

“Driving song”

Again, a result of a songwriting challenge with mates, where this challenge was: “a song with three chords (one of which must be a minor) with a fourth chord thrown in for good measure”.

I desperately need to re-record the vocals. This was done hurriedly in just a few attempts. I found it hard to sing in time!

“The Hard Way”

Another songwriting challenge from mates, this time I think the brief was to use vocal harmonies. I can’t remember what the rest of the challenge was.

“Stolen Moments”

This was a bit of sampling fun this morning with my 10 year old boy. I gave myself the challenge of seeing what I could do in 20 minutes and, in truth, I'd only managed to chop up the piano track (from Neil Cowley's lovely Facebook post of yesterday) within those 20 mins. But I probably spent another half hour or so putting down just a hip-hop bass drum and snare sample hit, and then a simple keyboard part over the top from a sampled instrument I'd created from a patch on my Nord A1. It's a delicious little loop!

Sampler fun – Neil Cowley's awesome ambient piano

I have been trying to do a song-a-day and recording some of my favourite songs. In part, to convince the kids to join me. But also because I want the challenge of learning properly about arranging and recording and mixing. Still learning. Excuse the use of Peter Green's image on this track. I've not done justice at all to his guitaring. I just wanted to put a picture that relates to the track, rather than a generic one. Anyway, over and out.

Need Your Love So Bad  – Pandemic Music-Making

Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks – Pandemic Music-Making

This is one of my early favourites from the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac. It’s not a great song for vocalists – it only has one verse – but is a great guitar-players’ song! Massacred by me!

CaptureBen

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