In music, ghost notes are played softly or lightly to add rhythmic texture or nuance without being the primary focus of the performance. They are typically notated with parentheses or smaller note heads to indicate their subtlety and are played with a softer touch compared to the main notes.

In photography, a ghost effect can be achieved using a long exposure to capture movement over an extended period, creating a ghostly or ethereal appearance. The concept of "ghosts" serves as a common inspiration for both the collection of musical tracks and their visual covers that I propose in this playlist.

Ghost Notes

I propose an instrumental cover of this famous song, composed by Ed Cobb, originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964, and later made widely popular by Soft Cell’s 1981 synth-pop cover.

I have changed the song’s structure and given more prominence to the guitar.

I hope you enjoy it.
100 bpm

Tainted Love

In this song, I aimed to blend simple electronic bass lines and synth melodies with electric guitar riffs. I used both my Stratocaster and the Jacaranda TL, while all the other sounds were produced using the AKAI MPC Live.

Morning in Como

In this composition, I took a laid-back approach with the guitars. The main melodies and pads are handled by other electronic instruments. The guitar really stands out in the second verse and during the final solo. As usual, all the sounds were created using the AKAI MPC.
90 bpm

Ghost guitar

I enjoyed building a drum track by mixing samples, synthesized sounds, and LFOs.
All the synths originated from the MPC.
The guitars I used are a Gibson SG Standard and a Fender Stratocaster.

110 bpm

A man

In this song, I enjoyed blending the electronic tones of the bass synth and MPC-embedded synthesizers with the warm sound of the Stratocaster. The stock drum kit is kept simple and dry in the mix, adding to the overall texture.
120 bpm.

Try again

This song marks my first production featuring a vocal track. I sourced the vocals from Voclio.com, where I discovered the original song, composed and performed by the marvelous artist Enlia.

My goal was to create a darker atmosphere for the melody. To achieve this, I replaced the synth with an electric bass, incorporated Mellotron background choirs, and added double tom hits inspired by the brooding vibe of Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'.

The original track is available here: https://on.soundcloud.com/RABugNBK1bApgB8HA

Insanity

I decided to double the guitar arpeggio in the chorus to enhance the sound. The two guitars play the same arpeggio, panned to opposite channels in the stereo field. A combination of stock delay and reverb completes the effect.

For the verse, I chose to use an electric guitar and an electric piano. I composed two arpeggios that blend well together. The guitar has a clean tone, with the usual slight natural overdrive I typically set on the crunch channel of the Marshall amplifier.

I added another verse using guitars and synth bass. I like the simplicity of the sound created by these instruments. The synth bass comes from the Bassline included in the AKAI MPC stock plug-ins, while the Jacaranda and Fender Strat handle the rest.

The title of the song was inspired by the concept of "Mediocristan" as explained by the economist Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Mediocristan represents a world where outcomes are generally predictable and fall within a narrow range, with no extreme deviations. It's a contrast to "Extremistan," where rare, unpredictable events have massive impacts.

Mediocristan

This composition draws inspiration from the famous Grimm’s fairy tale of the same name. While Stratocasters, synthesizers, and electric bass might not be the most conventional choices for such a piece, I truly enjoyed shaping its sound and character.

A big thank you to Karri Hunter for giving voice to the King at the end of the song.
108 bpm

Cinderella

In this track, I enjoyed blending harsh, overdriven guitars with soft melodies and a synth bass. The song's main vibe is dark and dreamy.

I recorded, mixed, and mastered the track using the AKAI MPC.

Youth

The marvelous vocal track in this song was composed and performed by Enlia. I purchased it from Voclio, and it's my second production featuring vocals.
I did my best to keep the voice at the heart of the song, tailoring the arrangement to highlight it.
81 bpm

Statue

In this instrumental track, I enjoyed blending electric instruments with electronic sounds. I played the solo on a Strat with a crunchy tone, driven by the tubes of my small Marshall amp.
118 bpm.

Father and Son

I created this track by improvising on a Gibson SG over three variations of a drum pattern. I produced the drums using custom sounds I made on the AKAI MPC Live and the Teenage Engineering PO-32. I also played the bass part on a Sire J7—my marvelous fretless bass.
96 bpm

Questa Casa

Making music in my bedroom with guitars, MPCs, plugins, and cheap synths. Big fan of quartal harmony and Stratocasters.

Ghost Notes

Gamandello