Name: When They Built Cathedrals by MICHAEL JOHN
Duration: 6 min 47 s
Description: This piece is in passacaglia form and composed in 2007 and remixed in 2024 by Michael John and Terry Fry, who wrote the bass line.

In the Middle of Yesterday

This song came about winter/20 after coming back from, what happened to be, my second last concert before the pandemic….remember those days? Anyhow, was a super concert of Alex Cuba’s and really inspired me to write a Spanish song even though I don’t speak the language. Writing music came along quickly enough but writing lyrics and singing in a different language - not so easy. I got some help from a friend with grammar, pronunciation, and how wording would go so I'm hoping the Spanish isn’t too laughable. First time playing fretless bass too which I thought was a fitting choice for the song.

Now Alex has won a Grammy for best Latin Pop album category for Mendo, so I thought I'd repost this track as he was the direct inspiration for it.

Todo Lo Que Necesita Es

EDIT 7/14/14
Removed Ozone Mastering. Check Cello verb tails. Dropped Cello level at the end, last phrase.  Fixed Pedal at end to match piano key end. Fixed "Used to Be" in vox line x2 at the end... there were bits of noise, and it's a little better now.  Still two places in fist verse where I hear tiny crackle. I can't do anything about it. 


Remixed because he INSISTED that a little wail-y trill in the middle was completely ruining the mood.... I hope this appeases him. 

Other than that, no difference between this version and this older mix: https://soundcloud.com/juliannamcduffie/the-king-and-queen-of-nowhere

But maybe he can sleep at night now.

xoxoxoxoxox

Buy Mastered LP v.

The King & Queen of Nowhere (He Insists Mix, UNMASTERED VERSION)

Felt like jumping out of the rut by joining OSC on its last two days! It definitely got me moving, though I wasn't able to dig into the sound design with as much nuance as I wanted (especially since the khs fx were legal!) Perhaps it's for the best. Today I bring some practice writing synthy rock and then noodling with it at dnb tempo. There wasn't enough time to really polish it or solo over it, but I'm still happy. If the mix sucks that's my excuse :D

All sounds generated from 20 instances of ONE. Despite the name, it's... a polysynth. The saws sound pretty good and I would reach for this for chords and distorted leads. Though, creating all the sounds with it seems to make it feel a bit fuzzy and murky, especially when leaning heavily on the onboard FX and unison. A byproduct of using turbo hyper saws for every instrument!

Speaking of FX, most instances use both the chorus and delay. kHs' own Essentials, Slice EQ, Snap Heap and Multipass plugins are used in mixing, mostly some broad EQ and compression to make things gel more instead of using them as creative effects. Except on the drums, where I have kHs Disperser beefing up the impacts. It's tremendous.

Merely One [One Synth Challenge 169: kHs ONE]

Synthesizer V - Eleonor LITE
Lyrics:
Dreams of old memories
feed my despair
whisper of ancient truth
o' we are unaware

Reckon faint images
lush yet so fair
whisper of ancient bliss
o' we are unaware

Ask your soul to
show you around
see what lies on the ground
after 
the fall

Towers magnificent
high up in the air
bring down all energy
but we are unaware

Ships fly above us
float everywhere
carring people
for tickets no care

Homes are like sculptures
telling tales we all share
teach us the details
but we are unaware

When your eyes are closed
when you're ready to sleep
and your body drifts into
the deep
(the deep, the deep, 
down deep)

Ask you soul to
show you around
see what lies on the ground
after 
the fall

After the Fall

Written by Kelly Wilson
A first dance wedding song. A duet exploring the start of a relationship.

Tiffany Chen : Vocal, Piano
Kelly Wilson: Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar
Dan Wilson: Drums, Bass, BGV

Without You

vocal: Julianna McDuffie, piano, bass: VacUm, english lyrics: Sol Vikström

IF I TURN, I'LL SEE MY FOOTPRINTS
SHY OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR
THE DOORSTEP THAT I LEFT - NOT LONG AGO
AND IF I COME THIS WAY AGAIN
I'LL VISIT YOU FOR SURE
AND BIRDS WILL SING AS THEY DO NOW
OUR LONELY LULLABY
AND BIRDS WILL SING AS I DO NOW
YOUR ONLY LULLABY

----
YOU GAVE ME ALL THOSE THINGS
I COULDN’T DARE TO DREAM
TOGETHER AS TIME EMBRACED THIS SOIL
PURE LOVE - ETERNAL HOURS
EMBODIED IN OUR GLOW
WE MELTED ALL THE MOON WHITE SNOW
TO FEED THE SPRINGTIME LEAVES
YOUR WARMTH RELEASED MY FROZEN SOUL
AND IT ECHOES ON THE BREEZE

----

BUT AS THE TIME DREW OLDER, OUR FATE DREW OLDER TOO
THE SKIES WENT DARK, AND FORTUNE CHANGED ITS MIND
THE WEAK BECAME THE HARDEST
GOOD HARVEST TURNED TO HATE
OUR HOME BECAME A FRAGILE REALM
AND LOVE OUR SECRET PAIN
I FORGOT TO SPEAK YOUR NAME
AND WE LIVED ON IN SHAME

BRIDGE

YES YEARS WENT BY AND LEFT US
WITH DEATH AND MISERY
PEOPLE FOUGHT FOR POWER AND FOR GOLD
AS YOU STOOD DEFIANTLY
I COULDN'T SAVE YOUR SOUL
THEY SAY YOUR EYES WERE STRONG AND PROUD
AS ONCE OUR SWEET LOVE WAS
THEY SAY AS ROSES DARK AND RED
THE BLOOD UPON YOUR BED
----
I FIND MY WAY THROUGH THESE DEEP WOODS
STILL HIDING IN THE DARK
I KEEP YOUR NAME AWAY FROM THOSE WHO FIGHT
AND WHEN THE WAR IS OVER
I'LL GIVE YOUR GRAVE A MARK
AND IT WILL TELL OF WARMTH AND GRACE
AS WELL AS SOLITUDE
ALTHOUGH LONELY NOW AM I
MY HEART LIVES STILL WITH YOU

BRIDGE

IF I TURN, I'LL SEE MY FOOTPRINTS
SHY OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR
THE DOORSTEP THAT I LEFT - NOT LONG AGO
AND IF I COME THIS WAY AGAIN
I'LL VISIT YOU FOR SURE
AND BIRDS WILL SING AS THEY DO NOW
OUR LONELY LULLABY
AND BIRDS WILL SING AS I DO NOW
YOUR ONLY LULLABY

Footprints

Modo

Inspired by Christina’s World, by Andrew Wyeth.

Christina’s World

This is a re-imagining of my track, Lodestar, from 2021. Original song was with myself and a couple friends who provided bass and percussion. Mike John (check out his SC profile!) mentioned he liked the track and, when I listened to his music, I immediately thought a collaboration was in order - and I'm very grateful Mike took on the task. His piano playing and sense of arrangement and instrumentation has absolutely taken this song to the next level.

Composed & arranged by: Michael Lankin and Michael John
Acoustic guitar: Michael Lankin
Bass: Paul Hickson
Piano: Michael John
Percussion: Joe Kettlewell
Cello/Violin: Michael John and Michael Lankin

Feedback welcomed and thanks for listening!
Michael

Lodestar (Lankin, John)

This piece is in passacaglia form and composed in 2007 and remixed in 2024 by Michael John and Terry Fry, who wrote the bass line.

When They Built Cathedrals

MICHAEL JOHN

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