tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50555560150902429672024-02-07T16:53:41.841-05:00Feel O'ClockKexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-11240881549104003722011-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-02T23:03:35.750-05:00Instrumental: Complexion<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Complexion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">December 6, 2011<br />
[2:29]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/30036930&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Complexion (Mix 3 2011.12.06).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Valencia 3/4-scale Classical Guitar (modified to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohlen-Pierce_scale">Bohlen-Pierce scale</a>), <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio 10</a>: Convolver plugin + bass and triangle samples.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->For a while, I've been meaning to try composing music in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohlen-Pierce_scale">Bohlen-Pierce scale</a>. Using <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio</a>, I had previously been able to modify synthesizers and sample-based instruments to the scale, but since my primary instrument is guitar, I found it difficult to compose using those (somewhat artificial-sounding) keyboard-based instruments.<br>
<br>
After running across a <a href="http://chrisvaisvil.com/?p=779">video on YouTube</a> showing that you could use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_tie">zip ties</a> to create temporary frets on a defretted guitar neck, I decided I felt comfortable enough to buy a cheap guitar and perform the operation to turn it into a Bohlen-Pierce guitar.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mokaiwen/6474879759/" title="With "frets" in place. by Mo Kaiwen 莫楷文, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6474879759_25647a2e8f.jpg" width="250" height="375" alt="With "frets" in place."></a><br>
<br>
Note that I chose a 3/4-scale classical guitar, knowing that <b>a)</b> the frets would end up further apart after the operation, and <b>b)</b> nylon strings have a smoother tone, which ought to make the unfamiliar notes of the scale easier to digest.<br>
<br>
Having done that, I could now jam on the guitar to come up with Bohlen-Pierce chords and riffs that suited my taste. The present instrumental is my first attempt to bring together chords, a bass line, and a melody into a listenable Bohlen-Pierce track.<br>
<br>
Stay tuned for a variation of this track with lyrics!<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-21462755124236330612011-06-21T21:00:00.000-04:002015-12-02T23:05:49.055-05:00Instrumental: Sunderland<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Sunderland</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 22, 2011<br />
[0:57]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/17737361&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Sunderland (Mix 5x 2011.06.22).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio 10</a>: Convolver plugin, Open Instrument Cable, Tambourine Sample, Hofner Bass Guitar Sample, 12 String Guitar Samples.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->No organic instruments were harmed in the making of this track.<br />
<br />
FL Studio has a plugin called "Convolver", which loads an audio sample and triggers it continuously according to the levels of an input sound source. In this case, I used tambourine, bass, and 12-string guitar samples as the samples to be triggered. For the triggering sound source, I used an open-ended instrument cable, tapping rhythmically on the end with my finger. When you have the cable plugged into an amp, this creates an abrupt buzzing noise which stops as soon as you let go of the end. It was this staccato buzzing that triggered the samples. Variations in impact force and friction created variations in the final sound of the samples.<br />
<br />
For the chords being played, I ran together an octave's worth of separate Convolvers with 12-string guitar samples and mapped the notes to a MIDI keyboard. I fudged the chords with one hand while triggering the samples with the instrument cable in the other hand. It was fun.<br />
<br />
P.S. The "rain" and banging/thunder/explosion sounds were produced the same way as everything else. Just, like, different samples. Secret percussion samples.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-58020385870966720302011-06-16T00:00:00.000-04:002015-12-02T23:07:38.961-05:00Instrumental: Dunderhead!<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Dunderhead!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 16, 2011<br />
[3:38]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/23656447&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Dunderhead! (2011.06.16).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio 10</a>: Convolver plugin + vocal sample and electric guitar.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->FL Studio has a plugin called "Convolver", which loads an audio sample and triggers it continuously according to the levels of an input sound source.<br />
<br />
So here, the sample I am triggering is an old (like, 2003 old) clip of me singing a Weird Al song, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weird+al+since+you%27ve+been+gone">Since You've Been Gone</a>", backwards, backwards. That is, I took the line "Well I'm feeling like I stuck my hand inside a blender and turned it on", listened to it backwards, sang that, and turned the result backwards, arriving at a really goofy sounding version of the original. The words "blender and" came out sounding more like "dunderhead!", thus the name of this track.<br />
<br />
The input source for this track was an electric guitar (now I can't remember whether it was the Kramer Focus or the Epiphone Wildkat; I'm leaning towards Kramer Focus). I just jammed out whatever popped into my head. The more trebly and staccato notes result in more obvious triggering of the speech sample; however, the sample really is triggered by every note, which is why there's so much ambient "reverb" and glitchy effects.<br />
<br />
Here's the full original vocal sample from 2003 (apologies in advance for your poor ears):<br />
<br />
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerbecausedemo3" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerbecausedemo3&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/nihurr_96kbps.mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><br />
<br />
P.S. If you know where I might have ripped off the main chord progression from, let me know. I keep thinking it reminds me of Harry Potter music.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com1Prince William County, VA, USA38.7838939 -77.607786538.3878229 -78.2395005 39.1799649 -76.9760725tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-25828096702179723772007-10-06T00:00:00.000-04:002015-12-02T23:08:16.358-05:00Song: Secretly<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Secretly</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mix 7</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">July 3-October 6, 2007<br />
[2:35]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/33741553&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Secretly (Mix 7 2007.10.06).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Secretly I've been wondering why I was waiting here so long<br />
When all the faults I found are gone.<br />
It seemed to me that the way in life was to do it as I'm shown;<br />
I might go crazy on my own.<br />
<br />
Yeah, recently I've been wondering why I was waiting here so long<br />
When all the faults I found are gone.<br />
It seemed to me that the way in life was to do it as I'm shown;<br />
I'm going crazy on my own.</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon">John Lennon</a> (guitar).<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Squier P-Bass Special, Kramer Focus 111S, FL Studio BooBass, Boss VT-1 Voice Transformer, Drum Samples.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->The bass line and some of the words to this came to me in a dream in the middle of 2003 — although at the time, it sounded more like '90s skate punk.<br />
<br />
By August I had finished writing out the refrain, but I couldn't really think of anything else to go with it. I had plans for combining it with another song idea that never took off, and so it ended up on the back burner for about four years. Finally, I caved and decided to just record what I had and try to make the most of it.<br />
<br />
Rather than be overly creative and try to write more lyrics, I said to hell with it (as I often do!) and made the song just be the refrain repeated several times. If it hasn't sunk in by the fourth repetition... well, that's why we have the "loop" toggle on music players.<br />
<br />
So, there are three vocal lines -- one low octave, chill vocal; one higher octave, slightly manic vocal; and a female vocal (sounds a little weird because it's run through the VT-1) jumping between unison and harmony with the higher vocal. And I must have been thinking about John Lennon's scratchy guitar — featured at the end of the songs "I'm Losing You" and "I Don't Wanna Face It" (the version on Wonsaponatime) — when I did this.<br />
<br />
Mmmm... Oh, the "bwah" drum is a DNC kick sample with some sine modulation fx added in FL Studio.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-8092473705965875512007-08-05T22:44:00.009-04:002015-12-02T23:10:12.451-05:00Instrumental: T-mbourine<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">T-mbourine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">August 5, 2007<br />
[1:52]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/27713318&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - T-mbourine (Mix 1 2007.08.05).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio 7</a>: 3x Oscillator, BooBass, Percussion Samples; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY">QWERTY Keyboard</a>.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->In FL Studio, there is an option to use your computer keyboard as an input device for instruments. The keys are mapped so that Z, X, C, V, B, N, M, comma, period, and forward slash make a set of white keys, with Z representing a C note; Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, P, [, and ] represent the next octave (and a half) up, with Q representing a C note. S, D, G, H, J, L, semicolon, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 0, and = represent black keys.<br />
<br />
For the purpose of this instrumental, I wanted to come up with a tune that stayed within a scale on the white keys. Therefore, I started looking for common words that stayed within the two sets of "white keys" on the QWERTY keyboard. Using familiar words gives the player the opportunity to experiment with new sequences of notes that can be easily repeated on the fly. I finally settled on the word "tambourine", which I chose to represent as "t-mbourine" because the letter A does not trigger a note in FL Studio. All the letters in the word are given equal length except the initial T, which is double length to make up for the missing second letter. The resulting riff is repeated for the duration of the song.<br />
<br />
With the letter T (which would be a G note on a piano keyboard) as the root of the scale, and with extra preprogrammed backing, the tune ended up being in the Mixolydian mode (a scale formed by running from G to G on the white keys of a piano keyboard). The note sequence of the lead instrument (a high-octave BooBass with lots of effects piled on) was improvised by using other words that fit within the set of white keys, combined with more random improvisation. For example, the beginning of the lead sequence was typed as follows: "z poetry petry utyrterw" (spacing provided for clarity). Other words included in the song are "return" and "erotic", interspersed with improvised riffs. The second half is more abstract and not based on any particular familiar words.<br />
<br />
In the background you hear a heavily modified vocal sample of me, Ray N, and Kevin S discussing how different English-speaking areas have their own different (and, for the record, totally made-up) terms akin to "poppycock".<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-70646743597303932862007-05-24T21:42:00.000-04:002015-12-02T23:11:59.563-05:00GSnap Messing<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">GSnap Messing</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">May 24, 2007<br />
[2:02]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28749321&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - GSnap Messing.mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> <a href="http://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm">GVST GSnap</a> + <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FL Studio</a>, Whistling, Vocals.<br>
<br />
<!--describing-->I can't remember what my original motivation was for getting <a href="http://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm">GVST GSnap</a> — other than the obvious use it could have for tweaking vocal pitch flubs, though as it turns out I'm too heavy-handed of a producer to do something so subtle. So, in order to explore what I could actually do with GSnap, I made this. First I laid down the droning vocals in the background — a good old "ohhhhmmmwaaahhoohhmmwwwaah", technically describable as modulating the formant spectrum of my voice by slowly wembling my lips. Those were run through GSnap and pinned to one invariant pitch.<br>
<br>
So, whistling ended up kind of cool. Very world-music sounding. Not immediately obvious that it's human whistling. I started out with the whistling locked to a couple pitches, then switched it up to an F major scale.<br>
<br>
Ah, this might explain part of my motivation. I heard a song by They Might Be Giants, called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=they+might+be+giants+bastard+wants+to+hit+me">Bastard Wants to Hit Me</a> that used Auto-Tune (or something akin to it). So when the vocals come in on this, around 0:56, the line "He says he knows me, but I don't know that guy..." is from that song. Then I switch to singing the first verse of another They Might Be Giants song, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=they+might+be+giants+%22hope+that+i+get+old+before+i+die%22">Hope That I Get Old Before I Die</a>.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-54119099800910364232007-02-18T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-02T23:13:11.081-05:00Song: Nuclear Spin (Man Will Never Fly Version)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Nuclear Spin</span><span style="font-size: 155%; font-weight: bold;"> (Man Will Never Fly Version)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Version 2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">February 18, 2007<br />
[2:17]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/27462426&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Nuclear Spin (Man Will Never Fly Version) (Version 2 Mix 1 2007.02.18).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;"><i>Alright, I think we've got everything we need here,<br>
Where's the uh.. oh...</i><br>
<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.</div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Oscillators; Pulse Pro Jr. Drum Set + Hi-Hats; Kramer Focus 111S; Hands, Feet, and a Chair; Kramer Baretta 5-string Bass (plunk, slap, & slide); Clock Chime; Sofia Mari SM3448 Accordion.<br>
<br />
<!--describing-->Not a far cry from the version mixed the previous day, this is a stripped-down mix with no acoustic guitar and only one vocal sample from the archives (my friend Andrew saying "Alright, I think we've got everything we need here..."). The intro is also different from Version 1 — instead of a glowing, ambient oscillator sound, here we have a gritty, low buzz that hangs for a few seconds and then jolts into the guitar riff.<br>
<br>
Oscillators come back for revenge during the last repetition and then taper off at the end. A sample taken from a chiming clock in my house is also snuck into a couple spots.<br>
<br>
For more info on this track, check out the blog entry for <a href="/2007/02/song-nuclear-spin-hello.html">Version 1</a>.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-5327397169416765892007-02-17T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-02T23:13:55.630-05:00Song: Nuclear Spin (Hello)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Nuclear Spin (Hello)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Version 1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">February 17, 2007<br />
[2:32]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/27459348&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Nuclear Spin (Hello) (Mix 4 2007.02.17).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
See also: <a href="/2007/02/song-nuclear-spin-man-will-never-fly.html">Nuclear Spin (Man Will Never Fly Version)</a>.<br>
<br>
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
<br>
<i>Die schönsten Früchte ab von jedem Baum...<br>
Baum...<br>
Thuswise ends the bonus track!</i><br>
<br>
Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.<br>
<i>Do you think man will ever fly?<br>
No, come to Hotel One, it's the best prime number...<br>
<br>
... and it's not divisible by its own bowls.<br>
Alright, I think we've got everything we need here,<br>
Where's the uh.. oh...<br>
<br>
That's awful... forty-nine minutes...<br>
Do you think man will ever fly?<br>
Die Luft ist still, als atmete man kaum...</i></div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Yamaha CBX-K1XG MIDI Keyboard + Oscillator; Hands, Feet, and a Chair; Percussion Samples; Epiphone Wildkat (played acoustically); Pulse Pro Jr. Drum Set + Hi-Hats; Kramer Baretta 5-string Bass (plunk, slap, & slide); Kramer Focus 111S; Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar; Sofia Mari SM3448 Accordion.<br>
<br />
<!--describing-->This is basically a glorified instrumental, intended mainly as a let's-get-things-started sort of number. Like <a href="/2006/10/song-sever-ballad-of-leg-with-gangrene.html">Sever (Ballad of The Leg With Gangrene)</a>, this song was named by looking at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a> articles at random until a phrase came up that I liked. The riff is a fairly straightforward loop, only really distinguished by the strumming rhythm. The conservative drumming draws from when I practiced the song a few times playing the guitar and drums at the same time, meaning I could only use three feet and no hands to play the kick, snare, and hi-hats. In this mix, however, the drums were recorded individually and mixed in later.<br>
<br>
The intro to the song is marked mostly by the ambient glowing sound created by running my <span style="color: #774400;">MIDI Keyboard</span> into a slightly detuned oscillator in <a href="http://www.flstudio.com/">FruityLoops</a> and smushing my whole arm down across all the white keys (fortunately, the song is in the key of C). The staccato percussion in the latter half of the intro was the metronome I used in recording the song, derived from an abbreviated sample of a song by <a href="http://www.thestrokes.com/">The Strokes</a>.<br>
<br>
The muffled vocal samples scattered throughout the song are simply a device to break up the repetitive cycle of the instrumentation. They all come from recordings sitting around in my archives. Some bits came from friends and dormmates I lived with in the Japanese House at <a href="http://www.wm.edu/">William and Mary</a>: the two German bits (Jen), the weird backwards ambient chatter during the second "Hello" part (various people), and the "Alright, I think we've got everything we need here..." (Andrew). "Do you think man will ever fly?", "Come to Hotel One", and "Forty-nine minutes", as well as the "soy soy, hoy hoy" mumblings in the last part come from Ray and Kevin, with whom I have periodically recorded jams. "Thuswise ends the bonus track!", as well as the mumble at the end of the intro, come from a drum-n-guitar demo I recorded recently before working on this.<br>
<br>
<u>Trivia:</u><br>
<br>
This is the first time since 2001 that I've played the <span style="color: #774400;">Kramer Baretta bass</span> (the first bass guitar I owned) in a recording.<br>
<br>
This is NOT the first time I have inserted the timekeeper sample, used to synchronize recorded tracks, into the final mix — the muted strumming heard throughout version 2 of <span style="color: #774400;">The Thawing Song</span> up through the fade-out was the timekeeper I used for that song.<br>
<br>
Finally, the backwards double-speed <span style="color: #774400;">acoustic/electric guitar</span> parts were originally recorded in July 2003 against an instrumental called "One And Only", also in the key of C, composed by Ray Naegle.<br>
<br>
See also: <a href="/2007/02/song-nuclear-spin-man-will-never-fly.html">Nuclear Spin (Man Will Never Fly Version)</a>.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-19840929282900216312006-12-03T02:10:00.001-05:002015-12-02T23:14:36.239-05:00Song: Lose It<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Lose It</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mix 3</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">December 3, 2006<br />
[2:42]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/26331383&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Lose It (Mix 3 2006.12.03).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Sometimes the words just won't come out of your mouth and then you lose it.<br />
Sometimes you think you know exactly what to say and then you lose it.<br />
Well, you still stumble along and keep the conversation moving.<br />
<br />
Sometimes you find you know how everything works but you can't prove it.<br />
Yeah, you can argue your way, but now you know you're gonna lose it.<br />
Why bother anyhow? There's nothing you can ever say to prove it.<br />
<br />
So lose it.<br />
So lose it.<br />
So lose it.<br />
So lose it.<br />
<br />
Sometimes it looks as though everybody knows what they are doing,<br />
While you just tumble around and hope they notice you're still moving.<br />
Don't you get caught up where you walk — just make sure that you keep moving.</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/chantigs">Chantigs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Harrison">George Harrison</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Stripes">The White Stripes</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Yamaha CG-130SA Classical Guitar, Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Martin Backpacker, Washburn Cumberland 12-string Acoustic Guitar, Johnson UK-120 Soprano Ukulele, Squier P-Bass Special, Epiphone Wildkat, MeanBeat Percussion Samples, DigiTech RP100 + Microphone.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->Sometimes the words just won't come out of <b>MY</b> mouth, and then <b>I</b> lose it. What, I can't be autobiographical once in a while? Write a song the kids can relate to? Crazy!<br />
<br />
Given the subject matter and how it's obviously just a word-for-word quote of my internal monologue, it should come as no surprise that the song was written in one night, as opposed to many others which sit on the back burner for months or years at a time (because I'm pretty bad at coming up with lyrics). The only trouble was that I wrote this as more of a poem — I didn't have any music in mind, and it took me several months before I bothered trying to put it to music.<br />
<br />
I decided to go all out with this mix, bringing in most of the acoustic stringed instruments I owned at the time for the backing chords. As for the slide guitar solo, I purposely designed it around the flanged microphone feedback effect I had coaxed out of my DigiTech RP100 and recorded previously during a bout of experimentation.<br />
<br />
Structurally, this is a good example of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_bar_blues">twelve-bar blues</a>. Compare, for instance, the classic "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shake%2C_Rattle_and_Roll">Shake, Rattle, and Roll</a>", or "I'm Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Stripes">The White Stripes</a>, or even the theme from the 1960's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_%28TV_series%29">Batman</a> series.<br />
<br />
Brownie points to you if you appreciate the delicate art of rhyming a word with itself.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-79273272773933270282006-11-01T01:03:00.010-05:002015-12-02T23:16:01.069-05:00Demo: The House (Oh No)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">The House (Oh No)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Demo</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">November 1, 2006<br />
[3:03]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/26327508&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - The House (Oh No) (Demo 2006.11.01).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Well, the room was bare,<br />
Too clean when I woke,<br />
Though I swore I'd stay awake through it all,<br />
They're gone. They're gone.<br />
The moon was burning through that night<br />
When they left me.<br />
<br />
Not a strand of hair was left in the bed;<br />
Not a web was left on the floor,<br />
Oh no. Oh no.<br />
I tried to warn them,<br />
Tried to stop their poor mistaken souls...<br />
<br />
But an angry dog was left in the yard..<br />
Couldn't leave for fear of the dog,<br />
Oh no. Oh no.<br />
<br />
So I sat and stared, and watched as the walls<br />
Didn't move. The floor didn't creak,<br />
Oh no. Oh no.<br />
And nothing special passed behind me..<br />
Nobody slammed a door...<br />
<br />
When the sun came up<br />
The house was all mine,<br />
And the hound had gone.<br />
It's warm and it's calm.<br />
It's fine. I'm fine..</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masato_Nakamura">Masato Nakamura</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flaming_Lips">The Flaming Lips</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Slean">Sarah Slean</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker, <a href="http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/">Praat</a>.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->Just your run-of-the-mill tale of apocalyptic abandonment, with a touch of cynophobia and non-hallucination.<br />
<br />
Here's how it came about: So, while taking a quick trip back in time to play Sonic The Hedgehog 2, I figured on getting some kicks out of the old sound test screen. After chewing on a few tracks, I popped it up to track 10 (hexadecimal 10, mind you) — the by-now niche-famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_2_%2816-bit%29#Unfinished_levels">Sonic 2 tune</a> that never made it into any actual levels. Wouldn't it be cool if this tune had some lyrics? Alright, let's do it.<br />
<br />
So I let that percolate for a while...<br />
<br />
Hey, and now there's this song sitting there, waiting to be recorded. Okay, that should be easy!<br />
<br />
Ack. This needs a female vocalist. I hain't got one on hand... Hey, I know! Let's be all progressive and experimental and use <a href="http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/">Praat</a>, a speech analysis/processing program, to up the pitch and timbre some.<br />
<br />
Hey, that's got a nice texture to it. But it's kind of hollow sounding. But hey, backwards reverb is cool, and should cover some of the imperfections. That was a technique used by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flaming_Lips">The Flaming Lips</a> from time to time in their early albums. You can hear an example in the song "You Have To Be Joking (Autopsy of the Devil's Brain)" from their album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_to_Death_in_the_Future_Head">Hit to Death in the Future Head</a>.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-45293292944475965122006-10-05T14:20:00.012-04:002015-12-02T23:16:47.466-05:00Song: Sever (Ballad of The Leg With Gangrene)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Sever</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>(Ballad of the Leg With Gangrene)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mix 4</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">October 5, 2006<br />
[1:34]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/23963874&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Sever (Ballad of The Leg With Gangrene) (Mix 4 2006.10.05).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Sever me! Sever me!<br />
Sever me! Sever me!<br />
<br />
Let me go! Let me go!<br />
Let me go! Let me go!<br />
<br />
Help! Help!<br />
Help.</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_White">Meg White</a> (drums), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Harrison">George Harrison</a> (volume pedal).<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Pulse Pro Jr. Drum Set, Squier J/P-Bass, Epiphone Wildkat, Kramer Focus 111S/Volume Pedal.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->This song represents a series of happy accidents, starting with a recording of several fairly uninspired practice drum jams using the <span style="color: #783f04;">Pulse Pro Jr.</span> set. Following my normal procedure at the time, I named each separate drum jam after a random word from a random <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a> article. As I was naming what would become the backing drums for this song, I came across the keyword Sever, referring to various Portuguese parishes. I thought the name sounded cool, and the drum beat wasn't half bad, so I went with it.<br />
<br />
The next step was to pull the two <span style="color: #783f04;">bass</span> lines out of the blue (allowing the whim-based changes in drumming to guide key changes) and record them — the low, left-speaker one first, followed soon after by the higher harmonizing right-speaker line. After letting that stew for a while, I decided to move forward and quickly threw together the rhythm guitar, using the <span style="color: #783f04;">Epiphone Wildkat</span> recorded acoustically to get that sharp, trebly sound from it. Finally, I decided to make use of the <span style="color: #783f04;">volume pedal</span> I had owned for nearly a year, and which had served me well with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theadventuresoftupperware">one</a> of the two bands I was in during my last semester at <a href="http://www.wm.edu/">William and Mary</a> the same year. Pairing the <span style="color: #783f04;">Kramer Focus 111S</span> with the volume pedal, I quickly kicked out the last instrumental portion of the song.<br />
<br />
After mixing all the guitars and the drum track together with <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FruityLoops</a> and letting a few people listen to it, I started to fancy (in no small part due to the random name that had been tacked onto the drum track) that the volume pedal/guitar was trying to say something... "Help me, sever me, sever me, let me go, etc." So I decided to sing that into the <span style="color: #783f04;">can</span> and hook it up to FruityLoops' vocoder along with a copy of that guitar line. Although I had recorded vocals for the entire length of the song, I elected to confine them to the climax.<br />
<br />
Despite how quickly this song went from a throwaway drum practice recording to a full-blown quadruple-guitar instrumental complete with frivolous vocoder-steeped pleading, I consider this to be the closest I've come to achieving the kind of music I'm truly aiming for: a pure emotional wave — first shocking you to attention, then slowly drawing you towards the absurd but eerily believable climax, and finally letting you back down to the ground — where, if you're like me, you realize that at only a minute and a half long, you can afford to ride this wave a couple more times — and maybe a little louder next time...<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-25195773116617505222006-09-21T16:43:00.003-04:002015-12-02T23:17:23.312-05:00WCWM - Robot ID<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">WCWM - Robot ID</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">September 21, 2006<br />
[41 sec]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/26328956&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/WCWM - Robot ID (2006.09.21).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">WCWM, 90.9 FM.<br />
WCWM, 90.9 FM.<br />
<br />
Williamsburg.<br />
Williamsburg.<br />
<br />
Williamsburg!<br />
Williamsburg!<br />
Williamsburg!<br />
(Williamsburg!)<br />
<br />
Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh?<br />
Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh?<br />
Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh?</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking">Stephen Hawking</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> DocTalker Text-to-Speech Suite; Wine Glass Click Sample; <a href="http://flstudio.image-line.com/">FruityLoops</a>: 3x Oscillator, MIDI Guitar Harmonics, Percussion Samples.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->I created this, along with two other recordings, as a gift to <a href="http://www.wcwm.org/">WCWM</a> a few months after I graduated from <a href="http://www.wm.edu/">William and Mary</a>. During my last year there, I ran a radio show for two hours each week. The show had a premeditated playlist, focused on running two tracks in a row by the same artist (a twin spin!) to help convince listeners that the artists were worth really getting into. My thought process had been that if I liked one song, I might go download the song — but if I liked a couple songs, I might run out and buy an album. In a two-hour show, I averaged about 16 artists, divided into two-artist sets broken up by short <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_service_announcement">PSAs</a>. In preparing my playlists, I would premix each four-song set, carefully timing the transition from one song to the next so that the rhythm wouldn't skip a beat, and I generally tried to link the two artists in a set by lining up the key of the second and third songs. So, I might be OCD (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorder">OCPD?</a>), but I like to think that my listeners benefited from it.<br />
<br />
The high glassy clicking throughout the track is one of many samples I recorded of bumping wine glasses together in different ways (and, amazingly, not breaking any of them). In the interest of full disclosure, I believe that this sample in particular was of two wine glasses bumping bottom-to-bottom.<br />
<br />
The Text-to-Speech vocals were generated by a program called DocTalker, released by Willow Pond Corporation in the mid-1990's. The melodies of the vocals were created by chance, by setting up the utility to use a random intonation. I played off those melodies to create the backing music.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-26904372359060226102006-07-26T16:09:00.005-04:002011-11-08T22:23:23.952-05:00Instrumental: Coffinee<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Coffinee</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Instrumental</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">July 26, 2006<br />
[2:46]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playercoffinee" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playercoffinee&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Coffinee (2006.07.26).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Coffinee (2006.07.26).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seatbelts">The Seatbelts</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->I just kind of made this up out of nowhere. Only took a few minutes. I was sitting around and noodling and started picking up a folksy western vibe and went with it. Don't ask about the name... I have no idea.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-44955333163225068432006-02-18T01:43:00.006-05:002011-11-08T22:23:30.375-05:00Song: Turn It On<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Turn It On</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mix 4</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">February 18, 2006<br />
[2:23]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerturnitonmix4" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerturnitonmix4&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Turn It On (Mix 4 2006.02.18).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Turn It On (Mix 4 2006.02.18).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Everyday I wonder how living would be<br />
If you gave a little more than a damn for me;<br />
You've got pictures of your friends pinned up on the wall,<br />
And am I the biggest, the biggest fool of them all?<br />
<br />
Come on and turn it on...<br />
<br />
Well I get so lost when I don't know where I stand,<br />
But then I don't need no one here to hold my hand,<br />
And so the news starts spreading around;<br />
If you've got a minute then I'll show you just what I've found.<br />
<br />
Come on and turn it on...<br />
<br />
Though I don't know what I want, I'll tell you one thing I've got,<br />
I've got a handkerchief round my neck,<br />
And I'm ready to go with just a knock on the door,<br />
And then you won't ever have to think of me no more.<br />
<br />
Come on and turn it on...<br />
</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Might_Be_Giants">They Might Be Giants</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strokes">The Strokes</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Palms & Thighs.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->During my last week of finals in December 2005, I woke up one morning with the words and riff of the refrain to this song repeating OVER and OVER in my head. I kept mulling it over while getting out of bed, and in the shower I started to think about lyrics that would fit as verses to go with the refrain. The first thing that came to mind was a line from "Spooky", a song by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classics_IV">Classics IV</a>. Just then I thought about how sometimes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Might_Be_Giants">They Might Be Giants</a> would incorporate bits of lyrics from popular songs into their own songs (such as in the song "The Biggest One" which borrows lines from the song "I Will Survive" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor">Gloria Gaynor</a>), and I figured I might as well try that out and see what happens.<br />
<br />
I ended up borrowing lines from "Spooky" for what became the second verse and following it closely by a less-obvious borrowing from <a href="http://www.jettheband.com/">Jet</a>'s song "Get What You Need". Then I started working out the first verse and managed to borrow in a line (and a rhyme) from "Take Me To The River" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_Heads">Talking Heads</a>. Finally, I borrowed a little bit out of the song "Geek Stink Breath" by <a href="http://www.greenday.com/">Green Day</a> to introduce the third verse. However, despite borrowing lyrics and, to some extent, vocal melody from those songs, I managed to kind of rearrange their meanings from their original contexts and combine them with my own lyrics into a theme of getting tough on a failing relationship. (Autobiographical? Hardly.)<br />
<br />
I recorded this version of the track as a demo to the band I was playing with during my last semester at <a href="http://www.wm.edu/">William and Mary</a>, called <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theadventuresoftupperware">The Adventures of...</a>, A.K.A. "Bro Party". (We didn't ever actually perform the number.) There are three recordings of my <span style="color: #783f04;">Dean Acoustic/Electric Guitar</span> (plugged in as an electric) in the track, one covering the low end with palm-muted power chords, and the other two providing more rhythm and chords. Both the foreground and background vocals were recorded against a slowed-down version of the instrumentation and pitched up one semitone to get a different sound. To round out the track I did some leg-slapping for percussion.<br />
<br />
Not much more to say. Don't sue me.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-51160332599961328132005-08-27T17:20:00.004-04:002011-11-08T22:23:35.989-05:00Instrumental: The News<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">The News</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mix 8</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">August 27, 2005<br />
[1:16]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerthenews" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerthenews&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - The News (Version 8 2005.08.27).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - The News (Version 8 2005.08.27).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._Melee">Super Smash Bros. Melee</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Commander:_Privateer">Wing Commander: Privateer</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Inch_Nails">Nine Inch Nails</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> MIDI Strings, MIDI Xylophone, MIDI Tubular Bell, MeanBeat Percussion Samples, Kramer Focus 111S.<br />
<br />
After deciding to go onto <a href="http://www.wcwm.org/">WCWM</a> as a DJ for my senior year (2005-2006) at <a href="http://www.wm.edu/">William and Mary</a>, I had every intention of making bogus news reports for the beginning of every weekly show. Indeed, so inspired by my friend <a href="http://www.myspace.com/mvoeahlpa">Andrew</a>, I had prepared a number of full-length newspaper-style articles by plugging real news articles into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaHAL">MegaHAL</a> or cutting them up physically or digitally and scrambling them. However, laziness got the best of me and I never delivered any reports on my show, but I did create this nice backing track for that very purpose.<br />
<br />
When conceptualizing this music, I had two elements in mind: First, the newsy music, for which I had a basic model in my head, which was influenced by the menu screen music from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._Melee">Super Smash Bros. Melee</a>, with the weird pitch-changing tubular bell as a small touch influenced by ambient music from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Commander:_Privateer">Wing Commander: Privateer</a>. Then, after some guitar-feedback build-up, there is the climax, for which I considered the drum solo in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Inch_Nails">Nine Inch Nails</a>'s "The Perfect Drug" to be an influence, even though it doesn't really sound that much like it. <!--describing-->Since I'm not really an electric guitar virtuoso by any stretch, I had to play the <span style="color: #783f04;">lead guitar</span> more slowly, five semitones lower in pitch than the backing track, and then I pitched it up in the mix.<br />
<br />
Below, for your enjoyment, are the aforementioned news articles (seven total).<!--described--><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="495" name="midFrame" scrolling="auto" src="http://krimble.com/news.php?article=1&tableheight=438" width="285"></iframe>Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-36151243730450016672004-08-05T00:00:00.003-04:002011-12-07T23:08:31.071-05:00Demo: Because (Demo 3)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Because</span><br />
Demo 3<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">August 5, 2004<br />
[3:14]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerbecausedemo3" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerbecausedemo3&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2004.08.05).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2004.08.05).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">If the light from the window is making you weep,<br />
The sidewalks are bare and you're struggling to sleep,<br />
Then why is it some people smile at the dawn?<br />
It's all clear to me but I'm not letting on.<br />
<br />
The world's turning east but the wind's to the west,<br />
And in all of your time here you couldn't have guessed<br />
If the sun is so bright why the sky is still blue;<br />
Well, I know the answer but I'm not telling you.<br />
<br />
If you feel like you're wasting the time of your life,<br />
You tally your days in the wall with a knife,<br />
Then how come the good times are fresh in your brain?<br />
Don't ask me to say when the cause is so plain.<br />
<br />
And why is it everyone acts as they do?<br />
I'd tell you why but I haven't a clue.<br />
<br />
They say that today is the first of the rest of your life,<br />
And the last of the life that you've known;<br />
And you can sleep in and hide,<br />
You can make it outside,<br />
Take what you see and then make it your own.<br />
<br />
So why is it everyone acts as they do?<br />
I'd tell you why but I haven't a clue.<br />
<br />
You see that today is the first of the rest of your life,<br />
The last of the life that you've lived;<br />
And you can stare straight ahead<br />
Or look backwards instead,<br />
But if you like what you get,<br />
Then we'd love what you give.</div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->At some point during summer 2004 I came up with the vague idea of turning the cliché phrase — "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." — into some kind of song lyric. I ended up deciding to tack it onto <a href="/search/label/song%3A%20Because">Because</a>, for which I had recorded two previous demos a year before.<br />
<br />
Taking a fresh look at the song, I ended up changing the vocal style and the guitar style to something much softer. I also changed the song's key from C to E (played the same way, using a capo on the fourth fret of the guitar).<br />
<br />
In this version, the theme of the song is even more solidly established — first, narrowing in on the depressive aspect of the first three verses by removing the old final verse; leaving intact the subsequent admission of cluelessness; and finally, appending the new verses to close on a positive (albeit still somewhat clueless) note.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-76891186267895405262003-06-23T00:55:00.008-04:002015-12-02T23:20:45.813-05:00Boston Cream Pie<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Boston Cream Pie</span><br />
(w/ Ray N)<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 23, 2003<br />
[1:00]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><iframe width="100%" height="116" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/27465678&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin B & Ray N - Boston Cream Pie (2003.06.23).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1989/09/09" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410776221019677858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6g-GmgV6-OzydQ36jYF7GXvFghSwYK1UCGJWrKnTnEsnOArReqv5I5QBtELQOLEUGuGnwo2fMZ0eqYDHM9m5OCt4-IKE43AntK6XzAAI5Xc0OomfkLzl3Jf6qg-BLmTsEnEeoxkZRYsE/s400/creampie_500.png" style="border: 0px none; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->Inspired by a <a href="http://comics.com/peanuts/">Peanuts</a> comic which I had recently scanned for my brother, Greg, this is one of many recordings in which Ray and I practiced "reverse <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backmasking">backmasking</a>", a process in which we would listen to a phrase that had been turned backwards, write down how it was pronounced, say the backwards phrase into the microphone and then reverse that. The end result was usually a strange, retarded sounding version of the original forward phrase, with ambient backwards noises in the background.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of this track, Ray is demonstrating a phonetic palindrome with the phrase "Oh yeah, aye wah", which sounds roughly the same forwards and backwards. In the middle, Ray is noodling some slide guitar and reciting the comic strip forwards, starting at the rightmost frame and moving leftward.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-34832423978543430902003-06-10T12:46:00.031-04:002011-12-07T23:08:11.869-05:00Demo: Windy Night (Demo 2)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Windy Night</span><br />
Demo 2<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">June 10, 2003<br />
[5:02]</span><br />
<br />
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[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Windy Night (Demo 2003.06.10).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Windy night, stars and the sky<br />
Moon is bright, look up and cry<br />
Eyes are grey<br />
Await the day<br />
<br />
Shadows move behind the trees<br />
As the ground begins to freeze<br />
Auburn hair<br />
Floats through the air<br />
<br />
Drifting down among the leaves<br />
Gazing there, back to the breeze<br />
Stand for a while<br />
Tender a crimson smile<br />
<br />
Turn around and let it pass<br />
To the yard, lay on the grass<br />
Shades are drawn<br />
Sleep till the wild red dawn<br />
</div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Dean Exotica QSE Acoustic/Electric Guitar.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->This one's still pretty rough. First demo with the completed lyrics. The last verse introduces a temporary key change, and the ending leaves off the wild strumming that was in the <a href="/2003/05/demo-windy-night-demo-1.html">previous demo</a>. Vocals are still kind of shoddy.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-80828015206826092142003-05-31T15:42:00.055-04:002011-12-07T23:08:04.485-05:00Demo: Windy Night (Demo 1)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Windy Night</span><br />
Demo 1<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">May 31, 2003<br />
[3:00]</span><br />
<br />
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[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Windy Night (Demo 2003.05.31).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Alright. Here's a little demo, show you what's going on.<br />
<br />
Ferry night, stel—<br />
Oops, wrong song, try that again.<br />
<br />
Windy night, stars and the sky<br />
Moon is bright, look up and cry<br />
Eyes are grey<br />
Await the day<br />
<br />
Shadows move behind the trees...</div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker.<br />
<br />
This is my third songwriting attempt, after Everytime and Because. I had a cold when I recorded this, which doesn't necessarily excuse my utterly untrained voice...<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->The first thing I have to point out about this song is that my original plan was to write it in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructed_language">constructed language</a> — one which I was sort of designing on the fly, with vocabulary extrapolated from common <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-European_languages">Indo-European</a> roots, and intended to look/sound a lot like English (note that, stunningly, the word for "night" is <i>night</i>). I eventually ran out of patience and just wrote the lyrics in English — but, having just switched over, I was confused enough to start singing the wrong words before correcting myself.<br />
<br />
So, now that we've established that this song is not about fairies, what else can we glean from this demo? I actually just recorded this so I wouldn't forget what I was doing, and so I could let my friend Ray take a listen (which is why I'm talking to the microphone — I don't usually do that... much).<br />
<br />
The last half minute of jumbled strumming actually represents the original source of the music — a little two-chord strumming jam I made up while I was still taking my beginning guitar class a couple years earlier.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-7277440884155481112003-05-19T13:24:00.011-04:002011-12-07T23:07:47.004-05:00Demo: Because (Demo 2)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Because</span><br />
Demo 2<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">May 19, 2003<br />
[2:22]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerbecausedemo2" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerbecausedemo2&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2003.05.19).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2003.05.19).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">If the light from the window is making you weep,<br />
The sidewalks are bare and you're struggling to sleep,<br />
Then why is it some people smile at the dawn?<br />
It's all clear to me but I'm not letting on.<br />
<br />
The world's turning east but the wind's to the west,<br />
And in all of your time here you couldn't have guessed<br />
If the sun is so bright why the sky is still blue;<br />
Well, I know the answer but I'm not telling you.<br />
<br />
If you feel like you're wasting the time of your life,<br />
You tally your days in the wall with a knife,<br />
Then how come the good times are fresh in your brain?<br />
Don't ask me to say when the cause is so plain.<br />
<br />
When a girl and her man fall in love and take flight,<br />
And her friends left behind think it couldn't be right,<br />
If you feel so deserted, why care for them still?<br />
I know the reason, and someday you will.<br />
<br />
And why is it everyone acts as they do?<br />
I'd tell you why but I haven't a clue.</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett">Syd Barrett</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->The day after recording the <a href="/2003/05/demo-because.html">first demo</a>, I made a few changes — I inserted the third verse, and made a slight change to the wording of the last. The third verse fits well with the first two, and helps establish a more solid theme, which is apparently about living with depression — although I wasn't really feeling depressed when I wrote it.<br />
<br />
As should be apparent, my vocals at this point are neither pretty nor very well settled. So, if it hurts too bad, you can always stop the audio. This holds true for most of my early demos :)<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-55624116370671536712003-05-18T23:48:00.056-04:002011-12-07T23:07:31.974-05:00Demo: Because (Demo 1)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Because</span><br />
Demo 1<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">May 18, 2003<br />
[1:52]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerbecausedemo1" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerbecausedemo1&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2003.05.18).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Because (Demo 2003.05.18).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">If the light from the window is making you weep,<br />
The sidewalks are bare and you're struggling to sleep,<br />
Then why is it some people smile at the dawn?<br />
It's all clear to me but I'm not letting on.<br />
<br />
The world's turning east but the wind's to the west,<br />
And in all of your time here you couldn't have guessed<br />
If the sun is so bright why the sky is still blue;<br />
Well, I know the answer but I'm not telling you.<br />
<br />
Well, a girl and her man fell in love and took flight;<br />
Her friends left behind thought it couldn't be right.<br />
If you feel so deserted, why care for them still?<br />
I know the reason, and someday you will.<br />
<br />
And why is it everyone acts as they do?<br />
I'd tell you why but I haven't a clue.</div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett">Syd Barrett</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->I started writing this not too long after recording my first song, <a href="/search/label/song%3A%20Everytime">Everytime</a> (incidentally, quelling my initial concern that I might actually never write more than one song). I sort of started out with the idea that there were already enough songs asking questions... So I wanted to put the singer in charge of the answers — except that the closing line actually pretty much betrays that whole concept...<br />
<br />
I at first pictured this being in the vein of some of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett">Syd Barrett</a>'s trite and sardonic jams. I can't really say for sure where I came up with the ridiculous accent I'm singing in, though.<br />
<br />
The last verse is a reference to a shakeup among some of my high school friends, and it was eventually removed in a later version, as the theme of the song evolved.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-68846957432981276732003-05-14T19:58:00.003-04:002011-12-07T23:05:54.701-05:00Demo: Everytime (Demo 1 Remix)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Everytime</span><br />
Demo 1 Remix<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">Recorded May 14/19, 2003; Remixed August 28, 2003<br />
[1:34]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playereverytimeremix" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playereverytimeremix&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Everytime (Remix 2003.08.28).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Everytime (Remix 2003.08.28).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<b>Lyrics:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;">Everytime you go walking by,<br />
It's like I just get crushed,<br />
I find it hard to think<br />
About anything else around me;<br />
My heart is light and my temples pounding..<br />
<br />
Everytime that I look at you,<br />
I start to brush with feelings that I<br />
Never knew that I had before;<br />
My tongue is tied and my eyes are sore,<br />
But I had to say that I just adore you..<br />
<br />
Everytime that I see you now,<br />
It all comes rushing back to me again;<br />
Always wanna be at your side,<br />
My head is high and the thoughts collide;<br />
Always gotta be there with you,<br />
My mind's made up and the doubts are few,<br />
And whatever time may put me through,<br />
I'll always feel the same for you..</div><br />
<!--describing--><b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://www.weezer.com/">Weezer</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-3113255915578405572003-05-14T19:43:00.004-04:002011-12-07T23:07:16.616-05:00Keep Fishin' (Vocal Harmony Practice)<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Keep Fishin'</span><br />
Vocal Harmony Practice<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">by <a href="http://www.weezer.com/">Weezer</a>; © Interscope Records<br />
May 14, 2003<br />
[16 sec]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerfishing" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerfishing&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Fishing (2003.05.14).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Fishing (2003.05.14).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;"><i>... thought of you in love with someone else<br />
It breaks my heart to see you hanging from your shelf</i></div><br />
<b>Influences:</b> <a href="http://www.weezer.com/">Weezer</a>.<br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Martin Backpacker.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->I recorded this little snippet shortly before getting to work on my first demo of <a href="/2003/05/demo-everytime-demo-1-remix.html">Everytime</a>. <a href="http://www.weezer.com/">Weezer</a>'s album Maladroit had come out about a year before, and I had probably just taught myself how to play this song, so it was a natural choice to test my recording setup and even practice harmonizing with myself. However, it was another six or seven months before I actually did some self-harmonizing in one of my own songs (Above The Water).<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055556015090242967.post-25433173174831057522001-08-13T00:00:00.010-04:002011-12-07T23:06:07.038-05:00Flaa Sish Ne Khun<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Flaa Sish Ne Khun</span><br />
("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense_and_Peppermints_%28song%29">Incense And Peppermints</a>" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Alarm_Clock">Strawberry Alarm Clock</a>)<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">August 13, 2001<br />
[13 sec]</span><br />
<br />
<!--hereistheplayer--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf" id="playerflaasishnekhun" height="24" width="290"><param name="movie" value="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=playerflaasishnekhun&soundFile=http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Flaa Sish Ne Khun (2001.08.13).mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><!--herewastheplayer--><br />
[ <a href="http://dana.krimble.com/audio/Kevin T. Bowman - Flaa Sish Ne Khun (2001.08.13).mp3">Download</a> ]<br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-small; padding-left: 1em;"><i>Incense and beh-o-mints, meaningless nems,<br />
Turn on, tune in, turn your eyes around,<br />
Look atcha saalf, look atcha saalf..</i></div><br />
<b>Instruments:</b> Kramer Focus 111S.<br />
<br />
<!--describing-->At some point during the summer of 2001, I had the sudden urge to cover an entire song using "reverse <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backmasking">backmasking</a>" — listening to the song turned backwards, memorizing it and singing it backwards, then reversing the result. This can be attributed to something I heard in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney">Paul McCartney</a>'s song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Tonight_%28song%29">The World Tonight</a>", where in the bridge of the song he appears to be pronouncing the words "I can see the world tonight" forwards by actually singing something else backwards. As it turns out, Paul may have actually done something a little bit sneakier than I originally thought, since when you turn that part of the song backwards he appears to be saying "Save animals' fur, Linda Eastman, ya."<br />
<br />
So anyway, I figured Incense and Peppermints would be suitably psychedelic for the purpose, so I recorded the backwards vocals, sped them up using a winamp plugin until I got to the key of E, then recorded the electric guitar to go along with them. However, I never got much further than this recording and a couple short instrumental intros that never went anywhere.<!--described-->Kexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616054402569948098noreply@blogger.com0