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Starting January 1st 2024 GMT each participant will have one week to upload one finished composition. Any style of music or selection of instruments are welcomed and encouraged.
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a (semi)freeform guitar piece for my dear friend, Beth King, who shared recently:
"L'esprit de l'escalier ("the wit of the staircase") is the common experience of thinking of a witty reply after the opportunity to deliver it has passed."
i have often had this experience. how about you?
special thank you to Michael Harold Doty for being a sweetheart & also for the use of these beautiful tools:
pink Telecaster & little Gibson combo amp from the late 50's, both used for the main guitar part. also red Jazzmaster. also Sure KSM44, which has been getting a lot of use.
› recording notes
‹ recording notes
i've been obsessed with the sound of this tele through the Gibson amp, the tremolo on this amp is gorgeous to my ears. i wondered what it might sound like to split the guitar signal to go to the Gibson (with trem turned on) and also to my Music Man combo (clean, with no trem).
this is what i did for the main guitar part (which is what i was playing in the video linked above).
i close-miked the amps, and also set up the KSM44 (in omni) as a room mic.
really happy with how this turned out!
i overdubbed Doty's Jazzmaster into the Gibson amp w/ trem still on (also used the EQD Ghost Echo) for the noodly "lead" lines.
oh, and also recorded a bass part playing my Mustang bass into the Gibson amp (again w/ trem, but at a lower volume as i did not want to harm Doty's speaker on the amp!).
the ambient sounds of birds and frogs that bookend the recording were from my parents' back yard.
thank you for listening and for all your kind feedback. Week 25!!!
Lovely, contemplative, and chill. Really love the tone and effects too. I haven't used tremelo effects at all on anything I've written before but hearing your use of it here has me inspired to try sometime.
I've definitely experienced the feeling of l'esprit de l'escalier because I'm unfortunately an awkward, socially anxious introvert who never thinks of the right thing to say in an interaction until later, haha.
Lovely, contemplative, and chill. Really love the tone and effects too. I haven't used tremelo effects at all on anything I've written before but hearing your use of it here has me inspired to try sometime.
I've definitely experienced the feeling of l'esprit de l'escalier because I'm unfortunately an awkward, socially anxious introvert who never thinks of the right thing to say in an interaction until later, haha.
The gentle tremolo/vibrato on that amp is so beautiful. There's such a rich aura around and between the notes, beautifully dreamy, really loved this.
The gentle tremolo/vibrato on that amp is so beautiful. There's such a rich aura around and between the notes, beautifully dreamy, really loved this. <3
Sir, this equipment is a dream. Like the sound of your jazzy playing. I usually say directly what I want to say, but sometimes regret it. No lˋ esprit de lˋ escalier experiences so far.
Sir, this equipment is a dream. Like the sound of your jazzy playing. I usually say directly what I want to say, but sometimes regret it. No lˋ esprit de lˋ escalier experiences so far.
Man what a lovely piece. The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality. Very well done. Also, as I was reading I was like "bird's and frogs that bookend??... wait did I miss something"... and restarted it, to find that the opening has a Northern Cardinal singing, as if it was answering the family of Cardinals currently at the feeder in my backyard. It was a kind of surreal moment where the track and my IRL soundscape just blended together seamlessly.
Side note... I feel like I should have "L'esprit de l'escalier" tattooed on me somewhere, because I don't think there is a day that goes by without having that experience.
Man what a lovely piece. The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality. Very well done. Also, as I was reading I was like "bird's and frogs that bookend??... wait did I miss something"... and restarted it, to find that the opening has a Northern Cardinal singing, as if it was answering the family of Cardinals currently at the feeder in my backyard. It was a kind of surreal moment where the track and my IRL soundscape just blended together seamlessly.
Side note... I feel like I should have "L'esprit de l'escalier" tattooed on me somewhere, because I don't think there is a day that goes by without having that experience.
Man what a lovely piece. The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality. Very well done. Also, as I was reading I was like "bird's and frogs that bookend??... wait did I miss something"... and restarted it, to find that the opening has a Northern Cardinal singing, as if it was answering the family of Cardinals currently at the feeder in my backyard. It was a kind of surreal moment where the track and my IRL soundscape just blended together seamlessly.
Side note... I feel like I should have "L'esprit de l'escalier" tattooed on me somewhere, because I don't think there is a day that goes by without having that experience.
ha - JINX! i don't think that's the first time we left comments on each other's track at the same time
how lovely that the Cardinals were also synched up! i love them so much. i probably would have had them higher in the mix at the beginning, but i wanted it to feel a little more subtle (kind of how the artist Green-House incorporates nature sounds in their tracks) and also there were some vehicle or machine type noises in the distance that i didn't want to be too prominent on the recording and i didn't feel like getting too surgical with the mix. anyway!
thanks for the nice words, for real. and feeling you on that tattoo. i'm working on it, but also trying to accept how i am wired...
[quote=Napear]Man what a lovely piece. The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality. Very well done. Also, as I was reading I was like "bird's and frogs that bookend??... wait did I miss something"... and restarted it, to find that the opening has a Northern Cardinal singing, as if it was answering the family of Cardinals currently at the feeder in my backyard. It was a kind of surreal moment where the track and my IRL soundscape just blended together seamlessly.
Side note... I feel like I should have "L'esprit de l'escalier" tattooed on me somewhere, because I don't think there is a day that goes by without having that experience. [/quote]
ha - JINX! i don't think that's the first time we left comments on each other's track at the same time :D
how lovely that the Cardinals were also synched up! i love them so much. i probably would have had them higher in the mix at the beginning, but i wanted it to feel a little more subtle (kind of how the artist Green-House incorporates nature sounds in their tracks) and also there were some vehicle or machine type noises in the distance that i didn't want to be too prominent on the recording and i didn't feel like getting too surgical with the mix. anyway!
thanks for the nice words, for real. and feeling you on that tattoo. i'm working on it, but also trying to accept how i am wired...
What's the expression for when you do have a zinger but the conversation turns a corner and by the time you have an opportunity to speak it no longer makes sense to remind people of what was said before only to make the joke work?
In any case, the recording is beautiful. Stuff like that feels effortless but it takes a lot of experience to know how to play that sparsely and still keep the composition flowing. I also like the subtle birdsong at the beginning.
What's the expression for when you [i]do[/i] have a zinger but the conversation turns a corner and by the time you have an opportunity to speak it no longer makes sense to remind people of what was said before only to make the joke work? :D
In any case, the recording is beautiful. Stuff like that feels effortless but it takes a lot of experience to know how to play that sparsely and still keep the composition flowing. I also like the subtle birdsong at the beginning.
Great tones, beautiful sounds, and once again a wonderful sense of patience to just really immerse us into the world of this sound. Definitely familiar with the wit of the staircase as well as the one where the conversation turns before you can chime in with a good one. On top of those there's also when you do manage to say something you're sure is hilarious, but nobody laughs.
Great tones, beautiful sounds, and once again a wonderful sense of patience to just really immerse us into the world of this sound. Definitely familiar with the wit of the staircase as well as the one where the conversation turns before you can chime in with a good one. On top of those there's also when you do manage to say something you're sure is hilarious, but nobody laughs.
Beautiful atmosphere! I'm reminded a bit of Tom Verlaine's "Spiritual" from Warm & Cool, a longtime fave. It's like drifting on a peaceful pond in the late afternoon.
Beautiful atmosphere! I'm reminded a bit of Tom Verlaine's "Spiritual" from [i]Warm & Cool[/i], a longtime fave. It's like drifting on a peaceful pond in the late afternoon.
Can definitely relate to the title, just got to have those quick responses. Beautiful track again for this week, so pleasant and reminds me of sunny days, nice touch with the field recordings.
Can definitely relate to the title, just got to have those quick responses. Beautiful track again for this week, so pleasant and reminds me of sunny days, nice touch with the field recordings.
Lovely, contemplative, and chill. Really love the tone and effects too. I haven't used tremelo effects at all on anything I've written before but hearing your use of it here has me inspired to try sometime.
I've definitely experienced the feeling of l'esprit de l'escalier because I'm unfortunately an awkward, socially anxious introvert who never thinks of the right thing to say in an interaction until later, haha.
thank you so much, ViridianLoom. bet you would get along famously with some tremolo!
and yeah, i bet i'll think of the perfect reply to your comment later this evening
neon liminal wrote:
The gentle tremolo/vibrato on that amp is so beautiful. There's such a rich aura around and between the notes, beautifully dreamy, really loved this.
it's a really special amp/ trem. hard to describe it, but there's a quality there that i've not heard in other amps or pedals. playing with the volume turned up a bit made my head go fuzzy thank you for your nice feedback!
Q-Rosh wrote:
Sir, this equipment is a dream. Like the sound of your jazzy playing. I usually say directly what I want to say, but sometimes regret it. No lˋ esprit de lˋ escalier experiences so far.
agreed 100%, sadly all good dreams come to an end and i had to return the gear to it's owner last night i tried to (mostly) behave with this equipment so hopefully we will get to reunite in the future...
that's great that you are able to say what you want in the moment.
i think for me it isn't so much that i choose to NOT say something, more just that in the moment i don't quite have the words. i think i also struggle to quickly process my emotions, so i sometimes don't actually know how i feel about something (or maybe my brain shuts down a bit, especially during conflict).
anyway! thank you so much for listening.
rplktr wrote:
What's the expression for when you do have a zinger but the conversation turns a corner and by the time you have an opportunity to speak it no longer makes sense to remind people of what was said before only to make the joke work?
In any case, the recording is beautiful. Stuff like that feels effortless but it takes a lot of experience to know how to play that sparsely and still keep the composition flowing. I also like the subtle birdsong at the beginning.
not sure what that is called, but i can def relate! and have definitely gotten some blank stares as i've tried to replay an earlier conversation to someone so they can understand why what i just said was SO WITTY thank you so much, i've really been working on keeping more space in my music so that it can breathe. it can create some mixing/ finalizing challenges, but hopefully it's leading to some growth. and yeah, those birds made me happy. i could listen to them all day (and sometimes do).
cheers!
Cosmic Cairns wrote:
Great tones, beautiful sounds, and once again a wonderful sense of patience to just really immerse us into the world of this sound. Definitely familiar with the wit of the staircase as well as the one where the conversation turns before you can chime in with a good one. On top of those there's also when you do manage to say something you're sure is hilarious, but nobody laughs.
thank you, Cosmic Cairns! and WHY DON'T THESE HUMANS REALIZE HOW HILARIOUS WE ARE??
onezero wrote:
Beautiful atmosphere! I'm reminded a bit of Tom Verlaine's "Spiritual" from Warm & Cool, a longtime fave. It's like drifting on a peaceful pond in the late afternoon.
ooh that is HIGH PRAISE. thank you. listening to "Spiritual" right now, just lovely. i am making a note to check out that album, can't believe i've waited so long.
KAMI Lime wrote:
The pleasant sound of the picking and the gentle swaying of the tremolo combined with the bass create the perfect space!
very kind of you
levelcapybara wrote:
Beautiful freeform guitar piece! And the title s quite relatable, haha.
Staircase Club assemble! thank you so much
Jason Nijjer wrote:
Can definitely relate to the title, just got to have those quick responses. Beautiful track again for this week, so pleasant and reminds me of sunny days, nice touch with the field recordings.
thank you, Jason! and yeah, i've learned that a simple "i don't know how to respond to that" can work in many situations
Napear wrote:
The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality.
just wanted to say hi again, hi!
--
hope the week is going well for all of yous. we got a little cool-off for a couple days, so it has been nice to catch my breath. been busily chipping away at a collab this week that i'm really excited about. wish us luck that it will come together before sunday...
XO
[quote=emily]
<3[/quote]
oh hey, how did you get a gif of me??
<3
[quote=ViridianLoom]Lovely, contemplative, and chill. Really love the tone and effects too. I haven't used tremelo effects at all on anything I've written before but hearing your use of it here has me inspired to try sometime.
I've definitely experienced the feeling of l'esprit de l'escalier because I'm unfortunately an awkward, socially anxious introvert who never thinks of the right thing to say in an interaction until later, haha. [/quote]
thank you so much, ViridianLoom. bet you would get along famously with some tremolo!
and yeah, i bet i'll think of the perfect reply to your comment later this evening ;)
[quote=neon liminal]The gentle tremolo/vibrato on that amp is so beautiful. There's such a rich aura around and between the notes, beautifully dreamy, really loved this. <3[/quote]
it's a really special amp/ trem. hard to describe it, but there's a quality there that i've not heard in other amps or pedals. playing with the volume turned up a bit made my head go fuzzy :D
thank you for your nice feedback!
[quote=Q-Rosh]Sir, this equipment is a dream. Like the sound of your jazzy playing. I usually say directly what I want to say, but sometimes regret it. No lˋ esprit de lˋ escalier experiences so far.[/quote]
agreed 100%, sadly all good dreams come to an end and i had to return the gear to it's owner last night :(
i tried to (mostly) behave with this equipment so hopefully we will get to reunite in the future...
that's great that you are able to say what you want in the moment.
i think for me it isn't so much that i choose to NOT say something, more just that in the moment i don't quite have the words. i think i also struggle to quickly process my emotions, so i sometimes don't actually know how i feel about something (or maybe my brain shuts down a bit, especially during conflict).
anyway! thank you so much for listening.
[quote=rplktr]What's the expression for when you [i]do[/i] have a zinger but the conversation turns a corner and by the time you have an opportunity to speak it no longer makes sense to remind people of what was said before only to make the joke work? :D
In any case, the recording is beautiful. Stuff like that feels effortless but it takes a lot of experience to know how to play that sparsely and still keep the composition flowing. I also like the subtle birdsong at the beginning.[/quote]
not sure what that is called, but i can def relate! and have definitely gotten some blank stares as i've tried to replay an earlier conversation to someone so they can understand why what i just said was SO WITTY :D
thank you so much, i've really been working on keeping more space in my music so that it can breathe. it can create some mixing/ finalizing challenges, but hopefully it's leading to some growth. and yeah, those birds made me happy. i could listen to them all day (and sometimes do).
cheers!
[quote=Cosmic Cairns]Great tones, beautiful sounds, and once again a wonderful sense of patience to just really immerse us into the world of this sound. Definitely familiar with the wit of the staircase as well as the one where the conversation turns before you can chime in with a good one. On top of those there's also when you do manage to say something you're sure is hilarious, but nobody laughs.[/quote]
thank you, Cosmic Cairns! and WHY DON'T THESE HUMANS REALIZE HOW HILARIOUS WE ARE?? ;)
[quote=onezero]Beautiful atmosphere! I'm reminded a bit of Tom Verlaine's "Spiritual" from [i]Warm & Cool[/i], a longtime fave. It's like drifting on a peaceful pond in the late afternoon. [/quote]
ooh that is HIGH PRAISE. thank you. listening to "Spiritual" right now, just lovely. i am making a note to check out that album, can't believe i've waited so long.
[quote=KAMI Lime]The pleasant sound of the picking and the gentle swaying of the tremolo combined with the bass create the perfect space![/quote]
very kind of you <3
[quote=levelcapybara]Beautiful freeform guitar piece! And the title s quite relatable, haha. :D[/quote]
Staircase Club assemble! thank you so much
[quote=Jason Nijjer]Can definitely relate to the title, just got to have those quick responses. Beautiful track again for this week, so pleasant and reminds me of sunny days, nice touch with the field recordings.[/quote]
thank you, Jason! and yeah, i've learned that a simple "i don't know how to respond to that" can work in many situations :)
[quote=Napear]The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality.[/quote]
just wanted to say hi again, hi!
--
hope the week is going well for all of yous. we got a little cool-off for a couple days, so it has been nice to catch my breath. been busily chipping away at a collab this week that i'm really excited about. wish us luck that it will come together before sunday...
XO
I've experienced that many times, thanks for giving me a phrase for it, and a French one at that.
I enjoyed the laidback energy of the slow melody, very relaxing after a long day.
I've experienced that many times, thanks for giving me a phrase for it, and a French one at that.
I enjoyed the laidback energy of the slow melody, very relaxing after a long day.
The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality.
just wanted to say hi again, hi!
[quote=jwh]
[quote=Napear]The arrangement and mixing of the various parts is exceptional, everything blends so nicely, creating this intricate, yet delicate web of musicality.[/quote]
just wanted to say hi again, hi!
[/quote]
[img]https://media.tenor.com/bHUPtBgsiGIAAAAM/the-fonz-happy-days.gif[/img]
A beautiful meditative track to sit out on the front porch sipping a cold drink and watching the clouds roll by. George Costanza knows all too well about da wit o da staircase love how the guitars sound. The tremolo of course sounds great but the sound of the picks and strums are extra pleasing. The birds and frogs the icing on da cake
A beautiful meditative track to sit out on the front porch sipping a cold drink and watching the clouds roll by. George Costanza knows all too well about da wit o da staircase :) love how the guitars sound. The tremolo of course sounds great but the sound of the picks and strums are extra pleasing. The birds and frogs the icing on da cake :)
I've experienced that many times, thanks for giving me a phrase for it, and a French one at that.
I enjoyed the laidback energy of the slow melody, very relaxing after a long day.
oh, i'm glad to hear that. thank you for listening
ddmm64 wrote:
Sounds gorgeous - the tools are nice, but you're really making them shine with such a lovely piece. Melancholic yet contemplative.
thank you so much!
nedsferatu wrote:
nice track and great vibe! the recording sounds wonderful, album ready
that is nice to hear, thank you!
SQF wrote:
what a meditative journey through sound. A great setup with masterful execution!
thank you for coming along, SQF
Devieus wrote:
Somehow I'm getting campfire vibes from this. The good kind of campfire vibes.
- Devieus
sign me up! thank you for listening
Tone Matrix wrote:
A beautiful meditative track to sit out on the front porch sipping a cold drink and watching the clouds roll by. George Costanza knows all too well about da wit o da staircase love how the guitars sound. The tremolo of course sounds great but the sound of the picks and strums are extra pleasing. The birds and frogs the icing on da cake
[quote=Minnamari]I've experienced that many times, thanks for giving me a phrase for it, and a French one at that.
I enjoyed the laidback energy of the slow melody, very relaxing after a long day. [/quote]
oh, i'm glad to hear that. thank you for listening :)
[quote=ddmm64]Sounds gorgeous - the tools are nice, but you're really making them shine with such a lovely piece. Melancholic yet contemplative.[/quote]
thank you so much!
[quote=nedsferatu]nice track and great vibe! the recording sounds wonderful, album ready[/quote]
that is nice to hear, thank you!
[quote=SQF]what a meditative journey through sound. A great setup with masterful execution! [/quote]
thank you for coming along, SQF
[quote=Devieus]Somehow I'm getting campfire vibes from this. The good kind of campfire vibes.
- Devieus[/quote]
sign me up! thank you for listening
[quote=Tone Matrix]A beautiful meditative track to sit out on the front porch sipping a cold drink and watching the clouds roll by. George Costanza knows all too well about da wit o da staircase :) love how the guitars sound. The tremolo of course sounds great but the sound of the picks and strums are extra pleasing. The birds and frogs the icing on da cake :)[/quote]
<3 <3 <3
