Collaborative music project ?

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I'm quite busy with my real job, at this moment, but sin case the project goes ahead, I'm sure I can find some spare time

Hi,

Out of curiosity ... why a vocalist? You might find someone that reads poetry really well, and adds so much to the words, that makes it special. A "vocalist" only does the notes, and you hope they can pick things up and come together and believe the words, enough to convince us about it all ... that's asking a lot, specially if the person is an outsider, and in the situation here, lives in a different country ... well, it worked with Rachel Flowers doing Focus and other bands, but I think that is rare, and it was also very well rehearsed.

An example ... is someone trying to make it look like Jim M or Robert P. It's impossible, since how Jim worked was almost 100% poetry and the "acting" behind it is amazingly good ... you can tell they were film enthusiasts ... because almost all of their work is just like a film ... you can't miss it. Robert P., specially in his early days, was very much a fantasy for a lot of women, and he made it look like he would really participate with a lot of passion ... and you can not exactly duplicate that, because the "feel" is PERSONAL, and not canned, or acted out. 

There are some interesting examples, with various folks reading their material and sometimes adding to it ... Burroughs in Laurie Anderson is quite a treat, and if you read enough of his work, it is not exactly "different" from the way he writes. It has a very different and interesting flow. And later, most of it was taped, which was not as good as the originals. Another good example, is how NEKTAR has not been able to bring out the late Roye Albrighton  singing ... because it wasn't singing ... it was who he was and lived, and it was super personal in his experience. And at that point, it makes the effort to keep the band alive, interesting, but when hearing some of the things ... it's very sad ... the beauty of Roye's emotions and feeling is not there, and you could tell the words were about his heart.

And then there are the odd ones ... Amon Duul 2, uses anyone/everyone to say something and/or sing. The biggest constant was Chris Karrer, and his special delivery was completely "anti-lyrics" and it allowed for his attitude, that often comes out as cynicism, but it isn't ... it's a commentary. But when you hear things like Apocaliptyc Bore, you wonder where the vision comes from because the way the song is presented is way beyond anything, and staying with him did not seem to be a problem all the way to the ending duet with guitar and violin. Likewise, Renate is a problem that many don't like ... she comes off as vindictive and vicious, and then in another piece is smooth and soft and sad. And you can see a bit of the feminism in her words ... I think that she had to fight the band for being able to sing a bit more, but there are times when she does, and it is so strong, that it is impossible to not believe it ... but  the hard part here? NONE of these things are "conventional" in any shape or form, and that was what AD2 was all about ... but the words that one time appeared to be "psychedelic" all of a sudden are very real, and stand up ... because the band makes the words come alive ... it's not about "singing" ... it's about the expression.

The scary side for me, is how folks are so scared of using something different ... and are so tied up to a commercial standard for what music is, or a song should be. Give me some lyrics, and I will give you some ideas of how they can be interpreted, which would help the music identify the whole thing better, instead of it being second rate lyrics on top of a song, that has nothing to do with the lyrics, except for one person's idea. Trying to add a reality to that is not a good idea ... it usually falls flat.

A small note ... about acting. Peter Brook wrote many books on directing and working with actors. He toured King Lear for like 300+ performances, and during that one repetitive part in a soliloquy ... he says that Keith Michell never said it the same way over the course of the performances ... and that suggests that Keith was really good at being attuned to the MOMENT, and it wasn't about the words/lyrics ... it was about the feeling coming alive ... 

I simply do not think that anyone creating lyrics for a song ... can even imagine that insanity! Heck, might even try to get a 10 year old to do the words, or try to sing it ... it maybe magic in the end!

Sorry ... not trying to hijack the thread. 

I think the idea of this project can be considered dead. What if we choose a concept (a book, a story, whatever...) and each of us makes a track, like the Kalevala projects to say a thing?

Not a terrible idea

It's the way I personally make my poor home-ade stuff. Having a concept in mind, even for just a 2 minutes track makes me focalize on the kind of sounds and progressions to explore. When I was a teen I tried to write songs. Chord progressions influenced lyrics and vice-versa. Now that I'm old and have fun with a DAW at home, I'm doing instrumentals only. Maybe it's only me, but I think to a story and make a sort of soundtrack. Unfortunately it can work only if who listens knows the story. Not a problem: usually I'm the only listener of my stuff  

Just to clarify, it may be a soundtrack of a novel or a story imagined by me. Otherwise I can improvise something on an instrument until I find a passage that I like. This can later inspire lyrics (no longer in my own case) or just a link to a story or an idea. It's more or less what I mentally do when I listen to instrumentals, like i.e. Tangerine Dream or Vamgelis. I let their music create something in my mind, and sometimes it happens to e also with my own stuff. 

But once I have an idea, original or taken form somewhere, it helps me in making stuff in line with the feelings that the story gives me. Well I don't succeed very often, honestly. Should I have to rate my stuff I wouldn't go for more than 1-star. 

Regardless the quality, I have fun making it and sometimes I'm brave enough (or not shy enough) to share it. 

Of cource I don't pretend to compare myself with a masterpiece, but The Snow Goose is an instrumental made of original material inspired to somebody else's novel. This is an example of what I mean.

Just to say, a lyricist has taken one of my bandcamp stinkers, played and produced it better (not a difficult thing compared to what I'm used to do) and is about to release it.

I think he jas done a good work with the music, but his lyrics stink.

Regardless this, I'm happy that sending the tracks via whatsapp has lead to something. It demonstrated that collaborative projects are possible. The result may stink, but it's another story.

His band will perform it live next week, I don't know exactly where.