Find Music in Nature

People did not invent music. And no, dogs and dinosaurs did not either! :)  You can find amazing music ideas for your song rhythms and textures and even the lyrics by simply
listening to the creations around you.

We all learned this as toddlers, of course.  Rattle the crunchy fall leaves, swish around the ocean waters,  run for shelter from the shaking thunder and its brilliant partner...
      But sometimes we forget.  When I've been stumped for the "right sound" for one of the over 200 songs on my website DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com,  I just sit and listen to the creation around me.   I receive so much inspiration from quieting MYSELF.  For there is so much more music around each of us than we will EVER hear if we won't patiently sit to listen.  An example from just listening to river waves against the rocks during a heavy wind:

SONG INSPIRATION EXAMPLE --  

"COMBINATORIC PEACE" 

        One day I noticed something “different” in the sound as I stood by the water at dawn.  I closed my eyes... listened... realized that to my left, the water was like the usual 4/4 time with a heavy hit on the rocks as “Count 1” and a lighter hit on “count 3” and then repeating the pattern at the end of each 4 counts.
       BUT -- on my RIGHT side, the water took longer between “count 3” and the heavy repeat on Count 1.  The Music of the Water was in 5/4 time as it hit the rock barrier at a different angle.
       I charted out what I heard in the sand, and later created a spreadsheet to study my observation.  After talking with a couple of mathematicians, I learned that the word for this combination of two different series is “Combinatoric” --- 
COMBINATORIC:  A Math term.  Taking 2 (or more) sets of something and comparing them to look for elements in common. 

Organizing Songs - File Names

Here is an easy way to CREATE UNIQUE FILE NAMES for each new song's supporting files.  I'm up to at least 250 songs on the Web now (see www.DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com) --This method that  I developed 3 years ago REALLY eliminated filename confusion. 

When you copyright songs (see earlier blogs), you will probably want the following file types for each song:

1.  LYRICS - Contains song words in a word processing format (like .DOC).

2.  MUSIC SHEET  (sometimes called a LEAD SHEET) - Contains notes information (but not music staffs with note symbols) to show chords (and possibly notes) that fit the lyrics which are also included

3.  SCORE  - Traditional music on a staff, with no lyrics (unless you choose to add them).  If the song has a special score for flutes (for example), just create separate files that list each instrument.

4.  AUDIO  -MP3 format usually, which has a small file size and works well for copyright office.

HOWEVER-- whether you post files to the Web or send them to the Copyright Office (LINK for U.S. office), you need a non-editable PDF file format rather than DOC files that the recipient can change.  SCORE files automatically print from programs that way.  But you will need to have TWO file types for your Lyrics file and Music Sheet file.

It is also EXTREMELY helpful to add the filedate within the file title of paper copies; you don't want to do this for the audio file because people will see that in their iTunes or QuickTime (etc) when they download your audio file.   On the web, it is also helpful to add a TAG that puts the filename with date in the Title field so that you will always know whether you have updated a web file with your newest version.

So here is a summary of file names for my song example entitled "Albino Spiders."  Notice that there is one space after the final word of the song's title, then the dash, then the letters that identify what type of information is contained in your file.  Listed in the order above.

FILES TO POST ONLINE   and with the Copyright Office:
Albino Spiders -LY 12-23-2011.pdf
Albino Spiders -MU 7-20-2012.pdf
Albino Spiders -SCORE  PIANO.pdf
Albino Spiders -SCORE  SAX.pdf
Albino Spiders.mp3
(It's helpful to keep an ARCHIVE folder on your computer with copies.)

FILES TO KEEP ON YOUR COMPUTER  for future updates
Albino Spiders -LY 12-23-2011.doc
Albino Spiders -MU 7-20-2012.doc
Albino Spiders -RESEARCH.doc  (supporting info you used for lyrics)
Albino Spiders.band    (your studio's project, from which you create SCORE files)

Songwriting is SO much easier when your files are well organized .... and more fun creating new songs knowing your strategy is already worked out for filenames.  Much joy in more efficiency as you write the songs in your head!
©2012 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved

Use Your Little Girl Voice

You can use audio waves to "paint" weakness  into a song.    I joke that I use my "little girl voice" in Part 1 of some recorded songs that are about being weak in my own strength.  Then I  "power up" in the chorus   as the words encourage people that strength CAN come to them....

For you guys who are at a disadvantage here, the technique is simple:
Just breathe at "throat level."  Exactly the opposite of what voice coaches teach.

Take shallow breaths,  

sound questioning --  like you might when talking with someone.  Simple to do,
and the weakness that starts a song
REALLY emphasizes the song's power ending.

Much joy to you in finding even more creative ways to change up songs!
©2012 DianaDee Osborne;   all rights reserved.
Examples are located at DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com under one of the Songs tabs.

FAST New Songs

When you have a few lines of a new song "in your head," you do NOT need to wait until you finish the song to start recording in a home studio.  (Obviously saves $$ to do that first for a professional studio session!)

Often I awaken with a "song clip" melody in my head, and often even with words.  Of course I quickly examine whether it's someone else's song! But it's almost always "mine."  At first I would sketch down everything I had in my journal, working at a piano to write the few melody notes I had. Sometimes even selected which of the usually-4-chords would fit  melody notes.

And that works of course when you don't have recording capability right there.  But the result is often forgetting to finish what might have been a great song.  AND.... I've learned that we lose the "feel" of the original idea if we're like perfectionists, waiting for completion before we record.
SOLUTION:
1.  Go record what you already have.  Use a slower tempo for easier recording of instruments with lots of notes, like piano or guitar.
2.  Create a duplicate track.
3.  Set the playhead (red line) a bit before the Step #1 recording ends,  and select the duplicate track.
4.  Hit RECORD and begin playing "anything" on the DUP  track.

Don't worry about perfection! Just have fun! 

5.  If you goof, you can always hit the STOP button to end the region (and show where you think you goofed).   But immediately hit RECORD again and keep going.  By "just playing,"  you'll end up with chords you might have never planned which sound great.
6.  Set the tempo to what "feels" right.  If you have words, it helps to sing with the music when deciding a tempo.  (Once I didn't realize until in the professional studio that I'd almost pass out from lack of breath singing the entire song at once in my selected tempo.... that was "HOLY HEZEKIAH BLUES" !!!
7.  Later.... you can wait until you have time!..... select the regions you want to keep or edit, and delete what you hate.  Build on these with music you like.
8.  Finally, just look at the SCORE in the recording program to calculate the melody notes and chord names to write down on your music sheet pages.  

Super-QUICK Preview of Music Projects on a Mac

THIS IS SO COOL!
Songwriters often create their initial tracks on their home computer, such as on a Mac using Garageband. And we often have many draft files as we record the "music in our heads" so we don't lose it.... but are too busy on other projects to immediately finish.

And then when we go back later, we can't remember amid all our other song ideas, what we recorded for "this" draft! So as we look in Finder at our list of draft projects... well, have you ever had a really long music project with so many tracks that it takes a few moments to load even on a super-fast computer, just to hear a bit of what your project sounds like?

Here's a fast way to remember what your project sounds like WITHOUT opening the .BAND file or looking for the matching .MP3 (and hoping it hadn't changed since your last file-save):

I have about 230 songs on my websites, and about 80 Draft BAND files for future songs, some with only 2 tracks some with about 10. I couldn't remember if I had added Claxton's scripture reading for Prayer Without Asking MP3 track from his studio's ProTools project to my GarageBand project. But I didn't want to bother loading the BAND file to check.

So I decided to see if Quick Look shows the picture like GB's iLIFE preview window....

HERE'S HOW TO QUICKLY HEAR YOUR PROJECT:

In Finder,
1. single click to highlight the .BAND file name,
2. right click on it,
3. select Quick Look --- and

Not only will you see what your .BAND file window looks like (the iLIFE preview),
but Quick Look will PLAY your project.... even a huge project with many tracks.

THERE'S ONE CONDITION ---

You must have had "bounced" the project (In GarageBand: "Send Song to iTunes") in order to hear the associated .MP3 file when you click on Quick Look.

This is far faster than waiting to open the project! Cool!
May you find MUCH joy in using and finding shortcuts to efficiently record your music!
©2012 DianaDee Osborne
www.DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com
www.DiDoReflections.com (Die to Self, Do for Christ,
Reflect God, all with the help of the Holy Spirit)    -- full SEARCH website in development

Organizing Song DRAFTS for Efficiency

Do you have lots of songs "in your head" or written out quickly in a file "somewhere" until you have time to work through the music or develop lyrics?

Here is the easy method I use that results in creating full completed songs in less than a week sometimes (and I'm up to 225 songs, see www.DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com for the index list and free audio example and music sheets)...

1. Create a single enclosing folder such as "Songs 2012".
2. Within that folder, create 4 new folders:

a. Lyrics Drafts - to contain DOC style files of song words.
b. Music Sheet Drafts - to contain draft scores or DOC files of notes for chord progressions, etc.
c. Recorded Music Drafts - to contain BAND or MP3 or other files. You can create sub-folders depending on the type of music recording. For example, I have a GARAGEBAND folder and a VOICE RECORDER folder here (like .VPN files).

d. Support files..... see future blogs! These include Copyright records, indexes for journals so you can FIND your handwritten song drafts, etc.

There is SO much fun in taking your draft lyrics and "just playing" songs in your Recorded Music Drafts folder.... and suddenly realizing you have a great fit for your song! With some music already recorded, all you have to do is re-fit a bit either the words or the notes to quickly create a new song. Much joy in developing efficiency as you write songs for others to hear....
©2012 DianaDee Osborne

5 Tricks for Easy Vocal Tone Matches

As we record vocals for songs or readings, it's normal to sometimes goof.
And frequently we notice the goof as soon as we do it.
Have you ever continued through the song, stopped, gone back to the spot you needed to fix, and re-sung a perfect timing or enunciation or whatever this time -- only to be told "Your tone doesn't match" by either your producer or your own observation.
Perhaps time your voice might have seemed more rich -- or more like a little girl:)

Here are 4 tricks for avoiding the difficulty 

of matching your tone for "patching" a vocal, listed in order from most effective to 'worth a try':

1.  If there's a break in the music right afterward and you have the space and you know the song well enough, go ahead and sing that piece you'll need to replace RIGHT THERE.  You or your sound guy can easily separate it out and move it back to replace that piece where you goofed.

2.  If there's not enough break, but there is some space after you've finished the song and you know the piece, sing the piece right there (with the click track still going) even if without the matching music.   Then - Same fix as for #1.

3.  OR-- Immediately after finishing the first track, create a duplicate vocal track.  Re-sing the place where you goofed with the original recording (if the mistake wasn't enough to throw you off).

4.  If the mistake WAS really bad--- You can instead cut the mistake to put in FRONT of the area on the new track where you will be re-singing the piece, so your original tone will be fresh in your mind as you re-sing that part with the mistake cut out of the original track.

TECHNIQUE for the future:

5.  If you haven't already:  Start paying close attention to how your throat and upper chest feel  as you sing a specific music range.  For example, when you sing near middle C, you may have a rumble-y feel around your collar bone, compared to a thin feel around your larynx for high notes, or for song sections where you deliberately avoid a rich tone so that the song will have contrast later.

      Thus, when you have to 'repair' a vocal track, it's easier to match your tone by matching the feel in your throat or upper chest.    

      Just a hint for those days when you're hoping to not have to re-sing or re-speak your entire track just because you got one little word out of place! ..........
Much joy to you in singing out music!
©2012 DianaDee Osborne