"Paper Anniversary" original by Ted (Saijinn's Song Challenge)

[Ted]

Here are some firsts for me:

• The first time I wrote, arranged, and recorded a song in one day.  This was totally from scratch; usually I have the idea for the song fermenting in my head.  Not this time.
• The first time I wrote a song within the constraints of someone else's rules. (Em, F, Am, and C -- per Saijinn's Song Challenge #1)
• The first song I've written for my wife.
• The first time I've mixed the Micro BR's Rhythm Arranger with my Yamaha DD-55. (If the drums sound a little sloppy, that part is me.)

And I'm happy I'll have something new to bring to my local songwriters circle on Monday.

[OsCKilO]

Great stuff Ted!

Your wife must have loved It!


A real Pro Job, in such a short space of time!!!!!!!


Love everything about it!

Peace

T(Osckilo)

[Bluesberry]

Oh man thats a good song Ted, I really like this.  Those drums sound really good, it sounds like a real kit when you get thrashing on it.  I can feel the GAS rising for a small kit like that.  Great lyrics, great mixing.  It really is a great polished song.  Well done for the constraints placed on you.  I am going to have another listen right now.

[tafka]

there is nothing sloppy about this.
its a fantastic song. great lyrics very well sung and played.
perfect

T

[Tangled Wires]

Very well written and performed song this. Hard to believe this was put together in a day, from listening to it you would think that this would have been the effort of weeks of work!

[SteveG]

Yet another fine take! All good here, love it!!

I have a GAS attack for one of them kits too, want a "proper" electronic kit really, but it would be totally impractical. Did buy a cheap one similar to yours a while back but the sounds were crap and the pads were iffy, then the kids broke it. Yours sounds real good tho.

Hmmm ..... Ebay?

[launched]

You pulled it off very well, Ted. This challenge was the first time I ever "up and wrote" a song without something coming to me first. Coming up with something good seems to be the biggest part of the challenge, which you have done in spades.

I liked the theme and the playing - Similar to what the Barenaked Ladies would do, which is cool. The extra drums and the piano part were a great added touch as well.

Mark

[guitarron]

Ted
this is really good man
catchy-strong lyrics(and vox too)-nice keyboard fills
great dynamics-piano real nice touch
fuckin awesome-big thumbs up

btw-i wish we had a songwriters circle 'round here

[OsCKilO]

What is a Song writers Circle.....?

[Ted]

Thanks everyone.  Here are some answers to questions:

Your wife must have loved It!

We'll see.  She hasn't heard it yet.  She spent the night out of town yesterday--which is how I had the time to focus on a song.  I probably spent eight hours on this.

Those drums sound really good, it sounds like a real kit when you get thrashing on it.  I can feel the GAS rising for a small kit like that.

Don't be fooled!  My drumming is the really simple stuff: hi-hat and kick drum.  Any part where you hear a snare or toms in the rhythm is the Micro BR.  I'm still figuring out the DD-55. 

Did buy a cheap one similar to yours a while back but the sounds were crap and the pads were iffy, then the kids broke it. Yours sounds real good tho.

I don't think I'd recommend this particular model unless, like me, your drumming ambitions are small and you get it for a steal.  The drum sounds are good on this, but the pad configuration and play are really unnatural, and the pedals are just rubber buttons that sit on the floor.

great dynamics-piano real nice touch

Whats ironic is that when it comes time to do the bass, I realize that the dynamics often demand that the bass be very subdued, and boring to play.  I'm a damn bass player! I used to build my songs from the bass up.  My god, what have I become?

What is a Song writers Circle.....?

Once a month I get together with a handful of songwriters at a bookstore (or sometimes at a bar).  Everyone is expected to bring "something new"--which can be a finished song, or something in-progress.  Each person plays one song, and the others can comment on it.  Sometimes people cheat and bring an older song--like I've done for the last three months.  It's one of the highlights of my month.

Ordinarily I would have presented the song to the circle before I recorded it--but I had the house to myself yesterday, and Saijinn was calling.