A Swift bit of satire and a look at why you'd keep at it even if nobody is listening. Featuring a couple of recordings of an acoustic instrumental piece called Gold Bottles.
David. I have listened to your music oly once, the two versions on this post.
I am going to be bold and make some points for your consideration.
It sounds like you use an open tuning.
I like your flights from low notes to higher, and from high to low. Figure an 8 bar simple theme on the tonic or 1 chord. Repeat it on the 4 chord
Then back to a 4 bar repeat of the original theme.
You could then do a variation of the finger picked theme using strummed chords. The listener needs somewhere to land in between single note flights of a lot of notes.
Let me know if this makes any sense to you. You are not writing something to read that we can scan back over for clarification.
Malcolm, firstly i hugely appreciate you taking the time to circle back and listen to this, even more to take the time and share your thoughts.
I certainly do understand the points you are making here and agree entirely that this structure and reference gives so much more for a listener to grasp hold of and perhaps build a familiarity without it being overwhelming.
As i mention in the overall piece (though admittedly in a slightly round-a-bout way) this melody and my playing of it has never really been something I've formed into something consistent or structured as you suggest.. it has always remained a sort of meditation for my mind and body.. and so, as I am typically the only "listener" i endulge more in the improvisation and flux within the playing of it. These two recordings just happen to capture two moments in time and what they sounded like but are certainly not meant to be finished works with all of the structure and approachable hooks that should come with that.
Though, if ever I was to do that, and turn it into something beyond what it is now I would certainly take on your feedback here as i think its spot on and I value your time and consideration of it!
Love it! (picture a guy sitting at his kitchen table plucking his bass strings to your ‘Bottles, the stuff that no one would’ve ever heard, whilst reading… yeah, that happened)
Love these David - so much. Reminds me of John Fahey and Robbie Basho, two of my all time fav guitarists. It's been so long since I picked up my guitar. I really should sit down and have a play. Anyway - absolutely beautiful music, and lovely way to start the day. :-)
You're every welcome! Yeah, you use those great chords which are kind of almost discordant, but then resolve into really pretty melodies - really reminds me of Fahey in the best possible way. :-)
Love the Swift bit of satire, so Irish that I can hear my neighbour in here (he's missing a few teeth). Great to hear two versions of Gold Bottle and how it has mellowed over the years, is this true of you too? I'm listening on my headphones in the garden and thought the birdsong in the background was part of it!
Ah amazing to hear that. I often think I should do a recording outside, the birdsong around here at the moment is quite something.
Yes the character in the intro is definitely a type we all know well 😅 but there is always that moment when you think they are rambling on but then come out with some gem of knowledge you werent expecting 😂. Had fun writing it anyway!
100% - just need to make sure we find the time. Can be easy to fall out of practice, start feeling shit and then while wondering why thats the case you realise its been a week or two since you last practiced or wrote or whatever.
David. I have listened to your music oly once, the two versions on this post.
I am going to be bold and make some points for your consideration.
It sounds like you use an open tuning.
I like your flights from low notes to higher, and from high to low. Figure an 8 bar simple theme on the tonic or 1 chord. Repeat it on the 4 chord
Then back to a 4 bar repeat of the original theme.
You could then do a variation of the finger picked theme using strummed chords. The listener needs somewhere to land in between single note flights of a lot of notes.
Let me know if this makes any sense to you. You are not writing something to read that we can scan back over for clarification.
Be well. Keep making music.
Malcolm, firstly i hugely appreciate you taking the time to circle back and listen to this, even more to take the time and share your thoughts.
I certainly do understand the points you are making here and agree entirely that this structure and reference gives so much more for a listener to grasp hold of and perhaps build a familiarity without it being overwhelming.
As i mention in the overall piece (though admittedly in a slightly round-a-bout way) this melody and my playing of it has never really been something I've formed into something consistent or structured as you suggest.. it has always remained a sort of meditation for my mind and body.. and so, as I am typically the only "listener" i endulge more in the improvisation and flux within the playing of it. These two recordings just happen to capture two moments in time and what they sounded like but are certainly not meant to be finished works with all of the structure and approachable hooks that should come with that.
Though, if ever I was to do that, and turn it into something beyond what it is now I would certainly take on your feedback here as i think its spot on and I value your time and consideration of it!
Thanks so much again.
Thank you for your response. If you ever get bitten by the composing bug, maybe Kent has a stamp for one, let me know. I have some ointment.
Again be well.
Love it! (picture a guy sitting at his kitchen table plucking his bass strings to your ‘Bottles, the stuff that no one would’ve ever heard, whilst reading… yeah, that happened)
Awr what a fantastic thing. Thank you for sharing that. Sometimes this weird wide world impresses me like this. :)
Glad you connected with the music in your own way, thank you for the comment.
Love these David - so much. Reminds me of John Fahey and Robbie Basho, two of my all time fav guitarists. It's been so long since I picked up my guitar. I really should sit down and have a play. Anyway - absolutely beautiful music, and lovely way to start the day. :-)
Wow thanks so much, honoured to remind you of such great guitarists and yes pick up that guitar of yours some time soon 😉
You're every welcome! Yeah, you use those great chords which are kind of almost discordant, but then resolve into really pretty melodies - really reminds me of Fahey in the best possible way. :-)
Keep at it so! :)
Will do! Thanks for reading!
Love the Swift bit of satire, so Irish that I can hear my neighbour in here (he's missing a few teeth). Great to hear two versions of Gold Bottle and how it has mellowed over the years, is this true of you too? I'm listening on my headphones in the garden and thought the birdsong in the background was part of it!
Ah amazing to hear that. I often think I should do a recording outside, the birdsong around here at the moment is quite something.
Yes the character in the intro is definitely a type we all know well 😅 but there is always that moment when you think they are rambling on but then come out with some gem of knowledge you werent expecting 😂. Had fun writing it anyway!
Thanks again for the comment and restack!
I feel that—writing is the same for me! I get antsy if the words don’t get out for extended periods… there’s certainly similarities between artists!
100% - just need to make sure we find the time. Can be easy to fall out of practice, start feeling shit and then while wondering why thats the case you realise its been a week or two since you last practiced or wrote or whatever.
Oh! And thank you for the comment!
Gold Bottles is great. Keep at it.
Thanks Gareth, will do... No choice in the matter really at the end of the day! 😉