New Vids

Coming soon. Just planning some stuff for you atm, I want to play from a wide range of genres I like so just working out how to do this. Stay tuned. I'm thinking weekly album reviews of my fav artists, then a cover from each. First on the list - Blue Jeans, Lana Del Rey. Love it!
Got some old stuff and new songs too but working on the format. Whether to do it on keyboard or wait till I have finished them in Reason. We'll see... update you soon

 xox

K.A.M

Midi Production vs Acoustic Recording

These days most music is hardly acoustic and made from 'real' instruments. The synthetic sounds are taking over everywhere from pop to rock and blends of various genres are evident in new trends with bands like 'Skrillex' (gotta love them!) Alternative indie bands take advantage of cymbals and tambourines everywhere you go but in terms of 'love for your instrument' the focus seems to be on quantity of instruments over quality. Anyway despite this I am super keen to mix up (and always have been) a blend of real orchestral sounds with electronic and synthetic instruments especially FX. It's been my plan to produce my stuff myself since the early days in 2008 when music was my focus and my whole life but even when I got ahold of the right programs the amount of time and effort involved in putting the songs together was just... errr overwhelming and so I put it aside as I didn't see the rush. I made a few attempts to get a producer on board with my stuff, and was looking at a few studios and funding a song myself, but I found it difficult to find someone with the same vision as me.

At the moment there isn't much of a market for acoustic 'girl on piano' type of performances or the audience to support this. Not that it's what I want from my music but gone are the days when musicians wrote their own music and demonstrated their legit skills in raw form. Completely REAL. These days its all glitter and flashy fireworks with backing tracks and automated drum beats. Sigh. But as we know, not all the glitters is gold and perhaps there is still a place for my beloved piano in amongst today's modern music. I love pop, and I love all the new dance stuff out at the moment but in the context of music as art, for appreciative intelligent listeners rather than just for a good dance I am intent on blending genres.

This brings me to my most recent focus - Propellerhead's Reason. Now I am working on putting together my stuff within this program and a mixture of Ableton Live & Adobe Soundboth/Premiere Pro for YouTube. Reason is pretty much state of the art MIDI technology and it does everything you want, however I'm a bit musically frustrated at the moment trying to coerce it into creating it as fast as I'd like. If anyone knows what I mean feel free to leave me a any info on the best places to find resources for this stuff other than the obvious YouTube. But I know these things take time and despite not being able to get what I want at the snap of my fingers I will write it all down and keep track of it as I tackle my songs one layer at a time...

I'll do some experimental stuff too and post it as I go. This is gonna be a looooot of work. But it's worth it to get some feedback on the finished product. The funny thing is I never meant my songs to be 'finished' with just piano and vocals. And despite what a lot of people think they were never meant to have an acoustic backing with a basic drum kit and swooping orchestral layers. No, I was never intending to do what Tori Amos and Vanessa Carlton have already done very proficiently. I think of my potential finished music tracks as a mix between Regina Spektor, Justin Timberlake, with an element of general pop and a little Evanescence. Sounds weird in theory but in practice I'm determined to complete my mission. Here's a quote which I love love love and it pays to remember: 'Rise, and rise again, until lambs become lions'.

xox

K.A.M

Easter Update

So it's Easter at the moment, hope everyone is enjoying their chocolate eggs and hot cross buns! It's been beautiful weather this weekend and I am making the most of it taking some time off from my projects and study. I graduate at the end of this year hopefully and am looking forward to it!

Here's a video from 'Lana Del Rey' that I am absolutely in love with at the moment. 'Blue Jeans' is the name of it and it's from her album 'Born to Die'. Google it. Go on. The rest of her album is equally awesome and I am going to do a few covers of her songs soon-ish, really excited!
In this song, she's singing about a guy she loves but who hasn't treated her the best, and the cinematography is stunning, all in black and white which is very rarely successfully pulled off. There is a parallel in the video clip between her 'lover' being a predator or in this case, an alligator and it's very well done showing her swimming with an alligator from underwater, and from above the water it's her 'lover'. The ideas of beauty and mystery are also symbolic elements. Parts of the chorus are reminiscent of Kate Bush, a singer/songwriter from the 80's who was famous for 'Wuthering Heights' Google that too.
This is an inspirational work of art both visually and musically! How we all enjoy playing with fire from time to time and this song sums it up so well. <3 Lana Del Rey.
Here you go, enjoy your Easter lovelies!

xox

K.A.M

'Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans'

'The Gatekeeper' Intro Video

I couldn't resist writing it into music so here's the outcome of a couple of practiced attempts:

'The Gatekeeper' (Intro)

I think I may edit the solo bit after the chorus, it's a little too similar in progression to Sweetpea, just cause it's improvised and not edited at all. But bear in mind this is just a piece of the final song, which I will finish at some point. I have to say I am loving the lyrics (See previous post).

Pretty happy with the melody of this one anyway. Piano could do with some work but the structure is solid and cohesive so it makes sense. It's link only. Sorry I didn't play on the keyboard this time, I just like the feel of a real live instrument beneath my fingers and sometimes I feel that the keyboard is too static for writing on... This one is a Bechstein, it's pretty old and is actually my mother's piano. I pretty much just adopted it ^_^


K.A.M

xox

Lyrics - 'The Gatekeeper'

So basically while I was sleeping, or when I was falling asleep I came up with a really cool name for a new song. 'The Gatekeeper' is a metaphor for death actually, and although that might sound a little morbid, it's actually not. It's kind of about the transition from a place of uncertainty to a place of being complete. In the way that all things must come to and end. I suppose it has echoes of break-ups and the concepts of religion and God in there too?
Anyway my songs tend to morph as I write them and the original lyrics I had in my head I didn't write down so I wrote some new ones for the title yesterday on a whim. I was listening to some John Mayer and it got me all inspired and the like. This songs gonna be a big one. Here's a few lines:

'The Gatekeeper'

I thought there was water
in between the rock
and the sugar divine
filing down,
smaller and more wholesome
as we shuffle down the line

On our way to mattering
to meaning most-
to living a lie.

The Gatekeeper,
he knows
eyes fall upon us
his judgement burns like snow,
it's funny no one noticed
it's funny no one knows...

...


Just a draft really, but I am loving the phrase 'smaller and more wholesome as we shuffle down the line'
I suppose what's meant by that is how the blueprint of life seems so much richer and satisfying before it's done, and when it's over you are left wondering what really matters. The Gatekeeper represents our conscience in a way, we are the ones that truly judge ourselves and decide whether we are forgiven or not...

Wondering whether I should put up my old songs I didn't put online, and all the lyrics?

K.A.M

xox

Kerli - 'Zero Gravity' Single Release!

Thought I would share this with you all, Kerli, an Estonian originated singer/songwriter has progressed into Dance music, and this is a great example of an awesome transition from acoustic.
Here's the link to her album art & the music for her single 'Zero Gravity': http://poponandon.com/first-listen-kerli-zero-gravity/

Her older songs that you may have heard, especially the video clip is pretty cool in 'Walking on Air' & a really dark song 'Love is Dead'. (YouTube it). Her stuff is really creative, she writes most of it herself, and even makes some of her outfits and fashion. For those of you into Lady Gaga, Bjork, or Evanescence, it's kind of a combination between a number of artists and the Japanese music/fashion scene. Check her out!

Play by Ear Tutorial - Update!

Hey guys, so the new video is up, and I am still waiting for more feedback on it! I have a few more ideas for my Vlog which I will do next week. For now just updating and letting you know what I am up to. I have a few more bits of songs to post, plus some critiques of the writing from artists like John Mayer which I will do very soon <3
I also plan to do another shoot and Part Two of Play by Ear. Keep in touch,

K.A.M

xox

Original Song - 'After the Fall' Intro 2009

Here is an old song I wrote back in 2009 and was just too lazy to finish it, this is the intro anyway. In the video I am wearing the outfit of the week from 'The Wardrobe' see www.insidethewardrobe.blogspot.com

When I find the lyrics stuffed in an old journal lurking somewhere in my room I will share them on here before I finish it. The concept was like a romance take on the fall of Adam & Eve. The parallel between a breakup scenario and the religious scenario. Makes for good lyric imagery! 

xox 

K.A.M

Play by Ear Part One - 'Notes & Keys' Video Tutorial

It is done! Took me forever, and it's a bit rough (let me know if there are any mistakes or bits that are particularly confusing) but here is the video! It's quite long, just under 15 minutes, but I cover everything basic so especially if you play a bit of piano but have no training then this video is perfect for you. Even if you know the basics it can be good to refresh your memory, so when I move onto more complicated stuff it still makes sense. See the glossary under the video info for details of the words I use and their meanings if you have forgotten.

In the video you can probably hear the cicadas in the background which is kinda funny, and if anyone is wondering my keyboard is a Korg SP-250. I will update you soon on more vids that are coming. Comment and let me know what you think!

xox

K.A.M

New Videos - Update

So just updating you on the haps with the new vids! I have been working tons and tons, (If you wanna know where I work here is the link: http://www.sussan.com.au/ Anyway I have been working in Newmarket lately, and its AWESOME! We have tons and tons of cool stuff. Check out my 'The Wardrobe' I'll be posting pics of some new outfits I picked up that are too cute. Blouses and pencil skirts are just awesome! Anyway too much excitement. I see a lot of you guys are checking out my Vlog, but COMMENT! Go on, do it! Let me know your thoughts :)

So to sum up the last two days I have been working and haven't had time to upload the vids, but I will definately do it before friday, cause I am going away for the weekend! Down to Taupo, in New Zealand. Google search it if you like, there are awesome hot water mud pool things, and other cool stuff down there. (Although there aren't many people, so it's kind of anti-social if you know what I mean).

Coming soon I promise! They are on my PC and just have to edit them ^_^

xox

K.A.M