Dave Bryce Posted July 6, 2001 Share Posted July 6, 2001 As many of you know, we are attempting to compile a CD's worth of material submitted by members of this forum. In order to do this, we have posted the entries for consideration and evaluation by all of the members of the forum, whether or not they have contributed a piece. The entries can be found at this web site: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/261/the_keyboard_corner.html Please go there, and evaluate the piece called "Waves and Particles", submitted by Magpel (John Burdick). Please post your comments on that tune in this thread. This link will take you directly to this piece. If the artist of the piece would care to post any notes about the piece in this thread, they should feel free to do so. Thanks for listening! ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansouth Posted July 7, 2001 Share Posted July 7, 2001 This is a complex and interesting piece from a harmonic standpoint, with an excellent vocal arrangement. Kind of like Queen meets ELP. I've never heard anything like it, and I mean that as a compliment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 7, 2001 Share Posted July 7, 2001 Very lush...man this tune is great! I love the effects on the vocals. Excellent textures throughout, guitar adds just the right amount of organic sound to make everything work. Nothing but positive stuff to say...excellent tune. I wish it were a bit longer. This message has been edited by Steve LeBlanc on 07-06-2001 at 06:16 PM http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted July 7, 2001 Share Posted July 7, 2001 Wow, kind words from a couple of heavies. Dan and Steve's remarks made me smile uncontrollably, which is strange when you're alone. I intended to have a cloudy, light, high, and wobbly texture throughout the tune, which I then pursued with a venegance, probably to the point of overkill: Block chords on the mellotron sample, tremolo'd guitar strumming simply, two accordions playing a dee-dum dum-dee dee-dum Phillip Glass kinda part with sweeping panning, and the QS 8s No Quarter program. I feel like I clouded out any distinctness of the individual parts. Anyway, thanks a lot. Magpel Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobro Posted July 7, 2001 Share Posted July 7, 2001 Hey Magpel, this is really good. The vox have a just-right tone which immediately gives you the feeling that the lyrics are deliberately working on different levels of meaning/seriousness, like the orchestration. You must have a huge range of expressive possibilites with your approach and unique style. If you've written for chamber orchestra, I'd love to hear it. The radio theater you write is definitely worth tuning into, judging from this tune. As far as "clouded out any distinctness of the individual parts" I can hear all the instruments and was simply enjoying the tune. -CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted July 8, 2001 Share Posted July 8, 2001 Many Thanks, Bobro. I was kind of hoping you'd like it because I feel a definite affinity with "Angel of the Odd." It seems like we both coming from a Kurt Weil-ish kind of place (with maybe a little Tom Waits?), skewed cabaret music. My last band was described as a lounge band falling down a flight of stairs, which was a very apt description. As for the orchestration, I'm not at all trained (well, half trained, and poorly) and work by a combination of ear and lucky finger falls on the keyboard. I've never written for a chamber orchestra, foremost because I can't write music (and can hardly read a lick either, though I know what all the symbols mean). But I really appreciate your positive response. Pardon the plug, but the audio theater can be heard at mp3.com/magpel. The song doesn't really represent the sophmoric, bawdy, and foul mouthed nature of the material, but if you care to check it out... Thanks again, John (aka Magpel, making transition to real name) Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobro Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Hey John Magpel, with UBB you can post a link in style: Magnificent Glass Pelican! Having your "business card" as part of signature for example is perfectly cool, even polite because people can check out where you're coming from. A Day in the Death of Boz Allabone is great. The characterizations in the show are hilarious and there's a bit of tragedy in some of the plays, too. IMO you have an ideal environment for writing and continually developing your music- you have deadlines, must consistenly record to a technical standard suitable for broadcast, and the nature of the show calls for the music to be part of something working on three levels: entertaining/fun, satirical/ironic, and serious/intelligent. As far as orchestration maybe you could hook up with someone to work with, grad students are cheap and willing and instrumetalists will love you if you consult with them during the process rather than just putting sheet music in front of them. Plus you will avoid embarrassing fingering/range/transposition mistakes that way. It's very strange that you mention Kurt Weill and Tom Waits, because I hadn't thought of that until an email from a friend the other day (loose but accurate translation)- "the graphics you've been using are shit because you are working in the Tom Waits/Kurt Weill tradition and the visuals are more suited to some kind of electronica." http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/redface.gif Words of wisdom from a very good artist. Something you might want to consider- people are very sensitive to colors and images, is the grey background on your mp3 site appropriate? Reading reviews of CDs, it seems that many are actually descriptions of the cover art, not the music- plodding synth-pop described as "ethereal neo-classical" apparently because there is blurry picture of a cello on the cover, etc. Anyway that's something for another thread, back to the salt mines, -CB This message has been edited by Bobro on 07-09-2001 at 07:28 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Originally posted by Bobro: It's very strange that you mention Kurt Weill and Tom Waits, because I hadn't thought of that until an email from a friend the other day (loose but accurate translation)- "the graphics you've been using are shit because you are working in the Tom Waits/Kurt Weill tradition and the visuals are more suited to some kind of electronica." This message has been edited by Bobro on 07-09-2001 at 07:28 AM CB, isn't that interesting? Two people have identified the same set of influences that aren't influences! I experienced the same thing when people kept telling me my tunes sounded like Randy Newman, whom I had never heard apart from a few radio hits. Checked it out and agreed. He was an invisible influence on me somehow. Now I love him. Well, likening anything with an avant cabaret/dramatic pop feel to Kurt Weil is commonplace, so "Angel of the Odd" is going to draw that comparison. But setting that kind of a song in a context with stark and odd sounds, elements of disonance, that is very Tom Waits (later Tom Waits, not his early more conventional material). To me the pinnacle of this happens on his album Rain Dogs, which has polkas, elements of circus music, even some potantial show tunes, but all passed through a bizarre, off kilter musical grinder. If you haven't heard it, consider this the highest recommendation. It's an album I haven't stopped listening to for 15 years. John PS thanks for checking out the Pelican. Boz Allabone, he said modestly, is one of mine. Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansouth Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 John - Please check the "Compilation CD" thread and let me know if your contact information is correct. This information will be used on the CD liner notes. - Thanks, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted July 11, 2001 Share Posted July 11, 2001 Better late than never. I finally got a chance to download and listen to the cd compilation tunes this weekend. It was pretty awe inspiring. I am still on a high about the great talent we have rubbing shoulders here. So much attitude John. It reeks. I love it. A cool guitar sound. Awesome harmonic language. Your arrangements are really unusual and thought provoking. The only thing I would change is to bring up the whistle melody and vocals at about 80 seconds. Your taste may differ though. Lovely. Way too short. This could go on for 8 minutes Id be happy. I think I would enjoy your radio program. I am going to pay a visit to your site. Regards, Jerry ------------------ www.tuskerfort.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted July 12, 2001 Share Posted July 12, 2001 Thanks a lot, Jerry. The song is so short for two reasons: first, it was intended to be a theme song for a half hour audio comedy/theater show, and, at 1:43, it's already too long...plus it has nothing to do with the show. Second, I just tend to work in miniatures. By nature I seem drawn to music that is very compact but eventful, so while I do write whole songs, much of the best stuff I have done is in the short and sweet style. Thanks again. A couple compliments like the ones I've gotten here go a long way for an isolated cottage industry type like myself. John Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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