This one’s called “Final Words.” Music and lyrics by Kim Pingul f.k.a Cocoa, produced and arranged by Kim Pingul and me and some extra assistance from Harmony Speaks.
This one’s pretty dark; Kim needed to get something off her chest. This was the first rock/acoustic song I’ve ever produced, and it came out great. I finally got to record my drums and bass and use the acoustic guitar recording setup that I outlined here. We’re pretty happy with the final product, and we hope you guys like the song.
Later on this week, Less will be coming through to record some material. So we might be releasing new stuff very soon!
MsP’s staying real busy. More coming your way, very soon!
Harmony Speaks has been a big fan of Lady Gaga’s work, and she requested trying to make a song of that style, a la “Bad Romance” for example. Since I’m all about trying new things in music, I attempted to make something in that vein with the aim of getting Speaks to do some work on it.
Some notes on the type of music, from what I’ve heard and studied:
The music feels like what should be played in a fashion show in Paris
Speed should be around 120bpm give or take a few beats per minute
Pads preferred as opposed to real sounding strings
Kick drum should be hard, same formula as the Guetta kick (see this previous post for the formula), but using a different kick drum to start that is less hard than the K034, on every beat
303 type of bass going at every eighth after each kick drum to give more pump
Dance clubby saws with slides, if possible, are desired
Hard snares with the right touch of reverb, standard pattern at the 2nd and 4th beats
Percs are okay to use; nothing over the top; and they break the beat in different spots to allow for variety
Did not notice hats being used; at least not heavily
Song format would be pop like, possible use of a middle 8, and something repetitive and catchy for also about 8 bars to get in people’s heads.
This, like the others, if used by Speaks, will go on the Roll Call ’10 album. Below you can find a lo-fi version with tags [for security reasons. ;o) ] for your streaming pleasure.
Promo video, ya dig! =D Makes it real easy to share on Facebook and everywhere else. Hope you guys like it, even though it’s not an actual video where we’re acting everything out. That may happen in the future. Who knows?
If you have been following this blog, you’ll notice that the first ten blogs were about this particular song which took almost 2 years to create when you include all the delays (no pun intended) and the different versions and iterations.
Well here is the final song, in all its splendor and glory, [at 96k though, CD quality available from iTunes on March 1, 2010 ;o) ] and I hope you guys like it. Considering it’s the first song where every active MsP member’s voice is on it, this is a very important song to me and one of the ones I’m most proud of. =]
Order of performers:
0. GnP’s Takewun on the prologue.
1. Cocoa
2. DiMpLeZ (MooN ShynE and ADM in the background)
3. K-Maculate
4. Less with a cameo by GNP’s Boy Gnyus yelling “Aiyyo back the f*ck up!”
5. Harmony Speaks (on the walkie-talkie, talking to MooN ShynE)
6. FoRcE oNe
7. Brian Bullion
8. ADM (with MooN ShynE)
9. Destiny Soprano
10. MooN ShynE
Hope you guys like it. =] Remember, to get the CD Quality version, get it on iTunes when it comes out on March 1, 2010 when “Phase 3 – L.Y.R.I.C.A.L. Without Fear” makes its debut.
So this is the results of the first second draft. Not too bad. The scratches you hear obviously won’ t be part of the actual song, they’re just meant as a tag in case somebody wants to try something slick.
Here’s the rundown of what’s in the recording:
1. Sequenced drums
2. Snares from “Hit the Road Jack”
3. Recorded drums, live: Beta 52 on the kick, PG58 on the snare, AT2020 overhead (mostly the ride cymbal with natural reverb)
4. Live guitar, Epiphone Les Paul Special II, direct through a Studio Projects VTB1 preamp with tube injection at 12 o’clock, through a Samson C-Com16 compressor, IK Multimedia Amplitube DUO on the Bluesy Combo setting5. Cakewalk Studio Instruments Bass Guitar (later to be replaced by an actual live bass [Epiphone Viola Bass])
6. ReFX Nexus on Ballad Grand Piano
I’m enjoying this so far, and I can see where I can take this and maybe add in some hip-hop elements. I may employ the vocal talents of one Harmony Speaks to join me on this. We’ll see. =]
