Fun original Swing songs

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bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:22 am

Hi - first time poster. I think this might be a slightly unusual genre from what I've seen in this forum; I've written a bunch of songs that are in the big band swing or neo swing styles, and I've recorded/mixed them using Live. The songs are meant to swing dance to, and to put a smile on your face; and I've tried to imagine how the big bands would have sounded (subject matter & arrangement) if they had the same musical sensibilities as in the '40s but were transported somehow to modern times.

http://www.myspace.com/bernarddlc

Newest contribution "Black Hole (full arrangement)". Apologies in advance for my voice - I'm still learning the whole singing caper ;-)

nb am still learning the tricks of mixing down; am aiming at 'good demo' quality - something that would be acceptable to be DJed at swing dances or even to be broadcast on community radio.

Constructive feedback welcome.
I remember you said, I was the one, our love shone more than the midnight sun
And it burned so bright for everyone to see
Then with a flash, it was over, blew up like a supernova
Now there's a black hole where your lovin' used to be.

...

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:30 am

I've uploaded another new song: "Whole New Respect". It's not as swingy as the others, more in the folkie anthem genre(!). For a while it was sounding a lot like Travis' "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" but then I swung it a bit more with a touch of piano and ukulele. Double tracked vocals in the chorus - still looking for the "sound like Neil Finn" button...

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Fri May 08, 2009 3:41 am

I've just finished another demo "Sinking In" - written about the experience of being overwhelmed by something; and featuring a few techno and engineering puns. I've performed it as a punk song, and as a near-lullaby, but in this iteration it's gypsy swing. Double-tracked guitar and uke, and about 7 vocal tracks (harmonies plus re-recording in the hope of getting something in tune). Some of the vocals are out of tune but I sort of liked the 'brokenness' but that's not to say I wouldn't prefer to sing a lot better. There were also a few slight clicks on the vocal track - probably maxing out the USB, but it's really still just a demo for now.

I've also uploaded "Swing the Sickle" - a Zombie Swing recording from last September, which has got some nice theramin effects, jungle drums and the brass (supplied by a Korg Triton).

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Brass ... =598176078
or
http://www.myspace.com/bernarddlc

A few people have sent me messages- thanks for the feedback!

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:45 am

Hi, I've finished a demo of another song, "(You've got) All My Favourite Bits of All My Favourite Girls".

It's one for all the Charleston dancers out there. 210bpm.

"...Top to the bottom, baby you got 'em,
All the 'T's crossed and 'I's you can dot 'em
You've got all my favourite bits, of all my favourite girls."

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Brass ... =598176078
and
http://www.myspace.com/bernarddlc

Live vox & ukulele, Korg brass and the rest is all Live 8. The basic drum beat is from one of the Live 8 built-in patterns, but I've added some embellishments.

Enjoy!

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:44 am

Another song is 'in the can': The Room Next Door - a bit of a tribute to some of the fun (and perhaps slightly creepy) aspects of sharehouses.

I used Madeleine Peyroux's "Don't Wait Too Long" as a rough guide despite the tempo differences. Also it was my first play with Podfarm (used, albeit sparingly, for the rhythm guitar and lead ukulele).

Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Brass ... =598176078
and
http://www.myspace.com/bernarddlc

Edit:
"I'm really looking forward to you coming to stay
And I hope that your bedroom will be OK
As you dream sweet dreams, in your bedroom you lay
I'll be right here in the room next door.

....Since you arrived I've felt as light as a feather
You should stay for a while, but why not stay for forever?
And if you thought you might like to do something together
I'll be right here in the room next door."

Stigglits
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:06 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by Stigglits » Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:25 am

Woah! Really awesome! I love the sound! So unique and different from all the other stuff on here. I would definitely pay money to download those songs- I love that style. I've actually made an old fashioned song too. If you go here: http://soundcloud.com/vervex/tracks It's the last song on the bottom of the page, called "Old." But really great tunes man, good job.

vlantis
Posts: 299
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:50 pm
Location: Kobe, Japan

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by vlantis » Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:45 am

Fun, indeed! The sparser compositions remind me a bit of Van Dyke parks.
All of my albums can be downloaded for free at:
http://www.vlantis.bandcamp.com
You can also visit me here:
http://soundcloud.com/vlantis

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:42 pm

Hey everyone, I've finished a new song called "Ghost Tram":

On Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Brass ... x_3&ref=ts
On MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/bernarddlc

"Ghost Tram, it'll welcome you aboard,
But you never can alight despite how much you pull the cord,
Ghost Tram, when your mortal days are done
You'll no longer be in Zone One."

It's definitely a bit of a novelty song - part Ghostriders In The Sky, part This Train Will Be Taking No Passengers (Augie March), part One Mechanic Town (Triffids)... but with the subject of Melbourne's adorable and fairly meek & mild tram system. There are a handful of Melbourne references (eg this Batman is not the caped crusader; but one of Melbourne's founders - John Batman).

Again I've done it as a 'demo with big production' and made good use of a few of Live's features and worked in a few effects from PodFarm - particularly the surf guitar sound was fab. I really wanted a muted trumpet (a la the Pulp Fiction song Misirlou... I did it live on community radio & a trumpeter who happened to be in the studio at the time joined me on it - it was awesome! - but I've not managed to get him to reprise his performance for the recording... yet!). I tried all the trumpets & brass variations in Live, on the Triton, & even mouth trumpet... nothing quite hit the spot. Big thanks to Shelly for singing the high ghostly bits and the 'bing bing', and also for the listening committee that gave me some great feedback.

(And thanks guys for the feedback after the last song; I had a listen to your links & meant to reply but promptly misplaced my logon details until now...)

Cheers!
Bernard.

Simbosan
Posts: 301
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:35 am
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by Simbosan » Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:27 am

I missed this before, great stuff!

Just a suggestion, if you have the cash to spare a Akia EWI USB + SampleModelling Trumpet will give you a fantastic trumpet with a selection of mutes. Ok, you have to learn to play it (a bit) but it's very natural. EWI is much easier cos there's no blowing technique absolutely required (purists cover your ears), and you can make a few simple notes go a long way. Just a thought.

S
Ableton 9 Suite - Ozone 5
Room full of guitars!
Akai EWI USB : Loads of Sample Modeling instruments (the best ever!)
M-Audio FastTrack Pro
Turbo Nutter B*stard >>>> WINDOWS <<<< PC
Simbosan on Soundcloud

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:22 pm

Simbosan wrote:I missed this before, great stuff!

Just a suggestion, if you have the cash to spare a Akia EWI USB + SampleModelling Trumpet will give you a fantastic trumpet with a selection of mutes. Ok, you have to learn to play it (a bit) but it's very natural. EWI is much easier cos there's no blowing technique absolutely required (purists cover your ears), and you can make a few simple notes go a long way. Just a thought.

S
Thanks Simon, I'll keep an eye out for it; I just need a few seconds though so I might just continue to lean gently on some of my trumpeter contacts :-) Even the mouth trumpet sounds good, I just don't have the range to get all the notes I need.

Great to hear some ukulele on "Koola Hula" & "Noise Pollution" - glad to know I'm not the only one putting some uke through Live! Apart from doing my own songs I'm also in M.U.K. & getting all geared up for the Melbourne Ukulele Festival in a few weeks - it should be a blast!

Cheers, Bernard.

Kill Paris Live
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:14 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by Kill Paris Live » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:14 am

very refreshing. i've been puking my guts out all night, so this was nice to hear, it makes me feel a little better.
Thank you for sharing, and keep up the great work!


Kp-
http://www.youtube.com/killparispaige

andrew_
Posts: 278
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 2:52 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by andrew_ » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:17 pm

vintage vibes, i dig

vlantis
Posts: 299
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:50 pm
Location: Kobe, Japan

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by vlantis » Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:47 pm

Hey bernarddlc, I sent you a PM.
All of my albums can be downloaded for free at:
http://www.vlantis.bandcamp.com
You can also visit me here:
http://soundcloud.com/vlantis

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:13 am

G'day all, I've been hard at work producing a CD:

http://www.scoretank.com.au/brasstraps/

15 tracks, some of them are ones that I've linked previously, but I've made a few tweaks and got the whole thing mastered. If you're in Melbourne, Australia on Tuesday, I'll be launching it at 303 High Street, Northcote.

Here's a new song for you - this one's a big Motowny, Gospelly, Bluesy sort of thing, a tribute to anyone that's ever felt under-appreciated, it's called, "(I Gotta) Thank You, Good Night" - I hope you like it! Live came in very handy for many of the instruments & all the effects, & lots of time-shifting the vocalist and pitch-shifting the sax lines which I managed to play horribly out of tune...

http://www.scoretank.com.au/brasstraps/ ... uPromo.mp3

bernarddlc
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:03 am

Re: Fun original Swing songs

Post by bernarddlc » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:23 am

Hi everyone! I've finished my 2nd Brass Traps album, "Tan Lines"; really happy with how it's come together (while still learning a few lessons that I'll put into practice next time :-D). I've got a couple of fantastically talented friends making guest appearances on vox, trumpet and okedo (Japanese drum).

You can listen for free here:
https://thebrasstraps.bandcamp.com/

The songs are meant to be fun & some of them have a bit of comedy in the lyrics, and have continued the Neo Swing style in the arrangements and production.

Enjoy!
Bernard.
http://www.thebrasstraps.com

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