It’s that time once again for another installment of helloEP. Our short but sweet August rendition is entitled The Ninth Great Fire.
Only two songs? Yep — our offering is small this month as we hunkered down leaning some new software (Live and Reason) and spent the rest of the time frying our pale skin in summer activities. As we head towards the hibernatory months, you should see more songs as we reenter our basement studio dens. Personally, I spent some time figuring out how to use Ableton Live for beat programming on Mike’s title track.
So put away those cigarettes and take a music break instead here. Or right click here to DOWNLOAD the entire album.
Or take it with you on your subway ride with the podcast. Or be cool like the college kids at MySpace. And most important… leave comments on the blog or via email at augustEP@hellocomein.com.
Tracklist:
1. The Ninth Great Fire (Katzif/Johnson)
2. War Of The Crickets (Crowley)
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Between juggling real life and jobs, finding time for music takes just as much planning as anything…especially when trying to learn new toys to add to the process. August saw the three of us expand getting new software like learning some basics on the amazing and complicated synth modeler Reason or trying something completely new like Greg learning to program beats with Ableton Live. Oh yeah, and I finally was reunited with my long lost pal, my Fender Rhodes after a two year trial separation. How I missed you.
Sometimes in music these new toys can be as much of a hindrance as they are helpful and inspiring…especially at first. They can open up countless new options and conjur ten new songs or they can bring you back to square one. One step forward, two steps back.
Years back when I first started picking up new instruments, I remember how frustrating it was to have all this previous knowledge but having to start at the beginning with memorizing fingerings or new clefs. Adopting a new program like Live or Reason (or any other software for that matter) is just the same…trying to learn what it can do, how you can use it easily and how it relates to all the other pieces you have in place.
Unfortunately no matter how many new guitars, glockenspiels or high-tech gadgets you add, you still have to have a song to write. People tend to forget that step, or at least overlook it. Finding that time to write a great song still seems to be the challenge. One step forward, two steps back.
— Mike, August 2007
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Temporary Setback :: January 2007
Clouded Spaces, Falling Skies :: February 2007
First Pull Up, Second Pull Down, Third Take Away :: March 2007
Ancient Telephones :: April 2007
The Cavalry Arrived Again :: May 2007
Designed In Anticipation Of His Centennial Years :: June 2007
The Rundown :: July 2007
The Ninth Great Fire :: August 2007
Empty Bottles And Dog-Eared Books :: September 2007
I Can Fix Things In The Morning :: October 2007
We Are Full Of Useful Noise :: November 2007
The Last Duel :: December 2007