Category: Half the Man

This last song to be completed for the Half the Man CD was one that I often used as the first song in a set when playing out. I thought it was fitting to start with the words, “Well, that’s just what we need–another song.” Of course, by the time I got to the end of the song, the audience was like putty in my hands, and were begging for more. (At least that’s the way I like to remember it.)

Everything to Me is one of my many songs about songs. I guess what one thinks about comes out in one’s writing. Songs like this one, Palestrina, and Tomorrow May Be More all explore the futility of creativity. There is so much music in the world. And now we can hear pristine examples of the greatest music from past centuries and throughout the entire world. What could someone like me possibly add to these endless treasures?

If you’re interested in exploring the answer to that question, join me at 7pm EST tonight for the Half the Manathon listening party. Those of you who aren’t local will be able to join us virtually via http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gregscheer. I’m working out the technical details for the virtual gathering, and putting finishing touches on the CD and munchies for the local gathering.

For now, enjoy this music hors d’oeuvre: Everything to Me, MP3

Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

Though my Half the Man CD isn’t a religious project, per se, under every hat I wear is my halo…

No, really, this song just seemed to fit, so I’m including it in the first draft. Plus, the COS Guitarchestra is leading this on Sunday, and I thought it would be nice for them to hear it before playing it. (Get crackin’, Gs!) I’m still taking reservations for tomorrow night’s Half the Manathon listening party, so email me quickly if you’d like to join us.

Our Father, MP3

I’m still deciding whether this one will go on the Half the Man CD or not. That’s one of the reasons I’m holding a listening party on Tuesday night. I want to get feedback from fresh ears: Is it good? Does it fit with the other songs? Is it too weird to release a song about unrequited love two decades after meeting the love of your life? (“Requited love”–is that a thing?)

I took a different approach in recording this song. Most of the others I built up from a click track (I usually used a basic drum pattern rather than an actual click), then laying down a rough take on voice and guitar, then adding bass, guitars, and vocals. It doesn’t give the flexibility of a live recording, but it gives rhythmic stability to multiple tracks added at different times. On this song, though, I recorded the whole song on guitar and voice (3rd take, for those who are counting) without a click track and then added the bass and percussion on top of that. this gives the song a more organic, unpolished feel that I really like.

Hear for yourself: MP3

I’m wrapping up the last few tracks on the Half the Man CD in preparation for Tuesday’s “Half the Manathon” listening party. In this particular case, I’m literally “rapping” up the track.

“We Know the Changes” has been around for a while. It was inspired by rap/jazz projects like the Diggable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick,” Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours,” and Buckshot LeFonque’s “Music Evolution.”

Take a listen to MC G layin’ it down: MP3.

Strange. I though I had uploaded this song to the blog over a year ago. In any case, today’s Half the Man post is a depressing little thing called “Let It Go.”

This Half the Man CD project is winding down. I have a few more songs to finish, then I’ll spend a few harried days doing a basic mastering of the whole project. THEN comes the fun part:

Tuesday, October 23 at 7pm will be a CD listening party, dubbed the Half Manathon. It will be a chance to listen through the whole project and give me feedback. Who’s in? Just email me if you’re interested in taking part.

Our Half the Man collection continues with a new mix of an oldie but goodie: 55 Feet.

This song was a staple of my singer-songwriter days. (Or as one place advertised me: “Greg Scheer, single guitarist.”) More recently I finished a full band mix which won 3rd place in the 2009 National Speleological Society Cave Ballad contest. (Significant feather in my compositional cap? You betcha!)

This new mix builds on the speleological version, but I think it’s starting to feel more organic and exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I love that larger-than-life sound, but I’m starting to miss the days in which pop music sounded like it could have been born in something like sonic reality. (Listening to some early David Bowie this morning reaffirmed how rich of a musical palette was available before the advent of digital recording.) But enough recording philosophy. Listen to the song.

7 down, 5 more basically finished, and a few more waiting in the wings. This thing is starting to take shape! Good thing, too, because I need to begin working on some other projects.

In order to bring this Half the Man CD to a timely closure, I’m planning a listening party in October, most likely the week of October 27, when I’ll be running a half marathon. (Get it? A half manathon the week of the half marathon. It was too good to resist.) Anyone in driving distance is welcome to attend. Anyone who has a good stereo system and room for a half dozen people is welcome to host the event. (Really, my house is nice, but my stereo system is a boom box.)

In the meantime, here’s another track from the project. If you’re a loyal follower of this blog, you heard it on Valentine’s Day: Starting Fires.

The Half the Man project continues with Silent Star. You’ve heard this one before here at the blog, once with the Allegro String Quartet and once as a solo. With each version I get a little closer to what I hear in my head: Sandra McCracken on lead vocals, Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark band, and the Children’s Festival Choir of Pittsburgh singing the the Glorias. And T-Bone Burnett producing. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

For now you’ll have to settle for me, me, and more me. Luckily, there’s also Erin De Young making a guest appearance as the angel choir. Take a listen and let me know what you think: MP3.

As promised, my Half the Man project is taking a more mellow turn this week, with a song called “This House Is Lonely.”

I posted this a few years ago as a Valentine’s gift to my wife, Amy. Why am I posting it again? Because I recorded a new vocal, replaced the programmed drums with brushed real drums, and spent lots of time on the mix. You can take a listen to the old version and compare it to this one. I think it’s headed in the right direction.

What do you think of the song? How about the mix? Do you think this has any hope of peacefully coexisting on a CD with a song like “Doghouse“?