This is, literally, my musical diary–notes fresh from my pen and recorded in a few hours. You can find my finished works elsewhere; here, it's all about capturing the moment!
When I lived in Salzburg, there was a street person named Louie who would often stop by to hear me play my guitar in the city square. He must have made quite an impression on me because he made it into two of my songs.
The first is a sympathetic–maybe even patronizing–description of Louie’s life on the street. In this second song, the roles are reversed. Instead of me pitying his life from my place of power and ease, in this one he presides over my trial to gain entrance into the after life. I await his verdict, but he can only laugh. The song is pretty much a transcription of a dream I had a few years after I returned from Salzburg.
I’m not sure why this has never made it onto any of my projects. It’s got all the hallmarks of great rock and roll: driving rhythm, a catchy chorus, shadowy figures gatekeeping the underworld, and whole tone scales. What do you think–will this ever be more than a B side?
There’s a song on my 1993 release From the Hand of… called “A Number of Girls.” It’s got a smoking violin riff that you will eventually hear when I digitize it and upload to the blogoscheer. A few days ago, I came across this short excerpt of the riff that I recorded on multiple tracks of bass guitar: MP3
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air. Also music.
At the very end of yesterday and the very beginning of today I had some quick ideas that I recorded and uploaded to FAWM. Just in case you’re not following me there, I decided to post them here, too:
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.
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.
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.
As I come to the finish line with the Half the Man project*, I’m coming across songs that aren’t going to make it from rough draft to first draft stage. “Tell You How I Feel” is one such song. It’s a good song–I mean, what’s not to like about a song sung half in English and half in German?–but it just doesn’t feel right for this CD.
But the CD’s loss is your gain. Instead of having to wait twenty years for the Half the Man reissue with all the outtakes and B sides, you can just click right here and take a listen now!
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.
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.
At some point last week, reality hit me and I cursed myself for agreeing to compose an infectious dance/pop song about the changing role of the deacon in the CRC. But nothing inspires like a deadline, and here I am today, October 1, with a sparkling new recording called “Everybody Get Diakonian!”
This song was written to publicize the “Diakonia Remixed” proposal of the Office of Deacon Task Force which will be considered at next summer’s General Synod. In a few days, we’ll release the song and the song files as part of a remix contest. For now, just listen, enjoy, and maybe even dance a bit: MP3.
1. Diakoniawhat’s that mean? You say, “it’s all Greek to me.” But when you hear it with new ears, maybe you’ll catch the Spirit. Cause it’s being Jesus’ hands and feet in a world so full of need. This world is groaning for release: open your ears. Jesus is calling you to hear.
2. Diakonia used to be a lonely band of deacons. But the way that they see it now, it is me, it is you, it is everybody working, helping our neighbor, doing good deeds, showing the love of Jesus. You don’t think you’re needed? Open your eyes: take a look around. Cause sometimes it seems that there’s no hope when everybody wants to break it down.
Well, it used to be, in the CRCNA, that deacons served and elders led the way. Are you ready for a brand new feelin? Everybody get DIAKONIAN!
Would you be freakin out if I told you you’re a deacon now? Let that spin your head til the room is reelin. Everybody get DIAKONIAN!
Serving God is everybody’s business. So get busy, get jumpin in it. Throw your hands up to the ceilin. Everybody get DIAKONIAN!
West coast, East coast, city, suburb, Young and old of every color, Indonesian, Friesian, Navajo, Korean: Everybody get DIAKONIAN!
Remix, rethink, redeem, reboot; remember that our God renews us all to a new way of bein. Everybody get DIAKONIAN!
By the way, I’m pretty darn proud of rhyming “Korean” with “Diakonian.”
When I lived in Salzburg, there was a street person named Louie who would often stop by to hear me play my guitar in the city square. He must have made quite an impression on me because he made it into two of my songs.