Thursday 8 December 2011

Video Blog: Any Colour You Like (how to look inside a midi for clues)

You didn't know that I love Pink Floyd?  That I've been working for, um, let's say a decade on a full fingerstyle cover of the album "Dark Side of the Moon"? You must be new here then, welcome :)

In this video I talk too much as usual, but I fumble through what I've done so far on "Any Colour You Like" and how I dissabled a midi to find out what is going on it because my ear isn't all that good...

JAW



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11 comments:

  1. Hi Jaw

    Interesting post, I've never used power tab, looks pretty 'powerful'.

    Look forward to seeing the completed version of any colour you like and Money.

    Cheers

    Nick (UK)

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  2. Ahhhh....it IS christmas....
    I like your passion almost as much as I like your playing.
    Was very interesting to see how you work on your songs, like you, my ear isn't very good.
    Thanks again
    Marc

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  3. Wonderful post Jason :) This is precisely what I meant when I mentioned seeing your process.
    This is a magnificently efficient way to do it. I can't wait to get started on some of my own. Being able to just see the bassline, or melody is so helpful. Once again Jaw you have entertained and educated at the same time ;)

    Thank you for putting so much effort into all of this. It must be an awful lot of work but it is so beautiful in the end.

    Keep'm coming buddy, and happy new year!!

    Oh yeah, you had better hurry up and finish that DSotM before this next December , with the world is ending it may be tricky to find the time afterwards ... ... ;) haha


    Ryan G

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  4. Hey JAW

    Hope you had a good chrissy and new year.

    I am looking at doing a cert III in music at TAFE next month, it covers notation, scales/modes, computer recording, PA and live gigs, guitar teacher (may be flat picker though), etc. The course is 6 months, full time.
    The dilemma is that my heart says YES, but my mind says NO, as I have no intention of earning money from it and that I could be doing more productive things etc.

    I value your opinion

    Regards

    Marc

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  5. Ryan - I'm still progressing Any Colour You Like, it's one of those things you just need to put in a few hours when you can and chip away at it. The two midi files I had for it were (slightly) different, and different to the studio album...which is different to every version the would play (Live '74, Pulse/Lapse/etc) so bottom line is "it's an improvised song", so I'm improvising it (but in the style of the studio album).

    Marc, "6 months full time" would be the only problem for me - I have to earn income to pay for my (families) lifestyle :) But if you could afford to take six months off whatever you were doing, or you could otherwise make it work somehow, why not? Music is for life. If you can put in the time when you are young with few commitments, wow, golden opportunity. You've got those skills for the rest of time. I don't know what percentage of people proficient at music/an instrument derive a living from it, I'd say it is very low - but that's not what it's about. Music gets you off the TV couch, gives your right brain something to chew on; music is emotion, and something to share.

    If after those six months and you didn't do the course you looked back and couldn't say what you achieved, then you'll wish you put the effort in. And I'm sure it would be effort. I'd like to think it would be a well prepared course, "put the effort in and you'll come out the other side well versed in music", and hopefully it is (do some research?) There are plenty of courses you could do that you'd wonder why you bothered.

    It's good to listen to your heart. Our minds can be a real boring drag sometimes. But it comes down to the six months, and how easily you can sink them into something "recreational". Not everything in life should be about reaching some goal post, or reaching the end...but it's not always possible to ignore your commitments. Perhaps in some cases music is best kept as a spare time hobby. The good thing about hobbies is that people are passionate about them, they do them because they choose to do them!

    I think you already know your answer, you just need to accept it :)

    JAW

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  6. Thanks JAW

    Luckily I lead an inexpensive lifestyle, and can afford to employ someone to work my photography business 5 days a week for the 6 months. It was more the time, driving back and forth (over 1 hour each way), the time not spent working on my land etc. I will be overworked during that time, but it will be worth it. (BTW I am 33, but no commitments :)

    Thank you for your opinion, it's just what I needed to hear. Some of my close friends put some doubt in my mind, but they don't understand my love for music.

    I've had an audition with one of the course instructors,to see at what stage my knowledge is up to (didn't do well in the clapping, lisening to notes, notation etc but was impressed with my playing
    :D ) The course seems well constructed and I am excited about it.

    Thanks again

    Marc

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  7. 33 eh, young fella :) Adding on an extra 2 hours travelling is a bit painful on top of the loss of income and all the extra hard work - but hey, when are you going to get a chance to do this again? Is any time a good time to do that sort of thing? If you can do it, and you want to do it...

    As for your audition, ha, you sound just like me. A guitarist...maybe not such much a musician...but would like to be. Although a guy I know who did years of high school and university level music told me once "when you understand everything that is going on, it takes the fun out of it." I believe he is a good jazz guitarist, but I've never heard him play, because he doesn't play much any more...

    I don't think that would stop me if I had the opportunity though!

    I will expect occasional updates on your progress as we go - in fact, start a blog :)
    JAW

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  8. I really love pink floyd and really enjoyed you playing on the classical guitar. I have been playing for nearly 13 years and haven't played on a classical that much;however, this site has inspired me to try it out. IStillGotMyGuitar

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  9. I have fluffed around with electrics and steel strings in the past - maybe a decade on each. But nothing has the "feel" of nylon, and you can't argue with those classical blokes, the shape/design/tone/playability/etc of the classical guitar has been refined for centuries. I'm not so keen on playing actual classical music on them though, maybe one day, but not today.

    In fact I played an electric guitar a couple of weekends ago, was quite a fancy Ibanez with floyd rose locking tremolo, I didn't enjoy it. I think I'm scarred; locked into the classical nylon guitar design. I would say "everyone should be playing their fingerstyle stuff on a classical" but that would be a bit over the top :)

    As for pink floyd - well, I was a big fan in my twenties, and it has never left me. I started my DSotM project a long long time ago, but I'm determined now to finish it. Maybe this year?!

    Thanks for stopping by,
    JAW

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  10. Music to my ears :) (and great music at that)

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  11. Any updates on this?!?!

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