[Music] ~Conde's Music~

Long story short, my brother moved to Poland and he left a recording studio in my house. Pretty rudimentary studio but good enough for me. I play the piano, guitar and have a VERY VERY basic understanding of music production. I've used Pro Tools LE 7 and Live Ableton 5 and 8 to make my recordings and it has been much fun.

So, without further ado, my first attempt at a song:



LOL, so the lyrics are definitely lacking [and my voice is kind of irritating, for me at least], but I am kind of proud of it. To be completely honest, even if it was my first attempt at songwriting, it didn't feel much different from making a cover. My father was quite astonished when I told him this because he thinks writing songs is a totally different experience from "copying someone", but I'm like "huh, not for me". Before this song, I had recorded a bunch of covers, which I'll be posting as I upload them.

HUH! about the song. All I can say is that it was heavily inspired by Zola Jesus' "Lightstick" (can't believe I couldn't find a video of this song, outrageous). It's not that similar, but that song is what I was using for inspiration.

The theme of the song, is uhm, if you know the Greek myth of Icarus, you'll be on the right track. I sometimes like to think it's about cumming, because of the whole "my body is tightening" line, but that WASn't the initial thought, no no.

-------------------------------------
Here are all the songs I've posted in the thread. My favorites are in bigger text and each link takes to the post the song was posted in.

- Street Lights (Kanye West cover)

Spoiler:  

This is a cover I recorded months ago; the first project I felt was finished. Kanye has beautiful ideas for melodies, and it’s cool that he let himself explore and experiment with autotune and 808 beats on his 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreaks. "Street Lights" has been one of my favorites since I listened to it for the first time, and I enjoyed its melody and lyrics above everything else, specially while singing along.

I sampled "Dream On" by Christian Falk (with Robyn), seemed fitting (both thematically and musically).

- Not In Love (Crystal Castles cover)

Spoiler:  

I looove crystal castles. They are filthy, reckless, glitchy and loud. This has always been my favorite song of theirs, even before the magnificent Robert Smith feature. I love it so much I just couldn't help but record this cover. But for the sanctity of my life I could not figure out a proper way to make the bass go on tempo, so it's a little off sometimes (plus, really big, huh). And I wouldn't record it again because the bass guitar makes my hands turn into blistering pieces of flesh.

This is also one of my *muddiest* recordings because it was one of the first projects I started. I finished it just a few months ago because I somehow liked the tangled mess that it had become.

- Huntsman

Spoiler:  

After listening to the newest Scissor Sister single, "Shady Love", I had a strong urge to record a hip-hop track.

In the spand of one day, I recorded a track and it's careless and stupid and those kinds of stuff. After I did that, I made a little tinsy cover for it and the lyrics are under the video.

The lyrics are heavily inspired by a porn scene I watched a couple of weeks ago (there wasn't any fisting in the scene, though). oh ♥♥♥♥

- Panic Attack

Spoiler:  

OK, I recorded “Panic Attack” this afternoon with my piano and microphone. I wanted to make something as tense as what I felt a few weeks ago when I had a panic attack. I wanted to make something that would have helped me feel better, because I felt completely hopeless when I was going through the experience.

The track is nothing but voice(s) and piano. Finally something in which I do not go overboard with the MIDI

- Lost Without You (Vanbot cover)

Spoiler:  

OK, so I got working on a cover I've been meaning to do for a long while. "Lost Without You", by Vanbot, is one of the best Swedish electropop songs I've heard, and that's saying a lot coming from a Robyn and Swedish pop enthusiast. So yeah, I'm kind of happy where I've taken it so far, but I'm uploading it right away, anyway

- In the Backseat (Arcade Fire live cover)

Spoiler:  

So, I recorded this for the clan wars

"In The Backseat" is one of my favorite songs ever in the world and I swear few other songs get me as ~emotive~. That was a very lax recording, second take, pretty much, and I could have done better. But still, I loved doing it.

- Looking For Gold (The Tough Alliance cover)

Spoiler:  

Oh, and btw, I didn't notice I hadn't posted this one:

"Had some fun with this one xD Uhm, my first project using Live Ableton and I didn't know how to use autotune or something similar for my voice so it's raw. I had just played Portal 2, so it felt ~natural~ to sample Cave Johnson."

Yes, I sampled Portal 2. FUNN
One of my few guitar-based recordings.

Cover art for this one is shit. I just didn't know what to do so i just used sassy ps filters.

- Back Again (my favorite <3)

Spoiler:  

OK, so, I yesterday I went to my piano lessons but my teacher forgot to get me new material. He just let me play whatever I wanted to for the hour and I composed this song. The lyrics were even more spontaneous; before a few edits, and I just pressed the record button and sang whatever came to mind.

While I was making it I thought it was the best thing I've ever done. Well, now after listening to it like a bazillion times I ain't so sure (well, maybe that's something to be expected from listening to the same song 30 times in one day, aright?).

Anyway, it's great! Plus, it mixes really well into "Ícaro".

- Crown Of Love (Arcade Fire live cover)

Spoiler:  

My mother and my niece say that this is their favorite of the songs I perform. It's very simple, but still managed to fault through some parts

Seriously, arcade fire rocks.

Oh, yes, also, C3 was so out of tune. I had to get around some parts without playing it

- Birds & Lairs

Spoiler:  

Birds & Lairs - Soundcloud

Made the song today. I mean, the arrangement of the piano is exactly the same as one I was doing for a cover of Coldplay's "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", but I figured it was way too mine and decided to make a song from it. "Birds & Lairs" is the slowest song I've ever recorded, sitting at 75 BPM (I had never dipped under 90 BPMs!), but is much brighter than many others around here.

This one is about how great staying at home and making some music is and how little I want to leave my room. The bird imagery was inspired from Rubén Darío's Azul and from accidentally recording a bird chirping. I like it, and I think it's the perfect length (barely two minutes long).

- Act Aloof

Spoiler:  

Act Aloof - Soundcloud

First song I've made that does not include a piano. Well, I actually wrote this on piano but then I got rid of it because it was dull. This one I don't like as much as "Birds & Lairs". I made this while I was feeling a weird mixture of hurt and relief after I got rejected by a dude I have a crush on. My favorite thing about this song is the title.

Llanto

Spoiler:  

Llanto - Soundcloud

It becomes pretty obvious right off the bat why the track is named "Llanto". Some background:

I started this track while I was in Massachusetts last year. I had only my laptop and my webcam mic with me, and I had just gotten Ableton Live 8 installed into my laptop. I really wanted to use a chunk of my time during my trip to USA to make music -even with no piano or microphone- so I used my webcam mic and a small chunk of my niece vocals to build my instruments. This track was experemental right off from the beggining because I had never built my instruments with the Simpler in Ableton, and it was really cool. I half finished the track that November, and this past April I did a heavy polishing duty structurizing and mixing the track (it's a bad mix, though, had problems raising the volume without frequencies clashing and quickly gave up on that), but I really like the fact that I just made something that sounds like nothing I've ever heard before.

So, it's called Llanto because the sample I used from my niece recording kind of sounds like she is saying "Llanto" in a really low frequency. I included the original unaltered sample at the end of the track.

Moments Under the Moon

Spoiler:  

Moments Under the Moon - Soundcloud

OK, so the inspiration for this song was pretty straight-forward. I spent a whole week a away with my class in a journey to Petén (Flores, Tikal), Izabal (Finca Ixobel, Río Dulce, Livingstone) and Belize (Cayos), and the moments I spent contemplating the sound of the Caribbean Sea, of Lake Izabal, and Lake Itzá while under the moon were some of the best in my life. I was taken out of myself while under the sky.

In a more literal way, the song is about the confusion I felt when I discovered I might have been falling for a girl, and the confusion of the effort of getting over someone else. I had never felt something like that for a girl, and I really couldn't stop thinking about her. We were dancing after dinner and I was really trying to get her to dance with me -she's the kind of girl who doesn't take anyone up for a dance just out of how shy she is-. But she did, and I felt so good about her. Afterwards, I spend some time on the beach, thinking about her. That is the night that inspired this song.

This is a picture of the moon that exact midnight:



Oh my god, thinking back on this trip is making me feel so nostalgic. I really had a fantastic time.

Anyway, during the process of making the song, I came to hate it. I really couldn't stand listening to it another time, because I really didn't think it was as good as I wanted it to be, and I became fully fed up with it so I just uploaded it. I'm getting over that, though, and now I think I like it a bit better than my normal track. It still drives me a bit crazy, though >.>

asdrhsrhsd
why must i be at work, omg conde i am so curious.
AS SOON as i get back home i am going to listen through this =O =O =O

This is wonderful. 8D
Even if your studio is "basic", even if your voice lacks slightly, I love it.

Originally Posted by AzraelBlack

asdrhsrhsd
why must i be at work, omg conde i am so curious.
AS SOON as i get back home i am going to listen through this =O =O =O

It makes me so happy to see you are curious

Originally Posted by Axis

This is wonderful. 8D
Even if your studio is "basic", even if your voice lacks slightly, I love it.

Thank you so much for your comment, Axis. I'd do instrumental tracks, but since I have a voice, I say why not, so I'll definitely work on it in the future (or work on getting someone to sing for me ).

While I am at it, I'll post the only cover I have in my laptop right now.



This is a cover I recorded months ago; the first project I felt was finished. Kanye has beautiful ideas for melodies, and it’s cool that he let himself explore and experiment with autotune and 808 beats on his 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreaks. "Street Lights" has been one of my favorites since I listened to it for the first time, and I enjoyed its melody and lyrics above everything else, specially while singing along.

I sampled "Dream On" by Christian Falk (with Robyn), seemed fitting (both thematically and musically).

I can't agree with your view on your voice. Your voice has a nice timbre to it, and for what you were doing, I think it really suited the texture of the music.

For your first attempt this is definitely really good! You have heaps of potential, I can't wait to see what else you write.

As for critique:
The song was rather long, with a lack of progression. I don't know if that is what you intended, but when I write music, if the song is stretching out, it is because the pacing of the track is progressing, perhaps building up, or changing in dynamic. This song of yours could have helped with a bit more dynamism.

I really like the textures and the arrangement of the song (in both!) the groove to the Kanye cover was really infectious.

As for the production, I have a rather bass heavy set of speakers and your mix was a bit difficult to hear. It was very strong in the middle band, and didn't spread out much, this is likely because you're new to the studio, after a while your mixes will be cleaner and easier to understand.


YAY CONDE!

YAY Saúl!

You know how shockingly stupid one sounds when someone records one's voice? I think that's the reason I don't feel completely comfortable with mine, but I feel my confidence is getting better each time.

It was definitely not my intention for it to drag along somewhat, I see what you mean. I tried to make it dynamic but I think I was way too gentle about it.

Also! I'm having so much trouble with managing the frequency spectrum of my project, it felt completely alien to me at first but I'm confident that it takes practice and some inquiring.

Each of your points have made me think, and I'm much more motivated than I've been for the past couple of months (in which I didn't make anything at all) after making this thread and seeing all of the response. So YEAH THanks!

Holy ♥♥♥♥, Conde. I'm impressed both because you posted your music right after you told me you would and mainly because I'm just really impressed with your [awesome] voice and these two sick tracks you've posted.
The indistinct voice and lyrics are what I found to be the charm of your work and what really sets that experimental mood on the Kanye cover which BTW brought Panda Bear to mind-- totally unrelated, I'm associating their experimental quality with yours, which is absolutely great. The first song, to be honest, started out for me like "OK, here we go," but damn-- that voice. Really mesmerizing, and how the track picks up around the second minute with more tension.
I'm not a music expert, so I have no real say-so on this, but I feel I'm attracted to good music, and I really loved what I heard here, so. *subscribes

Thank you, IGNIS! You know I said I'd do it :3

You knoow, when I was recording Street Lights, I had a very "pristine" idea in mind. Like clean and stuff, but then it started getting muddy and full of reverberance and I though "OH!, I'll just pretend I'm making something a'la Panda Bear". So it's totally great you caught on that xD

I started recording something yesterday, but while I'm at it, I've uploaded another cover.

*at the moment of this post, the video is still processing*
I looove crystal castles. They are filthy, reckless, glitchy and loud. This has always been my favorite song of theirs, even before the magnificent Robert Smith feature. I love it so much I just couldn't help but record this cover. But for the sanctity of my life I could not figure out a proper way to make the bass go on tempo, so it's a little off sometimes (plus, really big, huh). And I wouldn't record it again because the bass guitar makes my hands turn into blistering pieces of flesh.

This is also one of my *muddiest* recordings because it was one of the first projects I started. I finished it just a few months ago because I somehow liked the tangled mess that it had become.

and, since this is ~my~ thread, I'll go ahead and post this:

It's a painful and small gif I made for the header of my blog page.

After listening to the newest Scissor Sister single, "Shady Love", I had a strong urge to record something.

In the spand of one day, I recorded a track and it's careless and stupid and those kinds of stuff. After I did that, I made a little tinsy cover for it and the lyrics are under the video.

The lyrics are heavily inspired by a porn scene I watched a couple of weeks ago (there wasn't any fisting in the scene, though). oh ♥♥♥♥

i heard about that boy who can go sky high
do you want to know what his name’s tonight?
"?", wanna start a fight?
catch him on his way so he’ll miss his flight
punch him on his chest if you want a ride
give him something cool and he’ll get you high
want to make it through so he’ll make you cry
put it on his check, I don’t think he’ll mind
♥♥♥♥ing young playboy got feelings "?"
obviously, ♥♥♥♥wad, you’ll get one to do
all that you want equals all that he needs
trick him to think that is all you can see
likes to dance to Madonna, yeah?
hoped you could eat some falona, aha?
keep an open mind and you’ll get a taste
evening of games, you won’t go to waste

want to hear something vapid? vapid?
yeah, ‘cause my humor’s so acid? acid?
like it when it comes out rápido rápido
love it because of the vértigo vertigo

♥♥♥♥ with all your might don’t let him escape
Looking at him straight you can hold his edge
let him feel your scent let it all erase
his lonely spirit now you can see it fade
the circle’s got smaller his fingers are falling
his voice’s getting weaker keep eye on his wallet
he dares to leave you leave all empty-handed?
look him in the eye, all empty-handed
fist him on the ass, all empty-handed
drinking all his tears you start to wonder
nothing you need equals nothing he wants
whereas all that you want is all up in his bank, hah!
don’t worry about him, he’ll be ok
one of your buddies will come in and play
hand on his pocket just drop him there
all that you want is a street away

want to hear something vapid? vapid?
yeah, ‘cause my humor’s so acid? acid?
like it when it comes out rápido rápido
love it because of the vértigo vertigo

I know, it's stupid.

now i know who your voice reminds me of.

the deep voice with the accent, you without a doubt vocally remind me of woodkid in a way.

that is all.

Originally Posted by luca

now i know who your voice reminds me of.

the deep voice with the accent, you without a doubt vocally remind me of woodkid in a way.

that is all.

Thanks luca :O
That actually means a lot because I look up to Woodkid's voice. ~accent~

OK, I recorded “Panic Attack” this afternoon with my piano and microphone. I wanted to make something as tense as what I felt a few weeks ago when I had a panic attack. I wanted to make something that would have helped me feel better, because I felt completely hopeless when I was going through the experience.

The track is nothing but voice(s) and piano. Finally something in which I do not go overboard with the MIDI

Lyrics:

I welcome all this pain
I know when time is due
and I deserve this
I can't help it

May sunshine leave the room
my pillow's soaked in fume
it's not helping
it's not helping

I welcome all this pain
my eyes all red in vain
it's not helping
I deserve this

May sunshine leave the room
my pillow's soaked in fume
it's not helping
it's not helping

I welcome all this pain
my eyes all red in vain
it's not helping
I deserve this

"My wildest child
I know what's broken you down
your heart is blocking your breath
you're being swallowed"

"Stay on your bed
think back on your sunny days
the light would dry all your tears
while you sang softly"

OK, so I got working on a cover I've been meaning to do for a long while. "Lost Without You", by Vanbot, is one of the best Swedish electropop songs I've heard, and that's saying a lot coming from a Robyn and Swedish pop enthusiast. So yeah, I'm kind of happy where I've taken it so far, but I'm uploading it right away, anyway

Since the last time I posted here, your most recent track has improved heaps!

I love the arrangement and the dynamic in your progression. You're using light and dark to great effect and really progressing tracks now. I really enjoyed it, and I am not just saying that to be nice. You're using beat and arrangement to emphasise your dynamics, seriously good work.

Only criticism I can give is that the ending was really abrupt. I think that in this case, because the song was so smooth and progressive and ended with that little lead line from the pad, you should have kept that playing and faded the song out.

YAY CONDE

Thank you Saúl! It's great to know that I'm doing something better
Wow, and you are totally right about the ending, the fade-out would make much more sense.

YAY

Okay I saw this on tumblr on my phone a while ago but NOW I was reminded and have actually listened to it. I totally agree with Saul. I actually think your voice has gotten better??

I appreciate the zola jesus reference by the way. SO awesome. And I was also just reminded that I saw crystal castles a few weeks ago. It's life-changing and you should see them if you should, Conde.

I somehow turned this into a narcissistic post, woops

You saw this on tumblr? that must have been ages ago!
either that or I have a bad memory of my recent posts. Thank you for stopping by :3

HA, and don't worry! I really appreciate the suggestion, I've heard CC are crazy onstage, so I wouldn't ever miss a chance to see 'em. Yeah, and Zola Jesus is pretty much my favorite female vocalist ever. Not only is her voice otherworldly, but she's so goddamn creative. i wanna be zola jesus when I grow up @.@

So, I recorded this for the clan wars



"In The Backseat" is one of my favorite songs ever in the world and I swear few other songs get me as ~emotive~. That was a very lax recording, second take, pretty much, and I could have done better. But still, I loved doing it.

so calming

Thanks ~holden~
always aiming to sooothe

---------- Post added at 08:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:15 PM ----------

Holy ♥♥♥♥, I should try singing and playing the piano ~at the same time~. Ive never ever tried that. ughhhh, I'll do that this weeknd

---------- Post added at 08:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 PM ----------

Oh, and btw, I didn't notice I hadn't posted this one:



"Had some fun with this one xD Uhm, my first project using Live Ableton and I didn't know how to use autotune or something similar for my voice so it's raw. I had just played Portal 2, so it felt ~natural~ to sample Cave Johnson."

Yes, I sampled Portal 2. FUNN
One of my few guitar-based recordings.

Cover art for this one is shit. I just didn't know what to do so i just used sassy ps filters.

OK, so, I yesterday I went to my piano lessons but my teacher forgot to get me new material. He just let me play whatever I wanted to for the hour and I composed this song. The lyrics were even more spontaneous; before a few edits, and I just pressed the record button and sang whatever came to mind.

While I was making it I thought it was the best thing I've ever done. Well, now after listening to it like a bazillion times I ain't so sure (well, maybe that's something to be expected from listening to the same song 30 times in one day, aright?).

Anyway, it's great! Plus, it mixes really well into "Ícaro".

Now, the half-assed lyrics:

In a dream last night I found you
and you told me I was clever
we played tennis
and I got lost

I was hoping you would carry me
and you wouldn’t leave me alone

Now I’m back
now I’m back
now I’m back
now I’m back

I was hoping you would carry me
and you wouldn’t leave me alone

It was just a dream
I am back
to a bed of silk
and a mind of you

In my real life you don’t hug me
in my real life you don’t speak to me
in my real life you don’t hug me
in my real life you don’t speak to me

Oh I thought I’d learnt my lesson
but I secretly expected
to be in love with you
but I just need a friend

I was hoping you would carry me
and you wouldn’t leave me alone

Now I’m back
now I’m back

I was hoping you would carry me
and you wouldn’t leave me alone

It was just a dream
I am back
to a bed of silk
and a mind of you

And I caught your eyes, they were full of love
and I crashed your car, you were smiling still
And I caught your eyes, they were full of love
and I crashed your car, you were smiling still