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#696880 01/08/22 05:43 AM
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https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/carrickfergus-demo

An Irish melody so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes and make my teeth hurt.

This is a minimal demo with just the tune and a BIAB bass, a placeholder for a promise: I will create something new and wonderful and post it soon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrickfergus_(song)

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Hi Mark,

I think this particular song works better with an acoustic bass. I made a backing track for Carrickfergus last November, using STROLL.STY

2479 bass, 405 guitar, 1677 guitar, 3131 fiddle and Bodhran Celtic Air for percussion.

[url=www.brianraynormusic.com/samples/Carrickfergus.mp3]Sample[/url]

It's a beautiful tune to work with. Hope your own project turns out even better.

Last edited by Ghostgum; 01/08/22 08:51 AM.

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Ghostgum #696940 01/08/22 09:04 AM
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Thanks so much for this, it's lovely!

For sure, I will do something better for a bass line, this is just a demo, I even suppressed the metronome and piano to keep it minimal.

I want to make a new lyric. The morbid Irishman in me wants to have the singer singing from beyond the grave, regretting that he cannot cross that "ocean" to reunite with his love who still lives. I don't know if there's any version of the traditional song that has it that way, I'd be surprised if not. In any case, it's my party and I'll die if I want to. =8^)

Thanks again for the link and encouragement.

Mark

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I'd be interested in hearing a new lyric.
Apparently, the one I use differs greatly from the original, not just because it's in English and rather sentimental, but because early Gaelic versions were usually quite bawdy and humorous!


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Good base - looking forward to what you turn it into.


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One of my favorite songs. First heard it when done by Charlotte Church. Who is one of my favorite singers. Bass was a little loud. I think an Irish whistle or steel pipe would be cool. I think thats what they call it.

Last edited by Scott C; 01/08/22 04:50 PM.

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Scott C #697046 01/08/22 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted By: Scott C
One of my favorite songs. First heard it when done by Charlotte Church. Who is one of my favorite singers. Bass was a little loud. I think an Irish whistle or steel pipe would be cool. I think thats what they call it.

Listening to Charlotte, thanks for that. Now she's singing Tonight.

I have a complete set of those steel pipes. I call them pennywhistles.

Last edited by Mark Hayes; 01/08/22 06:27 PM.
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TEASER!


Cheers
rayc
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rayc #697215 01/09/22 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted By: rayc
TEASER!

I hear "The Stripper" in my head right now, because of that other thread.

I should mention that I don't plan on doing this as another headbanger like "Star Of The County Down".

At the moment, I'm checking out melodic inversion in a descant, constrained to the existing chords. I don't think this works well with both lines together, I think the main melody needs to be presented in isolation. But there's definitely material here to be expanded on, for the larger piece to which I continue to commit myself...

https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/carrickfergus-inverted

Last edited by Mark Hayes; 01/09/22 01:23 PM.
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Originally Posted By: Mark Hayes
Originally Posted By: rayc
TEASER!

I hear "The Stripper" in my head right now, because of that other thread.

I should mention that I don't plan on doing this as another headbanger like "Star Of The County Down".

At the moment, I'm checking out melodic inversion in a descant, constrained to the existing chords. I don't think this works well with both lines together, I think the main melody needs to be presented in isolation. But there's definitely material here to be expanded on, for the larger piece to which I continue to commit myself...

https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/carrickfergus-inverted


I think of The Birthday party's Nick The Stripper when the word is used. "He's a fat little in sec tah"
I think the inversion comes across as newer and almost an new original.


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rayc
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rayc #697392 01/10/22 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted By: rayc
I think the inversion comes across as newer and almost an new original.

Yeah, so it competes with the base melody and distracts from it. Something to use for an instrumental break, or I could let the inversion change the chords as well and have a whole alternate section to bounce into and back out of.

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Originally Posted By: rayc
I think the inversion comes across as newer and almost an new original.

Oh MAN! I just inverted the melody and the chords, constrained to the original key, and got this:

https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/carrickfergus-inv-chords

This is just a simple flip of every note around the root axis. The only thing I did after from running the Logic function was adjust octaves to keep everything in range and add the cute arpeggiator.

I am, like, stunned. Voila, new music, beautiful new music. Honesty compels me to credit the source, but I could rightfully claim this as a new, original composition, if I wanted to detach it from this project, which I do not.

Last edited by Mark Hayes; 01/10/22 09:47 AM.
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Sounds really good Mark.

Here's an idea for ya, replace the bass with a cello. Replace the piano with a soft music box. Double the song and add the penny whistle in that second half either playing harmony or some counter point. Just a thought based on how I would do it. YMMV


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MarioD #697448 01/10/22 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: MarioD
Here's an idea for ya, replace the bass with a cello. Replace the piano with a soft music box. Double the song and add the penny whistle in that second half either playing harmony or some counter point. Just a thought based on how I would do it.

Thanks, I just pasted the text above into my Logic project's note pad.

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Lovely melody, I like the idea of a cello playing the bass part... I prefer the un-inverted melody... a softer felt piano would work well.. Neato.


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Originally Posted By: Mark Hayes


I am, like, stunned. Voila, new music, beautiful new music. Honesty compels me to credit the source, but I could rightfully claim this as a new, original composition, if I wanted to detach it from this project, which I do not.

Yep, that's something to go on with for certain.


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OK, not wishing to wear out my welcome here, I will not post Yet Another In-Progress Version. But I think I have arrived at an ARCHITECTURE for this project, within which further development will take place, and I will post a picture of it.

Four short sections, about a minute each:

1) The theme in D Major (green)
2) The theme inverted, but constrained to the original chord progression (blue)
3) The theme and chords inverted – for reasons I do not fully understand, this takes the piece into G minor (red)
4) Return to the original chord progression in D Major, with the theme doubled by its in-key inversion

As Ensign Parker used to say on McHale's Navy, "Gee I love that kind of talk!"

Much room within each section for all manner of foolishness and folderol, and the key changes present a challenge to do something more interesting than just slam one against the other. I am incorporating Mario's suggestions regarding instrumention, using cello, recorder and celesta. At some point, I will probably invoke BIAB.

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gorp.jpg (136.25 KB, 193 downloads)
Last edited by Mark Hayes; 01/13/22 04:52 PM.
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I look forward to developments.
I loved how Fuji used "oy vey" 99% of Australian missed that running joke.


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rayc
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Carrickfergus 1.0 / Golden Master = final version (with bugs)

https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/carrickfergus-10

From the Irish traditional. Done mostly in Logic, with cello from BIAB as well as a very brief guitar coda that might be the best part. Please see spiffy colored diagram above for architectural overview. Thanks for the support during incubation.

RealTracks:
2509:Cello, Background PopEven Ev 120 (1TrackStringQuartet)
2554:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking WaltzJoe Sw 085
2555:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking WaltzJoeHigh Sw 085

Last edited by Mark Hayes; 01/15/22 09:13 AM.
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Resolved is an understatement... This is brilliant.
The Elec piano is perfect... The cello counterpoint works so well, and Acoustic Guitar at the end is a really nice touch... Great work Mark...


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