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Posted By: RnAM Quest - 11/14/14 09:02 PM
Hello,

This time it's my turn to post our latest song.
I used Grieg's March of the Dwarfs for it, although it is not very recognisable, because I changed quite a lot about it.
It is about the mystery of love and how we will always be looking for the gist of it.
After all it is the Quest itself that is important, not what we'll find (if we'll find anything....)

Quest

Style is _BGMEDLY.STY (Bluegrass Ev 130 Solo MultiStyle)

2024:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryJohn Ev 085
2046:Piano, Acoustic, Solo-Accompaniment CountryPopJohn Ev 120
1119:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120
2041:Guitar, Resonator, Soloist CountryRob Ev 120 (Bluesy)
Drums: PopCalypso^4-a:Brushes Snare , b:Brushes Busy Snare
*******************

I've been looking for the answer
Tried to find it 'round every corner
Then I went through river valleys
Finally climbed every mountain
Sought it in woods and in forests
But I never found it, but I never found it

Now I've started out to search for questions
That's when I'll know
Follow trails and tracks in succession
Won't let go.....

This maze I'm in, this maze I'm in
It's a maze we're in heading for the center

Turn left, turn right, never step aside, don't look back
Either way, in you will stay, led astray, led astray
Move on, carry on, Better go along

Find the question to this answer, to this answer,
Find the question...to this answer

I've been looking for the answer
Tried to find it (a)round every corner
Then I went through river valleys
Finally climbed every mountain
Sought it in woods and in forests
But I never found it, but I never found it

Then started out to find the question
I would know
Followed trails and tracks in succession
Never let go.....

Still heading for the center

The question is will we ever know
The question is will we ever know
Love's a maze we'll always be in
Love's the maze we're in
Posted By: MarioD Re: Quest - 11/14/14 09:38 PM
R&M this is really a great song. I love that 60's vibe you have going on here. The lyrics and vocals were super and that backing tracks and mix were top notch, i.e. everything is perfect!

Great job on this!
Posted By: Charlie Fogle Re: Quest - 11/14/14 11:00 PM
Very enjoyable. Nice work on the music and the video. I always look forward to whatever journey you take us on.

Charlie
Posted By: Pat Marr Re: Quest - 11/14/14 11:40 PM
Wow! SO much to say here!!

First of all, in case anybody didn't catch it.. this is Anne-Marie's song! Usually Rob writes the songs, and Anne-Marie contributes her beautiful voice.. but this time she wrote the song, made the video, and even laid out the melody that Rob was singing! (I'm right about all that, am I not?)

This is such an ambitious first project! Is Anne-Marie content to start out with a nice easy 3 chord progression? One with a melody that stays in a single key the whole time?? Noooooo, She jumps right in with an original adaptation of a classical piece... and not just ANY classical piece.. Grieg's March of the Dwarfs!!! Now there's a confident woman! (are you a classically trained musician by any chance? I wouldn't even know where to start with a project like this, but you NAILED it!)


Your melody is very unique, interesting and appropriate to the chords, which in itself is quite an achievement! You didn't take the easy way out in ANY aspect of this project! And the harmonies are every bit as interesting as the melody! I'm curious to know who your influence is for this style of writing?

Regarding the words: you've managed to spin a set of lyrics that are vague enough to ask questions without giving any answers... in so doing, you kept me wondering and interested through the whole song... which interestingly is exactly what the quest for love does (keeps us wondering and interested, but never quite sure)

The mixture of rhyme with free verse accented my sense of uncertainty... occasionally you incorporated rhymes, but not always... again, much like the quest for love, in which we cycle in and out of periods when we hope we've figured out the rules, only to realize we have not

(If your brain is that active, I bet you have trouble sleeping... you probably can't get your thoughts to calm down long enough to drift off!)

Then there's the choice of instruments... here's an idea.. let's see if bluegrass instruments can be made to work for a classical adaptation! AND THEY DID! (I especially liked the dobro at the end!)

And that video! Did you take the raw footage? Or is some or all of it taken from video libraries? Where EVER you got the footage, ALL of it is breathtaking! I think you did an excellent job of reinforcing your points with graphical representations of things that work as metaphor.

If this had been your 50th song, I would have been very impressed with the complexity of the project and the high degree of thought that went into every single aspect of it... but for a FIRST project... it is nothing short of amazing!

(You do realize that now you've set the bar for yourself, and you can never go backwards. Not to put on any pressure, but...) wink

Rob, you're suddenly in the same situation as all the people who collaborate with Janice. All the praise gets used up before it's your turn! wink

but seriously, that melody was extremely difficult, and you handled it easily! I winced through the whole first listen, feeling sure that somebody would choke on it, but you both cruised right through!

Man, if I had to pay for exclamation points, this review would have cost me some bucks!
If I had to leave you with a one word summary, it would be "WOW"
Posted By: gibson Re: Quest - 11/15/14 06:01 AM
Rob and Anne Marie

As Mario D says
Quote:
R&M this is really a great song. I love that 60's vibe you have going on here. The lyrics and vocals were super and that backing tracks and mix were top notch, i.e. everything is perfect!

Great job on this!


I can add no more.

Alyn
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 09:46 AM
Originally Posted By: MarioD
R&M this is really a great song. I love that 60's vibe you have going on here. The lyrics and vocals were super and that backing tracks and mix were top notch, i.e. everything is perfect!

Great job on this!



Thanks Mario, you make me feel shy..... blush
Anne-Marie
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 09:47 AM
Originally Posted By: c_fogle
Very enjoyable. Nice work on the music and the video. I always look forward to whatever journey you take us on.

Charlie


Thanks Charley, glad you like the journey!
Anne-Marie
Posted By: Scott C Re: Quest - 11/15/14 10:54 AM
This was an awesome song on two counts. The music, lyrics, playing and singing were awesome and your video was breath taking. Incredible
Posted By: floyd jane Re: Quest - 11/15/14 12:11 PM
Anne-Marie (& Rob)...

Interesting in so many different ways.

The lyric is well done. Focused, but with an almost "mystical whimsy" - reminded me (vaguely) of songs from early Genesis or King Crimson or Yes (my college buddies listened to them - I heard them peripherally...) The melody had a bit of flavoring of those bands as well - continually going in unexpected places. Rob's vocal makes it fit "comfortably"... (nice!)

Another interesting production, too. (the dobro was just a tad loud in phones - very slightly).

Cool video. Cool song. Cool production.

floyd
Posted By: boehm Re: Quest - 11/15/14 12:35 PM
Hi Rob and Anne-Marie,

it's all been said.
I especially like the interaction between vocals and background vocals.
Enjoyable listen.

Guenter
Posted By: Sundance Re: Quest - 11/15/14 01:05 PM
A very interesting and enjoyable journey. Especially liked the arrangement of all the different vocal parts.

Josie
Posted By: Greg Johnson Re: Quest - 11/15/14 05:54 PM
Really cool song!! Love the interplay between the vocal parts. I love that resonator track-I've used it once and will definitely come back to it. Fits very well in this song. Beyond all your cool songs, your video making continues to get more elaborate. Good stuff!! Take care. Greg
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 07:32 PM
Hi Patt,

Well... in the meantime you've learned that this was not my first song.
Just some other remarks:
I sleep very well, never had any problem as far as that's concerned. I can sleep standing right up and leaning against a wall if necessary.
I'm not a trained musician, let be classically, but I've had a very good education and also was taught about composers etc. There's a lot of classical music I love.
As for the video: I took the parts from sites that offer video's free to use. But there are also video's for which I use my own footage.
So far...so good.
And again.... blush blush blush
Anne-Marie
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 07:34 PM
Originally Posted By: gibson
Rob and Anne Marie

As Mario D says
Quote:
R&M this is really a great song. I love that 60's vibe you have going on here. The lyrics and vocals were super and that backing tracks and mix were top notch, i.e. everything is perfect!

Great job on this!


I can add no more.

Alyn


What can I add more than: thanks a lot!

Anne-Marie
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 07:36 PM
Originally Posted By: Scottt709
This was an awesome song on two counts. The music, lyrics, playing and singing were awesome and your video was breath taking. Incredible


Hi Scott,

Thanks a lot.
You may breathe out now!

Anne-Marie
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/15/14 07:42 PM
Genesis, King Crimson, Yes.... blush blush blush
Glad you like it.
Thanks for this comment, really appreciate it.
Yes, maybe the dobro is loud, but I loved it so much!

Anne-Marie
Posted By: dani48 Re: Quest - 11/15/14 08:13 PM
Hi, Rob and Anne- Marie !


This was really a groundbraking
type of melody ! This is by no
means an easy song or arrangement !
I can tell you it would have taken
me years to get those progressions
in my head !!!! What a display of
true musicianship !!!:))

Cheers
Dani
Posted By: tommyad Re: Quest - 11/16/14 10:17 AM
R&AM, this has a very interesting melody. It has a path I never would have thought of. Therefore I find it quite interesting. I am always on my own quest to find new directions in music, and you two are giving me a lot to think about. Well produced and sung as always. I enjoyed the intertwining of your voices. Great video. Tom
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/16/14 07:19 PM
Originally Posted By: boehm
Hi Rob and Anne-Marie,

it's all been said.
I especially like the interaction between vocals and background vocals.
Enjoyable listen.

Guenter


Thanks Guenter!
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/16/14 07:20 PM
Originally Posted By: Sundance
A very interesting and enjoyable journey. Especially liked the arrangement of all the different vocal parts.

Josie


Thanks Josie!
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/17/14 04:57 PM
Originally Posted By: dani48
Hi, Rob and Anne- Marie !


This was really a groundbraking
type of melody ! This is by no
means an easy song or arrangement !
I can tell you it would have taken
me years to get those progressions
in my head !!!! What a display of
true musicianship !!!:))

Cheers
Dani


Hi Dani,

Thank you!
Actually it was Grieg who chose the progression, I just turned them into a popsong, although the singing lines are my own. laugh

Anne-Marie
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/17/14 05:00 PM
Originally Posted By: tommyad
R&AM, this has a very interesting melody. It has a path I never would have thought of. Therefore I find it quite interesting. I am always on my own quest to find new directions in music, and you two are giving me a lot to think about. Well produced and sung as always. I enjoyed the intertwining of your voices. Great video. Tom


Thanks Tom,

Like I told Dani, Grieg did a great deal of the work for me grin, I just changed things a bit and added the melody (and the video of course)

Anne-Marie
Posted By: Janice & Bud Re: Quest - 11/18/14 06:52 PM
Another fine production you two -- audio and the vid.
The lyric begs the question of whether folks focus
on the happiness of pursuit rather than the pursuit of
happiness.

It all works well and flows by so smoothly given the
complexity of the arrangement that I'm hearing.

We enjoyed everything about it.

FWIW, I know Rob Ickes, the dobro player, and he is a
stellar musician and long time member of the bluegrass band
Blue Highway.

J&B
Posted By: RnAM Re: Quest - 11/20/14 08:20 PM
Hi Janice and Bud,

Thanks for your nice comments.
And... if you happen to meet Rob Ickes, tell him he did a great job, featuring in our song wink

Anne-Marie
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