Hello Folks,
this one is in process but I've not posted something new for a while so thought this would be a gap filler.
Games None Play Draft
BIAB drums and organ as usual.
Single coils guitars recorded direct via compressor & spring reverb pedals
Single coil guitar recorded through comp, spring reverb, a mic'd tiny Pignose and
Humbucker guitar recorded direct through comp, spring reverb and BBE Sonic Stomp pedals.
Vantage bass direct through a Behringer BDI21 pedal, (Sansamp clone).
Mel9 string, orchestra, low & high choirs through a compressor, GDO21 and spring reverb pedals.
Mainly recorded and mixed, (sort of), in Reaper.
Lyrics done but no vocals, as usual & solo pending.

No One Can Play
8 bar intro
Death of a word
None has said
Condemned man’s plea
Last meal fed

Bottled tears
Brothel queens
Finding love
In magazines
Pornographic
Valentines
Games none
Can play

Tissue lies
Truths untold
Signs of longing
Love gone cold
Litany denial
Lies long written
No comfort
Once smitten.

Bleeding jester’s
Morbid mirth
Death triumphant
At birth
Borrowed words
Little worth
Games none
Can play


Solo

Newborn, stillborn
Bleeding heart
Morning: evening’s
Dying art
In all we
Play no part
Games none
Can play

Close a sentence
Diagnosed in dark
Comes an end
Punctuation mark
Cut open morning
Tear into light
Before it reveals
Swollen appetite


Death of a word
None has said
Condemned man’s plea
Last meal fed
Act of contrition
Sinners long gone
Words without meaning
Can’t be undone

Hi Ray,

I didn't realize you played guitar. Sounds good! I like the theme and progression. Looking forward to hearing this with the vocals.

P.S. Wanted to add that I noticed you used a pignose on one of the tracks. Great little amp! I sold mine many years ago, something I've regretted ever since.

What Dave said....

Oh yeah man...that is heading in a great direction! Yep, the theme and lyrics are begging the vocals and solos. Looks like you're gonna have fun with this one. And, as is, the soundstage is really nice. As always with your productions everything has it's nice little place...not isolated but not stepping on anything either.

Cool.

J&B

Ray,

This is GREAT!

I'd love my drafts to sound so competent. The instruments all sound terrific and easily identified in the stereo field. I love the energy you've got happening with this mix. Everything is sitting really comfortably in my speakers right now as I'm listening.

I'm looking forward to more...

Regards,
Noel

This sounds great. Strange and wonderful progression at turns indie rock, at turns grungy, and at turns heavy metal, to my ears. Anxious to see where it ends up.

ray,

Guitars sound good. Drums, too. Bass, too. I'd say you are on the right track...

Ray,
Very cool! No pretense stuff. Nice and dark. It feels you put a lot of heart in it!
I would volunteer to try it, but it is too nice, I am afraid I will screw it up I think you should try at least a couple of different singers on it. It definitely deserves different perspectives. P.S. Katya liked it too and she is very conservative when it comes to music.
As far as the mix goes...It sounds awesome, I would leave it exactly as it is.
Enjoyed it!

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

Very nice draft! The guitars sounds awesome! I am looking forward to hear the finished song.

Well done!
Will

'rayc'...

...as in 'racy' ??? Ha, ha!

Right from the beginning of your song, Games None Play, the first thing that came to my mind was the word 'mysterioso', which a dictionary defined as 'having a mysterious nature or quality; inexplicable, enigmatic, etc.' The implacable, unrelenting drive of the drumbeat, the minor key chordal feel, the haiku-like (unsung) lyrics, all combined to create a sense of something restless and serpentine in the music. The orchestra of guitars anchored by the spooky bass line reminded me of the atmosphere of dread that composer Howard Shore conjured up in his steely score for David Cronenberg's controversial film, Crash.

I am anxious to hear who will record the lyrics. That person will have a lot to work with, and I expect the vocal will be quite moody and dramatic.

- bluage -

BlueAttitude,
I'm, primarily, a bassist but have forced myself to play a bit of guitar so that I don't have to rely on other every time I come up with an idea. yes, BIAB provided lots of cool guitar but not to match the riffy tendencies of my ideas.
It's a whacky progression E, G6, F#11 & eventually Fmaj7b5 then D Dm F#m but I like drones & the verse section gives me a B & E drone all the way through.
The Pignose is GREAT. I've had it for yonks and am always reluctant to use it becasue I'm not sure I mic it well. It does make a GREAT preamp into another, biger beast too. Get a new one - they still sound fabulous.

The ever positive vibes of a J&B comment are nourishment to me.
Thanks you.
As it leaves my hands the risks compound but so do the chances of something wonderful happening.

Thanks Noel,
This version is the 4th version of a bass line - but I think that might be an OK one. We'll see.

Thanks Tangmo,
Is the D Dm F#m part the metal?
I'm a tad anxious too.

I "think" I've worked out how to use the RealDrums now.
This is the 1st time in a decade or more that I've recorded with reverb in the guitar signal change rather than in the box. It worried me BUT at least I can easily use the same settings for any/everything else to keep them in the room.
Thanks for the generous words.

Thanks for the kind words Misha & thank Katya for me please.
If you feel inclined to have a go at the melody & lyric - feel free to do so. There's no line to join.

Thanks Will,
The guitar part was rather difficult for me as I'm not really a guitaist and tend to end with cramps etc - that let's me know when it's time to stop trying to better the last take.

Racey as in Some Girls Will? I'm too old for that one though my mother-in-law liked the band & song.
I'm glad you like the bass line - I've spent more time trying to create one that fits than on any other part of the song: it's been, by turns, busy, monotonous, linked with octave runs and now a bit of all of those aspects. The "verse" section is a Vantage bass and the "chorus" is a little short scale Hofner knock off.
I enjoyed, (is that really the word?), Crash.
Thanks.

Ray

Lots of potential there. Like the guitar sound and mix.

Should be a really good one. Got the guitar out - really nice to solo over!

Peter

Nicely done! I'm getting an early 90's post-punk vibe on this one - almost like something by Bauhaus, or Siouxsie and the Banshees. Nicely dark undertones while remaining upbeat and catchy. I thought it flows perfectly and that the mix was top notch as well.

Thanks for sharing

Cool back track. Guitars sound great

Ray,
Very cool progression -great guitars and good mix.
No reason to think the vocals won`t send this over the edge into irresistible doom!

Robert

Sound great!! Love the track! Can't wait to hear the final product! Take care. Greg

Hi Ray, I'm not a guitar player but sure appreciate when I hear a good one. Thank you.

Mike B.

thanks Peter,
Thanks, "really nice to solo over" is a nice thing - I've not had that before.

Deryk,
The sparkle in the guitars may have a bit of Banshee/Magazine guitarist John McGeoch thanks to the compressor, (& it's inherent EQ bias), - I wouldn't mind having the Roland Stereo Chorus amp that made his sound just right.
Thanks for the kind comments.

Thanks Scott,
Cheap guitars and cheap effects: works for me.

Thanks Robert,
Vocals & vocal melody are coming through the good offices of a member of this forum.
I thought the drones might take this into Shoegazer territory but, this far, it has resisted.

Thanks Greg,
I've enjoyed the development of this.

Mike,
I'm not a guitar player in the trad sense either but I'll take the compliment.
Thanks.

What you have sounds great - please add the vocals and finish soon.

Hi Ray,

this sounds extraordinaryly good - what an amazing backing track! Really looking forward A LOT to the complete thing

Take care,

Stefan