Pendingrequests

Wow…

I’ve just realised how bad I have been at up-keeping this blog and making promises on things that never seemed to pan out.

Anytime I wanted to work on a project, something always came up whether it was a gig, freelance work or a feeble excuse to ignore it.

So, what has this person been up to?

Well, since the Christmas single ‘This Is Christmas’ (Blog Below), I had the joy of recording on the upcoming Southern E.P in Liverpool. We recorded at the amazing Parr Street studios with the lovely Richard. Liverpool is definitely on the cards for a return visit.

I have also started working as a Production Assistant for Filmtrip. A ‘thinktank’ company that specialises in emotional response technology, but has also made some really cool apps and we just produced Beardyman’s next video. And when it launches you may just see a long haired police man that looks like myself…..oh yes

So! Music! That’s we are here isn’t it?

Here is a piece I made on the 24th of Decemeber 2011. I was sitting at home at about 11.00pm giddy like a little kid about the next day and somehow got inspired. It always seems late at night my inspiration comes alive. I really wanted to make an ambient track that I would listen to and the intention of falling asleep to.

If I don’t enjoy the music, then I don’t see the point in releasing it.

So for your enjoyment, here is another free download for you to relax and enjoy. x

Equipment: MicroKorg, Macbook

Software: Logic Pro

Interface: Mbox 2

Okay,

Been far too long…many things have happened. All shall be explained at a later date, but this blog is about a wee charity single I recorded with The Duty Paid Society.

We are working with The Welcome Organisation who feed and care for homeless people around Belfast. Here’s a little blurb from their website:

The Welcome Organisation has been working in Belfast for the last 15 years to address the needs of people who are homeless or rough sleeping in the city. We aim to support people in making the move off the street, progressing towards independent living and alleviating isolation — providing a sense of belonging and community.”

They want to remove the stereotypical view of a homeless person and so do we. So please help the guys out by donating on their website, or better yet, come along this evening and grab a copy of the single ‘This is Christmas’ for free and donate to this worthy cause.

Much love.

x

This is Christmas by Duty Paid Society

Something I’ve been working on for a while. I’ve always wanted to do an ambient, soundscape piece basically to fall asleep to and I think this is it. Its work for me so far anyway.

Again it’s free for your enjoyment and hopefully it will send you peacefully to sleep as well.

Comments are always welcome.

Heading Home by pendingrequests

Back doing what I love and that’s some foley recording.

I was down in Dublin (one of my favourite places) a few weeks ago working on a report with the BBC about buskers in Belfast and if there is a culture here. One place I knew where there definitely was and only a train away was Dublin. Spoke to some amazing people, especially Paul who was recently made unemployed. He was an accountant for the best part of his life and his now making his money of the streets doing what he loves and making a few bob out of it. Amazing how someone turned a negative experience into a positive.

So anyway, had a bit of spare time and realised I have never walked through St.Stephen Green’s. So with my recorder in hand and probably looking like a bit of an idiot I hit the big red button and walked through.

Some nice little moments such as walking past the fountain, but will plan my route better next time.

Its not something everyone can appreciate, but I think highlighting little things such as people’s shoes, or a fountain, coughing etc are life’s soundtrack. You can listen to the same songs over and over again on your iPod, but these real life moments, come and go only once.

Enjoy.

Dublin Walk by pendingrequests

This is the reason for me absence.

Somehow I got onto an internship with the BBC. I still can really believe that I got on, and maybe at the end of it I may get a job with them……disbelief

So at the moment, my One Pound Amp Project as gone on the bit of a back-burner, but I’m trying to find time to keep writing music, with one possible ambient piece ready to go.

So yeh, still very much in the mind space of how this happened.

Nice to get a bit of good news during a pretty difficult time in my life.

Anyway enough blabbering will hopefully have another piece of free music to give away soon.

Here’s a little quote I heard this week, that I’m trying to keep in mind:

“Even though I am not what I should be. Thank God, I am what I’m not.

Took abit longer on this than I should have, so to try and stop myself from constantly making changes here is the second track from my little project.

Just alittle bit of info:

Been playing with this idea for a while, was never sure where to go after the, shall we say ‘chorus’, but abit of pressure got me to where it is.

Hope you enjoy it. Free download as always.

O.A.P - Two by pendingrequests

Soooo…

After my little rant last time about artists being ‘forced’ into giving free music, guess what this guy is about to do?

This project is based around a Stagg guitar amp I got last summer in a local music shop for £1. Every couple of years or so, they clear out all the old stock that they know they can’t get rid of and I picked up this little gem.

I wanted to start a project with it for a few reasons:

1. Its limitations; what can I do with a 10W amp, that I can’t with a 200W.

2. Using flaws; keeping it raw and not over-thinking.

3. Record; finally get some demo’s down and out in the wild.

So about the track and my own rules about recording:

1. The main guitar track will be done in one take, no cuts or adds.

2. Other instruments can be built around it.

3. Long periods or time cannot be spent on the tracks.

4. Be free to download.

Not to ramble on anymore than I have, here is my first track, entitled ‘One’ (Can you see where I’ll be going with this?) and you can download it for free from soundcloud and the widget below.

O.A.P - One by pendingrequests

Please share, tweet and all that other stuff. Bita feedback is always welcome.

As silly as question this may seem, but for the past few weeks this questions has been pondering on my mind.

Just as I started university, I was delving into the realms of ‘what is music?’, ‘does music need a tempo?’ and ‘where is the nearest kebab house?’. All of this was very confusing and tiresome, but through a friends recommendation I found a little website called Last Fm which changed my listening habits and audio discovery forever.

From being sent recommended artists and free songs it was and still is the best website I have ever decided to join way back in 2007. From there I discovered such artists as This Will Destroy You, Caspian, This Town Needs Guns and my personal favourite Empire of the Sun, before ‘Walking On a Dream’ exploded. Yes folks, I am now a verified ‘Yeh I knew that band 6 months ago’ guy. Oh what a feeling.

But now, with the music industry in seemingly non-mans land with artists going it alone without a major label and artists giving away music, there now seems to be an overload of genres and acts. No longer is there just  ’indie’, you can get your ‘indie,pop,alternative shoe-gaze, screamo’ at the touch of a button. Stop the bullshit. Just give me Death Cab for Cutie. 

Right now, I am listening to The Cast of Cheers (from Dublin) album ‘Chariot’ on Soundcloud and if I choose so, I can download it completely free, without joining or skipping through ten million adverts. That’s how easy it has become.

Some may call this bitchin, in fairness, it would seem that way. However, the point I want to make is that, these artists shouldn’t need to feel that they have to give away their music. They shouldn’t have to struggle to get a play on the radio. But with an overload of bands and acts, how else can these people be recognised? 

So I’ll finish this entry and begin to filter through the six other albums (That I bought, thank you) I have planned to listen to, and then be recommended their similar artists and then eventually collapse under the weight of crappy formatted .mp3’s.

If I can learn anything from Mark, it’s that I’m glad I don’t own a record store.

It’s that time of year again for myself to take part in a musical, maybe better of worse for not being the sound designer, but as a musician. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I shall be playing bass in the well known and awarded show ‘Back To The 80’s’…………Well……awarded…

Basically, a show based around 80’s songs. What Ben Elton did to Queen with ‘We Will Rock You’, which was fantastic, even though some Queen fans faces melted when it was announced some years ago.

With any previous shows I worked on, I learned each song through constant listening and finding where the notes lay on the bass. This time, with the show being as they say, ‘a piece of piss’, I have decided to teach myself (with the aid of my girlfriend) how to read bass sheet music.

With rhyming techniques and having posters of the bass scale in front of me, it is starting to click. It really is something I should have done years ago, but I suppose now I am more dedicated to the bass, maybe it makes more sense to do it now.

So without boring you any further, I leave you with one of the greatest 80’s songs ever.

Yes folks, Lionel Richie’s ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’.

I said I wouldn’t, but I did. Once again I’ve been ignoring my blog.

The reason….I am the Sound Designer on the upcoming world premiere of ‘National Anthem’ a black comedy by Colin Bateman (Who also wrote Murphy’s Law) at the Baby Grand, in the Opera House, Belfast.

Short synopsis, a poet and a composer and brought together to write an official national anthem for Northern Ireland. Hilarity ensues with other events, which I will not give away.

The best part of this project is that at the end of the show, you will hear an ‘unofficial’ national anthem of Northern Ireland, written by composer Connor Mitchell and Colin Bateman. 

Anyway I must finish as Previews are underway and I have some touching up to do on levels and such.

If anyone is venturing into this field or wants to know what program I use, here is a link below. I have also included a link to the Grand Opera House box office, but tickets are selling fast.

Box Office

QLAB Cueing software for theatre