Now here’s a mother of all inside jokes:

“MI-tilanne. Ei voi vetää.”

Me amused.

Explaning the whole story would take ages, so here’s the short version:

Four seconds in of BODA FANTASMA you’ll hear a chord that – when you really focus on it – sounds pretty nasty. It has tonic on the lead and major seveth chord under it, thus creating that dreaded b9 interval.

I think I got away with that. The following chord releases the tension nicely. Plus, I like messing with these kind of dangerous chords. You know, trying to make them sound more accessable.

Harmonic minor 9th-chord! There’s one I’ve been wanting to use. (That chord is used beautifully in “The Moon Struck One” by The Band)

That’s enough music nerdism. Now click the red text and enter the ghost wedding.

Hey! I made a vebulature of UHO. It goes like this:

nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
n n n n n n n n
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn
nVnnnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnnVnnnVnnnnn

Ok, I’ll stop now.

“Those chords, you have heard ‘em be – fo – oo – re”

Yeah, that really should’ve been the song title, instead of “Spot On”.

SPOT ON, mate!

Aaaand then we laughed.

Here’s yet another tune that originated in guitar lessons, you know, me playing with my pupils: INFINITE MARCH. (The lessons subject was guitar fingerstyle patterns)

I’d already made a worksheet containing the lower guitar part, and we spiced the pattern up by adding another guitar part, going higher & creating a simple polyrhythmic weave. I made up the upper harmony part on the fly, and the wholesome sounded so good, that it sort of got stuck in my head.

The rest of the tune I sketched that evening, while riding a train back home.

The tune is also a very rare specimen of music that turned out to be exactly as I first imagined it. Emphasis on the word “exactly”. Usually when I start constructing a tune, I have a at least something of a plan, which I end up altering at some point.

But sometimes you’re just so dang right that it hurts.

No it doesn’t.

I dunno everything about jazz, but I know something.

Here are some of the things I know about jazz:

– Jazz is best served smoked.
– “Ba-dee-be-deedla-boo” by The Parker Brothers is the all time best selling jazz album, it’s sales exceeding hundred copies!
– The term “walking bass” may mean up to six different things.
– Jazz attained perfection in 1924, 1939, 1959, 1961 and 1970. It’s scientific fact.
– Whenever you see Giant Steps, run, and don’t look back!
– The sharp notes are very much frowned upon among jazz musicians.
– Jazz is not devil’s music, anymore. Nowdays he’s much more into Dark Wave.

Now that you’ve gained greater understanding of jazz, listen YEZZ.

“Ok, so… What was I supposed to do?… Music! That’s it… Let’s make some music!

(Opens up a music producing software, takes a sip of water)

New project… blank, yes… here we go.

(Sounds of sighing, mouse clicking, temple scratching)

Hmm, what’s this synth here, I think I’ve barely used it at all… Hah, great appearance, synth! Ok, sound, sound, sound… what kind of a sound… no… no… no… no… Yes!”

And seven minutes later the tune in question was done. All I had to do was to carve it out of marble… Or maybe cut it out of foam.

SLYBOY SHANKGIRL… I think I was thinking of the Robert Rodriguez movie with a silly title, which I’ve never seen and never will.

There’s a lot going on in PRESSURE. Percussions, woodwinds falling from the sky, stringy stuff and so on, the overall atmosphere being pretty exciting & mystical.

To my surprise – now that I listened the piece for the first time after producing it – there’s only two (2) chords! Also, the chords – played by piano – are in plain sight all the time. The more active elements of the composition just sort of make the chords dimmer.

So, what we’ve got here, is a good example of taking something very small, simple & pretty dumb, and making something – hopefully fun & clever – out of it.

Good job, me!

This post contained 7 –‘s!

Hey! Hey me! Isn’t there something you should be doing right now?

That’s right. Tomorrow’s the last day to do something very important. Remember what you (me) did last year? All those serious investments on musical equipment…?

Whaaaat?!

You actually already did it?

Ok, whatever. Me did fine. JUST FINE.

So, I’ve been making trilogies. Meaning tunes, that somehow are connected to each other. The connection may be very loose, just a few melodies/rhythms/whatever here & there, or in some cases there are wider themes that are being used again.

The best way for you to find out these tri-thingies are, well, listening very carefully.

Or you can take the easy route and draw connections from the song titles.

Currently there are 2 ongoing wholesomes filed under “Rock”, and 1 under “Pop”, which WILLOWS BALL is a part of.

There’s also one in “Electronic”, that being the only completed trilogy.

Happy songhunting!

On EVASION, I was going after keywords: pop rock, new wave, late 70’s or early 80’s or both. I think I succeeded.

The stuff I mentioned as keywords is really something I’ve started listening after succeesfully always avoiding it! Some great stuff to be found there.

Whether this is me expanding my musical worlds from the 60’s and 70’s towards the modern times, or me devolving into my childhood is up to you.

The pun was intended.

It’s really an Inexpensive Gimmick to achieve a high ranking in chess, while riding Trains.