nickspoon sings!

[nickspoon]

To a tolerable degree. I'll be posting here some things that I do involving an acoustic guitar, myself and a microphone. Covers, mainly, but probably some original songs too. I don't claim to be a very good guitarist or a very good singer, but occasionally I record something that sounds acceptable.

So, to start off: EDIT: boomp3.com is forever closed, link removed.

If you listen closely, you can hear the point where I attempt to exceed my vocal range by about an octave.

[LewisTheTank]

Nothing happens?
Either link? just sits and spins... Looking...?

[nickspoon]

It works perfectly fine here.

[Ibun]

GET. A. BETTER. MIC.



Other than that, you have a sexy voice. :>

[nickspoon]

GET. A. BETTER. MIC.

I really should. I wouldn't know the first thing about choosing a mic or making a recording set-up, though. Help would be very welcome!

Other than that, you have a sexy voice. :>

Thanks.

[Dr. Doog]

get a shure mic, SM58/57. relatively cheap, but still professional. Also, I like it :3

[nickspoon]

get a shure mic, SM58/57. relatively cheap, but still professional. Also, I like it :3

Thanks, I will look into that

EDIT: Okay, even relatively cheap is rather too expensive for my wholly amateur usage, especially seeing as I'd need some kind of costly pre-amp in addition to it. I'm looking at USB microphones such as the Samson C01U and the Q1U - does anybody have any experience with those?

[LewisTheTank]

Guess somehow I had a browser glitch. I've listened and admit that's worth calling talent.

[nickspoon]

While I dither about getting a nice microphone, here's an original song recorded with a PC mic. Inspired by the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name.

EDIT: boomp3.com is forever closed, link removed.

Not especially happy with this recording, I'll put up a nicer version when my new mic arrives.

[Muninn]

Nick, I like this better than your previous effort. Also, you earn more respect from me for having written it yourself.

[nickspoon]

Something slightly more folky now - another original song, entitled "House by the Sea". Still on a PC mic.

EDIT: boomp3.com is forever closed, link removed.

Lyrics:
I painted a picture of a house by the sea
With white brick and thatched roof and an old chestnut tree
The roof was blown in and the garden grown wild
But "nothing is perfect" you said and you smiled

I painted a picture of a man with a dog
Walking the forest in the mist and the fog
He walked with a limp and his dog had one eye
But "nobody's perfect" you said with a sigh

I painted a picture of a man in the street
With splendour from hat-top to the soles of his feet
He wishes he lived in a house by the sea
But "life isn't perfect", you say - not to me

I painted a picture of two in a boat
We were rowing away in the depths of the moat
But the boat, it was sinking, and falling apart
"No dream is perfect" you say, then depart

I painted a picture in a house by the sea
Under cold leafless branches of that old chestnut tree
The man in the picture has joy in his eyes
But I know that at night-time he thinks and he cries

Would you paint me a picture of a house by the sea?
We'll be sitting together 'neath the old chestnut tree
Your head on my shoulder and your hands in mine
Well nothing is perfect, but everything's fine

Chords:
Intro: G C D D
Verses I-IV: G G C D / G C D D / G G C D / G D C D
Key change: D A D E E
Verse V: A A D E / A D E E / A A D E / A E D E
Verse VI: A A D E / A D E E / A A D E / A E D A

[osprey]

Very nice Nick! I'm quite impressed with the lyrics, they are excellent I must say.

[Doc Sigma]

Unfortunately, I have nothing constructive to say... that was just awesome.

[Muninn]

It's my favourite of yours yet, just some little things Nick...

The "cold leafless branches" is unnecesary in my opinion. The repetition of the "old chestnut tree" throughout the poem is already conjuring images of it having leafless branches.

I think the third stanza would work better as the penultimate or final stanza.

With the focus on the house by the sea, perhaps a few more nautical or watery references to compliment the ones you used already - mist, boat,sink - would be nice.

I still think a little tweaking to change "No dream is perfect you say, then depart" into "No dream is perfect" - you sink, then depart" is better. But I understand if you think otherwise.

[nickspoon]

It's my favourite of yours yet, just some little things Nick...

The "cold leafless branches" is unnecesary in my opinion. The repetition of the "old chestnut tree" throughout the poem is already conjuring images of it having leafless branches.

What I was aiming for here is to take the sunny "old chestnut tree" image from the first stanza (even an old chestnut tree grows leaves every year) and turn it bitter and wintry. Obviously that doesn't work if you think of an old chestnut tree as cold and leafless already.

I think the third stanza would work better as the penultimate or final stanza.

I think I see what you mean.

With the focus on the house by the sea, perhaps a few more nautical or watery references to compliment the ones you used already - mist, boat,sink - would be nice.

Maybe; I was thinking less nautically and more idyllically but I can see how this would work. It would certainly serve to tie the verses together better.

I still think a little tweaking to change "No dream is perfect you say, then depart" into "No dream is perfect" - you sink, then depart" is better. But I understand if you think otherwise.

I still don't like that because of the use of 'sink' in the previous line.

Thanks Jack, osprey, Doc Sigma for your comments