Lessons from FAWM 2009
It’s March! Another FAWM is over. Here’s what I learned. Not that I’ll listen to myself later.
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You mean, like, a band with boys in it?
So, last Friday, I found myself in a FAWM boy-band (later named “SugarKrew” based on our song lyric), to represent against a FAWM girl-band (“The High-Fructose Corn Syrup Girls”). As for the boy/girl-band controversy, hat’s a story in and of itself, which I’ll let Deborah tell.
Anyway, between Friday night and Sunday night, we built this song, exercising numerous tubes of the Interweb in the process. It’s been a blur, but here’s a roundup of the tools we used and some of the events that tied into it:
Nur Ein! 2!
By 2, I mean 2. Not 2 factorial, which is also 2. It’s something I’m in, much like trouble.
It’s a songwriting competition, by the good community over in the Songfight Forums. Here’s how it works: they post a title and a mandatory challenge, we get ~5 days to record a song that fits, then we are judged and numbered. People with low numbers are gone-ified, and a new round begins.
Nur Ein means “only one”, which is approximately how many rounds I expect to last. Quick links:
Sidefight Threads (includes peanut-gallery commentaries of the Nur Ein rounds)
Official “Nur Ein” Web site (listen to the songs here)
My Nur Ein Entries (including CD-quality FLAC recordings)
Notes to My Future Album-Recording Self
Having attempted an album-in-a-day, an album-in-a-week, and an album-in-a-month (with varying results), here are some things I learned about my musical process. Hopefully this’ll help me refine my process for next time. For the rest of this article below,”you” get to be me… at least as far as pronouns are concerned.
Songfight! Live Santa Cruz; Aug 18-19
Uh oh, I have to play and sing a few songs live again, for the third time in my life. This time, it’s at Songfight! Live “High and Dry”, in good ol’ Santa Cruz, California. If you’re in the area, stop on by!
August 18-19, 2006
The Cayuga Vault
1100 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA
Puce and I will be playing a small, combined set (a little over 30 minutes total, until we get kicked off the stage).
I don’t know specifically what day/time we’re on yet, but I’ll post more info on this entry as I learn it. You can learn more by visiting Songfight’s page about it (don’t get confused with the past events listed at the top). Or spy on the current chatter in the Songfight Forums.
I’m scared to death about singing and/or losing control of my pitch, even though it’s a handful of songs. I have no idea what temperature/humidity to expect. I will miss the comfort of my studio like a child misses his blankey. But vocals aside, though, I’m really looking forward to jamming with the other talented folks like Glenn, Blue and Puce.
If I don’t completely embarrass myself, I’ll probably post some recordings after the event. 
Update: we play on Saturday Aug 19th.
…Get A Lovely Feature
Holy stromboli! Just when I thought nobody was lookin’, Yahoo! Answers has me (“The Singing Answerman”) as a featured user today. I’m floored that they noticed my needley antics deep inside their haystack of submissions, so thanks for the recognition!
The “…Get A Stupid Answer” project was meant as a 1-week event, but now I probably owe a few more songy answers. Funny how that works.
I doubt this will mean much to you, but I’m licensing this album under the Creative Commons Attribution License. That means you can copy, publish or derive from the songs however you like, as long as you mention that “The Cow Exchange” wrote the original.
Thanks again!
The “Album in a Week” is finished!
Despite a grueling work week, a flat tire, excess form submissions and YMCA visits, the “AAW” is done. Yayyyy. Its quality varies greatly from track to track, much like its average volume.
Jeff G and Claire D even stopped in the studio from California to add some viola, bongos, harmonica, clappin’ and whistling to several tracks.
Check it out, if your ears allow it. I call it “…Get a Stupid Answer” and you should too.
Album in a Week
Some songfighters challenged themselves to write an album in a week (with EVERYTHING from song ideas to lyrics to recording to mixing/production done in that week). Oh, and if I start something, I’m forced to release it. I can blame all my bad songs on that rule.
I’ve taken them up on the challenge, and have until Thursday night to finish up 35 minutes of “stuff”. You can monitor my progress and hear the songs as they plop out, if you like.
As you know, I am awful at writing lyrics quickly, and even worse at taking direction from titles others have written. So this time, my muse will be the Yahoo! Answers Web site. There, I exist as The Singing Answerman, and will be singing people their answers. Yeah.
Cows in Hot Pants
It’s getting hot in here, you drank up all the sauce. I am, getting so hot, I’m gonna blow my nose now.
For whatever reason, The Cow Exchange won the Capsaicin fight over on Songfight (reviews here).
It’s a sonically dense tune which prepares listeners for the upcoming alien invasion. It also explains why Taco Bell is open so late.
“Mel” helped me out last-minute by adding female vocals. What a gal. And Enstrim drove her. What a guy. Thanks
Have a listen! I’m not comfortable with the mix, so I’ll probably retake/remix some pieces before it shows up “officially” in Dillfrog land.