A Moonies Band ?
 

Greetings Moonies !

Lotus, Poda, Wojtek and other Moonies helped me to take the decision to post this thread.

Well I always wanted to play music in a band but unfortunately I never found one, so came the idea to play music with other musicians of Aural Moon. I know that a few people here can play an instrument so I ask you: would you musician Moonies be interested in recording a song with me ?

We would record it with our computers, each one adding his own parts to the existing file.

I'd like to know who is interested in this project and which instruments you play. For myself, I'll play some guitar parts or all of them, depending on how much guitar players will answer this thread.

Thank you Moonies, I hope lots of you will answer my post.

I play bass, but have no way to record via computer. Sorry.

I play Euphonium. Will that help?

Roger -Dot- Lee, didn't think it would, but figured I'd offer.

cool. prog euphonium. I think that would be great.

I think this is a great idea. how do you see it working? what type of files are getting passed around? is someone going to host the files, allowing upload/download? how do we get started? somebody got a musical idea to begin with? inquiring minds want to know.

oh, keys, vocals, bass, drums, some horns if it ain't too fast...

Great idea. I would happily supply some cello lines if appropriate. Euphonium prog sounds like fun!

Well Spaz I think you just need a soundcard on your computer and a Jack/Line In adapter. This way you can hear your bass on your CPU, then download a free recording software. But Roger Lee or VAX will explain you better than me.

Roger Lee, I'd welcome your euphonium if appropriate, the same for your cello Toby.

Roger, I have some guitar riffs ideas to begin with, and if a keyboardist has an idea for a melody that would be great. If the project works I also plan to make some prog covers, why not ?

For the files, I believe I could record them in wma audio or mp3 or convert them to the format that fits best for all the musicians. I don't know how to pass the files now, but I believe I could ask a friend to put them on a FTP and then create accounts for each musician. If someone can do this for me or has a better idea he's welcome.

Sure, I mean, if someone can teach me how to record music on my computer and I can do it free...

I would think that mp3 would be more cross-platform, and would keep the file size down, rather than wav or aiff files.

the trick will be in keeping the piece from going in several directions, all at the same time. we might need one person to be the mix engineer...

a logistically challenging project, but it will be very cool! :cool:

Moonband
 

I forgot to reply to this yesterday. So I'm late.

I play guitar and, if coerced, bass. For those that need free recording software, check out Audacity for Linux, Windows, and even the much-maligned Mac. ;)

There is a free service that we could use to host our files, made up for this exact purpose. I'm scouring my brain to try to remember what it's called though. Kirk would know, he's used it. And he plays keyboards! Yo Carl, you out there?

(time passes)

Arrgh this hurts my brain! I should remember what this is called.

(more time passes)

Ahhh! It's called Riff Trader and it's free.

Whew. Now I need a nap.

Re: Moonband
 

Where there's a professional musician, there's a Mac.


Now, if you all used one (a Mac), GarageBand included in the iLife suite could be used to share tracks and allow for myriad mix-downs. GarageBand also has built-in instruments (you can control with a USB-MIDI keyboard like the M_AUDIO KeyStation which I have) and effects that can be applied to individual tracks or to the entire playback track.

VAX... who plays keys, 12 string guitar, trombone, the radio but never the lottery.

Mac
 

Oh don't get all defensive VAX, it was just a joke. I'll be the first to admit that Mac is a great platform for recording music.

Oh wait, you already said that... OK, I'll be the second to admit it then.

So yeah, there are some great music applications for the Mac platform. But just try playing solitaire on there! What about FreeCell? Spider? Reversi? I think not! You NEED Windows for those vital, life-changing apps! The Mac versions pale in comparison! I dare say a PC is worth every penny just for those bundled applications in Windows XP.

...I dare say I need more sleep...

Re: Mac
 

http://www.macupdate.com/search.php?...0 &button.y=0
http://www.macupdate.com/search.php?...0& button.y=0
http://www.macupdate.com/search.php?...&b utton.y=17
http://www.macupdate.com/search.php?...9&b utton.y=6

FWIW, I don't play video or computer games. I find them insipid and pedestian, and a waste of lifetime that could be better utilized for intellectual or remunerative persuits;), for hedonistic consummation:rolleyes: , or for just drinking beer. :D

Well I believe we have enough musicians to start something, even if some join us later, but we still need a drummer ...

I would love to do it, but no place for my kit here in my apt... :confused:

Our program director is a drummer if my memory serves me right otherwise we can always beg Neil Peart.

random thoughts
 

Yes Jim is a drummer, although he likes Nick Mason (I'm sorry I had to).....

I played Baritone, which is a cousin of the Euphonium, or in West Virginia, married to one!....

I can play the mid-section of the "Advent of Panurge" on my son's trumpet.............

Zvinki will you supply the death Cookie Monster vocals?

Chop/sticks?
 

Have Korg, will travel

Thanks Rick but
 

I was thinking of something more in line with Geddy Lee or that guy from The Darkness.

sarcastic drummers
 

Thank you Vax for the reminder that sarcasm will apparently never translate well to the web. Perhaps one day someone will invent an html replacement that allows for <sarcasm></sarcasm> tags and humanity will be better for it. Flame wars will be averted, friendships will be strengthened, and (perhaps) someone will laugh at my jokes.

I know some drummers, even drummers into prog, but they're not moonies for some unknown reason. It's not like I haven't suggested it to them.

Re: sarcastic drummers
 

I knew that moses. But just to help convert you, I gave you the links to Mac versions of those invaluable PeeCee applications.
:D

I've composed a message and sent it off to Pete Trewaves asking how this sort of "remote musician" project was implemented with Transatlantic. As you may or may not know, Transatlantic was comprised of Pete Trewavas (Bass:Marillion), Roine Stolt (Guitar:The Flower Kings), Neal Morse (Keys/Guitar:Spock's Beard) and Mike Portnoy(Drums: Dream Theater). The first Transatlantic album was put togheter without any of the aforementioned playing together. In fact, the first time they played together was at NEARfest in 2000 (or maybe it was the Philly gig just prior to the NEARfest gig). When he answers, I'll post it here.

Remotely speaking...
 

This is one of the main things we'll be doing in a company I'm into is exactly this type of thing. However, it won't be up and running for a while. Additionally, being an accountant, I'm not allowed to participate in any product development.:p

IQ records this way also. I find it a major deterrent to sparking unforgettable live performances.

Re: Remotely speaking...
 

I can see that as being valid. There are studio bands and then there are live bands. Many bands have written great music and record well in the studio, but on stage they seem static and don't really rouse the audience. An act without any real experience performing together just seems certain to have a more difficult time rousing an audience in a live performance.

I was very much looking forward to IQ at NEARfest and, while their songs were played well, they were lackluster in their stage presence. Even John Jowitt -- who I know both you and I have seen perform with Arena and Jadis -- seemed reserved in his IQ appearance. Perhaps he was just trying not to upstage Peter Nicholls. IQ, however, have played together many times in the past decade. So, trying to pin the live performance traits on the recording process doesn't weigh heavily with me.

FWIW, here is one of my fave pix of JJ with Arena.

http://www.tmesis.com/bands_2005/ROS.../IMG_0610M.JPG

He was in top form with Arena.

Re: Re: Remotely speaking...
 

I agree. Also he was in pain from those uber-blisters....

OSI
 

also recorded their CD that way. Damn fine result too!

B'boom
 

I'm also a drummer! I've got an electronic kit, so recording might be easier. Time might be a trick for me too, but this sounds fun enough for me to make time somewhere!

Re: B'boom
 

Whatcha got?

Re: B'boom
 

cool, frem! :D

Re: Re: B'boom
 

The original Roland TD kit (not the V-Drums). 8 dual-zone pads, two kick triggers ,HH pedal, TD-7 box, and ..... a DrumKAT through which I run a couple of PoleKATs.

Loads of old rack synths (TX-802, TG-55, K3m, MKS-70, ...), including my dream machine, an Oberheim Xpander.

This deeply ostentatious display of gear-collecting is tempered by the sad fact that is all lain idle for about a year now... :mad:

I guess we are enough to begin something now aren't we ?
If people want to join later, they'll still be welcome.

So, who's got an idea of a melody ? I've got some samples recorded already but I don't think they're worth anything. If nobody has any idea I still can upload them on the website Rifftrader at http://rifftrader.com

I had a couple of thoughts:

what are the possibilities for notation? does everyone read, at least a little? could we trade some preliminary ideas via notation, and then build from there? if we had ways of getting our ideas into midi files I could quickly turn those into pdfs, and post them.

just a thought.

the other idea was if we shared what time signature, key, and length of phrases we were developing, and then we could, albeit somewhat blindly, write to match.

just brainstorming.... :cool:

Well, it'd be hard for them to read your posting if they didn't read, doncha think?

Oh, you mean MUSIC! Sorry, my bad.

Seriously, I read treble clef, Mezzo-Soprano clef, and contra-bass clef (no, I wasn't a music performance major in college. why do you ask? :rolleyes:)



And a good one it is indeed...



Good idea. Just some suggestions about time signatures: Let's avoid 4/4 and 6/8 if possible. I spent too many years playing (HACK SPIT HORK)John Phillip Souza (also known as The Musical Antichrist) that I tend to avoid those time signatures like the plague. How about a nice soothing 13/8 or perhaps 11/8. Those are always good for prog charts.
Good comments indeed, I'd say...

Roger -Dot- Lee, quit playing French Horn because of Souza.

lineup
 

Do we have enough people? It looks interesting, that's for sure, but what's our lineup? Is someone keeping track?

I'm not a fan of Sousa either, but you reminded me that in another lifetime (one of toil and blood) I used to play trumpet and could probably get the old lips up to par again without too much difficulty.

Well Roger your idea is good ... but I don't know anything about musical theory ...

Keys, signatures, etc, are things I know but I never learned to use ... so if you tell me we'll play a song in 13/8 I won't know what it is ... and our notes system isn't the same as yours so 'G' or 'F' mean nothing to me ...

The current lineup is:

Yesspaz: bass guitar if he's able to record on his computer
Roger Lee: euphonium
Toby: cello
Moses: guitars and/or bass
Fremder: drums
Myself: guitars

I forgot who plays synths ...

If this lineup is not correct, well you still can correct it :)

Elric, that's cool. no problem, was a just a thought.

as far as G being G, I think we'll be okay on that. ;)

oh, I can play keys. or whatever... :cool:

I don't read music very well. But I read over 50 books a year.

Somebody's gonna have to walk me through every baby step about how this is supposed to work.

Well I'm leaving for two weeks ... a welcome and long awaited vacation. I'll spend a part of this time to think and find some musical ideas for that project.

Hope you'll have time to do the same. See you in two weeks Moonies, bye !

if you can get Neil Peart he's much better than me

Yes, I own a drum kit, but I have not done any digital recording. But I'm willing to try.

(After being gone for a week, I'm catching up on this thread, so if someone else volunteered to play drums later in the thread, that's OK too.)

OK, I now see that fremder99 has electronic drums, so let's go with him for now - I probably don't have the time either.

Still have Korg...This reminds me of phantasy Football....

Who volunteers for vocals?

I sing a bit. :D