Calling All Musicians

[Guybrush]

Hey guys,

I was thinking about the possibility of maybe making some event around music or perhaps even suggest some collabs, but first I gotta know.. Who among you are musicians and what do you do?

A quick summary of myself as a hobby musician could go like this: I made a lot of electronic music in my teens using Fasttracker II (ancient software). I also dabbled in piano, guitar and drums.

Me and some friends had access to a rehearsal room at the cafe where I worked and eventually, another of my mates got work at a school that had a studio with a control room and everything. This was the early 2000s. We made a bunch of various bands that were generally jokey or parodic. Some of it we recorded in the studio and kinda learned those basics.

One of our best ideas were a folk quartet (now trio) singing about the tragedies of various sea animals and we landed our first gig in 2006 I think it was while I was a biology undergraduate in Oslo. Up until then, I'd focused mostly on drums, but now it was more acoustic guitar. That band soon got a small following in and around our home town and we still play regular concerts.

In 2014 or so, I started slowly building a recording studio. I had some equip before, of course, but now I had a goal. In 2016, we recorded an EP in my tiny, crappy studio and it was just two takes of everything and not a lot to go on, but in 2017 I started mixing and polishing the tracks and they were actually pretty good once I got them EQed. We released it in Easter 2018, nearly two years after recording.

Since then, I've moved to a new place and I have a new and better studio. It's mostly rigged for stereo recording acoustic instruments like my guitars, harmonium or melodica. I use Reaper with various plugins and VSTs if I have to, although I generally prefer to hire musicians on Fiverr if I need something I can't do on my own.

What I like the most is production and just putting various sounds together to create something in the studio as opposed to those who love performing.

Who are you?

[Guybrush]

Giving this a bump now that there are a few more people around

I can't be the only musician around here?

[Lexi Darling]

This is very opportune timing! I've actually started working on a new musical project that I intend to release. But first I can go into my musical history.

I've had a cheapo Yamaha FM synthesizer since approximately 1993. My parents got it for me at a garage sale, and I still have it, though it's in storage at my mom's house. After learning how to play keys by noodling on that thing, I made my first musical recordings in 2000.

Back then I made a lot of homemade movies starring my stuffed animals, filmed using a primitive USB webcam. My earliest music was actually the soundtrack scores to these makeshift films. My arsenal of instruments included anything I could get my hands on; my trusty Yamaha synth, recorder, harmonica, pots and pans, sound effects I sampled from video games, etc. I grew up with a sensibility for instrumental music through film scores, my grandfather's classical music, and my uncle's affinity for new age music.

All of my films, music included, were lost in what I now call the Great Hard Drive Crash of 2005. I didn't think that much of it at the time, but now I can't help but look back with a desire to hear some of those pieces in full again. I have only a few vague fragmented memories of what they sounded like.

In high school (2003-2007), I started getting into proper synthesizers. I was a huge Nine Inch Nails fan during my alternative kid years, and Trent Reznor's use of synthesizers inspired me to buy my first real synth, a Korg Microkorg, in 2005. I started an industrial metal-esque band with two of my friends playing drums and guitar. We didn't have a bass player, I did all the bass on synths. We had fun band practice sessions and performed for family and friends a handful of times. We would record our sessions entirely live, in the only way we knew how: by literally putting a single mic in the middle of the room and hoping it picked up everything. I'm pretty sure those recordings are also lost. C'est la vie.

In 2009 I started my first and only attempt at a serious band, which was a more hardcore/emo style act. We played a number of shows at my college, and the highlight of our time together was performing at my aunt's rock and roll themed wedding party. This band came to an abrupt end in January 2011 due to some unexpected life events.

Since then I've only played music privately, but starting this year I've felt a spark of inspiration to record some highly conceptual progressive electronic music. I will absolutely let the forum know when I've finished it.

My biggest passion in music is playing live, honestly. Nearly everything I've ever recorded was done in one take, and I've been looking into live streaming options to perform the music I'm composing now. Music is my passion, I don't really want to make a career out of it, but it's been long enough that I'm itching to get back into sharing it with people.

[robhr]

My best work is my minimal techno project called The Dry Path. If you're familiar with me it's that terrible track I did for a Boards of Canada compilation, I swear most of my stuff is much much better. My best work is on all the streaming platforms, here it is on YouTube... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kIReRVoiutFI-fYKgVba3U9yqRijZYw6s

I also dabble in ambient and post-rock but I have a number of projects I'd like to get off the ground with some friends. A psychedelic indie rock project, a post-hardcore project and a psytrance project.

[Guybrush]

Thanks Robhr and Lady

Robhr, I haven't had time to listen to your stuff yet, but I took a peek and it seems very mellow and like it'd be a comforting listen.

I was thinking it might be fun to have a like a chiptune compo, create a song around a common theme or something on here. Maybe some musical collaborations? Like maybe we have some songs or melodies that it'd be fun to see someone else take a crack at. Let me know if there's anything you think might be fun.

I'd like more practice just mixing / mastering stuff, so that's also something I'd be willing to do free of charge for the odd track.

[RebelYeller]

Hey guys,

I was thinking about the possibility of maybe making some event around music or perhaps even suggest some collabs, but first I gotta know.. Who among you are musicians and what do you do?

A quick summary of myself as a hobby musician could go like this: I made a lot of electronic music in my teens using Fasttracker II (ancient software). I also dabbled in piano, guitar and drums.

Me and some friends had access to a rehearsal room at the cafe where I worked and eventually, another of my mates got work at a school that had a studio with a control room and everything. This was the early 2000s. We made a bunch of various bands that were generally jokey or parodic. Some of it we recorded in the studio and kinda learned those basics.

One of our best ideas were a folk quartet (now trio) singing about the tragedies of various sea animals and we landed our first gig in 2006 I think it was while I was a biology undergraduate in Oslo. Up until then, I'd focused mostly on drums, but now it was more acoustic guitar. That band soon got a small following in and around our home town and we still play regular concerts.

In 2014 or so, I started slowly building a recording studio. I had some equip before, of course, but now I had a goal. In 2016, we recorded an EP in my tiny, crappy studio and it was just two takes of everything and not a lot to go on, but in 2017 I started mixing and polishing the tracks and they were actually pretty good once I got them EQed. We released it in Easter 2018, nearly two years after recording.

Since then, I've moved to a new place and I have a new and better studio. It's mostly rigged for stereo recording acoustic instruments like my guitars, harmonium or melodica. I use Reaper with various plugins and VSTs if I have to, although I generally prefer to hire musicians on Fiverr if I need something I can't do on my own.

What I like the most is production and just putting various sounds together to create something in the studio as opposed to those who love performing.

Who are you?

I'm probably answering too late haha. I can sing and play the piano. I can also play the guitar and bass at a basic level. However, my music style is closer to retro pop rock or singer/songwriter. Probably my greatest ability is sound production and arrangement (for others), and in this case it doesn't matter what style it is. I don't consider myself very good or original when it comes to creating from scratch, but I consider that my skills are good enough when it comes to contributing with others. I also usually write song lyrics in English, (I know that's weird since English is not my native language), because honestly I usually work hard on it and put a lot of effort into it too.

[Guybrush]

I'm probably answering too late haha. I can sing and play the piano. I can also play the guitar and bass at a basic level. However, my music style is closer to retro pop rock or singer/songwriter. Probably my greatest ability is sound production and arrangement (for others), and in this case it doesn't matter what style it is. I don't consider myself very good or original when it comes to creating from scratch, but I consider that my skills are good enough when it comes to contributing with others. I also usually write song lyrics in English, (I know that's weird since English is not my native language), because honestly I usually work hard on it and put a lot of effort into it too.

Very cool 🙂

Do you have some music out there? And might you be willing to lend your vocals to others' projects?

Also, what software do you use when producing?