THE HOME DEMOS
This page will give a taste of Self Tort's work in progress.
After writing songs I try to lay down a version on my Zoom 8 track at home before going into the studio. The home versions are obviously of lesser quality than the studio version but they at least give some insight into the embryonic stages of the material.
The comments of subscribers and visitors to the material on this page would be appreciated.
MAIANBAR SUNRISE
This is an original instrumental which started off under the name of 'Sanboss'. I was fiddling around on the guitar and came up with a chord progression that I liked and a melody which did not seem appropriate to be sung.
I originally intended it to be along the lines of Santana's 'Samba Pa Ti' and used a bossa nova type beat. I'd played it live on guitar a few times as background/dinner music, but couldn't achieve the right tone on my guitar during the recording.
I then abandoned it as a guitar piece and used my synthesiser for the melodies with the 'verse' part being in an alto sax type voice, and the chorus in a soprano sax voice. Some of the phrasing was not indicative of a horn player and the overall recorded version was too long. Unfortunately it ended up sounding a bit like 'Kenny G' on Prozac. The sample is here
Fortunately, one on my dear friends on mixposure.com, Alexis Van Eeckhout offered to play his magnificent tenor sax on the track, so I re-recorded the backing track at Sound Dog Studios. I was planning for Alexis to play the main melody and that I would take a guitar solo in the middle. I sent him the file with a guitar 'guide melody track' with the intention that it would be deleted. Lo and behold Alexis played harmonies over the guitar lines. His sax playing completely transformed the track and he also did a fantastic job on the final mix. If you want to hear the final version click here.
NEWRYBAR
Another original instrumental that was resuscitated by the talent of Alexis.. This one arose from the rhythm which when I found it seemed to cry out for a 'muted trumpet'. The chord progression and melody then followed. It's sort of jazz-funk in style. It probably won't form part of my live repertoire except in those circumstances where dinner music is required. The original sample is here but make sure you don't forget to hear the completed version with Alexis' superb tenor sax. Click here to listen to the final version
MOROCCO
Yet another instrumental, but this time very much from 'left field'. I came across the rhythm which appealed to me and fiddled around with it. It has a 'middle eastern' feel, hence its tentative title. I propose to record it in the studio but have doubts as to whether it should be included on the CD. It may have to wait to form part of a 'Self TOrt Rarities' CD when I've gone. Please let me have your comments. To listen click here.
MIDLIFE COUNTRY CRISIS
The original version of MIDLIFE CRISIS can be found here. It is a minor blues to a sort of boogie rhythm. I received a review of the song from Matthew Donleavy, Managing Director of PeerMusic Publishing. Matt really liked the lyrics but wasn't particularly fussed with the music, believing it would the lyrics would be better served by a more country feel. As a result of this advice I've done a complete revision of the music and the result appears in the sample below. It needs more work, as the new structure calls out for a middle 8 or some other variation. To fit that in would require some reduction in verse size and I haven't worked out yet which lyrics to discard. Have a listen to the original and the country and let me know which you prefer.
SAMPLE 1
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SAMPLE 5
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