Category: My Music

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Music Journal

A Potential Release – My Version of OH HOLY NIGHT

Back in October during one of the warm-up session prior to the jamming session, I had an idea to write a song based on the chords from the Christmas song Oh Holy Night and I did. It is like this … the songs started with lyrics and melody that I have created and then transit smoothly to the well known song Oh Holy Night. The title of my song is The Right To Live (Oh Holy Night).

Now, here is the deal. If more than 3 persons post a comment here and say that they want to listen to this The Right To Live (Oh Holy Night), I will get the recording done before Christmas and have it posted on the website.

Back to the history … perhaps the song was not well practiced (after all, I just wrote it in the morning), Jason kind of liked it but had the concern that it may sound too much like one of the songs from Michael Jackson.

I kind of put the idea aside until recently I have made a recording with Cynthia singing the vocal part of the Oh Holy Night while me singing the The Right To Live at the beginning.

Tonight I played the song again and kind of love it. Perhaps (or more definitely) I need to re-record my vocal and put in the bass.

Again, if more than 3 persons post a comment here and say that they want to listen to the song, I will get the recording done before Christmas and have it posted on the website.

If more than 5 persons post a comment here, I will throw in another original Christmas-like song I have written called Don’t Give Up.

However, if there is no or less than 3 people post a comment here, I may still release these songs just for Christmas.

What are you waiting for? Post some comments!!!

Categories
Songwriting

A Weekend of Music Creation So Far … And The Barrier

It is a weekend of music creation so far. My band-mate Jason dropped by my home today to complete the recording of the guitar solo of one of our songs and I have spent the entire morning to perform vocal warmup prior to his arrival.

After sending Jason off and had my quick dinner, I had this sudden urge to write songs. I wanted to write as many as possible but so far, I can only write two songs. Seems to me that this is my barrier. In fact, it is quite rare that I can write two songs on the same night. So far, perhaps twice. I tried to go beyond two but it is just not possible.

I am sensing that there is a change in my music direction. Looks like my music creation is entering another era. It’s about time …

An extract of the lyrics from the 1st song’s chorus, Uncomfortable Silence:

Bit by bit I am melting inside
Bit by bit I wish to disappear
Bit by bit I am wrapped by this …
Uncomfortable silence, uncomfortable silence

And, an extract of the lyrics from the 2nd song’s chorus, It’s Not For You:

Judging the world, sitting up above, seeing all of those you want to see
Lying to yourself, covering the world, seeing all of those you want to see

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Music Journal

A Cover for My New Demo Album – Target Launch Date is Valentine 2005

Hey folks, I have just designed the cover for my new album. Please email me and let me know what you think. I think it looks pretty professional. For this new demo album that will be released in the Internet, it will be nothing like the ones I played for my one and only band NoEyeCandy. It is a dedication to my friends and families that have supported me throughout this more than 10 years of my songwriting experience. A big thank you to them. And I have included some songs that they love as well as songs that I love and yet my friends and families just stood by my insanity.

I will be playing all the instruments and all the tracks will be recorded in my humble home studio.

And the back …

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Music Journal

Singing for Dummies

People kind of giggled a little bit when they heard that I bought the book Singing For Dummeis. I just so glad that I have bought that book (together with another more profession one that I hope will arrive at my doorstep before Christmas). I did not realised that I have committed so many vocal crimes. It is hard to describe the tranformation. I can say that there is improvement in my singing. However little it is, it is always welcome.

Categories
Songwriting

Warm Recollection (Warmest Memories?)

After thoughts: After typing out the lyrics for me, my sister has gone through quite a tough period herself. And she (was inspired) has offered to translate the song for me. I think her translation is much better than mine.

Remember the Cantonese song I was talking about? Many thanks to my sister Lora, she has typed out the entire song for me over the phone! And here is an excerpt of the song.

I have had quite a hard time translating the song into English. Well, I have given my best shot and hope that it is poetic enough as what Lora requested.

Another challenge I have had was to name the song. And it was till I have finished the translation that I picked the last words of the song as song title.

See below for lyrics in Chinese and English.

Warmest Memories (Translated by My Sister, Lora)

Every day and night I gaze at the far end of the sea
Wish to know My heart is still filled with your faces
Like illusions Like illusions Overwhelming me
Wish to know All these are my actual expectations

But every day I just lost in words
Passing through all those chilly days My stirring wishes cannot be concealed

Today’s me Today’s me Have faced all the changes
I’d rather believe I’d rather believe One day you will return to my side
No longer can change No longer can change The one I was in the past
And I am longing for The one you were in the past

Every day and night I look around
Just wish to catch a glimpse of you
I cannot imagine all these What will you do if you were me?

Dazzle of glamour Your beautiful projection
If I can make one change I will return to that day

Incomprehensible I just silently wish
Incomprehensible I just silently wait
One day One day You will understand all these
That day You will be attached to our warmest memories

Warm Recollection (Translated by Me)

Day and night I look at the distant cape
Want to know if your impression still live in my heart
Like an illustion, like an illustion that covers me
I want to know if all these is realistic expectation

But each day I am quiet, lost in words
I have tasted what coldness is and failed to suppress my wild thoughts

Today’s me, today’s me has tasted all kinds of changes
I’d rather believe, I’d rather believe one day you will return to my side
I cannot change, I cannot change the former me
But I hope to see the former you

Day and night I look at the wide horizon
Only want to indistinctly, secretly to watch
All these I cannot imagine, and if you were me, what would you do?

Beaming with light that cannot be suppressed, your beautiful image
If I can make one change, I would return to that day

Hard to understand the real you, I can only silently hope
Impossible to understand the real you, I can only silently wait
One day, one day you will understand all these
And that day, you will feel attached to all these warm recollection

Categories
Music Journal

One Cool Discovery and One Sad Discovery

Sad discovery goes first. Today, I dug up one of the song that I have lyrics completed back in Nov 12 with the first verse recorded. I wanted to finish the song especially the title of the song Emptiness does suit today’s mood. Once I have written the melody of the 2nd verse, I realised that the two verse may not gel and most disturbingly was the fear that the song will become one of the “non-jamable” items.

I then discarded the entire 2nd verse and repeated the chords from the 1st verse. It sounded ok but when I listened to the previous version, this new “jamable” piece was just too ordinary. All of a sudden, my fountain of creativity just ran dry on me. How sad to realise that.

And then I moved on recording the Cantonese song (again!) with my dynamic mic. I went bored and that was when the cool discovery kicked in.

I muted most of the 12-string guitar track and only played it at some of the song’s transition. In another words, I sang the song with just the beat and no music in the background. When I listened to the entire recording with the music track, I can’t tell that the vocal track was recorded mainly without any music background.