Everything happy in South Africa?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brian McDonald on May 6, 2008 at 4:50pm

Hiya Carsten, this is a great point and reminder to writers and listeners to feel the message they send with their music and words.

If a song of eternal hope fills the space where new music will soon be, we can choose let it sing with hope in many ways. If it is pain, we can let the pain through in so many ways. If it is mysticism, (which would be interesting to explore musically) underlying meanings and messages might predominate and if so, one could find a way to detach preconceptions of upbeat, happy and preset melodies, grooves and patterns to find something that really works from a much deeper place in the soul.

All that said, I suspect you would agree, no matter what, nothing should stop the music from coming, no matter what the preconceptions or expectations might be from folks.

Cheers,
Brian

Permalink Reply by Carsten Trotzkowski on May 6, 2008 at 11:10pm

Thanks, Brian, I really hoped we would not end up in a "forced smile club" - 'cause I really don't like such. To my great surprise, the comment I quoted had been given upon an upload of mine which also included "The Perpetrator" - so I was really confused because the idea of a happy song for a true antihero appeared rather odd to me. Irony would probably be misunderstood in most cases by many people esp. when viewed from very different cultural backgrounds. That's why I decided for punkrock style.
I tried to apply some mysticism into my draft for "Rainbow Scatterings - A Land" (funny thing: Lucky had the same kind of counterpoint bassline in mind while we both had been working independently on our versions - still with a much different attitude). I admit, my result is kind of experimental - tried to mix up styles of Peter Gabriel, Apocalyptica (those remarkable Heavy Metal Cellists from Finland), plus ballad style. Yet, maybe nothing for the masses.
Have you something ready for upload already?

Permalink Reply by Brian McDonald on May 7, 2008 at 1:33am

Carsten, great thoughts there. On the Rainbow Scatterings song I have going (upload coming in a week hopefully) interesting note that I started in the first few minutes of playing around with the accompaniment with some slower poly-rhythms and minor-based harmonic structures.

But within about 10 minutes or so, the whole thing kind of rushed out into the air in an mid-uptempo swing rhythm. The minor chords in the verse idea changed to a minor-mid-major progression and the Dieter's last lines turned into a chorus based on minor-major harmonic line and it struck me suddenly that I was interpreting these great lyrics to be all about "hope." After that, I seemed to have no choice in the matter as the thing practically wrote itself, the lyric lines (as you know) being the kind that are so easily sung with little modification.

So, in the end, this one will be a hopeful song, not a forced smile. In my thoughts anyway, it hits me as a song that looks ahead with hopeful joy and perhaps a question.

Cheers,
Brian

Permalink Reply by Carsten Trotzkowski on May 7, 2008 at 3:10pm

...looks like there exist instrumental drafts of your Rainbow Scatterings somewhere somehow. If you like I could give you a little feedback even before it's finished. 'Cause on the one hand I just can't wait to hear it, on the other I always questioned if all songs will have to be written in total solitude or if there be some shared creativity even before PHASE 2, when completed scores are merely interpretated.... Could offer you the early draft of my middle section of Ouma as download in return.... (see http://sawubonamusicjam.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2066642%3ATopi...)

Permalink Reply by Billy Winslow on June 5, 2008 at 2:53pm

Heart of a Poet


From the heart of a poet
Comes words of sorrow
Joys within
And unseen tomorrows
Tears with smiles
Are beautiful things
Gifts of thoughts
From a human being
Lessons of love
Be still and wait
Kindness is patient
It does not take
But gives to all
Who hesitates
Who writes the words
Without mistakes
Who wants to feel
And needs to show it
Whose meaning is real
And needs you to know it
Whose friendships are sealed
Above and below it
Into and out of
The heart of a poet

Permalink Reply by Carsten Trotzkowski on June 5, 2008 at 3:37pm

Bill, a wonderful waltz!
Since it can't be googled
It is truely your's
From your heart of a poet.
Is there sound to the sight?
I do hope that it sounds
From evolving deep grounds
Of the heart of a poet.
I say: Yes! It is true!
And the boldest mistake
- In your own eyes - won't fake
That your message is right
It's your dream brought to sight.
I say: Yes, It is right!
And the mistaken bolts
- In your own eyes - won't hide
That the message is true.
From your poet's true heart.

Permalink Reply by Billy Winslow on June 5, 2008 at 3:44pm

Thank you Carsten. As I begin to share I appreciate your feedback.