Hard at Work

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I am currently working on two new tracks. I hope to have them completed in the next few weeks. I have also been digging deeper into some of the music apps that I have been collecting on my iPhone, specifically SunVox, JR Hexatone, 8Bitone and iSequence. These apps are very easy to purchase and play with, but sometimes I have a hard time slipping them into my Ableton Live workflow. I usually get so caught up in Ableton that the songs kind of finish themselves before I can even get to the iPhone. I guess I just need to start by capturing the output from the iPhone and building a song off of that. 

Electron: for iPhone

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Just downloaded Electron. [App store link] My first impression is that this may be a little more advanced than many of the other "Matrix" style music apps. Electron allows multiple layers and patterns as well as the ability to change pitch and instrument sounds. 

Upon opening this app you are greeted with a 16x9 LED matrix. After about 5 seconds the Song List view scrolls up from the bottom giving you the opportunity to either load a current song or create a new one. You get to name your song, tap the Create button and you're back to the matrix. At the bottom of the screen are several navigation buttons. Rewind, Play, Layer and Pattern selection, Options, and Mode.

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I Need You To Say Something Profound

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This song contains samples of myself and my oldest son. I turned on the MicroTrack II and said to him, "I need you to say something profound." His immediate reply is just as you hear it. I thought, that'll do. I already had a rough instrumental version of the track completed in Ableton Live. I just laid the sample out and tweaked the pitch a bit. Done. I wish they were all as easy as this one was.

Kurt Lorenz - I need you to say something profound by kurtlorenz

 

 

Full Circle. An Interesting Story of Me.

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So, many years ago I used to play music in a synth-pop duo called In Scarlet and Vile. I recently decided to put all of my old music up on myspace.com. So I decided to Google all of my old band names to see what was out there. I found a few reviews in the Phoenix New Times and a half-working website by the guy that recorded us in 1990. But more interestingly I found this:

An interview with The Echoing Green

in which Joey B says:

Joey B: Well we are hard at work on the new EG album, entitled "In Scarlet and Vile". We're about 5 songs in and I think it's the most cohesive record we've done yet. It falls right in line with The Winter of Our Disconent, with a little more emphasis on the darker and moodier textures it's bit harder in places, too.

Considering the fact that we made the name "In Scarlet and Vile" up it seemed as though this guy might have been a friend of ours at some point. I decided to see if
The Echoing Green had a myspace page and they did. It turns out they are from New Mexico. In Scarlet and Vile (my band) was originally from New Mexico. Hmmmmm?

So I sent Joey B this email:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: kurt
Date: Jun 15, 2007 10:55 AM

Hello.

I came across your post about your forthcoming album tentatively titled In Scarlet and Vile and just wondered if maybe you and I had ever crossed paths.

I was in a synth-pop project from 1985-1991 called In Scarlet and Vile. We were from Bloomfield (Farmington) New Mexico.

I just recently put our old stuff up on myspace.

http://myspace.com/inscarletandvile

I was just curious as to where you got the name because we thought we had totally made it up. I think it would be really cool if you used it though...

Good luck in all you do. I love your music. Thanks

Kurt Lorenz
www.kurtlorenz.com

Strangely enough there was a reply the very same day:

Date: Jun 15, 2007 12:18 PM
Subject: RE: In Scarlet and Vile
Body: Hey Kurt!

It's an honor to hear from you... wow. We have never personally crossed paths - but your demo was one of the most inspiring recordings that I ever had back in 1990-91.

I was given a copy of it by a girl I went NMSU with back then (I'm so lame for forgetting her name!) but she said she used to be your girlfriend. Her and I were not close friends, but had a couple classes together and talked about music alot.

Your demo was my absolute favorite - I played that tape into the ground. So desperate was I to find another copy a couple years later - I called all the indie record stores I could find in Tempe/Phoenix and finally found one that had a one copy of your tape sitting on their shelves. My Dad lives in Phoenix - so I made him drive over to the store, buy it, and send it to me.

That was years and years ago. Before email and internet - so there was never really a way to reach out and connect with you. Just this last year I tried again - I tried to look you up on myspace, no luck - and when I googled I found "skrooze lewis" or whatever his name is. His site was pretty old and barely functional and never replied to my emails.

so I've been sad for a long time because I do not have a copy of your record anymore. Never had a chance to put it to cd or make digital versions of it for me to keep.

Anyways - the name of your band always stuck with me . so much so that I wanted to name our new record after it... so yes that name absolutely came from you. :) (Although the title takes on it's own meaning for our record)

BUT - this was all after I was convinced that you fell off the face of the earth. If you're AT ALL weirded out by my using that for our next album title, I'll change it. Though I'd be honored to have your blessing. :)

Are you familiar with The Echoing Green at all? I'd love to send you up some cd's if not. Send me your mailing address and I'll have them sent.

hope to hear from you soon...

joey b
the echoing green

AND A FEW DAYS LATER:

Date: Jun 17, 2007 5:18 PM Flag as Spam or Report Abuse [ ? ]
Subject: RE: RE: In Scarlet and Vile
Body: joey b

It is I that would be totally honored if you used isav for your album title.

(I'm trying to figure out who the ex-girlfriend could be... Virginia maybe? I had a few going... usually at the same time, you know,... singers. Anyway...)

I always felt that if I could touch just one person with my music in a way that music had touched me I would have accomplished my goal. I had pretty much given up on that goal years ago... I knew people bought our tapes and friends said they liked what we were doing but to have you, a total stranger, moved and obviously inspired to go out and share your talent with the world because of something I did is pretty cool.

You guys have a greater talent for music than I ever did. I guess it just takes time for each of us to find our true gifts. Music is quite obviously yours.

I had not heard of you until recently... I think I had seen your name in Wikipedia and caught glimpses in iTunes maybe. I just downloaded Music From the Ocean Picture, and I plan on getting more... I really like the song "Goodbye"

I would love for you to send me stuff... especially a shiny new copy of In Scarlet and Vile when it comes out.

I plan on spending the next few weeks putting together an extremely limited edition of the first In Scarlet and Vile CD (probably 2 copies, one for you and one for me). I would love to send you one.

My address:
Kurt Lorenz
XXXX NW XXXXth St.
Seattle, WA 98XXX

I also have a real email: kurt@mydomainname.com
Feel free to contact me there too...

Thanks again for everything you do, and Please stay in touch.

Kurt.

 

So if you're interested:

www.myspace.com/inscarletandvile