Some new Demos with AVL Drumkits (2024)

Hi LM's!

Nice to be back here after a busy summer and I'm still catching up with some of the great work posted here while I've been busy elsewhere.. I had some high ambitions to put out another so-called album this year but as our times and consumption of music have radically changed I don't really know if that is anything but a sure recipe for disappointment. As someone who also plays Live gigs I find that the post-Covid gig world (in my part of the world anyway) is not what it was, jobs are few and most establishments that used to have enthusiastic live music crowds for bands have downsized to single or Duo acoustic acts who largely compete (and lose) for the attention of patrons from their X and TikTok feeds..

Like many of you I assume, whatever the source and inspiration is that drives us to write songs doesn't seem to take notice of these other external factors so as I find myself extremely completely disillusioned by the 'business' I also have new songs coming to me almost weekly so I guess I'm gonna Demo them and put them out in the usual haunts and get them out of my head into Demos to possibly be further developed or collected in the future... or not...

The recent MIDI improvements to Ardour 8.0.0 have reconnected me to MIDI workflows all within the same program and the fact that I'm working mostly alone on these demos puts me in a position to drink my own Kool-Aid and use the AVL-Drumkits more than real drums. I'll be posting some of these songs as demos of the songs themselves and examples of producing with the AVL-Drumkits.

These first 2 songs are inspired by grief observed in people I love, my partner's sister was killed in a hit and run 2 years ago while getting her mail out of the mailbox and this past summer our closest friend lost her 21 year old son to addiction and suicide.. In both cases these were good families of upright people who have had incredibly painful tragedies interrupt their lives.. How many more are out there suffering especially in these times of senseless war, the unfairness, the helplessness and the 'empty chairs' that remind on a daily basis are very difficult to bear.

Both of these songs used the AVL-Drumkits Buskman's Holiday percussion kit and are done in FGDGBD tuning which I've become very fond of recently.

The first is an instrumental in the mindset of raising a drink and celebrating the lives of those passed:
A Drink to Those Passed

The second is more about the big question of where our loved ones have gone, no answers here... just questions about the "Other Side":
Other Side

Wow! I apparently depressed everyone very badly with the first two offerings..

Here are two more for the void...

I'm Having A Hard Time

Found A New Way

GMaq wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 3:10 pm

I find that the post-Covid gig world (in my part of the world anyway) is not what it was, jobs are few and most establishments that used to have enthusiastic live music crowds for bands have downsized to single or Duo acoustic acts who largely compete (and lose) for the attention of patrons from their X and TikTok feeds..

Sorry to hear that.
Probably it's the same here but here (in the northern of Sweden) we are enjoying a bit of an industrial boom, so it may be tipping the balance the other way.
I'm not gigging that much currently but that is mostly for other reasons.

GMaq wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 3:10 pm

...I also have new songs coming to me almost weekly so I guess I'm gonna Demo them and put them out in the usual haunts and get them out of my head into Demos to possibly be further developed or collected in the future... or not...

Yes you should do that
Apart from the rock star dream (long dead), I write and record in very uneven intervals when creativity and mood strikes. It makes me feel good.

Anyway.
I really liked A Drink To Those Passed. A sort of happy melancholy that strikes a chord (ha) with me. Not the least with the understanding of what it means to you.
There is something with the drums though that threw me for a loop. They aren't really kick/snare, but the analogous sounds switch places between verse and chorus. But it might be intentional?

The last one Found A New Way was also really great. Big fan of the bluesy groove! The harmonica riff should be louder though

All of songs very well mixed, I especially like all the acoustic guitars!

GMaq wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:05 pm

Wow! I apparently depressed everyone very badly with the first two offerings..

Here are two more for the void...

I'm Having A Hard Time

Found A New Way

Hi, I think the topic title detoured people somewhat, because most of us all know your drum releases are great,
and are easy to find. I wrongly assumed the demos were of drum sounds I have a 'forum friend',
who lost his son to suicide, and I have an addicted relative whose son shot himself to death while
his fiance was at the grocery store. A favorite grocery checker lost her guitar-playing husband at Christmas,
to pneumonia, and my wife and I have both seen the insides of an ambulance. Nobody promises us another tuesday.
It is great that you use music to challenge these very difficult situations and topics.

The four songs themselves are technically and musically done extremely well, with some great lyrics.
I would recommend we all battle the music industry trends with long hours of practice, study, fearless performance,
and sharing results so we can receive accurate opinions. When we let the end 'be in sight', we limit our horizons.
Mi dos centavos

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtlOOPh ... 8-_TqqZ7ij
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0K7fG ... 562d9c48ba
Bandcamp https://franklincheney.bandcamp.com/

spamatica wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 7:55 pm

I really liked A Drink To Those Passed. A sort of happy melancholy that strikes a chord (ha) with me. Not the least with the understanding of what it means to you.
There is something with the drums though that threw me for a loop. They aren't really kick/snare, but the analogous sounds switch places between verse and chorus. But it might be intentional?

The last one Found A New Way was also really great. Big fan of the bluesy groove! The harmonica riff should be louder though

All of songs very well mixed, I especially like all the acoustic guitars!

Thanks so much!

The first 2 don't actually have any actual drums, the sounds are all from my new percussion kit which is a cajon, congas, shakers, tambourines, claps, snaps, foot stomps etc.. The so-called verses have a four on the floor foot stomp underneath and then for the busier chorus parts the stomp is out for some variety so it doesn't sound like a Mumford and Sons concert... So it was indeed intentional..

@glowrak guy

Thanks very much, indeed misery and misfortune don't honor borders or anything else, Sorry to hear about the folks in your circle..

But hey, you stay out those ambulances OK!!?

Belated thanks for sharing these Glen. I'm sporadic on the forum and miss so many posts, glad I caught this one.

I don't find good songs depressing. These are all solid. It's so challenging writing about topical things, and these do it in a very effective, honest and non-didactic way. It's a rough world out there. Tragedy is everywhere. What a gift to be able to express it and remind whoever will listen that we are all in it together through good times and bad. I know that's pat but it's so true.

I did find the last two more enjoyable listening. My favorite was I'm Having a Hard Time, which reminded me 70s AM radio (my happy place, and both your words and music would have been at home there!). It had a Paul Pena vibe to me. My partner really dug the bluesiness of Found a New Way. In fact she said it was a banger, not a word I her heard her use before about a song. Incidentally, we listened to this right after we checked out the new Stones record and your track was no slouch in production--in fact it jumped out of the speakers with life and vibe compared to the likeable but big budget, super-compressed octogenarian megarecord.

Other Side was my favorite as a song but the vocals could be closer to the listener in the mix (if that makes sense). The song is so personal but the percussion is somewhat dominating (at least on my speakers). Love the arrangement and sounds in otherwise though.

Love that tuning btw, we're going to make a steel player out of you yet!

listenable at c6a7.org

ufug wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 6:58 pm

Belated thanks for sharing these Glen. I'm sporadic on the forum and miss so many posts, glad I caught this one.

I don't find good songs depressing. These are all solid. It's so challenging writing about topical things, and these do it in a very effective, honest and non-didactic way. It's a rough world out there. Tragedy is everywhere. What a gift to be able to express it and remind whoever will listen that we are all in it together through good times and bad. I know that's pat but it's so true.

I did find the last two more enjoyable listening. My favorite was I'm Having a Hard Time, which reminded me 70s AM radio (my happy place, and both your words and music would have been at home there!). It had a Paul Pena vibe to me. My partner really dug the bluesiness of Found a New Way. In fact she said it was a banger, not a word I her heard her use before about a song. Incidentally, we listened to this right after we checked out the new Stones record and your track was no slouch in production--in fact it jumped out of the speakers with life and vibe compared to the likeable but big budget, super-compressed octogenarian megarecord.

Other Side was my favorite as a song but the vocals could be closer to the listener in the mix (if that makes sense). The song is so personal but the percussion is somewhat dominating (at least on my speakers). Love the arrangement and sounds in otherwise though.

Love that tuning btw, we're going to make a steel player out of you yet!

Thanks so much! Always great to hear from you, I appreciate the kind words and good advice!

I had to smile because I sent the demo of Found A New Way to my son and he replied "What a banger!" not even kidding!

Want to see some new ufug tunes here (or anywhere!)

The golden retro! Sounds wonderful, nice to listen to, both tracks are great!

Guitar and synth tales... https://www.youtube.com/user/Psyocean/

GMaq wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:05 pm

Wow! I apparently depressed everyone very badly with the first two offerings..

Here are two more for the void...

I'm Having A Hard Time

Found A New Way

I liked all of these - dunno if that helps at all