Day Two in the Studio and Visiting Nashville

Day Two in the Studio:

Rob Holthause came into the studio a few weeks ago to lay down some bass tracks.  My goodness it's nice to work with professionals.  Super easy session.  Each step we take in this recording process makes me SO EXCITED to share it with you all.  Cannot wait.  Still working on a release date, but I promise you...it'll be worth the wait!

For those of you who didn't know, I recently took a trip to Nashville.  I had wanted to visit Music City for a while now, and I'm so glad I finally made an effort to book a trip.

The two best things about Nashville?  The food and the music.  Followed by the people.  Everyone down there was so friendly and welcoming.  I've gotten so used to the Baltimoreon fast-paced, head-down, who do you think you are kind of lifestyle that it was nearly shocking to make small talk with so many strangers.

Here are just a few pics from our trip:

 

Modern day park and mini-pool next to the Titan's Stadium

 

Beautiful Music Center - gawked at this building for a long time.  

Sunset on the footbridge overlooking the Cumberland and Broadway

 

The Cumberland at night

 

Capitol Hill.  So much green :)

I've got some shows coming up to be posted soon!  xoxo

Weekend of Firsts

Day One in the Studio:

So I wanted to write a quick post about my busy weekend!  I had a great studio session last Friday!  Brian Mirsch (Pictured above) and I spent roughly eight hours in the studio laying down some drum and key tracks.  I had goosebumps.  Multiple times.  I cannot wait for you guys to hear the final album.  I am so excited and we've barely even started :) So far, you guys can expect to hear nine (currently working on a 10th) tracks...two of which have not been released to the public, unless you were at the show Sunday.  Playing keys and singing in the studio is pretty cool, but I'm most excited to bring in my violin.  Totally stoked :) Wah, can't wait to share it with you all!

I also had my debut solo show on Sunday at the Frederick Coffee Co.  WOW!  Despite the butterflies and nerves, it was so amazing to see familiar faces in the crowd.  The room was filled with supportive, encouraging people who made my heart smile :) Thank you to everyone who came out!  Stay tuned for more live performances...don't worry.  I'll post a schedule once I get some on the books!

Here's a few photos taken from the show...

As always, thanks for the constant support!
xoxo

Karlie Nicole Photography

"Okay, now I'm going to have you do this..." she said as she knelt down in the middle of the road, one knee to the ground and arms relaxed by her side as I carefully watched, mentally taking notes.  "I think I can manage that." 

Piece of cake.  This was by far the easiest, stress-free, creative photo shoot I've ever done.  I say that as if I've had a plethora of cameras in my face.  Which, obviously, I haven't...at least willingly.  (That sounds way more sketchy than intended.)

Karlie Nicole Photography proves that age is of no importance when it comes to creative endeavors.  I first confronted Karlie about taking some promo shots a few months ago and she was beyond enthusiastic about the project.  We laughed and joked about renaming my upcoming album to something weather related as the first attempt for our shoot was rained out.  The second was almost rained out as well, but luckily we waited out the downpours and took a few shots in between.  Given creative freedom and the album title (yet to be publicly announced), Karlie took it and ran...and my oh my...the results turned out great!  So a big thank you goes out to Karlie Pickett!  xoxo

Please help support local artists and head over to Karlie's page: Karlie Nicole Studios

For more of Karlie's photos, check out her Flickr

Contact Karlie for an upcoming shoot: karlienpickett@gmail.com

Here's a sneak peek: 

Fresh Air and Announcements

By tomorrow night I'll be sitting on a wrap-around porch enjoying this view with good friends and fresh air.  

So glad to be getting away for a much needed vacation.  When I get back, here's what will be going on in case you want to keep tabs on me ;)

June 26th - CD Release Show with Naked Blue @ Jammin' Java's VA.  7:30pm, all ages.  

June 28th - CD Release Show with Naked Blue @ 8x10 MD.  8pm.

July 6th - CD Release Show with Ruut @ Rams Head in Annapolis MD.  1pm, all ages.

July 28th - My Debut Show! :) Songwriter's Showcase @ Frederick Coffee Co., MD 4pm 

I'd like to officially announce that I will be recording my first EP beginning July 26th!  I'll be working with some incredibly talented musicians on it: Brian Mirsch, Rob Holthause, and Dan Vogel.  CANNOT WAIT!  :)  

That's all for now!  xoxo

Behind: Alibi

 

Alibi.  I started working on this song with my friend, Steve Scher about a month or two ago.  He gave me the beginning chords and riff, and I took it from there and tried to develop it further.  

As far as the song meaning goes, it's essentially about a girl, or people in general, who trick the world and trick themselves into thinking they have it all together.  That feeling of false normalcy and convention, but realizing there's more to life than following the rule book.   It's not meant to negate convention, but it is meant to question it.  It's meant to urge people not to use convention as an alibi.   

I should have a post about exciting events within the next few days.  Stay tuned!

xo.

 

Alibi - Lyrics

She's wearing the powder blue dress again

The one she first learned to pretend in

And she knows all of her lines

Perfected the art of a fake smile

Time for the curtain call

Takes a bow for it all

She cried, "All will be forgotten

There is something more on the other side."

She tried staying inside the lines

But all she did was hide

What an alibi

Feeling like a stranger in her own skin

Realizing what it really means to live

But she knows all of the lies

She's told herself in holding out for the prize.

Time for the curtain call

Takes a bow for it all

She cried, "All will be forgotten

There is something more on the other side."

She tried staying inside the lines

But all she did was hide

What an alibi

Lose your inclination to be 

Another copy of a story we've seen

Rid your guilt and feel

The liberation of a nation finally free

Behind: Your House, The Haunting

 

So in case you missed my last post, this new song is my "Ten minute song".  Just a brief little post to introduce you to it :)

The lyrical content is pretty straightforward.  Without getting too in depth, if you're curious about what the song means...just know that it's supposed to capture the feeling of moving on.  If ever I make a music video for this tune, it'll probably start with a house full of treasures and belongings, and one by one they'll begin to disappear (I'm really not this depressing in real life, am I?!).  But quite honestly, moving on in any sense is difficult and bittersweet, no matter how long it may take.

Lyrics are below!  

 

Your House, The Haunting

These walls have seen the best of me

The doors have closed their eyes

Your house is built on memories

That are no longer mine.

But I don't want you anymore.

I don't love you anymore.

Your love was what I wanted

But now that's not true

I know I'm better off now

Without you

Cause I don't want you anymore.

I don't love you anymore.

Please don't haunt me.

No I don't want you anymore.

No I don't love you anymore.

No I don't want you anymore.

No I don't love you anymore.

My 10-minute Song and Did You See Timshel?

I think my best songs are the ones I'm able to write in ten minutes.  That probably sounds strange or paints me as lazy or uncommitted, but here's my logic:

Often times I have intentions of writing a song about a certain feeling or concept, but can't actually make it happen aka writer's block.  (Duh.) And then months later, BAM.  (Yes, BAM)  It just happens.  I've found the right key to play it in, right chord progressions, right lyrics.

This has happened once before with my song, Don't Say.  Granted, I started writing the melody and lyrics in my car before I sat down at the piano, but once I had an instrument in front of me, ten minutes later my basic song structure and lyrics were complete.

I've been struggling with a song idea for about 2-3 years.  And then yesterday, out of nowhere...it came to me.  In about ten minutes I had a basic chord progression and lyrics down.  In pink highlighter, no less.  That's all I could find in my quick scramble.  Recorded a rough cut on my phone and now a new song exists that I can begin developing.

Needless to say, I will be posting this song soon and I'm really excited to share it with you.  Not just because it's a new song, but because this is a song I've been trying to write for so long and never could.  Songwriting is sometimes the only way I'm able to verbalize what I'm feeling (I know, I know...fluffy cliche fluff), but it's always exciting when this happens for me.  And on the flip side, it's always reassuring to hear a song that portrays exactly how you're feeling.  So hopefully some of you will feel that way when you hear my new tune.  Maybe :)

So be on the lookout for a new original posted this week. 




And for the last time - in case you missed it...here's my latest cover:

I'm Alive!

Yes, I am alive.   Just a quick post to update you guys.

Put down some violin tracks for Ruut a few days ago.  If you're not familiar with her or her music, be sure to check it out.  Absolutely beautiful songs!  Also be sure to check out Naked Blue.  Talented and wonderful people (They own The Wood and Stone Room where we recorded).

Bought some new gear so that might be why you haven't seen much activity as of late.  Waiting for it to arrive so I can put it to use :)

I plan to have a video cover up by the end of this week so make sure you check back soon.  New originals are also on their way, thanks to some collaborations with Steve Scher down in Miami. 


Tis all!  Enjoy the beautiful weather!

xoxo

How I Created My Stop-Motion Animation

 If you haven't seen it already, I released a video featuring a new song (now available to buy -here-) as well as a stop-motion animation to go along with it. 


Patience.  This project was a good test of patience.  Patience and planning.  802 total photos (which probably isn't that many for a stop-motion project, but that's what my final tally was).   Here's a basic breakdown on how I created the animation for this specific video:

• Sketches and planning: characters and scenes.  I knew I wanted to create actual characters for this video to initiate some sort of emotional relationship with the viewers.  Based on the lyrics, I decided to create a cartoon version of me (side braid and all!) along with an owl meant to personify "innocence".  Took me about an hour to really design what I wanted the characters to look like.  Don't believe me?  I have a sketchbook of probably seven pages with multiple owls on each page.  Sketching was the hardest part for me, honestly.

• Drawing, coloring, cutting: NOT my favorite stage.  Everything you see in my video was made by yours truly.  The worst part was cutting out everything, especially the letters and the raindrops.  Many times I felt tempted to use my scissors as a weapon in place of a tool.  But alas...  It also took me a really long time to figure out a color combination for my owl - I'm not really sure why; I probably colored twelve of them until I found a suitable color match.  I should have colored them in a bit darker, though, because trying to saturate them later on became a problem.
 

 
• Understanding movement.  I had to make sure I left out/separated certain things I knew were going to be moving, such as the owl's wings or the girl's mouth.

• Landscape : The main landscape I chose was a lot of fun to put together.  In order to make the clouds and sun rays move, I had to make sure they weren't taped down.  Same thing with the swing.  Everything else, however, was taped down so there wouldn't be any accidental nudges giving the illusion of movement.

• Trial run:  I set up my tri-pod and started clicking away.  I highly recommend getting a remote shutter release to eliminate any accidental bumping.  It also makes it go by so much faster :)  I took about 150 photos of the opening scene to get an idea of what it would look like. Originally, I had all the lyrics written out as dialogue, but later decided to nix it because it seemed unnecessary and spoon-fed.  I realized that the range of motion had to be less wide.  Small movements made for better animation.  I also had to think about what the owl's wings would look like if it was landing or taking off.  It only took me about 50 photos to realize how awkward my owl looked flailing its arms in random directions that defied gravity.  It looked like it was drowning in the middle of the sky.  Whoops!
• For the opening scene, I had to move about ten things: the sun rays, clouds, both of the owl's wings, and the girl.  EACH TIME.  Luckily, when I did the final shoot...I decided to only use the sun rays and clouds as supplement movement.  
• Letter scenes: These were fairly easy.  I essentially added a letter for each photo.  When the whole phrase was complete, I began to move all the letters in between pictures.  This helped create a scattering effect.
• Raindrops.  LEAST FAVORITE TO SHOOT.  Every photo I added 1-2 raindrops and had to move all the existing drops.  It became difficult remembering which ones I already moved.  It was also difficult to move the raindrops without moving the umbrella or owl (which I should have taped down before I started shooting the rain).  

• Shooting time.  I spent about two hours on a trial run and three/four hours on the first half of the video.  I tried to make sure there wasn't any uncontrolled light that would affect the brightness of my photos (still managed to get my own shadow, though.  Ha!)  By the time I created everything for the second half and took the photos, a good 18 hours had passed since the first picture.  For the record, a lot of sleep was lost on account of this project not only by me, but by Brian Mirsch as well.  All for the sake of creation!

• Editing.  I didn't do much editing aside from saturation and contrast changes.  Most of the editing was contributed to adjusting the frame times in iMovie to show (somewhat) normal motion and to coincide with the lyrics.  The speeds vary from .1-10 seconds.   

• Export, upload, share!  <--- my favorite step ;)

 It is now your turn to create a stop-motion animation :) If you do, be sure to send it my way!  I'd love to see other projects.

That's all for now!
xo

Sneak Peek!!

 

Afternoon, friends.  

Just letting you know that I'm working on a special project to be released on the world wide web next Thursday.   I'm so excited about it I was literally up until 7am this morning planning/working on it.  Also, since I always decide things last-minute, I have a lot to do before then!  Cannot wait to share it with you guys.  A special thanks in advance goes out to Brian Mirsch, one of the most talented and creative people I've been lucky to work with.  Check out his page, Brian Mirsch Designs , and show your support!

...get excited :)  

COMING SOON!

xo.

Behind: Prepared for War

Bam, bam!

 

I seem to write songs two at a time.  I started humming a melody line yesterday morning while getting ready and even began to pair it with lyrics.  When I sat down at the piano to try and come up with a chord progression, it sounded too much like "other songs".  It probably still does to some extent, but I tried to change the character of it by changing the rhythm and voicing.  It needs a bit more structure...I can see that already by listening to it a day after being written, but I like the path it's on.  It's a little more pop-py than my other tunes have been lately.  I wanted to try and do a walking bass in the left hand because it's a staple skill for most keyboardists, especially in the pop world.  I even fooled around with splitting the keys in half, using an electric bass sound in the lower register and a vintage keys sound in the upper, but I ended up resorting back to piano because I figured simple was better for the time being. 

This is probably one of my favorite songs I've written lyrically.  Mostly because it's advice that I've been given over the years and advice I need to remind myself of every day.  I'm not necessarily sure who the "She" is, but I guess she's more or less a combination of a motherly figure and a life coach.  The last tagline of the chorus "build a fire in the rain" is supposed to represent the concept of survival (You're probably all smart enough to figure that out). 

I've been wanting to write a song about the idea of feeling small, because let's face it: I'm pretty damn small.  My students like to remind me of this all the time.  "Miss Nikia...I'm taller than you.  That's crazy!"  Why yes, thanks for pointing that out, you degrading nine year old.  But in all seriousness, being small has left me with a chip on my shoulder, feeling like I constantly have to prove to the world that I'm not just a little girl.  Hence the line, "You gotta' prove you're not just a little girl".  (Is it all coming together now?)  I am not one to be pro-crazy feminist, in fact I find most of those women to be overbearing and unnecessary (oops), but I do think young girls need to learn what it means to be independent and capable.  Life is hard.  You can't cry in your cheerios and expect things to be given to you.  This song is a call to arms.  Fight, fight, fight!

xo.




Prepared for War

She said, girl you gotta grow some thicker skin
And girl you gotta learn what it means to win
You ain't gonna' have nobody in your corner when I'm gone.

And she said, child I tried to show you the better way
And child, I tried to teach you not to be afraid
You step outside, you better prepared for war.

If you wanna be somebody in this world
You gotta prove you're not just a little girl
If you want the people to know you by name
You better learn to build a fire in the rain.

She said, send your army of the noble
Claim your throne as rightful owner
You will be the leader of your cavalry

If you wanna be somebody in this world
You gotta prove you're not just a little girl
If you want the people to know you by name
You better learn to build a fire in the rain.

It's you who'll be the one to turn this around
It's you who'll be the one to make the trumpet sound

If you wanna be somebody in this world
You gotta prove you're not just a little girl
If you want the people to know you by name
You better learn to build a fire in the rain.

Behind: Daydream

 

So it's been a little while.  I've spent the last month trying to figure out a long-term plan for my musical life.  And I think I have it.  But I'll wait for announcements until I start moving forward with certainty.  There are big things planned, though :) BIG.  Like, Tom Hanks BIG.  Okay, that reference doesn't work...I know.

Something I've always struggled with when it comes to songwriting is writing even when I'm not emotionally inspired.  I may be creatively inspired, but if the emotion isn't there...it's very difficult for me to dive in and complete a song.  I guess it's a version of writer's block.   But yesterday I announced to the Facebook world that after work I was determined to write a song.  So I did: Daydream.

I started writing on guitar because the piano was unavailable to me for most of the day.  I picked a pretty standard set of chords (which made it extremely challenging to avoid any and all melodic ideas of Taylor Swift's songs.  No, but really.)  It wasn't like I had an idea about writing a song specifically about daydreaming, in fact, the only phrase I had for a good half hour was black tie affairs.  I liked it so much I forced myself to think about where I could go with it lyrically.  And then somehow the lyrics started coming out and represented how I feel about my life right now.  Funny how that happens.  Often times, I don't think I'm actively aware of how I'm feeling until I write a song.  Maybe that's not healthy...or maybe it is...?  For a while now I've felt like I'm at a crossroads - I could pursue a life of security and fancy things or I could pursue a life of simplicity and contentment.  But what I've felt conflicted about for the past year or so is the fact that I want neither.  I want to daydream.  I want to pursue life in an unconventional manner and as my one good friend has been encouraging me to do, I want to seize the day.

I had my camera to record, but I opted to use my iPhone because I didn't want it to be as "put-together".  I guess I wanted it to seem more intimate and raw.  I also didn't plan to use any other instruments at the time so I could record one track and be done.  So that's what I did!  In about two-three hours I wrote and recorded my song, despite feeling tired and creatively drained, I did it. 


Hooray!  And now the lyrics...
xo





Daydream 

Black tie affairs and shiny cars
Fancy drinks in my hand and pearls in my hair 
This could be my reality
Or I could run away to daydream
Or I could run away to daydream

Braided hair, walking barefoot outside
Playing old folk tunes without any cares
This could be my reality
Or I could run away to daydream
Or I could run away to daydream

La dah dah dah

This could be my reality
This could be all I'd ever need
This could be my reality
But I will run away to daydream
Oh, I will run away to daydream

La dah dah dah

Song Development

 

buy this print here

What a blustery day.  Pretty sure I'm going to fall over as soon as I go outside.  

I wanted to share some exciting news with you.  It's exciting for me, at least.  Last night was spent laying down a scratch track for my newest song, "Don't Say".  If you don't know what a scratch track is, it's the first base track you record so you can then record more polished tracks and begin the layering process.  So last night scratch keys and drums were recorded.

My good friend, Brian, has been working with me on it and it's the first time I've experimented with additional instrumentation.  I've never had the opportunity or reason to think about what else to add to my songs, so this is completely new to me.  Luckily, between the two of us we probably have enough contacts to represent each instrument we'd ever want. 

We brainstormed some ideas and I have to say, this is going to be an awesome process.  I can't wait to show you guys the final recording.  I'll try and do a few vlogs throughout the process so you can see what goes into it.  Needless to say, I'm so excited!  

Here's an inside look at part of the set up.  Make sure you guys visit and like Brian's page, Brian Mirsch Designs.  If you ever need a drummer/photographer/videographer/audio recording/friend, he can do the job. 

I'm currently working on a new project which may require some outside help/contribution, so keep your eyes out over the next few days. 

That's all for now!

xo

Behind: Don't Say

 

Welp, friends.  I managed to write and record a new song this past weekend.  If you've been following my posts, this is the song I started writing in my car to try and challenge myself.

This was pretty fun to write and record.  I had first envisioned it to be more quirky and less gypsy, but when I picked up my violin to try a few parts, it ended up sounding more like Scene de Berio meets Zigeunerweisen (staple violin showpieces).  There are actually 11 separate violin tracks, but it probably doesn't sound like it to you.  The pizzicato at the beginning (plucking) is actually comprised of six different parts, mostly for harmony and texture.  Throughout the song I have a few layers, but brought them down in the mix because again, they're mostly there for texture.  Musically it's all based on A Harmonic Minor to give it that gypsy feel and I don't really abandon that.  The violin solo after the second verse is purposefully supposed to be more flashy than any other solo I've done thus far.  And it'll probably make more sense once I explain the lyrical inspiration.  

I've been wanting to write a song about a feeling I've had for a while.  I wasn't quite sure how to put it into a phrase of words until I remembered that book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten" and laughed because it was so utterly true. 

If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.

Kaaaa-blam.   We have all said not-so-nice things to others and we have all had not-so-nice things said to us.  So really this is a song dedicated to everyone, I guess.   But here's the real story...

So you probably all know by this point that I'm a teacher.  I really do enjoy it and I'm glad that it never really feels like a job.  The kids are great (most of the time) and crack me up (most of the time) and it can be really gratifying (...most of the time).  If you talk to any other private or public teacher for that matter, one of the complaints you probably hear is communicating with parents.  Now don't get me wrong, most of the parents I do business with are absolutely wonderful.  I have encountered the most caring and respectful people through teaching their kids.  Every now and then, though, I get a few parents who like to tell me how I should teach.  I get parents who talk down to me because of my age and assume I cannot play because I'm merely a teacher.  This.  Drives.  Me.  Crazy.  I probably won't ever speak up for myself until I've dealt with this for many years (I'm a coward), but hells yes, you better believe I'm going to write a song about it! 

I already feel small in this world and I don't like it when people make me feel smaller.  So this is how I planned to retaliate: a passive, carnival-sounding song with a showy solo section to prove that I can play something other than Ode to Joy and The (freaking) Happy Farmer.  I have great tactics, obviously. 

Hope you enjoy it!  As always, please share my music if you like it.  Many of you follow me quietly which I appreciate and am flattered by, but if you want to be a part of this musical project and help...please share, share, share!  :)

xo.

Don't Say 

You think you know more than me

My dear won't you show me what I'm doing wrong?

You think you are better than me

Then please tell me what you've been holding inside.

I guess you never learned

The easiest rule of all

If you don't have anything nice to say

Then don't say anything at all.

Save me the lecture today

You're nice, but I don't think I'll take your advice

Quick to tell me your feelings

Over and over you drown me in them.

I guess you never learned

The easiest rule of all

If you don't have anything nice to say

Then don't say anything at all.

If you are not happy then why are you giving me countless opportunities?

If you are not pleased with me feel free to leave and spare me from your fake tragedies.

I guess you never learned

The easiest rule of all

If you don't have anything nice to say

Then don't say anything at all

If you don't have anything nice to say

Then don't say anything at all.

Behind: Blue Skies

 

This is my most recent song...written only a few weeks ago.  It had been almost a year (yikes!) since the last song.  I've written a few in between, but nothing really of substance.  

Blue Skies is a song that already exists and I'm sure you've heard it before.  If not, listen to it here.  I've found that I like to reference other songs in my songs and I don't know if it comes off as clever or cliche.  Opinions?  I like being original and creating new music, but I also like sewing it together with phrases or ideas people are already familiar with.  If I could, I'd want to be present for every A ha! moment.  The moment people realize that what they're hearing is actually from something else.  Classical composers do it all the time.  Why can't I?

One two three four five One two three four five One two three four five.

So I learned that it was really difficult for me to play in five...on piano...while singing.  I've had my share of not-even-fair time signature changes from varied orchestral experiences, but this was a whole new playing field.  I didn't want to stay in five the whole time, so I added an extra beat to make a happy, even six by the time the pre-chorus rolls around.

Musically, nothing too extravagant happens.  I had some difficulties figuring out what I wanted to do during the solo section, so I opted to just quote the original blue skies to preface the vocal line and create a running scalar pattern underneath to give it some motion.  The harmonies are pretty straightforward - the one you probably hear most clearly is a higher harmony...something I don't always do.  Generally I like to sing harmonies that are lower than the melody, but the range of the song and the chord voicing made it more difficult to stack lower harmonies, so I built my snowman with the bottom on top instead.

As far as the content goes, I wrote this song as sort of a wake-up call to people.  In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a white picket fence kind of girl.  At least not yet.  Maybe down the road I'll be one, but definitely not now.  The phrase blue skies is supposed to represent the American dream that everyone chases so desperately.  And it's not a bad thing if you want that, but the song is supposed to address the concern of not thinking and/or pursuing what you really want.  We have all been taught to crave blue skies, but what happens when you get it?  What happens if you don't?

I spent last night in the company of some great musicians.  I'm excited to be collaborating again and hearing other people's music.  It's refreshing.  Here's a little shot I took last night of our loved ones:

This wraps up my last "Behind" post...that is, until I write a new song :) I have an idea I've been working on in my car.  I've been trying to challenge myself to write and think about harmony and chord changes while away from an instrument.  Audiate, as they say.  I have a general idea so I'm going to the piano today to give it some structure.  It will be a different song for me...think Ingrid Michaelson and Elizabeth and the Catapult-esque (Thanks Steve - totally hooked on Eliz. now).  Expect some video postings this weekend.

Stay warm!  I have heat!  I am no longer an eskimo.  Just a regular Asian.


xo.


Blue Skies

Think you know the truth
But all you know is what you're told
Think you know the way
But you don't know which way to go

Like a ship that's been wrecked at land
A captain lost his sea

You say there's no better way
Than counting numbers and figures
And adding it all away
Your life is at stake
Will you abandon the calling of blue skies?

Trade your soul for gold
Before you know it's all been sold
Hope for something more
But you build your fence around your home

Like a ship that's been wrecked at land
A captain lost his sea

You say there's no better way
Than counting numbers and figures
And adding it all away
Your life is at stake
Will you abandon the calling of blue skies?

Blue skies smiling at me
Blue skies calling to me

You say there's no better way
Than counting numbers and figures
And adding it all away
Your life is at stake
Will you abandon the calling of blue skies?

Behind: Like You

Hello my friends.  Yes, it's cold out.  It's also cold inside.  My house is currently at a pleasant 42 degrees.  Never get oil heat.

Like You was written last December and it's blatantly obvious that it's a song about love, so there's not much to explain.  It could use some reworking as there is a lot of musical/lyrical repetition.  Listening to it now I realize that it's a bit on the slow side as well.  I don't think it's the same style as my other songs and, really, the last two songs I wrote (Like You and Blue Skies) don't quite fit in with the same genre as my other ones.  But I think that's just me trying to find my "sound" as they say. 

Lyrics are below.  I'll be posting a video soon for the question project. 

Excited to be spending tonight collaborating with some talented musicians :)

Stay warm!


xo

Like You

I am scared by the things you say to me
I am scared by the way you look at me
Don't you see what you do to me?

I have been here once before
But I don't know what to expect anymore
Can't you see what you do to me?

There is no one like you
That can make me feel the way I do
There is no one like you
Who can tell me that you love me
The way you do.

You have a way of turning silence into gold
The most beautiful soul
I have ever known, that I have ever had


There is no one like you
That can make me feel the way I do
There is no one like you
Who can tell me that you love me
The way you do.

I can't help thinking about
All the broken plans I had
But then you hold me and it all goes away


There is no one like you
That can make me feel the way I do
There is no one like you
Who can tell me that you love me
The way you do.

Behind: Forgotten Me

  

"Forgotten Me" is a simple little diddly I wrote last October.  I like referring to it as that: simple little diddly.  

It's nothing extravagant, just acoustic guitar and a single vocal line.  I don't think I'd want it to be much more, honestly.  I like the thin nature of the song.  It's meant to be raw and intimate. 

There's not much to talk about musically, really.  Like I said, it's simple.  In regards to the form, it's just a verse, pre-chorus, chorus...and then it repeats.  I could add a second verse, but I kind of like it essentially being two long stanzas; it just seems fitting.  Maybe it could be one of those hidden tracks at the end of an album, ha. 

Subject wise, I wrote it one day when I realized I was no longer a kid.  You know, one of those moments when you realize that running out of Cinnamon Toast Crunch was no longer the biggest disappointment of your day.  (Although, let's be real.  That's still a travesty.)  Ultimately though, I guess it's supposed to sum up the feeling of being overwhelmed with the realities of growing up and trying to find your way back to innocence and goodness.  'Cause we all know that growing up sucks and we would all much rather climb trees, build forts, and play in the dirt.  Or is that just me?

If you're denying this, then you're all liars.  And officially uninvited to all my future birthday parties. 

:)  Lyrics to follow...

xo.

"Little Innocence"

Little innocence

How do you see the world?

I'm curious again.

Little innocence

How do you see the world?

Is it good, is it safe for me?

Somewhere along the way

I lost you

Somewhere along the way

I found something new

Can you feel this?

The ocean crashing over you

Can you feel this?

Someone's watching over you

Or have you forgotten me?

Method of Writing

Disclaimer: This post will contain some words you may not be familiar with.  aka music theory terms.  I'll try and keep it somewhat accessible for the general audience, though.  I apologize if it's too jargon-y.  Jargonistic.  Jargonatuan.  Jargonasauras Rex.  ...what am I doing?!


Where to start...

Okay, my method of writing is fairly consistent; whether or not that's advantageous, I'm not sure.  It's probably a disadvantage, actually.  I need to learn to be more flexible when it comes to songwriting.

I first start by trying different chord progressions.  I've been favoring seventh chords a lot lately just because I get tired of triads.  I should practice more jazz or study it at the least to pick up some more exotic chords.  I took Jazz Theory in college, but I don't remember anything but rhythm changes and drawing flowers in my comp book.  Oops.  I am jealous of my boyfriend's songwriting for this reason; he has so many more chords to choose from than I do.  I need to expand my vocabulary.  I also want to experiment more with range, inversions, and voicing.

I usually just try and work with 2-4 chords to begin with.  I aim for an idea in the back of my mind so I know how to structure the song, but sometimes that doesn't always happen.  What came first, the chicken or the egg?  Instead of creating a dichotomy of major and minor keys, I try and think of dark vs. bright.  Admittedly, if I'm going to write a darker song, I'll stick with minor chords or darker chords (with a lot of flats).  Happier, uplifting songs (Do I have any happy songs?) will be more major or brighter chords like A Major or god forbid, E Major.  (I hate E Major.)  This is all just a generalization, though.  I don't actively think about these things when I'm writing; this is merely looking back and conceptualizing my method so you can understand it. 

I think the timbre of a song is definitely important to think about when choosing a key.  Even for those who don't have perfect pitch, I believe that it subconsciously makes you feel certain emotions.  Maybe not so much that it's a noticeable difference, but it still makes a difference in my book.  And of course, personal preference will come into play.  Some of you may love the bright timbre of E Major, but I just don't.

So sometimes the chicken comes first and sometimes the egg.  Sometimes I start with a lyrical idea and build my progression off of it, sometimes I start with a progression and build a lyrical idea off of it.

Once I have a general idea for a song, I experiment with meters and rhythm.  This is actually my favorite part.   I'll start in 4/4 and then switch to 3/4 or 6/8...just to see how it affects the overall sound.  My latest song, Blue Skies, starts in 5/4 for no other reason than to challenge myself. 

Once I agree on this (and usually it changes once or twice before I settle) I start figuring out the structure or form.  Most of my songs are on the long side, I've noticed...4-5 minutes long.  I've been trying to condense them lately as to not bore the audience, but wow...it's difficult.  Some of my songs follow a typical V, C, V, C, B/solo, C, C, form, but others may exclude a bridge...or may have three verses.  I can't say I always do that on purpose, but some of the songs are structured in a way to reflect the lyrics. 

Lyrics.  I tend to write the lyrics during each step of this process.  I definitely need to spend more time crafting them and I want to try my next song by writing my lyrics without a musical instrument nearby.  Just pen to paper.  I figure out the lyrics when I'm writing the song, but I think it can become too hand-in-hand with the music.  And don't get me wrong, there should be a relationship between them, but I think my lyrics should be able to stand on their own.  And typically they don't.  So that's a goal I have for my future songs.

At this point, I usually spend time tweaking things and playing through the song.  Then I start recording to hear how it sounds as an outsider and you know the rest from here!  (If you missed my post about how I record, check it out here.)

Thanks for reading! xo.

Behind: Dawn Will Break

So dove chocolate inspired this song.

Haha, no I'm completely serious.


I wrote "Dawn Will Break" last August after getting tired of writing on piano.  I've found that I can write songs fairly easily, but I have difficulty figuring out what to write a song about.  This bothers me because I don't really like starting a song without having a vision.  It's equatable to cooking.  I know what ingredients are agreeable and which ones will complement each other, but I don't know which ones I'm going to use until I have something in mind to make.  I'll touch a bit more on this for my next post, "Method of Writing"...

So I was having trouble feeling inspired emotionally when I decided to have some chocolate lying around.  Upon opening it up, I realized it had a little quote on the inside of the wrapper.

It read, "However long the night, the dawn will break." - African Proverb

I thought it would be a good basis for a song and voila!  "Dawn Will Break" came to be.  Just like the proverb, the song is about hope, reassurance, and perseverance.  It acts as a letter to someone close to me who had been struggling with the chaos of life.

So that's my song inspired by chocolate.  Thank you, Dove!  It's just acoustic guitar, violin, and vocals.  Fairly thin texture all around.  I haven't really thought about what other instrumentation I'd like to add quite yet, but I think that's far down the road.

Enjoy!  I'm currently sick at home so I'll be working on the next post shortly while I have the time.  Don't forget to keep posting questions for my upcoming video project.  Find out more details here.  Thanks to everyone who has already submitted one!

xo.



Dawn Will Break

Cast your fears aside and let them go
They're weighing you down
They're weighing you down

And open up your eyes and see the world
It's a beautiful place
Not as scary as it seems

Take my hand, come what may
I understand

Don't you worry baby
Can't you see?
The dawn will break, the dawn will break
Don't you worry baby
I'll be by your side
To see tomorrow's sunrise

I know you need some time for yourself
But just so you know
You don't have to face it alone

So I'll pray for a little rain
To flood these streets of yours and
Wash it all away


Take my hand, come what may
I understand

Don't you worry baby
Can't you see?
The dawn will break, the dawn will break
Don't you worry baby
I'll be by your side
To see tomorrow's sunrise

My Experience Covering 'King of Anything'

 

Ha!



Wow, this song was a lot harder than I expected it to be.  When I first attempted to play/sing at the same time, it was atrocious.  I wish that was an exaggeration.

I've been working on it for a week or so (and I guess that doesn't sound 'too' bad in the grand scheme of things, but it was frustrating nonetheless).  I didn't feel like purchasing music for it because A) I wanted to exercise my ear, B) I am cheap, and C) I am cheap.  So instead I sat down with some manuscript paper and a pencil and figured out the main gist of it...

Once I figured out the 'general' rhythm and chord changes, I scrapped the music and tried to work it out.  It's not exactly like the recording, but I'm okay with that; that wasn't really my goal.  After listening to the song over and over and over in my car, I realized there were a lot of layers I didn't hear the first hundred times I'd heard the song.  So I felt obligated to add them.  For example, there are horns at the beginning.  (?!?!?!?!?!)  I don't know how I didn't pick up on that.  I guess I wasn't actively listening...

I have learned to appreciate that about doing covers.  'That' being all the layers of tracks that comprise the general sound which get hidden in the initial texture we hear.  It's a good exercise for listening, fo' sho' (Don't judge me, I just spent the whole day doing this so I may be a little wacky).  There were harmonies for almost the entire song and I never would've guessed it before actively listening.  I also realized the "oohs" at the beginning were done in two separate tracks...so I followed suit!

In terms of my recording order:

-About 40 takes of the base keyboard/vocal track.  Haha, you think I'm kidding...
-Another lead vocal line because the vox were too quiet on the main one.  Since I couldn't increase the volume of the base track without increasing the piano to an annoying level, I just recorded on top of it.  That's why you hear some discrepancies in syllable changes.  Too impatient to fix those things...for now :)  I also added the little improv vocal lines on this track because I was too focused on playing keys to worry about it then.
-Vocal harmony line
-"Ohs" and "Ohs"
-Clapping!  I love to clap.  I actually recorded two separate tracks and copied another to make it sound more full.  My camera makes my clapping sound like nothing more than a weak snap.
-Violin (Beginning/choruses)
-Violin  - Sustained pre-chorus and bridge

In all, it turned out to be 11 tracks making it one of the heftier songs I've worked on...


Trying to line up the video clips to the final audio was a nightmare.  My next cover will probably be something simple and cutesy.  For my own sanity...

So that's my experience covering SB's 'King of Anything'.  It took 7-8 hours or so to record everything, edit, and export.  Sunday productivity?  Check.


If you haven't yet, please make sure you read the last post (click here) and submit a question for my next video!  It's going to be a surprise :)

And as always, thank you thank you thank you for reading!

xo.

Pick a Question, Any Question!

buy this here

CLASS PARTICIPATION.  Okay, I need you guys yet again.  But I think this will be more fun than stalking me.  I'm going to release a series of videos (covers, most likely) and I want you to be involved in some way.  Each video will be a little different and I'll address what I need you to do beforehand, but I'd LOVE to see as much participation as possible.  And if you'd like to extend this invitation to your own friends, please do so!

To ease our way into this "scary notion of class participation" (Can you tell that I was the kid in school who hated raising her hand?  I mean, c'mon...being wrong in your head is one thing.  Being wrong in a classroom of thirty kids waiting to make fun of you for just about anything...that's another.  I'll keep my hand down, thank you.)  I figured we could start with something easy, an ice-breaker if you will. 

What I need you to do:
I want you to ask me a question. What I'm going to do on my end is collect all these questions and respond to them in a video.  Don't worry - you're not going to have thirty kids laughing at you if you ask a silly question because you can remain anonymous if you choose to do so.  Blogger has that lovely option.  You don't need an account.

You can pose questions to me on any of the platforms, but the most convenient (and only way to remain anonymous)  will be on here by commenting below. 

Your questions can be related to my music, process of writing, etc., or they can be about my personal life (to an extent).  They can be about silly things like whether I prefer dogs over cats (I choose cats, btw).  Anything.  I just want to see how many people I can get involved. 

You can ask a question on any of my posts - I will get it.  It does not have to be on this specific post, so feel free to roam about my blog if you have a specific question regarding a song.

And again, I will release a video of me answering your questions and perhaps I'll sing you a song at the end of it.  Please take part in this, even if this is your first time checking out my blog.  I am really excited to do this and I hope you guys are too :)

Behind: Time

Thank you all for subscribing and liking and following!  :)  You all rock. 


So I went to a dubstep show last night.  My legs are so sore and my left ear is still ringing, but man...it was a lot of fun.  I love experiencing different genres of music and seeing how people react to them.  And it's also interesting to see what type of people are drawn to certain genres.  It makes me wonder who will be drawn to my music.  Probably not the dub-steppers, though.  I can't say furry hats and neon clothing come to mind when I'm writing my music.

 

Time.  Let me talk about the background first then I'll talk a bit about the song structure.  This song is essentially a letter to someone who passed away; a person whom I knew my entire life, but didn't really know.  It was one of those situations where you were granted time to say your farewells and make reconciliations.  It was also a situation where time was nothing more than grains of sand in an hourglass leaving you to think about all the things that should have been.  I guess it's difficult to really explain the song and exactly how it came to be, but ultimately it's about a relationship with somebody that should have been warm, kind, and loving...and instead it was poisoned by selfishness and resentment.  And in the end none of it mattered because time defeated us all.  Yay time!  Okay, that wasn't an appropriate time to cheer.  I know.

As far as my actual songwriting goes for this tune, I incorporated some more harmonics at the beginning.  I don't know - I really love harmonics.  I find them haunting.  There's just enough air in the tone.  The harmonies on this song are way too loud - sorry about that.  It actually took me a few videos to figure out how to adjust the volume on tracks.  I thought I was doing it, but really I was adjusting the playback volume, haha.  Whoops!  Clearly...I am an idiot.  

I didn't write a bridge for this song.  Mostly because I intentionally want it to feel somewhat unfinished.  I also chose to change the last chord to major, but slipped in a flat 7 for the harmonic so it would done, but blemished, if you will.  I think the voicing and instrumentation gives it more tension as well.  I use 7 chords all the time, but they never sound that "tense" so it must just be the contrast of instruments and range difference. 

I think I wrote this song as more of a therapeutic letter.  I can't say I really 'like' this song or see it becoming a favorite, but it helped me formulate my ideas and feelings; it forced me to stop harboring them.  

Anyhow, that is all for today!  Hopefully going to finish my King of Anything cover tomorrow so be on the lookout for a post either tomorrow night or Monday morning!  Now it's time to get my purple on.  GO RAVENS! :)

xo.  Happy weekend, friends. 

"Time"

Do you ever wonder

How you'll be remembered

Do you ever worry

That you missed everything

I should know you better than I do

I don't know is it shame on me

Or shame on you?

And now you're almost out of...

Time's the only thing that'll tell

Time's the only thing that'll help

Wouldn't you like to know

Wouldn't you like to let go

All these tragic pieces

Of a tainted memory

Such a sad story in your eyes

Are you proud of the things that you've done?

Do you really think that you've won?

And now you're almost out of...

Time's the only thing that'll tell

Time's the only thing that'll help

Wouldn't you like to know

Wouldn't you like to let go

Help! I Need Somebody!

I need all of you, actually...

I've only got a few minutes before I need to leave for work, but I wanted to do a quick post with all my links in case you want to stalk me on every platform possible.  (This is actually encouraged.  Give in to the temptation...you know you want to.)

One of the things I'm trying to achieve right now is to build some sort of following.  So thanks for coming back and reading my blog posts, listening to my songs, and interacting with me whether it be via Facebook or YouTube.  I appreciate all of it, really, and nothing goes unnoticed.  Every time I get another subscriber or 'like' on my music page it gives me extra energy and confidence to keep sticking with this.  What I'd like to see is more involvement from strangers...not that I don't love you all, because I do.  (Even you, doubtful reader) But getting support from my friends and family is one thing, getting support from people who don't necessarily know me but have stumbled across my music is a whole other step in this process.  So please help me out and spread the word!  Help me paint the world wide web town  :)

Stalk me on the following...


YouTube - NikiaSayreMusic

Twitter - @NikiaSayreMusic

Facebook - NikiaSayreMusic

SoundCloud - NikiaSayreMusic

ReverbNation - NikiaSayre

Myspace (Yes, Myspace) - NikiaSayre

Blogspot - NikiaSayreMusic




xo.

My Infatuation With Sara Bareilles

I have a list of women whom I admire.  Sara Bareilles is pretty up there.  There are so many reasons why, but I guess I first realized my love for her when I heard her second album, Kaleidoscope Heart.  (Listen to it on Spotify here)

Yes, 'Love Song' was great.  It was sassy and catchy and everybody sang it at the top of their lungs when it came on the radio.  (The first hundred times.)  But I think listening to her second album really hit home with me, probably because I felt like each song on that album was written for  me or about me.  My best friend, Ang, first told me about the album release and had me listen to a few songs from it.  Immediately I had to buy it and admittedly, I still listen to that album in full for weeks at a time.  In fact it's been playing non-stop in my car for the last week.

I mean, c'mon:
    All the colors
    Of the rainbow
    Hidden 'neath my skin

    Hearts have colors
    Don't we all know?
    Red runs through our veins

    Feel the fire burning up
    Inspire me with blood of
    Blue and green
 
    I have hope
    Inside is not a heart
    But a kaleidoscope


Sidenote: Just looked up youtube videos of her performing live and forgot about writing this post.  Two hours later...oops.  I actually stumbled across an online show she put on via stageit for Playing for Change.  Watched the whole show.  If you have an hour, you can watch it here  The thing I loved about it is that she made a few mistakes.  It was a nice reminder that my failed attempts to get through a song without messing up are okay.  

I guess you always claim the music that speaks to you.  It just happens that her music speaks to me and inspires me.  She also has an attitude towards life that I'd like to adopt.  She's not afraid to experience emotion, but she's developed a hard-enough shell that she can wage the war of life.  She's a bull-dog with a potty mouth who can sing and play everything.  That's how I perceive her.   

I'm going to go write a love song for Sara Bareilles now.  Just kidding.  I won't do that.  I'm not gonna write her a love song.

...see what I did there?  Har, har. 


Okay, in all seriousness...she is an inspiration.  I'm currently working on a cover of King of Anything which will hopefully be posted on the world wide web in the next week or two.   I've learned that playing syncopations on the keys and singing at the same time is mighty hard, but I'm hoping I'll get better at it from covering the song.  Or maybe my self-confidence will just implode.  Not sure yet.  I'll let you know when I find out  ;)

Here are two SB covers I've done in the past.  No stories behind them really.  Besides, they're not my stories to tell.  Which artists are inspiring you? 


Enjoy!

xo.

    Bluebird






    Beautiful Girl