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.

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