Sat, 30 May 2020 04:01:43 +0200 60 https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/set/rpmay/ contact@hearthis.at en-EN https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/set/rpmay/ https://img.hearthis.at/o/c/3/_/uploads/22365/image_user/w1400_h1400_q70_ptrue_v2_----cropped_75edacec57c7cebd106dab487d8596761554302639021d61bee3co.jpg no 4771380 Sat, 23 May 2020 02:17:41 +0200 2020-05-23T02:17:41+02:00
Rhythm guitars are my Les Paul into a Klon KTR overdrive pedal into a Fender Bassbreaker 15. The leads are my ES-335 Pro into a RYRA The Klone overdrive pedal into the Bassbreaker 15. There’s a whole story to explain why I used the 335 but I’m saving that for a blog post. I might link it here later (see below).

Chorus
We’re in this together
If it takes forever
We’re in this together
If it takes forever
its for our friends and neighbors
we make this sacrifice

Verse 1
We take this hit for each other
its for our sisters and brothers
We take this hit for each other
its for our sisters and brothers
together we can make it work
we do this for one another

Bridge
If its to much for you
Don’t think you can get through
If its to much for you
Don’t think you can get through
Don’t care, Don’t care
if you think this is true

Verse 2
Its like we’re called in to service
although it makes us all nervous
Its like we’re called in to service
although it makes us all nervous
so maybe if we do this right
we might get out of this circus

https://robertjames1971.blog/2020/05/22/out-of-retirement/]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/were-in-this-together/ 0 47 2937efa912cfcd99209e6fab090e5921.mp3 mp3 https://stream52.hearthis.at/2937efa912cfcd99209e6fab090e5921.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/were-in-this-together/ 350 4759821 Thu, 21 May 2020 02:20:30 +0200 2020-05-21T02:20:30+02:00
The guitars are all Les Paul.

Chorus
No sun, no sun light
No sun, no sun shine
Inside, stay inside
till the, end of time

Verse 1
No sun rise
No sun shine
No light for you
the darkness
consuming
all things you do

Verse 2
The darkness
is total
its lights out time
the absense
of sunlight
is just a crime

Break
darkness
no sun
absense
of light
I’m giving up

on everything
darkness
no sun]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/no-sun/ 0 28 4c7c7540dc5326a66c07a47261b645b3.mp3 mp3 https://stream80.hearthis.at/4c7c7540dc5326a66c07a47261b645b3.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/no-sun/ 157 4759750 Thu, 21 May 2020 01:27:18 +0200 2020-05-21T01:27:18+02:00
I did the RPM Challenge in February.
In March I did another one… just because.
In April I did the COVID-19 RPM Challenge Bonus edition.
In May I am doing another one… just because.

The music here is a gimmick. With the exception of the two little short bridges, all of the sections are the same just in different keys.

The rhythm guitars are a Gibson Les Paul to Klon KTR to the Fender Bassbreaker 15. The leads are the same Les Paul to the same KTR to a Fulltone OCD to a Mooer (I think) Yellowfall delay for a little slapback, to a TC Electronic Hall of Fame Mini to the same Fender Bassbreaker 15. I really need to stop listing all of this stuff.

Chorus
the trick to making it through
is not to care
won’t matter what else you do
you’re just not there

Verse 1
I give up
I give up
No way out
no way out

Verse 2
time has come
time has come
No fight left
No fight left

Verse 3
I give up
I give up
No fight left
No fight left]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/i-give-up/ 0 49 ad4f1e398caa43c6980b8d16ca25a171.mp3 mp3 https://stream46.hearthis.at/ad4f1e398caa43c6980b8d16ca25a171.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/i-give-up/ 187 4775959 Sat, 23 May 2020 21:03:59 +0200 2020-05-23T21:03:59+02:00
Lyrically… I think this COVID-19 lock down shit might be getting to me.

All the guitars are a Les Paul into a Fender Bassbreaker 15 amp. The rhythm guitar also used a RYRA The Klone. The leads used a KTR, a uni-vibe, and a Hall of Fame mini.

Chorus
Somedays I just want to dig a hole and crawl in
bury myself
bury myself
somedays I just want to climb a mountain and then
throw myself off
throw myself off

Verses
the trouble with me
what could it all be
I’m trying to see
if this is the key
something
nothing
maybe
the trouble with me
I wish I could see]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/bury-myself/ 0 49 ae011193168612df12473369147d7d86.mp3 mp3 https://stream39.hearthis.at/ae011193168612df12473369147d7d86.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/bury-myself/ 196 4781088 Sun, 24 May 2020 21:07:08 +0200 2020-05-24T21:07:08+02:00
The guitars are all Gibson Les Paul into a Fender Bassbreaker 15 amp. The rhythm only used a RYRA The Klone overdrive pedal. The lead had a Klon KTR, a Fulltone OCD, a cheap little delay whose name I forget, and a TC Hall of Fame mini reverb.

A
And I see you
where you should be
color me blue
Show me how to get through

B
I could tell you something
you don’t know
you could possibly bring
the get go

C
I see you
you see me
we’re together now
I know who
we each need
we’re together now]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/blue/ 0 81 e6623621bad173424bcfff37cea5ed8b.mp3 mp3 https://stream46.hearthis.at/e6623621bad173424bcfff37cea5ed8b.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/blue/ 196 4777132 Sun, 24 May 2020 00:24:18 +0200 2020-05-24T00:24:18+02:00
A couple of things here. First, I don’t really know what I was going for. Quiet, slow, boring? Probably not boring, but there you go. The cool thing happens in the last 8-12 bars or so. First, last month I finally noticed the little reverse playback function in GarageBand audio tracks. Have I been over using it since then? Yeah, a little, but this is different.

The whole song has two rhythm guitars, one panned hard left and one panned hard right. Under the solo that closes things out, I took those two tracks and reversed them. Just for the eight bar phrase. I then added a third guitar track where I played along with the backwards tracks. It was tricky to do because everything fell on the wrong beats and it got confusing quickly. Fortunately, the part I had playing backward was insanely easy so it wasn’t too bad to figure out.

Once I had a track where the changes lined up with my reversed tracks, I re-reversed the two guitar tracks so that they played forward again, and then I reversed the third track and blamm-o, you have a groovy effect. I then panned that backwards track back and forth for the whole eight bars, and added an extra little bit at the end where I played one Eminor chord that rung out for a couple of bars and then reversed that too.

The guitars are all Les Paul, the amps are all Bassbreaker 15. The rhythm parts used a RYRA The Klone. The lead used a Phase 90, a KTR, and a Hall of Fame mini.

Chorus
Its all for nothing
Its all for nothing
Its all for nothing
it feels bad
it feels wrong
Its all for nothing

Verse 1
reassure me
Not too sure
so osbcure this
given
one chance
close the door

Verse 2
picture me here
do you see
you could be there
rephrase
always
living free]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/all-for-nothing/ 0 81 8098b5b68d69c7bac8d75a36173e3eb3.mp3 mp3 https://stream80.hearthis.at/8098b5b68d69c7bac8d75a36173e3eb3.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/all-for-nothing/ 243 4782029 Mon, 25 May 2020 03:31:04 +0200 2020-05-25T03:31:04+02:00
The rhythm guitars are a Les Paul into a RYRA The Klone pedal into a Fender Bassbreaker 15. The leads are an ES 335 into a KTR into an OCD into the Bassbreaker. While mixing this I was shocked that I let lead takes as awful as these get through the QC process. Damn this are sloppy and bad.

Chorus
So far so good
So long child hood

Verse 1
I’ll let you know
When you can go
It’s moving slow
Take your sweet time

It comes around
It could be found
It’s gone to ground
This is mine

Verse 2 and 3
No giving in
Can’t let it win
It is a sin
See it my way

I’ll tell you how
The time is now
A sacred vow
Come what may]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/so-long-childhood/ 0 40 ff22584c8460930ee95efd5543152f82.mp3 mp3 https://stream46.hearthis.at/ff22584c8460930ee95efd5543152f82.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/so-long-childhood/ 181 4784914 Mon, 25 May 2020 18:39:26 +0200 2020-05-25T18:39:26+02:00
The second half was just supposed to be a break in the middle but when I moved it to the end it sort of felt right. I know I am overusing the reverse function in GarageBand but I couldn’t not put a reverse echo on this thing somewhere… so I way over did it and ended up with like a minute and a half of reverse echo. It’s glorious!

w w w WAY DOWN INSIDE
w w w WOMAN
y y y YOU NEED
l l l LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE

Sorry, I can’t help it.

Rhythm for the main song is Les Paul -> Tri Pi 70 -> KTR -> Bassbreaker 15.

Rhythm for the outro is Les Paul -> Uni Vibe -> KTR -> Yellow Fall (for slap back) -> Bassbreaker 15.

Lead is ES 335 -> KTR -> OCD -> Bassbreaker 15

Verse A1
I’m taking
what I want
No questions
No detente

Verse B1
Looking out for yourself
out for yourself

Chorus
Me, myself
I will do
what I want
hell with you

Me, myself
I alone
get it all
my own

Verse A2
My comfort
My privilege
My summer
You dying

Verse B2
Your life is in my way
it’s in my way]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/me-myself-and-i/ 0 49 8d9896a9f139becf0aa579712e5c0186.mp3 mp3 https://stream48.hearthis.at/8d9896a9f139becf0aa579712e5c0186.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at Tri Pi 70 -> KTR -> Bassbreaker 15. Rhythm for the outro is Les Paul -> Uni Vibe -> KTR -> Yellow Fall (for slap back) -> Bassbreaker 15. Lead is ES 335 -> KTR -> OCD -> Bassbreaker 15 Verse A1 I’m taking what I want No questions No detente Verse B1 Looking out for yourself out for yourself Chorus Me, myself I will do what I want hell with you Me, myself I alone get it all my own Verse A2 My comfort My privilege My summer You dying Verse B2 Your life is in my way it’s in my way]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/me-myself-and-i/ 231 4799895 Fri, 29 May 2020 02:16:38 +0200 2020-05-29T02:16:38+02:00
The drones run the entire length of the song. It’s three guitars with tons and tons of reverb and some delay and some rotary speaker for luck. I turned the volume on the guitar all the way down, hit a low E, swelled the volume up quickly, and held the note until it started to fade. Then I lowered the volume and repeated… for the whole song. Once I had that track, I did it twice more, making sure I didn’t drop the volume down at the same spot on any of the three tracks. Boom. 6+ minute fake drone thing.

Why? I honestly can’t say. It seemed like a good idea at 1:00 in the morning when I wrote the song. What can ya do, right?

Rhythm guitar is Les Paul to KTR to Bassbreaker 15. The drone is the same with a Tri Pi ’70 (Big Muff Pi clone) in front of the KTR. Lead is 335 to KTR to Bassbreaker 15 with the bright switch on. While I was recording, the bright switch was like a revelation. While mixing… not so much.

Verse 1
If I can get through today
Find a way
Come what may
If I can do it again
So what then
Just say when

Verse 2
Never set out to the world
Take my word
For a whirl
Give me one kick at the can
Take the land
Like a man

Chorus
Things are crazy
Nothing doing
Thinking maybe
Too confusing
Take it lightly
It will beat you
Speak concisely
Total break through]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/too-confusing/ 0 49 b3fe02adb6ffe9e0689e8de2932217ad.mp3 mp3 https://stream39.hearthis.at/b3fe02adb6ffe9e0689e8de2932217ad.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/too-confusing/ 377 4803588 Sat, 30 May 2020 00:50:38 +0200 2020-05-30T00:50:38+02:00
This one was supposed to take a little noddle that I do on the guitar all the time (I hit an open string and play scale patterns on the adjacent string) and it sort of worked. In the March and April projects I restricted myself to one guitar, one amp, and one pedal. This month I took those restrictions away and still generally only used a couple of pedals. I forced myself to use fuzz on the rhythm guitars here just because I could and wouldn’t you know it, buried in the mix. I had to crank them pretty hard to get them to cut through a little.

Lyrically this song is a fuck you to all the american fascists who think wearing a mask during a global pandemic is somehow infringing on their Constitutional rights. The Supreme Court says it isn’t, and I think they know better than some nazi wannabee you found on youtube. Fuck you. Wear a mask.

Rhythm guitar is Les Paul to Tri Pi 70 to KTR to Bassbreaker 15. Lead is ES 335 to KTR to Bassbreaker 15.

Chorus
you act like the people you’re talking about can’t even hear you
Yes, they can hear you
you act like the people you’re going to kill can’t even hear you
Yes, they can hear you
(the last time through should be:
Yes, we can hear you)

Verse 1 and 3
I see your face
I hear your voice
its what you do
you make your choice

Its what you say
it is your view
its not your life
I know its you

I know you

Verse 2
it is the way
that you deny
an other’s life
you’d let them die

it is the way
that you ignore
the simple truth
that you are wrong

I know you]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/i-know-you/ 0 49 b1707471a1ea1d1e067f02b442c11e20.mp3 mp3 https://stream48.hearthis.at/b1707471a1ea1d1e067f02b442c11e20.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/i-know-you/ 283 4803902 Sat, 30 May 2020 04:01:43 +0200 2020-05-30T04:01:43+02:00
The lyrics are another fuck you, wear a mask. There’s a global pandemic, stop being a selfish prick. I feel kinda strongly about this… you assholes.

This is actually the 11th song in a 10 song project. Why? I don’t know, I just felt like it. It’s actually the 12th song, but song #9 never got past the noodling on my iPad stage.

Rhythm guitar is Les Paul to KTR to Bassbreaker 15. Lead is ES 335 to KTR to Bassbreaker 15.

Chorus
Comes a time
when you find
its the end

Comes a time
when you find
you’re condemed

Verse 1
it’s simple to say
its my way
its harder to act
the right way

but given the chance
to not stray
they take up the stance
its my way

Verse 2
There’s no turning back
from chaos
you’ve missed your last chance
betrayed us

You could do it right
and stand tall
you could be the light
but you fall]]> https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/condemned/ 0 81 790ae8271da3a12e9f8099e4490f3a86.mp3 mp3 https://stream46.hearthis.at/790ae8271da3a12e9f8099e4490f3a86.mp3 no contact@hearthis.at https://hearthis.at/roberjames1971/condemned/ 319