February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

Paul Piper (@degausser)

progress: 17

winner!
joined: February 1 2011
location: South Yorkshire, UK
influences: Leonard Cohen, Bon Iver, Brand New, Bright Eyes, Jack Penate, Tom McRae, Passenger, Sun Kil Moon, Elliot Smith, Joanna Newsom, Damien Rice, Tallest Man On Earth

Bio

Ok, so this is my second FAWM. Last year was great but am looking to step it up this year in terms of quality. I am going to go for a very organic sound which will probably just involve my vocals and acoustic guitar and maybe the odd guest vocal or stringed instrument.

2012 Songs

1	Waltz Through	7 comments // 3 months ago
2	I'll Come Back	9 comments // 3 months ago
3	Houses We Used To Live In	10 comments // 3 months ago
4	The Colour Of Your Heart	8 comments // 3 months ago
5	Country Dreams	11 comments // 3 months ago
6	I Remember (with arthurrossi)	8 comments // 3 months ago
7	Fireworks	5 comments // 3 months ago
8	Keep A Good Man Down	6 comments // 3 months ago
9	Freedom Let Me Down (In Camden Town)	6 comments // 3 months ago
10	Live With No Regrets	5 comments // 2 months ago
11	When You Bury Me, Will You Bury Me Deep?	6 comments // 2 months ago
12	Sink and Swim	6 comments // 2 months ago
13	Old Reasons	7 comments // 2 months ago
14	Breathe Black Water	3 comments // 2 months ago
15	A Star To Keep	3 comments // 2 months ago
16	Too Late Love Song	5 comments // 2 months ago
17	Waltz Through	1 comment // 2 months ago

Soundboard

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adforperu 2 months ago

Thanks again man! There's a touch of reverb on the guitar but not a lot else? Might be recording too near to the mic, not sure..
adforperu 2 months ago

Well, the strings and beats are sampled, but I played them, if that makes sense...
adforperu 2 months ago

Thanks for the kind words man..! Re: Kero Vee, which sample do you mean? None of it's a sample! hehe
sondresae 2 months ago

Hi, and thanks for the comment! Regarding that "droning" note in Old Reasons, I mean that there's a note that sounds like it hangs on for the entire verse, and maybe chorus too. But I like that! Really nice songs you have here.
rbarreda 2 months ago

Hey Paul.... thanks for the feedback on my song "never ending". Really appreciate it. Wow... 11 songs done. You're doing great this year.
kandersonmusic 2 months ago

nah, I meant that I find it hard to sing along to a pre-recorded track.. like, I sing better when i'm playing at the same time...

I am seriously falling behind in this songwriting challenge. I'm getting too caught up in arranging and setting things out. I need to pull my socks up and bash 6 or 7 out this weekend. Eeek.
joshchristie 2 months ago

Hi, Thanks for your comment on #28047. You asked about the percussion - well I used 3 recordings, 2 were guitar (one with high sensitivity on the mic, and the other with low) and the other was using my desk (and a mug and pen on the desk).

I think I might try and create at least one more song with alternative percussion!
bqxp 2 months ago

Thanks for your comment on *28064...yeah, the backing track is stretching it...didn't put it together in the way I truly wanted to. Thanks for taking the time to check it out!
adforperu 2 months ago

\m/
adforperu 2 months ago

Also I have 7 songs + 3 collaborations completed (my side), so technically we're drawing
adforperu 2 months ago

Yeah I meant on EQ... maybe that's where the problem lies, though it's only slight. I'm still very much learning but I find that peaking the EQ and finding where it sounds AWFUL, then dropping it a bit (learnt from watching Dave at 2fly hehe). Compression I still don't really get... I know what it does, and not how to do it with presets (badly) but don't really get it otherwise. Like..compressing a kick drum, why?! I don't understand By hot I meant too loud - i.e. did it clip? If you sang and played, then maybe it's the room reverb that makes it sound pretty "boomy"... who knows! Still sounds good, just got my mixing head on this month hehe
adforperu 2 months ago

Just seemed to be some low end muddiness, did you cut off the low frequencies on everything? I think that's it anyway, it's mainly coming from the acoustic I think... was the acoustic recorded too hot perhaps?
cbwhitebu 2 months ago

Paul, thanks for the comment on my zong.

I am enjoying your dark songwrting (shotguns! ouch!).

Chris
roydesmet 2 months ago

No, I didn't think it was negatively meant.
I'm gladly willing to explain my songs to people. That means they really listened to it.

Could I ask for your honest opinion on that song? 'Woman'.
I really like it myself. I think it might be one of the best songs I've written.
roydesmet 2 months ago

Hey man, thanks for your quick comment to my song 'Woman'.
You were asking what it was about. I didn't think it was that 'confusing', but if you do think so, might you be able to explain why you thought it was so?
So that I can try to avoid it in the future.

What the song is about; it's about a husband and wife who have estranged from each other.
robs 2 months ago

You write strong lyrics, and your melodies are great as well!
tinam 2 months ago

we are in wickford!
tinam 3 months ago

thats for the comments what part of essex were you from then?
thenypdchoir 3 months ago

Cheers for the comment dude. It had woahs at the end originally but realised it was the same as the other one! Lol. I need to get cracking to catch up with u lot!
arthurrossi 3 months ago

Thank you once again for this really so lovely song and for your kind comment, too! Please, feel free to come back on me whenever you like... I also wish you another successful and prolific remaining 18 days of FAWMing!!!
ange 3 months ago

Thanks for your nice comments on 'Giant man'. Glad you liked it
arthurrossi 3 months ago

Thank you for your wonderful words, you are really too kind! And, of course, thank you sooooooo much for this great song! What a wonderful melody! I love the musical contrast between the verses - which are more slowly and melancholic - and the choruses - which are more energetic, like a flashback coming up again and again... So great choice concerning this! I love the result, thank you once again for this fabulous collab!
jessicagraae 3 months ago

Thanks for your comments on my guitar playing. I like the darkness of "I'll Come Back" and "Country Dreams".
lonelyrobot 3 months ago

Wow, thanks for the awesomely kind comments Yeah, I'm half-scottish, quite surprised people can pick up on that actually but I like it all the same! Thanks again!
riwsky 3 months ago

thanks for pointing out that *24385 didn't play! it should be fixed now.
deadwifescenario 3 months ago

Jesus H Christ, you BANGIN' them out!!!! Will have a listen to them all now...Was likin' ' I'll come back' alot t'other when had a quick listen!!
simonwaldram 3 months ago

Thank you for the kind song comment.
arthurrossi 3 months ago

Hey! Thank you very much for your nice comment, I have been very happy when I read it! I would feel honored if you gave it a try!
thenypdchoir 3 months ago

Cheers for the comment dude! Just realised I bounced it with the second guitar muted! Lol, I'll fix it if I get time. Thanks again! Gonna listen to ur latest on the way to work!
roysmith 3 months ago

Thanks for the comment on 'no shame on your head' love that guitar, but it's a sight to see, 12 quid at a boot-fair a fair few years back. Its had the top of the neck snapped off and glued back on and part of the body is held down with tape. Plus those strings have been on there for at least 2years...still it prob my favourite guitar
websheldon 3 months ago

tell me about it!! been out and about all weekend in Istanbul but I had today to myself so finished off the first one! yaaay!
susyblue 3 months ago

Thank-you! Also I love Joanna Newsom's music so that's a big compliment
thenypdchoir 3 months ago

Liking the tunes dude! having a bit of trouble recording without crackle on the phone but ill whack one up soon, better get a move on really!
francesriley 3 months ago

Hey, thanks for your comment on The Moment That's Left - it's funny about that noise, actually - when I converted the file from .aup to .mp3, it showed up, and I haven't been able to get rid of it. Something for March when I have more time.
kandersonmusic 3 months ago

Thank you again for your lovely comments. I am the type of writer who edits and re-edits his lyrics ad infinitum, so it scares me to thrust them out into the world without having lived with them for a month or two first.... Also, I usually write one song every 3 months, so this is really testing me!
adforperu 3 months ago

Main guitar track doubled, and panned hard left and right
fourzeroes 3 months ago

Oh I see. Sorry, I misread. I've got a gig in Sheffield in a couple of weeks, which you might be interested in if you like the idea of my songwriting ideas and guitar playing being paired with the talents of a genius girl with a beautiful voice #inpromotingmode
kandersonmusic 3 months ago

Thanks for your lovely comment. To be honest, I have no idea how I made the vocals sound the way that they do. Everything is accidental at the moment.... I DO know that I made it 'dry', and I made the room setting 'small'.... If that means anything to you and is help in any way?

I agree with the comment about making the middle 8 angrier too, so I'll try and get my grr on and give it a bash.
fourzeroes 3 months ago

sorry, what?
thenypdchoir 3 months ago

ahoy! yeah ive got that 4 track thing froma while ago, seems to work ok so lets see!
websheldon 3 months ago

YO GEEEEEZ! Can't wait to get started!!! Do you know the last time I wrote a song and finished it was last SUMMER!! Shocking behaviour!!!
adforperu 4 months ago

Geeeeeeeeeeez