February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

izaakalexander (@izaakalexander)

progress: 12

joined: January 31 2011
location: Utah, USA
website: www.last.fm/music/Izaak+Alexander
influences: For my influences just look up what I have listened to on last.fm http://www.last.fm/user/izaakalexander

Bio

I am a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter living in Logan, Utah. I have yet to win a FAWM or 50/90 songwriting challenge. Perhaps my time has come.

I plan to write a song-cycle based on the Chinese zodiac. That should give me 12 songs and leave 2 and a half slots open for collaboration. We shall see.

POST FAWM:

Regretfully never got to the Pig, the Dog, or the Sheep... although I did sketch some ideas on paper. I had to move my studio to my new address and it got in the way of demo recording during the last week of FAWM. I might save the three songs for 50/90, or I might just record them anyhow and post 'em elsewhere. Oh so close, but still didn't cross the finish line, but we all win at FAWM nonetheless.

2012 Songs

1	In the Year of the Monkey	21 comments // 3 months ago
2	In the Year of the Tiger	14 comments // 3 months ago
3	Farewell to River Street	14 comments // 3 months ago
4	Drought (In the Year of the Rooster)	9 comments // 3 months ago
5	Olive Oil And Worcestershire	19 comments // 3 months ago
6	In the Year of the Horse	7 comments // 3 months ago
7	In the Year of the Rabbit	7 comments // 3 months ago
8	In the Year of the Ox	5 comments // 3 months ago
9	In the Year of the Snake	6 comments // 3 months ago
10	When the Kid Comes Home	8 comments // 3 months ago
11	In the Year of the Rat	1 comment // 2 months ago
12	In the Year of the Dragon	6 comments // 2 months ago

Soundboard

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susyblue 2 months ago

Good! Will definitely give 50/90 a try, sounds hugely intense.... i didn't even rise to the 14.5 song challenge so i don't know about 90....But i already miss fawm so why not!
susyblue 2 months ago

Well done on getting through the zodiac!! Am gonna make sure i hear all your songs. You should check out an australian singer songwriter called Grand Salvo - simply beautiful lyricist and singer who has a lot of orchestral/chamber music instruments.. i think you would like him
brownium 2 months ago

Really enjoy what you've done. Quite an ambitious undertaking. Also appreciate your comments on my songs, particularly "Crescent Moon" (*29704). I will definitely take your advice regarding the aabc instead of aaab form.
timfatchen 2 months ago

ALmost there!
kenjku 2 months ago

Thanks for your comment on Crazy Winter Rest! I appreciate your feedback. Yeah...I'm sure I'll be working on that song in the future figuring out a stronger and perfect melody.
johncrossman 3 months ago

Hey hey, I finally finished my #morph2 chain song and you're up next!
From this chain: http://fawm.org/forums/thread/2721

And here's my contribution: *2786

Have fun!
capriciousangel 3 months ago

Pretty epic stuff - looking forward to hearing the rest of the years! Apparently i'm a dog, so curious to see what you'll do with that
robs 3 months ago

That's a great idea for a song-cycle. I googled my sign, and apparently I am a pig (nice). Now I'm curious to hear the pig song!
kanedulaney 3 months ago

Hey dude, the song is up if you want to give a listen.
johnthomasmumm 3 months ago

Thanks for the comments. I'm using these recordings as scratch tracks for future arrangements, so I'm leaving out anything beyond the chord progressions and vocals. And it's actually an acoustic guitar, though I do often use harpsichords so I don't mind if it comes off that way!
chipwithrow 3 months ago

Thanks for the comment on the a capella song. First, I wrote the lyrics to a tune in my head. Then I found a key to sing it in by strumming my guitar (it's roughly in A). But I didn't play guitar while singing - I wanted to be as authentically a capella as possible.
Recorded bass vocal first, then the backing vocal, then lead. Since FAWM '10, I've tried to do an a capella number each FAWM and 50/90.
Now I'm going to go listen to a few of your songs.
artslut 3 months ago

Hey thanks for the comments. I agree, bigger chorus! Needs a bit of other work too, but its a start. Thanks again for listening.
downburst 3 months ago

Just saw your note about tessitura... yeah, it's interesting. I was listening a bit to Shriekback lately, and they often sing in a high (maybe falsetto) register, and I really like that sound. But it's really challenging to sing and not have it turn into either a shriek/squeal or go falsetto and lose all the oomph. But it's fun to explore all those unusual corners of my voice, even if I cringe at the results. I'll have to go through your songs and listen to the vocals.
downburst 3 months ago

Thanks! Now I can complete my 5090 collection.
downburst 3 months ago

Izaak--your last.fm link is broken, and so is your 5090 link to the exquisite corpse. Fix this immediately!

Seriously: somehow I never managed to get a copy of the exquisite corpse. Do you have one lying around I could grab? Thanks.

Edit: whoops, your last.fm link link is good--it's the text version below that's broken. Somehow I am so blind I only saw the broken version.
$Hannah O\'Reilly - hannahoreilly$ hannahoreilly 3 months ago

thanks for the comments, doll! lucky for me, even before years of training, that 'cool voice break thing' already came naturally will come back and give your choons a listen later this week xxxh
izaakalexander 3 months ago

@timfatchen The year of IzaakWinningFawm! (The year of the Dragon, actually, if all goes according to plan)
timfatchen 3 months ago

You should finish with In the Year of IzaakWinningFawm
jessem131 3 months ago

Hi Izaak, up for another ska collab by any chance? It's a much better song this time, I think, and it actually has words to go along with it this time. I wrote a simple horn line but you could change it if you have a better one.
fuzzy 3 months ago

I admire your dedication to a theme; I don't have the discipline for that. I just watchlisted you!
Thanx for the song comments!
susyblue 3 months ago

well i do believe you are on MY watch list! Loving your zodiac theme, great ideaN n olive oil etc etc is brilliant... the doowop accompaniment is pure gold, and the lyrics, and basically the whole song
frenchcricket 3 months ago

Dude thanks for your really detailed and intelligent critique - I feel bad for my couple of lines now... But I'm watching you with interest, I think your Zodiac suite is fantastic
jnatiw 3 months ago

Hey Izaak. Sure, we could start a thread if you like. In the meantime, here's some info that may be helpful. This is only for the mandolin recording I posted the other day. Signal chain: Rode K2 mic -- PreSonus BlueTube Preamp -- Digidesigns 003 interface -- ProTools 8.

The K2 is set to cardiod and placed about 12 inches from the mandolin (sort of pointing toward the bottom f-hole). The preamp tube is set to about 50% and the gain is set very low.

For EQ, I'm running two. One is just to get rid of any hissing or humming I'm getting from the room. The other is for the mando. For starters, I run a 12db/oct high pass filter set at around 90Hz. Then a slight bump at 184Hz and one at 1.35kHz and a little air at 6Hz or so.

Compression is pretty simple - soft knee 3.5:1 ratio. Attack and release are 1.8 and 210ms. I usually set the threshold so it just barely kicking in on louder passages then set the makeup gain to achieve an output of -6 to -12db. Hope some of this is helpful!
autoclamp 3 months ago

Paging Auntie Sin chain 2. You're up! *22961
jnatiw 3 months ago

Thanks, Izaak. Much appreciated. I've come across some methods that usually get a pretty fair take (sonically) with the mando. Be happy to compare notes if you feel it might be helpful to you.

I'm not sure if it's aeolian mode or not. I'd have to think on it a sec to figure it out. The "accuracy" in playing is, I'm sure, partially a result of having a decent instrument and many, many hours of practice (fiddle tunes, especially).

The little idea at the end was just my way of trying to turn it into a proper song for FAWM. I needed something to get off that zero!

Best for FAWM 2012! See you around.
paulotteson 3 months ago

Thanks for the thoughtful and kind comments. The final stanza in "Flight.." acts more as a refrain and therefore has a different rhythm/rhyming scheme than the verses. I did consider changing the final two lines on the second one to add some finality, but it got too late.. Cheers!
bigbluemusic 3 months ago

Nice to see somebody who's also lived in Idaho. I actually don't live too far from Five Mile and Victory. That's crazy. I enjoyed your first song as well, and I really like the concept you're working on. I'm doing something kind of similar. Anyway, good luck on the album. You've already gotten off to a fantastic start.
brzan 3 months ago

Thanks for the kind feedback Izaak! Good ear on you - Munich is in Open G tuning for both guitars. I loved the drone it gave me. Looking forward to hearing your music.
kiwafruit 3 months ago

Hi there,
Good luck to you too! I'm really looking forward to hearing your unique creations
jacindae 3 months ago

Hey, I read in the "unusual instruments" thread that you play clarinet so I've come by and followed you because I really think the world needs more clarinets.
artslut 3 months ago

Hi Izaak, thanks for the message. I have at least one recording too when my guy bursts into the room at the end of a recording. All the best to you.
musicsongwriter 3 months ago

Hi Izaak, glad to see you back
expendablefriend 3 months ago

Hi Izaak! Glad to see you back again. I reckon this is your year!!
paulotteson 4 months ago

Thanks izaak! Looking forward to your tunes too!
rahkoi 4 months ago

Hey hey, good to see you and cheers! Best of luck to you as well!
heyzach 4 months ago

Hi Izaak. I remember you from 50/90 and look forward to hearing what your creativity brings this February. Good luck!
sherrycanary 4 months ago

Hi....you were on my watchlist from last year...so I'll be watching you!
thetau 4 months ago

Yep! 775 that me, just outside of Vegas, in a town called Pahrump - Home of Art Bell and Coast to Coast
I'm sure that, no matter the # of songs you got in FAWM, they will all be excellent.
tomslatter 4 months ago

Hi Izaak, good to see you here - looking forward to hearing your new songs!
oddbod 4 months ago

and a very good day to you sir
orinoco 4 months ago

Thanks Izaak and good to see you here. You WILL win. If it looks like you won't, I'll just tag you in a load of songs as a collaborator