Artist Bio
Influences: Walking in my shoes. Events that seem to have shaped my life choices. I have had a lot of isolation during the last year, looking through photographs, and identifying some of the pivotal moments in my life choices.
This is my first FAWM.I have been learning to play an instrument for the past 5 years, and started songwriting almost a year ago. Joined a seniors jam at the local community center. i have a few songs on YouTube, Linda Mielke Retired and Liking It (along with quilting videos).
Inspired by @ductapeguy and @moonraccoon and @crutherford, here is my FAWM Cover 2021.
Songs (24)
| #1 | Me and Sylvia |
18 4 weeks |
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| #2 | My Country Roads |
12 4 weeks |
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| #3 | Bend In The Road |
11 4 weeks |
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| #4 | Moss and Lichens |
6 3 weeks |
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| #5 | My Sister's Getting Married |
9 3 weeks |
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| #6 | Snow: A Little Cabin in The Woods |
19 3 weeks |
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| #7 | Just Stop Dreaming |
6 3 weeks |
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| #8 | Beat The Drum |
10 3 weeks |
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| #9 | Four Pauls |
8 2 weeks |
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| #10 | Yeah, Yeah, Yeah #fakeit |
8 2 weeks |
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| #11 | Party Pieces |
8 2 weeks |
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| #12 | Saturday Night Covid Style |
11 2 weeks |
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| #13 | The Longest Hockey Game |
6 2 weeks |
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| #14 |  Blue Heaven |
9 2 weeks |
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| #15 | Ode to A Canadian Icon |
12 2 weeks |
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| #16 | Black Ice On The Road |
12 1 week |
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| #17 | My Addiction |
7 1 week |
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| #18 | Finally |
10 1 week |
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| #19 | Expletives |
12 1 week |
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| #20 | It's All Relatives |
6 6 days |
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| #21 | Uncle Bill |
8 5 days |
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| #22 | Daydreaming |
8 5 days |
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| #23 | Sunday Morning |
6 4 days |
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| #24 | My Last FAWM Song |
8 4 days |
Soundboard
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@kathym 14 hours
Thank you for your thoughtful comments on "Come Play With Me". It wasn't an easy song to write and not easy for a lot of people to comment on, so your thoughts mean a lot to me. I will be reviewing them all as I revisit the song and develop it further. I truly appreciate your time and support, Linda!
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@kathym 14 hours
I'm finally catching up on all of the overdue thank you notes for having stopped to consider my song Sweet Louise. I take all comments to heart and truly appreciate everyone's comments. All the love.
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@sheilerk 16 hours
Thank you for your comments 😊 and a late welcome to fawm and congratulations on making it a super successful one! I really like your FAWM cover. It says so much in one image.
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@kenmattsson 1 day
@mandolinda, I just found a video tutorial on YouTube for the "Super Beginner" meaning you don't know anything, and I found it really helpful. I think I can now start using GarageBand without being overwhelmed. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpOfou3K-L8&list=PLDXFisUKXpvFo...
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@sapient 2 days
Hi - thanks so much for visiting! Alas, no bluegrass. I love listening to it but have NO idea how to write like that... 😞
But my output isn't all shouty metal (and even when it is I'm not a Satan and body parts kinda guy... more mythology and astrophysics).
"There's a Storm Coming" is me being a cowboy, and my collabs with Gordon, "Antares", "the Quest For Heavenly Truth" and "Seven Minutes of Terror" are all super-slow songs about space. Hopefully there's something in there for you? 😀 -
@richaaaay 2 days
Wow, congrats on being a great grandmother. We should all be so lucky...Hard to imagine you've only been at this for five years. You are a quick study...
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@ferry0123 2 days
Hey Linda, thanks for stopping by even though are styles differ so much! Doesn't matter. I can understand how my songs might come across. And it made me visit your songs too, which was quite pleasing, actually.
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@richaaaay 2 days
Hi...I’m game for some tit4tat. You thinking four songs? May I suggest Marco? be one of them.
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@tawalker 4 days
Many thanks for all your kind comments this FAWM - much appreciated! You've been one of my favourite "discoveries" this time around: as you know, I love the mandolin, and it's not all that common to find a singer-songwriter who "majors" on it, so that's a 'plus'. I also really like your lyrics - witty, quirky, keenly-observed and often poignant - and in general, I hope to hear a lot more from you 😀 Sorry I haven't commented on more of your songs so far (I've had a whirlwind month, in and out of FAWM!), but I'll make a point of listening to more of them in the next few weeks. Be encouraged, and keep writing!
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@willow1 4 days
Graçias Lindissima! Un dia tomamos una cerveza un una cantina vieja. (o jugo, si quieres!)
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@sheslin 4 days
Ahhh it was a mandolin not a uke - I corrected my comment. I loved the sound under your vocals 😁!
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@freddie13 4 days
Another great song Linda
You really rocked it at this fawm...
Awesone job. -
@lizbrinker 4 days
Well, there’s your next song...early bird? Or, fear of darkness, @mandolinda
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@gb9 4 days
Thank you so much for the appreciation and kind comment on 'Time' 😀
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@lizbrinker 5 days
Thank you, @mandolinda , for listening to The Lone Night Owl! Do you belong to that club, as well?
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@wylddandelyon 5 days
Thanks for stopping by! In answer to your question about what comes first, for me it's usually lyrics. But every song (and every song writer) is different, so when things aren't working, I experiment, goof around, noodle on instruments, and in general, experiment to see what works this time.
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@metalfoot 6 days
No idea why the difference in pronunciation. I'm a pastor by trade, not a chemist. LOL
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@oaksnprairie 1 week
No worries about double posts! I agree, March is for refinement. Most of my lyric sheets are heavily marked with crossed out words as time goes on.
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@coolparadiso 1 week
Ha ha thats a lot of questions in there and it deserves a detailed answer. Its all very doable and not as difficult as you might think! I am more than happy to link you to a number of places about rhyme styles and rhyme types and some lower cost options for moving from one take to better quality recordings. Probably best to email me at Coolparadeeso@gmail.com my music email! I am also in the process of building a website as a tool box for songwriters that links all sorts of stuff together but it wont be available for a few months yet. Hopefully for the start of 50/90 on July 4th.
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@caitlin 1 week
Thank you for your kind comments on "Break the Habit". It means a lot! I had fun messing around in my DAW on that one. So much so, that I don't know that I can play it live - it's all midi instruments!
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@lizbrinker 1 week
@mandolinda , thanks so much! I'd wager that @richaaaay would fit like a glove with most people. He's that easy to work with. Thanks for listening to The Twelve Bar Blues!
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@lizbrinker 1 week
@mandolinda are you a fellow ironing fan? Thank you for listening to Smooth it out!
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@tawalker 1 week
Thanks for recommending “The Oak On The Green” earlier 😀 I’ll let you into a secret: it was inspired (musically, in mood, and especially in the WW1 part) by “Dancing At Whitsun”, a lovely and moving song by Austin John Marshall (1937-2013 - married for a time to Shirley Collins). It’s about how the male-dominated tradition of Morris-dancing in England, was continued by women when the men went off to fight in WW1, and many never returned.
I believe quite a few folk artists have recorded it, but I know the song from Tim Hart’s version on “Summer Solstice” (1971, with Maddy Prior). Very moving, with a gorgeous string arrangement by Robert Kirby (Nick Drake). I think it may show where I was coming from... -
@willow1 1 week
@mandolinda likewise!!
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@rangermike 1 week
Congratulations on achieving your album. It's all great stuff. MC.
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@lizbrinker 2 weeks
Thank you, @mandolinda ! Voluntary Hostage describes many of us these days, I fear.
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@ductapeguy 2 weeks
Yay. 14 songs. You rock.
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@oaksnprairie 2 weeks
I’m glad you enjoyed Don’t Make me Go to LA. I’m just dipping a toe into adding tracks to my recordings.
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@lizbrinker 2 weeks
Hi @mandolinda ! Thank you for your encouraging comment on my soundboard. I use an app called Acapella, for iPhone or iPad, that allows me to choose how many parts to include on each song, whether they are done by me or as a collaboration with someone else. It has been a godsend during shutdown.
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@oaksnprairie 2 weeks
I've found it very hard to do a song about quilting. I did one last year called Pieces which had a quilting verse. Normally I'd say yes to a collab, but I feel overwhelmed this year trying to write. My family didn't help by giving me recording equipment for my birthday, and now I've got to figure it all out!! (My no. 6 song is with the new stuff--just two tracks, still pretty basic). Maybe next year? (I've just noticed other writers on your soundboard are giving you tech support, so you know how I feel.)
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@berni1954 2 weeks
PS To add bars after the last chorus (ie Bar 32 3rd repeat) go to
Song Settings and define a tab. Example - you wan tthe chorus to repeat once after the final chorus. So where it says Tab Exists - Click on the empty box to add one. Then where it says "Tag Starts After" put 32 (no intro) 36 (4 bar intro) and "Tage Ends" put 48 (assuming a 16 bar chorus)
I hope this helps and that I am not teaching my grandma to suck eggs. The programme is both easy and yet incredibly complex if you need it to be. Advanced users can make their own styles, or build hybrid styles borrowing the bass (or piano, or guitar, or all of them) from one style and adding it to another, etc. Plus many other features I seldom use, as I just use BiaB as a sketch pad. -
@berni1954 2 weeks
Hi, you asked me about Band in a Box. There are some great tutorials on using it on YouTube. But here is how I use it and some key pointers
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When I record using BiaB I then transfer the resulting backing track to a multi-track digital recorder where I add live instruments and voice. Then I edit the result into an mp3 which I use as the sound track of a video that I record in my bedroom, while I mime to the finished mp3.
BiaB can be a bit daunting at first. Try browsing the styles (Style button under the one marked Song on the extreme left of your screen), hearing the demos associated with them. If one fits your inner ear's definition of a style you'd like to write in, pick that style. Now return to the main area and try typing in a few chords. Experiment with them till you get a feel for a new song.
Key things to know about BiaB is that the tab space key takes you to the next probable place for a chord change (half a bar usually). If you don't want a chord change there just hit tab again till you do. However, if you want a quick chord change faster than half a bar (example in "C") type in C,F, in the first half of the bar and Am,G in the second and you'll get four chords over one bar (a rare, but not unknown resource).
Another thing about BiaB that is essential to know is how to structure a song. This is done using the box on the right of the Style Description Long Box - as a default it usually says: Start: 1 End: 32 etc.
It is her you define how many bars your song has and how many times yoru chord pattern repeats. So, ofr example if your have a simple 3 Verse 3 Chorus structure. You leave 1-32 as yoru standard settign. Wrtie chords for the 16 bar verse and sixteen bar chorus and that's it.
If you want to add an intro. Positiomn the cursor at the first bar, Click on EDIT - Add # of Bars for yoru intro (say 4). And the program automatically changes 1-32 to 5-36. The intro will play... but not be repeated between every round of verse / chorus. -
@willow1 2 weeks
Beat that drum!
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@crutherford 2 weeks
what a lovely message!
happy valentine's day right back at you dear friend!
i see you've written a new song!
i look forward to diving in!
xoxo -
@tawalker 2 weeks
Thanks for your lovely comment on "When Spring Came" - I'm pleased to say my wife was delighted with it 😁
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@dragondreams 3 weeks
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Linda. 😀
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@katpiercemusic 3 weeks
Thanks for your comment on Insomnia Waltz. My uke can plug in, but I was playing into my mic in that one. I played it through a mic preset because I'm really not good at playing with levels yet, and my recording program has a bunch of nice presets that I like to use presets. This one was "subway." I think it has a lot of space and ambience.
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@lnh 3 weeks
Your do re mi song is awesome experimentation. And I love what you sing about. Would be a great song for a high school history class!
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@crutherford 3 weeks
I too was around pre-computer and remember the card catalogues. My first email address was when I went to UofT. Robart's is such a strange building. I love that you were protesting as an undergrad to gain access to it.
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@rangermike 3 weeks
Love your snow song Linda. I remember such a cabin where I often fled, but to get away from school; So then it was "shove school 😀 And thank you for your comments about my clutter song. I actually wrote it in my "office". MC.
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@mishykatz 3 weeks
Thank you for the listen and comment on my snow song! Stay warm and come visit if you get too cold <3
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@pippa 3 weeks
And I like your attitude. Keep it up!
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@pippa 3 weeks
Hi mandolinda, You asked if I have scores for my tunes. yes. They don't really settle down and straighten up until I transcribe them. I use MuseScore on the computer. It's free. It's kind of clunky but my tunes are simple. I don't really know music, I'm still beginning after 62 years. I have a web page pippaletsky.com and there are several up on there, under fiddle tunes.
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@dantanz1 3 weeks
Thank you so very much!!! Much appreciated. -Dan
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@crutherford 3 weeks
Agreed - love the crew of friends we have in here. It truly is marvellous.
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@dragondreams 3 weeks
That's really kind of you, Linda, thank you. 😀
My secret formula is to ignore the record button and go for it. 😉 If I worry about that little red light, I can't get the notes out. -
@aprilm 3 weeks
Awesome! I lived in Orillia briefly a few years ago. So glad to meet a fellow Ontarian!
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@aprilm 4 weeks
Hi Linda - where in Ontario are you? I'm in Whitby. Welcome to FAWM!
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@crutherford 4 weeks
Hey Linda! You need to upload it to your Fawm file server as a jpeg. Then you can copy the link it gives for uploaded jpeg onto your bio. At least, that's what I did and it worked. 😀
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@dephph 4 weeks
Hi Linda! It's Garn Happy fawming
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@guatecoop 5 weeks
Hi @mandolinda ! I just read on the forums that just joined us. Welcome to you! This is a great place and a great challenge. We’re glad that you’re here. Best wishes to you!
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@metalfoot 5 weeks
If you want people to see your replies, you should write them on their wall. It's a little confusing at first but once you get used to it it's a reasonably useful system. Welcome to FAWM!
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@mandolinda 5 weeks
@katpiercemusic thank you. I am new at this game, but old in years. I am not afraid to try new things. Just me and my mandolin.
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@katpiercemusic 5 weeks
From one FAWMLING mandolin player to another... welcome!
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@mandolinda 5 weeks
@dragondreams thanks. Anticipating the month of February, something I never thought I'd say this year.
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@dragondreams 5 weeks
Hi Linda. Lovely to see you here. 😀
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@jmadison 5 weeks
Welcome to FAWM! I just recently repaired my mandolin, and now I'm enjoying it immensely. Looking forward to your mando songs!
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@timfatchen 5 weeks
Another instrument I gaze at players of with awe. (does that make sense?) Welcome aboard!
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@mikeskliar 5 weeks
welcome to fawm!
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@ustaknow 5 weeks
There is a thread here now with your instrument, - to help you navigate:
https://fawm.org/forums/topic/11011/
That's the direct URL to it. -
@ustaknow 5 weeks
Hello, welcome!
For prior year examples, if one does an internet search on FAWM, many folks - tag songs with FAWM.
FAWM may bring up other things that it stands for, not Feb Album Writing Month. However, any hit w/from "soundcloud" or "bandcamp" or any other music file server would be something to listen to.
Many make albums/collections - named, e.g. "FAWM 2020", and likewise. [fawm 2020 albums bandcamp] could bring up many. -
@gm7 5 weeks
Welcome to FAWM!!
I have a mandolin also and i should play it more ...thx for the kick in my man-do-lin....lol. -
@mrgee1952 5 weeks
Hooray and welcome!!
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@fuzzy 5 weeks
Oh it's gonna be great!
If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask around; we're all really helpful here! -
@mandolinda 5 weeks
#muff
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@mandolinda 5 weeks
@ductapeguy , thank you. It took me 10 minutes to figure out who knew anything about my songwriting. I am somewhat out of my element tech wise, but learning to navigate the site.
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@fuzzy 5 weeks
Welcome to FAWM!!
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@tseaver 6 weeks
Welcome, and happy FAWMing!
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@ductapeguy 6 weeks
Yay- I'm so glad you've joined FAWM. I love your slice-of-life songs.