new song and recording: "Voice in the Distance"

This original song is called "Voice in the Distance" and was written during the summer of 2007. I recorded this version in February of 2016, now that I have decent recording equipment. The recording, lyrics, tablature, and composition notes are given below.

Recording

Tablature

Tablature for this song is posted at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzqNzl6eyl0MYi1ORHJlMmMyckk/view?usp=sharing

The code that generated this PDF is at https://github.com/emw314159/tracks

What I Wrote It About

I'm not really sure what this song is about. I was slightly depressed during a Willamette Valley summer when I wrote it, and pensive. Either the seasonal field burning had started or was about to.

Lyrics

Silence
On desolate days
Field smoke in the air
A filter of black haze

It was a long cry, out in the wilderness
A shadow, and a voice in the distance

Silence
In desperate times
Running backwards
Running the same old line

Composition Notes

This is the first rock song I make use of synthesizers in, mostly to enhance the bass. I like the result.

The intro is heavily chromatic, influenced (intentionally) by NoMeansNo. I use parallel fourths in the low register—instead of power chords—to get a grittier sound.

The verse instrumentation is simple by contrast. I wanted it out of the way for the vocals.

During my live (one person) performance of the song, the chorus guitar part played from a recording and I emphasize it with power chords played live while singing. This is because the guitar part is too complex for me to play and sing at the same time.

Live Performances

• 9 March 2016 at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, CA
• 11 March 2016 at Lush Lounge in Vista, CA
• 16 March 2016 at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, CA
• 18 March 2016 at Lush Lounge in Vista, CA
• 21 March 2016 at Mr. Peabody's in Encinitas, CA
• 23 March 2016 at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, CA
• 24 March 2016 at Aztec Brewing Company in Vista, CA
• 30 March 2016 at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, CA
• 31 March 2016 at Aztec Brewing Company in Vista, CA
• 2 April 2016 at the Gopher Hole north of Escondido, CA
• 3 April 2016 at the Saddle Bar in Solana Beach, CA
• 10 April 2016 at the Saddle Bar in Solana Beach, CA
• 24 April 2016 at the Saddle Bar in Solana Beach, CA
• 25 April 2016 at Mr. Peabody's in Encinitas, CA
• 27 April 2016 at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, CA
• 28 April 2016 at Aztec Brewing Company in Vista, CA
• 9 May 2016 at Mr. Peabody's in Encinitas, CA
• 15 May 2016 at the Saddle Bar in Solana Beach, CA
• 7 June 2016 at the Ché Café Collective in San Diego, CA