This topic contains 25 replies, has 24 voices, and was last updated by 
Lights 1 month ago.
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My first love is blues guitar, but lately my guitar learning experience has taken me in the realm of a genre of music called “deep house”, which is kind of like chill or ambient music. And here at my house in New Zealand there are some native birds called “tui” which have the most amazing variety of songs. I’ve been listening to them for a while now, and I found they often sing in Bm. So I started trying to imitate their songs on my guitar, and that led to this composition. The backing track was largely made using my new Novation LaunchKey Mini to create some synth sounds through Logic Pro. I’ve never played a keyboard before, but I found I can slowly play some 3 or 4 note chords with one hand, and that’s all it takes. As for the guitar, it’s my Martin Dreadnaught Junior > Blackstar tube amp > Scarlett 2i2 > Logic Pro. I tried some effects, like reverb, delay, and equalizer, but they all sounded worse than just the clean sound of the Martin. So there it is. I think this is my 3rd original composition.
Sunjamr Steve
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On a rainy Sunday morning, your composition fits well. Just raining too hard to go outside and meditate with earphones on and listening to a very thought-out composition.
Nice job, Steve.Playing music on the guitar is like sculpturing your soul with musical notes. 🙂 6stringer pete
The melody of the notes is what expresses the art of music . 🙂 6 stringer Pete
It really is all about ”melody”. The melody comes from a language from our heart. Our heart is the muscle in music harmony. The melody is the sweetness that it pumps into our musical thoughts on the fretboard. 🙂 6 stringer Pete
Pete
Active Melody
Forum Moderator -
Very relaxing. Nice footage as well.
**//James//**
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Steve, do you realize how good that is?
I hope you copyrighted it.
Gene
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Wow – that was great Steve. The idea of creating a piece around the bird-song of the tui, your arrangement, and your playing, are all first class.
I remember Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe, who’d been looking at nature for inspiration in his music, say in an interview that he’d been studying the song of the Butcherbird and was absolutely blown out by its song – particularly the complexity of its melodies.
Anyway Steve, great work. I’d love to hear the steps you went through in creating your composition.
Rick
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Steve,
Gotta agree w/everyone that your composition is amazing. Totally original, totally creative – what’s not to like?
Tim -
Very creative, perfect performance
Dieter
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A really good thought-provoking composition Steve, I don’t know much about the Tui but it appears that in Maori culture these birds are associated with ‘life fulfilment, confidence and spiritual harmony’ and that is exactly the atmosphere you created here ……thankyou.
Richard
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Fantastic, Steve! Great arrangement, playing and footage. You are very creative and you always have some wonderful ideas. Smooth and relaxing! Thanks for posting!
Eric
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Pretty arrangement Steve. Creative juices working overtime on this one…well done!
👍Ivan
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Thanks for the kind comments everyone. It took me about a month to record their songs, shoot the videos, translate their songs into guitar licks, develop some synth sounds, position their calls in between my guitar licks as a “call and response” thing, assemble about 30 tracks on my DAW into one song, then sync the whole thing onto one video. But I learned a huge amount about the video-making process. And I learned that I need to buy a powerful telephoto lens for my wife’s Canon EOS. And maybe a directional microphone. I’m thinking of doing one with sparrows which I could call “Cheap Tricks”, as sung by Jack Sparrow (the pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean).
Sunjamr Steve
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Very unique idea Steve, you’re becoming quite a guru at composition, track making and video and photography editing…plus some nice guitar playing, I even heard some Mark Knopfler licks in there….well done
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Yes, I’ve been studying Mark Knopfler’s licks off and on for over a year now. I memorized some of them which he often uses, but after studying them for a while, I found that I could create my own licks using his style. The trick is to find Youtube videos that show good close-ups of his fingers. The other trick is to focus on his phrasing, which involves leaving a lot of space, and noticing which notes he resolves to.
Sunjamr Steve
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Very well done Steve! Enjoyed every minute of it,just listening to the next cool sound in there!! You are becoming quite zee arteest eh!! I tried it with my Mockingbird,but it just kept changing keys on me!!
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You are getting real good at these music videos now, Highly creative and highly entertaining.
..Billy..
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The guitar composition was complimentary to the video and the use of dynamics enhanced the effect.
The synth part added a nice orchestral type backing. And the clean sound of the Martin was superb.
Another fine production Steve. You seem to get better every time. -
Steve,
Another outstanding production.
Clarke -
Steve youve got something really cool with this one its a great production well done Top of the tree!
JohnStrat -
Stupendous! Really well done. A pleasure to listen to. Great overall production.
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This is just lovely Steve. A wonderful melodious mixture of natures music joined with human contribution. You should send a copy to the Audubon Society of New Zealand.
James
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A cool composition. The mix of natural ambience and synth sounds makes it really interesting. For me, the guitar is the link between these two parts.
Well done, move on.Blue
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Sounding good, Sunjamr!
SF -
I just returned from the woods.. yes you certainly did a great Ambient style original with a Smithsonian touch of nature.. I heard David Gilmour in those modest solos very nicely done.. really pro recording.. I envy those recording skills! lol..Okay. I must try to make the best for now with only a mobile phone! But really appreciate you mentioning the recording gear .. that Martin is awesome!
John
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Really lovely.
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Beautiful Steve!! Reminded me of Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest of Ecuador I visited a couple of years ago. Exotic birds and your music put me right back there. Cudos!!!!
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Oh, man, if I only could visit some day this beautiful place. B.t.w. what means TUI? In Estonian it means the dove.
Beautiful music indeed.
Lights.
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