Talkadelphia

This weekend I wrote a 30 second jingle for the Talkadelphia podcast. Talkadelphia is a Philly based weekly podcast with the stated mission of interviewing every single interesting person in Philadelphia. I met hosts of Talkadelphia, Gino and Kishwer, on January 1st, 2011 at Pecha Kucha Philly Vol. 7.

After the presentation I gave them my card and suggested that they interview me about TWT. Very forward, I know. Later that month Gino and Kishwer invited me over to talk about the Tendrils.



Then on May 27th, I received this request:

What is your song idea?
We'd love a jingle for our weekly podcast, Talkadelphia :)

describe your song in one word
jingle

I absolutely love writing Jingles and I was so happy to get this request from Talkadelphia. I wanted it to be up beat and short --not a full song. Just a teaser. Something they could play during the podcast in its entirety.

Day 1 - Saturday: I began by improvising on my uke. I settled on a short chromatic riff and recorded it using one of my Rhode NT5s. Then I double tracked it and looped it. After settling on the intro riff, I worked out some simple chords to play under it. I used the uke again, but this time I ran it through NI's Guitar Rig so that it sounded more like a weird electric guitar... I threw some drums under the track and recorded 3 vocal tracks of chanting "talk talk talk talk..." Then I went to bed.

Video has taught me that naps are an important part of the creative process.

Day 2 - Sunday: I woke up and deleted the chanting. I worked out a new melody and wrote most of the lyrics. I recorded a scratch vocal track and then turned my attention back to the music. Up to this point it was all ukulele and drums. Kind of a weird combination. I decided to record a bass part on electric piano. After listening to it a few times, I decided I had no idea what to do next so I took a nap. I woke up, deleted the electric piano part and recorded a synth bass instead then called it quits for the day.



Day 3 - Monday: I woke up and decided that while I wasn't that far off, it was getting way too crowded. I deleted most of the ukulele riff from the first day and almost all of the strumming, leaving the Uke only at the beginning and end of the song. I changed the lyrics and rerecorded the vocals with the new line "terry gross says that" and then dropping in the terry gross sample. Originally I was looking for a very short sample that fit my rhyming scheme, but then I gave up on that idea and instead went with a longer sample from an interview Terry did with Jon Stewart. I tightened things up a bit structurally deleting measures here and there until I got it to 30seconds. I listened to it a few more times and decided it was done.

3 days = 30 seconds. I think it turned out well though. I'm happy with it.

Singing in Japanese

I spent the three day weekend working on a jingle for the excellent Philadelphia podcast Talkadelphia. Three days of work and 30 seconds to show for it... (more on that later). Now I'm on to the next request. It's a good one.

What is your song idea?
"Most of you may not understand what I sing because I'm singing in Japanese. But I believe music is heart and music is soul. I'm very happy if you feel my heart and soul." ~Higuchi Makiko.

describe your song in one word
No-Borders

I always enjoy the song requests that turn me on to something new. I had never heard of Higuchi Makiko before. Here she performing somewhere on June 9th, 2008.



After using the synths and uke on the Talkadelphia song I felt like going back to my guitar. I envisioned a small song in three distinct parts. I recorded a few musical ideas on the guitar with one Rhode NT5 pointed at the sound hole about a foot away. I put some shaker and bass drum under the track and improvised some vocals. The vocals are recorded with my SM7B and there's a slap (16th note) delay on the lead vocal. It's getting late and I have other work to do tonight so I can't do much more with it now. I'm hearing a simple FM synth part playing bass notes in the beginning. Maybe some ooo's and ah's in the middle section and fuzz guitar at the end.

The lyrics are very much in process. On my mind is this episode of radio lab about the music inherent in language.



Hopefully, I'll get further tomorrow night. I have no idea what to make of the one word description "No-Borders". I'll have to begin with that next time I sit down with the song. Here's where I am right now:

Selling a friend: My CP-70

D and I are moving to California at the end of July. We've decided not to take a U-Haul across the country and instead sell all of our furniture and take only what we can fit in my VW Golf. It's going to be tight and we're unloading a lot of gear. 

To be honest it's nice to have the opportunity to go through all the musical instruments I've acquired over the years and prioritize. I won't miss my Behringer mixer, or my Epiphone Valve Jr. But then there are some instruments I will miss terribly. Like my Yamaha CP-70.

My Yamaha CP-70. Still in my studio... for now.

I first heard a CP-70 playing a show on April 4th 2005 at the Iron Post in Urbana Champaign. We shared the stage with an excellent band called "The Eleanors." We had brought my Wurlitzer 200a and they had brought the CP-70. It was a monster, and sounded absolutely gorgeous. It sounded like a cross between an electric piano and a baby grand piano. Which is exactly what it is. The CP-70 is a "portable" baby grand that disassembles into two pieces. It has electric pickups under each string and no soundboard as it is meant to be played electrically. It's a very unique instrument. We asked the Eleanors if we could play their monstrous keyboard during the show and they graciously agreed. I fell in love and began a 3 year off and on search for one.

Ronnie (on the right) plays a CP-70. April 4th, 2005.

It was difficult to find one locally. I regularly searched ebay and craigslist, and one day in 2008 I saw one listed at a reasonable price. I called the seller and picked it up that day. I had it tuned by a professional tuner about a week later. It took up most of our front room. The instrument is very very heavy. Each of the two pieces weigh about 150 lbs. I can't imagine gigging with this instrument. I'm amazed the Eleanors were able to do it. 

I've used the CP-70 on a few recordings. Like the ones below. But I mostly use it to write. It's the key board I go to first when working out chords or melodies. The action is very pleasant to the touch and the tone is nice and the volume is soft when it's not amplified. It's the perfect piano for apartment dwellers.

I love the tremolo, but rarely used it.

Yes Philadelphia. Acoustic CP-70 recorded haphazardly with a single SM57 in 2008.

We should self unite. Acoustic CP-70 recorded haphazardly with a single SM57 in 2008.

Love in Philadelphia. Electric CP-70 recorded direct into a the 1/8" input of my PC in 2008.

The Invitation. Electric CP-70 recorded direct into the 1/8" input of my PC in 2008.

The lullaby. Plucked CP-70 recorded with an SM-57.


I listed the piano on craigslist about 2 weeks ago and I've made an appointment to sell the instrument. I will miss it. It was a great piece of gear, and it was a lot of fun to own. I don't think I'll buy another when I get out to California. It's time for something else. Onward and upward!