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: