Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Pithy
a good sound coming out of the rig, but my recording "skills" are
being challenged! Ah, back to the user manuel... Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Silvery Chair
Download now or listen on posterous
John and Scott "The Garage Band" session; with Will Cruttenden's (Spingere) excellent melodic contribution!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Ciao Brasil
Download now or listen on posterous
John Marcell (guitar, vocal), Will Willard (bass, vocal) and Scott Potter (drumming)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Silver Chair
From Friday night's "Garage Band" session with Scott Potter on e-drums and John Marcell on guitar and loops
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Guitar Practice
Friday, September 25, 2009
Specific Gravity
Scott (drums) and I (guitar) working on a new tune tonight in Garage Band; checking levels and stuff....
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Dervish
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Ideas
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Exercise 1
A short "exercise" and still testing the Mix Craft 4; a couple of interesting moments. File this under "total spontaneitiousness"...
The New Japan
Onerica (Michal Mioduszewski and Aneta Postek) with John Marcell (Fripped-out guitar) and Will Willard (pretty guitars) and Sawako (via creative commons)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Pop
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Errogenous
Download now or listen on posterous
Here's a tune featuring me and Will Cruttenden called "Errogenous"
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Recording
Musicking
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Thracked Baby WIP
Download now or listen on posterous
Work-in-Progress: John Marcell, Will Willard and Will Cruttenden. Still in draft, but close to final...
Burwood
There’s a track in the latter portion of Solus called Burwood. Burwood is a pulsating field of guitar swells and atmospheric drone, cut across by a patience - this song is not melodic, it’s textural: There’s an a focus in it on developing an overall aesthete, rather than a moment-to-moment gratification, a sort of building up, cresting. This textural approach is indicative of the entire album.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Beginning Again
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The odd craving today of wanting to be leisurely hanging about a bookstore (probably because its been at least two months since I've had that luxury) and sipping a latte. Perhaps next week I can have some time to visit one. This week is toast.
Strategising with Will and Scott on the Johnny Love Birthday Party gig, where once more we will revive an increasingly "old" set-list to play for our sympathetic, good natured friends. Interesting guest guitarist if he can swing it, my old middle-school buddy and grammy winning producer, Joe Reyes. And a standing invitation to Matt McCabe to play/attend if he can make it from Colorado to the party!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Don't swear
Find us, friend us!
http://www.myspace.com/habitualgrace
and of course, on Twitter as well at habitualgrace!
Now back to reading all of YOUR blogs!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
THE STORY OF MATKA BOSKA
THE STORY OF MATKA BOSKA
May 07, 2009
Happy Mothers Day
To this day I wish I could hear my mother saying “Matka Boska.” Her parents were immigrants from Poland. Though born in America, my mom Catherine Theresa, did not learn English until she entered elementary school. This was a Catholic school run by Polish nuns.
When mom was upset with one of her children, we would usually hear her saying “Matka Boska, Matka Boska,” which translates as “Blessed Mother”.
Twenty years after her passing I was practicing guitar one night. I began to improvise and a phrase appeared. Quickly I realized this was about my mom. I played with the phrase and developed it. Frequently I struggle with titles, but immediately I knew there was only one title possible for this piece – Matka Boska.
So to honor my mother and all mothers I am offering a free download of this piece. Use the contact form to request your copy of Matka Boska. Please share this message with any friends, family, and colleagues.
Wishing you and yours a very happy and Blessed Mother’s Day.
Click here to go to the webiste to download (fill in the "Contacts" information to receive the download):
http://www.patricksmithmusic.com/homepage
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Solus review
The Gilliam Section’s “Solus”
I have family friends in San Antonio who made an album recently, entitled Solus. As one of the firstcustomers/listeners, I’m writing a review, and here’s the short of it - I enjoyed this record, and if you know drone, guitar loops, or ambient music, you will too. Solus is up now on CD Baby, and it’s worth the affordable purchase if you’d like a new album to study, relax, read, or just listen to.
Now here’s the long(er) review:
There’s a track in the latter portion of Solus called Burwood. Burwood is a pulsating field of guitar swells and atmospheric drone, cut across by a patience - this song is not melodic, it’s textural: There’s an a focus in it on developing an overall aesthete, rather than a moment-to-moment gratification, a sort of building up, cresting. This textural approach is indicative of the entire album.
Built around cascading guitars, what sets The Gilliam Section apart from other Texan drone/ambient bands such as Stars of the Lid is a willingness to explore this carefully crafted sense of audial crests and troughs (the artistic sinusoidal action for the times) alongside some more playful musical sensibilities. Prog rock never left The Gilliam Section’s members, and its mark shows in rippling guitar solos and effects drenched in reverb. They’ve made a dreamscape in Solus for you to walk through - be sure to take your ears along!
Filed under: Music , album, drone, review, solus
Saturday, April 18, 2009
ahhhh... Saturday
Friday, April 3, 2009
CDs update
Thursday, April 2, 2009
New Social Networking Site
http://www.habitualgrace.ning.com/
Will has completed uploads of Solus, Himmel and Wag onto Kunaki and Johnny Love will follow (perhaps) tomorrow.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Solus and More
Gary Davenport "Himmel"
Don Hurd "Wag"
Dan Garcia "Big Melvis: the Solo Years"
Elsewhere, DGM's Sid Smith may or may not be writing liner notes for the Johnny Love album (Sid to me: OK off the top of my head...How about
"Johnny Love tells me that he's wonderful and cheering. So it must be true. Would he lie to you? Or me?")
Will is completing artworks with his buddy Gerald and I am twittering Habitual Grace notes to CDBaby and webdesigners, promoters on Twitter.
Finally, excited about re-establishing Work in a group comprised of Gary, Yvonne and Jim. They meet, not at Jim's Coffeeshop (as one would expect) but La Madeleine French Bakery! Tre nice!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
websites
Now, coffee.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Website, New Label
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Starry night
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Steven Wilson re-mix
http://www.kscopemusic.com/stevenwilson/insurgentes/remix-competition.html
The contest allows you to download and re-mix a song for the upcoming album; I spent last night downloading and arranging the parts in the studio, and this morning layed-down two tracks of guitar-swells and picking on the NST and added a faux Frippertronics outro to the end of the tune! Great fun; as usual, I like to work fast. I should've sat on it for a few days to see if I still liked it, but I've already sent-in my mp3 via you-send-it. (Wish me luck!)
Also, talking to Will off and on all day; the "Solus" album is now officially finished. We're moving forward with registering with BMI and shipping to CD Baby. Hopefully all of this can be accomplised within the next two weeks and we can move on to the next Gilliam Section CD. All-in-all, I'd call that a productive day!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Mariana
Morning sitting, coffee and now to take Joey to the doctor...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
"John,
You will dig your new Fripp-approved guitar/micing throne. So very ergonomic and comfortable. It seems to sustain my weight so I think you will be just fine on it!
Hoping to start master Solus in earnest sometime today. I will start from scratch and attempt to make real progress. Files to come later, by Zeus!"
This is all good news! Excitements!
Morning
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday Night at Brave New Studio
Tonight I hope to try Will's suggested "stereo" mix with hard pans and perhaps figure out how to save settings.
And most importantly work on Joey's diorama from school!!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday night at Brave New Studio
Brave New Studio
Will came up with a name for the studio: "Brave New Studio". Nice one!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Projects
Had a fair amount of fun mixing and mashing tunes last night (it was very hit-and-run as time was tight); still one more trick I want to try with "Burwood/NY New Loop" incorporating a solo Alessandra piano part, which may require pitch-shifting (if it even works at all) to fit.
Discussed "Solus" mixes with Will today and possibly leaving "New Arp" on the cutting-room floor... the track has some problems and not sure how well it flows with the rest of the album. "Orbit" is being discussed as an alternate tune.
Also a possible album-length project with Ale creating some more "Gurdjieff-tinged" music akin to our "Sun Absolute" and perhaps bringing in Gary for this one and special guest Overtone singer Stuart Hinds. I think we could work very fast on this if we can get Ale to send us her parts first, and we build up from there. In the meantime, I've sent her a couple of mp3s to work on, and will be discussing schedules, timing and possibilities for the CD in the very near future.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Mixing
I have to report that I am very happy with the first mix, which I've sent over to Will as a complete WAV. Hoping its better than what it was before; in any event, there may be one additional new part I want to try on the piece invloving the "new year new loop piece", just to see how it sounds as a possible fade-out...
MLK
Will is re-working several of the Gilliam tunes to delete some "pops" and other sonic problems; can't wait to hear the revised versions!
Meanwhile, I am itching to crank up the recorder as I have some new tune ideas I'm interested in exploring.
Relaxation
Now its time to make the pancakes.
But before I go, I append here my old "Here & Now" webpage (circa 1999-2001) which was on the web way before anyone was "blogging" proper:
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January: Pausing and Giving Thanks
Today I pause for a moment to remember to be grateful, and give thanks for my body, my being, my loved ones. Too often I seem to be so busy ...
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Making progress and a ton of ideas musical and otherwords; creating a sacred space, creating a working space, creating a vibrant cottage ind...
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Great rehearsal Saturday night. Totally nailed "Madonna" and got a good handle on "ATX". "Landslide" sadly elu...