Last Summer

Show off original scores and recordings made with Linux!

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Rainmak3r
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Last Summer

Post by Rainmak3r »

It's been a few weeks since I last published something. The reason is I've been working on 4-5 tracks at the same time, none of which I'm even close to completing since work has started taking its toll, and it's hard to find the time or energy... A couple of days ago, though, I picked my Ukulele and started playing with it, and this melancholic chords came to life. I knew I wanted the sound of waves to accompany them, and maybe some strings to give a "Secret Story" by Pat Metheny feel to it (with the due differences, clearly...), and what came out was this sad goodbye to yet another summer:

https://soundcloud.com/lminiero/last-summer-demo

It's a very basic track and recording, but although I started thinking of how I could work on it, add crescendos, more instruments and pathos and impact and so on, I decided not to overdo it, and keep it as it came instead. At the end, I do like how soothing it sounds (I've listened to it many times these past few days), and even if it required very little work or effort, I wanted to share it nevertheless.

From a technical perspective, nothing substantial. I recorded a regular (quite cheap) Ukulele using an external pick up, and added a very slight compressor and reverb. Strings I played myself too on a MIDI keyboard, using the "Frozen Strings" VST by SpitFire Labs (https://www.spitfireaudio.com/labs/). The waves I found on FreeSound.org.

I hope you'll like it!
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Re: Last Summer

Post by folderol »

Sort of has a camp fire feel to it :)
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Re: Last Summer

Post by milo »

A nice little sketch with a wistful mood. I think you captured the moment well.

The ukulele sounds like the input gain was a little high, or maybe the mic was too close.
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Re: Last Summer

Post by ufug »

Rainmak3r wrote: It's a very basic track and recording, but although I started thinking of how I could work on it, add crescendos, more instruments and pathos and impact and so on, I decided not to overdo it, and keep it as it came instead.
Good call, it's beautiful as-is. You truly captured a feeling in those strums.
listenable at c6a7.org
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Rainmak3r
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Re: Last Summer

Post by Rainmak3r »

Thank you all for the nice words!
milo wrote:The ukulele sounds like the input gain was a little high, or maybe the mic was too close.
Yeah, I tried to fix that a bit, but in some parts the gain remained way too high. The mic is a small round pick-up that you put on the Ukulele itself, so I don't think you can put it further, as it needs to sit there. More likely I was indeed raising the gain too much in my Scarlett Solo interface, because it felt the capture volume was too low when I was playing it. Not sure when I'll need to record an Ukulele again, but I'll definitely pay more attention next time :D
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Re: Last Summer

Post by psyocean »

Elegant miniature. Melancholic beauty!

Image
Guitar and synth tales... https://www.youtube.com/user/Psyocean/
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Re: Last Summer

Post by Basslint »

I like it a lot! Please make more of these atmospheric tracks!
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Re: Last Summer

Post by forestandgarden »

Hi, since you commented on my salsa7, I took the liberty to dig around in your soundcloud account, and pick one piece at random, which was 'Last Summer'. Here's one from my collection that can connect: https://linx.li/softspring.ogg
The 'bass' is again the baritone guitar, i.e. tuned down by a 4th. The recording dates from 2017
some of my stuff is ending up here https://alooshu.byethost17.com and here https://clyp.it/user/i4p5dng1 , and you can love me at https://liberapay.com/aloo_shu
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Re: Last Summer

Post by Rainmak3r »

forestandgarden wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2020 4:52 am Hi, since you commented on my salsa7, I took the liberty to dig around in your soundcloud account, and pick one piece at random, which was 'Last Summer'. Here's one from my collection that can connect: https://linx.li/softspring.ogg
The 'bass' is again the baritone guitar, i.e. tuned down by a 4th. The recording dates from 2017
Nice, thanks for sharing!
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Re: Last Summer

Post by Basslint »

Very very good! Your music makes the world a better place, and is a good inspiration for all of us GNU/Linux musicians! Bravo Lore :wink:
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. [Acts 4:32]

Please donate time (even bug reports) or money to libre software 🎁

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