Back to the music

Okay. We are writing a slow song called "Princess". We have discussed how I find inspiration, watching a show, watching people. In my notebook, inside the front cover I have listed the 5 senses, EMOTIONS, who, what, why, when, where, how, and "The Journey where I'm at to where I'll be is just as important as the destination".

Maybe you have watched a show and started writing in your book? The key is to write, write, write. Anything that comes to your mind, write it down. Some people go as far as to bring a small recorder and record their thoughts over the day. I used to do this. It is a very good idea (especially when a musical melody or rythm comes from no where).

Write, write, write. You can ryhme, or not. You can mispell, or not. Just write. It all comes together later.

In the back of your book write these 3 things. Write them at the top. FACT (skip a space) EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE AROUND FACT (skip a space) BENEFIT.

This is the best advice I ever got about writing, but maybe I seldom use. When your writing seems to go nowhere, you have these 3 basic principles. Let's try it:

FACT: The sky is blue today.

EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE AROUND FACT: It makes me feel relaxed, fresh and excited to meet today's challenges.

BENEFIT: People like me better when I'm relaxed, so it spreads sunshine.

From this we will write more. Having trouble? Go to the front of the book and start with the 5 senses.

The air smells clean
The bluest of blue skies
The warmth of the sun.
I can almost taste nature from the smell of the pines.
The birds sing their song as if nothings ever wrong.

And you can develop more from this as you consider the rest of the information in the front of the book. Yes, it does not make for a good poem or story AT THIS POINT. And, even if we crafted a masterpiece of a short story, we are likely to change and distort it when the music meets the words.

That is why I did not finishe the process. I already feel like I have enough to work with. I can get started writing. I'll watch a movie and consider the words I have written so far. Don't try to complete anything. Keep your mindset as "Open". New information and inspiration will arrive hourly, daily, weekly. Just write it down. (I do carry a small pocket notebook for "To Do's" and it is filled with ideas, names of new songs, etc..)

That is it for this week. Write about everything you can. You will use it, trust me.

Train Wreck

Everyone stops to check out the train wreck, the accident, the events gone wrong. This web site is about music, life, and computers. Anyone who might be wanting to be that next star, the next big thing, a rock star take note.

One will gravitate towards people who will support their ideas and share their interests. If they are doing drugs, or abusing alcohol along the way to the "top", they will still gravitate to people who support their ideas and shared interests. The only problem is that these people have found support from a group not like them. They have clouded judgement from the alcohol and drugs. And the train wreck will happen.

Understanding, and loving friends will try to stop the wreck. And this just pushes the person closer to his or her support group. The group on the train.

Paris Hilton (from my public observations) is an example. In a young girls quest for fame (she already had fortune) she finds herself in a situation that made her famous (not the way most girls would like I might add). Sure, it was a price for stardom. I have no problem with that (not so much) but that was not the final price. Just watch what happens. She already is having alcohol related problems (drinking and driving). She keeps running to that support group (the group of false hope) and soon the train wreck comes. Her only escape is more drugs (Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails).

And that is how it basically happens. I only mention this to aspiring musicians because if you read the above words carefully, I never really mentioned anything about MUSIC. And whether your art is music, painting, acting, coming home from work, school, or everyday life the train will be stopping by to pick you up.

Friends will be pushing you towards the train, and friends will be on the train wanting you to stay. "Reason" will stop by and say you worked hard, it's time to take a break and have some fun. "Justification" is already aboard and waiting to party. All they need is you. While on that train, your art will be lost, and your friends slowly disappear as the train departs.

Focus on your art. Your dreams will come to you.

MySpace Woman...

That is name of another song I am working on. I write dance music while I also write classical or romantic songs. I think it breaks up the monotony! Here is the link:

MySpace Woman

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=93059374

Check it out before it is finished!

Here is what the inside of my notebook looks like to begin writing this song. You can make your own copy of how you set it up, and glue it to the inside cover if you wish (this way you don't have to re-write it for the next song). 

Blogging the song

Today starts the first time I have ever tried to "go behind the scenes" of a computer musician (the Compusician) and show how a song is made.

The musical part is almost ready, but the lyrics and singing are what will be demonstrated here. And, I think in the future, I might blog all of my songs (don't you wished The Doors would have done that)?

Well, I'm not The Doors, unfortunately.... but if I ever do get the hang of this musical adventure it should prove to be interesting!

Here is the exact location of the musical part:

http://www.garageband.com/song?|pe1|S8LTM0LdsaSlZVKya2o

or just click this link:

www.garageband.com/song?|pe1|S8LTM0LdsaSlZVKya2o

The song is very rough. But remember from the last few entries in this blog, I mentioned that we will move from "chaos to complete". Right now this whole song is in chaos. We will be merging the musical part to the lyrics. It is good that niether of these is complete at this stage of the process. We want some room to embellish, have fun, do something different.

What I wrote

(In parenthesis will be my teaching and thoughts about what I wrote)

I just want to get lost in a story, someone else's dream. I want to laugh have fun 'till I scream! Maybe your story can captivate me...

(it appears to be clear to me that I will be writing about the joy of getting lost in this movie and forgetting about this world, if for only half an hour or so...)

(oh, and later, when I was back to reality and in silence I slipped in the words to my notes "What's next").

(so in this lesson, in the front of your book write these words for now: Who, What, When, Why, Where, How)

It was the disarray and confusion of the moment that left me standing alone the earth moved beneath my feet and I stood strong no more

(Where did this come from???? Well, in the show, the character had just found out her fiancee just cheated on her. She was a relationship coach. Also, she was used to teaching women her craft... but she found herself in a town full of men.... and a book conference with a room full of men, what she knew, her jokes, did not work on men like they did women. She became full of doubt at this moment.... But you see something here in my writing? I just wanted to convey the EMOTION of her life into my thought of simply escaping this world and getting lost from reality.... the show only inspired emotion!)

I had to regain my confidence just to maintain my situation. Let me leave the world for a moment

(and from here you can see I could write about suicide, lost love, separation, life, death.... and so on I am beginning to see many possible themes developing .... and it appears to have nothing to do with the movie except my own development of emotion derived from the characters on screen) (oh, I almost forgot... my spelling and grammar are terrible at this stage.... just write)

I want to get lost in a story. Help me forget my problems, let me move to the beat

(okay, here I am thinking more about my song than the movie... just write)

Tempt my imagination tease me, love me, bring me to satisfaction Where are you?

(in the show it seems that the girls are looking for their "one and only" I simply asked, "Where are you?")

Who will be next, what happens next, the fairytale is a fairytale but you have to dream. And when I come back to reality I'm recharged, fresh, Thank You

(I just wanted to thank the show for allowing me to escape this world if not for only a few moments.)

(and.... the show is over and now my song has some thoughts and ideas. I have a map. I know where I want to go. And I know where I am. I want to go to a place where I am with a beautiful woman, a Princess, who will help me get lost in our own story, a fairytale, where nothing else matters in this world if for only a short time. I look at my notebook and see where I am at with this thought. In the front of your notebook put this: "The journey from where I'm at to where I will be is just as important as the destination.")

( The journey from where I'm at to where I will be is just as important as the destination. )

Let the music come to you

Oftentimes we as writers just want to create something. We start by writing a song because we feel anger. Then a few days later we are not angry any more. And 2 things happen; 1. The partial song we wrote sucks. 2. We cannot get back into the feeling of that moment to complete the song. The usual result is it ends up in the trash!

Don't ever throw your notes and partial songs in the trash; organize them and save them. We will never use them again, but it is this method that is important. You see, I never WRITE a song from start to end in one sitting. But I collect information and put it to paper. I include all the five senses (hear, see, smell, taste, touch) and emotions I am feeling. Short sentences, long thoughtless, mindless ramblings are all included.

Let's begin. I purchased a notebook and on the inside cover I wrote inside the front cover the 5 senses and the word "emotion".

I took my notebook and pen and sat down in my recliner. I will use the method of "getting lost in the moment". I changed the channels and came to a show "Men in Trees". I have never seen it before, but it was a moment in time where I forgot the world and my problems. I relaxed and became interested in something other than what my life was about. I could have just as easily watched another show, maybe a movie, or sat outside the house and watched people. I watched the TV show. I became lost. I became inspired to write a song because I could emotionally relate to the characters.

Let the music come to you....

But what was i going to write on my blank piece of paper in my notebook? I surely did not want to write the story in front of my eyes (plagarism). Well, I suggest you wait until commercial, or stop the video player to record your thoughts. There is a differenc between plagarism and inspiration. What you see on TV or in real life has to be translated to your own life and experiences. But that is not what you should be writing about at this early stage! Just write your thoughts and feelings about what you are observing. (Surely, if this inspires you to create a theme at this early stage, then by all means don't stop the train from rolling!). The point of this excercise is to show you that it is easy to become inspired if you can lose yourself from your reality; watch a movie. Write.

I will share what I wrote in the next entry.

Teach to Learn

Teaching is the most powerful learning tool. When you finish making this song with me, please try to teach your own methods to someone else. It is then that you will start to grow as a songwriter.

Bob Ross was a painter who appeared on television (PBS I think). I learned more about painting from this guy than any book I ever read, more than any class I ever took, and more than my own imagination with paint and brush. I still can't paint, and it is because I never took the time to teach what I learned. Bob Ross became known worldwide in his peer group from teaching. I hope you will not skip this important step in becoming a songwriter. (And it does not matter how much you know! Teach a child. Teach a professor. Teach on a blog. And do not be worried too much that someone might steal your song. Yes, it happens. But not often enough to let this valuable tool slip out of your hands. So teach the world how you make your music. (Maybe someday, a singer like Timberlake will blog the creation of his song BEFORE it is released so we can all see what is going on.... it would make one hell of a story).

From chaos to complete

When we hear songs on the radio, we hear the polished, and finished version. It is complete. However, just like everything else in this world, the creation of the song began as chaos and evolved towards and end.

I am Gary Ruff, Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Compusician, and Internetainer. Basically, I am a guy with a computer, a brain and seem to be good at getting my ideas to reality. That is all for this introduction. I am simply put; human.

These next couple of days I have off (I'm getting my wisdom teeth pulled). :( But I will try to make the most of this time by blogging "How I make this song". I already have the music part almost complete. If this goes well, then next time I will blog the "musical creation" aspect (from start to finish, all the way).

I will get you the song location (it has no name yet, and is not complete, but you may want to hear it so you can get a feel for the words we will put to this song). I will get this posted ASAP. It will be at www.GarageBand.com/compusician (and I guess I better give it a name now.... God knows I thought of many.... Anna, Alexandra, Valentina, Tanya .... hmmm, if I name it to one girl then it excludes many others. So, I will name it "Princess". This way if it hits (no song has ever hit from the internet), it will be something girls all over the world can appreciate!

So! We have done well so far! We now have some music and a name for the song. Let's begin to make this song happen!

(note: This is the beginning entry. To see the rest, just click on the link on the side bar - September 2006 This series has began on the 17th.... and I promise you a better way to link this to my website in the future).

A redneck family from the hills was visiting the city and they were in
a
mall for the first time in their lives. The father and son were
strolling
around while the wife shopped. They were amazed by almost everything
they
saw, but especially by two shiny silver walls that could move apart and
then
slide back together again. The boy asked, "Paw, what's at?"

The father (never having seen an elevator) responded, "Son, I dunno. I
ain't
never seen anything like that in my entire life, I ain't got no idea'r
what
it is."

While the boy and his father were watching with amazement, a fat old
lady in
a wheel chair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The
walls
opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls
closed
and the boy and his father watched the small circular number above the
walls
light up sequentially

They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the
numbers began to light in the reverse order. Then the walls opened up
again
and a gorgeous, voluptuous 24 year-old blonde woman stepped out.

The father, not taking his eyes off the young woman, said quietly to
his
son,

"Boy..................go git cha momma...............

Briefcase

One of the problems I have in making music with the computer is the ability to take my files out on the road, then return with my corrections and additions. My Dad showed me the Microsoft Briefcase. Just right click on the desktop and select "new briefcase". I use the Magix Music Maker Program, so the file I synchronize is the "AudioTemp" file (and the file containing my new song ... both are found in the "My Audio Video" file).


I use one of those small Seagate drives (about 5 GB)to hold the briefcases.

Not very exciting, but maybe informational to musicians! :)