An idea about a riff started playing in my head, so I wrote it down. I like to use the same structure The Cure often uses in it's songs, in Pictures of you for example. In this song the elements and sounds are gradually introduced, and only until they are all present, do the vocals and verse kick in.
This allows for a simple song to last longer, and for the listener to get into the mood.

I've been using this structure a lot lately, but I think it would need a twist of some kind for it to work for me: a modulation, a sudden change, a break even. Anyway, it's a good basic way to write ideas down. Once I've written the guitar -part, the strings/synth just appear naturally alongside it in the next cycle. Brains... They never cease to amaze me.

Of course, this is just the start of a new song. Just the first idea. It might get buried for a long time. it might also start looping in my head and gather new material. It might tell me what it's about, and start forming lyrics. Or some lyrics I already have might be just right for it. You never know.

For writing down I use mostly pen and paper with musical lines, aka sheets. It's the fastest way for me. Also useful is notation software. I currently use Muse score, because it's free. When working further on a song I use a tracker software, namely LMMS, (because it's free). Some might think it funny to use this kind of software, but I think it's a practical way of presenting the general idea of a song to other band members, current and possible ones. Also because I'm not very much of a guitar player.

Isn't this dead tree just magnificent?

The Start

This is a blog to record the forming of a Goth-band and it's journey,  from the start. I've had this on my mind for some time now, and decided it's time to do something about it. In this blog I want to write about music, playing, band-life, song-writing, vision things, and all the things about this process in general. I want to share this experience with you.

So why Goth?

I listen to a wide variety of music style-wise, all the way from Classical music (especially from the romantic era to contemporary composers) to some very popular pop-, and rock-bands. Good music is good music, what ever the genre. One can feel the emotional energy of the players in good music.

But what appeals to me in Gothic music in particular, is it's esthetics, musically, visually and emotionally too. There's some odd mystery to the ears in it's slightly off- guitar sounds, it's danceable rhythms, mourning synths and vocals. There's some dark energy in it, however joyful the song, that is unique to it, and that few other genres can grasp or express.

It seems this energy is a part of me, a part I can't escape. It just comes out of me, one way or the other. The lyrics I write are sad, or gloomy, sometimes to the degree of being cynical. Sometimes they appear to be on the bright side of life, but then there's a dark twist to it. What could be a more suitable genre than Goth?

The problem with this underground music style is that it's hard to find players. At this state there's me (vocals, synths, song-writing) and a drummer. He is a real person, not a machine, as has been the case for some Goth-bands. There have been a few people who joined in, and then decided this wasn't their thing. Now I intend to put up some adds over the internet, musicians' sites in particular, and see if it comes to anything.

 Might be that it'll work out, might be that it won't. If I don't try, I'll never find out.