Turning A Harpsichord Into A Guitar

I swear, I don’t base my blog posts on what C.C. Chapman writes in the morning, but today it seems we’re writing about the same subject:  How limitations spark creativity.  Kudos for beating me to it, Mr. C., you win this time…

The album I’ve been working on for the past year and a half presented all kinds of challenges:  How do I take a story called The Lives of Dexter Peterson and write music to accompany it?  Will I be able to bring a fictional character to life through more than one medium?  Can I still do all this stuff myself or do I need to start kissing some record label asses?

For all the external challenges I faced, I decided to impose one challenge of my own:  This album will use only six instruments. In the past I’ve drawn from all kinds of sonic palettes.  Hell, Goodbye Planet Earth used everything from strings to synthesizers, tubular bells to a distorted washing machine loop.  And, of course, robots.  For the new album, though, I wanted to see if I could create the sounds I wanted with the same 6 elements:

1. Vocals
2. Piano
3. Electric Piano
4. Harpsichord
5. Bass Synth
6. Percussion

Something I discovered, though, was that this self-imposed limitation did not hamper my creativity in any way.  In fact, it broadened my abilities as a composer and arranger.  Let’s say there’s a spot in a song that needs a low-mid-range BIG sound to make it full.  Normally I’d grab something like a Hammond B-3 organ and play a big thick chord in the background- works every time.  Big fat organ = one of Matthew Ebel’s usual tricks.  With a 6-piece palette, though, I had to think of new ways to fill that gap.

An Actor Playing A Role

Harpsichord (Photo by dalcrose)

Since The Lives of Dexter Peterson is an album about a fictional character, I had to become an actor during the writing process.  The songs, for the first time, weren’t strictly coming from my voice and my experiences.  The limitations of my own life didn’t dictate what I wrote about.  Though I’ve never been to outer space, I had to become a starship captain and imagine what I’d feel if I watched the woman I loved drifting away from me through an escape pod porthole.  I played a role, just like I’ve done on stage in plays, musicals, and opera.

In the same way, the six instruments had to do the same.  The limitations of a harpsichord, for example, are many:  It sounds tinny on top and boomy on bottom, it doesn’t sustain indefinitely like an organ or strings, its dynamic range is limited, and the plectrum makes an audible sound when your fingers come off the keys.  So what?

I just released a video for my Matthew Ebel dot net members showing how the harpsichord dressed itself up as an electric guitar and sang. The instrument could sound so much larger than its inventor ever intended, thanks to modern guitar amps and pedals.  By limiting my sonic palette for this album, I discovered the potential that some of these simple keyboard instruments possess.

Here’s an example of what the harpsichord sounded like on the album, followed by what it sounds like on its own:

Harpsichord Guitar Example (Download MP3)

Again, if you want to see the video of exactly how I transformed a harpsichord into a guitar, grab an All-Access or higher pass at Matthew Ebel dot net and watch while it’s still available.

In any case, who knows what discoveries and new abilities will arise from limitations?  I am a limited person, just like you, but I have no idea what I will become- either in spite of or because of those limitations.

Photo by foxgrrl via Flickr

This month I played what I believe is only my third west-coast concert after leaving the Christian Music scene…  The folks at Further Confusion not only invited me to play their awesome convention, they made me one of this year’s Guests of Honor.  How cool is that?  It was a truly rad experience, despite the usual first-year-in-a-new-hotel troubles.  The people out in San Jose welcomed us with open arms, paws, wings, whatever.

If you want to hear the entire concert recording, of course, you’ll need to head to Matthew Ebel dot net and log in.  Members will be able to download the recording for a couple of months, so grab it now before it disappears into the Archive.

Yup, I finally migrated Matthew Ebel dot net to its own server and bought it an SSL Certificate for Christmas. I really should have done this from day one since I’m hosting a site that involves usernames and passwords, but I honestly didn’t know how long it would last. If you’re not familiar with secure vs. unsecured websites, here’s the practical upshot of what I’ve done:

• Every interaction with Matthew Ebel dot net is now encrypted so your passwords and user info are much safer.
• Matthew Ebel dot net is now its own account on its own server, so if something happens to Matthew Ebel dot com it won’t affect the members-only site.
• Most importantly, Matthew Ebel dot net now accepts Google Checkout as a payment option. Paypal haters, the line forms over here.

Granted, some might say I’ve traded one evil (Paypal) for another (the Goog), but they’re just wrong. I haven’t traded anything, I’ve added an evil. Paypal users won’t have to change anything unless they want to. I do hope to add more payment services in the future, but for now these are the big two. Anyone on the internet knows about Paypal and anyone with an Android phone or tablet has a Google Wallet if they’re buying apps. I’m not ready to start taking credit cards directly yet (or ski down the mountain of legal paperwork that would be involved with that), but that’s the ultimate goal.

Along with the website change comes the usual caveat: If something seems broken, it’s probably my fault. I can’t foresee all the bugs that come from moving to a new server, so if you’re a Matthew Ebel dot net member and you find something’s acting funny, please let me know!

I took a bunch of photos (one of these is my Dad’s, actually), mostly from the brewery tour before the actual party…

If you’ve got photos from the Beer Bash, please share them! If you’re the Flickr type, you can actually put them right on the website via the Matthew Ebel Fans pool.

Runtt and I also did a very low-key streaming concert with the VIP’s as our studio audience. Taking requests from the crowd, from the chat room, and from the voices in our heads was a fun time. Afterwards I had my annual Town Hall Meeting chat with them. I do this every year since my VIP’s are effectively my board of directors. I want to tell them my plan for the next year and get some feedback from them as to what they WANT from me for the next year.

Fortunately, they’re the conversational type. We had a great chat about what worked so far, what doesn’t work, and what they as subscribers really care about. I really don’t know how next year will unfold, but there will be beer and partying at the end of it!

Tickets for the 2011 VIP Beer Bash on September 17, 2011 are now available! Every year, the Matthew Ebel dot net VIP’s gather at my studio for a day of fun, relaxation, a brewery tour, and a sampling of the ale that I make myself. This year, though, there are some extra incentives to join the party.

• Special guests will include Genesis Whitmore, Runtt, and my parents. Yes, seriously, my parents will be there.
• This year’s VIP Beer Bash will also double as the official release party for The Lives of Dexter Peterson.
• The annual Town Hall Meeting will decide what happens in the next 12 months for Matthew Ebel dot net subscribers.

The VIP Beer Bash is open to all Matthew Ebel dot net VIP or higher subscribers. If you’re on the list (or if you’d like to GET on the list before September), you can join the fun. Yes, there will be soft drinks for VIP’s under 21.

Get your tickets (or become a member) today at http://bit.ly/2011BeerBash

After her subscription was canceled I sent an email saying I was sad to see her go. The reply email came from her daughter:

Hello,

This is the subscriber’s daughter. [Member #269] passed away on Wednesday, May 18, hence the reason for the cancellation.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Believe me, I understand. I would hate to meet an artist who wouldn’t understand.

This was a woman who had been one of my subscribers for a full year now. She, like many of my fans, decided to take a chance on a new way of supporting an indie musician that she liked and actually stuck with it throughout a year of unexpected changes and developments. Though times have been tough, she helped keep me fed and creative for twelve solid months.

In this age with a drowning music industry struggling for air, she had enough faith in my creativity to become part of something truly revolutionary. She also produced her own weekly podcast, furthering the cause with her own talents. In a world where so few people are willing to risk anything for new music or entertainment, she put her money and time on the line as both a supporter and a creator.

Exactly the kind of fan that makes me proud to be an artist.

I don’t know the circumstances of her passing, all I know is that she, like my remaining superfans, made my art possible. I salute you, Member #269, and you will always have an All-Access pass to my heart.

If you missed out on the fun, you’re probably not an All-Access or higher member over at Matthew Ebel dot net. Maybe I’ll see you there next time, though!

Every track has been remixed and remastered. I’ve learned a lot about engineering since the last release, this one represents my best efforts to date! Also, thanks to Bandcamp, I’m now able to offer fully uncompressed audio to anyone who wants it! The physical CD isn’t ready for purchase just yet, but you can get the digital version with complete album artwork today.

Download your copy now at matthewebel.bandcamp.com

Members Get 50% Off!

My Matthew Ebel dot net members can download this album at half price from Bandcamp. Merry Christmas! If you want the coupon code, just log in and read the post over at Matthew Ebel dot net

Entourage and Robot Army

Once the physical CD’s are ready, you’ll get your framed, signed copies as soon as I can go get frames for them! In the mean time, you should be able to download the MP3 version in the Album Archive