Johannes Schult

This song had to be forced into existence. I wrote and recorded it on Friday, September 17 this year. Sitting in a friend’s living room I experimented with tambourine loops and MIDI programming. Much of the music was constructed rather than written. Once I had the basic tracks I forced the lyrics on them. I had too many lines so now the last melody part coincides with the vocals.

I postponed releasing this tune time and time again. It is one of those songs that lack a connection to what I usually play. Plus, there’s nothing too original about it. I had been afraid that I would end up putting out nothing but songs like these. But I think I managed to make a few rather interesting tracks in between. This is why I now present this piece as an example of mediocrity which thankfully is only 52 seconds long.

PS: Next week’s song is going to be much cooler!

#47 Socially Sad

I’m lying on the beach
It’s 35 degrees
There’s not a single a cloud in the sky
And everybody’s happy
Everyone but me
Because when it comes to holidays I’m not that kind of guy

I’d rather be alone
And not pick up the phone
And travel somewhere far away from the heat
I know it’s really bad
It’s socially sad
But a daily dose of solitude is what I need

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This song is the second song about NaNoWriMo. For those who aren’t familiar with the idea: the goal is to write a novel consisting of at least 50,000 words in 30 days (that is, in November). It’s utter madness. You learn a lot about your work ethics. You learn how it feels to suck. You bond with strangers who have also accepted the challenge. And you get emails with pep talk from folks like John Green, Dave Eggers, and Lemony Snicket.

I wrote this song on acoustic guitar, combining an old lyrical idea with my present NaNoWriMo situation. Thankfully, my word count has exceeded 9010 by now. I did take a screenshot from 9010, though, in case I’ll find time to make a video. While figuring out the beat I realized that I could turn the whole thing into a punk song. I programmed the drums only to find that I had miscalculated the tempo. By now I’m used to it, but at first it sounded terribly fast to me. There’s one bass track (programmed), two guitar tracks, and three vocal tracks.

Update six days later: video!

#46 NaNoWriMo Lament 2

This ain’t the song I wrote in Bremen
This ain’t the song I wrote in Mannheim
This song won’t explain the brain to laymen
This ain’t the song that will blow your mind
But come December I will save the world again
Turn water into wine and enemies into friends
But right now my word count is still at 9010

This ain’t the song I wrote in Cambridge
This ain’t the song that I wrote in the bathroom
This ain’t the song that is going to make me rich
This ain’t the song that makes your heart go boom
But come December I will save the world again
Turn water into wine and enemies into friends
But right now my word count is still at 9010

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This song is the first of two songs about NaNoWriMo. I’m participating this year. For those who aren’t familiar with the idea: the goal is to write a novel consisting of at least 50,000 words in 30 days (that is, in November). So far, I’m on schedule!

I had written the other song first. So when the idea for a second one came up I was tempted to abandon it there and then. I wanted to have an instrumental track, anyway. But then time ran out and I quickly recorded this song, as well. It has three acoustic guitars along with percussion, bass and organ (all rather low in the mix) from the computer; plus, of course, vocals. I can imagine a full band version. However, no time for a full band version – I have a novel to write!

Again, yes: video. This time I deviate even more from the original lyrics. You have been warned.

#45 NaNoWriMo Lament 1

No time for love – I have to write a novel
No time for food – I have to write a novel
No time for anything, so shut the door and go offline
Say goodbye to all your friends

No time to shave – I have to write a novel
No time to sing – I know it’s crazy but I really want to write a novel this month!
No time for anything but 1667 words per day until November ends

No time for music – I have to write a novel
No time for lyrics – …

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This song nearly didn’t happen. I had written the first two verses months ago and was somehow unsatisfied and/or hit a heavy writer’s block. Cleaning up some piles of paper on my desk today I discovered the page with the words. This time around I liked the lyrics better and immediately filled in the missing parts. Once the music was written I didn’t even have to readjust the tempo, something I almost always have to do to meet the 52-second deadline. And I even managed to throw in a harmonica bit at the end!

Oh, yes: video.

#44 Questions

Who made your clothes and who wrote the Bible?
And what’s the story of the food on your table?
These are the important questions
We have to answer them every day

Where does the money go that you spend on fuel?
Where does the power come from that makes your AC cool?
These are the important questions
We have to answer them every day

Did you smile a lot today?
And when was the last time you were in love?

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This song was inspired by Richard Shindell’s “By Now”. I had little and just forced myself to write a song. I filmed a quick video right after writing the first draft two days ago. Yesterday, I switched the chords in the chorus. Just an hour ago I recorded the final version, which features some piano playing that wasn’t there in the first place/draft.

#43 Katy

Katy stands in the middle of the road
Looking for a place called home
Her broken heart is such a heavy load
She takes it everywhere she goes
Oh Katy, can’t you see
That you’re throwing your life away
Just face reality
And find a place to stay
So that your broken heart may heal

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This fragment was written and recorded late in the evening of 29th September in a hotel room in Bremen. I was experimenting with the choir voices of my new recording software, using the laptop keyboard as the piano keyboard. Given the slow tempo of the music the inaccuracies of the playing didn’t really matter. I avoided a clear time signature as best as I could, anyway. After maybe a dozen run-throughs I had the chord structure and melody. I altered a few MIDI notes afterwards and double-tracked the whole thing with different voices to give it more width. I could have achieved a smoother ending by speeding up the whole song. But it’s already as fast as I found it still bearable. I was aiming for a majestic anthem, after all.

#42 Choral Fragment

This song started with the lyrics, which I wrote in Bremen on September 30th. Due to time constraints I kept the first musical idea I had and turned it into this song. I had to play it rather fast to make it fit the 52-second-scheme. If you want to listen to a slightly slower version, check out the video of me playing the song (without the fancy distorted drum computer).

#41 Just Like You

She looked just like you
But the smell of her hair
Was somewhat different
She looked just like you
But you weren’t there
You know without you
I wouldn’t be here
Where I am now
Is here without you
I wish you were here
Where I am now

She looked just like you
And she stayed for a drink
And then another
She looked just like you
But her fingernails were pink
You know without you
I wouldn’t be here
Where I am now
Is here without you
I wish you were here
Where I am now

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This song began with the title, which I picked up at Summer School in Cambridge (September 13th, 2010). Once the lyrics were set I got the main structure while walking through the streets of Cambridge. I then programmed the rhythm section and added a few organ tracks late at night in bed. Back in Germany I added a couple of electric guitar tracks to spice things up a bit. The song could have done with a real band and a bit more time, I think. But hey, aren’t those organ samples already awesome?

#40 The Queue to the Loo

This pressure inside is driving me over the edge
The closer I get, the longer the seconds stretch
Time and space are relative, it’s true
When you’re waiting in the queue to the loo

The situation is as tense as it gets
It’s the perfect place to set up diaper ads
You wonder if there’ll be some TP left for you
When you’re waiting in the queue to the loo

Waiting to step forward, there’s nothing you can do
When you’re stuck in the queue to the loo

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

This instrumental piece was recorded using the keyboard of my computer. I did correct and modify a few notes here and there. But the main parts were recorded late at night in Cambridge, England, after I had experimented with synthesizer sounds and the idea of writing an instrumental with harmonic layers rather than clear melodies. Or something like that.

#39 Parker’s Piece, 2 am

This is my entry for White Elephant Music Club‘s Skultar challenge. It’s about sword and sorcery (which I know nothing about). And role-playing (which I know almost nothing about).