Local Musicians Showcase Interview

Robert F. Smith at The Message of the Week interviewed me for their new Local Musicians Showcase section and I had a great time talking with him about music, songwriting and What To Keep & Let Go. The story goes to press today and will be available in print tomorrow but you can check out the interview online today!

Local Musicians Showcase Interview

Circles Acoustic

***WARNING SPOILER***

Haha I've always wanted to write that. haha It's not really a spoiler but there are structures and things in this acoustic version of Circles that are not part of the original song. Plus some of Marcin's bass lines are just genius and I wouldn't want you to blow the surprise for yourself! But really, this isn't revealing too much. My singing is not where it needs to be at all (it was late and we tried to make this quiet) and the final song will be much more powerful and energetic.

Okay, enough explaining! Enjoy!

Circles Acoustic (The "coffee house" version)

Music Player in Side Bar!

This is awesome! I found a way to put a Quicktime music player in the sidebar of this blog. Check out the new added section that automatically plays Ask You, track 11 on What To Keep & Let Go (you're probably hearing it now!)

In time I will find a way to put in a better player that can feature more than one song at a time and you can simply click on which one you want. I suppose I could do it that way now with just more than one Quicktime strip. I'll keep you posted on the progress of that.

Happy listening!

Circles Lyrics Unfinished

Circles is definitely the pivotal song on the record, having lots to say about choice and making your own way while really learning what to keep and let go in the process. I believe it's the song that will truly define the last 5 years of my life. That said, it's amazing to me that the lyrics are not quite finished yet! However, I'm not too surprised. I think in order to bring Circles together lyrically, there are realizations that I still have to make and things that I still have to see within myself. If you listen to the "coffee house" demo that I will be posting tonight, you'll notice there are some holes, especially at the end. I have a feeling that I will know what to say when this project is all said and done. The end will be finished. The circle will be complete.

Look for the Circles demo tonight. Warning, it will be somewhat of a spoiler.

Circles

Last night Marcin and I got together to answer the questions and fill in the spaces of our arrangement for Circles. We worked heavily on Marcin's bass solo for the song as well as creating a better dynamic between the first and second chorus. It's going to be a beautiful and important song that's for sure. Tonight we return to Weston to lay down our tracks.

Video and photos of both last night's practice and tonight's session will be posted soon.

Who Knew..

...that this album project would frame the very breakdown and rebuilding of myself.

Cheers to that.

Treat Your Choices Right

It's a funny thing, choice. You can wake up one morning and choose to wear a certain colored shirt or choose what you will bring for lunch to work but at the end of the day you slip into something more comfortable and are sitting down for dinner. Some things go by so fast that you don't even have time to recognize that they actually happened. We forget so many things yet we cherish and hold onto others. What we keep with us is what matters and what we let go holds an even greater significance. What we lose is what defines us. It leaves a space for something better for ourselves.

Treat your choices right. Often times you hear someone say that you better be careful of the choices that you make. Is that some sort of warning? Consider for a second what it means to choose something. It's a transitional period really. Even if it's as simple as picking out a shirt in the morning, you're making a statement for your identity and how you will be perceived by the world that day. You transition from one physical appearance to another. Now of course life is not about appearances. It's about what is inside you and what you become. The person you were yesterday is not the person you are today. We're constantly changing. And how? By the choices we make. Who we choose to become in order to live life how we see it. But really...why be so damn cautious of the choices we make? I say, make them and then honor them with the respect they deserve. Treat them right because they are in fact going to carry you from one place to another; they become your transitions. If you feel like you have made a bad choice, simply step back and witness what is happening to you and your surroundings as a result of it. There really isn't anything tragic about it. Change is beautiful regardless of how good or bad it is. Years down the road you're more apt to realize your transition from one point in your life to another and how beneficial it was to who you became rather than the pain or the joy you felt during it.

Make choices, breath, and enjoy the ride. I'm certainly doing just that..

"I forgot the chords!"

Here I am trying to give Dave the correct chords for Electric Candle so he can play around with ambiance on his synthesizer. I definitely had Bahamas on the mind.

The Lost Files (Part 2)

On April 29th I returned to the studio to record what I thought would be the final version of Ask You. Turns out after a talk with Dave and another listen through, we decided to go with what we had done a few weeks back as a demo for Brendon. Here are a couple of videos from that night.

Gearing up to record...


...on second thought!


Some photos from the same night!

The Lost Files (Part 1)

So I was going through my archived folders the other day and I realized I COMPLETELY missed two days of footage and photography from time in the studio back in April. I think it was because I was concentrating so heavily on preparing for my cruise that week!

Alas, here are some photos and video from April 28th. I believe this is the night we wrapped Electric Candle (finally) and this video is the actual final take.



Here are some photos from that night. Check out the accidental framing of Dave's head through my arm. Amazing.

Facebook Page!

If you're a follower of this blog, chances are we're also Facebook friends. If we're Facebook friends then you have probably already received an invite for my new Page that will showcase What To Keep & Let Go progress. I am going to be uploading lots of content and updates to this page to try and generate some fans in the new few months. If you haven't joined up, please do so :)

Dylan Duncan Facebook page

Cullen Behind the Camera Lens

Cullen grabbed my Canon Powershot right out from under me and went nuts in the studio, taking some pretty awesome photos! Great compositions man!

End it like that!

Here is Marcin and I working out the ending of Stand. We end up kicking into a brief little guitar section that closes out the song nicely. Check it out here. Marcin is a genius at adding little unexpected nuances to my tunes. I love it.

Oh!!! It's recording a movie?!

I was caught off guard! Those tricksters had me thinking I was posing for a photo! haha And then they captured me being a moron. Typical!

More July 4th Preparation

Practice on June 7th was filled with some Warnings in the Sky, a little Help! from the Beatles and Three Little Birds who decided to stop by to sing us some songs.

The set list for the show on July 4th is coming along nicely.

I'll Scratch Your Back if You Scratch Mine

Scratch Track for Chad! "la la la la la la la la la la la la la"

City Lights Scratch Vocal Track

I have done several scratch vocal tracks for Chad for when he comes in to record. It helps him to know where he's gonna put some of his guitar parts. Here is one for City Lights, a song that we haven't quite figured out the lead part for but while I was in there recording for Horizons I thought I might as well do it. Please forgive me for the crudeness of it but it's definitely a rough take.

June 2nd Recording with Chad

Chad came into the studio on June 2nd to record Horizons. He always puts on a good show for us at 50 Pidgeon Hill Rd.

Dave & Chad Settin' Up!

Typical set up procedure. It's fun being on the sidelines!

Next Song Release?

I'm thinking it might be Passing Into August for I can definitely picture finishing up a new song by August 1 (Passing into the new month..)

This could change of course but I think it'd work out quite nice.

Regarding Recording and Blog Updates

Hi all! Tonight we usually hit the studio but since we have a show coming up on July 4th we will be practicing in Cullen's attic today. Usually we'd resume tomorrow but Dave Eastman will be out of town for a week so it's looking like we will be back in the studio next Tuesday. Hopefully we will be able to get Circles or Do What You Can recorded but that will depend on if Marcin and I can get some practice time in before then. Next Wednesday Dave is unable to record as well.

No worries though! Things are looking great and it seems as if a September release will be quite possible. We will just bust our butts in July and August!

Thanks for being patient! More photo and video updates on the way as well a heavy flow of album promotional material including posters, album art, website etc. etc.

A little behind on blog..

Hi readers. Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have put up a few videos from Chad's session on June 2nd but stopped short due to lack of time with my Amyloid appointments this week. Tonight I'm returning to VT for my 10th year high school reunion (whoa) and will not be able to finish the updates until perhaps Sunday or Monday.

Thank you for your patience. Lots of updates to come!

Chad's Horizons Part

Here is Chad's part on Horizons. Definitely makes the song more full!

The Road Ahead Is Hard Enough

This may or may not be true. But I found it important enough to lip sync to! haha

If You Hit My Purple Pedal...

....I will bend your B.

hahah Classic Chad outro.

Stickin' It To The Schedule!

'Cuz let's face it... sometimes too much structure and planning can be a bad thing :) I had the basic backbone of what needed to happen with recording and practice and though we deviated from it a bit we were always productive and continue to be so. Check out drafts 1 and 2 of scheduled practice and recording sessions from February to May. It's interesting to see what got done and what hasn't even commenced yet! haha

Draft 1





Draft 2 (Rework of March to May)





Look for a new schedule and a list of what needs to get done for the last half of What To Keep & Let Go soon!

Ask You CD Sleeve

I've been working on getting some hard copy Ask You CD's out for people to have before What To Keep & Let Go is released. Here is the artwork for the CD sleeve that will contain Ask You as well as a bonus track of May, an acoustic version of the song that was released on The Eleven Project's Detour album back in college.

"Where are we going?"

Well that's what I've gotta figure out. Last night I spoke with Dave about the remaining tasks for the album. We decided it'd be best for me to write out a list of what needs to happen next and what gaps we need to fill in for both the songs we have started and the ones we haven't.

So! In the next few days I'm going to be reworking a recording schedule for all of us, making sure we get in some decent practice time for me and Marcin to work through the last three songs he needs to learn/review. Cullen has a few drum parts he needs to work on and Chad is well on his way to finishing up his role on the album. One of the final recording sessions will involve all four of us at the same time recording a live take of Hello, Amy. This is going to be exciting.

I will post the list of "to-do's" as well as a new schedule soon. (I am also planning on revealing the past few months schedule so you can see how far off we are. haha Kinda humorous.)

Keep back for updates!

And We Will Chase Horizons...

...Until We Get It Right! haha

Last night was a whirlwind of experimentation for Chad's Horizons part. Flange effect or no? Too much Tremolo?? B string knockin' outta tune??? Oh and that damn intro that I was way too picky about!! :)

But we got the takes we needed. Chad had to borrow Dave's hollow body guitar because his kept going out of tune (something I am ALL too familiar with during studio time). Luckily Dave could lend his for the song. After about 4 or 5 takes and trying different things here and there, Chad secured his part for Horizons.

I will post video and photos of last nights studio work soon!

Driving Cullen Home

Usually I end up driving Cullen home after practice which is a nice relaxing time full of conversation and good humor. This particular Sunday, however, was quite visually appealing.

Below are photos from the post rainstorm Allston. Beautiful.

Gettin' Ready For July Four

The boys and I are gearin' up for our show on July 4th at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts at Crocker Park and it has been a great time getting things ready. As I said in an earlier post, we are playing as a band under the name Carnival Hero, performing fun covers and well known classics as well as featuring a 5 song block from my music project, What To Keep & Let Go, that we have been working on for the last few months. Chad, too, will be singing a song from his solo music venture and him and I have a few collaboration songs we will be playing. On Sunday May 31st, we worked on the structure of our setlist as well as figured out what covers to perform that will be fun, original and get 'em all up 'n dancin! For the next month we'll be focusing mostly on the show but at the same time polishing up my album project to get ready for some successful recording sessions in the coming months.

Here's to a whole lot of music!

Breedlove Giving Me NO Love...

For some reason my Breedlove has been giving me so much grief with tuning. I definitely need to take it somewhere else for a setup by the time this is all said and done.

Here is some video and photos of my Stand acoustic session that was very unsuccessful thanks to this guitar. Bring on the Ovation! haha

Chad's In the End work, May 20, 2009

Ok! We're past May, Ask You is complete and released and all tributes to my mom were accomplished. Now we shall continue with the last half of the What To Keep & Let Go saga. haha "saga". I'm such a dork.

Here is Chad doin' his thing for In the End.