Some band demos

CyberGene

OK, in some other discussions @Del Vento said he was surprised to find out I used to play in bands. Well, “playing in bands” is just too serious and an inaccurate description of what was/is rather jamming with friends 😀 I’ve played covers in bars but it was a silly thing I didn’t care to keep any recordings of many years ago.

Anyway, here is a composition of mine from 10 years ago that we recorded a few times during our jam. I think it was on the same day I showed it to them, so nothing special:
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/3BMuLyFLuqWtRcPw8

Here’s an instrumental one from the same session, also my composition, they didn’t like it and I think we didn’t jammed a lot on it 🤣 I play a Roland RD-700SX in both.
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/U5RCjSkLSegomci38

Here’s one recorded with a phone that is totally improvised, I play a real Rhodes piano, there’s a bassist and a guitarist and a drum machine. I just invented some chords on the spot, no melody, some rather lame impro on top of it…
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/nMoSM2EJWPnS5gG78

That kind of BS is what I refer to as “playing in band” 🤣

Del Vento

CyberGene Anyway, here is a composition of mine from 10 years ago that we recorded a few times during our jam. I think it was on the same day I showed it to them, so nothing special:
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/3BMuLyFLuqWtRcPw8

Well, it might be "nothing special" if you compare this to Chick Corea's compositions and bands. Compared to any thing that I hear on a regular radio channel, this is fantastic! From all points of view! From your description I would have not bothered to listen to it, but then David piqued my interest with

David B Slow Motion is a smooth jam with great vocals. I can listen to that all day.

It's really great! Is the singer native English speaker? It certainly sounds so to me. Your playing is great: smooth, accurate, nicely rhythmic, captivating!

CyberGene Here’s an instrumental one from the same session, also my composition, they didn’t like it and I think we didn’t jammed a lot on it 🤣 I play a Roland RD-700SX in both.
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/U5RCjSkLSegomci38

I see this as being more avant-guard. I actually like it a lot, but it's certainly more "difficult" to sell to the general public and less "smooth", but as David say

David B I like the first two. They sound professional and I would buy them from iTunes if you release a reunion album.

Well, if I had a iTunes account or buy music digitally, which I don't, but I'd buy a physical CD…

CyberGene Here’s one recorded with a phone that is totally improvised, I play a real Rhodes piano, there’s a bassist and a guitarist and a drum machine. I just invented some chords on the spot, no melody, some rather lame impro on top of it…
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/nMoSM2EJWPnS5gG78

David B I didn't have the patience to sit and listen to the improv jam for 12 minutes. 😊

I did. This sounds more like exploration of ideas (which is probably what it is 🤣) and not something to be published (which the other two are instead worth of). Too repetitive for being a tune to release to the public (perhaps besides for "background, elevator music"), but totally fine as a jam, and containing good seeds to elaborate about more clearly in a tune which may actually releasable, if your band wanted to.

CyberGene That kind of BS is what I refer to as “playing in band” 🤣

Don't downsize it. First you guys are having fun, which is great and should come before everything else. Paying attention of the musical results I hear from what you posted, your band is great! I wish I had the experience to be in a band 5% as good as yours.

Theophilus Carter

Wow, those sound pretty good to me! No BS!!

David B

Wow! Everyone plays their instruments very well.

Slow Motion is a smooth jam with great vocals. I can listen to that all day.

Meow-Meow has a progressive feel to it and I like the keyboard solo with the cool guitar riff over it.

I didn't have the patience to sit and listen to the improv jam for 12 minutes. 😊

I like the first two. They sound professional and I would buy them from iTunes if you release a reunion album. 🤘

God Bless,
David

CyberGene

Thank you all for the good words 🍻

Del Vento Is the singer native English speaker? It certainly sounds so to me.

No, she’s Bulgarian but she was great, I think she came up with the text on the spot. I only suggested her the melody and not everything, so she also finished it up. But she later married for an English musician and is living in London now 😀

Del Vento This sounds more like exploration of ideas (which is probably what it is 🤣) and not something to be published (which the other two are instead worth of).

Indeed. I hesitated whether to post it but it’s representative of the bulk of what we’re usually doing, repetitive and boring improvisations over a few chords. It’s the main reason why usually nothing happens with what we do and then we split. I always try to represent whole compositions with a certain form but the guys I play with are not very interested in since it’s hard to study and practice well formed compositions (as the other two) and prefer to just start jamming. And it leads to nothing 😀 But it’s still some fun for some time only for us (and not for listeners).

HZPiano

Hello,

I just listened to the tracks and do like SlowMotion, and just shared the link with my brother to see what he says. (He has experience with bands like yours and gigged locally (keys/synths, overall sound and production) in the past -- as for me, none at all, not even close).

As I said on occasions before, please stop thinking/talking yourself down @CyberGene !!

Cheers and have lots of fun,

HZPiano

HZPiano shared the link with my brother to see what he says

My brother likes it too!

He said that if it were an end mix, he would have reduced the e-piano a bit in favor of the vocalist coming more forward.

Cheers and have fun,

CyberGene

HZPiano thank you! Not sure who recorded it back then and how… I guess the rehearsal room had some mixer and someone just set some levels at the beginning and started recording the entire session in stereo without any modifications. If I have to record this for a serious release, I would record it multitrack and in many takes until it’s good.

TomLC

Gene, These do sound good. While I was in SoundCloud I listened to some of your other recordings. I especially liked your Autumn Leaves rearm and My Funny Valentine.

CyberGene

TomLC Thank you! I used to do a lot of jazz reharmonization of tunes and some quasi-improvisational jazzy compositions such as the My Funny Valentine one, they were born from my everyday improvisations but when I liked how something sounded I would later remember it and integrate it into an entire composition...

But somehow I grew tired of all that, of jazz, of my inability to produce something I am really proud of... 🙁 Which is why I abandoned jazz and dedicated solely to performing classical music.

David B

TomLC Gene, These do sound good. While I was in SoundCloud I listened to some of your other recordings. I especially liked your Autumn Leaves rearm and My Funny Valentine.

I like his version of Amazing Grace.

Gene, I wish you'd did more hymns, I'd seriously buy your album. You are talented.

God Bless,
David

CyberGene

David B thank you! I love to re-harmonize or just modernize the traditional church hymns because the melody often is rather simple and allows for advanced harmony underneath, I guess you know that since you’re doing the same in your videos 🙂 Looking back at those times I realize I used to go to church much more for the music and to be able to play with other people and was rather indifferent towards religion and faith but if there’s one above I hope he won’t judge me too harsh 😇 After all people enjoyed my contributions to the services, so I may have contributed to strengthening their faith. Hopefully 😀