Tag Archives: candle

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Spoons & Production Notes…

My friend, Joanne Gabriel, has inspired me to experiment with creating sounds with my guitar.  As such, I sat down last weekend & recorded a bunch of songs using regular household spoons as the main method of strumming the strings on my guitar.  I played around with a bunch of effects in Jeskola Buzz & was able to create some really otherworldly & spacey tones.  After recording these songs, I had this sudden brainstorm to release them as an EP.

So now I’m working on post production for two projects.  My Moonscapes project which is the result of my FAWM 2015 creativity & now this new EP that I’ve entitled Cuillères Intergalactiques.  I’m hoping to finish up the post-production on the EP this weekend, which will leave me a lot of time to concentrate on the post-production of Moonscapes.  But until I release them, you can listen to the demos on my FAWM page.  Leave me a comment, either on my FAWM page if you are a fellow FAWMer, or in the form below.  Let me know your thoughts on the Moonscapes demos or your thoughts on experimenting with sounds.  Share your outlandish sound creation experiments, or any other crazy thought that might inspire someone else.

 

See You In The Shadows…

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CANDLE’S NEW SONG ASCENDS TO NEW HEIGHTS

“Man is but a bridge to the Übermensche.” This is the statement being made with Candle’s latest single: Übermensche, released today on Layaway Records. Übermensche is the second single from Candle’s sixth studio album: Vibrations, which was released in the fall of 2014. The song & its B-Side were written in February 2014 as part of the annual online song writing challenge February Album Writing Month (http://www.fawm.org). Ken Ficara, a fellow FAWM participant, writes of Heartbeat: “The very pretty little piano melody over the wall-of-drone is extremely effective. This is quite a track.”

Darby Spicer’s ongoing experimental space rock project Candle fuses psychedelic & progressive rock stylings with ambient sounds & textures that create emotion driven soundscapes that only need to be experienced to be understood. Darby composes various pieces built on the idea of feelings that can be provoked in the individual listener. It is his intention to stir up true emotions through the medium of music & philosophical poetry. Like a candle burning brightly, he wants to show the contrast of light & dark in the greyest area of human existence: that of the soul.

Übermensche & its B-Side, Cær Sidi (Ancient Sources Remix), can be downloaded from Candle’s Bandcamp page: candle.bandcamp.com; where listeners can name the price they feel the download warrants. The download also includes album artwork, printable liner note collector cards, CD label, as well as bonus material. For more information, promo requests or to set up an interview, contact: Darby Spicer: candleexperience at gmail dot com

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FLOG: Volume 6; Issue 2

FLOG: Volume 6; Issue 2

Definition: FLOG – FAWM Log: A log of the process undertaken by Candle during February Album Writing Month

Ten days in & I am currently working on song number 7.  So far, I’ve gotten some great feedback on my first six songs from a lot of familiar faces & some new (to me) FAWMers as well. Oh, I guess I should explain what a “FAWMer” is.  Basically a FAWMer is anyone participating in FAWM – either writing & posting songs for the challenge or those very few who simply comment on others work.  Thank you to everyone who has commented on my songs so far.  And I know I’ve fallen behind with commenting on my Watchlist (FAWMers I’m following), but I’m doing my best to keep up.

Every year I have people ask me about my setup & what exactly “Buzz” is.  Well, put simply, Jeskola Buzz (the full name of the program) is a modular compositional software based on the idea of “Machines”.  Basically, a Buzz project is an open canvas where you can insert Generator Machines (synths, instruments, &c…) & Effects Machines (choruses, flangers, reverbs, filters, &c…) & wire them up just about any way imaginable.  The workflow is based on Tracker Technology (for anyone familiar with FastTracker, ProTracker or even ImpulseTracker, you’ll know what I’m talking about).  Trackers basically take samples & allow you to key those samples in various tones to write songs.  The workflow is very different from DAW’s that most people are familiar with & takes a little getting used to for the unseasoned.  But Buzz is more then just a Tracker, it’s possibilities are endless with its modular approach to everything.  There is an entire community of developers creating new buzz machines all the time.  Buzz also supports VST & VSTi integration as well as the use of SoundFonts & other audio creation/processing plugin technologies.  I’ve been using Buzz as my main compositional software since 2005 (gods, its been ten years, doesn’t seem that long!) & have yet to find another piece of software that lets me be as creative.  Here’s a screenshot of one of my two Buzz Projects for my sixth FAWM 2015 song Jura Mountains:

Jura Mountains Ambience Project - JPEG

Hopefully this gives you an idea of how the modular machines work.  For more information about Jeskola Buzz, you can check out the Buzz community website:  www.buzzmachines.com

Anyway, I’m really happy at how far I’ve come so far this FAWM.  Six songs in eight days is pretty exciting.   As I said, I’m working on song number 7 which is going to be using some original audio from the Apollo 11 mission.  I’m really excited about it.  Anyway, stay tuned for more new songs & more ramblings in the next edition of my FLOG.  Until next time…

See You In The Shadows…

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Yogurt Specials

I know: it’s cheesy.  It reminds me of that scene from Space Balls where Yogurt shows the heroes his secret vault which is full of movie merchandise.  And he gives them that big speech about: “Merchandising! Where the real money from the movie is made!”  Basically, slap your name & logo on anything that you can & try to sell it.

Well, I’m unapologetic.  I’m following the “Yogurt’s Money Thru Merchandising” formula.  So I slapped the Vibrations album cover on a bunch of stuff (t-shirts, USB sticks, etc…) & put them up for sale – just to see what happens.  Maybe I can sell one or two of these “Yogurt Specials” & put the money toward some hard-copy versions of Vibrations.  Or maybe a new guitar pedal…

Anyway, I would love for it for you to at least have a laugh at my cheesy attempt to make some money (it’s why I still have a day job – I don’t make a living from my music).  And if you were kind enough to actually buy one of these lovely items, I would be forever grateful.  But now I just sound like a desperate used-car salesman.  Oh well, have a laugh at my “Yogurt Specials” & may the Schwartz be with you!

The Official Candle Store

See You In The Shadows…

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New content on the Candle Experience Site

This is just a quick post letting everyone know that there is now a dedicated Video Page on the Candle Experience Official Site.  Drop by & watch the videos.  And don’t forget to keep checking back for new content & new videos as they are posted.

Candle Experiænce Video Page

Until next time,

See You In The Shadows…