Unleashing Creativity: Writing a Song with RNG
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Traveling to New York City
- Collaborating with Riff Studios and Ashley Ball
- The Concept: Rolling the Dice
- Guitar Options
- Good Option: Fender Telecaster
- Fine Option: Nashville Strong Acoustic Guitar
- Bad Option: Guitar with an Oil Can Body
- Amp Options
- Good Option: Fender Princeton Reverb
- Fine Option: Old Silvertone
- Bad Option: Pure DI Signal
- Piano Options
- Good Option: Baby Grand Piano
- Fine Option: Wurlitzer
- Bad Option: Toy Piano
- Percussion Options
- Good Option: Drum Kit
- Fine Option: Auxilary Percussion
- Bad Option: Apple Loops Only
- Vocal Mic Options
- Good Option: Norman U-87
- Fine Option: RCA Ribbon Mic
- Bad Option: Telephone XLR
- Key and Time Signature Options
- Good Option: Key of C
- Fine Option: Key of D
- Bad Option: Key of F#
- Good Option: 4/4 Time Signature
- Fine Option: 12/8 Time Signature
- Bad Option: 7/8 Time Signature
- Lyrical Content Options
- Good Option: Love
- Fine Option: The Cosmos
- Bad Option: Product Jingle Lyrics
- Recording and Collaboration Process
- The Result: A Unique Jingle
- Conclusion
Article
Traveling to New York City and Collaborating with Riff Studios and Ashley Ball
Hey everybody, Alexandra Morgan here, but my friends call me SH Morgul. Today's video marks the very first edition of collaborations that I have been planning for quite some time now. As You may know, I recently traveled back to New York City for a variety of reasons, and while I was there, I wanted to make sure I spent quality time with my buds, Tom Gardner of Riff Studios and Ashley Ball. We decided to document our collaboration Journey in this video, so let's dive right into it.
The Concept: Rolling the Dice
As we brainstormed ideas for our collaboration, one thought kept popping up in my head. Riff Studios is like a treasure trove of musical toys, and I couldn't resist the idea of incorporating them into our project. After some deliberation, we came up with a unique concept - we would randomize the elements of our song by rolling dice. Each aspect of the song, from instruments to vocals, would have different options Based on the roll of the dice. This way, we would challenge ourselves to Create something unexpected and push the boundaries of our creativity.
Guitar Options
The first category we tackled was the guitar. We assigned three different options to the Roll of the dice - a good option, a fine option, and a bad option. The good option happened to be a classic Fender Telecaster, which was exciting for all of us. The fine option was a Nashville Strong acoustic guitar, and the bad option was a guitar with an oil can for its body. While the bad option seemed quirky, we were prepared to make it work.
Amp Options
Since we rolled an electric guitar, we decided to introduce a separate category for the amps. Our good option was a Fender Princeton Reverb, the fine option was an old Silvertone, and the bad option was a pure DI signal. The selection of amps would greatly influence the overall sound and tone of the song, so it was important to choose wisely.
Piano Options
Moving on to the piano, we faced another set of options. The good option was a gorgeous baby grand piano in the live room, the fine option was an old Wurlitzer that had a unique sound but was slightly challenging to track, and the bad option was a less-than-intimidating toy piano. The piano would add depth and richness to the song, and we were excited to explore different possibilities.
Percussion Options
In an effort to make things even more interesting, we decided to incorporate percussion in the form of drum loops. We randomly selected three Apple drum loops, along with some traditional percussion instruments for the good and fine options. The bad option consisted of using only the Apple loops, without any additional percussion. This would add a layer of complexity to our composition and make it truly unique.
Vocal Mic Options
Choosing the right microphone for recording vocals was crucial, as it would greatly impact the overall sound and Clarity. We rolled the dice to determine our options. The good option was the highly regarded Norman U-87, the fine option was an old-school RCA ribbon mic, and the bad option was an XLR attached to a telephone. While the bad option seemed unconventional, we were up for the challenge and believed it could yield interesting results.
Key and Time Signature Options
The key and time signature played a significant role in shaping the mood and vibe of the song. For the key, we rolled the dice once again. The good option was the key of C, the fine option was the key of D, and the bad option was the key of F#. We decided to go with a major or minor key later in the process. In terms of the time signature, we wanted to explore something slightly unconventional, so we settled on 12/8 for the good option, 4/4 for the fine option, and 7/8 for the bad option. These choices would add complexity and variety to our composition.
Lyrical Content Options
Lastly, we had to determine the lyrical content of our song. We wanted to capture a specific theme or emotion within the lyrics, so we assigned different options to the roll of the dice. The good option was "love", a Timeless and universal subject. The fine option was "the cosmos", offering a more expansive and thought-provoking angle. The bad option was writing lyrics for a product jingle, which would be a creative challenge in its own right.
Recording and Collaboration Process
After carefully selecting our options for each category, it was time to put our ideas into action. We booked about four hours in the Studio to write, Compose, and Record our song. I started by experimenting with random melodies and parts on the acoustic guitar, even though we rolled an electric guitar option. Tom set up the recording equipment, and Ashley worked on cutting the loops to establish a groove for us to build upon. Despite the randomness of our choices, we were determined to find synergy between the elements and create something Cohesive.
The Result: A Unique Jingle
After the four-hour session, we put our pencils down and listened to what we had created. The result was a unique jingle-like composition that incorporated elements of love, a toy piano, and unexpected guitar and amp combinations. While it may not have been the traditional collaboration we initially envisioned, we were thrilled with the outcome. The process pushed us to think outside the box and brought unexpected moments of creativity.
Through this experience, we learned the importance of embracing uncertainty and exploring unconventional approaches to music-making. It reminded us that the unexpected can lead to amazing results, and sometimes the quirkiest combinations can produce the most interesting pieces of art.
In conclusion, our collaboration at Riff Studios in New York City was a testament to the power of creative experimentation. By rolling the dice and incorporating random elements into our song, we were able to create a unique and engaging composition. It was a reminder that taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zones can unlock new levels of creativity and inspire others to do the same.
