Lyrics:
There's a song in the forest
there's a song in the trees
there's a song in the middle of the sky
there's a song with your friends
there's a song that never ends
there a song in this room with you and I
There's a light...
There's a warmth...
Today's tune is a little folk-hymn that I wrote. Sure it probably sounds like something you've already heard and it's subject is pretty vague but sometimes that's just the kind of hymn you need to sing while looking out of your kitchen window with a cup of coffee after a morning prayer.
Tell me your comments via twitter or facebook
What kind of music would you call this? Vocal harmonies, guitar, banjo, and electric piano. I can't quite pin down the influence but there's absolutely nothing new about it's sound. Fleet Foxes are doing well with this sound (and with much more talent, for sure) but I digress.
Comment on this track @ http://twitter.com/mpwalker or http://facebook.com/mpwalker
lyrics:
Your fingers get stiff when it gets this cold
The mittens don't care if you want to
follow him down to the creek
paddle your way with the wind
Take a long a walk with your feet
Get lost in your own little backyard
Your fingers get stiff when it gets this cold
The mittens don't care if you want to
follow him down to the creek
paddle your way with the wind
Take a long a walk with your feet
Get lost in your own little backyard
your face is always welcome in your town
Today I squeezed in a moment to whip this song out that was inspired by a similar tune by Houses called "Soak It Up". Check it out here http://myspoonful.com/houses
Please share this with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else good music is shared. Downloads are fifty-nine cents so it doesn't even hurt to keep a copy for yourself to listen to offline.
Enjoy!
The hour-songs, or as I'm going to start calling them "Songs-in-an-hour", has been great even with the few that have been released. Until I decide otherwise, I'm going to start a release schedule of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That gives me time to figure out when I can squeeze in a song-in-an-hour with my work and family schedule. The songs will still be written and recorded in an hour but they won't be available until it's time on the M/W/F pattern.
So what do you think about that? Give us all something to look forward to?
-mike
These are not songs that last one hour; they are songs that were conceived, written, and recorded in the span of one hour. An exercise in spurring creativity, putting myself out there, and pushing myself.
So far I don't have many rules save for these few:
-Song must be written and recorded within an hour
-Finishing under an hour is fine; finishing just over an hour it permitted for now
-Try to record one song per day (I don't think I'll be able to hold myself to this with my work schedule)
So join me as I try to make music. Each song with be for sale for (minimum) $0.50 and I plan on putting out volumes/best-of's for sale when I have enough built up. Help support independent artists and consider making a purchase.
Help me out by sharing them on facebook and tweeting them to your friends if you like a song or know someone who would, I'd appreciate it.
Here are my first three entries:
An old tune of mine (techicially two tunes) wound up in a fantastic new short film by filmmaker and old friend Karla Jean Davis. I'm pretty proud to add this to my list of published works. Give it a watch and be sure to make it full-screen with your volume turned way up.
I'm Still Trying To Figure That Part Out from Karla Jean Davis on Vimeo.
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot - credits
Last Thursday night I had a chance to play around with my new banjo my wife bought for me. Why it took four months for me to get the banjo delivered is another story so enjoy some free music (first 500 downloads are free)
4/30/2010
Nearly five years ago, at what feels like was a wonderful creative peak in my life, I worked out this little tune. It's short, sweet, and free to download today. Enjoy. [edit: free download offer is over]
Nearly five years ago, at what feels like was a wonderful creative peak in my life, I worked out this little tune. It's short, sweet, and free to download today. Enjoy. [edit: free download offer is over]
On Saturaday there were several tornadoes around middle Tennessee all the while my family took a long afternoon nap. I decided to snag the free time to record a little ditty I had been picking around on with the guitar that afternoon. I just started grabbing other instruments from around the house and toys from my kids' room and out popped this boppy little 90 second instrumental. Sounds like a movie soundtrack I'm told. Enjoy a listen and have a free download
I'm making a humble attempt to give to Haiti. For the month of February, starting today, 100% of proceeds from my album sales will be given to the American Red Cross for their Haiti Relief Fund.
That is to say that after Paypal takes their cut from the album sale, any and all money that I get will go directly to to Red Cross.
The best I can do to win your confidence is that I will provide screen shots of me making payments with your money on the Red Cross website that you can use to verify.
Help the relief and get some great music in return.
go to http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com/ and download the album or individual songs. Follow the payment prompts (minimum is $5-album/$0.50-song, but you're welcome to do as much as you like). When I receive the payment via Paypal, I'll send you back screenshots of your payment going to Red Cross.
Thanks for your help
-mike
12/14/09
It's #MusicMonday. I'm giving away free download codes for my 2005 album Empty Talker. Just tweet something like "I like @mpwalker's music, you should too http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com/" or something similar and I'll send you instructions to download the album for free.
Conditions:
First, you have to include the "@mpwalker" in your tweet otherwise I won't see your tweet.
Second, link to the Bandcamp.com website: http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com in your tweet.
Third, this offer is only good for #musicMonday so you have to participate today.
with lots of love,
Mike
12/10/2009
For the past month or so I've been trying to re-release songs that I've recorded either as a solo artist or with previous bands I've been in. Back in 2002 and, heck, even back in 2005 I just didn't have the ear to notice just how poor the sound quality is when you render music in mp3 format. The highs are tinny and the lows don't thud as well and everything in-between is just bland. Hardly any dynamics. I didn't even think about how that would effect the music I was making. Well since I've joined Bandcamp.com I now have the ability to offer music in a lossless format. That is if you download the FLAC version (I reccomend using VLC Media Player for listening to any format of any type of media, by the way) you are hearing exactly what I was hearing when it was being mixed. It's truly the "official" version of the song. I just wanted to point out how neat that is.
Last night I took a look back at a song my band The Promenade recorded in 2002, an 11 minute instrumental psychedelic guitar-jam we named "Manchild". I think this version really captures the sound and energy in the garage/studio that afternoon that Zach, Sal, and I spent making music.
Here's a streaming version of it for you and is available for free to download in you favorite format:
12/2/2009
Over the weekend I took some photos of the family for our official 2009 family portrait. I think they turned out very nice:
Then last night we got to be apart of the fun of the annual Christmas tree lighting in our downtown square:
Me and my little girl.
We're really soaking up the season. Lot's of fun.
-mike
Then last night we got to be apart of the fun of the annual Christmas tree lighting in our downtown square:
Me and my little girl.
We're really soaking up the season. Lot's of fun.
-mike
12/1/2009
Happy birthday to my brother and a big "welcome" to the month of December.
Empty Talker has assumed it's usual role at $5 for the entire album download. This includes six bonus tracks and album artwork. For your convenience, individual tracks are $0.50 (50 cents) but you won't get the bonus material.
May this Advent season be a blessing to you and yours,
-Mike
Happy birthday to my brother and a big "welcome" to the month of December.
Empty Talker has assumed it's usual role at $5 for the entire album download. This includes six bonus tracks and album artwork. For your convenience, individual tracks are $0.50 (50 cents) but you won't get the bonus material.
May this Advent season be a blessing to you and yours,
-Mike
11/30/2009
Call me lazy if you wanna but since I forgot to change the price for Empty Talker back up to $5 this morning, I decided to extend the $1 deal on the album through the rest of today.
Tomorrow morning, December 1st, it goes up to $5
Take advantage of this while you can
thanks
-mike
Call me lazy if you wanna but since I forgot to change the price for Empty Talker back up to $5 this morning, I decided to extend the $1 deal on the album through the rest of today.
Tomorrow morning, December 1st, it goes up to $5
Take advantage of this while you can
thanks
-mike
11/27/2009
Why oh why did I go to Walmart this morning? Bad idea. I left emptyhanded anyway.
You don't have to leave emptyhanded from here though. My album Empty Talker is on sale for $1 until Monday at the store. Your purchase financially supports independent artists and helps me make more music.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving day and have a happy holiday season.
-mike
11/25/2009
This seamless transition between websites is probably the coolest thing I've done in a while:
also, how about these colors? I don't know if I actually like them. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Tell me about it (@mpwalker)on twitter.
This seamless transition between websites is probably the coolest thing I've done in a while:
also, how about these colors? I don't know if I actually like them. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Tell me about it (@mpwalker)on twitter.
11/25/2009
I just got a shout out from Frugal Hacks re: my cheap, cheap, heckuva deal on my $1 album for Black Friday.
being frugal is 'in' guys. I should know, I'm pretty hip. Go give 'em a visit.
-mike
11/25/2009
I'd like to thank everyone that was able to take advantage of the free music giveaway yesterday. I was honored to get the recognition and feeback as well. Thank you so much
One of the coolest things about being an artist on Bandcamp.com is the stats page for your music. I just thought it'd be neat to share my humble stats for yesterday's event:
Those are the "listens" from yesterday
And here's the downloads.
For the rest of the week, in the tradition of "Black Friday" sales, Empty Talker is $1 (or name your price) for the rest of the week. Come Monday morning, the price goes to $5 (still a deal) for the album or $0.50 a track. Your best bet is to download the album which gets you the 11 tracks + 6 bonus tracks and full size album artwork. If you bought the tracks individually you'd end up paying more and you wouldn't get the bonus material, so go get the whole album, you won't regret it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-mike
I just got a shout out from Frugal Hacks re: my cheap, cheap, heckuva deal on my $1 album for Black Friday.
being frugal is 'in' guys. I should know, I'm pretty hip. Go give 'em a visit.
-mike
11/25/2009
I'd like to thank everyone that was able to take advantage of the free music giveaway yesterday. I was honored to get the recognition and feeback as well. Thank you so much
One of the coolest things about being an artist on Bandcamp.com is the stats page for your music. I just thought it'd be neat to share my humble stats for yesterday's event:
Those are the "listens" from yesterday
And here's the downloads.
For the rest of the week, in the tradition of "Black Friday" sales, Empty Talker is $1 (or name your price) for the rest of the week. Come Monday morning, the price goes to $5 (still a deal) for the album or $0.50 a track. Your best bet is to download the album which gets you the 11 tracks + 6 bonus tracks and full size album artwork. If you bought the tracks individually you'd end up paying more and you wouldn't get the bonus material, so go get the whole album, you won't regret it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-mike
11/24/2009
It's time! Go to http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com/ and download Empty Talker for FREE. You can choose your own digital format; from the easy mp3 to the high-quality lossless FLAC (identical to CD quality-highest you can get). They're all there.
When you download the album, you also get SIX extra tracks of demo recordings plus the album artwork files (for when you want to burn a CD and make a case for it).
Individual songs are available for free download too if you don't want to waste your bandwidth on songs you don't like.
Feed back (+ or - via Twitter, Facebook, or using the contact form on Bandcamp.com) is appreciated. Spreading the word to your friends is double appreciated.
The free download only lasts for 24 hours. The good news is that after today the album is only $5, which still includes the bonus material. Cheap, easy, all that stuff.
Thanks for your support,
-mike
It's time! Go to http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com/ and download Empty Talker for FREE. You can choose your own digital format; from the easy mp3 to the high-quality lossless FLAC (identical to CD quality-highest you can get). They're all there.
When you download the album, you also get SIX extra tracks of demo recordings plus the album artwork files (for when you want to burn a CD and make a case for it).
Individual songs are available for free download too if you don't want to waste your bandwidth on songs you don't like.
Feed back (+ or - via Twitter, Facebook, or using the contact form on Bandcamp.com) is appreciated. Spreading the word to your friends is double appreciated.
The free download only lasts for 24 hours. The good news is that after today the album is only $5, which still includes the bonus material. Cheap, easy, all that stuff.
Thanks for your support,
-mike
