Collaboration: Vanessa and Michele - Thinking of You

[michelew]

Hi everyone,

Three years and four months ago (I looked it up), Vanessa responded to a challenge from Neil to create a noodle in Dropped D. What she developed blew us all away.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/86- ... 41972.html



I've listened to it a million times and it still moves me, in fact more and more each time. There's so much in it, so much emotion, so much passion, sensitivity...it's evocative, it takes you on a journey...

With Ness' help, I've been playing around with accompanying tracks and lyrics for some time on and off. This is an attempt to pay homage to Nessa's gorgeous instrumental piece, I only wish I could sing better and were a better musician all around to really do justice to it.

We hope you enjoy it.





Thinking of You

Thinking of you, wond'rin' where you are?
Thinking of you, are you near, are you far?

I remember a time,
When we walked hand in hand,
Through the streets of strange lands,
We were so far from home and so in love we were then,
I remember that time.

I remember when,
When we talked until dawn,
I laid in your arms,
Oh the love we felt then,
Through the night so long, til the day light crept in,
I remember that time, I remember that time.

All the finds in market places,
All the smiles on children's faces
All the charm of natural spaces,
...We loved it all,
So far from home, but not alone,
You were by my side.

Thinking of you, wond'rin' where you are.
Thinking of you, are you near, are you far?

I still miss you so much,
And the love we had once.
...
Do you still think of me?

[daryl]

Damn you are creative! I heard piano, flute, and tambourine along with Vanessa's guitar and your vocals. Did I mess anything else? Well done!

[michelew]

Daryl,

Thank you...

Only the rain at the very beginning and the very end, but it's very soft. I think I originally used it to fill the gap left by cutting out the ambulance in the original. Then decided to keep it.

There have been other instruments too but they hit the cutting room floor.

Thanks

M

[crieniecat]

Woooow, Michele & Ness... speechless how cool!

The lyrics, awesome!
The haunting tune by Ness, fantastic!
The vocals, really nice!

And then I still need to find words for the used instruments and side effects...
Proud to know you two
Overall, an outstanding job, chapeau!!


Corina.

[Rbinding]

Wow.

I am blown away at the creative process and music you are putting together. A pretty awesome "noodle" to start with, then lyrics, additional instruments, editing and producing a very haunting and cool piece. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Ron

[michelew]

Corina - thank you sweet woman. I obviously had an amazing foundation to build on. Nessa's piece could launch a million stories. It's definitely furtile ground. So glad you like it.

Ron - thanks SO much. That's all so nice to hear.

I'm sure when you say "you" you're referring to both Vanessa and I. Even so, I'd just like to clarify that this really is a collaboration in the truest sense. Not only did Ness compose and perform the original piece, she gave me great guidance as I tried my hand at building accompanying tracks too. I'm a learn by doing sort of person. This project has definitely been a trial and error process for me at least. While most of the lyrics and the vocal melodies come together fairly quickly, the rest has taken much longer while I've tried different things. Ness has very patiently and generously listened to the many, many attempts I've sent her and given me advice on what worked and what didn't. Believe me many of them were.... Well pretty crappy when it comes right down to it.

I'm absolutely sure this project would have been completed long ago and I dare say stunning if Ness had decided to take control and build the accompanying tracks herself. But, she let me "have a go" and learn in the process. One of the most important things I've learned is "less is more". With this track in particular, it was crucial to ensure that the tracks didn't conceal the original. In the end I think I found a happy medium by doubling two of the sections and having them as instrumentals only. But, getting there took a lot of tries of other approaches along the way and many many listens by Vanessa.

I've absolutely been using the things I've learned during this project in the TZZ projects too; probably more than I even realise.

David gave me his views too, which also really helped. And of course Vanessa's and David's support and confidence in me kept me going too.

So my points here are: it wasn't just me, I've taken a light bulb approach (just keep trying until it works) and without Ness' inspiring track this wouldn't have happened at all.

Thanks! So glad you both enjoyed this.

M

[willem]

Totally silence over here, what beautiful. :woohoo:

[TGNesh]

Well what can I say..... :ohmy:

Shel, you've turned an instrumental song into an intense, haunting and heartbreaking vocal song. As you know, I prefer vocals! I also think you've outdone yourself. You've captured, highlighted and kept the exact same feel of the instrumental version.

The flute is absolutely gorgeous. You've created a beautiful melody on top of the melody that I'm playing, fits like a glove and blends really really well. Also the piano adds a lot of debt to it, the subtleness there is the trick and you've done that just perfectly.

The absolute unexpected highlight for me is the crash (from a drumkit, or a tambourine?), adding to this crescendo which leads back into the 'chorus'. I would have done that exactly like that as well. I LOVE those details and, as you know, playing with dynamics.

And no matter what you think, you've sung it beautifully too. Reminds me of Mark's noodle, you had outdone yourself in that one too.

Gosh woman, like Daryl said, you're SO creative and such a fantastic lyricist as well....i don't think you're aware of how good you've become.

All in all.....I'm really very impressed....

Ness

[dekotaj]

BRAVO Lady's!!!

[davidrfinn99165]

Lovely song Ness and Shel... thx so much for sharing..

gosh i love a good collaboration !!! .