Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Second Chance For Happy Circus Time
As you may have read here, when I'm not out playing shows, I'm writing tracks and songs for commercial placements in all sorts of different apllications through a company called Taxi. They put out listings for needed music in many genres including the following left-of-center request:
UPBEAT, HAPPY, PEPPY CIRCUS CALLIOPE-STYLE INSTRUMENTALS needed by a global Music Publisher servicing ambient spaces (retail, malls, restaurants, theme parks). Aim for the authentic style of old world circus parades, carnivals and riverboats with playful melodic motifs and an upbeat spirit. Songs must be original or public domain covers. Imagine big pink swirls of cotton candy and carnival barkers on the midway and you're on your way. Broadcast Quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are fine).
I decided to give this one a try and came up this little ditty below. I did what I usually do by getting on iTunes and listening to a few samples of "circus music". I didn't have a true calliope in my arsenal of sound samples so I took an organ patch and "injected" some airiness into it. (huh?) Tweaked it. This is what happened:
CLICK ON MUSIC PLAYER TO HEAR "HAPPY CIRCUS TIME"
The first time I pitched it, it was returned and the critique I got back was, "This track would have been perfect for this listing. The melody to Happy Circus Time is too close to You Are My Sunshine which is under copyright since 1938." Oooops!
The Punch Line
And so the second chance. The listing has been put up again for more tracks in the same genre so I get to adjust the melody a little bit and resubmit it! I have high hopes for "Happy" the second time around since it was "perfect for this listing."
Thanks for reading along in my songwriting journey! I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Vlog #5 - NEW SONG: Mama Gonna Whoop You!
Here's a rough version of a tune I've been working on.
Where did you ever get this song title, Steve?
Well,....traveling down the road on the bus this past year, our FOH (that's Front of House) sound engineer, Kevin, mentioned a line that became the title of this song. I believe he said his Mom used to say this, "Mama Gonna Whoop You". So I took up my personal challenge to come up with something using said childhood warning as a title or "hook" as it's called in the songwriting world. Lyrics came first, then I added the melody later "whilst" tweaking the lyric as I went.
What's your excuse for such silliness?
If anything, it's a songwriting exercise. I have no idea who would sing this besides me. The idea is to just keep writing!. Hope you enjoy watching my singing head since when I film this I failed to have my guitar in the shot as well. But there you have it. I'm not going to record this againnnn!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Goodbye 2010 - Happy New Year!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Attention Disney Fans: Feast Your "Ears" on a My New Song!
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| (Photo: Ellen Auld) |
Okay, so got this idea for a song quite a while ago. Song title came first ("I'm Going To Disneyland") and I persisted to chip away at it until the finished form posted here.
I get a personal kick out of this myself , but I have my misgivings about it when we're talking marketabilty in the world of serious songwriting.
1. Trademark/legal (obvious?) issues in the hook. And, would someone besides me want to sing this (my main goal for writing songs in the first place)?
2. I wonder too if the lyric really "works" well enough to get it placed somewhere.
Check out the photo of yours truly during some R&R (but is it really in the extreme June humidity, seriously!?) at Disney "World" as opposed to Disney"Land", the subject of our inspired song. I think the majority of the celebratory "celeb" commercials are aimed toward Disney World.
But there ya have it.
Click on player below to hear "I'm Going To Disneyland"
What it all has come down to for me at this point is to just not think about it too hard, finish it and move on to other songs. Just get it out there and show that yes, I may have some songwriting ability in this genre.
I hope you enjoy it. Should I make it a free download? Feel free to speak your mind. Love it, hate it, "keep your day job"? Oh, and thanks reading all this!
sp
Here are the lyrics for those who care to read along:
"I'm Going To Disneyland"
Here are the lyrics for those who care to read along:
"I'm Going To Disneyland"
© 2010 Steve Probst
I'm rounding third, I'm almost home
Her smile is sayin', "Go, man, go!"
I take her hand and hold it tight
I pop the question, let it fly
Can you believe it?
I major-league it
There's never been a happier man
Hey, I'm going to Disneyland
She's so mine, and I'm so proud
We go together
Like sunny weather
And pictures with Mickey Mouse
I get the goofies just holdin' hands
I'm going to Disneyland
In front of friends and family
Gave that girl a diamond ring
Had us a daughter, then a son
Should be a crime having so much fun
Hey, alligator
I'll see ya later
There's never been a happier man
Hey, I'm going to Disneyland
They're so mine, and I'm so proud
We go together
Like sunny weather
And pictures with Mickey Mouse
I've got the goofies, I'm makin' plans
I'm going to Disneyland
SOLO
Life's so amazin'
That's why I'm sayin'
CHORUS
Hey, Mom and Dad - I'm in the Paper!
Eagles salute comes to Sturges Center
By HOLLY LA PAT
Special to The Press-Enterprise
Eagles reunions may come and go, but Hotel California has been recreating the country-rock band's hits for more than 20 years.
"We do them exactly like the studio recordings," said band member Wade Hogue in a recent phone interview.
Eagles reunions may come and go, but Hotel California has been recreating the country-rock band's hits for more than 20 years.
"We do them exactly like the studio recordings," said band member Wade Hogue in a recent phone interview.
Hotel California plays Saturday night at the Sturges Center for the Fine Arts in San Bernardino, performing classics like "Desperado," "Take it to the Limit" and "Lyin' Eyes." The show also includes songs from the solo careers of Eagles members Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh.
To capture the Eagles sound, vocals are critical.
"To be in this band, you have to be a good singer," Hogue said. "You have to know about harmony and how harmony parts move."
Hogue performs keyboard, guitar and lead vocals for the band, with Dicky-Lee Dickinson and Steve Probst on guitar and vocals; Scott Fronsoe on bass and vocals; and Ken Nichols on drums and percussion.
Hotel California plays Saturday night at the Sturges Center for the Fine Arts in San Bernardino, performing classics like "Desperado," "Take it to the Limit" and "Lyin' Eyes." The show also includes songs from the solo careers of Eagles members Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh.
To capture the Eagles sound, vocals are critical.
"To be in this band, you have to be a good singer," Hogue said. "You have to know about harmony and how harmony parts move."
Hogue performs keyboard, guitar and lead vocals for the band, with Dicky-Lee Dickinson and Steve Probst on guitar and vocals; Scott Fronsoe on bass and vocals; and Ken Nichols on drums and percussion.
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HOTEL CALIFORNIA: A SALUTE TO THE EAGLES
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sturges Center for the Fine Arts, 780 N. E St., San Bernardino
Tickets: $19-$45. 909-885-5152, www.ticketmaster.com, www.sturgescenter.com
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