(H+) M.S.G.

Music:

Member Since: 10/19/2006
Band Website: stage.fm/hmsg
Band Members:(H+) M

(H + ) M.S.G.:

Lyrics::

This is the most important part of song writing for me. I believe in layering meanings to create a densely structured poetry. That being said I try to not take myself too seriously as my various euphemistic and innuendo laced songs can attest. I also write lyrics differently depending on whether I am alone or with a band. This can be seen in my work with Çyrpentene (collaboration with Andy Joslyn on guitars, etc.). The lyrics I write are a reflection of the way I see the world around me, alternately amusing and disturbing. But can we know Light without first seeing the Dark?

Vocals::

My vocals exist for the sole purpose of delivering my lyrics and joining them to music. While my voice will never win awards for prettiness I don’t consider this to be a major fault. My voice has a wide range of both pitch and tone, but it must usually be separated in to registers so I can sing more fluidly usually in a sprechgensang manner. As a result my vocal “melodies” usually remain within an octave to prevent my voice from creaking when the register changes. Being an untrained vocalist keeping a pure pitch is rare with quartertones being hit fairly frequently. Wordless vocals are usually more fluid for me in all registers and I may start using them as backing vocals. If I ever use a vocal tuner in a song I will fess up to it. No sense in letting people think I can actually sing. I was also introduced to overtone singing by Toby Twining and I hope to incorporate that into my repertoire as well.

Arrangements::

While I do occasionally play instruments I find I create more personally satisfying music when I program or compose it. I have gone through a number of methods of song writing. Much of my earliest methods involved densely layering loops to create musical beds that had the sole purpose of holding my vocals. While I do like many of the songs I created this way I was never comfortable with the fact that the music never truly was mine. I now use several methods to create my music: thru-composition, chance composition, fractal generation, and combinations of the three. My thru-composition involves writing out the music long hand on staff paper and then programming it. Chance composition involves using random selection elements to craft songs. The most common way I do this is by randomly selecting chords to use and arranging them as I like or by composing phrases baring note rhythms only, using dice to select their sequence, and adding a composed or fractal melody to the note rhythms. Pure fractal generation uses my fractal music software to create music with no other intervention on my part. The Amara EP is an example of this. My newer songs will combine all these elements. I have a fondness for alternate time signatures and unusual scales which give my music an intriguing ebb and flow that is not common these days. I have also discovered micro-tuning and I hope to incorporate that in to my music on occasions as well.

Occasionally also::

Bass::

If I had the choice of playing one instrument very well it would be the bass. I prefer short scale basses due to their fluid playability. I usually play finger style but I also use a pick if I have been playing mandolin recently. As a rule my playing approach is based on scales rather than chords and I rarely use extremely long or short not durations. The best examples of my bass playing are located on Vol. 1 and 3 of “Whispers from the Rat Hole”. Flavor of the rain is probably my favorite of these.

Mandolin::

I developed a fondness for mandolin (especially electric mandolin) after hearing Nash the Slash. I also love the acoustic sound and use it in my songs on occasions. The most notable example is on “Whispers” Vol. 3 (See Player below). If I can find a good one I would like a tenor guitar which like the mandolin is tuned in 5ths.

Keyboards::

I occasionally play keyboards in songs using an approach that deemphasizes the importance of the actual notes played. This is best illustrated on “Whispers” Vol. 1 and 3.

Atmospheres and Junk Percussion::

I use the soundwarper to create unearthly and slithery metallic atmospheres under some of my songs. These can be heard on parts of “Whispers” Vol. 2 and 3. I do a little junk percussion on “Whispers” Vol. 3’s Seraph.

Wind Instruments::

I play Tin whistle on parts of “Whispers” vol. 3 and recorders (mostly as drones) on the upcoming free EP “The Secret Perversion of Flan”. I also have recently purchased a Melodica which will likely make an appearance in my music some time in the future.

Vocals and Lyrics::

Neil Finn of Crowded House (especially with Tim Finn); Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator; Peter Gabriel of Genesis and solo; Phil Judd of Split Enz and others; Peter Sinfield of King Crimson; Tom Waits; Bob Dylan; Ivan Doroschuk of Men without Hats; Toby Twining (Avant-guard vocal composer); Elisabeth Fraiser of the Cocteau Twins; Carl McCoy of Fields of the Nephilim; Phish; Primus; Steely Dan; The Residents; Captain Beefheart; Jon Anderson of Yes; Jan H. Ohme of Gazpacho; Niclas Flinck of Carptree; Lacuna Coil; Sting; Magma

Guitars/Stringed instruments::

My Bloody Valentine; Catherine Wheel; Kaki King; Lacuna Coil; Robert Fripp of King Crimson; Brian May of Queen; Nash the Slash; Steve Howe; Phil Judd and Wally Wilkinson of Split Enz; Fields of the Nephilim; Slint; Nap Attack; Godspeed You Black Emperor!; Dream Theater; Queensrÿche; Alex Lifeson of Rush; Randy Rhodes; David Cross; Dead Can Dance; Cocteau Twins

Bass::

Nick Seymore of Crowded House; Chris Squire of Yes; Tony Levin; Mike Chunn of Split Enz; Geddy Lee of Rush; Matthew Seligman; the bassists of Steely Dan; Lacuna Coil; Nic Potter; Jaco Pastorius; Stanley Clark; Charlie Haden with Ornette Coleman; Chris Wood of MMW, Robert Berry, Les Claypool

Drums::

Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford; Jamie Muir; Neil Peart; Tim Alexander; Alan White; Alex Acuna; the late Paul Hester of Crowded House; Lacuna Coil; Mike Portnoy; Guy Evans; Paul Emlyn Crowther and Noel Crombie of Split Enz; Christian Vander of Magma; Phil Collins

Rhythm Sections in general::

Yes, Split Enz (Mental Notes era); Rush; Dream Theater; Van Der Graaf Generator; King Crimson; Crowded House; Shellac; Nap Attack; Autoclave; Lacuna Coil; Magma; Weather Report; Middle eastern and Indian classical music

Keyboards/Synths::

Thomas Dolby; Hugh Banton of VDGG; Peter Bardens of Camel; Yes (all keyboardists); J. S. Bach; Eric Satie; Arnold Schoenburg; Steely Dan; Supertramp; Carptree; Eddie Rayner of Split Enz; Men without Hats; Jan Hammer; Chick Corea; Thelonious Monk

Overall Songwriting and Atmosphere::

Crowded House; The Finn Brothers; King Crimson; Van Der Graaf Generator; Yes; Cocteau Twins; Fields of the Nephilim; Slint; Rush; Ozzy Osbourne; Tom Waits; Bob Dylan; Phish; Primus; Komosa; Multi-panel; Ornette Coleman; J. S. Bach; My Bloody Valentine; Toby Twining; The Residents; Pink Floyd; Carptree; Gazpacho; Split Enz; Arnold Schoenburg; Brian Eno; Steely Dan; Captain Beefheart; Peter Gabriel; Genesis; Dead Can Dance; Blur; Oasis

It is a dream easily confused with reality.

The Latest purchasable MP3s are here:

:

Click here to buy my CDs.

Here are additional songs available for streaming. They cover songs created in the period between the recording of “Confessions of a Meatpacker” and “Amara”. These range from my earliest loop dropping forays to more experimental (and strange) songs. The featured albums are as follows:

Songs marked “A” = The Lawn Gnome Prophesies

Songs marked “B” = Whispers from the Rat Hole: Vol. 1

Songs marked “C” = Whispers from the Rat Hole: Vol. 2

Songs marked “D” = Whispers from the Rat Hole: Vol. 3

Click here to buy my CDs.