Some years ago, the good folks at AE set out to make a different kind of collaboration...an experiment in the unity of music. Each of the participants submitted one or more renditions of verses of this familiar song. Using a common key and tempos, each set out to put their own unique stamp on things.
Most of the vocals you hear were recorded to a very simple rendition of the verse. Files were sent to me as producer and shepard of the project and I arranged them in order and laid the pre-recorded vocals over the various instrumental backings as I saw fit, then tried to make a unified whole out of all the parts.
Leading this project was one of the highlights of my musical life so far, and I hope to expand on our version of AG with new means of getting larger audience for it, and for all the people involved.
It was different kind of collab than any of us were used to making, and there was some doubt amongst those involved in the discussion. We worked up a small test run of the concept with a verse of The Beatle's Yesterday that exceeded expectations. What made it 'different' was the fact that none of the participants based their work (including vocalists) on anybody else's rendition. Music is where math meets mood, and this is as good a demonstration of that unity as any I know of, as well a showcase of genre and talent in service to the song.
I post the link because a. I'm very proud of it. b. I hope it inspires something similar among a few of us. c. Two RPM'ers are featured...Jay Durfey and myself.
Comments (3)
