The next file in order is an idea that would eventually become Luminosity, the first track from A Forest Through The Trees. I’ve chosen to post a few different versions of this track for a bit more perspective.
The first file I could find in the folder is dated 1.22.05. Since I stared recording the morning of 12.2.04, it seems to have taken more than a month of work to reach this version. Although I say a month of work, it’s not as if I was working on it nonstop. As you’re most likely aware, other considerations in life have a tendency to obstruct and prolong the creative process.
Regardless, the file from 1.22.05 is basically just guitars, bass, and a drum machine and seems to demonstrate the fundamental rhythmic notion at the root of the song. At this point, the project was titled ‘NIRV’. I have no idea why I gave it that title or what it means. As you’ll see later, I eventually decided to adopt a system of numbering instead of named titles, which seems to have resulted in more organizational pros than cons so far.
The second file is dated 10.16.05, which means that I worked on this idea on and off for more than 10 months. What was I doing all that time? I don’t know. It obviously took some time to write the lyrics, plus I got married in November 2005, so I was surely spending a lot of my free time on that in lieu of recording. I’m looking forward to when these posts catch up with my current creativity, which will hopefully be able to reflect a more detailed explanation of how and what I’m doing as I’m doing it. But for now I’ll have to remember the best I can.
On the file from 10.16.2005, I’ve added vocals as you’ll hear, the lyrics for which are listed below. I’m fairly certain that some if not all of these vocals made it onto the final mastered version from A Forest Through The Trees. I’ve also added some synths (some of my first experiments in using keyboards), plus additional feedback near the end. There’s also a phone ringing at the end that was included on one of the vocal track sessions by mistake. Very professional indeed. The vocals really aren’t all that spectacular in my opinion.
I’ve include the final as well so you have a reference point of how the track ended up on the album. We’ve added real drums, several more acoustic guitars, overdubbed the bass, more synths, strings, and even more feedback at the end. As you’ll hear, it’s a ton of sounds being thrown at you. I often have trouble making choices in how to edit my work, which is something I still struggle with to this day. Regardless, this was how I wanted it to sound for whatever reason.
