Week 20 - Recording 3: untitled

So, I've realized that I'm not going to be able to finish 50 polished, multi-track recordings this year.  I'm going to have to post some fragments and sketches.  In that spirit, I wanted to share a melody I wrote earlier this week.  Given my track record, it may be years before I write words or an arrangement, but I'm going ahead and posting what I have so far.

Week 18 - Recording 2: "Down in the Willow Garden"

"Down in the Willow Garden" is an old folk song from Appalachia that's probably based on an even older song from Ireland.  It's a murder ballad, told in the first person by the killer.  It's been recorded by artists as diverse as the Everly Brothers and Nick Cave.  I first came across it in the movie "Raising Arizona."  When H.I. wakes up from a nightmare, his wife is singing it to calm the baby they just stole.  I saw it again in my teach yourself bluegrass guitar book, in the section "simple melodic playing."

The recording process was very different than my usual way, which I used on "Lighthouse."  Instead of recording a "click track" to keep me on beat (and make it easier to sync up parts and edit, cut/paste, etc.) and recording various parts as separate tracks to allow me to control relative volume, I recorded this as one track.  The mic was pointed in between my guitar and mouth and I played and sang at the same time.