Recording new songs

Tracy at the helm.

I've been writing songs for my next CD, because writing songs is one of my passions, and because a lot of parents have requested I do so - they have heard my first CD "Give Me an RRR!" too many times. They want new material, NOW! So, I'm back at Northern Moon Studios with me Mad City Mate, Tracy Wolters (we're both Madison, Wisconsin boys who moved to Vermont).

We have established an easy going pattern for recording songs. I play Tracy the song I want to work on. We pick a 'feel' and a tempo for the drum machine named Elroy. I will then play my rhythm guitar part. Depending on the song, I will lay down a vocal track or Tracy will record a bass part. Then keyboard parts, percussion and background vocals will follow.

The Virtual Mixing Board.

The song we have been working on is "The Word Pirate" (you may remember the lyrics from a previous blog called "Don't be a Buccaneer Bully"). Elroy was programmed to play a polka at 104 bpm, I played my Takamine acoustic, and Tracy added a piano part that puts me in mind of wild west saloon. We tried a couple a bass patches and the one we settled on was a sample of Jazz great Eddie Gomez (I love his playing on "You Must Believe in Spring" by Bill Evans).

The first vocal take, sometimes referred to a 'scratch' vocal, in this case became the background vocal. I missed a few pick up notes and I went flat on a phrase in the bridge, but there was plenty of attitude that we didn't want to go to waste. It's so easy when you practice at home or play in public, but when you get in the studio, every out of tune note and out of time rhythm is magnified.

 

 The wind screen on the microphone may catch some of the background noise, but the mistakes seem to get through just fine.

It is fun making a song come to life as a recording, but it can sometimes be meticulous and painful work. I am fortunate to have an excellent musician and sympathetic soul like Tracy helping me out.

Pirate for hire. Will sail to distant ports.

RRR ye looking for a Pirate to perform ENTERTAINING and EDUCATIONAL Pirate Music for kids and kids at heart (me, heartie)? If so, I'm yer Matey! I sing to me own guitar playing and to backing tracks from me CD "Give Me an RRR!"

I perform weekly shows during the winter, summer, and fall at my main port-o-call, Smugglers' Notch Resort - America's Family Resort. I also sail the Friend Ship around New England and New York, to Schools (see Lesson Plans on my website), Libraries, Festivals, Special Events, and the occasional Buccaneer Birthday PaRRRty.

Me Logbook for this year is starting to fill up:
Feb 20:   Grantham, NH - Grantham Village School
Feb 28:   Underhill, VT - Deborah Rawson Library
Jun 19:   Essex Jct, VT - Brownell Library
Jun 25:   Bellows Falls, VT - Rockingham Free Public Library
Jun 26:   Jericho, VT - Jericho Town Library
Jun 26:   Swanton, VT Swanton Public Library
Jul 6:      Franklin, VT - Haston Library
Jul 10:    Poultney, VT - Poultney Public Library
Jul 11:    Newport, NH - Library Arts Center
Aug 14:  Hartland, VT - Hartland Recreation Dept.
Aug 16:  Burlington, VT - Lake Champlain Maritime Festival
Aug 17:  Burlington, VT - Lake Champlain Maritime Festival
Sep 19:   "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" Observed

So, if ye'd like me to visit yer port, send me a message in a bottle (not to be confused with a bottle of port, of which I don't imbibe)!

rockinronthefriendlypirate@gmail.com
home phone: 802-644-6632
www.RockinRonTheFriendlyPirate.com

also... find me on YouTube and Facebook.

Happy Holidays with Buccaneer Bells

One of my favorite Massachusetts families honored me by including me on their Christmas card. Thank you Julie, Tony, Laura, and Scott!

This merry and of course 'friendly' pirate has washed ashore on a Yule-Tide. It's that time of year when the temps drop like an anchor into the sea, and yer timbers are shivered. To warm and brighten things, we hang baby pirates' stockings (aka pirate booties) by the chimney with care. Then, when we put those itsy bitsy pirates to bed, we break out the Egg-Grog and have a nip with the Sugar-Rum Fairies. After a time, that guy that says "yo-ho-ho" arrives. That's right, Santa is a pirate.

Here's wishin' ye Happy Holidays me heartie! I hope yer family be healthy, yer chest filled with treasure, and yer heart filled with joy! I have written a non-denominational holiday chantey to celebrate the season. May the peal of Buccaneer Bells appeal to you!

Buccaneer Bells

by RRR Carter, © 2012 by RRR Carter

I woke up this morning and what did I see

a chest full of treasure under the tree

maybe there’s some for me mateys

maybe there’s some for me

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

I went to the table and I took a seat

tankards with drink and treats there to eat

save room for some of the sweet things

save room for someone who’s sweet

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

I walked down the lane under moonbeams

the town was a-glow with lights all a-gleam

don’t wake me up if I’m dreaming

don’t wake me up from this dream

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

Friend Ship

What kind of vessel would a friendly pirate sail? It seemed obvious to me, but I know I'm not the first person to use the pun of Friend Ship and friendship. Not long after I recorded this song on my CD "Give Me an RRR!", my co-worker and nationally recognized ski instructor Glen Findholt told me his boat was called the Friend Ship.

My goal in writing this song was to unite the idea of a sailing with people you like, with the idea of what it means to be a friend. In both instances you are going on a journey. I also wanted to celebrate friendship in general. I believe that most everyone wants friendships, and meaningful ones at that.

Perhaps, I've been able to capture those ideas in my lyrics. You can see the hand written Chorus in my drawing above. Below are words from the verses:

friends are crew to help you through
and friends are near to lend a hand or lend an ear 
friends will be with you at sea
and friends will stay all through the night and through the day

I have some friends to thank for helping me make this song better. Outside of my immediate circle of family and friends, the first fan of this song was Hannah Beatty, and I appreciate her encouragement. Megan Miller suggested that "a special ship with our friends" might have the wrong connotation, so I changed it to "a happy ship with our friends", which I ultimately find more uplifting. Then the sister & brother team of Taylor & Alex Fabrega insisted that I arrange the song in a reggae style. To facilitate this musical recommendation, I recruited yet another friend, Rudy Dauth of the band Pulse Prophets, to play guitars and bass.

None of us live in a vacumn (unless you're the Hermit of Mink Hollow), and no one can do it alone. So, to quote a famous song on the same subject "I get by with a little help from my friends".

Submitted in friendship and in trust,
RRtFP

P.P.S. (Pirate post script). OK, in my heart of hearts I want this song to be my Pirate version of "Ebony and Ivory", even if my sweet sister (and friend) Melinda Maher finds McCartney's plea for racial unity to be trite, slight, and not quite right.

Don't be a Buccaneer Bully, part 1

Once upon a... ship... there were two pirates. One was friendly and the other was... lets just say that he was... cranky. Sometimes they got along fine, and sometimes they'd fight like cats and scurvy dogs... or like the crazy cousins that they were.

Rockin' Ron was the Friendly Pirate. He wore his patch above his eye. He didn't have a sword or a knife. He rolled liked a pirate... BUT he rolled real nice. He loved to write songs, and he'd dance a jig of joy when you said AHOY! He was always making corny jokes, like “How much did the pirate pay for his corn? A buccaneer! You know... a dollar for an ear of corn... a buck... an ear!”.

Silver Long Johns was the Cranky Pirate. He had fancy pants made of silver that kept his legs warm. He never cleaned his cabin, swabbed the deck, or did his other chores, not to mention minding his manners and sharing his toys. He thought he was El Cap-i-tan, the boss, the big cheese, big man on campus, and top dog... but Silver Long Johns was just a Buccaneer Bully.

The pirates cousins sailed on the... Friend Ship. On the bow, that's the front of the ship, there was a twinkling star. Both sides of the ship, portside on the left and starboard on the right, were decorated with moons and suns. The waves seemed to pick up the Friend Ship like gentle hands and carry it to its next port. Usually, it was a happy ship with angel wing sails soaking up the sunshine, and catching the western wind. That was until the Friendly Pirate and the Cranky Pirate got in an argument.

CP: Avast there Friendly Pirate! There's a ship off the fortside.

FP: I don't mean to be rude, but that would be the portside, not the fortside, Cranky Pirate.

CP: That's what I said... the fortside. The side of the ship that the fort is on as we leave the harbor, is called the fortside.

FP: Good try Cranky Pirate, but its portside. Portside is the left side of the ship as you are facing forward, towards the bow. I remember that because the word 'port' and the word 'left' both have four letters.

CP: Friendly Pirate are you a dumb land lubber? I'm Captain here and I say fortside.

FP: Hey, that's not nice. You should call me by my name Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate, or Rockin’ Ron, or FP. Calling me a dumb land lubber is an insult.

CP: Of course its an insult. You don't deserve any better, you scabby scalliwag, you seaweed scroungin' scallop, you salt water son of a moldy misfit mermaid.

FP: Now you're insulting my mom. And by the way, she wasn't moldy.

CP: I'm not done. Your dad hisself was a bilge rat with a bad reputation, a pencil neck geek with a lousy physique, and a malcontent reprobate rabble rouser.

FP: Now you're insulting my dad... I think? What's a bilge rat?

CP: The bilge is where all the nasty water collects in the bottom of ship, and a rat is a rodent. Bilge Rats are rats that are found in the bilge.

FP: You did insult my dad... and my mom too!

CP: Alright, I'll leave them out of this. Lets talk about you, Mr. raider without a rudder, Mr. all-around nice guy, Mr. Friendly Pirate. You're not even a real pirate, you have two eyes.

FP: I may wear a patch above my two eyes, and I may NOT have a sword or a knife, but I AM a Pirate and a friendly one.  But that reminds me of a song I recently wrote called The Word Pirate...

the WORD pirate has one I
me mates I do not lie
take off your patch to see
its P-I-R-A-T-E
pirate - one who steals from others on the water

the word lubber has two B’s
“to be, or not to be”
said Shakespear from afar
its L-U-B-B-E-R
lubber - one who loves the land more than the sea

the word rudder has two D’s
don’t deny me please
it also has two R’s
its R-U-D-D-E-R
rudder - determines direction of a ship

you have to know your letters, lads and lasses

so you can pass through all of life’s classes

that’s what this is all about

but do I have to spell ‘it out’?

I-T, O-U-T

banana has three A’s
me mateys are amazed
you peel and chew and then you say,
B-A-N-A-N-A

CP: Can’t you do anything without breaking into a song? You're bananas, you're coconuts, you're just plain NUTS!!

FP: I may be crazy, but it keeps me from going insane. Hey, how come you keep insulting me? That's what bullies do.

CP: Would you get off your high horse, or your seahorse, or whatever you rode in on?

FP: Not until you give me an apology.

CP: OK Jose, I'm sorry.

FP: Mean it?

CP: Yes... I mean it. I apologize to your parents too.

FP: Gracias and thank you Senor Cranky Pirate. My dad Renaldo and my mother Penelope would approve of your apology. What happened to that ship you saw off the portside?

CP: (under his breath) Never mind you nitwit navigator, that ship has left the harbor.

FP: What did you say?

CP: Never mind you... nimble navigator, I don't harbor... any ill will. In fact, how can I be a well-behaved pirate?

FP: Try not to make yourself feel better by making others feel bad. You should check out the Seven C's.

CP: Is that on your DVD "LIGHTS...CAMERA...RRR!" and your CD "Give Me an RRR!"?

FP: Why yes, and thank you for the shameless plug.

CP: I'm trying to be nice. I want to stop being a Buccaneer Bully.

FP: That's the best news since the beginning of this blog. Till next time, avast ye pirates.

Pearl the Purple Pirate Princes

Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess (see my drawing of her above) is the fictional sister of Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate. Where RRtFP is friendly and jolly, PtPPP is "happy as can be".  Early in me pirate career, I discovered that girls like the world of pirates as much as boys. I wrote the song as a waltz to capture a royal yet playful feeling. It is one of the best loved of my songs. You will note that there are many boys who love this song as well. Take a moment to marvel at this PEARL of song.

Her name is an homage to my Aunt Pearl who lived in the town of Portage, Wisconsin. To the best of my knowledge, Portage is where Native Americans and French Fur Traders crossed the river carrying canoes above their heads. I honor my grandfather in the verse about listening to a seashell and hearing the ocean, because he had me do just that. So, I unwittingly included nautical allusions.

Pearl is mainly inspired by my friend Harley Johnson whose favorite color is purple (Oprah Winfrey likes The Color Purple too). There's an inside joke in the lyrics - "purple hue" as in "Purple Hugh", refers to her son Hugh B. Johnson III. You can see Harley, Hugh B, and husband Hugh in the video FP Rap (Pirates on Board Go RRR!).

At this juncture, I must give a shout out to Wendy Maquera - the singing voice of Pearl. Her dulcet tones can also be found ringing out on "Welcome Aboard" and "Friend Ship". All these songs RRR on me CD "Give Me an RRR!" 

I know alliteration is one of the easiest and over-used writing devices, but it is also very effective. For an extra example of extreme alliteration I ask people to say 'Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess plays with rubber baby buggy bumpers in a posh Parisian Parsnip Palace'. Then I move to many fewer syllables and have them say 'Irish wristwatch' or 'unique New York'. What those last two tongue twisters have to do with the cost of a Spanish Galleon, I know naught.

The last line of Pearl's song is "won't you sail the seas with me?". I ask you now "will you sail the Social Media Seas with me?" You must have, if yer reading this message in a bloggle. Set sail for me facebook page where I'll be having a contest through Raffle Copter for you to win one of 5 DVDs, or a grand prize package of a DVD, CD, a bag of Buccaneer Brew Coffee, and a tin of Pirate Boo-Tea. 

Good Luck! Fair Winds! Sea U soon!




a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Making of the DVD “Lights...Camera...RRR!”

 

There are lots of moving parts in making a moving picture, or for that matter, a collection of music videos. I found this out while making “Lights...Camera..RRR!” (a take-off on the Hollywood cliche “Lights, Camera, Action!”). Lets go behind the scenes, or below deck as it were, for the details.

What was the original concept? I wanted to show the interaction between myself as Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate and my audience, as well as demonstrating the movements in the songs. I reckoned the best way to do this would be in a concert setting.

Where to stage the concert? The Cambridge Elementary School Gym in Jeffersonville, Vermont was chosen for several reasons. This is a nearby port for me fanbase, it can accommodate a large crowd, but most importantly, it has a historic hand-painted town curtain depicting a castle, a ship, and waves. Perfect for a pirate backdrop!

Who would film and edit the videos? I chose Matt Richardson of Bear Pond Productions because of his work for Smugglers' Notch Resort and the Stowe Performing Arts Center. For the “shoot” Matt decided on having two hand-held cameras (Matt along with Nick Stephani), and one stationary camera (like at high school basketball games). We also shot some solo scenes of me before the crowd arrived.

Another decision was to use the recordings of the tracks as they appear on my CD “Give Me an RRR!”. This process would make editing much easier than recording the tracks live . Because I was miming the songs, I briefly considered calling the DVD “Loose Ships, Lip Sync” (a play on the war adage “loose lips, sink ships”).

I choose Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 1pm for the concert. A multitude of mateys, a bevy of buccaneers, and a crew of pirate-crazed kids and adults came aboard for the fun and filming. It didn't hurt that it was an overcast and rainy day, so an indoor kids activity was welcomed.

What about the DVD packaging? I wanted a professional, and Steph Campbell of sbc design came highly recommended. I asked her to come up with a logo and a font as part of the packaging design process. These elements would be integrated into the videos. We went through various logos and cover designs until we came up with the existing package.

When Matt finished editing and Steph completed the design, these components were sent to Disc Makers in New Jersey. About three weeks later a boat load of boxes washed ashore. I originally planned on coming out with the DVD in the summer of 2012, but as we got to August, I decided that I would celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th by having a Release PaRRRty. Cap'n Slappy and Chumbucket did not attend, but 4 score of me mateys did!

Why did I want to make a DVD of music videos, is this a vanity project? Well, yes, I am an artist after all, and I want people to appreciate my creations. Is it commerce? Of course, I spent money to make it and I'd like to make it back and then some (I am a pirate, and pirates like most people... like treasure). I wanted videos for YouTube to market meself. I wanted an 'audition tape' for those who bring entertainment to schools, libraries, and other venues. This collection of videos could also serve as the basis for a future TV show... so,stay tuned, me hearties!