Long  time no talk, lovelies! Life has been quite busy back here in Louisiana. This Thursday, I have a show  with Tom Gillis on drums at The Big Top Three Ring Circus with the UK's Hugh John Noble and Pancake of New Orleans. I'll be playing some new stuff! Annnnnnnnddddddd, I have many sounds and recordings and new things to share with you here. Some of it all will come quite soon!

In the meantime, I've got a bit of a treat for you today. (Sorry for taking so long to get this one up!) At Montecito, I was able to perform one of my recent favorite songs, "Tiger Mountain Peasant" by Fleet Foxes, with Moira Johnston, an awesome singer from good ol' California.  We were really excited about performing it together, and managed to get this rough recording on my little iPod. The sound quality is not the best, of course (iPods are no Shures, Rodes, etc..).. But, I kind of like the raw nature of it all :) Enjoy!








Hope all of you are well!

"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men (live recording feat. Grant Lewis)

The internet is temporarily strong enough to put a sound up! Woot!

So, here at Montecito, there exists a night each week in which people of all shapes and sizes perform poetry, music, and other various things that are awesome. I am very lucky to be able to perform with many talented musicians throughout my weeks here on the mountain. One of these wonderful people is Grant Lewis, an incredibly fantastic and friendly KILT with an beautiful voice and lots of musical talent.

Here is a live recording of us performing "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. (It's not the best recording ever. Twas recorded on my iPod. Even with a little editing, I could not get the cracklies out. Still worth listening, though! The rawness is a part of the beauty!)



Enjoy!

More sounds to come soon. The next cover will be "Tiger Mountain Pheasant Song" by First Aid Kit featuring the lovely Moira Jo.!  Woot :) Trying to edit out the cracklies a bit more.

On another note, thank you to everyone for all of the support I have been receiving lately. Whether it's been through words of wisdom and encouragement, notes of appreciation, instrumental and vocal accompaniment/song advice, help finding studios, donating money through bandcamp/iTunes/etc., or any other random support form like hugs/phone calls/just plain good ol' listening, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou from the bottom of my heart. No support has gone unnoticed. Every bit of it has kept me inspired to be a better songwriter, and just a better person as a whole. I feel very blessed to have so many people in my life pushing me forward to achieve the things I feel I need to achieve.

Living here in California has been one of the best choices I could have ever made in life...and honestly, the support from here and from back home is what makes it so incredible. So, thank you all so much for everything along this journey.

There are many great musical happenings coming up ahead on this path, many of which I will soon share with you! Lots of news to share in the next couple of months. 

til next time,

Madelyn

Hokay! So, yes, I have been neglecting to add new sounds for the past few months. Indeed, there has not been a new sound in quite sometime. Mostly just small little tidbit blogs that are quite vague, blah, blah blah.

Do not fret! I have many, many, many sounds to share with you at some point in the future. However, the internet here on the mountain is not strong enough to upload sounds. Harrumph. So, you must wait. Promise it'll be worth it though. I've found some of my favorite sounds I've ever encountered here. I can't wait to share what I've found!


I just love it here so much. The air is literally sweet, the birds chirp everywhere you walk.

Life feels so full right now.  I couldn't be happier or more appreciative for that.


Gonna sleep nowwwwwwwww. Music and sound coming at some point in the future.

Songwriters Anonymous, Loyola University

   4 19 2012 8 34 PM :D by insoundlife


These are people who I already miss dearly, dearly, dearly. This group was one of my favorite experiences at Loyola. The people I met in it taught me more about songwriting than anything I've ever encountered in my life. It's because of them that I keep writing.

The ridiculousness of this recording makes me so happy :D

Psycho Bird Babble

One of my favorite things about New Orleans is the simple fact that people take time out of their day to truly listen and observe the world around them.

The pace of life is a bit slower here, a bit more smell-the-roses on your way to everywhere you need to be sort of mentality. I love it so much. I believe it's one of the reasons New Orleans people tend to be really down to earth. It's because..fundamentally, they really know how to get connected to the world around them.

A few weeks ago, I was riding my bike in Audubon Park, as per usual. It's one of my favorite things in the world to do.. So many interesting people. My favorite of the moment is one lady in particular who I have named "Swan Lady." I've seen her a few times, swaying back and forth, walking along the path around the park, her arms folded behind her back, with her neck craning delicately this way and that. She always has a bit of a smile on her face. I always wonder what she is thinking..

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I happened to notice the majestic Swan Lady standing close to the pond near the golf course, craning her head around, up and down, back and forth. As I approached in curiosity, I noticed many others around her doing the same. Only until I stepped off of my bike and removed my headphones did I see the chorus of birds diving gracefully yet excitedly above. If I was better at estimating (and I'm not), I'd say there were thousands of birds above us. In swollen waves of white, they dove down into the water to paddle and float, caw and babble.

It was such a beautiful moment to watch the birds fly in and out all together. To hear the rush of their wings as they began their ascent back into the sky and descent back down into the water. It was so comforting to sit amongst so many people who felt the same amazement and deep appreciation as I felt then and often.
I truly love New Orleans. The people here are amazing..

Here are the sounds I captured:

My Songwriter Loves

John Paul, Lacy Rose, and Kristen Olsson are some of the most talented musicians and greatest people I know. After a long time of being apart, with me being DC and Lacy being in Austin, Kristen, Lacy, and I were able to play a show together at the Neutral Ground in February.

Twas a wonderful night of sharing songs and listening. A good solid two hours of heart and soul...and everything in between.

[ http://ebro.bandcamp.com/track/every-time-i-hear-your-name << a link to download a different recording of the song..]

The next day after our show, we got together with our good friend, John Paul for an impromptu jam session. This is one of the results.

I pretty much just wanted to post this so I can remember it forever.

These people are beautiful, inside and out.

Out there, beyond everything else

Over the break, I was really lucky to be able to spend a lot of time outside and away from the computer.[FINALLY.] It seems computers are more and more integrated into my everyday life, whether it be because of homework, film scoring, or composing.

It's so nice to get away... I went camping with a few friends. Twas quite an amazing weekend. I almost feel recharged. Full. And honest. Such an interesting and beautiful feeling..

On the first morning, I giant thunderstorm blew in out of nowhere. We all settled in the cabin and fell asleep.. It's such a relaxing feeling to sleep during a rainstorm. To hear the patter of rain upon glass and the rumble of thunder in the windowpanes.

I'm so happy I caught the sounds of the morning..

Durant, MS




Back at home, one of my favorite things to do is bike back into the swamp... There's something peaceful about the clicking of the bike chain along the path with the wild birds singing in the distance.

West Pearl River--Slidell, LA


Feeling pretty lucky to be alive. :)


Ah, and one more thing. Have any of you heard of Zoe Keating? My God, some of the most amazing and impressive music I have ever heard. Here's a real treat for your ears:


I've been listening to this song all day and can't quite figure out a way to say what I love about it. At around the two minute mark, the cello begins a rather syncopated rhythm against the bass notes. The way the bass notes drone on the same low notes give the song depth and foundation.. Very reminiscent of a lot of Eastern styles of music. Yet, a brief melody in the song (the major second step to the perfect fourth to the major second) seems like something you might hear in a Western pop song. But it all works so well together...It all builds together.

By the way, Zoe Keating is an awesome Canadian born cello player who loops all of her sounds together to make the songs that you hear :) She's worked with Amanda Palmer too... couldn't be anymore awesome. New role model. for sure.

Mystery sound

Make up a story to go with the sound.

Or, give me your best guess at what it is...or most fantastically awesome guess.

"Another Spring" by John Paul Heiks VI (sung with Lacy Rose and Madelyn Gelpi)

Lacy Rose, John Paul, and myself singing one of John Paul's originals. I love these two people so much.

The lyrics to this song are incredibly beautiful and hopeful in a broken-hearted sort of way...The simplicity of the recording reminds me of an old Tennessee folk tune.
Twas a pleasure to sing with you both, friends.<3

Check out Lacy Rose here:
http://www.facebook.com/lacyrosemusic

and John Paul Heiks VI here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnPaulBassNow

and with his band, Mississippi Rail Company here:
http://www.facebook.com/mississippirailcompany
^^^^amazing rock and roll/bluesy New Orleans style band. Please do check it, if you will.

Explosions: Ashes by Ebro

My attempt at creating a sound like the band Explosions in the Sky. I wanted to see what it felt like to play what they played. I've created a short film using the music to express the song more deeply..

My Favorite Music Box

1/7/2012 5:31 PM Music Box by insoundlife

I've heard this tune ever since I was a small child. Every Christmas, my parents hung the large bulbous music box (it resembled a Christmas ornament) on the solid brown door at the front of our house. When pulling the long string to play the song, a sound much like that of a sailboat winch would rip through the bulb.. and then, the soft melody began.

I'm fascinated by how music boxes work. The sound is produced by a tiny cylindrical strip of metal flocked with flat metal prongs. These intricately placed "pins" turn 'round and 'round the cylinder, plucking a steel comb, creating a resonated array of tones at different times. The placement of the pins on the strip determines in which order the teeth of the comb are raked, and, therefore, determines the melody and rhythm of the song. The faster the cylinder rotates, the faster the song plays and vice versa.

Yadda yadda yadda...I'm sure you already know this. But, I thought it would be fun to explain. If you ever want to see it in action, just take a music box apart like I did. Or, just buy a music box where you can see the gears working. It's pretty awesome.

I find the melody of this music box to be particularly beautiful. It's haunting, delicate, and perfect in its simplicity. The notes are blue and aching. A melancholy tune, invoking images of empty dark nights and sorrowful weeping willows.. beautiful..

In my song "Trace of Fuel" on ebro.bandcamp.com , I've manipulated the song by reversing the sound wave timeline and adding various effects to the new sound. You can download and listen to it here:

Philip Glass

So here we are on a Friday night, the Eve of something big. My thoughts wander around my room as I listen to the cold fresh keys of Philip Glass. I figured this would be a good time to write my blog about him, seeing as I will probably not be sleeping anytime soon.. :)

I wanted to write a blog about Philip Glass because I truly feel that his pieces of music are genius. To be honest, during the first year I listened to Glass, I remained relatively uninterested and unimpressed. (Minus listening to "Truman Sleeps" from the Truman Show..) I found the songs I had listened to to be very simple, repetitive, and minimalistic. (Duh, he's a minimalist, Madelyn. I know..i know..)

I felt this way for quite some time.. And then it clicked. It all clicked in this beautiful and triumph way. His music is genius.. magical.

Glass has a way of creating music that transcends listeners into a completely different and complex world.. Even in his simplest songs, his piano motifs and phrases combined with his extreme attention to dynamics and rhythms have the ability to facilitate very lucid spiritual depth.. In order to truly obtain this experience and profoundness Glass webs into every piece, one must softly attach his or herself to the sound while simultaneously free floating alongside it. I think of it somewhat like holding someone's thumb in your fist only ever so slightly..Both feelings, the feeling of someone holding your thumb and the feeling of holding someone else's. Such a peculiarly loose feeling.. But, a trusting hold nonetheless.

One must let the music guide thoughts.. Closed eyes, open ears, open mind.
In this way, it is possible to see all of the images Glass paints with his music, the open spaces, the in-betweens, the cascading woodwinds and strings, the potential laced in every note. In this way, we begin to hear his music not as a repetitive stream, but a swirling river of thought bubbling with the capability of new growth because of its stable basis. It's so beautiful..
Perhaps, I shouldn't explain it more.. It really is something you have to understand through yourself when you are ready..

A few weeks ago, I sat down late at night and began learning Philip Glass's "Opening." After what felt like five minutes, I checked my clock to find that three hours had passed. Amazing.. Truly immersed in his piece, I saw bright and vibrant images..memories..things I had never before seen.. The music became something else, something beyond music. Like hypnotic ear exercise or something..
I played for three hours and didn't realize it. The song made me forget time. Travel time. I don't know..

"Satyagraha" was much the same experience. I remember during one act I completely forgot where I was..like I had somehow closed my eyes while leaving them open. Like my chair was suddenly this foreign thing beneath me, pressing up against me.
Just incredible...

I think the beautiful thing about his music is that it gives us something to tie our thoughts to as we wander through our minds. It grounds listeners in a steady somethingness that allows for growth and rebirth. All through the clarity of glass.. It's genius. I don't quite understand how he does it.. I analyzed the "Opening" piece.. and it's just so simple. The rhythms are odd, yes. The dynamics are perfectly placed.. As if Glass had some super intelligent knowledge of exactly the right point to place the crescendos and decrescendos to foster a connection with the song.

I don't know. I'm just amazed...Perhaps I'm over-analyzing.. But I just think he's incredible.
I definitely recommend checking out his opera "Satyagraha" if you ever get the chance to see it. It's all about the life and struggles of Ghandi.. Sung in Sanskrit and everything..

Also check out these songs:

"Opening" by Philip Glass


"Island" by Philip Glass


"Escape! (Piano Solo)" by Philip Glass

Water from the sky, in the woods

Pitter patter.

It rains, it rains 11/22/2011 5 09 PM by insoundlife

Room 6B, Harlem

Thanksgiving Day... Locked outside of our flat, I recorded the sounds of the hallway..

I sit against the wall as a family gathers for Thanksgiving.
11 24 2011 3 36 PM by insoundlife

my favorite recording yet..

Cricks and Cracks of New York

I've been meaning to blog these sounds for a while...but just haven't gotten around to doing so until now.

I spent a week in New York with some friends for Thanksgiving.. There were so many incredible things to see and hear.. Though I've been to New York a few times before, I find it quite impossible to not discover something beautiful and unique in every place I went..Here are some sounds I found and love..

Subway Sax:
People utilize public space in such interesting ways..The creative stage that subway cars become is so awesome.. On a subway car at night:
11-23-2011 8:04 PM by insoundlife

Central Park on Thanksgiving Day:
Beautiful day. I love the way the sound changes in the tunnel..I think he did, too. :)
11/24/2011 1:32 PM by insoundlife

The Macy's Day Thanksgiving Day parade-- Near Central Park
"Happy Thanksgiving, New York!"
People everywhere, cheers echoing off of the large buildings around us..

11/24/2011 10:31 AM by insoundlife


Steinway and Sons, Soft Keys
On one afternoon, I got to visit Steinway Hall. Pretty much died of happiness.. There were so many different piano sounds! I realized again the importance of having the right instrument. The clarity of music is incredible, almost pure, when listening through a fit instrument. I was amazed..

I met a really nice guy playing the piano there. We played for quite a while. Perhaps I'll post that music later..
I stole away to play the pianos in the other room.. One in particular was the strangest, most adorable and loving piano I've ever met. It had such a great soul. Just listen to the way the hammers hit the keys..
I ended up playing a song I really love.
"As a War" by Pale Young Gentlemen

11/25/2011 1:35 PM by insoundlife

Squeaky Times Square
11/25/2011 3:59 PM by insoundlife

I went to "Satyagraha," an opera by Philip Glass, at the Metropolitan Opera.. I can't express to you how amazing it was.. I'll have another separate blog about it.. whoa..
Philip Glass decided to walk on stage at the end. Here is the moment and the audience's reaction :)

Philip Glass by insoundlife

Breathing Drain--Battery Park
A drain that breathed.
Breathing Drains 11 27 2011 11 07 AM by insoundlife

Beautiful buzzing city...