Acoustica User Forums

final (Ian's) version:https://fishpaul.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-bells

working (Paul's) version:https://soundcloud.com/unknownartist-14 ... 14/s-PaiDf

"demo" version:https://soundcloud.com/unknownartist-14 ... 10/s-0aHwO

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem "Christmas Bells" on Christmas day 1863, in the darkest days of the American Civil War, with his son having joined the Union army (against his wishes), just a few years after he had gone through some pretty dark years himself. The melody most usually associated with it was added a few years later. Bing Crosby nailed a version of this back in the '50's. I have long wanted to mash up the various versions and after plunking around for a while, here's where I'm at so far. This consists of one unedited keyboard take and a single vocal take from this afternoon, a bit edited but no comps.

I would appreciate comments, suggestions and socks (men's size 8-11, Smartwool medium hikers).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_t ... istmas_Day

freightgod wrote:I would appreciate comments, suggestions

My question is this - Do you want it to sound like a background piano with someone singing in the foreground or do you want it to sound like someone singing whilst playing piano ? To me it sounds like the former, there are various ways to change this, if you want, just send me the stems, otherwise fine, but it could sound more epic, is what I'm thinking here

I shall PM you, Ian, I'd actually like that.

Grand, hopefully you got my PM (I'm not really sure when the messages are sending), tell me when you've sent the file(s))

https://fishpaul.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-bells

I think Ian did a grand job on this, it's such an improvement over the "demo" I shared earlier. This is with a fresh vocal. Ian layered up some sounds to mix with my piano, and this is all his mix. Happy Christmas, everyone!

freightgod wrote:https://fishpaul.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-bells

I think Ian did a grand job on this, it's such an improvement over the "demo" I shared earlier. This is with a fresh vocal. Ian layered up some sounds to mix with my piano, and this is all his mix. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Glad to help sort it out Paul. It's a nice poem (being about the reality of mankind and war, rather than religion as such, which I personally have no interest in, being an atheist and all). Seasonal greetings and best wishes to everyone

Ha ha, come Christmas muzak season, which around here begins the day after Halloween, my favorite people in the world are atheist musicians!

I believe this is the most ecumenical of Christmas carols, next year let's do an extended version with all the verses! Here are the two that are usually omitted, for obvious reasons!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Anyway, here's the music video:

A weary G.I. stumbles through the wreckage of a bombed-out church. The world is blanketed in snow. Two surviving bells high up in a roofless steeple barely toll in the wind. Amid the rubble a wonky but miraculously playable upright piano survives. The soldier lays his helmet down, and sitting down on a crumbling pedestal, begins to play. His helmet rocks on it's crown like some upside-down bell, in a counter rhythm...the soldier sings...