Hi Dave. I am also not sure if this is the intended space for questions, but Ground Underfoot from The Glad Fact: where the heck did this guitar part come from? I learned the song on guitar years ago and the harmony still intrigues me.
My impression is that you are not “jazz guitar guy” in the institutional sense. Were you emulating orchestral music? Simply following your ear? This song was recorded a long time ago of course, but this question could apply to a number of your songs. Your approach to guitar is very unique and has been an inspiration to me in my own musical journey. I learned from listening to your music that guitar in the context of rock/pop music can have a harmonic richness I had only previously heard in jazz or bossa nova or something. It opened my mind to the possibilities of the instrument in the context of lyrical rock songs. Were you emulating anyone else’s sound on the instrument when you started writing songs?
Ok, you had me at “double-plus thank you”! The number of subtle nods in all sorts of cultural directions leaves a very pleasant tingle in my mind :)
I really like the idea that “writing is impossible”. I often feel that a song writes itself only while I’m not looking, while I’m sort of officially doing something else. I’m just looking at the process from the side of my eye and as soon as I decide: ok, let’s glue these snippets together now, all the uncertainty sprouts from every corner.
My question for you is about how to deal with the unlimited possibilities while recording/arranging song?
I feel like in the time of 4 tracks and no DAWs you just used what you had and you didn’t think too much of it, maybe you would sometimes try some pedals but it’s not like you could have access to almost unlimited effects as we have nowadays. The moment I open a DAW it’s really anti being creative for me, I start trying different sounds and different fx and get exhausted before I even start.
How do you deal with this? I was recently looking at something like the OP-1 Field and thinking “this shit is expensive but it’s exactly what I would need to start writing my music”, forced limitations to keep me focused on the task.
Thanks for creating this space. My question is less about song but more about creativity in general:
What do you think of the whole cultural idea that creativity peaks in our youth? I hear this echoed a lot, but I simply refuse to believe it as true. It might be a correlation but certainly not a definite causation, right?!
You are one of the few examples I hold in my mind of someone whose creative output and drive has not seemed to diminish with age or time (the other ex. is Radiohead).
Please put to death this burgeoning myth, for my own elder musician-self's sake :)
idk why but i can't get the question prompt to work, but i'm so stoked for the saturday show - long time fan. last time i saw DP play was sasquatch! in 2013. thank you for the tunes! hope i can introduce myself in person at some point. i would love to hear about the process of working with solange and kanye - some of your mindset and how your workflow differs between that and your own music
Great update man! Not sure if this is the spot for questions… but can you tell more about the song “Irresponsible Tune”? The production is killer, especially the vocals. The lyrics bring me in and the song has so much (((feeling))). Just curious what you would say about that gem
Hi Dave. I am also not sure if this is the intended space for questions, but Ground Underfoot from The Glad Fact: where the heck did this guitar part come from? I learned the song on guitar years ago and the harmony still intrigues me.
My impression is that you are not “jazz guitar guy” in the institutional sense. Were you emulating orchestral music? Simply following your ear? This song was recorded a long time ago of course, but this question could apply to a number of your songs. Your approach to guitar is very unique and has been an inspiration to me in my own musical journey. I learned from listening to your music that guitar in the context of rock/pop music can have a harmonic richness I had only previously heard in jazz or bossa nova or something. It opened my mind to the possibilities of the instrument in the context of lyrical rock songs. Were you emulating anyone else’s sound on the instrument when you started writing songs?
p.s. - Great Jokermen episode! Cool Mike!
Ok, you had me at “double-plus thank you”! The number of subtle nods in all sorts of cultural directions leaves a very pleasant tingle in my mind :)
I really like the idea that “writing is impossible”. I often feel that a song writes itself only while I’m not looking, while I’m sort of officially doing something else. I’m just looking at the process from the side of my eye and as soon as I decide: ok, let’s glue these snippets together now, all the uncertainty sprouts from every corner.
Thanks for the link to the Bjork Doc. Haven't seen before. Totally brilliant.
My question for you is about how to deal with the unlimited possibilities while recording/arranging song?
I feel like in the time of 4 tracks and no DAWs you just used what you had and you didn’t think too much of it, maybe you would sometimes try some pedals but it’s not like you could have access to almost unlimited effects as we have nowadays. The moment I open a DAW it’s really anti being creative for me, I start trying different sounds and different fx and get exhausted before I even start.
How do you deal with this? I was recently looking at something like the OP-1 Field and thinking “this shit is expensive but it’s exactly what I would need to start writing my music”, forced limitations to keep me focused on the task.
Hi David,
Thanks for creating this space. My question is less about song but more about creativity in general:
What do you think of the whole cultural idea that creativity peaks in our youth? I hear this echoed a lot, but I simply refuse to believe it as true. It might be a correlation but certainly not a definite causation, right?!
You are one of the few examples I hold in my mind of someone whose creative output and drive has not seemed to diminish with age or time (the other ex. is Radiohead).
Please put to death this burgeoning myth, for my own elder musician-self's sake :)
idk why but i can't get the question prompt to work, but i'm so stoked for the saturday show - long time fan. last time i saw DP play was sasquatch! in 2013. thank you for the tunes! hope i can introduce myself in person at some point. i would love to hear about the process of working with solange and kanye - some of your mindset and how your workflow differs between that and your own music
Great update man! Not sure if this is the spot for questions… but can you tell more about the song “Irresponsible Tune”? The production is killer, especially the vocals. The lyrics bring me in and the song has so much (((feeling))). Just curious what you would say about that gem