I have never enjoyed the benefit of any formal music schooling being an insurance professional by trade. Everything I have learned about music has been learned on my own, first by marching in a parish band starting at the age of 12, then by marching in a drum and bugle corps until I was 21. I was a rudimental snare drummer and when I "aged out" in 1976 I began teaching and arranging for marching percussion. I did not attempt to write songs per se until I was 55 years old. My wife Julie had passed away and I decided to attempt to write a song in her memory. That song became 'Footprints in the Snow' which is featured on my first CD "Calling on Everyone." I enjoyed writing that song so much I continue to write songs as a hobby where I am now retired. 'Calling on Everyone' was recorded with live musicians in 2011. Included below are selections that are entirely computer-generated (no live instruments) using Finale Songwriter for the notation of instrumentation (caution, if you are legally blind like yours truly this can cause serious eye strain.) A sample Finale chart appears below. I then save the Finale file as an MP3 or MIDI file and drag it into the software program Cubase 4 where the vocals are added. I do not play guitar, bass guitar, piano, strings, sax, trumpet, harp or euphonium which are some of the instruments featured in the songs. While I am familiar with the keyboard, I had never written for anything other than rhythm instruments such as snare drums, bass drums, tenor drums and cymbals prior to 2009. The following songs are merely raw demos which I hope to record with live musicians who can embelish them and bring the voices to life as I did with my first CD. Hope you are not too offended by their crude simplicity (my brother Steve says I sound like Kermit the Frog with my vocals) . Hopefully, I can record them with live musicians at a future date as expenses allow. Thanks for dropping by! -Michael Merrett |
Below are music videos of songs contained on the CD's Calling On Everyone, Just Be Yourself, and Winds Of Change.
The following are some of the
original computer-generated demos from the CD 'Calling on Everyone' to give the listener an idea of how they sounded before being recorded by live musicians. Vocals by Michael. Some of them changed quite a bit. |
Here are some short samples sent
to co-producer Dave Vose and I by vocalist Veronika Morscher. She recorded these while sitting in her dorm at Berklee. My first exposure to her voice was the sample she sent of the song 'You.' I will never forget that moment, hearing someone else singing one of my songs for the first ime. It was in a word, awesome! We eventually went with the male vocalist Will Makar to sing 'Debbie Dear', a decision I regret to this day. |
On
the Tracks Little Boy Blue* She's On Fire Searching Debbie Dear Calling on Everyone *Lyrics by Eugene Field |
You Debbie Dear Footprints in the Snow Get Off This Road |
YET TO BE PROFESSIONALLY RECORDED SONG LIST (Computer-generated demos)
Falling in Love Jake Knows Home Why Are We Here Traveling Man |
Another Gray Day The F.O.G. We're In This Together Love Lies |
The
following are instrumental pieces.
If
You Go Endless Night Swan Song |
Dancing Butterfly Cousin It Waiting For Her |
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