Happy Saturday Everyone!
 I don't know how your week has been but my week has been super busy.  The end of February is approaching which means that I need to spruce this place up as some of my fellow members and perhaps a guest a two may be returning or coming to join me.

If you are new here, welcome to The Living Pen, if you are returning, thank you ever so much!  I welcome your comments and if you have questions on the topic, please put it below in the comment sections and I will be sure to ask it.  If you like what you are reading and would like to get an email from The Living Pen when a blog post goes live, you can type your email address below by clicking on Register located across from ADD COMMENT.

Now let me tell you how my chat with Peter went this week.

Blu:
Good Afternoon Peter, what are you up to today?

Peter:
I'm experimenting with some songs in the studio, putting down some tracks.

Blu:
Really, well that sounds interesting.  What are the components of a song Peter and how do you go about building a song?

Peter:
The basic components are rhythm, melody & harmony. Building a song can take many approaches. Sometimes I’ll have a percussion groove that I think I can put a nice bass line to. Other times I may have a melody and depending on what chords I put behind it, will determine the style and vibe of the song that I’m trying to convey. And then there are times where I’ll spend hours and hours on a song only to listen to it the next day and say, ‘ugh - what was I thinking!’

Blu:
Do you ever get stuck on a song and if you do how do you resolve it?

Peter:
Oh yes, and stuck…is not a fun place to be!  I guess you could equate it to writer’s block in your world. Sometimes you listen to the same tracks over & over and you just need to go out and clear your head. The weather was a balmy 55 degrees yesterday so I did just that. Stepped outside and lo & behold, there was a 4-legged groupie hangin’ out listening to my mixes ;>)
Blu:
That groupie has that deer in the headlights look!  Are you two on a first name basis?

Peter:
Yes, we are.  I affectionately refer to her as Doe...  not from the song, 'Doe a deer, a female deer', but rather from the first note of the scale as in do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do!!

Blu:
Touché Peter, Touché!!!
Tell me Peter, have your guest artist's confirmed yet and if they did what are they working on?

Peter:
Yes, all invited guest artists are on board and they are a very talented group of folks. I’ve sent out the rhythm tracks on a couple of songs and have started to receive some tracks back from them. A lot of improvisation over some nice chord progressions and they are killin’ it!!!!

Blu:
They are killing it???  Ok Peter, please tell me you plan on sharing something with us....  Aren't you?  

Peter:
Well Blu, I usually try to keep it a secret this early on in the process, but I maybe I can post a track or two next time.

Blu:
Of the three guitars you showed us last week, which one are you using for these tracks that you are working on?

Peter:
I've always been a Les Paul man when it comes to electric, however I'm getting a real cool tone on the Strat right now.  I'm going directly into the board using the Guitar Rig VI plugin with slight compression and a touch of delay and distortion.  It has a nice clean sound that cuts through the mix.

Blu:
What are the differences in sound between the two?

Peter:
A Strat has a clear tone (unless your driving it thru a couple of Marshal amps), whereas a Les Paul tends to distort more easily due to its Humbucker pickups versus the Strat's single coil. I'm generalizing here but think Mark Knopfler's sound versus Al Di Meloa's sound. Click on each link below to hear an example of these 2 different guitars I recorded:

CLICK to hear Strat Sound
CLICK to hear Les Paul Sound

Blu:
I can't wait to hear a sample.  I'm gonna let you get back to it.
Till next week...................................................................

Peter:
Tell Alfred I will be ringing you up next week.
Blu:
Oh my, do you all think I can teach Chino to answer the phone by next week?!  Do you think I can get him to answer to Alfred instead of Chino?!  Something tells me, I'm gonna be getting the paw... a lot next week!    (lol)

Have a great week and I will talk to you all next Saturday, 3/6.  If anyone has any questions, please put in the comment section by 3/3. 
                                                                                                               Blu