Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Universal Healthcare Now! - The New Album by The 3Represents

Finally! Megumi, Yasuko, and I have finally finished our upcoming album, Universal Healthcare Now!

It consists of 12 songs that Megumi has written over the years. There are demos for several of the songs out there, scattered about on YouTube, Soundcloud, or whatever. Originally, it was supposed to be out in the Spring, but then it got pushed back to August, and then it got pushed back again until finally we got it done and it should be out soon!

Part of the problem is that we (meaning me) are lazy, and part of the problem is that Megumi kept wanting to redo parts. And I kept wanting to redo the mixing. But it's done. IT'S DONE!!!

The cover of the new CD
As far as the title goes, well, that was Megumi's idea. Yasuko didn't care one way or the other, but I questioned Megumi why she thought of that. I mean, none of the songs have anything to do with healthcare!?

Megumi told me that she thought everybody should have universal healthcare, so if we named our CD Universal Healthcare, then everybody should have our CD!

Well, okay...

Anyway, it will probably take some time for the CD to make its way on CD Baby and especially all the distribution channels like iTunes and Spotify, so keep an eye out for it!

We'll put out a video on YouTube of the single, You Say, soon. Although, it's kind of stupid to say that it's the single--it doesn't mean anything. It's not like it's a separate thing going out to radio stations. But I like to say that because it reminds me of the old days. You Say features Anne McCue on guitar!

Here's the Track List:

01 At the Zoo
02 You Say
03 My Pasmo Card
04 Mochi Mochi
05 Trade My Life
06 Disneyland
07 Making Takonashiyaki with Toyosaki Aki
08 Time's Up!
09 From My Bed
10 Makeinu
11 Stop Walking Over Me
12 You Gotta Try Harder

Update: the album is now available on Bandcamp and CD Baby!
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*All songs feature the Vocaloids Megpoid English and Avanna

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Our Friends Amy and Chris Join Us for a Song


Hey everybody! I hope you all made it through Typhoon Trami okay. It sure seems like we're getting a lot of typhoons here recently!

Our good friends Amy and Chris from America are visiting us, and they got caught up in the typhoon and hunkered down with me, Yasuko and Megumi. Since we were stuck inside, Megumi thought it was a good idea to jam (as long as the power held out, hehe).

Megumi had been working on a song that she felt wasn't really suited for her voice, so she asked Amy if she would sing on it. Chris chipped in on the harmony part.


Megumi is playing a Fender Stratocaster going into a Caline Pure Sky pedal. That goes into the DAW (Presonus Studio One) and the bx_bassdude amp sim through a Presonus Audiobox USB96 interface. Yasuko is playing a Yamaha RBX260 bass that goes into the bx_bassdude amp sim as well.

Megumi wrote the music, but the lyrics are from a Christina Rossetti poem, Song (When I am Dead, My Dearest). Megumi started getting into the works of Christina Rossetti when she took a class on 19th century English Literature and learned about the Pre-Rafaelites.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Using Megpoid English (Vocaloid 3) in the Vocaloid 5 Editor

Hey guys! We've upgraded to Vocaloid 5! We think this is a must upgrade if you are still using Vocaloid 3.

The Vocaloid 5 editor has a bunch of new, very useful features, such as Attack/Release parameters as well as built-in styles for the Vocaloid 5 voicebanks (which are really good. In the future, you'll hear our friends Amy, Chris, Kaori, and Ken singing with us!).

Listen to Gumi singing this Jonathan Coulton song, My Monkey, in the Vocaloid 3 Editor.


Now, listen to Gumi singing this in the Vocaloid 5 Editor.


There are subtle but noticeable differences. You don't have any built-in styles with Vocaloid 3 voicebanks like you would with the Vocaloid 5 voicebanks, but you get to modify many more parameters in Vocaloid 5. This really breathes new life into the Vocaloid 3 voicebanks. Megumi doesn't hesitate to tell Yasuko and me how much she's improved as a singer every chance she gets!

In the remix, which I think sounds better overall, I got to use some new plugins. I'm using Waves Vocal Rider on Gumi's vocals to help smooth it out better, and I'm using my new bx_bassdude plugin on the guitars and bass. This is a huge improvement over the AmpireXT amp sim that comes with Presonus Studio One. If you don't have any need for metal type amp sims and only want that Fender sound, bx_bassdude is the plugin to get!

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Time's Up! -- Our Losing Entry in the Hatsune Miku Expo 2018 Song Contest

We entered the Hatsune Miku Expo 2018 Song Contest...and lost. Not even an honorable mention. Yasuko just wanted free tickets to the MikuExpo. But hey, it was still fun, as we had a special guest, Hatsune Miku, sing on it!

The song was inspired by watching a bunch of YouTube videos of Japanese rock bands in the 1950s and 1960s. Very groovy, man!

We were also greatly inspired by a fantastically snarling performance by Cliff Richard and the Shadows of Move It! on TV.



Time's Up!

Verse

I got a call saying you wanna meet me in your room, yeah
I'm here just to work so you better not assume, yeah
I'm not the bride and you sure as hell ain't the groom, yeah

You're crazy if you think I wanna watch you take a shower
You've mistaken me for some kind of delicate flower
Time's up old man, you ain't gonna make me cower

Chorus

We've been keeping silent now for too many years
Exploited and preyed upon and shackled by our fears
here comes the tidal wave baby
it can't be stopped now
Time's up on all of you
Which side will you choose?

Verse

On a movie set or in the halls of Congress
We're not gonna put up with any more nonsense
this needs to be more than just a work in progress

Repeat Chorus

Verse

We're not gonna let this quietly fade away, yeah
We've got way too much at stake, yeah
Time's up we've gotta make a change yeah

Outro

Better move on over, baby, time's up
Did you hear me?
Time's up
Time's up
What did I say?
Time's up
Time's up