Merry Axemas From Plankton
 

SoundClick artist: A Plankton Christmas - page with MP3 music downloads

...and an old one:

SoundClick artist: A Plankton Christmas - page with MP3 music downloads

Soundcloud's been funny, so I'm using the s-click.

Those are beautiful, Plankton.

SoundClick artist: A Plankton Christmas - page with MP3 music downloads

^ I've always especially liked the "Drummer Boy" song, and I love how you use the guitar's gentle, bell-like, haunting notes and its gritty, rougher ones in the same instrumental piece, which sounds like a Def Leppard guitar choir. Listening to it was a pleasure.

I wish you'd make more YouTube videos of your music. I think this would make your songs more accessible because then they would only be one click away. I also like staring at rectangles of color while listening to music. :p:

I'm wondering, too, if you might like a mod to merge all your music threads into one Plankton Collection so that your music would be easier to locate? I'd like to be able to trace the path of your music-making more easily, you see.

Thank you very much VEGAN.

If Soundcloud wasn't so cattywompus, I'd put all my stuff up there all in one place, but I've had issues in the past, and right now, so it forces me to use SC as well. As far as merging them all into one thread here, that would be entirely up to you (or a mod). I created the Forum Member Showcase as a kind of vault for my work as well as everyone elses, but sometimes I feel the need for some tunes to have their own home. Those are the ones that I feel are my best work to date.

Soon (when I get around to it), I'll be creating a website to hold all my stuff. I used to have one, but I let it go since it wasn't being used much. I'm planning on putting together a full CD for purchase, but it could take a long time since I'm really lazy.

...and yes, I need to look into making some visuals for some tunes and toob em up.

Thanks again VEGAN, for the listen, and the comments. Not many people do that.

:laughing: Dude, I can't remember the last time I heard someone use that word. I don't know why. It's a delightfully whimsical word.

lol

I used to be a big fan of Sniglets. I guess I still am.

That's bad ass, man. I really like the first one.

Thanks Blast. The link in the first one is updated. I added some bells from a VST I was looking for. Much better mix.

Made it into a video too...


Carol Of The Bells - YouTube

You're welcome, Plank...listening really was my pleasure. :) You play very well, you know.

If I had the power to merge your threads, and you wanted them merged, then I would certainly do so. I don't, so you'd actually have to ask a mod if you want them merged. I think merging your threads would be nice and might cause more people to hear your playing.

Yeay! You put one of your holiday songs on YouTube!...

...and with a festive picture to view (even better than a colored rectangle). Thank you.

If you have time, would you please put up a YouTube video of your Drummer Boy song because I especially like your version of that one?

Plankton, I feel you really should make a CD. I was thinking about your two X-mas songs and the fact that you seem to really like making instrumental pieces featuring your guitar. Have you considered making an electric guitar holiday CD? I think there might be a market for such a CD, and this project would continue one you've started, since you have completed two songs already.

I then got excited about this idea of your making a holiday CD, because it seems like such a good match between your talents and the songs you might like to play.

So I made a list of the other holiday songs (my favorites) that I could imagine you covering creatively using your electric guitar (or your acoustic, too).

Here's my idea for...

Plankton's Electric (Guitar) Holiday CD!!

1. Drummer Boy (already done!)
2. Carol of the Bells (already done!)
3. Silent Night
4. O Come all Ye Faithful
5. Away in the Manger
6. What Child is This?
7. O Christmas Tree
8. The First Noel
9. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
10. Joy to the World

(and if you want to go for a full 12 days of Christmas concept, you could add two bonus tracks, maybe God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen & O Little Town of Bethlehem or Handel's Messiah)

^ Please do this. I looked online and see there is a CD from 2004 or so called "Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas," but it features a variety of different players and some of the music I've heard so for from that CD is much more mellow than yours:
Merry Axemas Everyone! It's a Guitar Christmas! - Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas - Epinions.com

For example, I listened to Alex Lifeson's "The Little Drummer Boy" and felt your version, Plankton, was much, much, much, much, much, much better, more powerful.

Please, please, please make a CD of your holiday music, because it rocks!!! I hate to see an opportunity missed. Do this. Do this. Do this.

(Am I being subtle enough? ;) )

Cattywompus *is* a cute word!

You did a song better than Alex lifeson, that's a huge compliment.

Here, you can compare Plankton's "Drummer Boy" to Alex Lifeson's more mellow, country version below and hear what you think.

My overall verdict is that Alex Lifeson's song sounds rather insipid compared to Plankton's guitar-playing, which is clearer and stronger. Plankton's version also includes rhythm and guitar playing in the same song, puts the reverb effect to good use, and incorporates layering and lovely triplets of notes such as around 3:40 (and at the end) that add variety to the song. Only major improvement that could be made in Plankton's version would be to use real drums.

Plankton - "The Little Drummer Boy"




Alex Lifeson - "The Drummer Boy"
This cover has mushier, less distinct guitar-playing compared to Plankton's. Lifeson's version also lacks high points in the melody, which I feel turns into a jangly mess. Finally, some of the beginning (sluggish) low notes are slightly out of tune in Alex Lifeson's playing. (I didn't inherit my dad's perfect pitch, but I can hear well when a note is out of tune!)


Alex Lifeson - The Drummer Boy - YouTube

EDIT: Plankton's video is now online so I added it into the post. Thanks, Plank!

Id have to say I did enjoy planktons version more. Didn't really like what lifeson was doing on the guitar while the melody came from the bass. Or at least what I thought was bass, I didn't listen real well, it bored me.

You're really killin me here... OK. Better than Alex? Ugh... I'm flabbergasted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMIfN...ature=youtu.be

It's still too new to put up the meta tags. Just U/L'ed it.

Not saying you're a better overall guitarist than lifeson, but I did enjoy that song more than his rendition. But who knows, maybe you are better. Jam along with some rush tracks and well compare lifesons rush with planktons rush. :laughing:

I've learned and forgotten tons of Rush tunes, and I have a version of Jacobs Ladder, and Xanadu I did over some backing tracks, but they're rubbish. I'd like to redo em as well as a few others at some point, but you know... the lazy factor and all. So, by my count I have two albums I need to get crackin on. The Xmas one, and a Plankton plays Rush one. lol

I just gotta say thank you though for the great responses. I'm really touched.

One thing that really stands out to me about your playing is that you have a good sense of rhythm. Your style isnt totally obsessed with shredding, like so many people these days, you add just the right amount. But that being said, I'd like to see how well you can really shred. Are there any plankton shred songs out there?

I did a little bit of collaboration with a dude on another forum where I pretty much shred through the tunes. He was kind enough to lay some rythm/bass/drums down for me on a silver platter, and said "Go nuts".

I put it up in the Showcase thread:

http://www.musicbanter.com/1260823-post65.html

Do you have a certain approach when you play? Is there a certain sound you try to achieve? Or do you just start playing/improvising and go with the flow?

If that even makes sense.

I appreciate the matchup. Here's my take on Al vs Plank...

Al took the slow build approach, using the chime of a REALLY good guitar (c'mon! the dudes got some cash), and used the natural flow of the traditional rythm to carry the build. He let it ebb and tide in a mellow manner, so as to be part of the background, which is an artform in itself. Out of all the versions of this tune this is my favorite, just for the simplicity in which he approached it.

Plank - I used the simplistic approach of layering the rythm and accent notes. Set a bridge portion, then used that same concept to take it out. I really made an effort to keep it simple but heavy without going over the top.

Again, thank you so much for the matchup VEGANGELICA, brings a smile to my face.

I go with what ever's on my mind at the moment.

Makes perfect sense to me.

I guess I could elaborate a bit.

I'll take a drum track, pick up my guitar, set it on what's sounding good to me atm, hit record and go with it. I've been playing enough years to hear in my head where I want a lead, or bridge/chorus to fit (which usually comes out a bit off kilter), and find some kind of ending for it. Then I'll lay the lead over it, play it back a million times to find what I don't like about it, and then maybe lay in some leads where I think it needs them. After that I'll add bass, trying to be mindful about where things will fit in with the lead as well as staying in the pocket.

Thats how I usually do it, but then again I have strayed from using that 'formula' a couple times for doing covers of tunes.

So you start with drums? That's interesting. What's your approach to rhythm? What kind of chords do you use, or how do you decide which ones to go with?

The rythm depends on the type of sound I'm hearing once I start up. I usually keep things minimal (power chords, etc.) unless there's something I'm trying to convey. It's all pretty much "stream of conciousness" really.

That's something I've been wondering about lately. What kind of chords are typically used in metal/heavier music? Mostly barre/power chords I guess. I don't know if there are any more advanced chords that are used. I don't go heavy very often, but when I do I'm left wondering how to get that real heavy sound without simply pounding on power/barre chords.

Christmas seems to be trending right now (hmm, imagine that), so I'll give this dusty one a bump.





Sorry VEGANGELICA, I haven't had much time to work on the rest of your list. My GF keeps yelling at me for the same reason. All year long. No. Wait. She just yells.

Plankton, your "Drummer Boy" is still my favorite of your 10 - 8 = 2 Christmas songs and my favorite electronic guitar version of "Drummer Boy" ever. I enjoyed listening to it again.

But the songs would be even better if they WERE PART OF THE LARGER COMPILATION OF PLANKTON'S CHRISTMAS SONGS! GET STRUMMIN', YOU $!**#&$!!!!!

Ah-hem. Sorry about that. :o: I lost my cool there for a moment. At least it wasn't gratuitous yelling. Just a friendly reminder to remember to make your up-coming Plankton's Merry Axemas Holiday CD (to be released Dec. 2015, I hope!):

1. Drummer Boy (already done!)
2. Carol of the Bells (already done!)
3. Silent Night
4. O Come all Ye Faithful
5. Away in the Manger
6. What Child is This?
7. O Christmas Tree
8. The First Noel
9. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
10. Joy to the World

Read more: http://www.musicbanter.com/song-writ...#ixzz3KmRNJLCE

No, this is your favorite version of "Little Drummer Boy".

As usual, great stuff Plankman!

Not you too... just don't break out the frying pans.
:p:

I must hear this entire album. Now.

Thanks Chula man.

Unfortunately I can find it neither on Youtube nor Grooveshark, and I'm too lazy to look elsewhere.

There is this though...

I went through the same scenario. It looks as if it's only a 2 song CD for a buck seventy eight. Or quite possibly it's some guy from New Guinea pretending to be Chris and making money off his name.

Watch the second video. It shows Christopher Lee talking about the songs.

When I grow up, I wanna be Chris Lee.

A new one from Chris!

Okay, I admit Chris's (and female comrade's) operatic voices combined with heavy metal music is pretty fun and the guitar is played very well...

...but I still prefer your "Drummer Boy" because it has greater finesse.

You're like a warm ray of sunshine on a cold rainy day. Thanks. :)

After... what, two years? Here's another Christmas tune I finally got around to making. It'll be on a CD that was/is being put together by another forum that features people from all around the world... or at least this continent anyway. *shrug* I forget who's supposed to be on it. But, after jumping the gun in the 'Showcase' thread, I figured this would be a better place for it. I might make it into a YT video, I might not. Who knows.

I'll post the full album when it's available. Anyway, Merry Axemas.

Do You Hear What I Hear by Planktons Odyssey

As promised, here's the entire album:

We're putting another Xmas Album together this year at GF's. I'll post a link when it's done, which should be around the 16th of this month.

Bandcamp link:
https://planktonsodyssey.bandcamp.co...hristmas-album

YouTube link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXeqlFuirao