★1★ the color of dreams

by @burr Mod

Liner Notes

#LoFi #BedroomPop #Cassette #QChord #Ukulele #Fuzz #Theremin #Llama #Feast

i enjoyed writing a 4-song EP in FAWM week 1. so after a creative drought in week 2 where i hated everything i did, i decided to try it again...

this time i asked 🦙🤖 llama 3.3 (open-source chatgpt alternative) to give me a "roadmap" for a 5-song EP, suggesting BPM, time signature, song structure, chord changes, and which instruments to use (out of a handful of options i provided) in a lo-fi 4-track cassette recording.

amazingly, it mostly understood what i was asking 🤯, so i used its output to guide the creation of these 5 songs.

the original AI output is below, but i did take some liberties. i built these up in a passes (track 1 for all songs, then track 2, then 3+4, then mixing). i'll post them as i finish mixing them...

==== SONG-SPECIFIC NOTES ==== the original title "whimsy" didn't do anything for me, and the chord changes with the uke reminded me of "somewhere over the rainbow" so i started riffing on that to arrive at "the color of dreams" and the pretty by nonsensical stream of consciousness that followed. overdubbed a guitar on the vocal track for the bridge/solo, and a microkorg before/after the theremin...

==== ORIGINAL LLAMA 3.3 OUTPUT ==== Song 1: "Whimsy" BPM: 120 Time signature: 4/4 Song structure: Intro-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Outro

Chord progressions: Intro: C−G Verse: C−G−Am−F Chorus: F−G−Am−C Bridge: Am−F−G −C Outro: C−G

Track assignments: Track 1: omnichord (backing track) Track 2: baritone ukulele Track 3: vocals Track 4: theremin

==== ALL THE SONGS IN THIS EP ==== 1 ◉ THIS! 2 ► https://write.fawm.org/songs/312151 3 ► https://write.fawm.org/songs/312163 4 ► https://write.fawm.org/songs/312192 5 ► https://write.fawm.org/songs/312207

Lyrics

the color of dreams

the color of dreams gliding on lazer beams i wish i were still on your team everything is what it seems like glitter on a guillotine dripping through the seams

we meet under distant lights in between repeat and just give up the fight in me

the color of vision collective collisions a surgeon with the fewest incisions evening edition of the human condition within, without recognition

we meet under distant lights in between repeat and just give up the fight in me

Comments

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Wow, have I not hear @burr's voice before?! It's warm, addictive Americana richness. Stream of consciousness, yes, but nonsense? The phrase "like glitter on a guillotine" really hits hard, and "evening edition / of the human condition" could be prime Lennon. Hey, great synth [oh, I read now it's a theremin] solo -- beautifully structured! All this hangs together so well that I had to listen again to see how it was made.

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A fun listen! Loved the theremin! Stream of consciousness made for some interesting lyrics! -Natalie

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I have nothng to say about the song per se, but I just have to comment on the number of wonderful tags on this tune. I mean, #QChord AND #theremin AND #ukulele AND #cassette ? Wow.

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Nice work with the AAAAA and then BBBBB rhymes in the verses. It's not as easy to do as some people think.

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I love the lofi electro mixed with acoustic sounds and soft vocals. Gives it a really cool vibe. Lovely song.

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This is another song with some really cool instrumentation/arrangement choices! That theremin solo sounds great and I like the sort of sample and hold microkorg bit that follows it. I'm also a fan of the "glitter on the guillotine" line, as well as the "surgeon with the fewest incisions". That latter line has me wondering, is the surgeon with the fewest incisions the best (because he or she leaves the fewest marks) or the worst (because he or she has the least experience)?

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@beto Mod

That intro had me smiling, the computer bleeps and the drum machine with the guitar set the tone perfectly. Love the stream of consciousness lyrics, those are always my favorite! Such a sweet little song, going to listen to the others now.

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“Glitter on a guillotine” oh man, that is a great line. I’m obsessed with the song. Now I need to go out and buy an omnichord.

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There are some crazy good lyrics here in your stream of consciousness, such as the aforementioned glittery guillotine as well as a surgeon with the fewest incisions. The lyric, your delivery and the instrumentation all come together wonderfully to make a very enjoyable and oddly wonderful pop song.

This song also made me realize I REALLY need to use my new theremin.

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I have to ask: do you own an actual Theremin, or is this a virtual one?

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The juxtapositions in the lyrics are delightfully mind-bending, and the omnichord and theremin sound pretty playful over the steady beat and chords. Interesting process! And does end up sounding dreamlike for me.

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"glitter on a guillotine" is my favorite bit, but please tell me "within, without recognition" was a deliberate nod to a certain song by a band U may have heard of 2, that also uses the progression the AI gave you... If it wasn't, bonus points to your subconscious.

I like this use of AI, generate the scaffolding to give you just the right constraints to get you moving.

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@max

So good to hear your voice again. I lean back, close my eyes and listen.

And after that I'm going to check out llama 3.3.

[FAWM]
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