Works in Motion
Here's some of our ongoing projects. Click to listen!
Fly - by Lisa Star
I wrote the chorus sometime in early 1980. And one day my dad sent me an email asking for me to capture a feeling he had for his wife of nearly 40 years. Suddenly, the verses fell into place and we were able to perform it for his 80th birthday. Love how love creates! Ray Cooper created and arranged the instrument tracks as well as engineered this demo.
Sitting & Wondering - by Ray Cooper
“Sitting and Wondering” has been around through various phases of my life –it keeps resurfacing- I stopped questioning that part of my creative process years ago – allowing ideas to form as they may- not forcing – allow them to transcend – The original idea was written on a little Gaveau upright piano in a basement suite – the premise was reflection on how the world in Vancouver was changing and how it was my observation and challenge to work within the growing city.
I recorded the track on a Yamaha C3 grand in a beautiful church which was graciously donated for my use for a couple of days- with a couple of Crown mics – I tracked and out came this piano version – it eventually made its way to Passionstar and my on album Tabernacle-
The idea took another turn and eventually made it to the floor of Vancouver Studios –This time I set up a Yamaha C7 grand w 2 mics -a gobo for a couple of overheads for the drum kit-it became a one take wonder off the floor recorded down to 2 “ tape – the Studer a 880- I later overdubbed the bass part –
I sat with the idea for a couple of years and found myself reworking it once again – this time my home studio- I felt it needed to move further – more cerebral in my style and fashion -
And still no vocals – this is where I am now flushing down the vocal arrangements –moving things – scaling things to their natural course-- so it continue’s….
Click to listen - Piano recorded in sanctuary - on Tabernacle CD (mp3)
Grey Morning - by Ray Cooper
Then I found “Grey Morning” recently – a rough that I laid down guitar ideas over a loop and a few key lines – we shall see where this goes – perhaps its today’s project.
Visions - by Ray Cooper
The cut “Visions” is an example how a little motif expands and expands – this whole piece was recorded on a 8 track reel to reel – yup – I locked it up with a MIDI rig and created a piece combining my guitar/ overdubs with MIDI instrumentation – I used this as a piece for my demo of in Vancouver for various projects – in fact it was amazing how a couple of modules, an Atari computer (wow there is a blast from the past) and a Fostex 1” came together.
The Obscure Forest - by Ray Cooper
The “Obscure Forest” is again a idea it seems in transition – originally again as one take with a Yamaha DX7 and RX15 –welcome to the 80’s - I flew the idea down to tape and it sat – only to revive in the my current studio with new overdub ideas coming to light – we shall see..
The Grinding Hitch - by Ray Cooper
The “Grinding Hitch” was a idea that grew out of a project I did in music college – developing – “Time in Twelve”- the transition of a day into 12 parts -I always liked the opening motif and again this transcended as my studio developed and with the help of a couple of session players we created this current jam – again – off the floor – this time with MIDI tracks/ clicks and synchronization all in real-time – headphones and a whole lot of want to – here it is. It was also the beginning of learning about sound proofing and control – lives drums – live guitar/ MIDI cues and sync – and very patient neighbors
Click to listen - The Grinding Hitch (mp3)