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Dirt Roads


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Description
Somewhere in Arizona I saw a sign pointing towards a small town, apparently 50 miles away. The sign pointed away from the main road, unto an unpaved dirt road, and in the distance I could see a pickup truck. This song is dedicated to the brave soul in that pickup.
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Song Stats
Hits: 1314
Comments: 25
Fans: 17
Plays: 95
Downloads: 54
Votes:
Uploaded: May 03, 2008 - 12:57:50 PM
Last Updated: Jan 05, 2009 - 05:11:16 PM Last Played: Sep 17, 2009 - 01:18:45 PM
Song License
Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Creative Commons

Song Actions
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Hardware:
One Ugly Boy in Ab.
Software:
Logic, couple of instances of Zebra, EVD6 clavinet, one duduk sample. And tons of delay. Tons.
Comments
said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
Dirt Roads
This sounds really cool some gorgous sounds here Vic I love the flute.
great job- superb music -
i really mean that too. You have done great job- congratulations,
i will download this nto my Iopd and thank you for sharing this beautiful sounding work of art.

Peace Dee.
Cameron said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
wonderfully atmospheric
I'm glad I happened to see you online with a new tune today!

This is an excellent blend of modern technology and the primal, ancient sound of the Native American flute. You've woven the various sounds together in an imaginative way which is very pleasing to the ear.

The quick high sixteenth-note repetitive synth pattern is mesmerizing, and just a little "imperfect" in the rhythm, which makes it sound very natural and NOT mechanical.

I was hoping the slow, sustained section at the end would lead to MORE of the same! Maybe write a sequel?

This is wonderful music.
Check out my latest song called EPONYM
VicDiesel said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
All in the blender
Thanks for listening and thanks for the compliments.

Yep, I enjoy the blend of old and new sounds. The fact that the native flute is such a primal instrument (one octave range, mostly pentatonic) does not prevent me from playing it against buckets of software. (Btw, if you haven't found them yet, I have two more tracks in the same vein. If I can turn out a few more like this I'll issue them as a CD and for once in my life try to make some money from music.)

Imperfections: yep. I play most of my synth parts life, and usually don't quantize them, or at least not more than necessary. Even synthetic sounds can have a life to them!

Make it longer? Maybe. I find it hard to stretch that pentatonic material much beyond a certain point. I'll give a try.


Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
Feter said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
Dirt Roads
The flute ... I always impressed by the sound of the
native american 's flute ..as I know you as a recorder
player ..now I m so amazed by this song .it has a
straight tone usualy they make some bendings but
I love it ..a very remarkable song my friend .brought
a nice scenary ..thnx alot for sharin it !
drakonis said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
slow road
It took me awhile to get used to the bumpy road that straddled the synths and the gorgeous wild live sound of the flute... I'm pretty sure it is just my slow head. But about 1/3 in I was enjoying the ride, and by the end, I think it was well worth the jarring juxtaposition up front. I really love your playing, and recording, since you keep the sound of breathing in there it adds a great deal of warmth and human expression to the music. Overall mixing is perfection, loved the subtle panning of synths all over my brain.
ttfn,
Drakonis
Check out my latest song called Temporal Tantrum (Sister Savage Mix)
said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
road song
You create a real nice sound here, Victor. It has that way-out-west, indigenous American feel.

I like dirt road imagery. It is integral to my song Dreamville.

For so many years I've been working like a dog.
Seems my day is done, I'm really in a fog.
Now I'm comin' home on a hot and dusty road.
Home to Dreamville with a story to be told!
VicDiesel said 554 days ago (May 3rd, 2008)
Why mr S...
You're right, the road is a fruitful image. It's a state of transition, an uncertain future, or in your case the way home. For me it's mostly a fount of possibilities, a new life there for the trouble of going and finding it.

Thanks for the compliments.
Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
composerclark said 553 days ago (May 4th, 2008)
Tension
Interesting juxtapositions here; the synthesized harpsichord-like (clavinet) sound (which, until the flute comes in, seems like it might be heading towards an intense, neo-baroque type piece, maybe a toccata) with the natural, soulful sound of the flute; the standard, modern equal temperament of the synthesized sounds versus the tuning of the flute. This contrast of tuning systems creates a kind of tension that I found slightly unsettling (but in keeping with the spirit of the piece), and it contributes to a third juxtaposition, between the tension/intensity of the motoric 16th notes and the expansive, meditative quality of the flute melody.

The image this conjures up for me is of a long drive across a dusty desert plain in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the American west, where the scenery is huge, profound, and peaceful, but you're feeling some tension because you're in the middle of nowhere and you're worried about the car breaking down or running out of gas...

Great job here.
Check out my latest song called Scarlet Nightfall
VicDiesel said 553 days ago (May 4th, 2008)
Juxta-po-what?
Hey Clark,

yes, using a native flute is almost inherently a study in contrasting textures since it's such a limited instrument, at least in a technical sense. Its ranger is barely over an octave, and it's really most comfortable with material that barely goes outside pentatonic. The other instruments then quickly extend this to a full diatonic or perhaps chromatic realm. There is indeed also a bit of a tuning issue. Native flute makers seem to cherish the idiosyncracies of their instrument. They don't necessarily go for perfecting in the well-tempered sense.

Thanks for your observations. Always much appreciated. You're right about the imagery: for me, coming from a small country, the American west is endlessly fascinating.
Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
Ibstrat said 553 days ago (May 4th, 2008)
You really
have something interesting here.Your flute playing is beautiful.Superimposing it over the clavinet was a brilliant idea.This could be a movie soundtrack for sure.
Check out my latest song called Blues in Bm
thoddi said 551 days ago (May 6th, 2008)
Dusty roads
I got the feeling of being in a warm and dry place somewhere in desert land... A cactus here and there... Your description of the dirt road and the feeling of being out in nowhere land was very suited to what I might visualize listening to your music.

Good stuff!
Check out my latest song called Don't tell me what I can't w/KTB and Ingve
guitapick said 551 days ago (May 6th, 2008)
Spent 6 years...
...in Tucson. Fell in love with the desert. This is a very nice painting of it...
Check out my latest song called Outside the Corral
rustykangaroo said 550 days ago (May 7th, 2008)
so hot out here it made me thirsty
this is different i love anything that takes something old like that flute and puts it with something new. nice job i definitely see helicopter camera shots over a desert when i'm listening. it'd be cool to hear some native americans talking in some sound bites. maybe something from "black elk speaks" if you wanted a translated thing or some true words of wisdom. its so cool how something like that truck you saw can turn into something like this. its cool you have a sense of wonder like that, so now everybody can see that truck that desert and feel what you were feeling.
Check out my latest song called hard times (are passing on)
VicDiesel said 550 days ago (May 7th, 2008)
Code talkers?
Interesting idea, to use some native am. language. I like that sort of thing. I'll see what I can dig up.



Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
Axgrinder said 550 days ago (May 7th, 2008)
Wow!
This is so friggin weird and intense bro! It gets way out there but you manage to keep it within the same zip code, by no means an easy task! I'm quite impressed Vic and I regret not having been by for an earful in so long! Keep up the good work for you rock! Enjoyed this much.

Ax
Check out my latest song called Dark Circus
Roxylee said 549 days ago (May 8th, 2008)
Listening over and over
and catching more each time. What a creative piece you did here, combining ancient with modern, creating a sense of music spanning the ages in the notes and textures. I think the guy in the pickup truck had his radio on while driving over the arrowheads. Really cool and well mixed tune, Vic.
Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace
lengold said 547 days ago (May 10th, 2008)
Lovely
playing Vic - nice to hear something different. Reminds me of the old Kung Fu programme - which I loved when I was a kid.
Cheers
Len


Check out my latest song called Dodgy Doughnut
echoroom said 547 days ago (May 10th, 2008)
Evocative
Hey Vic, this is really atmospheric - great playing, and a real sense of space, heat and dust.... lovely track, great production too!
Check out my latest song called Deeper (w/t Racerat)
BossHook said 529 days ago (May 28th, 2008)
I was
recently in the lost lands of Arizona myself and man alive I could not imagine being stranded down some desert nowhere. I felt the Kokopelli in this. And also loved all the delay, delay, delay, delay.
Check out my latest song called LAUGH OUT LOUD
guygrooves said 493 days ago (July 3rd, 2008)
Thought I'd stop by....
and catch up on some good music. Glad I did this really hit the spot hope you have been well. This is a very cool song. I really dig the flute it really brings the piece together.
Check out my latest song called Last Day Here
Char said 470 days ago (July 26th, 2008)
I love
what you do and how you do it. Many thanks for sharing your gifts.
Check out my latest song called Do Any Thing
ziti said 469 days ago (July 27th, 2008)
this
is VERY cool

evocative, soulful, and the humanness of the simple flute lines against the sweet bed of sound is very compelling.

i highly enjoyed this track

deep bows

z
Check out my latest song called Stepping Down
Rocha Malhada said 378 days ago (October 26th, 2008)
painting
You always paint a great picture in your NA pieces, this is no exception. These are my favorites in your broad explorations into intelligent composition.

. - Harold
Check out my latest song called Kanun Oud Rock (LIOLI9)
VicDiesel said 378 days ago (October 26th, 2008)
In a native mood?
Thanks for revisiting these pieces. I'm rather fond of them.


Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
keedragoon said 287 days ago (January 25th, 2009)
fluting great
great piece i loved it
thank you for the download button
i will cherish it and look for the others
my brother makes flutes and i am still trying to get something out of them
i could produce music from the japanese bamboo flute but these wood ones are tough
i have a lot of respect for those that can actually make them sound this good
keed
Check out my latest song called hot muggy nights
VicDiesel said 287 days ago (January 25th, 2009)
wood
I'm glad you got enjoyment out of these pieces. I like combing the live spirit of these flutes with modern electronics.

Btw, japanese flutes are not simple. I have a shakuhachi, but I'm not good enough on it to record something.
Check out my latest song called Pipe Spring at Dusk
Artist Info
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Name: Victor
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In past lives, VicDiesel was a country fiddler, a shawm player at the Burgundy court, bellows pumper for JS Bach, Geoff Emerick's factotum, and a beggar playing drums in the streets of Calcutta for alms. Unusually, the memories of all that come... [see more]

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