✵ Guess What?

2 weeks ago by @max

Liner Notes

https://studio273.bandcamp.com/track/guess-what
Over 20 years of participating in February Album Writing Month (FAWM), I’ve developed a workflow that allows me to quickly create a decent recording of a freshly written song. My process always starts with guitar chords and humming a melody. Once a few words come to mind the songcrafting starts.
Despite all the digital possibilities out there, I prefer to keep things pure by using real instruments. I print the lyrics in large text, hang them above a camera, and play the song several times in a row. Usually, the fourth or fifth take is good enough. Thanks to FAWM, I’ve learned not to dwell too long on whether something is "perfect."

Next, I separate the one-take audio track from the video and load it into a mixing program. Most of the effects I use are already preset. Then I record additional vocal tracks and layer in more instruments like guitar, banjo, piano, and keyboard. Once the mix sounds decent, I sync it back with the video footage. Each year, I choose a different color theme for my two-tone videos.

If a song is recorded this way during FAWM, it’s done. After FAWM, I usually end up with three or four keepers, which I test live on stage. Songs often grow and evolve during live performances, but I never rerecord them. Around 90% of the songs I’ve written over the past 20 years were created during FAWM—simple and effective.

These days, I use ChatGPT to check my lyrics for grammar and spelling mistakes and to give suggestions. In the past, I relied on native-speaking FAWMers for this.
The audio mix I upload to Bandcamp is the same as the one in the videos. My style is defined by one-take, single-mic recordings with additional vocals and instruments.
#acoustic #guitar #liveinstruments

Lyrics

Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go today

Throw in the towel, it’s not worth the fight
Change your path before it’s out of sight
There’s no hope left, nothing’s here for you
Pick up the pieces, you know what to do
Turn your back and say goodbye
free yourself from ignorance and lies
Let it go, take care of your mind
Take a deep breath and don’t look behind

Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go today

You gave your all, now it's time to withdraw
Showed your heart, but they broke the law
No point in fighting, no more to gain
Even when it feels like you're drowning in pain

You know the truth, but you need to hear
There’s no treasure, no prize near
They bait the trap, but it’s time to stop
Though it stings, you’ve got to let it drop

Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go
Guess what! You’ve got to let it go today

No point in fighting, no more to gain
Even when it feels like you're drowning in pain

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© Max Vanremmerden / vanremmerdenmusic 2025.
fawm.org/@max

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