Stringweaver – EP – everything is getting together

New Mr. Fastfinger EP is getting more and more ready for release. Currently working on the cover. Here’s a handdrawn sketch for the cover.

Last week the final tweaks for the mix took place. Well, some extra guitar was recorded too as the final track “Sandwasher” started expanding unexpectedly. It’s a well balanced full blown mini album. 4 songs work well together and there’s a sense of adventure there. Very positive and energetic feel. Plenty of colors and emotions. Twists and turns!

Perphas this EP is musically closer to the debut album than In Motion. Or maybe it’s just that “Awaki-Waki” songs that was originally planned for the debut album that now finally realized. So glad I didn’t put the song on “The Way of the Exploding Guitar”, it’s a perfect song here!

EP Track list:
Awaki-Waki
Practice Heart
Nightvisions
Sandwashing

Total time will be more or less 17 minutes. Can’t wait to let you hear this. Later this spring!

Awaki-Waki – forgotten song get’s a new life

Awaki-Waki – rought demo song from around 2007 was found in december 10th 2012. This song didn’t make it to the album “The Way of the Explosing Guitar”. The reason for it not making there was that around the same time I also came up with songs “Epic” and “Ninjas I + II”. These other pieces took my focus out of this fine idea. Around that time I also started to have enough songs for the complite album.
Here’s a rought demo from 2007.

After posting this clip on Soundcloud and Facebook I got very great feedback about it. People liked the groove. Maybe two days later I was totally hooked with the songs and some great possiblities for the song started popping up.
The next day I hunted for the original cubase session files and did some quick edits immediately.

January 2013 I needed to come up with three songs for this special game project I’m involved (More about this later). Awaki-Waki felt absolutely perfect for the job. So I got right down to it and started working on the song. So much fun.

Awaki-Waki 2013 audio sample from 23.1.2013.

Here’s a lick from the Awaki-Wak 2013 (hear it in the soundcloud clip). There will be two versions the game version and the recorded EP version. This lick won’t work with the game, but it will be part of the recorded album version (this will be also little longer).

Currently everything is being recorded. Guitar are already done.  Bass, drums and rest will follow soon. Follow us Facebook.

Titles and compositions

I seem to get quite a lot of question how my song titles are always matching the music so well.
Today I recieved a question from Maxx about how I come up with song titles. I shall write in public!

Many times empty paper and endless possibilities is the most difficult starting point for composing. When you limit things a little or give yourself some direction, things can get easier.

I start by giving the session and folder a rough temp name that usually has some meaning. I like to have atleast somekind of rough concept or feeling that I’d like to meet with the song.

Okay, sometimes the temp names can stick with you. I remember naming a session once as “Big Trummors”, it sounded very silly to me, half swedish and half english title. Big Drums… But that was the first thing the popped out of the head. I never came out with better title to match the feel of the song so it decided to keep it like that.

Anyways I usually have a feel or rought idea, then the composing usually starts going with the intuition and instict, just working on it. I just try to come up with something the inspires me and has something potential. At this point music might also start going into another direction than I originally planned.

Sooner or later I start to feel and know what the music is really all about, what’s the story, what’s happening there. Then things get more motivated and directional. From that point on I try to make sure the rest of the music, sounds, performance and the title, illustrations, cartoons and everything supports this story in a way or another.

Fact is that each each media: the actual music and the different song parts, visuals, titles, lyrics can compliment or the tell the story differently or from a different angle/ point of view.

TRY THIS AT HOME
Create a text document. Brainstrom and write 10, 20, 50 or 100 imaginary song titles. Without too much thinking just write titles down. Next time when composing, pick a title that inspires you the most. imagine a song and compose something based on it.
The image here show you a snap shot from application called “Evernote”. I wrote this list when I was working on “in Motion” album. Looks like word “Sinister” ended up used with “Super Sinister”. Many titels are yet to be composed!

Live band videos

Here’s videos from Bar Soho 30.3. In Motion -record release party show.

THUNDERPANTZ
This is a though song to play. For the whole band. But we actually made it this time!
Please visit YouTube page for all the descriptions.

BREATH
Here’s the mellow Breath. Please visit YouTube page for all the descriptions.
The tab and downloadable mp3

in Motion -album release party

In Motion -album release party 30/3/2012 in Bar Soho, Porvoo, Finland.
Here’s some fine shots by Mikal Green.

New album ‘in Motion’ out!

Mr. Fastfinger in Motion. So happy and proud to finally say it aloud: it is out!

It’s an instrumental rock album, a hard rocking adventure unlike any other. Go here for find the best places to buy the CD or downloads:
http://mrfastfinger.net/index.php/store/

Frankfurt musik messe 2012

Uuuu, Frankfurt messe was very good!
It was so good to be back there after a break. Was so good to see all the old frends from Hughes & Kettner family. Just pure joy to perform with my aboslute favourite amp Tubemeister 18. And the amp even one the mipa prize for the best amp during the week. Was very proud to be there. Incredible to be there in the same line with Thomas Blug and Jeff Waters!

Also met so many great people I’ve missed. TC Electronic guys very our booth neighbours, they were very supportive. I got that incredible new small size polytune from them to make my super small stompbox rig line complite. (Nova Delay + Hall of Fame + Polytune).
Also so many great musicians and friends around!

Wild version of the classic Tapping Boogie:

Nasty quality clip from one of the demos.

Vaasa: workshop and band show

Thunderpantz during the workshop at Kuula-Opisto, Vaasa.

We had a wonderful trip to Vaasa on Wednesday. Busy from morning to midnight. First 5 hour drive to Vaasa. Then workshop w/ Sensei at Kuula-Opisto. Then soundcheck. Dinner. And Full band show! Again we pulled some new numbers to make it challenging for us all.

Special thanks to Eero for organizing everything. It was a pleasure. Huge thanks and deep bows to Kuula-Opisto and O’Malleys for having us!

Turtle Beach from the workshop. This song is from “In Motion” album. Will be released March / 2012. Album version features my friend, the great Thomas Blug sharing the lead spots. More details from the YouTube -page.

On the way to Waasa w/ Kalle & Lasse // Eero & Rabbe from Kuula-Opisto: Rock the night!

Boogie Jumps! Mr. Fastfinger at O’malleys, Vaasa.

Hullu mies Vaasasta: Kai Hahto: the most incredible drummer in the world.
// Setlist for the band show

CD in the factory. Now!

The final cover // A dummy, paper version of the album, even a paper CD included!

Huh-hah-hei!
The work for the covers is all done. It took some time to get it all down. The covers include a Fretboard game. The visuals for the game was indeed quite a task. And gathering all the credits and thanks lists and all and fitting it all to the limited space. It was challengin but I’m so very glad you it all looks and feels now.

A small detail from the game.

Ninjas in the backcover giving CD buyer a warning / guarantee!
You can pre-order the CD from the lick store:
http://mrfastfinger.net/index.php/store/

Sensei’s Lick store!

New album will be out in March! In Motion can be pre-ordered straight from Mr. Fastfinger himself. Get special goodies not available from anywhere else!
And that is not all. For a limited time you can buy licks from the album. Check the selection and details here:
http://mrfastfinger.net/index.php/store/

Support your sensei – sensei will support you!