It starts with a metronome; common time, seventy beats per. I just turn it on and let it play: tick-tock-tock-tock tick-tock-tock-tock.
I pick up my guitar, an older electric with mismatched pickups. It never seems to stay in tune for more than ten minutes at a time. I’ve just learned to live with it.
Start simple. Em. Then G. Back to Em. G again. I learned this nearly thirty five years ago; the basic of basics.
tick-tock-tock-tock tick-tock-tock-tock.
Just start somewhere. It’ll show itself eventually.
Em. G. Em. G.
I try adding in other basics; the variations of A minors and F sharps. Maybe even a C. They’re all bland. Everyone has heard them before.
Pause. I sip my beer.
tick-tock-tock-tock tick-tock-tock-tock.
Em with G again, but a slight mistake makes it G add9. Without thinking about it I bend the A up slightly. For a just breath, it becomes a G ♭3.
There it is.
tick-tock-tock … I stop the metronome. Play it through a few times; Em, G add 9, bend to G ♭3 for a 16th of a beat then bend back down to G add 9.
I hit record in the DAW, let the click run for an 8 count then play the new bit for about two minutes just so I have it.
Stop recording. Listen back. Smile.
“Yeah, there it is.”
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Dramatic, isn’t it? I mean, it is the truth, but come on.