For "Disquiet Junto Project 0042: Naive Melody", I would employ just two instruments in the production of this week’s track: (1) the instrument I have used for the longest period of time and (2) the instrument in my possession that is newest to me. I'd record a backing track with the oldest instrument, and overlay on it a simple melody of my choosing performed on the newest instrument.
I consider Ableton Live to be an instrument. I don't use it as a DAW; it gives me headaches. I've been using Ableton since 2006 and it's probably the longest time I have played any one single instrument. Lately, I have been refining Ableton sets that contain a variety of chained effects that I use to process live audio. It's a process I call "hypermiking".
A week ago, after getting some royalties, my wife and I decided to buy a guitar (for her) and a mandolin (for me). I've learned a few easy chords on the mandolin: G, C, and D, and I'm getting used to toughening up my fingers.
Here's where I blurred the lines with this Junto: For the backing track, I used Ableton to heavily process a hypermiked mandolin. This is largely where the melody resides, starting about 33 seconds into the piece, although it becomes overwhelmed at times but then sneaks back into view a couple times as the piece progresses. Then I recorded several rounds of me strumming D, G, and C almost straight with little processing other than a small amount of reverb.
The processing does a wonderful job of covering up bad timing on chord changes and my inability to play in a strict tempo.
More on this 42nd Disquiet Junto project at:
disquiet.com/2012/10/18/disquiet0042-naivemelody/
More details on the Disquiet Junto at:
soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/info/