Your piece is so beautiful, Tori.
I hope you like the music... it's been a long time since I last recorded something, but I couldn't stop thinking about her pockets. Thanks for the inspiration! <3

EDIT 8/16/10: Attn. any and all fantabulous collaborators! If you're keen to remix my version of her pockets, try using the individual tracks I've uploaded rather than this mp3, for it is dreadfully buzzy and hardly metronomic! :)
This mp3 was the first recording I did, just putting ideas together and not really thinking of sound quality or remixer-friendliness...

This is my final version of Half of Me.

I want to thank everyone who worked so hard on this song, even those of you who's contributions I didn't use, it meant so much to me that you took the time to try and help. I tried to put as many parts in as I could, it just started to get muddled for me at a certain point so that I had to weed it down until I got this final product.
It was very hard for me to do that, especially with xoSasha, macjames61 and SpectrumCJ because I really liked what you guys did, I just couldn't (with my limited expertise) make it work.
So again please don't take it personal if I didn't use you...I loved all the contributions!

a special thanks to hedge, braun22, macjames6, shadowstorm88, and venns who have been with this project since the first day I uploaded it and have spent countless hours tweeking and playing around.

As far as the arrangement, it couldn't have happened without hedge's instrumentation which I used as the guideline for the song, so
thank you thank you thank you!!
also to IlliterateWriter and michellek for the incredibly beautiful violin parts, to Braun22 for being endlessly patient with me and making the bass to my specifications, to ladyAdelaide for the gorgeous piano, to DoctorWorth whose guitar parts I loved and Visitor for giving me the guidelines for the guitar parts I wanted.

AND an extra special thanks to RegularJoe who not only created this incredible website for me and all of you to take advantage of, he also recommend this song and got us all the help we needed.

Notes:
*there's some clacking from the piano sustain pedal.
i couldn't do a thing about it so just close your eyes and pretend she's playing in the room with you

*please listen with head phones :)
I paned the violin and the piano to opposite ears for a surround sound feel


Hitrecord Testimonial: :)
I moved to central Wisconsin from Phoenix, Arizona in January and had to quit all
3 bands I was in to do it. Since i couldn't play any instruments, I felt like a part of me had died and pretty much had no purpose in life. I woke up, worked, ate, and slept like a robot. I felt like half a person. I wrote this song one day last month and the next day I just happened to find Hitrecord.org. I decided that if I was ever going to be able to finish any of my songs again THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE TO DO IT!
so I sat my ass down in front of my computer, learned how to use garage band and pushed myself until I had something worth presenting to you all. The last few weeks of my life have been outstanding! I feel as though I have a purpose and this community has given me a new lease on life, that no matter where I am, I can be connected to other artistis and musicians who like me, want to create, share and LOVE.
I am so HAPPY :D and it's your fault.
Again By Heart,
❥Riana

p.s
if anyone would like to collaborate with me on a new record, this one is in progress :)
http://hitrecord.org/records/132262

I don't even understand how this came about as I was intending on doing something entirely different.

Quite honestly, Chan's voice over mesmerized me, the beat transfixed me, and the rest was just my brain working on overdrive.

It started with a random RECord I got whilst riding the subway, and turned into the truth:

I see you everywhere I go; I miss you; I love you, hitRECord.

(full screen for best effect.)

I've been trying to do a remix of Shine for some time now; but I could never piece together the ideas in my head. They were just like scattered pieces of jigsaw puzzles. Basically, I wanted to explore the idea of shining as a form of awakening.

I have this line in my head that I would hear over and over again, " Shine, so I can see you. Shine, so I can see you". In my mind, this almost sounds like an appeal from one person to another to shine like a human beacon so they, we, you & I could find each other. I tried to write a poem about this too. It's half finished, and it's sucky, so I went back to this record instead and tried to finish what I started. This is experimental. I kinda literally dissected Channing's beautiful original Shine record. I hope that's okay:)

A cheesy but hearfelt little tune about this magical place and why it is I stick around...

Oh and please add bits/yourself to it! Clap your hands, shake your keys, sing along - whatever you feel like!

Lyrics!

I hit record
cos I'm bored
or if I wanna be
more than a piece of dust
before I start to rust
I'm gonna hit record

Again by heart
from the start
I could see
that you were all like me
And you wanted to be free
to share the things that made you happy

There's a kind of synergy
when a brain
and another brain collide
I'm not just me
I'm a cog in the wheel
of a giant family

I wanna make my mark
make a spark
that makes you wanna
make magic, make art
I wanna hit your heart
like cupid with a dart

I hit record
cos I'm bored
or if I wanna be
more than a piece of dust
before I start to rust
I'm gonna hit record (x3)

<3

These guys are my lovely czechoslovakian granddad and my french grandma; I've never met them yet I heard so many stories about them when I was a child, they always had a big importance in my life and are a real inspiration for me. I found this picture in an old cardboard box at my parents place the other day and found it incredibly beautiful and romantic. Don't know if I'm only being subjective here, but I thought I would share it with you.