By Liam J.S.

 

Perplexity

“Perplexity” was recorded purely on electric guitar. It features many effects including a heavy wah, deep distortion, and lots of feedback at various times throughout the song. These effects are used to produce a distinctive sounds and personalities to a song containing only one instrument. The song features jazz chords in 5/4 (with 7/4 every 5th measure) accompanied by tapping on the bridge of the guitar, which I can play simultaneously, but for the sake of distinction between the two parts were recoded separately: the chords given higher bass and lots of wah, the tapping given higher treble and gain. This continues, along with some discordant harmonics till the second section, which contains heavily amplified chords intended to provide intense contrast. The earlier harmonics are then repeated until the section ends in lots of feedback and white noise before becoming clean again to repeat the first section.

“Perplexity” was written in order to establish just that: perplexity. I did not want to create another song that just sort of swept over you, I wanted to create tension and contrast between tensions. I used wah and drive as tools to establish uneasiness, as well as odd chords and key signatures to make something that sounded nice but also didn’t sit well in the stomach in an attempt to create confusion through music. This song started off with just the beginning riff, and I never quite new how to expand it along the same lines already established by the melody. So rather than follow the melody, I decided to go against it, make another section that didn’t fit and blend them together. To begin with, the song had nothing to do with confusion: that was a touch added along the way.

 

All songs written by Liam J.S. except for "Vicarious" written by Tool.

All songs recorded and played by Liam J.S.

©2010 by Liam J.S.