FAWM: Tim Fatchen (@timfatchen)

Tim Fatchen

@timfatchenMod

Songs

Joined

2007

Adelaide AU
www.flyingtadpole.com

BIO-----------------
Influences: Classical , Percy Grainger, Mike Oldfield, Enya, Kate Bush, Cecil J Sharp, US Musicals, Gilbert & Sullivan, Tom Lehrer

Tim Fatchen: nice, polite, quiet, writes serious and often soothing music, good dinner guest.

Flying Tadpole (songs marked [FT]): anarchic ratbag, writes irritating and often nasty satirical rubbish, good kennel cleaner.

SHAMELESS PLUGS----------------

Cleaned-up tracks from earlier FAWMs?? timfatchen.bandcamp.com, flyingtadpole.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Amazon, SheetMusicPress, Spotify...
And free videos on http://youtube.com/flyingtadpole
----------------------------------------------------------------
BLOGGERY--------

24 February 2025 Alas, it's back to the repointing. This time my hands look like a roll of armadillos and have survived the first afternoon as a consequence. My temper hasn't. But there have been sweet music surprises to come back to (thank you @fearlessflight2014 ). And I'm finally well into the century club so my conscience is at rest. Sort of. For a given value of rest.

23 February 2025 Having recovered (I thought) from the Attack of the Killer Lime Pointing, I picked up my lovely new baritone ukulele to discover that I've worn off all my left-hand calluses...! Okay, it's action is set a little high but still within normal parameters and let's face it, nylon strings? I won't mention how my electric guitar feels right now!

Songs

Skye Bus Song [FT] by @timfatchenMod 10h #filk #folk #skye

A Sun Warmed Place by @fearlessflight2014 + @timfatchenMod 17h #piano #logicstrings #doublebass

Nocturne 3: Moonshower by @timfatchenMod 20h #classical #nocturne #pianosolo

Nocturne 2: Night Breeze by @timfatchenMod 20h #classical #nocturne #pianosolo

Nocturne 1: Moonrise by @timfatchenMod 1d #classical #nocturne #pianosolo

A night stroll down memory lane by @timfatchenMod 1d #nightmusic #classical #pianosolo

0 ZONG

E Pluribus Cavies Porcelli [placeholder] by @timfatchenMod +2 more 1d

Rain Of The Sea by @fearlessflight2014 +2 more 1d #piano

Under a pepper tree by @timfatchenMod 1d #grief #rest #loss

Time of Swords Raised (Demo) by @timfatchenMod + @jmpoet 3d #operatic #protest #war

More! (moremoreMORE!!!) by @timfatchenMod + @frontrowotago 6d #cabaret #overpopulation #overdevelopment

What do my workboots say? [FT] by @timfatchenMod 6d #onetake #guywithpiano #killerfeet

The dark stone's secret by @timfatchenMod 6d #neoclassical #improvisation #piano

The hidden cave pool by @timfatchenMod 6d #quiet #piano #improvisation

In search of a theme by @timfatchenMod 6d #improvisation #neoclassical #piano

March of the guinea pigs (Too Many Guinea Pigs sketch) by @timfatchenMod + @ponygal1961 1w #folk #folksy #pets

The Comb and Tissue Song [FT] by @timfatchenMod 1w #badsongclub #healthwarning #biohazard

Chilled Obsolescence by @timfatchenMod 1w #chill #ambient #improvisation

Homemade by @timfatchenMod 1w #homemade #lofi #fipple

Entitlement [FT] by @timfatchenMod 1w #fuc #folk #acousticonetake

Fly tipping [FT] by @timfatchenMod + @blindkiwi 1w #satire #folkrock #rubbishrecording

Quiet respite by @timfatchenMod 1w #neoclassical #instrumental #piano

Life is chronic by @timfatchenMod + @frontrowotago 2w #country #banjolele #lagerphone

We who live beyond our time by @timfatchenMod + @billwhite51 2w #musictheater #improvisation #guywithpiano

(I reelly want to buy a) Baritone Ukulele [FT] by @timfatchenMod 2w #nonet #games #improvisation

How the gerundive was exiled [FT] by @timfatchenMod 2w #nerd #grammar #guywithpiano

Never wake up by @timfatchenMod 2w #acousticonetake #oneshot #acoustic

Dance with my ghosts by @timfatchenMod 2w #neoclassical #instrumental #piano

We walked the wharf at Papeete by @timfatchenMod 2w #fuc #tahitianukulele #ukulele

Wenzel At The Wheel (Don't You Run Into My Truck) [FT] by @timfatchenMod 3w #nola #frenchquarter #bourbonstreet

Oh Sweetest Ukulelecorn [FT] by @timfatchenMod 3w #unicorn #metafawm #discworld

Soundboard

@sheilerk 44m

Hi Tim, Thank you for stopping by and checking out my Faerie song. If you find yourself noodling away, and think, hey, that's kinda faelike, it definitely needs a tune. And, time is just a construct. I don't care if it's after FAWM ;)

@becooljanele 7h

Thanks for the comment on my song “Waiting on my luck”!

@ayais 8h

Thanks for your comment on 'A Mysterious Force w Jil'. Funny, it seems wonderfully quieter with Jil's voice. @intoyourlight

@fearlessflight2014 17h

I put my version of Quiet Respite up...

@stephenwordsmith 1d

Yes, if I can remember the pointless password.

Stylistically, I haven't been a world away from them this year, even in my regular output. I'll just have to think of a theme...

@bradgates 1d

After your comment - I have put Some Future, Some Past by @jongoldie to music. See https://write.fawm.org/songs/313965. Now I'll listen to some of yours...

@fearlessflight2014 1d

I was going to post Rain Of The Sea but felt I needed to check with you first because you may be unimpressed with my changes. I'm so sorry! I've emailed the file for you to hear. My piano playing isn't as good as yours, but the trouble is I didn't realise how strongly I was hearing the harmony when I came up with the melody. So I've tried to move what you've played in places to meet what I was hearing, without fully changing it all. Let me know if you aren't happy and we'll go from there... 😳😬

@kahlo2013 1d

Glad you could relate to my first love camp song! Thanks for your nice comment!

@timfatchenMod 1d

18 February 2025 With the damaged fingers bound so they won't bleeeeeed all over the keys, but still not capable of finger picking, and with Deborah away at her AttilaHenScrabble, I sat down to do a descant to "Westering Home", which should also work on its own, with a view to folksy words later, writ it out in notation in a proper book, then failed dismally and instead comae up with three (3) neoclassical improvisations, all keepers, and two songs, one to my lyric, one to @frontrowotago 's lyrics. And cleaned the kitchen again. So now everything is screaming, feet too.

16 February 2025 Repointing is finished for the moment and everything hurts. Devoid of inspiration but I heard a lovely ambient from @mordoom and thought " now I should do something ambient. Haven't for ages." Indeed. So long past that I've lost all track of how to set the DAW up to cope with three separate keyboards, multiple synths and still record the MIDI as well as the sound. A terrible mess, and I realise I hadn't done any such since before the operatic disasters, and subsequently hauling myself back like mending a once-valuable but still cherished bit of shattered porcelain, concentrating more on song and single instruments. SIgh. Perhaps some things have their time. I don't ski anymore, either..

@berni1954 2d

My excuse for a second singer in the Soliloquy was that Hamlet's mind had already been "oe'r thrown" and he was hearing voices 😁

@mattmeade 2d

Thank you for the heartfelt and thoughtful comments - this is my first FAWM experience and it means a lot to know that the lyrics resonated. I'll definitely post the lyrics as soon as I get a chance - and thanks again for the support!

@wearedinosaurs 4d

Hey thanks for checking out 'Simon Says Casio" I am happy that you were able to enjoy it despite your justified disappointment! I have some other tracks up that do feature a Casio CZ230s, so it's not all talk :)

@scubed 5d

Tim, thank you so very much for your kind and heartening comments. I really appreciate it.

@magicianredstone 5d

Thank you for taking the time to listen to some on my work.

@phylo 6d

Tim, thanks for your kind words for The Boat Namer. Yes, I've heard that a boat is just a big hole in the water that you throw money into. But anything regarding the sea is just so romantic.

@excessivemachine 6d

Thanks for commenting on "A Pleasure to Burn!" The director is pretty happy so far!

@mikedebenham 6d

Looking forward to the Overland ballad. (One of these days I'll get around to riding the Ghan, though I hear it's turned a bit touristy.)

@mikeb 6d

Thanks for commenting on 'Broken'!

@cindyrella 1w

If you find the time, I'd love that

@fearlessflight2014 1w

I also have to take a couple of days off because this post Covid cough is shredding my voice. Annoying!

@mikeb 1w

Thanks for the comment on 'This Is'!

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Ok, sent you a wave file. I cut out most of the breaths etc, because my chest is so heavy and noisy post covid it's downright distracting! I am having such a great FAWM with a sub par voice - who'd a thunk it‽

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Can you send me a midi version of Quiet Respite?

@blindkiwi 1w

Ah yes, ‘tis but the dream. Leave my rose coloured glasses alone 😀

@fearlessflight2014 1w

If it's tonight it will be at midnight!

@timfatchenMod 1w

BLOGGERY
13 Feb 2025 Another paranoid fear laid to rest as I finally started the stonework repointing and the first session turns out successful, color matches, mechanically sound, looks professional (!) and I sink into a puddle of gormless relief...even though the mortar mix was a leetle sloppier than should have been. But song inventiveness--mundane, messy, miserable, misconceived, mishandled etc etc Still: #notdeadyet

10 Feb 2025 is when I discover that a lack of piano practice combined with aching arms and arthritic hands from raking out decayed mortar do not make for clever piano efforts unless they are very s l o w ...

9 February 2025
Heh. @benbarden pointed out a certain conflict with my avowed seriousness and the lust and longing in the baritone uke song https://write.fawm.org/songs/307394 . It was so apposite, it woke Flying Tadpole from his drunken stupor and I've adjusted that and other song titles to placate both the audience and my dark, dark shadowtwin. AND a baritone ukulele (brown) is en route. That's what happens when your alter ego is let out of its cage, you see.

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Okay have worked out the melody, I just have to battle to get my poor COVID-y voice to comply as in time and in tune as I can without too many coughing fits. Is your email address the same?

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Hey Tim, strangely I was writing a melody for a Bill White lyric, so I’ll send that one to you as soon as I’ve finished it and you can harmonise it with piano.

@johnstaples 1w

Hi Tim! Thanks for your comments discouraging AI witch hunts. A large (or just loud?) segment of the traditionally tolerant/accepting FAWM community seems to have lost its way over this issue. I'm sure a lot of FAWMers appreciate efforts like yours to lower the temp on this. I certainly do!

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Oh! Just heard Quiet Respite!! Any chance that I could hum some words over that bit of loveliness?

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Glad to hear the repointing is working out! I have to have a bit of an admin day today so might take a day off FAWM besides trying to get into the century club (am at 75 and trying to get there by the end of the weekend). I’m going blank on the piano you sent me. I think because genre wise it’s not in my natural wheelhouse. I think I like working with things with less melody too, so I can chase what ever the lyric is asking for. Anyhow. FAWM isn’t over yet!!

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Bakers dozen!! I’m here to do some listening. :)

@ponygal1961 1w

Thank you too for the comment on the 'Sometimes they take the light" lyrics.
I am sorry for it hitting close to home. My brother passed in May and grief still visits with some frequency. Sending lots of love to you.

@ponygal1961 1w

Tim, yes please on the pinnygigs offer. Anytime. Gracias!!

@sploiber 1w

Thanks for that really nice comment @timfatchen about "Even Sometimes Poems" - I will make sure @jmpoet hears it too. I'm glad the feeling of the poem came through.

@ayeahmur 1w

I know. Imagining all the demo tapes that never got played, all the promising artists whose life took a different turn** - and then you think about many of the dull-as-dishwater acts that did get that break and ... ooft! But ephemerality is the nature of creativity I suppose.

**The excellent music documentary about Scottish girl groups, Since Yesterday, pays particular attention to bands who dropped members or split up because one of them became a mum. It's a fascinating, if infuriating, reflection of how the music industry treats women and well worth seeking out.

@blindkiwi 1w

Thanks again Tim.

@billwhite51 1w

since ive exceeded the 14 songs with february material, i threw this one in as bonus dooity. besides, the difference between this and this mix and the original is considerable. when i first heard the demo in 89, i disassociated myself from the song, it was so bad. now, for legal reasons, i have my name attached to it.

@mahtowin 2w

Hi Tim!
The link still don‘t works for me. I‘ll try again later.

@blindkiwi 2w

Thanks Tim, out our way, the biggest culprits are dodgy rubbish disposal companies. Yep, the Tadpole is welcome to have as go at it, I am having reaper issues so will not get a chance to do a demo for a while.

@cblack 2w

Oh, and thanks for the 2 comments. 😀

@cblack 2w

Absolutely. Medicine can do a lot, but nowhere near enough. It might one day hit the sweet spot of explanation and cure, but in my lifetime, there's basically 0 chance of biologists isolating consciousness in the brain, let alone curing all the psych disorders.

@mdavisto 2w

Hey Tim. I try to leave comments that talk about what the piece made me *feel*, regardless of what it is *about*.

Wow, 8 songs deep already! Congrats.

@stephenwordsmith 2w

Hi Tim. Thanks for your kind comment on 'Boy in the Well'. A demo does, in fact, exist for that one: https://write.fawm.org/songs/306847

You are welcome to put that one to music if you still wish; otherwise, I think my own well of inspiration is not yet dry. Watch(list) this space...

@ayais 2w

Thanks for your comment on 'A Mysterious Force' - you've got it right, the song must be put in context, because it's too abstract for a straight listen. I'm writing with a script in mind, and the characters' emotions are developed during conversation, so the songs connect (I hope they connect) with the listener based on that.
I've crept up on this kind of approach, and have a lot of work to do before I can get it staged, but my fingers are crossed.

@wynia 2w

Thanks again for stopping by "Common" - I'll paste what I responded here in case the tag didn't work... To answer your question about how long it took to put together... @jmpoet could answer how long she spent on lyrics, which were first. Then I spent a couple hours writing the music/chords. I sent it over to my bandmate @dmelbygibbons on Weds morning for him to look over as we were getting together that evening. He'd have to comment on how much time he spent with it; I originally wrote on piano but he translated it to guitar. Then Weds evening, @dmelbygibbons came over to mine and @briansmith house for @bearwith band practice...I think we started working on it together at 8:00 pm to come up with cello, harmonies, and flugelhorn... then recorded it at 9:15? Sorry it's long winded haha, but when so many players are involved I'm trying to find all the threads of the timeline!

BTW seeing in your bio that Percy Grainger is one of your main influences...LOVE THAT as I am bigtime concert band nerd!

@coolparadisoMod 2w

yup bottom 4 strings of standard guitar

@coolparadisoMod 2w

tell me about it I'm starting to feel the pain and have been limiting what I play.

@timfatchenMod 2w

BLOGGERY--------
28 January 2025
#notdeadyet
Still running as full-time carer for wife Deborah (terminal lung cancer) with the occasional scare but the use-by date is "indefinite", immunotherapy is pushing back, general health is improving, and I don't look too far ahead. Since last FAWM, have had yet more amazing travel adventures involving sea-otters, grey whales, alligators and Amtrak.

Plans for this FAWM: there's serious masonry work during the day and FAWM at night, I trust. Also, having helped another get her amazing 1994 book/artwork/songs epic back in motion again, FAWM 2008--the Global Warming Musical--is being cleaned up for re-shopping. I have one school interested already.!

I'm still going to be more limited than in previous years, but should be better than the nightmare of early 2024!

@nadine 2w

Thanks for your comments

I like your ideas on "The Archer". Let's see how this song develops.

But which dilemmas do you mean? I'm very happy with the chord progression of "Coming Home". I just need vocals / lyrics (in the works) and a real guitar or uke take to get rid of my programming. All fine :)

@stephenwordsmith 2w

I was not familiar, no. But it strikes me as the unblessed lovechild of Wikipedia and Adam Cadre, and I have, in the space of a minute, fallen deep within a rabbit hole of essays on organisational charts. Thanks for this.

@debs 2w

Tim I honestly had no idea "Up Wake" was creepy until I read your comment, at which point @artie said something like "Yes of course it's creepy, it's a dark army coming against an angelic/light voice over top." So...thanks for explaining my own song to me I guess! 🤣

@povosos 2w

Thanks for the comment :)

@sunfire 2w

Hi, Tim
Just wanted to say, I appreciate you taking the time to comment on Risk I wrote.
Thank you

@saulius 2w

Hey, thanks for reading my lyrics and for your comments. btw I added a quick recording. I wasn't going to show that song to anyone, I felt like a creep writing those lines. But then I added the last verse and it made sense. Those feelings of pain, jealosy, and that erotic masochistic fantasizing, doesn't define who I am. But they happened the instant I saw that picture at my ex's place. She was away and I agreed to take care of her cat while she was gone.

@fearlessflight2014 2w

I know I came up empty handed during 50/90. That’s always a hard time of year for me. But could we try again this FAWM?

@frankb 2w

Thanks for the kind words on my song!

@coolparadisoMod 2w

I had all 1 Feb to record a few.

@musicsongwriter 3w

Thank you, TIm for your kind comment on my skirmish piece.

@paul_pedersen 3w

Thanks very much for your kind response to "Let the Light Return", Tim. I appreciate the visit. Drop by anytime.

@writeandwrong 3w

Hey, ho! Bring on the caffeine! Happy FAWM 2025! 🎵 ☕

@fearlessflight2014 3w

Let’s do it! Always hope to find another magical song with you.

@karan 3w

Hi Tim, it's good to see you back here! So glad to hear that Deborah's immunotherapy is working well! A good friend of mine is on it as well and the results are truly amazing.

@ryuu 3w

Thank you for your good wishes. Have a great FAWM!

@songwritingzen 3w

Nah, not running SCALA but I am still on their board. Working from home in Yankalilla is not too difficult

@blindkiwi 3w

The 3 string CBG bass is 34.5 inches EAD ( I know you old enough for imperial measurments 😀 ) and I have a 42 inch scale 4 string washtub double bass that needs reassembling just as soon as I save up enough for a new set of strings 😎

@songwritingzen 3w

Hi Tim, I hope you're all ready to go. Now that I'm living in Yankalilla I might have the same issues as you getting over the hill to Adelaide. I don't know what I should say about SCALA... I have mentioned to many a member about FAWM but they all seem to be put off by it all. Shame really :)

@songwritingzen 3w

@blindkiwi 3w

Hi there Tim, how are you doing over there? Keeping cool in these heatwaves I hope 😎

@jwhanberry 3w

Tim,
Once more into the breach! Y'all have a bunch of fun now.
JW

@aflinner 3w

Somewhere on the other side of the world from me, I sense Tim Fatchen making ready to fish for musical ideas, baiting his hook with an earworm....glad you're here, Tim! I hope this FAWM gives you space to express what you will freely. So glad you're here :-)

@pearlmanhattan 3w

Hello my dearest friend. I'm gonna try to do FAWM this year - hugs and peace to you!

@the3queens 3w

Looking forward to some fuc songs

@jibbidy34 3w

Hello from up over! See what I did there? Have a good one Tim

@ajna1960 3w

OMG yes re wind - it was brutal. We are well used to bad storms, but this was something else on another scale. The destruction is everywhere 😬 Many homes are still without power and water and internet/phones... Feb 5th maybe for some.

@scubed 3w

I listened to "Flying Fish" - gorgeous! - and bought the whole album so husband and I can both enjoy your musical travel journal. "Flying Fish" was my initial listen because the title took me back to a magic moment: We were standing on deck under a full moon, gazing out at the water, when suddenly a huge school of flying fish rose out of the water and gleamed like silver as they skimmed above the water. Thanks for evoking that memory for me.

@musicsongwriter 3w

Hi Tim, thank you for participating in sharing your song thread. Congratulations with your album. I've listened to the first track. It's very beautiful, soothing and wonderful to listen to. Beautiful playing.

@tcelliott 3w

Hello, good sir. It's good to see you back and at it even if you're more limited than past years. A little goes a long way. Be well.

@tiller2 3w

Glad you’re back, Tim, to keep us jolly and on track.

@tamsnumber4 3w

Happy FAWMing Tim!

@lhcisco 3w

Hey man! Happy FAWMing! Peace.

@billwhite51 3w

Hi Tim. Looking forward to hearing some new music from you. I loved the ocean voyage series. Ill be working on a lyric for you.

@musicsongwriter 3w

Hi Tim. Music at night sounds truly familiar 🎶

@musicsongwriter 3w

Hi Tim. Have a great FAWM 🎶🎵✨️

@mikeb 3w

Backups! Yes, yes, I know, I tend to get lazy, but need to start doing them MORE often! I have a stack of USB drives. Didn't expect a 1T SSD to fail in a few months!

@crisp1 3w

Happy FAWMing, Tim!

@stephenwordsmith 3w

Good to see you again. Doesn't quite feel like FAWM without you.

@scubed 3w

Good to see you back and glad to hear that Deborah's illness has been kept at bay and that the two of you have been able to enjoy some exciting travels this past year. Happy FAWMing!

@monty 3w

Back at it eh? Good to see you back again.

@jinx 3w

Heya Tim, glad to see you back here :) Happy FAWM!

@max 3w

Thank you Tim for keeping everything running smoothly and creating a safe, welcoming FAWM for everyone! Say 👋 to Deborah from me. Hope to hear some FT or TF tunes this year.