✵ Trash Find

6 days ago by @max

Liner Notes

https://studio273.bandcamp.com/track/trash-find
Over 20 years of participating in February Album Writing Month (FAWM), I’ve developed a workflow that allows me to quickly create a decent recording of a freshly written song. My process always starts with guitar chords and humming a melody. Once a few words come to mind the songcrafting starts.
Despite all the digital possibilities out there, I prefer to keep things pure by using real instruments. I print the lyrics in large text, hang them above a camera, and play the song several times in a row. Usually, the fourth or fifth take is good enough. Thanks to FAWM, I’ve learned not to dwell too long on whether something is "perfect."

Next, I separate the one-take audio track from the video and load it into a mixing program. Most of the effects I use are already preset. Then I record additional vocal tracks and layer in more instruments like guitar, banjo, piano, and keyboard. Once the mix sounds decent, I sync it back with the video footage. Each year, I choose a different color theme for my two-tone videos.

If a song is recorded this way during FAWM, it’s done. After FAWM, I usually end up with three or four keepers, which I test live on stage. Songs often grow and evolve during live performances, but I never rerecord them. Around 90% of the songs I’ve written over the past 20 years were created during FAWM—simple and effective.

These days, I use ChatGPT to check my lyrics for grammar and spelling mistakes and to give suggestions. In the past, I relied on native-speaking FAWMers for this.
The audio mix I upload to Bandcamp is the same as the one in the videos. My style is defined by one-take, single-mic recordings with additional vocals and instruments.
#trash #guywithguitar #pedalbikeride

Lyrics

Every Sunday night
I take my bike
It feels so good
Riding through the hood

I am gonna find
Treasures left behind
I pedal slow
Knowing where to go

Trash to some,
great find to me
Why do they throw it away?
Are they too blind to see?

My eyes are wide
Where do the good things hide?
In my hands
They get a second chance

All kinds of wood
Brand new, still good
Hardware and screws
Many things to reuse

Trash to some,
great find to me
Why do they throw it away?
Are they too blind to see?

Every Sunday night
I take my bike
It feels so good
Riding through the hood

Bulky waste
A chest, a leather case
Toys and pedal cars
Speakers and guitars

Trash to some,
great find to me
Why do they throw it away?
Are they too blind to see?
Trash to some,
great find to me
Why do they throw it away?
Are they too blind to see?

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© Max Vanremmerden / vanremmerdenmusic 2025.
fawm.org/@max

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