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So, there's actually a funny story behind the name and origin of this particular song. Shoutout to my pal, Jodnafl, for the role he unknowingly had in all of this!

Before I get to the funny stuff though, this song originally had its start back around the time when I was composing tracks for the RIFT Project. I think that's why the atmosphere of this song feels somewhat similar to my RIFT tracks... That and I think the layered acoustic and harpsichords probably have something to do with it too! Slightly reminds me of "Limbo" because of that. However, this one reminds me of my song "Spacewalk" from HORIZONS as well, but more on that later.

Anyhow, on to the funny origin! So, back in the Summer of 2020, my good friend Jodnafl had become interested in maybe trying his hand at music (again). Rather than try and teach him guitar stuff again, I encouraged him to try messing around with MIDI. That evening I went over how simple it was to start fiddling around with making your own MIDI tunes. I picked out instruments and started building them one by one. For the most part, I was placing notes around haphazardly, to demonstrate that there's not really anything fancy needed to start writing music. Well anyways, Jodnafl wound up falling asleep in the call at some point (poor guy had a long day).

I had come to really like this short MIDI idea that I had just spontaneously threw together. I thought of maybe using it for RIFT, but wasn't quite sure, so I just stuck this on the backburner for half a year! At some point, I jokingly came up with the name "Buh-Bye Heavy Lullaby" since my friend had drifted to sleep while I was playing it over the stream/call. So that's how this song and its name came to be!

Once more, I wanted to continue my journey of rekindling my love for my Stratocaster. So once again, all the cleans were recorded with my Strat! While working on this one, I remembered something my dad had asked me about years ago when I was still just learning how to play the guitar. I remembered he'd ask if I'd ever experimented with plucking the strings right at the bridge, since it gives off a very different sound. Its something I've always been aware of, but I've never really had an opportunity or use for that kind of tone. Finally, after seeing a video where a famous session guitarist talked about using this tone (on a Strat too!), I figured it was finally time to give it a try in this song!

Its a sound that I don't think can really be done by any other guitar. Sure, others could imitate it maybe, but it wouldn't quite sound right. The clean guitar on the left-side in the intro is the sound that I'm talking about. That bright and glassy Strat tone! Not only do you pluck at the bridge, but you make sure to use the neck pickup as well. The bell-tone of the Strat really comes through in the neck pickup, and then by playing at the bridge, it becomes glassy!

Oh also, speaking of experimenting with things... This song marks my first slide lead solo! I've never experimented much with my slides (I had bought 3 of the dadgum things years ago from Guitar Center). I've only really used them briefly that one time in my E1M3 cover. I also used them as a way to get some neat effects, like in "Hypernova" from HORIZONS.

Well at 1:43 is when the slide lead starts. I suppose it might be a bit subtle, but it becomes a lot more apparent starting at 2:00. It was pretty fun getting to use my glass slide for this section!

I also quite enjoyed playing the rest of the leads too! It feels like it has a sort of RISEN sound to it. I also had fun making the harp part that plays throughout the song. During most of the song, its just backing up the clean Strat, but by the end, I let it gently close out the song.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the song! ~DAR