You can download Syd's original recording of this song here:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/fault-lines/id291926280
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About This Recording:
I was sitting on the subway in Boston (up here we call it the T, no big deal) when I suddenly envisioned Syd’s song, “The Bottom,” as an orchestral piece. Maybe it was the sound of the train’s squeaking brakes, or the dulcet tones of the announcer telling me to report strange behavior that sparked it. Or maybe I had inhaled too many underground Boston fumes. Either way, I knew I didn’t want any traditional rock instruments in my arrangement.
I set out to recreate the moments of my youth when I sat in the violin section of the Montgomery Country Orchestra in Maryland. Ok, maybe not the part where I didn’t know how to talk to girls. But the symphonic elements at least.
What I found is that for an inexperienced mixer, getting a computerized orchestra to sound like a real orchestra is pretty tough. I had all these little moments composed: flutes interacting with French horns; timpani rolls leading to harp glissandos…
But in the end it kind came out like a big old wall of sound. So instead of making a really great song sound cool in a new way, I ended up making it slightly awkward and different. Which I suppose means the result is a lot closer to my 9 year old violin playing self than I anticipated.
It was a fun experiment, and I spent way too much time on it. I do like that it’s very unlike the original song. But in honesty I’d recommend you go download the real thing from Syd… you won’t be sorry.
-tim