Tag Archives: Serene Summer Suite

LIVE 193 • Hummingbird Melody

Acoustic, Fingerstyle, Live, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hummingbird Melody is the third song in the Serene Summer Suite, a musical offshoot of the songs and improvisations found in the Dragonfly Songs.  While the Dragonfly Songs often explored multiple registers within the same song, the songs of the Serene Summer suite explore separate, but overlapping parts of the fretboard.  Firefly Melody focused mostly on the lower and low-middle ranges of the guitar, creating a sonorous but mellow landscape.  

With Hummingbird melody, I wanted to focus on the middle and upper ranges of the fretboard, also using the pad of a rich bass note at times to underscore the full range of the instrument.  As a result, the song has a sunnier, crisper feel.  Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 50th Anniversary Builder’s Edition 812ce LTD (Rosewood/Sinker Redwood) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone. Music by Nick Borho, all rights reserved.

LIVE 192 • Hummingbird Prelude

Fingerstyle, Live, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Though related, the songs of the Serene Summer Suite explore similar ideas and musical themes from different perspectives.  Hummingbird Prelude is the second song in the suite, the bridge between Firefly Melody and Hummingbird Melody.  It came about as an improvisation between takes of Hummingbird Melody, mostly just enjoying the sound of the guitar and reflecting on some of the elements of Hummingbird Melody.  I like to keep improvisation and semi-improvisation as mainstays of my music.  Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 50th Anniversary Builder’s Edition 812ce LTD (Rosewood/Sinker Redwood) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone. Music by Nick Borho, all rights reserved.

LIVE 185 • Firefly Melody

Acoustic, Fingerstyle, Live, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Firefly Melody was born following a recent group of improvisations around ideas from my song Welsh Dragonfly, which were collectively dubbed the Dragonfly songs.  While the Dragonfly songs were influenced by the bucolic acoustic music of Led Zeppelin, Firefly Melody sought to continue from that same area but expand in a slightly different direction.  In this case, I sought to maintain the mellow mood and reimagine the music with some inspiration from the guitar parts of Nick Drake.  Following that path, Firefly Melody emerged.  From there, Hummingbird Prelude and Hummingbird Melody came next, completing what I’ve dubbed the Serene Summer Suite.  Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 50th Anniversary Builder’s Edition 812ce LTD (Rosewood/Sinker Redwood) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.  Music by Nick Borho, all rights reserved.