"Traveler" genre: Instrumental Rock
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	Top 20 in genre, #5 on Feb. 27th, 2001! A melodic ambient/rock instrumental. Simple arrangement, sets nice mood; and has a surprise ending :^) Great to drive to!
	CD: Traveler Credits: Dan Simes: Bass guitar, keyboards, guitars, drum treatments.
	Story Behind the Song The motivation for the melody came from the end of the movie, Heat. There was some wonderfully atmospheric and epic keyboard passages at the end of the film, and this melody on the keyboard I play has some basis in that, although the notes and style are different. From originally getting the progression and ending together took about a week on the keyboard, then there was a LONG period where I was working on getting a drumbeat to go with this slow progression. I invented a couple of beats on my drum machine until I found the one I liked messing around with my keyboard's drum programs. That changed the complexion of the song completely, and added some life and rhythm to it, as well as opening up more interesting possibilities for bass and guitar parts. I went with that drum beat, adding my own fills, cymbals and changes in real time in one take. Then, with the basic keys and drums down, the rest of the song came together in about two weekends. I next composed the guitar solo, which evolved into a dual lead, and then recorded the rhythm guitar and lead guitar parts using the COSMs on my Roland VS880 effects board. The rhythm guitars went down easily, but the leads took hours :) Next, I composed the bass line, which underwent about three changes before I got what I really liked. Being primarily a bassist, this was the easiest and most fun for me. Next, came some more keyboards to fill the end of the song with some drama and grandeur. Then came the vocals. Vocals? I thought this was instrumental? Well, I DID write some lyrics, and I recorded many takes singing, but this song just didn't want a vocal...it's not set up in the typical verse, verse, chorus formula, so vocals sounded kind of forced. So, I called up a choral program on the keyboard, wet it down with some lush effects from the studio, and layed down what you hear in one take...I really liked how that turned out. Finally, I added the little keyboard break in the middle of the song, mastered down, and voila! My first song ever! Enjoy!

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