Wasted Space In My Heart – office supply percussions

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May I present to you my pencil jar hi-hat, my @tedxtoronto notebook kick drum, and my @goteamaspect business card clapper. “Wasted Space in my Heart” was recorded in one migraine-inflicted afternoon and is coming to a streaming service near you very soon. After doing mostly everything in the box on @twentythirdhour “Home for the Holidays”, I thought it would be fun to do something with less midi. Song written with George Paolini.

A post shared by Sherry-Lynn Lee (@sherrylynnleemusic) on Dec 16, 2019 at 11:09am PST

If you’ve ever been in an acrimonious break-up, perhaps you’ve experienced that “aha” moment when you realize that letting go of your pain is the healthiest, most liberating path forward. When being angry and hurt is only taking up headspace and draining your energy, the best thing to do is to clear the cache! So here’s to reclaiming your sanity and letting go of toxic people, memories and emotions.

Production-wise, I was inspired by Billie Eilish & FINNEAS’ use of everyday objects in their sound design, as well as their sparse arrangements.

I decided to use a pencil and jar as hi-hat, a notebook as a kick drum, and a business card as a slap sound. I added a pitched metronome to the mix too, among other layers. On some of the choruses, I borrowed another FINNEAS trick and added an arpeggiator effect on the pencil hi-hat to give it that speeding feel. I also used Charlie Puth’s recipe for getting the perfect finger snaps: two finger snaps and a tongue click.

You can see the result in the montage in this video, with lyrics and streaming links below:

WASTED SPACE IN MY HEART

Everywhere I go
There you are again
Coming out of nowhere
Like an apparition
I’m done with your opinions
your cynical ways
So go hover like a helicopter
in some other place

Your insecurities
Are crowding me

I don’t wanna talk,
I don’t wanna fight
I just wanna reclaim
What was mine from the start
I don’t wanna love you
I don’t wanna hate you
Coz that’s just wasted space
Wasted space
in my heart

Hoarded my attention
Preyed on my affection
I gave an inch
You demanded a mile
Just trying to please you
Had me so consumed
You’re the type of person
Who’s never satisfied

Your insecurities
Were crowding me

I don’t wanna talk
I don’t wanna fight
I just wanna reclaim
What was mine from the start
I don’t wanna love you
I don’t wanna hate you
Coz that’s just wasted space
Wasted space in my heart

My heart’s a space for a love for two
But with you there’s only enough for you

I don’t wanna talk
I don’t wanna fight
I just wanna reclaim
What was mine from the start
I don’t wanna love you
I don’t wanna hate you
Coz that’s just wasted space
Wasted space in my heart

Credits:

Written by Sherry-Lynn Lee & George Paolini
Performed, arranged, produced & mixed by Sherry-Lynn Lee
Mastered by Bill Hare