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The charango is a small Andean instrument generally with ten strings (mine are nylon) arranged as 5 courses. Traditionally the back was formed from an armadillo shell but like most modern versions mine has a wooden back. Typical tuning is a re-entrant tuning of G4/G4, C5/C5, E5/E4, A4/A4, E5/E5.
This is a Puerto Rican style cuatro with the more violin-like waist. It has 10 strings arranged as five courses which is one of the more modern versions. As the name relates to four other cuatros have 4 strings or 8 strings arranged as four courses. Typical tuning is B3/B2, E4/E3, A3/A3, D4/D4, G4/G4.
The tres (Spanish for three) is an instrument of Cuban origin with 6 strings arranged in 3 courses. Typical tuning is G4/G3, C4/C4, E4/E4.
The cavaquinho is a small instrument with the main varieties originating in Portugal and Brazil with the Brazilian ones like this being slightly larger. Typical tuning is D G B D.
Dulcimer by Wildwood Instruments from Australia. It has a pickup built in but no additional frets and a 690mm scale length.
The cavaco-banjo is a cross between a cavaquinho or cavaco and a banjo and is also known as a Brazilian banjo. This instrument has a built in pickup and a plastic resonator. Typical tuning is D G B D though like many string instruments there are numerous variants.
Home made dulcimer. 800mm scale length with 6+ fret.
Apple Creek dulcimer with 690mm scale length and 6+ fret.
Brüko baritone ukulele which is on the list for restringing (and ordering some uke string sets) as it has a broken string.
A mandolin made by Daniel Brauchli from Australia. He calls this style polymer string or classical mandolin. It is fitted with a mixture of nylon and fluorocarbon strings. Western red cedar top, eucalyptus back, sides and neck and fitted with an under saddle pickup.
Mandolin made by Peter Coombe from Australia. This model is the classical flattop mandolin and has red spruce top, jarrah back and sides and opal inlays.
A selection of songs and instrumentals by Andrew Charman-Williams or as Spiral Net. Spiral Net produces mainly electronic music either instrumental or with virtual or computer generated vocals while songs and instrumentals using my voice and/or real instruments are normally under my name..
As well as many of them (except for cover songs) being available here, music videos of Andrew Charman-Williams are available at https://www.youtube.com/@andrewcharman-williams and https://www.youtube.com/@spiralnet for Spiral Net or a selection including Andrew Charman-Williams and Spiral Net on Facebook.
Audio is available at https://andrewcharman-williams.bandcamp.com and https://spiral-net.bandcamp.com/ for Spiral Net. A smaller range is available on SoundCloud under each artist’s name.
The full selection will appear below but to narrow the selection down the following categories can be used though at the moment there is a lot of doubling up so the same content may show in multiple places..
Songs either by Andrew Charman-Williams or Spiral Net
Instrumentals either by Andrew Charman-Williams or Spiral Net
Spiral Net music
Lyrics which includes most of the songs from above as well as lyrics where no recordings have been provided or that are unused
I am who I am is an electronic rock song featuring Natalie and Hayden from Synthesizer V on vocals. It was written by Andrew Charman-Williams and produced by Spiral Net.
I like what I like
I want what I want
I want what I want
I like what I like
I need what I need
I have what I have
I have what I have
I need what I need
I was who I was
I am who I am
I am who I am
I was who I was
I am who I am
I was who I was
I was who I was
I am who I am
Shades of Grey by Andrew Charman-Williams is a ballad with acoustic guitar and a string arrangement.
In a world of black and white,
Everything, from dark to light,
Every shade and every hue,
In your love, I found what’s true.
Shades of grey, in love we sway,
Lost in your eyes, come what may,
In this world of ours please stay
Shades of grey, never fade away.
Through the storms and sunny days,
In your arms, I’ll always stay,
Life’s a canvas, we’ll paint it bright,
Our love’s colours will ignite.
Shades of grey, in love we sway,
Lost in your eyes, come what may,
In this world of ours please stay
Shades of grey, never fade away.
Reds and blues, in love’s embrace,
With every shade, our hearts keep pace,
Through the darkness, into the day,
In your love, all fear will fade away.
In this world of black and white,
You and I, we’ll shine so bright,
Hand in hand, we’ll find our way,
In the shades of grey, we’ll always stay.
Shades of grey, in love we sway,
Lost in your eyes, come what may,
In this world of ours please stay
Shades of grey, never fade away.
Shades of grey, in love we sway,
Lost in your eyes, come what may,
In this world of ours please stay
Shades of grey, never fade away.
Dead End Street is a reasonably uptempo soft rock song by Andrew Charman-Williams.
I’m walking down this empty road
A faded line, where dreams corrode
All the street lights have burned out
In this town where hope’s in doubt
It feels like I’ve been here for so long
Stuck in a place where I don’t belong
But I’ll keep pushing through the night
I’ll find a way to make it right
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
The shadows whisper tales of despair
Broken dreams and hearts laid bare
But I won’t let this street define
The path I walk, the things I’ll find
Feels like I’ve hit a dead-end sign,
But I won’t let my spirit decline,
Through the echoes of the city’s beat,
I’ll rise again, won’t face defeat.
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
In the whispers of the midnight air,
I’ll face my fears, I won’t despair,
On this road where hopes retreat,
I’ll carve a path, won’t face defeat.
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
I’m on a dead-end street, a dead-end street
Get me off this dead-end street
Love and Loss is a song written by Andrew Charman-Williams and produced by Spiral Net and features Hayden & Natalie from Synthesizer V on vocals.
Unlike most of my songs Love and Loss has two different versions with one as Spiral Net and the other as Andrew Charman-Williams. Here is the Andrew Charman-Williams version which predominantly uses real instruments and vocals rather than virtual or electronic.
I search for your face
memories of you time cannot erase
your laughter, touch, smile
gone but with me all the while
love and loss
such a cost
hearts torn apart
never fully lost
whispers call out your name
never the same
the fire that burned
now ashes, lesson learned
love and loss
such a cost
hearts torn apart
never fully lost
tears falling like rain
drowning in pain
the love we once knew
gone but forever true
love and loss
such a cost
hearts torn apart
never fully lost
The Candle by Spiral Net (written by Andrew Charman-Williams) and featuring vocals by Hayden & Solaria of Synthesizer V. This is an older poem (Waxen Form) that was set to music and was used to introduce myself to the use of Synthesizer V vocals.
the wick runs short the
candle fades
then flickers
and goes out
how many people
has she warmed
how many
shared her light
though with the wind
and with the rain
her flame
nearly died
she overcame
everything
until finally
there is no more
now she has
no use no
beauty she
lies still cold
darkness surrounds her
is this the
end or the
beginning
of something new
A modern interpretation of Flow My Tears by John Dowland from “The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres” from 1600. Arranged by Andrew Charman-Williams and produced by Spiral Net featuring vocals from Hayden & Natalie of Synthesizer V.
This instrumental by Spiral Net is based on a couple of 3/2 tunes from Dancing Master volume 2 from around 1710-1718 called The Merry Conclusion (or The Assembly) and Camberwell. These are not treated in a traditional manner but as melodies for electronic music.
Almost Spring is an acoustic instrumental for mandolin and Irish bouzouki by Andrew Charman-Williams.