CRITIQUES much appreciated

Hello everyone! I am new to the boards... while being somewhat "old" to SONAR. My brother (Terry) and I have been fiddling around with Sonar for a few years. We are still working with Sonar XL 1.3, awaiting the purchase of a new super computer to upgrde to SONAR 4 PE and better sound cards.

Over the last few years we have put together a studio of old and new equipment. I have been the one focused on sound engineering, mixing, production etc. What I know of it is basically self taught from reading and experience. I am always looking to continue learning, realizing that there are still some fundamental things that I need to master.

Terry has been a guitarist for many, many years now. I come from an art and architectural background with no formal musical training except for a developed skill in active listening... and an eclectic taste in music inherited form my parents who taught us to enjoy all kinds of music, especially big band, swing, fifties jazz, and 60's brazillian beat. My brother Jay is also a musician (and works for Uni/Vivendi or whatever it's called today). Jay lives a little further away, so we don't get together as much to record, but want to very much. Over the last few years Terry and I have fiddled around with hundreds of songs in various stages of completion. Lately I have been trying to understand and attempt to get the recordings as close to CD quality. I'm finding I have made some progress towards that goal, but have not quite made it in my opinion. I'll remain patient (and won't be too hard on myself) until we make the jump to a better computer and sound cards, along with SONAR 4 PE (hopefully in the next month or two).

Nonetheless, even so my brother and I have been 2 for 2 in getting our submissions passed on through TAXI. Which is (I believe) a worthy acheivement in and of itself, as I have heard it can take an artist many countless submissions to be passed on through them.

Among my future positngs on this board, I will be looking for input from other SONAR users on some of our songs, as I get them closer to how we will want them to hear. I'm looking forward to sharing some of my input and experience with other SONAR.

Here is link to a rough draft of a song that we just put together using both samples (beats and percussion) and Terry's guitar. This is our first attempt a re-amping direct box guitar back out to a POD, and then back onto the soundcard. In the past we have simply recorded the pod directly into the line in. In this track I also sent the synth out to the pod and back in, which I found created alot more depth and interest in the Live Synth sound.

I would love any and all feedback on this song, composition, mix, sound, quality, EQing?. We will be adding other instruments, possibly a piano or other keys, and would take any suggestions. Or if anyone wants to collaborate?... Hey, send us something to consider!

My first post....SWAY

EEKS!...The LO FI really sounds like crap...the HI FI link is working now.

So, you must be Brendan. Hi Brendan,
I liked this piece. It sounded more like Surf Music, like Ventures play bossa. I was expecting that smooth gliding feeling - that cool cocktails in the afternoon groove - that Jobeem would do; nonetheless, it's.

The guitars sound great. The sound and smoothness of playing are the high point. The bass sound ok, but the line is pretty stiff, could hear more 1/5 pattern, and more runs, but mostly, just more smoothness. The percussion was a little busy. The arrangement could have more direction, say a more obvious bridge with a change of drums pattern / instrumentation.

Overall, I enjoyed this, would like to hear more.

bump