Keep going or call it done?

It's not workin dude.  The link takes me to "my own" souncloud page......lol.

Is this really that bad?

I quite like this, I like the sense of space you've achieved, it allows the grit of the song to keep rolling.

But it feels like there's a big gap waiting for a vocal to go in to? I kinda wanted the lead guitar to step up a bit more in the middle of the stereo field, so it could tell its story a little more....

Child

Does Soundcloud have a volume control?

montezuma


Does Soundcloud have a volume control?

Thatsastrat

timidi


Why are you dicking around with the TRACK if you're going to put vocals on it, that you haven't written yet.
I think it sounds really good. But, it's a track. The track should compliment the lyric/melody. I can understand the enthusiasm around a new creation and stuff and I mean no offense. But, this is nothing till it's something. 

No offence taken Tim. I was looking for some feedback and I got some.
I am sure it's the wrong way to go at it, but it is how I work sometimes.
Thanks for your thoughts.

In a way, Strat's question is valid because many tracks have been posted without vocals and he's just not sure. I'm in the same boat as I'm on the fence about given Blossoms vocals. I'd like to have them, but the music speaks for itself; however, vocals will enhance the mood of the piece.

There are three different kinds of writers when it comes to music:

Those who write lyrics, then write the music; those who write the music first, then the lyrics (guilty) and those who are able to marry the two together. Singers and songwriters fit the first group; composers fit the second group while a combination of them fits the third group. It's not that concrete, but that's how it usually works.

I do know you weren't meaning to sound harsh. I just thought I'd point that out.

Hey Bruce. I apologize for my rude rantings. I think I was talking to myself there.

Good track Bruce, drums are really well done. Sounds like a Chris Rea tune, I could imagine him growling over this.

Rothchild
Thanks for giving my track a listen and posting a comment.
I have taken note about what you had to say about the lead
and will try to adjust as others have noticed the same.
 
Rus W
Thanks for pointing out the different methods of song construction.
The points you made are valid as well as the points that Timidi
was also making. I put value on all points of view. There is something
to be learned from all.
 
Guitarpima
Your observations about the Bass and guitars have been noted.
Thanks for lending an extra set of ears. It is helpful.
 
Timidi
No apology needed. I did not feel the rudeness nor ranting in your post.
I have no problems with what I consider a honest point.
We're cool!
 
GColbert
Thank you for posting about what you are hearing with the guitars, as others have heard it too.
I guess I am overly sensitive when mixing the guitars. I am trying to dodge the
"let me guess you're the guitar player" comment. So I see I could mix in a little more and be safe
based on other comments.
 
Jamesg1213
Thanks for your drum comment. I was using a crippled EZ- Drummer LE that has no up toms or crash.
I was wanting to add just enough variation to not sound mechanical.
 
Robby
Thanks for sharing with me what you are hearing.
I value your input.
 
Bobby
Thanks for sharing what you are hearing.
In hind site I wish I would have not said sh~t about trying to add a vocal later.

Thatsastrat,
All good comments here.  Overall, for the track, you are missing alot of frequency range from 2k-10k.  Play some CD stuff for a few minutes and then play your track.  You may need to start brightening your recordings alot then play the rough mixes everywhere (car, home, work, ipads, etc.) so you can hear the difference.  You are on the right track BTW, so keep on truckin' dude!

Rimshot

Something else I'd like to point out.

Being repetitive.

While that has its own bad aura - it's not bad at all.

Whether it's writing a lyrics or instrument line in a song. Repetitive patterns are good when you absolutely can't think of anything else, but then you get sick of it. By this time, you may have decided how to vary the pattern.

Verses have there patterns as do choruses and bridges, but the reps help the listener determine what's what. Of course, if the piece has vocals, it's couldn't be more obvious.

Some songs may not even have the latter two parts and keep the same pattern constant.

How this is a good thing:

Upon writing, one has something to reference.

(This pattern is note C with straight eighths notes. Let's make some of these sixteenths in appropriate places and see how the rhythm sounds.) Syncopation is exactly this whether it's of light, moderate or heavy variety.

Literally, it's being stuck in a rut until you find your way out of it.

The song I'm doing now, could be lumped into one huge verse and done, but it's smaller verses, choruses and bridges repeated because in essence: Songs are really short if you think about it.


Which makes your question valid, but I'd like to ask, how short is your song? :)

Thatsastrat

Rus W


Something else I'd like to point out.

Being repetitive.

While that has its own bad aura - it's not bad at all.

Whether it's writing a lyrics or instrument line in a song. Repetitive patterns are good when you absolutely can't think of anything else, but then you get sick of it. By this time, you may have decided how to vary the pattern.

Verses have there patterns as do choruses and bridges, but the reps help the listener determine what's what. Of course, if the piece has vocals, it's couldn't be more obvious.

Some songs may not even have the latter two parts and keep the same pattern constant.

How this is a good thing:

Upon writing, one has something to reference.

(This pattern is note C with straight eighths notes. Let's make some of these sixteenths in appropriate places and see how the rhythm sounds.) Syncopation is exactly this whether it's of light, moderate or heavy variety.

Literally, it's being stuck in a rut until you find your way out of it.

The song I'm doing now, could be lumped into one huge verse and done, but it's smaller verses, choruses and bridges repeated because in essence: Songs are really short if you think about it.


Which makes your question valid, but I'd like to ask, how short is your song? :)

Russ W
Forgive me for being thick, but I am missing the point you are trying to make.

All's forgiven. I was making another point about song construction. Not what it consist of, but how to start writing it. Of course, this is when the piece is original; however, there's the same method of madness when constructing arrangements though one clearly has a reference point, but you still have to figure out how to arrange it. See the links in my signature for example.


Let's take Christmas Time Is Here (which I'm currently arranging) for example.

If it were stripped down to one verse (verse, chorus and bridge) it'd be really short from a lyric perspective, but musically it's still a short song - even if it played Largo (very slow) Then again, when it is viewed, you just see four stanzas; however, many of us are accustomed to the VCB format and thus attach them upon arrangement. Thus, we get a much longer song musically (and maybe lyrically). This is perhaps why covers also sound longer even if they're just instrumentals.

My Dance of the Flowers track is shorter than the original Waltz of the Flowers as I only took the beginning of it. I have attached a bridge. So, the song in total lasts around 6:45. This is forty seconds longer than the original piece considering everything in it. However, take out the beginning and remaining bridges and choruses and the song is over in just under four minutes. It also is longer due to the time signature change. (4/4 vs. 3/4 or 2/8; 6/8 compound time)

Actually, I only have the "Chorus" uploaded, but will see where it is in the original. (So, I'll explain it)

The original's "Chorus" starts @ :36; whereas mine begins @ :28, then is repeated. It ends at 1:08. (each 20 secs roughly)

The original's "Verse" begins right on the dot. Mine, however, starts @ 1:09 and ends @ 1:48 (39 secs roughly)

There's a half-bridge attached that begins  @ :05 lasting :23

The full bridge starts 3:49 which lasts roughly, :46

(Note: both bridges are mine)

Of course, I have another section of bridges and choruses, but without them, 2:28 would be deducted from the arrangement's actual length (of course, bpm also factors into this)

Therefore, if my arrangement stopped there, it would only last 4 minutes and 17 secs. (108 seconds shorter in comparison) However, it seems longer because of the TS. An extra beat. (That's all theory talk though.)

All of this, has to do with my main point: Song Structure and how to construct within it.

Russ W
Thanks again for your input.
 
 
 

Listening to mix2, and I like the basic track as it is. Would have to wait until how you mix the vocals. It seems a bit busy in the middle if you are going to add the vocals there.

Hey Bruce,
 
Listening to edit #2, I'm even more convinced that the guitar needs to come up across the board and possibly be paned differently to make it stand out better.  Old ears here, but I think that the guitars are pretty lost in the whole mix.
 
Glen