"Nordic Blue" - New instrumental

Nice one Steve - great playing, great mix. 
I can't imagine how long it took you to put it all together - not much cutting and pasting going on!!!

OK so how much did Rick want to guest?
 
Nice track, mix sounds well here.
 
Thanks for sharing.

@Wookie - thanks! I'm glad the mix is still coming through OK.   FWIW,Rick was working fairly cheap this time around, just had to buy him a beer. 
 
@Mark - Huh, I hadn't thought about ELP in this case, but you better believe I'll take it.        I thought the mix was a little too bright/brittle earlier on and actually toned it down a little.  Subjective, I know, but something for me to keep in mind.
 

Thanks, Dan!  Adding the "reprise" theme towards the end was actually one of the later steps in the composition process, but I'm glad that worked out so it's not just a lot of notes.  
 

Hi, Steve,
 
This is absolutely fantastic!
 
Excellent composition and performances, and the mix is perfect for the genre. I love the quirky changes and transitions.  I'm with Mark, definitely reminds me of early ELP.
 
Great work, my friend, super stuff!
Bob

Nice composition and arrangement.. sounds good. Well done instrumental music.

Thanks, Makke and Tim!   I am glad you liked it.
 
Yup, my reference to "light" prog was that it resembles the genre in some ways...  mostly because of the 1000 time signature changes. 
 
Reaktor is pretty awesome.   I love it when something is just great even after barely getting started with it - that's a really good sign in my book!
 

Thanks, Mark!!
 
Being a prog fan from way way back makes me want to play everything at that level.  Unfortunately that's not really possible.  But fortunately I have the tools to make it so.  

Gives me a strong Keith Emerson vibe. Good job. What synths did you use?
 
H-

Gus - thanks!  Aside from a few of the guitar lines that were difficult for me to pull off, the mix was the hardest part about doing this one because there's so much @#$% happening.    So I am glad it turned Ok in the end.   As far as direction goes, that's one positive result of letting the melody lead and filling the rest later instead of leading the melody.  
 
H - Keith is probably my all time favorite all-around keyboardist.  So, thanks.       The main lead synth part is a Reaktor Nord patch combined with Z3ta2, while the shorter middle section is Kontakt brass combined with GPO brass and a little strings.  That Reaktor patch is actually the thing that inspired the entire tune!  It just worked. 
 
John - thanks!  It was a fun one to do, though the timing is a little "fluid" here and there since I chose to rely on "feel" rather than strict "on the grid" work.   And thanks for the comment about the drums. It's probably about 60/40 live input vs. editing, and I did put some effort into getting the timing and velocities as I wanted to hear them.  And going completely against typical DAW-isms, the drums are a single stereo instance of AD2 using the Fairfax 1 kit.  Oh, and to go even further, a SIT.   Limited schlimited.       And yeah, it's all me, but taking full advantage of what modern DAWs provide!
 

Thanks, Jimmy!     Invigorating I like - it wasn't necessarily meant to be relaxing.      
 
I did have had my share of little frustrations along the way with some of the parts and the mix, but I was intent on finishing it one way or the other.   So what I couldn't do using finesse I did using brute force.  
 

Reminds me of TSO.  That's good.  Well done, Steve.  Some interesting thingys in this one.  If memory serves me, this is my fav from you.

Sounds great! I like the song , too.

Lynn - thanks!  I haven't done a featured synth tune in a long time myself, but yeah, that lead tone really drove the whole thing.  I likes me some Reaktor. 
 
Warren - TSO I had not thought of, but I will certainly take it as a compliment!  They have such a great combination of retro and modern, and they can all play.  Good stuff.
 
Tom - I still have ELP's 1st up thru Works 1 on vinyl.       They weren't necessarily what I had mind when mixing, but I guess it's impossible to remove the influence.  So I do agree that it lacks that modern bottom end weight, something I may go back and look at.   Anyhow... thank you for the grade and for the lack of breath, very much appreciated! 
 
Monty - thanks!   I am glad you enjoyed the tune and the mix.
 
Robert - thanks!!   ELP meets Yes?   Yeah, in my dreams...  but you better believe it's a nice dream. 
 

We are who we are and no more than another. I like it!