That's My Hope

You're quite prolific Daryl, not sure how you crank them out the way you do. The guitars sound great, I'm not a huge fan of that oww oww bass synth thingie in the background. Your drums could come up a notch, but I'm on buds. I know a guy named Juan from Mehico, he's hard to figure out, but he just went through this "self discovery" process? And now seems to be doing much better? I guess "it takes Juan to know Juan?"

Lovely song Daryl! You always knock 'em dead!

He got Tiger Blood in his veins , thats why he can knockem out so fast !
Hey Daryl thats a cool song , you really know how to write lyrics and the music always sounds great !

Keepem coming Tiger !LOL

James

It's a good country/rock song. 

so ... two things ... and understand it's a matter of MY taste.... and not necessarily the correct ... so please don't take offense - I am just some guy in Chicago (who has been teaching music for 2 decades and has a masters degree in music and plays 17 instruments) so .. really ... I am a nobody ... (kidding)  

really - I am just a guy 

So the drums....sounds like a drum machine? 

But to me it sounds like an 80's Alesis drum machine ... and it's buried. Snare needs to come out more and maybe with a little more crack... I think the snare is trying to be a fat snare sound .. which is ok and good for this style of music  .. if it were a real or good sampled fat snare ...

If it is a drum machine.... try to use maybe session drummer 3 ... before I had my roland v drums - I used to record my drum machine midi from the drum machine into sonar - then  sync the midi  to BDF drums - was way better than my old machine sounded similar to what you have recorded. Or you can  use a kit from session drummer if you don't have bdf - superior drums or battery 3 - or something like that 


the second thing ..... the funky bass patch you have ... sounds like a tb-303 - I used to have the tb-303 back in 1982... and that was ONE of the sounds I was able to get out of it - the same tone you recorded 

on a side note - I sold that tb 303 for like 1500 bucks to a chicago house musician - i think it cost like 300 in 1982 ... funny them things  anyway .. I digress  

anyway -- the funky bass wah wah thing you have going is cool wherever you patch it from  ... but think about this ... does that funky bass tone you have going fit the "style" of the song? ... or are you using it just because its a cool wobble funky bass sound .....

I am just thinking - style here .. 

well that would be my two cents as a producer 

- try to get more authentic sounding drums and bring them up in the mix  

and not sure if the funky bass patch fits the "style" or flavor of the tune 


Like it though 


Thank you for singing waaaaay better than Bapu 

A word on some the repeated comments.

The bass is NOT a patch.  That's me on my Fender Jazz bass.

The synth thing is a Clavichord patch (Dim Pro), the idea is to keep it funky, fun, and make me feel like Stevie Wonder.  I rather like that track.

The drums are loops.  I did EQ them to get a little more crack on the snare, but then it starts to make the other parts, like cymbals sound too harsh.  The problem being that all the parts are in the same loop.  I don't know how to program drums or use any kind of drum machine... I wish I did.  Also, I've never liked drums to be too loud.  It maybe my ears but when the snare get cracking too much, it distracts from of the rest of the song.    I've always felt that most commercial rock tracks have the drums louder than I like, especially the snare.. but that's me and I'm somewhat alone in that opinion.

Danny - Your advice on the harmony pans is a good one.  That makes sense to me.  Thank you!  I continue to learn.

Thanks all! - I knew the drums would never be well accepted as I only have drum loops or at least that's all I have any idea of how to use.  Once I'm retired I will have a lot more time to explore drum programming, although I will still be handicapped by the fact that I know nothing about how to drum.  I'm amazed that everyone else is so in tune with drums and how they all work together, even though they are not drummers.  I missed that part of music education somehow.

I appreciate all the advice, it's how I've been able to at least get to where I am.  Thank you!!!

Next year I will be retired and ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE USA willing to teach me some basics about drum programming, I will drive to your house and buy you dinner at any restuarunt of your choice.... seriously!

Daryl

darylcrowley


A word on some the repeated comments.

The bass is NOT a patch.  That's me on my Fender Jazz bass.

The synth thing is a Clavichord patch (Dim Pro), the idea is to keep it funky, fun, and make me feel like Stevie Wonder.  I rather like that track.

The drums are loops.  I did EQ them to get a little more crack on the snare, but then it starts to make the other parts, like cymbals sound too harsh.  The problem being that all the parts are in the same loop.  I don't know how to program drums or use any kind of drum machine... I wish I did.  Also, I've never liked drums to be too loud.  It maybe my ears but when the snare get cracking too much, it distracts from of the rest of the song.    I've always felt that most commercial rock tracks have the drums louder than I like, especially the snare.. but that's me and I'm somewhat alone in that opinion.

Danny - Your advice on the harmony pans is a good one.  That makes sense to me.  Thank you!  I continue to learn.

Thanks all! - I knew the drums would never be well accepted as I only have drum loops or at least that's all I have any idea of how to use.  Once I'm retired I will have a lot more time to explore drum programming, although I will still be handicapped by the fact that I know nothing about how to drum.  I'm amazed that everyone else is so in tune with drums and how they all work together, even though they are not drummers.  I missed that part of music education somehow.

I appreciate all the advice, it's how I've been able to at least get to where I am.  Thank you!!!

Next year I will be retired and ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE USA willing to teach me some basics about drum programming, I will drive to your house and buy you dinner at any restuarunt of your choice.... seriously!

Daryl

I know your drum rig which is why I didn't make a mention of my thoughts on the SOUND of the drums. I know sometimes we're stuck with what we're stuck with. Well, next year when you're retired...make my place your first stop and I'll show you how to use these drum things as well as show you some of the different ones I have that you may want to purchase. Plus we get a chance to play some guitar together...so definitely keep me in mind if you don't mind driving to NJ. :)
 
-Danny

Batman - Thank you!  Much appreciated.

Danny, I have no probelm driving to NJ.  I drove to Rhode Island last year to pick up my custom guitar from Campellone.  I will remind you next year.  It would be worth it to get a jump on my weak spot.  I'm working on your mix suggestions.

Pistolpete.  I don't find it dopy, if I did, I wouldn't have used it. My ears are weak, not defective.  I'm not sure why some people hate the clav so much, most of my friends I've played it for like it and few has said it makes the groove, I think it sounds funky (the good kind of funky).  I imagine Stevie Wonder took the same flak when he recorded Superstition.  But I'm glad you think the song is decent though, because I really wouldn't want to be associated with anything indecent.

Hey, Daryl,
 
Cool southern rock song with great playing, excellent tone and dynamite vocals and harmonies!
 
Very nice work as always, brother, and best wishes for a great weekend!
Bob

Ben, thank you.  What would you suggest, an EQ cut on the master?  If so where in spectrum?

Bob, thanks my friend.

Tony - Thank you!

I didn't really write this to be "country" song.  Although I think the harmonies certainly give it that feel, but the music is more of funky blues.  My music always contains my musical influences and country was certainly one of the big influence in my musical past and it's hard to remove it.  I guess that's why a number of my tunes are jazz, rock, and country all at the same time.  I really have tough time figuring out what my genre is.  I used to fight that, but when I first got turned on to Johnny A, I saw that he abandonded any pretense of trying to fit a genre, basically this is me, take it or leave it, and like that attitude, but it does make it hard to "classify" songs.  I wish the world was that way but unfortuately people tend to indentify with silos of music.  Another self-imposed handicap.

Next year I will be retired and ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE USA willing to teach me some basics about drum programming, I will drive to your house and buy you dinner at any restuarunt of your choice.... seriously!

I'm far from an expert on drum programming but, if you're traveling around the country on a drum programming mission, swing by Nashville and bring a guitar. 

I guess there is more of a "dopey synth track" sound following here than I thought.

Here I go disagreeing with my betters again, but I like this just how you mixed it Daryl.  I think that the Wah on the bass perfectly fits the subject of the song.  It is a cool goin' down the highway sound.  Granted, it may have been worn out in a lot of other songs but I think it fits perfectly here.
 
As to the drums, Yeah, you could get a lot cleaner sound that would stand out much better, but I like how they are background percussion and not the main carrying part of the song.  Leave it like it is and I think it gets the song's message across perfectly.  One more Daryl song to add to all of my playlists.

nice toe tapper here...very much enjoyed!