https://soundcloud.com/john-vere/shutaway
 
Jan 15 11AM Note: made a few changes based on comments here, thanks to all. 
 
I originally recorded this in 1994 on a Cassette 4 or 8 track, can't remember. Was always on my redo list so I gave it a go with Sonar. I've been home sick with a bad flu so the vocals are just scratch at this point. Not happy with thelead work, but that's become a problem as my hands are just not the same anymore. ( 64 this week) 
Anyways it started life with a simple drum pattern and vocal guitar in one pass. 
I played drums on my DTX 400. Using Strike2 Motown kit modified. 
I recorded real bass and re did the guitar part. 
I played a piano part and decided on good old Mr Tramp. 
I started out in key of E which was so in 1994, but was struggling with vocal on the chorus. 
So I transposed it down to D. The bass seems fine ( audio) but the guitar got trashed even at the best setting. 
So I had to de tune my Taylor a whole step because the part is using the open 1st and 2nd strings always playing. 
I also added a guitar track using open D tuning. 
I then got brave and using my wonderfully free Xpand2 pack found a nice fat synth to use. 
The lead is my usual rig G&L tribute into my Princeton mike up. No effects going in. I added  a tempo driven delay at both  whole and 1/2 note. 
 
Havn't posted here for a long time but I'm sort of wishing to get work done on my original catalog. 
Thanks for listening all comments good and bad more than welcome,, you don't have to be nice to me, I can take it :) 

This is very nice John, laid back and cool. For someone with the flu, you still sing about 1000 x better than me.  
Nothing wrong with those lead fills, phrasing and tone both good, I'd push them up slightly in the mix. My ears aren't great at the moment - I'm picking up a buzzing sound in the background, is that a synth pad? If so I might change that for something a little smoother, but it's all personal preference. Ending breakdown was nicely done too.

Thems some tasty guitar fills! Really cool, wouldn't be out of place on a Lynard Skynard ballad, or something Mark Knopfler. Love it, I'd bring them up in the mix, too.
 
Definitely you could lose the buzzy bass? synth patch - give that one back to the Flock of Seagulls.  :)
 
cool tune!
 
-Tom

Nice song! I didn't have a problem with the vocals.

Interesting bout the low end buzz. I wonder if it's an artefact from transposing the Audio Bass track down a whole step?  One of the pitfalls of using NMS10's is you don't hear sub sonics. I'll have to turn on my subwoofer and listen. 
 
But it could be the poly synth I used. It's a nice fatty and I played simple chords. I played in the D2 range for the verses and doubled with D3 range for chorus. And then it also could be the Whirly piano line which is also in the low end...<<hey,, as I just typed that I see the problem,,, thanks everyone. I better go play with instrument ranges. 
I think the Guitar, Whirly and synth are all way down there because I transposed that whole step. The version in E had more sparkle. Now it's a bit dark? 
 
The song forum rocks again! 

The low end buzz is from the overly gritty synth pad, just easy back on it or tweak the patch to lose some of its grittiness.  Nice song and nicely played and like James that vocal is nice, thanks for sharing.  Hope that flu goes away for you soon.

OK thanks, 
I might have to change that synth. Funny it doesn't show on my NMS 10's in the studio but when I come downstairs and use my office computer which is rigged to my old Tannoy PBM 6.5's I hear what your saying. 
I will try another patch ( lord I have 1,000,000 polysynth patches!!) 
 
I thought it might be the Whirly ( mr tramp). So I bumped the piano track up an octave and changed to the SI piano Rhodes. I might work on that too. Normal piano sound to ,, normal,. I like electric piano's and the Whirly is found on a lot of my stuff. 
I also automated the lead track and pushed the solos a bit. 
 
Anyhow I re posted the updated version to Sound Cloud. The above link is still fine I guess because I didn't change the name. 
https://soundcloud.com/john-vere/shutaway
 
 
 

I couldn't find a Polysynth I liked so I just replaced it with the boring SI strings, It did clean up the sound scape, but I'm not a fan of strings as this world has heard enough strings. I'll keep on a quest for the right synth. 
I also re did the bass using my 5 string. Transposed audio is far from perfect in tone..there was mild distortion. 

Hey Johnny - this is really good stuff.  that guitar sound is great - great performance, really great tone.  nice work.
 
I'm not hearing a low end buzz, so probably whatever you did on this change fixed it.  I am listening on cans, tho, but no problems here.
 
great stuff!

Thanx Reese, 
Th5s 5s we5rd 0y eyb6ard 5s ty*5ng g5bber5sh  
 
 
Edit later: My laptop has gone berserk.  Translations is "This is weird, my keyboard is typing gibberish".