new original "Participant"

This was a really good experience. No flaws imo. Sounds were tasty, the bass especially. Also the mix sounded good.

Thanks Kakku, glad you liked it. I tried to make it interesting.
 
Thanks, Dan, I'm shamed to confess there is a mirrorball in my mind at all times. My struggle with this is the arrangement - I don't have a definite idea of how long each section should be, or why! I think there are gaps or some sparseness in spots, but I don't want to overfill. Still working on it.
 
As for the title, I laughed when you called me out - sometimes a "working title" just sticks!  :)
 
cheers,
-Tom

This is right up my alley!! I lurve me a funky bass line that keeps my head a boppin' and my feet a tappin'.....makes me wanna just pick up my guitar and just jam with this!!
 
Very nice indeed Tom......very good stuff!!!

Loved how all the lines were  crystal clear, the harmonies simple and not confused by unnecessary novelties.   Especially liked the guitar,  I was going to compare to Lee Ritenour but really it's sui generis.  Are you the guitarist?  I'd agree with mark though, to be ready for prime time, you might want to rethink the drums.

Yes to all who get easily bored of the "house" drums. Me too. I think they work for this track but I'll massage them a bit to add variety, probably prune some out and add some AD2 fills maybe.
 
Thanks Daryl1968, I'll look up "Faithless" and see what you are suggesting. I do plan on adding at least a spoken word somethingerother.
 
Mesh, I appreciate your comments greatly! My own criteria if I like a song or not is head bob/foot tap. Glad you could groove to this!
 
Mark, you are spot on, the intro makes the listener wait a little too long, and the other ideas you have are things I'll look in to. Thanks very much for your detailed feedback, it helps. I never thought of the Dan, I think this song might be a little more uptempo than most of their stuff? But it's only 123bpm so maybe not . . .
 
eph221, the drums are going back into the shop for a refurbishment. At least a little! Glad you liked it. I'm going to look up "sui generis" right now. Ellen's Asian sister meguesses! And the guitars are 100% Dracus. Seriously!
 
Synkrotron, I don't mind that monniker at all. Thanks for the compliment and funk on with your bad smartphone!
 
 
 
thanks,
-Tom
 
 
 
 

Not much to add to the comments above...   the drum loops are a bit static but you've got that covered.  Otherwise it's a very cool and groovin' tune with some funky-*** bass lines, smooth EP, cool guitar lines and a nice spattering of hits and effects to spice things up just a little.
 

I agree with the other feed back. Toe tapping groove! A lot of great choices throughout. Went back for a few listens.

I'll add my voice to the kudos above. That is some good playing on the bass.  I love how it pushes this song along.  Nice work.

I've gotten some seriously good advice on this one, thanks all!
 
Return of "Participant" . . . added obligatory "Ahh Yeahh" sample, dropped the volume on the guitar solo, tried to obscure the Housiness of the drums in spots, added some organ fill, as well as some gratuitous hi-hats and cymbals.
 
https://soundcloud.com/songsbytom-com/participant
 
 
thanks, mix / structure comments still welcome!
-Tom
 

Once I got past the sense that the tune was trying to figure out what it was, I was free to enjoy all the cool elements contained therein.  Nice work, Tom.

philz
Once I got past the sense that the tune was trying to figure out what it was . . .

Phil, my thoughts exactly.
 
Warren, thanks for the listen and glad you liked it. The bass is Ilya Efimov Fretless - (full disclosure - I love playing bass and usually do, but what I can't seem to do as well is record the bass) - eq'd with everything above say 700hz completely removed and put through just a little chorus as well, then gently limited.
 
Beagle, many thanks! I especially like that you were surprised! Like many folks here, I have a difficult time accepting genres.
 
Yoropal, thanks and also for dropping Loveshadow on me, extremely good mixes that I really enjoyed listening to (like yours)
 
Thanks also John B, Freddy, Stringjammer, Hill62, FiresongX, and Steve C . . . the kudos mean a lot. We all spend hours on this stuff for little obvious reason that makes any sense, so the feedback on this forum is definitely appreciated . . .
 
cheers,
-Tom
 
 
 
 

Good one Tom, you have some great sounds on this, I liked the EP chords at the beginning, then the guitar kicks in and takes it up a level.  Nice had the furry toes a tapping def worthy of a

Everything sounded good! Its very movie like. I like it.

wow nice!  I like the piano sound!  It starts off electro jazz, but the guitar turns it into electro fusion too!  you're having way lot of fun!