early stages - comments needed

  • Thread starter Thread starter BlindOwl
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BlindOwl

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I'm looking for basic assistance on this one. I want to get the song structure down first before adding guitar leads and so forth. The synth instruments will eventually be replaced by real players, but first things first. Let me know what you thnk of the song in general.



Thanks

BTW, I'm a new poster. I'm a guitarist/keyboardist from central Minnesota that uses Cubase VST 5.1.
 
I liked it a lot as is. I immediately connected with the vibe and was tapping my foot.

I thought the structure was fine. My only only comment: I only listened about half way through, so if the rest of the song is like the first half, maybe 6 minutes is a bit long.

Great job.
 
I think it's really good

I would not put too much over the top. The sax in the last half sounds good(live will be better). Perhaps this would be a good jazz piece, saxes, horns and keyboards instead of guitars for leads.
 
Smooth cool sound. I liked it. Good playing.

Comments on possibly improving...

The mix was a bit quiet. You have more headroom, so go ahead and use it I say.

I'm listening on small headphones so it's hard to tell for sure, but it sounds like the bass is a bit far back. Just a small bit.

If this is always going to be an instrumental, it's going to need to be "background" music IMO. To me, there's just not enough new things going on in the song to keep up listener interest. Fine music for having on in the background if you doing something else. But for "active" listening, it's going to be difficult.

Trip...
 
later stages



Ok, based on some of your suggestions, we made a few changes to the tune to shorten it up a bit. You will also hear Rob's guitar playing that we added today. It's kinda hard to not include the guitar since that's who we are (Third Level). We are a two person act that revolves around jazz/rock/fusion.

Anyway, see what you think of the metamorphosis.

It's not a butterfly yet, but it ain't a caterpillar either.

(Hey, what an idea for a song, eh?)

Walter E. Gogh
Robbie Van Gogh
 
You're famous

I started playing this thru the monitors and my wife said HEY, I've heard that.
She hangs over at artist collab a lot (prozkgrl)

The short version is pretty good, reminds me of Beck when he played with Jan Hamer............Jeff Beck that is:D
 
Rob will be flattered to see your comment. We are going to see Jeff Beck in August along with B.B. King. Should be a great show.

Rob claims his influences are Beck and Akkerman, but I see him moving in a direction that is his own style.

We are trying to carve a niche out there, and as a result, many of our songs are hard to classify. This particular song reminds me a bit of The Rippington's at times.

Beleive it or not, this started by listening to the new Steely Dan CD and going back to the keyboard and playing with the Wurlitzer sound. Evrything else just kind of evolved.

Thanks for listening!
 
stereolights shining on robins ?

Neat sounds in the beginning, mixed well, blissing out.
Comin' out with a great beat I can get with, not overpowering, ok I'm with you ...
I'd like to hear the bass just a touch crisper, maybe alternating with a slap every now and then
as you get closer to 0:50 and this first 'change'.

Love that little piano jabbing ...

Great mix on the little hand-drums in the background.
Mix those strings back a little they are a little strong, or better yet,
let us hear them build section by section ... let that nice keyboard sound motif shine,
don't cover anything up with the strings, always keep them in back unless you have real ones,
or truly excellent string samples, they are one of the toughest things to get convincing samples of.

Yeah, cool guitar,

Overall, things are 'mixed' very well. Very listenable.

At 2:11, things are getting a little crowded, let this nice guitar solo stand way, way out on top of the
mix at this point.

Before you get to 2:33, let's hear a little more 'de-crescendo' in the mix.

You can let us down quick and hard into the sax, but I prefer to be floated down to it this late
in the song.

Strings are still a little loud, and a little thick in the bottom.
Highs in the strings are what is making me thing the strings are going to work well here.
Strings are definitely too loud, consult your meters during the guitar solo.

Man this is nice guitar work, bury the strings around 3:10 and on into 3:20 and 3:30.

Hey, if yer gonna' hit us with the strings hard, hit us at 3:40 with everything else, but just on the
punches, then bring them down.

Great little horn lick, very tasteful.

Nice ending.

Nice mix.
 
Great suggestions

I appreciate the replies here. I have incorporated something from everyone's suggestion as I am working on a new mix. This site is exactly what I've needed for a long time. Thanks to everybody for giving their 2 cents worth.
 
new version w/ sax replaced by piano lead



As per one suggestion, here's a version with a piano lead instead of sax.
 
A little low in volume...

Bass is mixed too loud... possibly 2-3 db... (at least in that first section)... later on the level is fine...

Kinda some smooth-jazz vibe here... I like the violin/viola patch...

Overall the mix sounds mid-starved... esp around 1kHz...

Cool composition... would be nice to hear a full orchestration of this with REAL instruments, and to leave some of the "midi" behind :)


Chad
 
real instruments

No doubt about the real instruments. Especially drums and horns.

I've realized on the last two mixes that I'm not getting a hot enough signal to the CD burner when I make the CD. I'll pay better attention next time
 
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