Looks like I have a few more thank you's to write and a few more comments, so...
scottboyer--Your second post was very gratifying to me. If I in any way inspired you, well, thats what this whole thing is about for me. Believe me, many here inspire me to keep working and trying to be better. If you ever think I could be of any help, PM me and I'd be more than pleased to pass on what I've learned. I still have much more to learn though!
Tucci--Hey, thats what I wanted to hear! I would gladly take a mainstream country slot if I could get one. I also agree that the format is not what it used to be. Every now and then, you hear a song that is killer, but there is so much writing to a very small target, it gets old. You know, "Honey, I love you--you're the best--I don't deserve your love--and oh, what a love it is!, Amen" Oh--I don't have the original demo up now--sorry.
Beezoboy--Thanks for the listen. The drums are from
the Battery Studio Drums disc, which is a separate disk that you don't get with the Battery program itself. They are all dry, well recorded samples, so you can do a lot of tweaking with them if needed.
Participant--Those were good comments. I'll only slightly defend two crits (but you are probably right anyway!) First, the bass is pretty lacking in midrange--just because I wanted to open the middle up some. I thought there was enough, but maybe not. Second--I HATE my piano sound! Its a Roland XP-30 and besides being crappy sounding, its also full of out of tune samples. I hear that stuff, so it drives me up a wall. Try playing a just intonated steel over an out of tune stretch piano and you'll know the meaning of insane! I'll never consent to being father of the clinic....old man of the clinic, maybe...but Lt. Bob is as old as me, so it would be co-old man!
B.Sabbath--I really appreciate what you said. Hey, this is what is cool--you and I are on totally opposite ends of the musical spectrum in terms of style, but we dig each others work and can appreciate the finer points of making a recording. Seriously, I learn a lot from listening to your songs. I have an E-bow on my list of new toys, so watch out!
Toki987--Just when I'm feeling plenty warm and fuzzy, you say I'm a lantern on a gloomy night. Damn, I'm gonna start feeling too good! Anyway, thanks a bunch for that!
twist--call me "dad" anytime....except when you need money, OK?
And thanks for taking time out of your day to listen.
Theron--What you said is just what I was trying (or NOT trying) to do! I think a song ought to be like a comfortable pair of shoes that can serve you no matter if you are at the top of your game or under the weather. I think I could sing this one for a number of years and not cringe. Its not gonna be everybody's cup o' tea, but its as truthful as I can be in a song. The ol' voice gets more weathered with each passing day. I'm glad somebody likes it. I never set out to be a singer actually, but just a guitar player. Then, I started and I've been working on it ever since. One day I realized my voice is never gonna get any better, but the way I use it might. Dylan in his old age inspies me. His voice is torn to shreds, but he uses those shreds to express more than many. That inspires me!
Tucci--You know, there is always a danger in adding strings of any kind to any song. It almost automatically seems more "produced". If I had the resources, I'd have somebody like David K do twin fiddle parts and nothing else. Normally, I shy away from strings completely because they seem so cliche. There's another part of me that loves them though. Its always what they use in the sad scenes of movies, right?
So this is my "strings in the mix song" I guess.
Thanks everybody. You leave me inspired and humble. And, dobro--I'm really ready to do something rocking and heavy! "Crank the Marshalls to eleven lads!"
Seriously well done. Very smooooooooooth!
The rest...all you have to do is open up the wallet... ya know...spend $ to make $!!
Your stuff keeps getting better and better...very noticeably...like SluCie's stuff too.