Thoughts to Myself - preliminary mix

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Llarion

Llarion

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Hello friends... Just posted a preliminary mix of "Thoughts to Myself" for my upcoming CD Autumn Breeze... This features local smooth jazz goddess Stacey Knights on flute... What are your, um, thoughts? :)

Signal chain - MOTU 8pre into Adobe Audition. CAD condenser mic for flute, Samson matched 7pc mic set on Gretsch Renown drums. Yamaha MO8 synth for phased Rhodes and strings. 1983 Peavey Foundation bass. Martin DXME through L.R.Baggs ParaAcoustic DI. Fender Strat (Mexican) Waves and Audition plugins.

http://www.reverbnation.com/philtraynor

Thoughts to Myself should be the first song.
 
Greetings and salutations, friend!

May I?

Ahem: minor things...just two

1-The depth of phase on the E-piano is distractingly deep. And it fails to punch the figures in the c-part...it sustains throught the hits....sapping their thunder. Actually, I think an acoustic piano is well suited to the composition...less sustain....no phase or rotation to steal attention from the head.....and it can put ppff!! exclamations on the figures [POW!]...then get out of the way!! :^)

2- during the verse in cycle one, the e-piano is playing F# [nat9] on the III- ...second chord in the progression. It leaves it off after that...and plays it again after the figured bridge....and never plays it again, I think.
That hurt my ears...that F# [non-diatinic, blah blah...] Was it intentional?

It can work as a passing tone if the sub melody sketched by the comping falls chromatically down...G, F#, F, E...then lays on the b3 [F] of the D-..before wandering off, like. Laying on it for the duration of E- sounds like a beginner's error.....even if it was intentional. If intentional, it needs to be set up for the ear, I think...like play with F# the keys' melodic meanderings during the opening chord [Cmaj b5-ishness...then it doesn't assault the ear on the E-9...and then the tonality makes an easy transition to key o' C on the V chord following...introducing the verse.
The later III-7's sound real right, sans F#.

Other than that, boffo!, sir!
 
jeffmaher said:
Greetings and salutations, friend!

May I?

Ahem: minor things...just two

1-The depth of phase on the E-piano is distractingly deep. And it fails to punch the figures in the c-part...it sustains throught the hits....sapping their thunder. Actually, I think an acoustic piano is well suited to the composition...less sustain....no phase or rotation to steal attention from the head.....and it can put ppff!! exclamations on the figures [POW!]...then get out of the way!! :^)

2- during the verse in cycle one, the e-piano is playing F# [nat9] on the III- ...second chord in the progression. It leaves it off after that...and plays it again after the figured bridge....and never plays it again, I think.
That hurt my ears...that F# [non-diatinic, blah blah...] Was it intentional?

It can work as a passing tone if the sub melody sketched by the comping falls chromatically down...G, F#, F, E...then lays on the b3 [F] of the D-..before wandering off, like. Laying on it for the duration of E- sounds like a beginner's error.....even if it was intentional. If intentional, it needs to be set up for the ear, I think...like play with F# the keys' melodic meanderings during the opening chord [Cmaj b5-ishness...then it doesn't assault the ear on the E-9...and then the tonality makes an easy transition to key o' C on the V chord following...introducing the verse.
The later III-7's sound real right, sans F#.

Other than that, boffo!, sir!
Click to expand...


Thanks Jeff, for digging that deep... On the phased Rhodes, it's a deliberate choice. I'm trying to plant the listener in mid to late 70s smooth jazz/pop land. Think Richard Tee, or even Dave Grusin, or as far into pop as Billy Joel. I might narrow the field a little, but I actually *like* the effect you're describing. Piano is FAR too percussive for the mood I'm trying for. I just love that big ol' squishy Rhodes. and it permeates the whole CD... :) It's only really huge in headphones.

On the Em9 chord (that F# you're hearing), consider it rather instead of just as the iii chord with the 9th in it, think of it as a secondary dominant setup; a borrowed ii of ii. It's a way to work around the circle of fifths with a shortcut - ii of ii to ii (no V of ii), then ii-V-I. Or the other way to look at it is that it's intentional planing; fix your ear on the descending chromatic line G (5th of I), F# (9th of iii) F (3rd of ii) E (13th of V) through those four chords, with the 13th as sort of a false suspension on the resolution to the I chord. Either way, a deliberate choice. ;) I have a rather lurid fixation on minor 9th chords, even when their resolutions border on the atonal. Sort of a strange manifestation of tension-release. That F# drops in on you, setting up the ii-V-I release. The reason it's on the first one and hardly anywhere else, is that it does clash hard with the melody. Tried it. Hated it. :)
 
I went back and listened a couple more times. On that first use, I didn't hear the F sounding in the D- chord...the F# lept to the E...and it occurred to me it might sound nicer if the F sounded...I couldn't hear it.

And I think I figured out why the F# was bothering me....The melody doesn't play C in the first use, at least...but with the root tonality in my head established....I'm hearing the phantom tritone! That's my prollum. Not the tune's.

Anyway, well considered. Thought it might be an oversight.....but you're on it.

btw...did you know it almost 2010?? :^)

Now I go see plastic woomens in dere undawearse...ding!
 
jeffmaher said:
I went back and listened a couple more times. On that first use, I didn't hear the F sounding in the D- chord...the F# lept to the E...and it occurred to me it might sound nicer if the F sounded...I couldn't hear it.

And I think I figured out why the F# was bothering me....The melody doesn't play C in the first use, at least...but with the root tonality in my head established....I'm hearing the phantom tritone! That's my prollum. Not the tune's.

Anyway, well considered. Thought it might be an oversight.....but you're on it.

btw...did you know it almost 2010?? :^)

Now I go see plastic woomens in dere undawearse...ding!
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Ahh, the tritone, my favorite interval. And my favorite cross-circle chord substitution... I actually go to great lengths to avoid basic triads (Especially on I) and I try to avoid IV as often as possible, subbing ii, borrwed VII, or vi when possible. With all those wonderful flavors out there, why not use them? :)
 
One bump and I'll let it go. And Jeff, you should notice how much I like tritones because I have the flute ending the piece on a sharp 11th... :) :)
 
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