Better - My request to listen to Moby's Porcelain was from an earlier comment about vocals as texture even though Porcelain is one of his more vocal centric tracks. The opening chorus which is something like 'Hey, Hey, Hey, Woman, it's alright' is pure texture - doesn't relate to the rest of the song. Your chorus ' Birds flying high you know how I feel' is texture overlay for the music.
The music is the brilliant part - the vocals don't have to follow ABABCAB pattern they are just texture to provide structure for the music which has it's own narrative. I think the vocals are too dominant.
This is one person's take - you are ultimately the arbiter of your own music but I think you are better than you think you are. Please keep it up. -clindsay
Oh, now I get your point about the texture! That is an interesting aproach to music, for me the vox is really central for some reason although I also think of it as just an other instrument to "paint" the soundscape with but I get that now that I really haven't explored that part yet, just done some scratching on the surface.
That has to be my next project somehow; this song wants to be this way although I could work a lot more with the vocal...hmm I have to think about this!
Thanks for clarifying and pointing me in to interesting new directions, Clindsay!
Music brilliant - arrangement good - vocals too bright - not ruined but still requires tunesmithing. Listen to Porcelain by Moby. Keep at it - this has great potential. -clindsay
Hi Clindsay! I finally had a listen to Moby and Porcelain and found out that I of course had heard it before - it's a great song. I also noticed his use of piano, the high notes - there is a similarity but his work is of course on a completely other level, unreachable for me. But a fun thing to discover and a great learning experience! I got some new ideas from there.
Still working on this (later on), thanks for listening and for the advice as always!
Good tune - needs arrangement and modulation of the vocals as well as a bridge. The song holds up just needs some tunesmithing. I concur with JJWeeks. -clindsay
Thanks clindsay! Actually back when I was thinking about creating this, I had a email discussion with alividlife about sonic narratives, and attempted that with this one. So glad you picked up on it.
Thanks, clindsay. The flute part is not quite salsa, though. I stuck to the regular drumbeat in the background as much as I could. I haven't quite mastered the salsa beat, but then, it's a challenge for many. Thanks for your comments!
Thank you for reviewing the record and thanks for the input. I did not intend for the outro to be that long. I didn't have the time to shorten it. I do understand that there are still mix issues, I'll get to them in due time.
WOW - this would have been a number 1 hit in 1962. Incredibly well mixed. The guitar solo at the end works for 1968 and actually works if the genre is more referential. Loved it - well done - a hit!
Hi Clindsay and thanks for your comment.. I uploaded it as a Chill out cos I didn't know what genre it is, maybe soul or something like that.. Ha a number 1 hit!! Thanks.. I think I gave the minxing 1 Hour or something like that, From start to finish and uploading if I remember right was about 5 or 6 hours..
Like may of your tracks this one verges on brilliance - starts out great - great match of groove with pella. This is your best cut in my opinion - stands up on its own.
You tend to overuse the vocals against the music. Listen to Moby, which you resemble, who uses vocals as a texture. Your music is seriously good let it tell the story.
To give you an idea of how good this one is, look at the level of detail of the comments - we're rooting for you. Keep up the good work!
Pretty close to technically perfect - extremely clean. I though the second voice over verse was a little long and maybe it could use a musical bridge but these are quibbles. Brilliant match of vocals and groove. -clindsay
Thnx for the review! I agree with the 'cleanness'. Somehow this worked out very fast. A 'normal' track takes about 3 months, this one was maybe two weeks. It was meant to be this way I guess...
OK - everyone has an opinion and I'm not anything more than a listener. My tracks have huge coherence issues so I'm not one to be throwing stones. I think you have to commit to one dominant genre or another. There are brilliant bits to this and in my opinion the dance or techno bits are better than the acoustic bits. I think you can cut the vocals and expand the bridges to complement them. I like this a lot but it has great potential if you kill some of the babies and strip it to its essence which in my opinion is a dance/techno track. -clindsay
Hi clindsay, thanks for some very constructive comments, and will look at your suggestions. As I described it, I wasn't quite certain how it fitted myself, so a big thanks for taking the time to listen and your valued comments. Best wishes, Mark/Larry!
I like this for the most part - you've developed a unique style that often verges on brilliance. For this one it has brilliant riffs and interplay with the vocals but the piano comes off rushed at times and could probably be rearranged somewhat with the part at 3:09 further back in the arrangement. I'm a fan so I always like what you do - this one is good but maybe could use a some tweaking. -clindsay
Hello Clindsay! Yes, agreed about the piano rushing at times, I get so bored with working on the same song that everything becomes cluttered in the end - no need to rush *note to self*
Tried also to keep this short, without any luck...I guess it's going to get longer after a new mixdown. Lol!
Thanks for listening and all the advice and the great support. I'm a fan of yours also so I guess we are even.
Carole - as your biggest fan I have to say that this is technically very good and I liked it a lot. I don't think it had the rawness and vulnerability of Janis1 which is hard to replicate. The tracks where you use your considerable vocal talent to interpret through the lens of Janis are always surprising and brilliant. I liked this but I've loved other interpretations more. -clindsay
many thnX for carefull listening & true point about mix , clindsay i have no mixer & honesty no tendency to mix & mastering and as U can see 7th comment & my replY , I've sent separated lines to Steve Brown who I think is one of most professional friends of ours about mix and mastering & He's supposed to have a prof mix & mastering for Album version.but it's so worthy of appreciation to see there are audience who listen carefully & try to be usefull in comments & We ( me & BrandY) are both gratefull of your time & attention.thnX & all the best___Behnam
Aw, Peter Albin ! ... Yeah, I wish I was born earlier indeed! As a Janis-maniac, I really do appreciate you mention him and the incomparable Big Brothers ! Thanx a lot for your lovely comment, Clindsay :D My old soul smiled at it . Happy New Year, Take care
Seriously great - loved the intro. Shades of Moby again. Production values are very good. There was a point where I expected it to take off and it didn't as much as I expected. There was the tension throughout and it didn't payoff with a release or a hard riff. You've really gotten good with the piano counterpoint which is very interesting.
Yes your exactly right about that tension relief or take off!!! I heard it in my head while making this and it just never happened...I couldn't get it OUT. It really needs a serious drop and then a take off! Gaaah...have to rework this then.
Commented on UPDATE Feeling Good Nina Simone Remix by SeriouslyJoking
Better - My request to listen to Moby's Porcelain was from an earlier comment about vocals as texture even though Porcelain is one of his more vocal centric tracks. The opening chorus which is something like 'Hey, Hey, Hey, Woman, it's alright' is pure texture - doesn't relate to the rest of the song. Your chorus ' Birds flying high you know how I feel' is texture overlay for the music.
The music is the brilliant part - the vocals don't have to follow ABABCAB pattern they are just texture to provide structure for the music which has it's own narrative. I think the vocals are too dominant.
This is one person's take - you are ultimately the arbiter of your own music but I think you are better than you think you are.
Please keep it up.
-clindsay
Commented on UPDATE Feeling Good Nina Simone Remix by SeriouslyJoking
Music brilliant - arrangement good - vocals too bright - not ruined but still requires tunesmithing. Listen to Porcelain by Moby.
Keep at it - this has great potential.
-clindsay
Commented on i accidentally a piano by doudei
Very nice - well played and produced- coherent but could be cut up into loops for other tracks.
-clindsay
Commented on Tore my Heart by kriebel17
Good tune - needs arrangement and modulation of the vocals as well as a bridge. The song holds up just needs some tunesmithing. I concur with JJWeeks.
-clindsay
Commented on Butterfly Opens - Titanium Handles Lock Fast by n0mad23
Wow - really like this one - it has a narrative quality. Good use of layers with subtle shifts. Good soundtrack potential. Great intro.
-clindsay
Commented on Chips and Salsa with Native Flute by UChris
Nice - I like the groove
Commented on GO DEMO VERSION by Timmons2
Like it - it catches you immediately.
It's a little too wall of sound to my ear - I think the vocals should rise above the groove.
Might want to consider using the outro from 3:19 on as a bridge but also using it as an outro in shortened form. Lots of good parts to this.
Definitely has great potential - thanks for sharing.
-clindsay
Commented on The Summer Of Minor Regrets by Orlando51
Absolutely beautiful - I love your instrumentation - nothing is wasted or superfluous. Brilliant yet disciplined and unpretentious.
Great soundtrack potential and a pleasure to hear. Keep them coming.
Commented on Ill do anything for you feat Patricia Edwards by Baggadub
WOW - this would have been a number 1 hit in 1962. Incredibly well mixed. The guitar solo at the end works for 1968 and actually works if the genre is more referential. Loved it - well done - a hit!
Commented on Tigress - Tribal Church by tminniefield
Nice - I admire your discipline and patience in staying within the genre. Very clean and well produced.
Commented on UPDATE Feeling Good Nina Simone Remix by SeriouslyJoking
Like may of your tracks this one verges on brilliance - starts out great - great match of groove with pella. This is your best cut in my opinion - stands up on its own.
You tend to overuse the vocals against the music. Listen to Moby, which you resemble, who uses vocals as a texture. Your music is seriously good let it tell the story.
To give you an idea of how good this one is, look at the level of detail of the comments - we're rooting for you.
Keep up the good work!
Commented on Miss You feat Patricia Edwards and Janis71 by DjoeGio
Pretty close to technically perfect - extremely clean. I though the second voice over verse was a little long and maybe it could use a musical bridge but these are quibbles. Brilliant match of vocals and groove.
-clindsay
Commented on John The Revelator by DjoeGio
excellent - very nicely produced!
Commented on Dont let me go - Larry Wiggles aka Mark Jeffries by larrywiggles1
OK - everyone has an opinion and I'm not anything more than a listener. My tracks have huge coherence issues so I'm not one to be throwing stones. I think you have to commit to one dominant genre or another. There are brilliant bits to this and in my opinion the dance or techno bits are better than the acoustic bits. I think you can cut the vocals and expand the bridges to complement them. I like this a lot but it has great potential if you kill some of the babies and strip it to its essence which in my opinion is a dance/techno track.
-clindsay
Commented on Pieces Spinn Off ft Devyn Rose by SeriouslyJoking
I like this for the most part - you've developed a unique style that often verges on brilliance. For this one it has brilliant riffs and interplay with the vocals but the piano comes off rushed at times and could probably be rearranged somewhat with the part at 3:09 further back in the arrangement.
I'm a fan so I always like what you do - this one is good but maybe could use a some tweaking.
-clindsay
Commented on Cry baby-Joplin-cover by janis71
Carole - as your biggest fan I have to say that this is technically very good and I liked it a lot. I don't think it had the rawness and vulnerability of Janis1 which is hard to replicate.
The tracks where you use your considerable vocal talent to interpret through the lens of Janis are always surprising and brilliant.
I liked this but I've loved other interpretations more.
-clindsay
Commented on Starting todaY- Brandon Michelle ft Behnam Zandi by deciBel
Very nice - as good as the guitar is I think this is a case the voices should be more out front. good song well produced.
Commented on No More Waiting by srbrown7
Very Nice - Not sure I would call this chill out - lots of energy in this one. Great transitions - especially at 3:38.
Commented on Talk To Me aka Duet Triste by Orlando51
beautiful - I hear soundtrack potential
Commented on Floating in Time - Larry Wiggles aka Mark Jeffries by larrywiggles1
Very Nice - clean tight an well produced - this has a soundtrack possibility
-clindsay
Commented on Six-- by Metabolic
Good riffs - has a soundtrack quality - I can see this getting traction with vocals.
Commented on Rain Falls Soft by VickyDan
Very nice - I like the arrangement - good measured vocals with good transitions
Commented on Strong by janis71
God you're good - born 30 years too late - Peter Albin would have loved you. If you know the reference then you're an old soul.
Commented on Take Me Away Ft Nacole and Stephanie Kay by SeriouslyJoking
Seriously great - loved the intro. Shades of Moby again. Production values are very good. There was a point where I expected it to take off and it didn't as much as I expected. There was the tension throughout and it didn't payoff with a release or a hard riff. You've really gotten good with the piano counterpoint which is very interesting.
Commented on Booty Like That by Mrshammi
found thts track by accident - wow it drives! Great mix with the lyrics!