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JonSolo

The actual title of this month's piece is "Nothing's Gonna Stand In Our Way (Bubblegum Edit)". I wanted to play around with some effects this month with the vocals and try a little faster paced song. There are some tweaks needed and I am sure your great ideas will help me finish this track once and for all.

I listened to a lot of Sweet, T. Rex, Ohio Express, and 1910 Fruitgum Co. this past month to help me with my feel.

Nothing's Gonna Stand In Our Way (Bubblegum Edit) by Jon Solo

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6506881

Enjoy.

Jon
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Jon Solo

http://www.solosounds.net
http://jonsolo.me
http://www.soundcloud.com/jonsolo
http://www.twitter.com/thejonsolo

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Nuendo 11 | Ableton Live 11 | Reason 12 | FL Studio 20.9

georgeinar · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:12 am Post subject:

Boy, you really put a lot of great ideas into this song and I would say they work really well. I'm most impressed by how different the parts are and how well they mesh together, some are even a different feel altogether, there's not a boring moment at all. And yet it does have the bubblegum feeling which works with the theme, like a kid friendly high pop song. There's a drum problem I heard I think it's in the second verse, it felt like just a note out of place or something, I think it was around the paisley part. I'll have to listen to this again to get my brain around this as it's so complex, but in a good way. Also, your harmonies are absolutely fabulous once again. And this style works for your voice as if it were made for it. I was trying to think of a better rhyme with the the methadone line, as the two lines don't actually rhyme and it seems as if you could say the exact same thing there and still make it rhyme with "on" I believe it was. That's not a big point though and if you're beyond redoing vocals I would just forget that comment entirely. I just love listening to your tunes and I would almost say I like these even better than Elizabeth Shue though that one had a singular drama that this doesn't, but this has a juvenile bubblegum joy that just explodes with fun and harmonies and drips with great phrasing and structure. This must have taken a lot of work and our ears do appreciate it. Wow.
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jazlover · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject:

After a few attempts at singing....I hear this chorus in a whole new light. The vocals are super. A very singable song..Top notch production. Forgive me but I have an aversion to the bubblegum feel. It has to do with me being a musical snob when I was young. Most people love it...so it is part of my maladjusted nature.
This tune is awesome. I would not change anything. I too love the changes and how nicely they fit together. It would be cool to see (like a fly on the wall) how you work . You, George and Stephen seem to throw together very professional high quality pieces easily.

Excellent work hermano. Thanks again!
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Stephen · Platinum Member Joined: 28 Aug 2002 Posts: 4709

Geeze!
There are several song ideas in this piece.
I love the low end power, the bass, the vocals....wait a minute...I like it all!
This is without a doubt, my current favorite from you, and I have quite a few.
Very nicely done all around, I really love this one!
Regards,
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Pecca · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject:

Splendid

Great song Jon !
Also heard some timing issues in the 2:nd verse regarding the drums as George wrote.
Perhaps your intention... but it was noticable.

Very good production and i have to say that i am amzed by your vocal/mixing efforts. Really good indeed.

Listened to this a couple of times now and it´s still GREAT Smile

Bravo !
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chordial · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 11:40 pm Post subject:

I was listening earlier, internet crashed, so I went back through in order of posts.
Upbeat, with plenty of action all the way through the song.
In fact the song keps changing, which is cool.
Love the meter of the lyrics, great work with the vocals.
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DrWho · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:01 am Post subject:

Wow - serious bubblegum - razberry/blueberry flavored - my favorite!

I like the into. and the pick up after it. Ohh man .. hold on ... agh . okay I just picked up my bass and jammed along - mucho fun Smile

Ha ha - love the bubble at 1:38. Nice second section - almost like a different tune. Good transition back in to the main section. Yea - wonderful harmonies - okay - I will give up singing now.

1:23 - the second accent is on the up beat - I think it mite be more appropriate on the down beat. I only offer this nit since you are a perfectionist Smile

BTW - The bass sounds cool. Nice to hear both bass styles - running and popping - used effectively in the same tune.

Cool

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JonSolo · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:39 am Post subject:

First thank all of for the wonderful comments.... I really enjoyed doing this piece. It was just plain fun.

If the timing issue that you guys are referring to is the same one as mentioned by DrWho, at 1:23 that is a purposeful syncopation ala T. Rex. Not insomuch that I "stole" it, just utilized something I heard his drummer do on a few of their songs... but you will notice that it is repeated two other times in the song (at 1:31 and 3:00). The down beat sounded too "stiff".

If you are referring to a glitch a few seconds earlier (around 1:15)...I have NO IDEA why it does that...but something IS dragging there. I will look closer. If not I will time correct it.

Will carefully listen and correct as needed. If someone has a more specific time, drop me a pm. I get tunnel vision on these things! Laughing

georgeinar · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:46 am Post subject:

The drum thing I mentioned is the later thing, probably at 1:31. If that was intentional then I would say it isn't executed in such a way as to make my ears get it, rather than be like, hey cool drum effect, it was, hey did he just hit a sour note on the drums and forget to delete it. So I'm not sure if it needs it there, but if you really want to pull off that trick maybe there's some aspect of the effect that Trex was using that's different in your execution. Is your song faster so it's maybe a bit too rushed, or is too thick with other instruments that we can't really hear every nuance in the drums? Anyway, I'm only discussing this because I know how picky you are with your pieces and I know how many times I will do over the tiniest aspect just to get it right. Also, I'm a big Trex-er myself. Do you know which song or songs he did this in? It's probably on my gigabeat and I could check it out. I have his major works on there.

ps, at 1:15 I'm not hearing anything wrong at all, so I don't know if there's a glitch there or not that you mentioned. Also, why does the beginning remind me a bit of Manhattan Transfer, like Birdland, which is one of my Favs.
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George Nelson is 2loose
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http://www.soundclick.com/2loose or follow my tweets = 2loose_buzzgoth (twitter name)

JonSolo · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

Ok. I will listen a little more carefully...perhaps in the roll?

I loved Weather Report while I was "growning" up and was glad to hear MT cover Birdland. They did an outstanding job, like most anything they touch. The melody certainly has much in common, and the intros both have a limited percussion, piano, and funky bass...except theirs is synth, which I comp with a clav sound.

Yea listening to it now. Similar. Wink

georgeinar · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject:

While I say similar, it's not at all in a bad way. I imitate and "learn" from many many great artists, some obscure and some obvious. It's to our detriment, IMHO to try so hard to be original that we can't build on the sounds we've heard that shaped us into the music aficianados that we've become.
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George Nelson is 2loose
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/2loose for my cds
http://www.soundclick.com/2loose or follow my tweets = 2loose_buzzgoth (twitter name)

JonSolo · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 12:36 am Post subject:

While I did not do that in this case, I agree that imitation is not a bad thing especially when the artist is "quality". Being in a "cover" band it might become a problem, but we usually create our own arrangements except in a few cases where the arrangement is what makes the song.

I will be reviewing the song tonight to make fixes.

Will let you guys know when it is updated.

Jon
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Jon Solo

http://www.solosounds.net
http://jonsolo.me
http://www.soundcloud.com/jonsolo
http://www.twitter.com/thejonsolo

Windows 10 | Intel i9 9900K | 64 GB RAM | Scarlett 18i20 | Nektar Panorama P6
Korg Kronos - 88 | Korg Kronos 2 - 61 | Roland Fantom 6 | Push 2 | Maschine Mk2 | Slate ML1 | JBL LSR308/310
Nuendo 11 | Ableton Live 11 | Reason 12 | FL Studio 20.9

ellll · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 1:45 am Post subject:

WoW Jon, This has a nice rock to it.....

Fine start indeed, and a really great rock sound..This is my kind of music, with just the right mix of pop and jazz structure...has a nice feel that does reflect some of the bands you mentioned...and the arrangement you do is tops...Also as usual..you simply don't seem to have mix/production problems, at least to me...

I hear an occasional slight pitch deviation...but it is in the norm for many bands, so is no worry...

A FUN song ....and I really enjoyed it...!!!!

Johnny (ellll) Very Happy

Daz · Retired Joined: 01 Jan 2002 Posts: 10829

LOL ... you know, I make it a habit not to listen to your latest song until I've got some way into creating my own latest piece, 'cos I don't think my ego can take it Smile

You've been consistently putting out first class work for this SOTM, and I really look forward to hearing what you're going to do each month. I really enjoyed this, it's just great well crafted pop.

I remember when you presented us with a draft piece earlier in the year, that had a couple of glitches in it and that made me really appreciate the gap between your drafts and these super polished sounding final pieces. I will need to listen to this again on my monitors to really get really picky about things. But in the meantime I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it and after listening to George's latest just before this, how much you guys are both inspiring me with your song crafting skills.

Daz.

Diego · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:17 am Post subject:

As always, what can I say about Jon tunes if not "wonderful"...
You must tell me how you can do that...!
Very very good production, great sounds, great singing, vocal harmonies...

I always enjoy your ideas and your style!
I'm learning a lot from your choices, structures used, creativity...
There's so much experience I can benefit on that OSAM!!

Regards
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