April08 - Chordial

A place for those who are part of the "One song a month – one year contract" to discuss issues and share ideas. Started on the 1st of March 2005.

Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever, georgeinar

Post Reply
User avatar
chordial
Platinum Member
Posts: 3385
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2002 4:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

April08 - Chordial

Post by chordial »

Hey guys,

Here it is,

http://www.ferntill.dsl.pipex.com/songs/April08.mp3

Think I could develop this more, quite a few mixes tried too.

Cheers Simon
Chordial
User avatar
JonSolo
Platinum Member
Posts: 969
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: Charleston
Contact:

Post by JonSolo »

This is pretty cool. There are some really nice chord and mood changes. It is great to hear some real guitar! The lead is great. The breakdowns are a welcome change. The synths work well with the guitar parts too!

The drum programming fell a little short (maybe TOO much time spent programming them), and there are a few spots toward the middle where the rest of the song is not in sync.

My first reaction would be to say: clean this up around the edges and call it a day! Polish the performances a tad you are there.

Overall good job.

Jon
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
User avatar
chordial
Platinum Member
Posts: 3385
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2002 4:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by chordial »

Thanks Jon,
I loved this song to start with, but couldn't get it down as I wanted in time for the April deadline.
Some parts I'm really pleased with, but mix after mix didn't quite work out.
I'm still pleased that I can still hear the original ideas for this, but it needs more time.
I'm really enjoying the guitar, and recording them has become a challenge too :)
Cheers Simon
Chordial
User avatar
JonSolo
Platinum Member
Posts: 969
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: Charleston
Contact:

Post by JonSolo »

Personally I thought the mix was alright. Like I said, just tighten up some of the parts...and I think the rest will come together.

I really love the comped synth parts. Even the small lead every now and then is fantastic. Good groove despite my comments on the drum programming! :oops:

Jon
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
User avatar
ellll
Platinum Member
Posts: 3118
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:00 pm
Location: Panama City, FL

Post by ellll »

Hi Friend!! \

What a great sound....Just a little sparce in some opening passages..but very fine guitar!!!

The synth does need to be closer in agreement with piano and guita.. Perc is good and solid...I think of Jethro at a few spots.... :? Hope thats O.K...(as in Tull...)

Too short...but that is not a biggie..you could repeat the partial break section o.k.

I like the sound and structure overall and the Chords!! they are good planning !!

Thanks Much for this one!!!

Johnny (ellll) :D
User avatar
georgeinar
Platinum Member
Posts: 3425
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 5:15 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Post by georgeinar »

I like this very much and echo the comments already made. I wonder what a different bass sound would do as something with a different texture might bring that aspect out more. Also, there is something that makes the drums stand out separate from the rest of the instruments. But very nice and really glad you made it.
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)
<a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/2loose2"><img src="http://cdbaby.name/2/l/2loose2_tiny.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="album cover" border="0"></a>
User avatar
Diego
Platinum Member
Posts: 2882
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2003 6:13 pm
Location: Italy

Post by Diego »

Very good drumming, and I like the real guitars, too!
I totally like, at most, the discant made by the lead,, it's very good sounding and fits perfectly, in timbre and notes, the rest of the lines/song.


regards
Diego http://www.myspace.com/diegoinmusic

Korg M3 with EXB Radias & EXB-256 onboard
MOTU Traveler - iBook G4
User avatar
jazlover
Platinum Member
Posts: 1657
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2002 7:08 pm
Location: Tampa, Fla USA
Contact:

Post by jazlover »

The same comments about the live guitar playing. The real strings give it a more organic sound. I really like near the end from about 1:52 on (cool beans). This is nice, bro.
“I’m into scales right now.”
John Coltrane
User avatar
DrWho
Platinum Member
Posts: 1930
Joined: Mon May 26, 2003 10:06 pm
Location: CT - USA

Post by DrWho »

Hi Chordial,

I too like the real guitar - yea - getting the recording of an analog instrument can be a real pain. So can programming da drums - my arch nemesis. The only thing worse than programming drums - is trying to record them with a real drummer. Actually, I am not sure which is worse!

You got some good feedback above. Congrats on making the deadline!

={> Art
User avatar
chordial
Platinum Member
Posts: 3385
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2002 4:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by chordial »

Been offline for a few days, great advice, no two people hear the same, and that makes it so interesting to post and listen to everyone’s songs.

This was the clearest mix I could come up (time was running out), lots of scenes on the D1600. As Art says Jon, drums .... never easy!
Thanks John, when I started mixing I thought about improving the arrangement, another chorus after the bridge etc. This was composed on the acoustic, not easy to add parts later, although it is becoming easier after about 9 months or so, so I shouldn't complain really!
I don't think I used enough reverb on the drums (not like me!), they sound a little dry now George. I knocked the bass back a fair bit, it was too strong when recorded, but it still seems to try and take over.
It's a slow process Diego! I am pleased with the way the lead guitar recorded, especially in the quieter parts. It's also more fluid than my earlier ones.
I really liked recording that part JL, it's nice to play too, like a real guitar player!
None of it's easy Art, but I'm also finding tuning can be a problem with guitar. Even though it's in tune, a slight misplacement of the finger can push it out enough to notice. The first mixes were on headphones, then I played it through my monitors, and there was all sorts of tuning weirdness going on!

Many thanks for the comments.
Chordial
Stephen
Platinum Member
Posts: 4709
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2002 11:07 am

Post by Stephen »

What I like most are the variations.
This is an excellent idea, and lots of the parts are very cool, so I hope to be able to hear this again when you have more time to spend with it.
I'm glad you made the deadline, I enjoyed the listen.
:)
Regards,
User avatar
chordial
Platinum Member
Posts: 3385
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2002 4:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by chordial »

Cheers Stephen,
I'm finding more a lot of ideas are coming from this osam.
I'm enjoying it very much, and wish I could spend more time on each song.
May next, and I don't have anything sorted yet. :)
Chordial
User avatar
Dee
Platinum Member
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 4:34 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Dee »

Hi Simon

Sorry to be late to listen, but am so glad I did. I liked the lead guitar sound most of all and also the drumming. Many nice moments here in this one, I've got it looping here and hear something new and interesting every time.

I'm in the same boat for May - an idea, but not much progress at the moment. This osam is really stretching me!

Good luck for your next one,

Regards from
Dee
Daz
Retired
Posts: 10829
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2002 7:35 pm
Contact:

Post by Daz »

I am a big fan of synthy sounds meshed with guitars, I think the two really compliment each; so there were lots of spots in this where I getting a big kick out of what you were doing. There is a lot of nice work in this it just needs a little bit more of a structure or flow. I am not necessarily the right person to talk about this subject... oh no ... but one thing I am learning and working hard with is the idea of setting a big picture before I get into the details. My last piece was just a bunch of stuff tagged together and I hated it, but my other two pieces I felt were more structured (if a little repetitive) because I had an overall picture of what I wanted to do. For my new piece I am really being disciplined about the big picture and ensuring that I can play the song all the way through on the acoustic guitar and have it work like that, with the thing feel like a complete unified piece.

You're right at a point where I think that if you start looking at your pieces holistically more it is going to turn a bunch of interesting performances and melodic ideas into more complete rounded pieces. LOL, god willing so am I too ;-)

Still can't get over some of the great guitar work you doing for such a neophyte ! 8)

Daz.
User avatar
chordial
Platinum Member
Posts: 3385
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2002 4:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by chordial »

Thanks Dee,
I'm still looking for that May sound.

A very newbie Daz!
Good points, structure especially. I need to really concentrate on the next one.
Once the basics are in place, I'm hoping to really think about the arrangement too.

It's all good fun though :)
Chordial
Post Reply

Return to “One song a month – One year Contract”