Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user)
Originally Posted by reems23
It's very good for a normal person, very very good. Though only good enough to be nothing more than average in the music world I'm afraid.
Fair enough, although good music made by real musicians > good music mimed by stupid singers then making it on the charts. But define "normal"...? I don't think that there's anything "normal" about a lot of my guitar playing, because for the last 6 years I have worked my ass off every day of the week to get good, playing [jazz] for the Youth Performing Arts School and playing professionally in combos professionally (weddings, bars, big events, etc.) since I was about 15 (both in my own combo and as a freelance guitarist). Bragging? Maybe...but seriously dude, lots of BS&T went into it, so I'm proud of the things I've achieved! "Normal" to me would be someone that casually picks up an acoustic guitar now and again.
I don't actually intend to make a future out of music, I just do it because it genuinely makes me the happiest person on the planet. There is nothing I'd rather do than sit around and jam with other musicians. There is a lot of jazz influence in a lot of my stuff, and in the first three songs below (but mainly Everything I Needed & The Sorry Song) you can definitely hear it.
A couple other songs people might like: (in the full-band stuff I am doing all instruments, but live and in the future in the actually properly recorded versions, my jazz band plays with me [and it's phenomenal because they're such amazing musicians ])
Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by giran
Pretty good voice I must admit.
Have you had any formal training or is it just natural ability?
Vocally? It's just practice practice. Two/three years ago, I was writing but I couldn't sing without hitting sour notes for the life of me. One year ago, it was less developed but decent, but if I was singing in front of people is was a train wreck. Today, I think it's mainly down to confidence but it's like anything else, you do it enough and you're bound to improve right? I've been doing my stuff with my jazz band + playing random gigs with my music over the last year or so and I'm much more comfortable with it now. I'd love formal training but it's absurdly expensive.
It's the one area of my music that I'm not happy with really . But thanks a lot for saying that you like it, three years ago I'd have bet money that I would never hear that!
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
Not bad at all. Only listened to half of the first song though and bits of the others. Would be good to hear that produced using the proper equipment (what equipment do you use too btw, software and hardware wise). I started the producing lark earlier this year and almost have completed my set up myself at long last Vocals have to be higher in the mix for sure though. DId notice someone else say it but yeah definitely do it! Get some lessons too. No harm in getting lessons. You have got yourself a great voice but to even have a few lessons would benefit you greatly i'm sure because you have great potential i think. Oh and when did you start doing it all and how old you now?
How do you feel about producing, songwriting and vocals too? Do you feel you have a weak or a stand out strong point? Not to wish to hijack a thread regarding your music but whilst my producing is coming on well and vocals have improved, my songwriting is dreadful. I don't have the attention span to sit down and write anything or feel the need to write about anything. It's a shame as it harms everything else, as if you have the music and kind of the voice too, it's a right bugger to not have the lyrics alongside to continue the productions of the songs etc. And i just can't think of what to do here Anyway enough of my problems, and keep up the good work
Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by benmh92
Not bad at all. Only listened to half of the first song though and bits of the others. Would be good to hear that produced using the proper equipment (what equipment do you use too btw, software and hardware wise). I started the producing lark earlier this year and almost have completed my set up myself at long last Vocals have to be higher in the mix for sure though. DId notice someone else say it but yeah definitely do it! Get some lessons too. No harm in getting lessons. You have got yourself a great voice but to even have a few lessons would benefit you greatly i'm sure because you have great potential i think. Oh and when did you start doing it all and how old you now?
How do you feel about producing, songwriting and vocals too? Do you feel you have a weak or a stand out strong point? Not to wish to hijack a thread regarding your music but whilst my producing is coming on well and vocals have improved, my songwriting is dreadful. I don't have the attention span to sit down and write anything or feel the need to write about anything. It's a shame as it harms everything else, as if you have the music and kind of the voice too, it's a right bugger to not have the lyrics alongside to continue the productions of the songs etc. And i just can't think of what to do here Anyway enough of my problems, and keep up the good work
Ok loaded question! I'll go in order.
1) Typically I use an MXL condenser mic for vocals, and an MXL pencil condenser for acoustic guitar, routed through an M-Audio FastTrack Pro. I also tend to route my electric directly through just because where I record people wouldn't appreciate a mic'd up amp. I do the same for bass. For drums, it depends on the setting. I'll either do it all through samples from my computer, by playing them out on an M-Audio Axiom 64 (which I also use for all of my piano work), or naturally if I've got a kit and an extra kick mic. For a while I was using Logic which is incredible but for most little projects GarageBand works just as well, and is considerably less intuitive and more user-friendly, so if I'm just laying down a few vocal & guitar tracks that's my software.
However, on this track I literally just played and sang into my MacBook Pro's built-in mic because I didn't bring any of my equipment with me, hence the poor quality.
When I record with my full band (they're my jazz guys, we'll dick around with my stuff occasionally) it's very DIY. Condenser mics to guitar and bass amps, or straight to the acoustic versions (my bassist is a world-class bassist, but I'm talking real bass, not electric). For drums, we'll use two or three strategically placed condenser mics and one kick drum mic. Vocals are the same as when I do it all solo, MXL condenser + spit screen.
2) I agree I would really benefit from vocal lessons and I've said that for years but I just can't afford them at the moment, the money or the time!
3) I initially started on drums & piano when I was 10, but I haven't really hung onto those like I should have--I'm good at both but I would never claim to be a pianist or a drummer. I play enough to lay all of my ideas down, basically. I started playing guitar right when I turned 14. I was self-taught until I got involved in a jazz improv course at the Youth Performing Arts School, which is a part of my high school. (This wasn't a guitar course, it was just jazz generally, so I got some separate guitar lessons not to learn how to play but just to keep up with all of the theory behind the coursework). I was completely obsessive about it (and still am), and it isn't uncommon even today for me to spend 2-3 hours just jamming. I started playing jazz for money in a combo in January of 2005 so...I was 15 then, I believe. Around the same time I started writing for myself, or at least at that point I started writing stuff that I consider good enough to still keep around today. I didn't perform any of my solo pop/rock stuff live until I was 17, nearly 18. I'm 20.
4) Between producing, songwriting, and vocals, my strength is GUITAR PLAYING! Haha. In all seriousness though, I am first and foremost a guitarist, then a songwriter, then a producer, then a singer, probably in that order, but as my voice improves every day I'm sort of rethinking my own strengths, you know?
5) Don't worry about not being able to sit down and write. I don't sit down and write. I will sing something into my phone's voice memos when a good, catchy idea strikes me, sit down later with a guitar to see if I think it's going anywhere, then write down some rough, ****** lyrics if I get a good hook. Then for the next 24 hours I will turn the tune over in my head with different lyrical ideas that come to me, sit down once more and see if I can make stuff fit. It's a very natural process for most people I think--just write when it comes to you, don't ever stress that you can't make something happen. I just finished a song last month that I wrote when I was 16, but it was never "quite there," and I only thought of the perfect hook for it then.
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by eaf7s
Ok loaded question! I'll go in order.
1) Typically I use an MXL condenser mic for vocals, and an MXL pencil condenser for acoustic guitar, routed through an M-Audio FastTrack Pro. I also tend to route my electric directly through just because where I record people wouldn't appreciate a mic'd up amp. I do the same for bass. For drums, it depends on the setting. I'll either do it all through samples from my computer, by playing them out on an M-Audio Axiom 64 (which I also use for all of my piano work), or naturally if I've got a kit and an extra kick mic. For a while I was using Logic which is incredible but for most little projects GarageBand works just as well, and is considerably less intuitive and more user-friendly, so if I'm just laying down a few vocal & guitar tracks that's my software.
However, on this track I literally just played and sang into my MacBook Pro's built-in mic because I didn't bring any of my equipment with me, hence the poor quality.
When I record with my full band (they're my jazz guys, we'll dick around with my stuff occasionally) it's very DIY. Condenser mics to guitar and bass amps, or straight to the acoustic versions (my bassist is a world-class bassist, but I'm talking real bass, not electric). For drums, we'll use two or three strategically placed condenser mics and one kick drum mic. Vocals are the same as when I do it all solo, MXL condenser + spit screen.
2) I agree I would really benefit from vocal lessons and I've said that for years but I just can't afford them at the moment, the money or the time!
3) I initially started on drums & piano when I was 10, but I haven't really hung onto those like I should have--I'm good at both but I would never claim to be a pianist or a drummer. I play enough to lay all of my ideas down, basically. I started playing guitar right when I turned 14. I was self-taught until I got involved in a jazz improv course at the Youth Performing Arts School, which is a part of my high school. (This wasn't a guitar course, it was just jazz generally, so I got some separate guitar lessons not to learn how to play but just to keep up with all of the theory behind the coursework). I was completely obsessive about it (and still am), and it isn't uncommon even today for me to spend 2-3 hours just jamming. I started playing jazz for money in a combo in January of 2005 so...I was 15 then, I believe. Around the same time I started writing for myself, or at least at that point I started writing stuff that I consider good enough to still keep around today. I didn't perform any of my solo pop/rock stuff live until I was 17, nearly 18. I'm 20.
4) Between producing, songwriting, and vocals, my strength is GUITAR PLAYING! Haha. In all seriousness though, I am first and foremost a guitarist, then a songwriter, then a producer, then a singer, probably in that order, but as my voice improves every day I'm sort of rethinking my own strengths, you know?
5) Don't worry about not being able to sit down and write. I don't sit down and write. I will sing something into my phone's voice memos when a good, catchy idea strikes me, sit down later with a guitar to see if I think it's going anywhere, then write down some rough, ****** lyrics if I get a good hook. Then for the next 24 hours I will turn the tune over in my head with different lyrical ideas that come to me, sit down once more and see if I can make stuff fit. It's a very natural process for most people I think--just write when it comes to you, don't ever stress that you can't make something happen. I just finished a song last month that I wrote when I was 16, but it was never "quite there," and I only thought of the perfect hook for it then.
6) Do you actually have anything recorded?
M audio ftw! Got a FastTrack Pro running on Ableton live 8 here.
Logic is the king of recordings/sequencing. It doesn't sound like you used it to it's fullest extent though.
The vox could use some compression and a bump to the mid frequencies for a fuller sound.
Important thing to remember is that:
Fullness at 120Hz, boominess at 200-240Hz, presence at 5kHz, sibilance at 7.5-10kHz
For the Guitar: Boost for Bottom at 80-120Hz, body at 240Hz and for clarity at 2.5-5kHz.
It could also use a VSTi analouge warmth/disortion aswell as subtle delay and reverb to enchance the stereo imaging.
If guitar playing is your strength, then use it to the best of your abilities. Record yourself jamming with Logic and then tighten the groove later by placing warp markers etc.
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by eaf7s
Ok loaded question! I'll go in order.
1) Typically I use an MXL condenser mic for vocals, and an MXL pencil condenser for acoustic guitar, routed through an M-Audio FastTrack Pro. I also tend to route my electric directly through just because where I record people wouldn't appreciate a mic'd up amp. I do the same for bass. For drums, it depends on the setting. I'll either do it all through samples from my computer, by playing them out on an M-Audio Axiom 64 (which I also use for all of my piano work), or naturally if I've got a kit and an extra kick mic. For a while I was using Logic which is incredible but for most little projects GarageBand works just as well, and is considerably less intuitive and more user-friendly, so if I'm just laying down a few vocal & guitar tracks that's my software.
However, on this track I literally just played and sang into my MacBook Pro's built-in mic because I didn't bring any of my equipment with me, hence the poor quality.
When I record with my full band (they're my jazz guys, we'll dick around with my stuff occasionally) it's very DIY. Condenser mics to guitar and bass amps, or straight to the acoustic versions (my bassist is a world-class bassist, but I'm talking real bass, not electric). For drums, we'll use two or three strategically placed condenser mics and one kick drum mic. Vocals are the same as when I do it all solo, MXL condenser + spit screen.
2) I agree I would really benefit from vocal lessons and I've said that for years but I just can't afford them at the moment, the money or the time!
3) I initially started on drums & piano when I was 10, but I haven't really hung onto those like I should have--I'm good at both but I would never claim to be a pianist or a drummer. I play enough to lay all of my ideas down, basically. I started playing guitar right when I turned 14. I was self-taught until I got involved in a jazz improv course at the Youth Performing Arts School, which is a part of my high school. (This wasn't a guitar course, it was just jazz generally, so I got some separate guitar lessons not to learn how to play but just to keep up with all of the theory behind the coursework). I was completely obsessive about it (and still am), and it isn't uncommon even today for me to spend 2-3 hours just jamming. I started playing jazz for money in a combo in January of 2005 so...I was 15 then, I believe. Around the same time I started writing for myself, or at least at that point I started writing stuff that I consider good enough to still keep around today. I didn't perform any of my solo pop/rock stuff live until I was 17, nearly 18. I'm 20.
4) Between producing, songwriting, and vocals, my strength is GUITAR PLAYING! Haha. In all seriousness though, I am first and foremost a guitarist, then a songwriter, then a producer, then a singer, probably in that order, but as my voice improves every day I'm sort of rethinking my own strengths, you know?
5) Don't worry about not being able to sit down and write. I don't sit down and write. I will sing something into my phone's voice memos when a good, catchy idea strikes me, sit down later with a guitar to see if I think it's going anywhere, then write down some rough, ****** lyrics if I get a good hook. Then for the next 24 hours I will turn the tune over in my head with different lyrical ideas that come to me, sit down once more and see if I can make stuff fit. It's a very natural process for most people I think--just write when it comes to you, don't ever stress that you can't make something happen. I just finished a song last month that I wrote when I was 16, but it was never "quite there," and I only thought of the perfect hook for it then.
6) Do you actually have anything recorded?
Cool, i'm getting some similar stuff to what you're getting. At the moment i have a pretty poor setup due to financial reasons but will be getting 2 Genelec 8020a monitors and a M Audio Axiom Pro 49 keyboard. And then in the next couple of months a M Audio Fast Track Ultra too. And ultimately in the future again a Macbook Pro to replace my Macbook.
Funnily enough, i was sitting down earlier and i felt it was right to write some lyrics and i did. Though it was 3 different ideas which were chorus, and 2 verses. Much better than usual! And as i have created quite a lot of templates of songs i just need to get this songwriting done to actually start releasing songs now i can mix songs for proper with the monitors etc.
I started off about a couple of months into my producing with my mate and we created 3 songs (he song wrote and sung whilst i did the other stuff) which we had pretty decent reactions from. Though looking back i have improved so much and we split as a duo in the summer and i'm going solo now. I have 2 songs done (well i change bits from time to time and i have only recorded the vocals for the verses and chorus and quite roughly too for the moment) from those days where i have revamped the producing to a much higher standard (still not great due to lack of good mixing speakers etc.) and where i sing on one and use a vocoder on another. As you might have gathered my songs are generally electronic/dancey, together with some other influences whenever i create the templates. Could be dub, blues or whatever is floating my boat at the moment of doing it! I'm 17 myself so will be looking at these next few months to really get some songs done and hopefully starting to go playing live!
Thanks for sharing what you do in there and posting such a big reply. Wish you all the best with success! And remember keep going at everything, keep getting better at everything, which you seem to be doing now anyway. It will pay off i'm sure!
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
You have a good voice! The trouble with keeping to acoustic is that people have heard it all before. I think you possess some exquisite talent. after listening to a few other of your songs on myspace however, I think they are relatively generic - your chromatic walkdown and various slides on 'Wait til i get home' for example undermines the track. Its little things like that which make a massive difference.
My first piece of advice would be to invest in a better setup - in terms of recording equipment, mics, proper computer software and so on. I think it will do you a massive favour in the long run.
My second piece of advice would be to broaden your intrumental base; even basic additions such as keyboard melodies/harmonies and more complex basslines can massively improve the lastability of a song as opposed to the very limiting drum loops and standard electric guitar; "the sorry song" for example.
Stick to it because you have got talent, i think you merely need to invest some more money into getting yourself access to more kit.
edit: i haven't read your other posts so my apologies if you've already provided answers to my statements haha.
Last edited by Doyle&TheFourFathers : 4 Weeks Ago at 20:05.
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
Originally Posted by Doyle&TheFourFathers
You have a good voice! The trouble with keeping to acoustic is that people have heard it all before. I think you possess some exquisite talent. after listening to a few other of your songs on myspace however, I think they are relatively generic - your chromatic walkdown and various slides on 'Wait til i get home' for example undermines the track. Its little things like that which make a massive difference.
My first piece of advice would be to invest in a better setup - in terms of recording equipment, mics, proper computer software and so on. I think it will do you a massive favour in the long run.
My second piece of advice would be to broaden your intrumental base; even basic additions such as keyboard melodies/harmonies and more complex basslines can massively improve the lastability of a song as opposed to the very limiting drum loops and standard electric guitar; "the sorry song" for example.
Stick to it because you have got talent, i think you merely need to invest some more money into getting yourself access to more kit.
edit: i haven't read your other posts so my apologies if you've already provided answers to my statements haha.
She has Logic 9.....
Should use it more often though. Garageband is uber fail.
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
this was really good post some more up when you get something else recorded, I'd love to hear more of your music! all the best for the future, if you stick at it and try your best I fail to see why you couldn't make a very, very decent living out of it! but just don't forget your TSR roots!! congrats on being so uber talented! (not jealous...cough cough!)
Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by giran
She has Logic 9.....
Should use it more often though. Garageband is uber fail.
Not at all! If you're just doing something that is supposed to sound raw, just acoustic/vocals etc., GB is much easier to just open up and go. But for a program that CAME ON MY COMPUTER...holy crap, that's pretty awesome haha.
Obviously Logic is "win" for anything much more than that though
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
Garagebandis very good for the basics, but Logic 9 is probably the best software to use as as you learn it you get better with it and it is professional software - probably the best out there - so is the best to use. As with GB there is a time when you reach the limits of what it can do. GB came with my MacBook and it is excellent software for what i got it for (came with the macbook for free) so is brilliant starting point.
Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other st
Originally Posted by benmh92
Garagebandis very good for the basics, but Logic 9 is probably the best software to use as as you learn it you get better with it and it is professional software - probably the best out there - so is the best to use. As with GB there is a time when you reach the limits of what it can do. GB came with my MacBook and it is excellent software for what i got it for (came with the macbook for free) so is brilliant starting point.
Right, that's more of what I was trying to say--for a startup software it's pretty incredible. But I use it when I'm just opening up my computer to lay down like two/three tracks over each other...one take of each, then just quickly mix it together to get an idea down. You can't beat it for efficiency!
Location: Charlottesville, VA, DC, Louisville, KY and Bristol, UK
Posts: 529
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user) + My other stuff
Yoooo so just did a new one. I wrote it about a year ago but just did a decent version of it. Enjoy =)
Ill give you a little something to talk about
Rather than scream out loud
The fighting, it was something we did before
Before we matured
When the animosity is put aside for good
And we forgive exchanges when we were misunderstood
Oh, so lean close, for heavens sake
And whisper words weve been too stubborn to articulate
You know what to say
Ten minutes ago Id have slammed the door
And counted tiles on the kitchen floor for an hour or so
Well Im lucky to here in this room again
The couch where you first took my hand
Do you remember when?
Oh, the animosity is coming to an end and
If I hit the deck next time at least Ill be with my best friend
So lean close for both our sakes
And whisper words weve been too stubborn to appreciate
You know what to say
In stupid moments when Ive wanted goodbye
All heated and distraught, these lights are hot
Keep me in check, knock me in line
And when this sinking winter feeling gets old
As you well know it will, the lingering chill
Just think of me, and let it go
Ill give you a little something to smile about
A message to read out loud
Post your poems, artwork, graphics, photographs etc, or others' works (must be credited).
Re: Please check out my new song =) (NOT spam, I'm actually a TSR user)
])
. But thanks a lot for saying that you like it, three years ago I'd have bet money that I would never hear that!
Vocals have to be higher in the mix for sure though. DId notice someone else say it but yeah definitely do it! Get some lessons too. No harm in getting lessons. You have got yourself a great voice but to even have a few lessons would benefit you greatly i'm sure because you have great potential i think. Oh and when did you start doing it all and how old you now?
