drawing circles featuring roon

[dope]

this is the best song i have ever written.
i implore you as fellow artists to listen to it.
i had the best orchestrator on this board and probably the whole planet help me co write it. yes i'm talking about roon.

it's called drawing circles.

if you ever listen to any song i've ever written this should be the one.

https://soundcloud.com/dslamcracker

thank you

[moose]

I have listened to it (twice) with great pleasure.
It is indeed a well written and arranged/recorded/mixed song
If everything was done entirely by yourself hats off twice to you.. I know too well what it means to arrange/record and mix something like that.

I do however have a small criticism to make...

To me the el. grt solo, half way through the song, is not enough defined... on my system, at least, it sounds half buried in all the other instruments.
The vocal part is so well defined that an equally well defined solo would better keep the momentum and take it even further... while, as it is, it seems to "slow-down" things a little.
It is a great solo, mind you.. but to me the way you mixed it and perhaps the type of sound/tone you've chosen do not do enough justice to the song.

Of course this is just my opinion and I guess if you ask 100 people you will get 100 opinions, so don't think too much of it.

But I always like to speak my mind, so...

Nevertheless.. very nice song, as I already wrote. To be rightly proud of!!!

And thank you for sharing it with us

[dope]

Roon did the piano and orchestra! I did the rock band.
It is strange the solo sounds like that to you. It doesn't sound that way to me. But that is the curse of mixing your own stuff I guess. My reference doesn't change through out the whole process. I'm sorry it didn't sound right to you. Its too bad that spoiled it. Did you try it in cans?

[moose]

Didn't spoil it at all.. It was justr a small consideration.. nothing major.
I will have a listen with cans later on

[dope]

thanks for listening shadow!!! i'm glad these lyrics spoke to you! they were very sincerely written!! this song is very special to me. they lyrics, roon's involvment, and my solo are all very important elements of this to me. (i even like my bass playing even though its just some scales...)

yes moose perhaps it is just a difference in the types of reference monitors we use that is throwing off the volume of the solo.. or i possibly mixed it wrong... it sounds natural on my stuff.. i will wait till you get a chance to try it on cans or another set of speakers or something.. once in a while you just get that with a mix... thank you!!

[theBadger]

I think you may be right dope. The best song you've written so far.

I like 'the story' - great lyrics. The bass solidifies the bottom end very nicely without swamping Roon's cello - excellent work there. In fact the mix is really very good. There is a lot going on there with piano and orchestral parts, some good and human sounding drumming and what sounds like all of your guitars. :wink: I can hear all of the musical parts well and that's over-laid with your vocal and BV parts. Well done on the mix that man, it must have been quite a challenge. I think you should be rightly proud of what you have achieved with this song.

The only problem I can see... ...is that, having 'nailed' the lyrics, songwriting, guitar playing and mixing aspect of your art... how do you make the next song the best song you've written since this one?


I would suggest the key is in the vocals... but not in the way you might think... There's nothing wrong with the vocals on this track and the production on the vocals (and especially the BVs) is very good. But I don't think we've heard the best from you yet. I think you could build on the confidence that this song has rightly given you and turn out a vocal performance that really is 'a performance'. (This advice is brought to you by a badger who sings like a cat in a bag as you know, so it is not criticism.) You are holding back I feel. Don't be afraid to experiment with your vocals, to put as much emotion into your singing as you do with your guitar playing. You have proved that you can write, record and mix a song that is strong enough to carry a more emotional and challenging vocal performance. Amaze yourself.


Oh yes, and I suppose I should mention that I liked roon's contributions. I can tell it is him from the first note. He is a talented little blighter isn't he.

So are you.

tB.

[moose]

Had a listen with cans...
Yep, everything sounds so much better. Stereo spread is well served and in return, the solo in the middle stands out clearer than when I listened through monitors.

A question (pure curiosity): the arpeggiated ac. guitar at the beginning... what is it?

[dope]

tb-- thanks bro... this means a lot coming from you. i know we have struggled to work together on songs before and we have never quite found a way to work together properly.. it's not either of our faults.. if you put us in a room together we would probably write an album in a day.... i still hope that you and i can figure out a way tol collaborate..

i know that people have confidence that i can sing .. i'm sorry i dont share that.. i can do certain things.. things that are mellow.. like mislabeled.. i'm going to be releasing a few more vocal songs with in the next few days.. i tried some other things.. i'm not sure if there better or worse.. i'm just too un predictable as a singer.. i'm not comfortable doing it. i dont honestly want too. i like to write.. i am best at that.. everyone has limitations.... that unfortunately is mine.. i'm not a frontman.. i'm not a drummer and i'm not a pianist. but i can do the rest of it!!!! (sometimes lol)

realize.. roon's contribution.. is more than just a contribution.. i changed the entire key and tempo of this song to match his arrangement.. i fit to HIM... hey wrote the song as much as i did. this song would not exist with out him. yes the lyrics and guitars were done .. but i changed it all to fit him... this song is every bit roon as much as it is me.

thank you tb

moose..
i had a feeling that there was something going on with reference... i have had this before.. when everyone tells me things are ok with a mix.. but ONE person says something sounds off.... a lot of times I am the person that is saying it sounds off!! its just a deference in reference... it's something in that mastering step that i still have not learned.... i'm close sometimes.. but not perfect everytime.

the accoustic guitar at the beginning is my martin om-1 .. i use it often.. i cant remember exactly what mic's i used.. i'm pretty sure i used 3 during the recording but picked the best 2 for the mix..
thank you so much for listening moose !!!

[moose]

Thank you for thanking me.. wasn't hard to listen to it because I liked it.
And hats off to r00n too... great work he did indeed

[Cheesy]

nice track

ya both got chops