Barry Seymour

6 hours ago, AndyB01 said:

New version sounds great, I'm with @Jesse Screed on the sync between the drums and the rest of the track - it is out by a hair here and there but - don't stress it - not enough to detract from what is already a great song.

Vocal is just a killer - brilliant.

Andy

It's, uh, quantized, yeah, that's it. Quantized. I quantized it. Left a little humanity in there, that's it. That's the ticket.😉

11 hours ago, garybrun said:

Very nice Barry.
As I said before I love the vocal.
I prefer this new version... well done.

We all paint different pictures..  I wouldnt be afraid to bring the kick up and knock a little top end of the snare..

Thanks, Gary. I think this is one of my better ones.

6 hours ago, Jesse Screed said:

A great story, well played and sung.  The lyrics are very nice. I like it. The drums are ok for me except the timing seems off just a hair, but I have a cold right now so that could be why.

If any timing is off, it's mine! Those drums is digital, man.

That's my, er, analog sound, striving for authenticity, yeah, that's it, that's the ticket... 😉 

I spent some time on the drums. Added some fills and dynamics, plus I experimented with the "no drums" suggestion and decided it would be good to hold them off until the second verse.

What do you all think?

15 hours ago, whoisp said:

Beautiful acoustic, built in bridge mic or couple freestanding  mics, vocal great to.  

Only one suggestion and its a big one: 100% learn to program those drums, i would hit he odd crash or ride and some basic fills, maybe something like a double tap on the kick when the progression changes. 

Apart from that great tune  

P

 

Excellent point. I actually planned on doing that, but it slipped my mind. Back to the track!

Anyone?

Dammit. I hate when I go to listen / review / kibitz on a song and there's nothing that can be improved.

I love the sound of this.  Mellow, rich, smooth, well-balanced. The music is melodic, artful, it all blends so well.

Very nicely done!

Now go and do something sucky so I have something to complain about! 😉

I've always liked this song since back in the day.

Some thoughts...

• Hearing some background noise / hiss in the acoustic guitar. It could be a tad fuller in the bass too.
• The vocal processing sounds more 80s than 70s. In my admittedly dated opinion, it makes it sound less personal.

This is a very nice cover!

Very smooth and well balanced. I love the stereo tremolo on the electric piano. Brings me back to the actual 1975!

The punk singer has to go, though.

Man, this is wonderful. Rich and full, beautiful production. The voice sounds a bit broken and rough, yet intimate. A perfect choice for this.

Here's a new one. I had a lot of help, so I'm hoping it doesn't need much...

UPDATED Feb 02 2025.

 

Checking in on you, Wookiee. Did they install the fur transplant over the scar yet?

 

On 1/4/2025 at 12:35 AM, Bajan Blue said:

Hi Barry

I listened to both versions - late to the party, lot of Christmas and New Year duties!!

I really liked the second version - i think all i would do is drop the guitars just a very small amount in the mix - apart from that sounds excellent and a very good, NOT OLD track🤪

Nigel

 

Thanks, Nige, and everyone else. Here's the final mix, with the obligatory lyric video:

Here's the new mix, my first mix for 2025. Recorded a second acoustic guitar track and panned them both out. Also backed off some of the treble on the master channel, as one commented said "it sounds kind of crispy on my mix." I'm wondering if my mixing is overcompensating for my 68-year-old ears being unable to hear higher frequencies.

Let me know what you think, and thanks!
 

3 hours ago, KSband said:

I think it would sound nice to add the track to the chorus to set it apart from the verse.

The mix sounds kind of crispy on my system, maybe too much high EQ.

I ended up recording a second guitar track for the whole song, and panning them out. Sounds better.

But your second comment brings something into focus for me. "Sounds kind of crispy on my system." I consider it likely my 68-year-old ears are not hearing upper frequencies as well, so I'm mixing to compensate.

The next mix will have a high pass filter on the master track. Coming in minutes.

Thanks for the feedback! Very helpful.

2 hours ago, AndyB01 said:

I enjoyed this, very much of its time - both lyrically and musically. Could it be enhanced and improved with a few tweaks here and there - probably. Should you go there or leave it as it is - debatable?

It is all panned fairly centrally to my ears, so some separation might help, as would a double-tracked and panned rhythm guitar track, but don't duplicate the existing one; record another take and pan them.

Or leave it as is and call it done - your call.

Nice job either way.

Andy

Darnit, I wanted you to tell ME what to do! 😄

I was considering recording another acoustic guitar rhythm track and then panning them out.

Also, not complaining, but it's also getting hard to hear people say "ah, this is vintage" and stuff like that.  I am old. This isn't 'vintage music' to me, it's just 'music.' LOL

16 hours ago, Nay Clone0 said:

I have been using and enjoying the free version of Cakewalk with its releases quite well. Today I would like a detailed guide on how to use it. Thank you for answering this question.

poppy playtime chapter 3

https://www.youtube.com/c/CreativeSauce

On 12/20/2024 at 12:07 PM, craigb said:

I don't care what some of you think of his moderation approach, but there IS a real person under all that fur so please keep any negatives out of this thread!

I was just informed that the Wookiee is currently hospitalized and having a triple heart bypass!

Most have no idea of what he deals with in his "normal" life (and it's not for me to go into that), but I wanted all of you to be aware of his current situation so we can all send positive thoughts his way!

Get better soon Wooks!

Just now saw this. I had a quadruple myself in 2021. Sending good thoughts.

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, but I need advice on this one.

This was written in 1977, recorded in 2024. This is just a rough mix.

There's just one rhythm guitar here, and one lead guitar. Towards the end, the lead guitar does a little rhythm- like comping in the background. But should I do something to stereoize it? Should I add another rhythm track and pan them?

It seems to me that simpler is better here, so I'm unsure. Advice appreciated.

Thanks, all.

17 hours ago, Dean said:

A good one!  I like your rich bass voice.  If there is a criticism your higher notes are a little weak.

Truth. I've been tweaking the vocals in Melodyne; more to do. New mix below.

I spent a lot of time redoing this; I had too much glurge in the mix with effects applied to each track as I added it.

I basically went back in and replaced the acoustic guitar track with an electric guitar; it blends a lot better. I also stripped special effects from all channels, then redid them. There are a lot fewer effects in here, and things sound a lot clearer.

This is mixed, but not mastered. I consider the mix 75% done; I have to do more tweaking to balance things at different points in the song.

What do you think?

1 hour ago, noynekker said:

@Barry Seymour . . . WOW, this is simply a classic piece, storytelling in the lyric is excellent. Really enjoyed it ! Hard to add critiques to this one, but in an eight minute piece it took 4 minutes to get to the "SKY" chorus, and only 2 choruses when it's done. For sure, not the standard pop song format, but the artistic integrity shines above it all here. Also want to add that your vocals are recorded and sung very well, smooth and clear, so easy to follow the story because of that !

Very kind, thanks! This tended to grow in the writing. For some reason I just couldn't cut it down.  Ah well, I guess Columbia Records won't come calling after all... ? 

EDIT: New mix for 2024.06.23:

Here's a new one, and it's rather ambitious.

I wrote this one backwards; I started off with a photograph as my inspiration. It was a beautiful photograph of a man standing on a beach, gazing up into a darkened sky with a light on his head. I first got in in 2022, and got permission from my photographer friend to use it as an album cover.  I loved it so much I called my album "The Sky. " But I didn't have a song  called "The Sky."  It ended up taking me two years to write it.

So here it is. It's long, it's spacey, it's eight minutes, and it features some stellar playing from a pedal steel guitar playing friend of mine and my favorite bassist.

I recommend you use headphones on this one... and it will take some time.

Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome, and thank you in advance.
 

EDIT

It's out! Thanks, everyone...
 

Sorry this took so long; I decided to ask my friend Jack Hill to do the bass. He added upright bass. I replayed some of the squeakier bits, re-sang a few clinkers, remixed and mastered.

Candidate for final release. Let me know if you have any suggestions!