Barry Seymour

Stop! I'm still a noob at Cakewalk! Always need feedback. And that video was 23 years ago... I've gone a bit downhill since then. 😄 Thanks for the kind words.

Thanks. I totally agree about Dylan. Can't listen to him but love his songs. My goal is to get this good enough without AutoTune. I know I can do it, it'll just take some technical adjustments...

Yeah, I think the original vibe is better. I just found it fascinating that I could even do this - just drop in a totally different beat. Alternate universes, etc. Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, I'm working on improving things. Not to be immodest, but I've always considered myself a good singer (see the link below), so to hear this stuff go so off pitch has been profoundly distressing to me. But as it turns out, this is a well-known phenomenon when recording vocals with headphones, a problem I seem to be particularly susceptible to. I'm watching some videos and other links and I'm beginning to get a handle on how to address my second take is already miles better than the first. Here's the aforementioned link - me in "Kiss Me, Kate" in 1997. I loves me a dirty song...

Okay, I did this just on a lark. First, I sang it again. I've been reading up on pitch problems when singing in headphones. Long story short, I muted the bass and sang with one ear uncovered. It seems to have made a big difference in my pitch accuracy! Second: I fiddled with drums for a bit but was not coming up with anything. I am not a drummer. On a whim, I muted the existing drum track and dropped in a standard beat using MT Power DrumKit 2. That gave it a totally different feel. I'm not sure if I'm going to go down this road; it's just an experiment. But those of you who said the drums need work - is this a path I should go down? Let me know, and thanks in advance for any time, attention and expertise you may wish to share. A Trace Of Sadness In Her Eyes.2021.10.05.mp3

Sad news; I DON'T HAVE A ROOM. I work at the dining room table. I have to load the MP3 on my home theater pc to check the pitch. Too cumbersome. I may hook up some cheap PC speakers on the fly to test pitch, or maybe bluetooth? I have work to do.

Eeek. I'm not a drummer. But you make an excellent point. Thanks for the input, lemme see what I can do. Maybe I can find a drummer in my circle of friends...

Thanks for the honest feedback. This is another one of those songs that sounds right in the headphones but not on the room speakers. It's a problem, not sure what to do about it - it's like the headphones are lying to me when I hear myself on pitch! Gonna work on it some more. Again, thanks.

Here's a new one. I reworked an old song that I didn't like. New lyrics, added strings, did more advanced mixing than I knew how to do last time around. Suggestions welcome! EDIT: It's released!

I have pulled the trigger! Thanks, everyone, for the comments and encouragement.

The image is not actually my axe, but it's blue to go with the album title. Randy Bachman! LOL! You ain't seen nothin' yet. 😉

Thanks for the kind words, it's appreciated. That sound is not actually a banjo; amazingly, it's my Strat! I just redid my Frankencaster with vintage pups at neck and middle and a two-pickup Shawbucker on the bridge. The alleged 'banjo' sound you hear is actually the middle pickup! After this latest rework it's a tone monster.

Here's the next mix. I compressed the vocals a bit more and added reverb. I tried to make them float IN the music instead of above it, and have a similar reverb so it felt more a part of the music. I made a few minor lyrical changes. I also compressed the guitars more, and added some treble, trying to get them to 'pump' more.

Would echo the comment on the piano - make just a bit crisper, maybe back it off a few percent, leave a bit more room for the strings. Also, is that pedal sound I'm hearing? I assume that was intentional. Beautiful music.

I'll second what others here have said. No need to be hard on yourself; bocals are stellar. A haunting, moody song, sparkling production. Well done.

I foresee a future for you in scoring science fiction epics. Good stuff! Love the crunchy bass on the bottom; is that analog?

This is a charming song, a touch of middle Beatles here, smooth and snappy. I'd only recommend a little more clarity / sparkle in the vocals, drums and the tinkly synths in the chorus. It sounds just a touch muddy in the center channel.

This one's bit of a departure for me. Striving for a Mumford and Sons type of sound, driving folk. Suggestions welcome.

Are you playing ALL of this? Holy Crap! Smoother than silk, great groove, tight playing, everything is nicely balanced. I wouldn't worry about the 'fake' violin sound, it's actually a little exotic; I like it a lot!

Sorry, everyone, I somehow failed to put the link to the song in my post!

Here's the final. Thanks, everyone, for the guidance and suggestions.

The drums are by MT PowerDrumKit 2; they're spot on. I suspect it's the playing that's off. Ugh. Don't wanna go there, but I might have to. Others have said it needed more bass. Maybe I should back it off a touch. Thanks...

Here's mix 2.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Sorry for my delay in responding, I literally re-sang this on vacation (brought my laptop, mixer, mic and stand on the road!), posted this and then finished my vacation. I'll get to this soon.

Thanks for the kind words. I do struggle with playing to the drum part - it's so slow! Trying to find that groove. As for the pad, it's the basic string pad, the free strings that come with Cakewalk. Still not thinking they're as natural-sounding as I'd like. I'm trying to build them slowly to a crescendo at the end, but maybe I can start from a slightly louder place. Thanks!