Lynn Wilson

The way you panned the cool synth stabs really pleases me.  This song is full of rich textures of which I'm a big fan.  All in all, mesmerizing and trippy!

You have a terrific song, a great vocalist, a warm, clear, and expansive mix - this is the kind of song that I would use as a reference track - it definitely needs work ( I  hope my tongue doesn't come through my cheek)!

This has the makings of an epic song!  I listened to the prior version a few days ago, then listened to today's version, and you have done well on the remix.  You use dynamics in a way that grabs one's attention.  That highlights your terrific vocals and guitar playing, making them stand out.  Truly professional, Dean!

Mark, this is fabulous!  I've heard this song for years, but never so soulful.  You have shown that your singing is as masterful as your guitar playing.  As for the mix, you have better ears than I do, so I trust that you'll end up where you need to be.

On 5/16/2023 at 3:33 PM, markno999 said:

Lynn,

Nice job on the remix,  the drums pop through better in this version and everything sounds well balanced.     Really a fan of this song, terrific work.

Regards

I had someone with very good ears watching over me

5 hours ago, freddy j said:

Wow!!!!!  This is really excellent.  I love the way that you have been reaching out and trying different techniques.  Your vocals really stand out and and carry the excellent lyrics very well.  The various instrumentation and Fx give this a very tripy  feel.  This is an excellent collaboration and the mix sounds great to me.  Great work!!

Thank you, Fred!  This song was so much for to work on, and very educational for me.  I keep discovering things by accident, and they end up in my songs   I changed mics for this song, using my old AT-4033, which suits my voice better than what I'd been using lately, I think.  Always good to hear from you!

Thanks to all of your responses, I've posted a remix of this song.  I've tried to incorporate your suggestions without compromising the overall vibe.  Basically, I thinned out the herd, so to speak, in order to not feel bloated and not have competing parts.  What do you all think?

https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=14547171

12 hours ago, jwnicholson78 said:

I enjoyed that.

Jeff

Thank you, Jeff!  I appreciate your comment.

7 hours ago, Paul Bush said:

Hi , I really like all the changes always keeps the listener on his toes , yeah intresting song what I would call an album track ..nice one ..

Hey Paul, thanks for your kind words!  You may be right about this being an album track;  I guess I'll have to give this song some company.

16 hours ago, FreeEarCandy said:

Hello Lynn. I hope all is well! I suppose what I'm picking up on is the key work follows loosely. It tends to grab my attention away from what I consider the main course-Vocals bass and drums. While the key work follows along in a fundamental sense,  the keys seem to be expressing a different energy than that of the main course.  Consequentially some of the transitions come across awkward as the song progresses. In particular after 3:40 it seems things are all momentarily moving in somewhat different directions., thus lacking more of a complimentary contribution.  

The vocals have only minor issues. Sibilance issues here and there. Also they tend to get too loud in spots. I think this is due to the volume dynamics of the underlaying tracks. I think the loudness wars have ruined our appreciation for soft moments. In the huge array of sound colors in our libraries silence is just as important as all the rest, and in my opinion the least utilized.  I often bring things down just before an explosive moment in order to give the explosion more impact.

The bottom line here is music is a very subjective affair, so take what I say with a grain of salt.  Most of what I am pointing out would help me more than perhaps you.  In the end its your tune and it should sound the way you want it to.  My opinion is self serving, but I'm happy to share it with you if you are looking for ideas via feedback.

Dean, I'm impressed by your detailed response and the time you took to delve into this song!  It's obvious  that we're having two different visions of this song, and that is not uncommon in art.  I have to admit that I don't hear all these issues that you hear, but that's OK.  I'll keep these points in the back of my mind either in future revisions or a future song.  Every little bit of information counts

23 hours ago, batsbrew said:

cool tune! i dig the whole thing, but have a couple of suggestions on the mix...

 

vox too hot. needs to sit back in the mix a bit, it's just a bit caberet

 

drums too weak, the kick almost disappears.

 

other than that, i dig it!

reminds me a little bit of hendrix's 'merman' tune.

got that spacy otherworld

Rob, you have very good ears!  I agree that the drums could use some help and will do so.  As for the vocal, I was going for cabernet, not caberet   I may have to drink a little more wine to mix this...

23 hours ago, Larry T. said:

So, listened for the first time today, May 10. The music is great, well thought out and played/produced. The collaboration works!! Nice melancholy atmosphere🎶🎶🎶🎶

Larry, thank you for taking the time to listen and comment!  I was going for wistful, but I'll take melancholy

19 hours ago, Old Joad said:

 

Me too, the delay on the vocal is awesome and the reverse strings  are very cool.🤘

Thank you very much for your time and comment!  I like those reverse strings, too.  As a matter of fact, it's a cool preset from Z3TA+2 that I played on my guitar;  something I couldn't do before Midi Guitar 2.

On 5/8/2023 at 10:37 AM, markno999 said:

Thanks Lynn for letting me provide some orchestral samples to your song, really a big fan of this song and enjoyed working on it.

For those that were interested in the orchestration, the samples are EW Opus, there is a Cello, Bass, Strings and French Horns with some various EW Spaces II sends, I also gave Lynn a Piano part that he may use in a future unplugged version:)    The arrangement was done completely by Lynn and the only contribution I really made was replacing his orchestral parts with the Opus Library and a small French Horn piece.    Most of the prolific lead parts that carry the song are played by Lynn on his guitar via MIDI.   

As Lynn mentioned, I heard this song on his SoundClick as it followed his recent song, Chaos Ravine, and I asked him if I could contribute some parts.     Very appreciative to have had the opportunity to collab on this song, I think it is one of the best songs I have heard in recent times.

Regards

Mark, I have told you privately what I think of your contributions, and now, I say in public - it is massive!  You changed the whole tenor of  this song and fleshed out the core to give it gravitas.  You turned me on to a new drum kit that will get used a lot in the future.  This is one of the few songs that I haven't got tired of after repeated listens.  Your words will stay with me a long time!

2 hours ago, Supa Reels said:

Been looking at some of your stuff and wondering why I can't find the latest work (other than this). What you have done to Lynn's work is great, yes it's a late Beatles sound and his vocal is right up front .. for me the whole mix is professional and as I am a BIG fan of Lynn's work I put this up there with the best ... well done guys!!

More please 💥🤛

Steve (SRM)

 

Steve!  Mark is the one that guided this mix to the end.  I sent him daily mixes via Dropbox, and he gave me his input.  Generally, I don't have the benefit of an extra pair of ears, so this was a big boost.  As for the vocal, I pulled out my trusty, old AT4033 for this.  I'm going to stay  with this mic for the time being, as it has a 3 dimensionality that is lacking in my U-87 knock-off.

I truly appreciate your words because you've inspired me over the years, and I'm glad I can entertain you!

Wow!  I love this song!  I heard it before, but it still sounds fresh.  The intro drew me in like a moth to a flame, and your vocals really caught my attention.  This is so artfully arranged, kinda like a Roger Waters tune.  Your EQ profile on the mix is bright to my ears, though it would sound good in a variety of listening devices, I'm sure.  Otherwise, this is stellar!

This is a beautiful, haunting piece which reflects your sophistication as a songwriter and arranger.  Lovely flutes!  I'm checking them out, thanks.

I love those smooth horns and chill arrangement.  Your EQ profile is buttery, something I could use more of.  This is just the kind of song that I like to listen to at the end of a long, hard day, or seeing my dog or cat in such a predicament

I share your sentiments, old mate!  Super cool song with a bite and your amazing voice.  I just wish your vocal was a bit louder, as it's the star of the show.  You seem to be,   at times, a cross between Paul Simon and Gerry Rafferty with your own spin.  Pump it up!  More, please

On 5/5/2023 at 4:04 PM, bjornpdx said:

Lynn, 

Great title.

In parts of the song, the orchestral instruments brought to mind a soundtrack from a 40s movie with an actor telling a story over flashbacks from the past.  Probably not what you intended and  just my off the wall point of view.

I thought the orchestral instruments worked well  (that bit around 1:50 👍) and the vocal track is up to your usual high standards. The repeated lyrics near the end would work better if just the last word or two in the phrase were used. IMO.
-Bjorn

Thanks for the kind words, Bjorn!  The song does have a bit of that film noir personality.  As for the vocal, you may be right, but I forgot to think of it

On 5/5/2023 at 7:30 PM, KSband said:

I use the SI strings in Cakewalk all the time, nice sounding strings and it has everything from an orchestra to a small quartet.

I have these string, but I forget about them.  Good idea!  Thanks

20 hours ago, noynekker said:

Wow Lynn ! (and Markno999) what an incredible project collaboration you've done here, loved every moment of this, headphones and speakers. Lynn, your projects here I recall as usually very guitar based, but this collaboration seems to add a different dimension to your writing skills with some sample (keyboard) textures, I'm thinking that is the  Markno999 contribution ? Also, I think this is the clearest I've heard your vocals recorded, every word / lyric very clear. Much admiration for the ending / outro section where you start echoing the vocal textures. Simply brilliant overall, but FYI the hook that mostly grabbed my ear was the keyboard riff after the vocal lines "the sun finally set on my dreams" and "remember the sun on your skin" . . . so well done, and top notch pro recording.

What a blast hearing this from you!  I spent time between speakers, headphones, and my car to get the balance for this song.  As for the synth samples, I played those, myself, on my guitar via MIDI Guitar 2 using 2 presets from Z3TA +2 and one from Dimension Pro (the intro, verse 2, and outro).  I'm glad you enjoyed the arrangement and vocals - much time was spent on those elements.

17 hours ago, daryl1968 said:

Really enjoyed this mate. Very 'Peter Gabriel meets the Beatles'. 

Thank you, Daryl!  What a nice compliment.  Mark gets much credit for the end result!

16 hours ago, Bajan Blue said:

wow Daryl, just what I was going to say!!!

Hi Lynn, like this  a lot and I think your vocals are great

cool stuff guys

Nigel

 

 

Nigel, what I told Daryl, I say to you - thank you very much!  It means a lot coming from you.  If only I had your video skills...

32 minutes ago, John Vere said:

Only issue may arise is if your project is 48Khz and the CD is 44.1 and certain setting are involved that this might cause a loud pop in your speakers as the sample rate changes. 

Yes, and a good reason to do this within CW.  I suppose that it depends on one's converter and/or driver, as it's not an issue with mine.

You don't even need your reference track to be in CW for comparisons.  You could cue up the reference song in another program such as Sound Forge, Audacity, or even Windows Media.  You just need to match volume levels between your mix and reference track and switch between them in the task bar.  It doesn't have to be complicated.

On 5/3/2023 at 1:50 PM, FreeEarCandy said:

Sounds pretty much like a bunch of different interpretations of the same thing  being squeezed together.  In my opinion, for whatever its worth,  there are areas of tension between all these interpretations that may need to be sorted out. In other words, you could look at what you have and decide which interpretation will dominate any particular area of the composition at any given time.  The drums and bass are going to serve as the backbone, so your choices between which interpretation will dominate should only involve the other elements. The vocals treatment also needs some attention.  Its a good start for now. That's my inflated 2 cents, Lynn. Always glad to listen and be helpful if I can.

I appreciate and welcome your comments!  Yet, I'm not quite clear on what you're saying.  I don't think it's different interpretations, as it was me that wrote the string arrangement and overall arrangement.  I don't know exactly what you're suggesting about the vocals, but I'd be happy for more details.  As I said, I'm always willing to go a little further.

On 5/4/2023 at 9:23 AM, KSband said:

I was getting a Beatles vibe when it started, I wanted to hear that classic string quartet that George Martin liked to use come in, I think changing the string sounds to that would be cool. But hey, it's your vision.

Boy, how right you are!  Unfortunately, I'm unable to book time at Abbey Road, and I don't have the string library to pull this off.  That is why Mark contributed his string library to this project.  I can hear what you're saying and agree that it could be there in the future.

13 hours ago, Johnbee58 said:

Intensely melancholy.  Great use of effects and great arrangement.

😀John B

Thank you, John, for the kind words!  I was going for bitter-sweet, then it devolved into poignancy, and now melancholy.  In the end, it became more nostalgic than anything else.

1 hour ago, jack c. said:

sounds of beatles?nicely done.jack c

Jack,  I love it!  Stay prolific!

"At The End Of Forever":  https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=14547171   (updated 5/16/23)

This is a song I started a few months ago that was overheard by Markno999 (Mark) while working on Chaos Ravine 2.0.  He kindly offered to contribute some orchestral samples to enhance this song.  I happily accepted and one thing led to another; this the result of that collaboration.

Mark rewrote the drum track, as well as contributing French horns, cellos, organ, strings, and piano.  He lent me his ears for the mix, and over the course of several days we got to a mix that we're happy with for now.  But, you all know how things can change around here.  This now in your domain, and all comments will be greatly appreciated.  I'm always willing to go a little further, if need be.

DISCLAIMER:  Due to operator error, I inadvertently posted the wrong version of AT THE END OF FOREVER between Friday, May5 and Saturday, May 6.  That has been corrected.  You may have heard the version before Markno999's contributions, which have now been restored.  Sorry for the confusion; if your opinions change, I'm still open for business.

Go into My Computer>insert disk in drive>right click on drive>choose open>when it opens you can drag and drop individual files (songs) into CW.  You may have to shut off auto-play.

Beautiful!  It makes me want to go on a road trip   You have a deep well of inspiration, my friend!

Tasty and inspirational!  Perfect mix.

You've matched a terrific video with a good song!  Congratulations, Kevin, you can be proud of this production.