Crave

[Douglas Kirby 541]

Hi Everybody,

This is a new track for the album I'm currently working on called "The Westerly Sessions Volume V". 

For the lead vocal, I sung it with an AKG C214 through a Warm Audio TB12 preamp. Just to let you know, I used the Voxengo Voxformer on the lead vocal track - I use it quite often - I think it's a cool plug.

The lead guitar parts are my Fender Strat through TH-U.

The acoustic guitar tracks are my Guild OM-140 through an ART MPA Gold preamp.

The organ used is from the UVI Retro Organ Suite.

The bass played is an Ibanez SR500.

As always, any comments or critiques are welcome, and thanks for listening.

Here it is:

https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=14151066

 

[Wookiee 929]

Nice easy on the ears track to help start my day Douglas.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

On 12/1/2020 at 4:28 AM, Wookiee said:

Nice easy on the ears track to help start my day Douglas.

Hi Wookiee - thanks for giving my song a listen. Say hello to Boris for me😀

[Wookiee 929]

1 hour ago, Douglas Kirby said:

Say hello to Boris

Sure, though I doubt he would listen or like what else I would like to say to him.

[freddy j 379]

Now this is a nice pleasant, easy-on-the-ears song.  I love the vocal harmonies in the chorus.  Great job on this song!  BTW, you make that Strat sound good!!

[Douglas Kirby 541]

4 hours ago, freddy j said:

Now this is a nice pleasant, easy-on-the-ears song.  I love the vocal harmonies in the chorus.  Great job on this song!  BTW, you make that Strat sound good!!

Hey Freddy - thanks for listening. Regarding the Strat - it's my favorite - bought it back in '93. It has lace sensor pickups - I don't know if you remember those.

[Beagle 56]

Nice guitar on this Douglas - really like that strat sound.

the chorus really pops on this.  everything really works together.

 

[bjornpdx 618]

Doug, I like your guitar melodic parts and fills and accompaniment bits. I always learn something from them.  And I've always liked all the songs of yours I've heard over the years (years? I guess so). Just a suggestion though to maybe change the format a bit? Nothing at all wrong with what you're doing. Just wanted to suggest you could shake it up some.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

11 hours ago, Beagle said:

Nice guitar on this Douglas - really like that strat sound.

the chorus really pops on this.  everything really works together.

 

Thanks for listening Beagle - I appreciate your ears.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

4 hours ago, bjornpdx said:

Doug, I like your guitar melodic parts and fills and accompaniment bits. I always learn something from them.  And I've always liked all the songs of yours I've heard over the years (years? I guess so). Just a suggestion though to maybe change the format a bit? Nothing at all wrong with what you're doing. Just wanted to suggest you could shake it up some.

Thanks Bjorn - I think you're right - I should mix it up a bit. I started using synths in some of my new songs to mix things up a bit.

[DeeringAmps 858]

Certainly not "easy listening", but indeed as stated above a very easy listen.
Definitely Kirby, but a little more laid back.
I've suggested more high pass on the acoustic before? (pretty sure; right?)
Only bring it up because I think the Guild is sitting nicely in this one.

👍's

you never fail to deliver...

t

[Bapu 2,394]

Nice tune Douglas. Mix is good in my Sennheiser HD600s.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

20 hours ago, DeeringAmps said:

Certainly not "easy listening", but indeed as stated above a very easy listen.
Definitely Kirby, but a little more laid back.
I've suggested more high pass on the acoustic before? (pretty sure; right?)
Only bring it up because I think the Guild is sitting nicely in this one.

👍's

you never fail to deliver...

t

Thanks for listening Tom -yeah I put a high pass filter at 300 hz for the acoustic rhythm tracks - gave the bass plenty of room to breathe.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

19 hours ago, Bapu said:

Nice tune Douglas. Mix is good in my Sennheiser HD600s.

Thanks for listening Ed - I appreciate it. Regarding headphones, I use the Sony 7506 - I usually mix through them.

[Barry Seymour 89]

Yo Doug.  A few thoughts...

Bear in mind I'm early 70s in my mindset. Thus the slight 'punk' twang in your singing is not always my cup of tea. However, you do it well  here.  Harmony vocals are very solid. 

I am unsure of how to even suggest it, but it sounds to me like all of the instruments are chugging along on their own separate paths, rather than being part of a whole. Maybe some more compression on the individual tracks, then a mastering VST on the main bus?

Also hearing a little sound in the fade out, maybe a percussion track in the headphones. Maybe that's deliberate?

Some thoughts on lyrics: (Please forgive me if I sound like an annoying creative writing teacher, ha ha.)

• This sounds very laid back, it's a great sound. But if I were writing about a craving, it would be more intense. But that's just me.
• I always strive to make my lyrics flow just like they'd be spoken, with the same rhythm and emphasis. That's just my preference. Some turns of phrase here don't go that way. If deliberate, OK, but if it were me I'd tweak it.
• "With you there's always surprise." Maybe "a surprise?" Or maybe it was there but I didn't hear it.
• "Where harmony's a song...Lasts forever as we get along." That seems rather vague to me. What exactly are you trying to say?
• Chorus sounds like fragments. Maybe "Crave, I crave you, Crave, this feeling is so new?"

Just some thoughts. But I love the vibe, it's very Byrds / Tom Petty. Very much an earworm.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Barry Seymour

[noynekker 143]

Douglas, always like what I hear from you here on the Cakewalk forum. Basic 4 piece band stuff, but so well done, and recorded.  You've got something special happening with your recent songwriting. While I was listening, I read Barry Seymour's last comment . . . "Chorus sounds like fragments. Maybe "Crave, I crave you, Crave, this feeling is so new?" . . . and it got me thinking, that's producer stuff. If I sing Barry's lyric suggestions in my head, it really adds something from a songwriting point of view, punchier, more to the point, appeal to a wider audience . . . etc.  I'm not asking you to rewrite it, I like it as it is . . . but, I've learned that a good producer can take a good song to the next level. Your talent is undeniable, I don't pretend to know your circumstances . . . just glad to hear your songs here, that's all.

 

[Douglas Kirby 541]

12 hours ago, Barry Seymour said:

Yo Doug.  A few thoughts...

Bear in mind I'm early 70s in my mindset. Thus the slight 'punk' twang in your singing is not always my cup of tea. However, you do it well  here.  Harmony vocals are very solid. 

I am unsure of how to even suggest it, but it sounds to me like all of the instruments are chugging along on their own separate paths, rather than being part of a whole. Maybe some more compression on the individual tracks, then a mastering VST on the main bus?

Also hearing a little sound in the fade out, maybe a percussion track in the headphones. Maybe that's deliberate?

Some thoughts on lyrics: (Please forgive me if I sound like an annoying creative writing teacher, ha ha.)

• This sounds very laid back, it's a great sound. But if I were writing about a craving, it would be more intense. But that's just me.
• I always strive to make my lyrics flow just like they'd be spoken, with the same rhythm and emphasis. That's just my preference. Some turns of phrase here don't go that way. If deliberate, OK, but if it were me I'd tweak it.
• "With you there's always surprise." Maybe "a surprise?" Or maybe it was there but I didn't hear it.
• "Where harmony's a song...Lasts forever as we get along." That seems rather vague to me. What exactly are you trying to say?
• Chorus sounds like fragments. Maybe "Crave, I crave you, Crave, this feeling is so new?"

Just some thoughts. But I love the vibe, it's very Byrds / Tom Petty. Very much an earworm.

Hey Barry - thanks for listening and for you in-depth critiques - I appreciate it.

[Douglas Kirby 541]

8 hours ago, noynekker said:

Douglas, always like what I hear from you here on the Cakewalk forum. Basic 4 piece band stuff, but so well done, and recorded.  You've got something special happening with your recent songwriting. While I was listening, I read Barry Seymour's last comment . . . "Chorus sounds like fragments. Maybe "Crave, I crave you, Crave, this feeling is so new?" . . . and it got me thinking, that's producer stuff. If I sing Barry's lyric suggestions in my head, it really adds something from a songwriting point of view, punchier, more to the point, appeal to a wider audience . . . etc.  I'm not asking you to rewrite it, I like it as it is . . . but, I've learned that a good producer can take a good song to the next level. Your talent is undeniable, I don't pretend to know your circumstances . . . just glad to hear your songs here, that's all.

 

Thanks for taking the time to give my song a listen - and I'm glad you liked it - Happy Holidays.

[David Sprouse 403]

Douglas, this seems more retro to me than some of your other songs.  Love your lyrics.  Another great song.  Do you ever publish them?

[Douglas Kirby 541]

3 hours ago, David Sprouse said:

Douglas, this seems more retro to me than some of your other songs.  Love your lyrics.  Another great song.  Do you ever publish them?

Hey David - thanks for listening and I'm glad you liked it. No, I've never published any of my songs.

By the way, Powell's Books was on the national news one night - looks like a cool place to browse.