PavlovsCat Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) I wrote this song over a decade ago, but only started recording music again last year and always wanted to record it with full rock instrumentation. I'm not sure how to categorize it beyond a mellow rock song, probably Beatle-esque (not intentionally, it just came out that way probably because that band is a huge influence on me). It's called "Where Would I Be?" It has a bridge not included here, as my hard drive with it just crashed and I really can't recall exactly how it went. So this is my first attempt at the song with full instrumentation. As always, constructive criticism is always appreciated. I do think that I need to add the bridge and end it on a brighter note with a full chorus ringing out as opposed to the mellow ending I gave it here. I'd love to hear what others' think about that, the song and as I know almost nothing about mixing and don't use many effects in this beyond on my vocals, I could use advice from those who are knowledgeable on production. Thanks! Edited February 28, 2022 by PavlovsCat 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookiee Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Listening on my Event 20/20's it sound quite a reasonable song, nice clear vocal, everything else sounds clear and present. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve@baselines.com Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Huge Beatles fan so I love this song. I would bring the bass up and add more low end to the kick. Great job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sprouse Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 I'm a big beatles fan as well. I want to hear it with the missing bits if you remember them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 2 hours ago, steve@baselines.com said: Huge Beatles fan so I love this song. I would bring the bass up and add more low end to the kick. Great job! Yeah, it's no surprise I'm a huge Beatles fan, is it? Thanks for the comment and advice. The bass is a modeled Hofner played with a pick from MODO. I thought it sounded pretty good during the prechorus but wasn't sure about the level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, steve@baselines.com said: Huge Beatles fan so I love this song. I would bring the bass up and add more low end to the kick. Great job! @steve@baselines.comI just clicked on your Bandlab link and that's all it took to convince me I should start using that. Of course, I really enjoyed your covers -- Beatles (For No One is one of my favorites), Steely Dan (as a kid, I would put my headphones on and play drums to everything from the Aja album -- it is perfection)... As soon as I spend some time getting set up on Bandlab, you'll be the first person I follow! Edited February 28, 2022 by PavlovsCat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antler Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Sounds good to me. I certainly do hear the Beatles influence coming through. While I'm not the biggest fan of the fab four, I do like this song - great chord sequence and melody. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 Just now, antler said: Sounds good to me. I certainly do hear the Beatles influence coming through. While I'm not the biggest fan of the fab four, I do like this song - great chord sequence and melody. When I wrote and play the song on piano and sing it, it doesn't sound so Beatle-esque, but when I arranged it for a rock band and strings, my use of a Rickenbacker 12 string guitar (Orange Tree Samples' Evolution Rick 12 String library) and the Modo modelled Hofner bass played with a pick (the way McCartney plays it), really gave it a strong Beatles' vibe -- and of course the string arrangement is definitely from the George Martin school. I originally recorded this with a Fender Precision Bass (Orange Tree Samples') library using a preset that is based on James Jamerson's tone, but I really wanted the tone of a Hofner bass on the pre-chorus (the section where the drums drop out), so I found when I replaced the bass, the song took on a much more Beatle-esque vibe and then when the Rick 12 string guitar on the chorus is incredibly linked to the Beatles' sound too. And then I ruined it all with my crap vocals! Hahaha. Sad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSband Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 I really like your song and the arrangement is pretty good. The strings and piano are great. I agree that the bass is too soft. I think it would sound nice if you doubled the vocal on the chorus (not a harmony, just double it) and pan one to one side a little to give it extra fullness. I think some call and return backup vocals would sound nice there too. Good job on this for sure. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 33 minutes ago, KurtS said: I really like your song and the arrangement is pretty good. The strings and piano are great. I agree that the bass is too soft. I think it would sound nice if you doubled the vocal on the chorus (not a harmony, just double it) and pan one to one side a little to give it extra fullness. I think some call and return backup vocals would sound nice there too. Good job on this for sure. I was thinking about doing harmonies on the chorus, but I tend to get frustrated that my voice just doesn't cut it. I will give it a try. As I've heard the suggestion to turn up the bass a couple of times, I'm definitely going to do that too. Thanks for the advice. I'll share the updated version when I have an opportunity to make the changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornpdx Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 The melodic accompaniment really makes the song. Nice chord changes You had another song couple of weeks ago where the Voc level was too low. This one blends in well with the instruments and seems just right to me. -Bjorn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 (edited) 39 minutes ago, bjornpdx said: The melodic accompaniment really makes the song. Nice chord changes You had another song couple of weeks ago where the Voc level was too low. This one blends in well with the instruments and seems just right to me. -Bjorn Thanks. I do listen to everyone's advice. Professionally I was only a drummer who did background vocals, so I'm not very comfortable with my voice and am only learning about mixing and mastering (and the related effects, eq'ing, etc). I mainly only ever focused on playing and songwriting back when I was a working musician, so I'm really just learning about mixing and production and the advice here has been very helpful and people have been super kind. Candidly, I'm always super uptight about sharing anything with my voice and when I first put this up and no one responded for several hours I thought, "wow, my vocals are so bad that no one wanted to comment. " Edited March 1, 2022 by PavlovsCat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Shapiro Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 (edited) What a beautiful song. And very well produced. It sounds something like I'd hear on the radio....very professional. 👍 And I think your vocals are great as well. Sounds to me like a cross between Tom Petty and John Lennon. Edited March 1, 2022 by Lee Shapiro additional info 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB01 Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Vocals are good - so back yourself and go for it! Mix sounded good to me but there are wiser heads and better ears on here than mine. Well done, I enjoyed the listen. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bajan Blue Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 I think the track sounds great - this is a good song. I agree with Steve re the Bass and Kick, but apart from that cool Nigel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhonoBrainer Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Glad I caught this. It's a great song and mixwise, it's unusual to hear such low-end clarity across bass, kick, and lower register guitar strings. Wonderful! It's kind of a crime not to have supporting bgv's on this. Really, really good!!! cheers, -Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, PhonoBrainer said: Glad I caught this. It's a great song and mixwise, it's unusual to hear such low-end clarity across bass, kick, and lower register guitar strings. Wonderful! It's kind of a crime not to have supporting bgv's on this. Really, really good!!! cheers, -Tom Thanks so much, I really appreciate it. I would think that some might say me singing itself is a crime! But I think you're right that the song would really benefit from background vocals. I think I will eventually come back to this song when I track down the original recording and add the bridge and background vocals. While I spent 12 years as a semi professional drummer, I only played in established working bands where I replaced the original drummer and was never able to get my own music performed. So until last year, only several people, including three musicians in a band I formed in the mid 90s that never made it to the recording studio or stage , have ever heard any of the music I have written, so sharing my songs publicly for the first time was a bold step for me, and I felt potentially embarrassed because I can no longer play very well and my voice is obviously not very good -- but I think my songwriting was/is pretty good. So I really appreciate the encouragement. I thank you and everyone who left a comment. It has really exceeded my expectations. Edited March 8, 2022 by PavlovsCat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeringAmps Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Total hear the Beatles references noted above. Nicely done Peter! One little crit, push the vocal up a bit (you've complained about your voice in the past, I get it, but just do it), the tune deserves it... t 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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