Barry Seymour

"Woman" tone? Not the John Lennon song. ????

Thanks for the feedback - I'll look for it.

No, this was my usual - MT Power Drum Kit 2. However back in the 80s it was a TR-505 drum machine I'd program by hand.

Two in one day! I recorded this on a Tascam PortaStudio way back in 1987, but it REALLY needed updating. It came together fast - I slapped this one together in two days! - since I already had it arranged. Lyrics by my good friend Ed Kazala.

I plug the cable into the amplifier, I plug the cable into my guitar But if I say that’s all, I am a liar, I conjure sounds both subtle and bizarre I tell a lie with every note I’m playing, it sounds like something came from outer space All the crazy sounds my guitar’s making are coming from my user interface You hear me here, you hear me there, you hear me all around You see me high up in the air, you feel me in the ground Spinning, swirling ‘round your head, you think that it’s superb I turn it on with my right foot, it’s only my reverb (Like) echoes traveling through the air you’re hearing, ripples travel forward through your life When your ancient schema’s interfering, your past dysfunction cuts you like a knife And everyone around you is a target, everyone around you is a mark Every day your history incarnate returns to sabotage you in the dark You see it here, you see it there, it undermines your life It alienates your family, it irritates your wife Often it can manifest in ways subtle and absurd Ripples spread with every change, it’s only your reverb You may never recognize the patterns You may not see how it all adds up The prehistoric you within the caverns Is orchestrating every new screw up You stand here near the ending of your journey, the road behind you long and winding past You start to think you might need an attorney, your ancient crimes will do you in at last There aren’t any major laws you’ve broken, just a lot of simple, dumb mistakes But every now and then some word you’ve spoken reverberates through time until it breaks You hear it here, you hear it there, you hear it all around You see it high up in the air, you feel it in the ground Spinning, swirling ‘round your head, destruction undisturbed Old mistakes you can’t undo, it’s only your reverb

Bloody beautiful. Great singing, love the chord progression. The string pad is like a warm comforter. Lyrics are deep poetry. Well done, I love this! ( I need me a cabin like that one!)

Echo the above, a real Jagger feel... and a real Richards feel in the guitar. Not my favorite style, but you do nail it. Great mix and playing. Nice how you spread the BG vocals out from left to right.

No, not a technical discussion. At least, the SONG isn't. Comments welcome. Edit: New mix!

Okay, here's a new mix. I re-sang the vocals as I did not like the timbre I was putting out. Also backed off the snare as recommended.

Good catch. Will adjust. Anything else? ?

Ha. I'm just using the stock TH3 amp sim. I've always found it adequate to my limited needs as an aging 70s rocker. LOL What was coolest was discovering a free Mellotron VST, the RedTron from Artifake Labs. It's great fun!

Here's another departure for me, an attempt at progressive rock. Had a lot of fun adding a synthesizer and even a MELLOTRON in there. First mix, open to suggestions.

It's out!

Ha. I boosted the kick because someone said the drums sound 'thin.' I'll revisit, thanks.

Okay, I think this is the last one. I added a bit more variety to the drums, deepened the tone on the kit, I hope it blends in better now. (Plus this one is in "HD.") Speak now, or forever hold your pieces!

I have some ideas on what that sound might be, gonna look into it. I often find this, that something sounds good on my headphones but not on a set of speakers. Crafting a mix that sounds good everywhere is like the Holy Grail. Thanks for the kind words.

Damn, that's a seamless mix! Great tune, great sound.

Sorry everyone, I was waiting on a drummer who didn't materialize. I dove in a bit and learned more about drum programming using the step sequencer. (Thanks, Creative Sauce!) I redid the drums, also did some more mixing, panning some tracks, adding compression and effects, tweaking the EQ. What do you think?

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...