Keith Wilby

First Jack and now this. Avant Garde overload ? It's not my cup of tea but I can see why people would like it, and it certainly beats listening to Shouty Capaldi on Radio Two ?

Quite Avant Garde I thought and the vocal reminded me of David Byrne. Enjoyed it ?

Thanks, I agree ?

Oops, I'd forgotten I'd done that Mark. Thanks for the tip though, I think it makes a big difference ?

and de-essed vocal. https://www.bandlab.com/post/190c9872-6e8b-ed11-9d7a-000d3a3eed2a

Thank you Mark. I've done a little homework on "de-essing" but it's something new to me. Turns out I have "BT DeEsser" in my arsenal of FX so I'll have a play around with it. Presumably it should be first in the FX chain?

Do you mean the piano?

Hi Mark (and others from this thread, I have no idea how to tag people on here ?) Hopefully this will sound better. Thanks again everyone for your feedback. https://www.bandlab.com/post/054b781b-3a81-ed11-9d7a-000d3a3eed2a

Thanks guys, it always pays to have other pairs of ears to point out these things. I'll certainly go back and fix that ?

Quiet part of the guitar solo removed, vocals better synched and louder. https://www.bandlab.com/post/054b781b-3a81-ed11-9d7a-000d3a3eed2a

Same.

Many thanks guys. I'm starting to wonder if the song needs the quiet solo now; I suppose I'd need to work out some better notes to play though ("I'm playing all the *right* notes ..." ?)

One word: fantastic ?

I've had this tune hanging around for ages but have just put some reasonable lyrics to it (based on the shenanigans of the likes of UK MP Matt Hancock who broke his own COVID laws and then refused to apologise and/or resign as Health Secretary). I think the lead guitar gets a bit "muddy" at 2:45. Comments invited ? https://www.bandlab.com/post/e3d4d15e-877c-ed11-9f5e-000d3a980004

Thanks Mark, will take another listen. Always glad to hear your comments.

Thanks KSband, and I agree about the vocal mix ?

Hi all, I think it was in May when I posted my first attempt at this. Well, I've added a shedload of backing vocals to it since then so please give it a listen as I'm at the "can't see the trees for the wood" stage with it now, I've heard it that much ? All feedback welcome. https://www.bandlab.com/post/7c2e5fae-7871-ed11-9f5e-000d3a980004

Personally I'd strip it right back. For example, the strummed guitar muddies the whole mix IMO. One or two timing issues too?

I'm hoping I've addressed any comments made on the original post, particularly a better vocal balance. Thanks all ? https://www.bandlab.com/post/801139ba-f664-ed11-819a-000d3a3ee86d

This is wonderfully avant-garde. Not my cup of tea but I can tell that it takes talent and why people might like it. ?

Despite using black magic and trickery (and by that I mean bongos) to try and fool the listener into thinking my last attempt at this was faster than it actually was, I decided to bite the bullet and quicken it by a full 5 BPM which, in theory, meant singing all those vocals again. Thankfully, the "stretch" function in CbB worked nicely without adding any unwanted artefacts, provided I split them up into small enough chunks, so all I had to record again were the acoustic guitars. I've also made the lead vocal louder in response to comments on here. I think it sounds OK now ? https://www.bandlab.com/post/6b69f270-7a62-ed11-819a-000d3a3ee86d

That's a really nice piece but for me personally, it's dominated by the lead guitar. I think there needs to be gaps for a vocalist to get a word in edgeways ? YMMV of course.

That's very kind of you, thank you. Having listened again I think the celli are swamping, well, everything, particularly after the middle 8. Either way I'll fix it ?

Thank for your comments Michael. Sometimes I feel it's a little slow, and my wife says the arrangement is "flat", so rather than speeding it up and having to sing it all again I'm going to try punctuating the arrangement a bit first, maybe an organ or something. Failing that then I'll try a faster tempo.

There's a little old man who on some mornings shuffles into the shop where my wife works. She says he's such a lovely old fella but incredibly lonely, especially since his wife passed away. I've never met him but this song is based on her description of him. The recording needs a few fixes here and there, particularly the lead guitar which I always struggle with, but comments welcome as always. https://www.bandlab.com/post/52f68489-715f-ed11-819a-000d3a3eefd0