Picnic - a journey

[Leizer]

In 1993, I wrote a song called "Picnic". It has a strong 80's style, I can hear some Mr Mister that I loved back then. I recorded it through a mixer with vocals and sounds from my Roland D-10 (via Cakewalk 4 I think). I'm sure I have it on tape somewhere in some drawer. What I can remember a terrible vocal recording. However, a week ago I found a CD from 1995 with a instrumental version of the song. I did some instrumentals for my brothers OS/2 game pack, and for some reason I had borrowed a Roland RD-700 digital piano to to use its sounds. I had no effects other than the obvious chorus and reverb buttons on the piano, so very dry result. Anyway, here it is:

Then in 2013 I did a remake of the song. The harmonies were adjusted and the bridge were changed a bit because I didn't like the old one. This was the first project I used melodyne in, so the vocals are unfortunately a bit destroyed. A lot and bad auto-tuned. Here it is:

Anyway, now when finding the old recording I wanted to have a new go on the song so I used the 2013 version and changed some sounds (a lot of dim pro back then). The main goal with this new mix were to get a cleaner and clearer mix than 2013 but at the same time with a big soundscape. And with a more distinct bass line. The vocals were hard to do anything about but I fiddled a little with the delay and reverb. Here is the new version:

I thought these different takes could be fun for you to hear and compare. I guess that anyone recording MIDI in the 90's had hardware compressors and effects. Didn't exist in my world, until they became software plugins.

Edited April 21, 2019 by Leizer

[Sailor55]

Unusual bit of music. I listened to all three  versions, in reverse order.  At first I thought it was an odd premise for a lyric, but after a while, I got it. The  idea grew on me and it makes good sense now. I'm listening to the latest version for the second time as I type this...

...and I've now decided... I quite like this.  It has the potential to become an ear-worm.  In fact... too late.

Like you, I was making instrumentals in the early nineties with whatever I could get my hands on. I was using a Peavey DPM-3 sequencing keyboard (which I still use to this day, but only as  a midi keyboard), It was touted as the keyboard that, thanks to perpetual firmware updates, would never go obsolete.  Big surprise! It's now completely and utterly obsolete. I think I may have one of the last three left in the world. Then in 1992 I started using Cakewalk for DOS (because I had some kind of a vendetta against windows then). I drove the sounds in the DPM3 with it for several years eventually moving to newer versions of Cakewalk and then to SONAR, and finally, 'Bandlab Cakewalk'.

Although I've saved a lot of stuff from that time there's nothing I'd want the world at large to hear. Your original instrumental is a few steps above anything I had achieved at that time. It throws a lot of light on your development process. I appreciate that.  Thanks.  - Dan

[daryl1968]

Hello Lasse - it is very cool to hear the progression. The latest version is great and a real earworm. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by daryl1968

[Leizer]

On 4/22/2019 at 1:20 AM, Sailor55 said:

Unusual bit of music. I listened to all three  versions, in reverse order.  At first I thought it was an odd premise for a lyric, but after a while, I got it. The  idea grew on me and it makes good sense now. I'm listening to the latest version for the second time as I type this...

...and I've now decided... I quite like this.  It has the potential to become an ear-worm.  In fact... too late.

Like you, I was making instrumentals in the early nineties with whatever I could get my hands on. I was using a Peavey DPM-3 sequencing keyboard (which I still use to this day, but only as  a midi keyboard), It was touted as the keyboard that, thanks to perpetual firmware updates, would never go obsolete.  Big surprise! It's now completely and utterly obsolete. I think I may have one of the last three left in the world. Then in 1992 I started using Cakewalk for DOS (because I had some kind of a vendetta against windows then). I drove the sounds in the DPM3 with it for several years eventually moving to newer versions of Cakewalk and then to SONAR, and finally, 'Bandlab Cakewalk'.

Although I've saved a lot of stuff from that time there's nothing I'd want the world at large to hear. Your original instrumental is a few steps above anything I had achieved at that time. It throws a lot of light on your development process. I appreciate that.  Thanks.  - Dan

I'm glad you like it. The lyrics were originally without the baby concept, it was just about a spoiled teenager. I thought the lyrics were so bad and pointless so I added the baby cry in 2013 version, just to fool the listener a little. The lyric part of music creation is a dead end for me, I think I have only written 2 songs with lyrics since 1995...

Great to hear about your Peavey DPM-3 journey! I didn't know they even did synths. I'm with you on the Windows (3.0-3.1) vendetta. I removed it and just used DOS until 1996-97 when I got W95. W3.0 lagged like crazy on my 386sx and I could start up my computer in 8 seconds getting to MS-DOS prompt.

Thanks a lot.

Edited April 23, 2019 by Leizer

[Leizer]

On 4/22/2019 at 12:08 PM, daryl1968 said:

Hello Lasse - it is very cool to hear the progression. The latest version is great and a real earworm. 

Thanks Daryl, glad you liked it.

[kakku]

I think this should be in the charts. Radio ready imo. Just great

[Leizer]

On 4/24/2019 at 4:30 PM, kakku said:

I think this should be in the charts. Radio ready imo. Just great

Thanks a lot!

[PhonoBrainer]

What a great presentation, from the early archives to the modern version. Neat to hear the evolution. Was it meant to be kind of a smooth rnb 80's parody? I

The breakdown section is an absolutely fantastic mix.

 

I have shared these type of parental frustrations (to an extent) and I found myself laughing out loud. Super great and creative work! This is a true friggin' '80's homage!

 

For a tiny nit, maybe drop the volume on the snare while you are singing, just a smidge?

cheers,

-Tom

[Douglas Kirby]

I liked the song - definitely sounded 80's to me. It's catchy with a good hook on the chorus.  The mix sounded good to my ears - nice job.

Thanks for posting.

[garybrun]

I really enjoyed this tune.
Thomas Dolby inspired?
My era.

[Lynn Wilson]

This is the first thing I've heard today, and I can't get this out of my mind.  That's quite an evolution over time, and one that many of us have made, too.  I hope you find success with this song because it deserves it.  Two thumbs up!

[PhonoBrainer]

I'd just like to offer up comment #2, I've had this one into the rotation of late. It's very well done, and funny as hell. Great job!

[Leizer]

On 4/27/2019 at 6:32 AM, emeraldsoul said:

What a great presentation, from the early archives to the modern version. Neat to hear the evolution. Was it meant to be kind of a smooth rnb 80's parody? I

The breakdown section is an absolutely fantastic mix.

 

I have shared these type of parental frustrations (to an extent) and I found myself laughing out loud. Super great and creative work! This is a true friggin' '80's homage!

 

For a tiny nit, maybe drop the volume on the snare while you are singing, just a smidge?

cheers,

-Tom

LOL, no parody intentions here. I just try to do whatever comes up in my mind. The lyrics were written when i was around 20 years old, and over 20 years before I would get my first child. My second one is (hopefully) arriving in two months, and it's a boy... ?

Thank a lot, good idea about the snare. I have a hard time hearing such things until you point it out.

[Leizer]

On 4/28/2019 at 9:24 PM, Douglas Kirby said:

I liked the song - definitely sounded 80's to me. It's catchy with a good hook on the chorus.  The mix sounded good to my ears - nice job.

Thanks for posting.

And thanks for listening, Douglas. Glad you liked it.

[Leizer]

On 4/29/2019 at 8:27 AM, garybrun said:

I really enjoyed this tune.
Thomas Dolby inspired?
My era.

I took a listen to some Dolby songs. Didn't recognize them, but the style was very close to many of my early 90's songs! It's close to the tonality of Harold Faltermeyer, and from him I'm sure I got a lot of influence. (and from a guy called Ray Lynch - loved the soundscapes he created, Mr Mister etc).

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.