Johnbee58 Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) The past several weeks I've been struggling with whether I want to continue to do this. This song came out of that conflict. Frustration becomes art. https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/understand ?John B Edited August 1, 2019 by Johnbee58 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Joad Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Hi John, Do you mind if I call you John?? Nice groove, I like the doubling up on the vocal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy j Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Good one John B. I like the jazz/fusion to it and the vocal fx. The drop in the vocal at the end of some of the verse lines adds an interesting dimension to this song. Nice one!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark skinner Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Great Job ! I really enjoyed that. I was captivated by a lot of the changes and different directions you went. I totally agree with freddy j about the vocal drops . I "fully" plan on "Stealing" that effect from you... mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclarry Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Nice JB!!! I could turn that groove into a rocker real easy! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmcleod Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Another great song John. I love the vocal effect on the last two lines of each verse, and also in the middle 8. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 Thanks so much, guys! The "vocal drops" just kind of happened naturally. Glad you like them. The groove is from the new "Urban Jazz" EZ Keys and EZ Drummer packs, but with some of my own variations and chord progressions. I also upgraded to NI Session Strings Pro 2. For the benefit of other Session String users here who haven't taken it to Pro 2 yet, I highly recommend it. It's much easier to use than the older versions of SS and has some great new features. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornpdx Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 John You pour your soul into your lyrics that's for sure. Have to say though and in all honesty your music is really good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rik Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Hey John, life sucks, your music doen’t ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 Bjorn & Rik-Thanks so much. You're being too kind. ❤️ ?JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Screed Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 What else would you do? You will be more frustrated if you quit. Also, I think you have to change the standard of which you judge your abilities by. You know you love this, and even though it won't matter in the end, if you don't give up you can always say you tried. Now if you were to quit and move to an area rife with poverty and strife so that you could change peoples lives then I would say do it, but that will be frustrating too. Plus, I think you are great no matter what you decide, but it will be weird not seeing you around if you decide to leave. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 (edited) 23 hours ago, Jesse Screed said: What else would you do? You will be more frustrated if you quit. Also, I think you have to change the standard of which you judge your abilities by. You know you love this, and even though it won't matter in the end, if you don't give up you can always say you tried. Now if you were to quit and move to an area rife with poverty and strife so that you could change peoples lives then I would say do it, but that will be frustrating too. Plus, I think you are great no matter what you decide, but it will be weird not seeing you around if you decide to leave. Thanks, Jesse. I really appreciate that. ?Just an amateur having fun. JB Edited July 31, 2019 by Johnbee58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garybrun Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 OK John. These are my opinions only... but they are honest. You have really got to snap out of this "Im not good enough crap" because all you will do is alienate the very people who want to listen to your music and wont bother commenting because they are afraid of offending you.. or you'll just end up with people blowing smoke up your ***** just to make you feel happy! Anyway... "There, I've said it! Now that I got it off my chest, maybe I'll feel better". Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, garybrun said: OK John. These are my opinions only... but they are honest. You have really got to snap out of this "Im not good enough crap" because all you will do is alienate the very people who want to listen to your music and wont bother commenting because they are afraid of offending you.. or you'll just end up with people blowing smoke up your ***** just to make you feel happy! Anyway... "There, I've said it! Now that I got it off my chest, maybe I'll feel better". Gary No. I've changed my outlook. I AM good enough! I'm an amateur and I'm I'm proud or it. And I give up trying to be what I am not. If I don't measure up to your musical expectations, please don't listen because I'm not going to keep trying to beat a dead horse attempting to do the impossible! If you're going to make the same old critiques and cannot accept my music as I present it as best as I can, please don't listen and don't bother repeating yourself with the same old tired critiques that I say time and time again I can't do anything about! If I make only one person on this board happy, I'm fine with that-from now on! That sounded a bit harsh and off putting. Please accept my apology for acting a fool. Let me put it another way. I'm not going to apologize for the shortcomings in my music anymore. It is what it is. If you like it, fine. If not, fine too. I will no longer respond with hurt and offensive tones. You can flame all you want and I will try my best to take your suggestions and do something with them. If I can't, then I can't. As I said, I'm only an amateur. Some here are pros and I respect that. I feel wonderful for you and I respect your opinions and feelings, but understand that unlike you, I'm limited. But I'll take what you suggest and work with it as much as I can, IF I can. As far as my self loathing, I'm done with that too. Fact is, I'm proud of what little I can accomplish. I do and I will take pride in my music. This song here, for instance. I'm happy with it. Sure, somebody else could probably sing it better, but I'm happy with it because it came from me. I was also very happy with "Quietly She Sings". A few of you called me on the vocal work being out of tune and throaty. OK. That's how you see it and I respect that. As I said, I can't do anything about that but thank you for your suggestion. I'm proud of it anyway, really. It expresses me and that's all I really want. I'll keep making my music and keep posting it. If you enjoy it, I'm glad. If you don't, I'm glad too. Thanks for listening to the small amount of self expression I can get out. And thanks for your opinions and suggestions. I will do the best I can with them, but I won't make promises. Yours in music ?John B Edited July 30, 2019 by Johnbee58 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiller Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 I dig the music...nice and solid. If your vocals bother YOU then try other options. Find a singer or try instrumentals. If your vocals don’t bother you then I don’t see an issue...have fun and go for it. Greg Allman: “Please don't confront me with my failure I'm aware of it” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 16 minutes ago, amiller said: I dig the music...nice and solid. If your vocals bother YOU then try other options. Find a singer or try instrumentals. If your vocals don’t bother you then I don’t see an issue...have fun and go for it. Greg Allman: “Please don't confront me with my failure I'm aware of it” Thank you amiller. I won't find another singer because nobody could sing my songs they way I do. I'm not being conceited or delusional. My own vocals don't bother me. They used to but I'm not going to let it bother me anymore. I do my best singing MY music. ?JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 (edited) As far as the lyrical content of this song, I was considering re- writing the the words, but I think I'll leave it as it is. At the time I was depressed and frustrated. It was an off moment for me, but that's cool. That's what art is all about and it's a beautiful thing. I don't feel that way now. I've come out of the fog, but I'll have this song to look back on when I need to remind myself of those dark times and thoughts. Kind of like what Lennon did in his song "Yer Blues". EDIT-Lest someone take the Lennon/Yer Blues" statement above out of context (that's happened on this board already. Believe it or not), I am NOT comparing myself to John Lennon as far as talent or songwriting ability. I'm not putting myself" up there with him." I just mean that he expressed himself and his depression in that particular song. That's what I did here in mine. Please don't misunderstand that. ? ?JB Edited July 30, 2019 by Johnbee58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Screed Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 1 minute ago, Johnbee58 said: . I won't find another singer because nobody could sing my songs they way I do. I'm not being conceited or delusional. My own vocals don't bother me. They used to but I'm not going to let it bother me anymore. I do my best singing MY music. put that quote on your bathroom mirror, and read it everyday. create a voice reminder on your phone and have it call you three times a day with that message. be done with your fretting, the only thing that should bother you more than your singing voice is not singing at all. As humans, we are meant to sing, pity the fool who won't. As usual, somebody tells us we suck, and we believe them, and then we clam up, hate ourselves, and then we become suck. If there is a devil, I bet they love it when people won't sing. screw the devil, sing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnbee58 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Jesse Screed said: put that quote on your bathroom mirror, and read it everyday. create a voice reminder on your phone and have it call you three times a day with that message. be done with your fretting, the only thing that should bother you more than your singing voice is not singing at all. As humans, we are meant to sing, pity the fool who won't. As usual, somebody tells us we suck, and we believe them, and then we clam up, hate ourselves, and then we become suck. If there is a devil, I bet they love it when people won't sing. screw the devil, sing Good suggestion. I'll put your words on my bathroom mirror too. ? Edited July 30, 2019 by Johnbee58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark skinner Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 When I heard this song I searched thru 12 pages to hear more from you. Just Saying .... Now , I have a friend who sings his heart out when trying out a new song in a live venue . Put him in a sterile studio with the same song and he can't sing. He isn't dynamic and his vocal range just leaves. I think he worries to much about popping the mic , etc.. Put some mood lighting on him , give him a full length mirror, and the difference is night and day. Vocal range is even better and not as pitchy. I do have to melodyne some but he and anyone else hearing it is impressed. He felt really shy doing this at first but got over it. I know this is a "F....d" up suggestion ! nothing to lose by trying it ... mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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