Arrow of Time

[steve@baselines.com]

An original tune, updated for 2025.  I used a bunch of my UAD goodies.  I'm seriously considering getting FabFilter Pro Q 4, looks incredible.  Any one have any feedback on that?

https://baselines.com/?p=7393

 

 

[Barry Seymour]

This is charming. It's a bit like XTC meets Steely Dan. Chord changes that are intriguing, weird in places, yet it works.

I feel like the percussion hits a little too hard without any sense of flow to smooth it out. It kinds of clomps along to my ears. Maybe that's by design, I dunno, but it struck me. (No pun intended.)

I wanted to jump into a lyrical analysis, but this is a recording site, not a songwriting site.

That said, the production is stellar. The mix blends so well, everything works. The drums are my only thought.

[steve@baselines.com]

Thank you for the great comment!  About the drums, I agree I struggled with them.  I kept taking little pieces out throughout the process.  I want to try to make drums interesting where I can, I probably still overdid it!  The original lyric was 'the sky' but it was too tempting to turn it into 'this guy'. 🙂

 

Steve

 

[SUPAREELS]

Hi Steve, 

Great bit'o'work I enjoyed this one a lot. Got to agree the drum track could do with a little help ... have you tried UAD's channel strip ( LA-6176 ) ? there's so many plugs in the world of music it's so hard to get something that does the trick ... you work is so good I feel that I'm teaching you to suck eggs, so forgive the observation. Ozone 10 is a great all rounder . anyway thanks for the post great stuff!

Steve(SRM)

 

 

[steve@baselines.com]

5 hours ago, SUPAREELS said:

Hi Steve, 

Great bit'o'work I enjoyed this one a lot. Got to agree the drum track could do with a little help ... have you tried UAD's channel strip ( LA-6176 ) ? 

 

Thanks Steve!  I haven't tried the LA-6176 - Is that a plugin or just the hardware?  At $299, it's not a bad price (compared to those > $1000 pieces I will never own!) 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bajan Blue]

Hi Steve

Like this track as well.

Out of interest, what are you using for Drums?

Cool

Nigel

 

[Morenoize]

Hi Steve, you obviously put a lot of work in this, well done. Would have liked a guitar solo in the outro, very nice guitar work in this.

 

Rik

[SUPAREELS]

18 hours ago, steve@baselines.com said:

Thanks Steve!  I haven't tried the LA-6176 - Is that a plugin or just the hardware?  At $299, it's not a bad price (compared to those > $1000 pieces I will never own!) 

The one I use is a plug, the hard version was hard to justify for my studio. The website has a trial for this although there are many ...so many ways to achieve a solid mix. $300, although reasonable, is still a hefty price when used a few times in a mix .. just sayin' is all

ATB

Steve 

[steve@baselines.com]

4 hours ago, SUPAREELS said:

The one I use is a plug, the hard version was hard to justify for my studio.

I hear ya.  I have only a few hardware pieces.  I got the Babyface Pro, and I use the Behringer 8 Channel ADAT - Other than that, it's all plugins.

I got the subscription to the Spark program which has a lot of Channel Strips, but I haven't tried them very much.  The ones I have tried have too many knobs in one place, for me a recipe for disaster!  When I first got the subscription, I used the 1176 compressors a lot, but I have moved to the LA-3A which currently I like.  Perhaps in a few months I'll do the same thing and remove all the LA-3As and move to something else.

 

[steve@baselines.com]

21 hours ago, Morenoize said:

Hi Steve, you obviously put a lot of work in this, well done. Would have liked a guitar solo in the outro, very nice guitar work in this.

 

Rik

Thanks for the idea Rik - maybe when I pick this one up again, I'll put something in there.  I'll keep that in mind.

[steve@baselines.com]

21 hours ago, Bajan Blue said:

Hi Steve

Like this track as well.

Out of interest, what are you using for Drums?

Cool

Nigel

 

Thanks Nigel - This was first written when I was transitioning from EZ Drummer to Superior Drummer 3.  I have both of those on this track, but the main part is with Superior Drummer 3.

[Wookiee]

Nice, cool mix.

[steve@baselines.com]

On 7/27/2025 at 9:53 AM, Wookiee said:

Nice, cool mix.

Thanks for listening!