Ain't Nothin' Easy

It's been a week since my last post, so I pulled out another one of those "quick hits" I did recently. This particular one took a little under three hours. It has a couple of odd chords, one being a Dbm7flat5 with a G bass (Dbm7b5/G). I accidently played that chord when my fingers didn't go where I wanted them to on the fret board. But I liked the surprise chord a lot and decided to use it in this song. The most difficult part of the mix was that muted, "thumping" bg guitar on the left channel. No matter how I adjusted it with volume, panning and EQ, it always seemed to be too forward or too deep in the mix. This is as good as I could get it. I would like it to be just a tiny bit more forward, but even the slightest increase made it too loud. Oh well!

Apologies for my tardy replies on "In A Mood", my prvious post. Di had a health emergency on Tuesday. She is stabalized now, but her health continues to decline.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the song.



File: Ain't Nothin' Easy.SGU

Key=Eb, Tempo 65, Length (m:s)=3:26

Style is _MOORED.STY (Moored RnB Songwriter Pop Solo)

RealTracks in style: 1536:Bass, Electric, PopBelieve Ev16 065
RealTracks in song: 3059:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Muted16thsFintan Ev16 080
RealTracks in style: 3906:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm SongwriterSlow16DADGAD Ev16 060
RealTracks in style: 3099:Organ, Rhythm AmericanaSlow16thsMike Ev16 060
RealTracks in song: 3321:Guitar, Acoustic, Soloist RnBPopDblBrent Ev 055
RealDrums in Song: Americana Slow 8ths Fred

I replaced the original drum style and replace the EP with the muted rhythm. I kept the other RTS from the style and then added the lead guitar.

I like this song, it's beautifully done and calms me when I listen to it.

Sorry to hear about your wife, hope she gets well soon! My best wishes from this side of the big pond.

Super groove and chord progression.

Excellent chops!

Di is in my prayers.

Hi Bass Thumper ...

Glad to read that it was calming for you. That was the intended goal. Thanks for letting me know.

Alan

Hi Mario ...

Many thanks for your time to listen and comment so nicely. Di and I thank you for the prayers. Take care ...

Alan

Hi Alan love the chord changes really great song peace well done my friend thanks Eric

Hello Alan,

You are really a good musician, composer, mixing- and mastering engineer all in one. Three hours to achieve this!!!
Very nice and entertaining.
And what a sad thing (again) you wrote about Di...

But I'm impressed on the song and making of it,
Hans

Hi Al
I am so sorry about Di.
I hope she recovers. That would be so nice !
I really like your song
Such a great melody and also the solo is really very good and varied
Plus the short development time of the song. Really cool
Great work Al
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Hey Alan, sorry to hear this about your wifey, we are pulling for her.

Nice composition I like how the 3 guitars interplay with each other.

PS> I too consider this calming but scanning the comments above I think you crossed-confused B.D. Thomas with me.

Dbm7flat5
Dbm7b5/G

We don't speak that talk!

But we do know when we hear a great production.

Well done re every last thing you did to make it all work so well.
The mellow vibe is smooooth and engaging.

Nice!

J&B

PS: I've no doubt at this point that "Ain't Nothing Easy" is directly correlated to age. And, yes, I'm older than you

Sorry about the name mix-up. Getting old compromises one's faculties!

Hi Eric ...

Sure do appreciate the nice comments! Thanks.

Alan

Hello Hans ...

Those are some very nice compliments! Thank you so much!

Most of my posts involve just a few hours of work. There are exceptions, of course. There some I've been working on, off and on, for a couple of years.

Di has been seriously ill and significantly disabled for quite a few years. She keeps fighting. Thanks for mentioning her.

Alan

HI Andi ...

Thank you very much for those kin d words about the song. ! And thank you for the very nice words about my wife.

Wie immer ...

Ich danke dir viel.

Ha! You guys have an advanced vocabulary of everything musical. You post some of the very best music on the forum. As far as "odd" chords go, I have a few up my sleeve. I have to sneak them in when I can!

Well, as far as turning so many pages on the calender, it does tend to apply some limits we have to get used to. But limited is better than the alternative. Except in the movies, haven't seen many cadavers playing odd chords - or anything else! So, I accept the limits without too much complaining. And yeah, I know how old you are - you told me in a PM some time back. I don't go into antique stores any more - they always try to hang a price tag on me!

Take care - and thanks for the kindness.

Alan

Nice piece, Al, your chords brought out the best in that soloist realtrack. Sorry to hear about Di, hope her health improves. Hang in there, bud.

Hi Alan,

Another strong instrumental from you!

The guitar panned left sounds just about perfect in my book, it's sitting in the mix nicely. Soloist guitar sounds great, you seem to always get the most out of the RealTrack soloists.

Sorry to hear about Di's ongoing health problems!

Alan,

A gorgeous instrumental.
Always impressed with your choices. And how "listenable" your instrumentals are.
Beautiful mix. (Guitars sound great).

Best to Di.

fj

Hi Alan,

Soothing music
Our thoughts are with Di.

Rob and Anne-Marie

Alan,
Can't wrap my head around how you make your tunes sound so full of life? Amazing, especially considering relatively short time put into it. Panning worked out very well. Would love to see a video of you working on these Thank you for sharing and best wishes to Di.

Misha.

HI Bob ...

Thanks so much for the very kind comments. It's one of my favoprite acoustic guitar RTs. This is the 3rd or 4th time I've used it in the past year or so. It's very adaptable to various genres.

I'm delighted you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know.

And we appreciate your thoughts for Di.

Alan

Hi Scott ..

Thanks for the feed-back on the muted guitar on the left. The more I listen, the more I'm satisfied with it. So, I'm gonna leave it as is.

And that lead guitar RT is one of my favborites. As I mentioned above to Bob, I've used it several time over the past year.

Thanks for your thoughts on Di's health.

Alan

Hello Floyd ...

Thank you so much! This is one of my favorites of the acoustic guitar tunes I've posted in quite a while. The various trracks on this song sound more "natural" than many of the RTs. I just play around with them a little to get the sound I want. No big secrets. I also liked the clarity of the strummed guitar on the right side.

Thasnk you very much for ther most genreous comments. I have about a dozen or so of these "quick-hit" pieces. I'ver done mosdty of the work on the,m on my laptop as Di is receiving her treatments. And thanks for your thoughts on her health.

Alan

Hi Rob & Anne-Marie ...

I'm delighted your listen was soothing. That was the goal. And thanks for your thoughts for Di. Take care ...

Alan

HI Misha ...

You are much too kind. But thank you for the kind words. I would be more than happy to do a video if I knew how to film it and upload it. I have no idea how to do either. I'm pretty good with the hardware side of computers. But on the software side, I'm an idiot.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!

Best to you ...

Alan

Sorry to have delayed responding Alan,
I didn't want you melody to get in the way of another currently doing the ear worm thng.
This is, unsurprisingly, wonderful.

Hi, Alan.

Nice work - it sounds really good through my speakers. And the stereo image is especially good.

So good, Alan. A good feel with a fine melody soaring through. Well played and written. Yeah, I like those chords that come from misplaced fingers. This tune has such a good feel and you play it so well. Man, you wring out so much emotion. My thoughts are with you and Di. Stay well.

Hi Al-David,

I enjoyed the sound and playing of the guitar. It's light in tone and it pleases. The instruments are in their place in the mix. Well done.

Kindly regard
derochette
alais JaniJackFlash

Alan,

I've had that happen a few times on the guitar and the piano too, where I hit a wrong note in a chord and realized that it was better than what I originally had. Your "oops" works well here. A very pleasing composition that moves along smoothly.

Very relaxing easy listening piece, the guitar melody is very nice. This is one of those of your instrumentals that I would like to hear with a real singer, the band is sweet and smooth, and the chording is so beautiful that a soft female voice on top of this would be like icing on the cake Well, I'm just dreaming now... great work with the mix. All the best to you and Di!

Janne

Alan,

You've done it again! You are an absolute master at massaging great sounds out the realtracks...you REALLY know how to use them! I always enjoy your work! There are some really lovely things happening in this tune! Keep on rockin'

Thanks, Torrey

Hi Ray ... Quick replies because of Di's situation. Thanks so much. Know wehat you mean about ear worms when working on morte than one project. Thanks a bunch for your nice comnment.

Alan

HI David,

Short replies today as mty wife uis very ill. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. I've started spacing the pan a little wider recently. Take care.

Alan,

Hi Marty


Short replies today as mty wife is very ill. You are very kind with your words. I apopreciate all of them. Thank you very much.

Alan

Hello DeRochette ..


Short replies today as mty wife is very ill. Thank you very much. I'm happy you like the guitar tone! best tio you ...

Alan

Hi Scott ...


Short replies today as mty wife is very ill. Sometimes mistakes aren't all that bad! Glad you enjoyed the song.

Alan

Hi Janne ...


Short replies today as my wife is very ill. I agree with you that a soft female voice would be perfect for this. MNy wife can longer sing as good as she once did (health). But glad you enjoyed the instrumental version. Thanks for letting me know.

Alan

Hi Torrey ...


Short replies today as my wife is very ill. (Covid), I find myself blushing every time after I read your comments. It all just comes together kind of naturally. Can't explain it mnuch after that. But thank you so much! Take care ...

Alan

Alan...this is one of your best...I love acoustic guitars playing those more exotic chords...really a super listen...my thoughts and prayers for Di...Dan