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Hi,
Another new experience for me here with this 'all acoustic' (ie no drums/no bass) piece.
Also no b-i-a-b stage in the composition, which is also a first. All insrruments played, nothing generated. Don't tell anyone but the very authentic sounding ac gtr sound is actually a patch on the juno-d.
I used my version of PTPA, 11.0 (4), to record and mix the track and, indeed, to compose it.
Used Audacity at the end purely to make the final MP3 file.

The story is totally fictitious (this is a work of art remember) but certain details are gleaned from my daily commute to the day job.
Any comments welcome as ever. Thanks for taking the time to listen
Marc

Brightest Light

This is really good singing from you and a very fine song. Don't tell us which is a patch!! (ha, ha). I would ease off the violin during the singing parts (verse/chorus 2) and the violin bridge part (~2:18) didn't add too much for me.

Again, good singing and I think you should let biab join in on that fun.

Kevin

Hi Marc,

Engaging song story really drew me in. Good vocal too. I liked most of the arrangement. The very different break threw me a little. For me it was a little too much for the song. But that's subjective.

Nice work.

Josie

Hi Marc,

I really do like this song. I do think the mix needs some work, and with the right effects and mix, you can make the violin, etc., blend/sound better. I agree that the violin was a little too hot in places. But good job on the song!

Keep it up!

Steve

Marc, very nice song and vocal. I enjoyed it.

Bob

Hi Marc,

Very good song and singing.

I thought that the bridge with the violin seemed to be too harsh (it sounds as though it is cut and paste from a different song then back to the original)

If you fix that harshness then it would work better IMO

Best regards
George

Marc, that's an excellent song! Given the simple yet heartfelt sentiment of the song I think it would be great if it simply ended at 2:18. But if you want to keep the break in there, how about a Mellotron flute patch instead of that violin patch which is too strident? My head was then hearing a whole tone keychange for the final verse after the break. On balance though, it really would sound great if it ended at 2:18!
A very good song though, nicely sung and arranged.

John

Thanks to everyone for these helpful and insightful comments.

Kevin, George, Josie you’re absolutely right. The pizzicato bridge thing seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I’m not so sure. Perhaps I’ll put it to the vote, but my guess is that it could be on the way out.
If anything, it’s the restart that jars – could try fading that in I suppose…..

Steve I can tone down the strings during verse #2 – that way perhaps they’ll stand out better in the ‘solo’ verse after verse #3

Yes John – I could indeed experiment with other more, er, orchestral sounds. Don’t know why I went strings only on this one.
hmmm 2 semitone upward key changes are a little bit of a trademark with me.
Eventually all these tunes will finish up on my second album and we can’t have all of them finishing in a different key from the one they started in (or it will sound like the Eurovision song contest!)

Well anyway thanks again and, future contributors, let me know if you would chop down the bridge.

Regards,

Marc

Hi Marc,

I really liked this song. It's very thoughtfully put together. The lyrics appealed to me greatly and I thought they were constructed incredibly well. I loved the hook, "The brightest light in our town". Every time you sang it, it gave me goosebumps. I wasn't sure about the violin break but if you like it, that's all that matters.

Terrific work,
Noel

Many thanks Noel for taking a listen and for your kind comments

Quote:

I wasn't sure about the violin break .....

No, nor am I! If I ever get round to doing a remake it could get the chop. However, they do say that the purpose of a bridge is to break up the pattern of a song and 'wake' the listener up a bit. Well it certainly does that!

regards to down under,

Marc

Marc,
Great storyline! I found it very captivating. I also liked the accompaniment concept. Very delicate. Finally, I'll have to remember that style of tag ending. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks SpaceDog for these kind comments

That's a very rock n roll sounding town!

Regards,

Marc

It’s all been said, very good sound that could be outstanding after replacing the violin lead. Otherwise this has a great backing track (very good guitar emulation, one of the best I’ve ever heard), very good lyrics and super vocals.

Great chops BTW!

I like this my friend... Nice piece .. now to do to you what you do to my songs...(lol)

Yea karma comes back around lol....

I would take the strings and put them in a chorus stereo wide effect... for me they seem to be fighting for center stage and it sounds to mono in the mix. The strings should be in the balcony on the outer part of the mix.. your voice should be the only thing center stage...

hmmm, I'm only too happy to read detailed advice such as the above but there's no need to hide behind an anonymous tag.

Marc

Hi Marc

I really like the intimacy of this one - the 17th century drawing room feel, time ticking on continuously while he thinks about her. Good production suggestions from everyone. As for the instrumental version, in the vinyl days it was said if you wanted to have it the song would be an album cut with the instrumental in tact.

I think I would cut it down though, but differently than say John. When you come out of the verse before the instrumental with that long violin note under "brightest light in town" - for two bars then let your bridge be just two bars of the pizzicato bridge thing, then into your reprise verse.

I really don't think you need an instrumental of the verse, but I think you do need the short pizz bridge before the reprise verse - IMHO - but it is all subjective. The song is such a comfortable space to be in - another time, another place, floating with your thoughts - it's difficult to cut anything.

One thing - with my hearing - if I can notice reverb, perhaps it should be a touch drier.

Just sayin' - Ian