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Posted By: Noel96 New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 08:42 AM
Hi,

Here's a song that Brenda and I started work on many months ago. It's only recently that I've had enough time to assemble it into something presentable.

... link to song on Vimeo (audio/visual)

... link to song on Soundcloud (audio only)

... link to lead sheet

I'm not sure how the balance is on this one because I've mixed it while fighting a cold! Please feel free to comment on any aspect of the song and its production.

Thank you in advance for listening,
Noel

Previous song: Heaven's Stairway

SONG INFORMATION

Bass: #1849
Piano: #1278
Guitar: #1600
Jazz Guitar: #1637
Drums: NashvilleEven8^6-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, HiHat Open
Flute and Strings: Dimension Pro (MIDI)

LYRICS

I Can See Tomorrow
© 2013 N. Adams & B. Smith. All rights reserved.

The clouds arrived the day you left
I thought the rain would never end
Nights were long, I just couldn't sleep
Lonely walks were my only friends
I didn't know which way to turn
Didn't know which way to go
I didn't want to stop my heart from missing you so

[CHORUS]
Now I can see tomorrow
It's waiting for me
Waiting for me
I can see tomorrow
When everything will be alright and travelling easy

For quite a while the sun was lost
The moon and stars refused to shine
And though the world still kept on turning
All I wanted was to fade and die
But now I see a glimmer in the distance
A light that's burning with hope
And all the colours of the rainbow are starting to grow

[CHORUS]

All around me is coming to life
The end of endless night
A sunrise is ready to go
And it's heading my way

[CHORUS]

Travelling easy
Travelling easy
Posted By: ROG Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 12:08 PM
Hi Noel.

Great song and video. I thought the orchestration was superb.

I did notice that your voice sounded different to usual, sort of harder with an edge to it. Is this a new vocal setting, or perhaps as a result of mixing with the cold? Other than that, everything is just fine.

ROG.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 12:37 PM
Hi ROG,

Thanks for taking time to listen and to comment. I always appreciate the insight you give. It was good to read that the balance worked for you! Thanks for that.

The vocals are probably a mixture of cold and preset. I sang a number of tracks when I didn't have a cold but I comp'd and mixed the tracks with ears that weren't all that functional. The Nectar preset I used was called "Rock - Sizzling Lead". Mind you, that's probably more wishful thinking on my part than anything else smile I've got to say, I really like playing around with Nectar and seeing what I can do with my vocals.

Once again, thanks for listening and passing your thoughts. I'm grateful.

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: floyd jane Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 03:09 PM
Noel,

May have to start calling you "Mr. Rainbow". You find that silver lining in everything!... even a "lost love" song! You are amazing...

I like your sizzling rock lead vocal. The flute was a nice change of pace. There was a real nice guitar in the beginning that seemed to disappear after that - I wanted a little more of that.. I thought the production was "a bit large" right from the start (the piano). More of a build, maybe... especially considering your subject... a little easier on the opening verse and then big on your chorus where you are "seeing those rainbows"... (just an opinion...).

The bridge was awesome - both melody and lyric.

floyd
Posted By: Guitarhacker Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 04:37 PM
Nice... enjoyed the vid....
Posted By: Pat Marr Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 04:41 PM
As usual, your lyrics contain an uplifting message. This has become your trademark. At a time in music history when positive lyrics have all but been replaced by negative irony, you may be the only person on the planet writing uplifting songs. (keep it up!)

I identify with the lyrics of this song to some extent... my wife's death last year has knocked the blocks out from under me and I'm still waiting to "see tomorrow". It's good to be reminded that at some point I might, but for now it will have to remain a conceptual possibility, knowable only through 3rd person reports such as this song.

Your vocals were "beefier" in this song than in some others... your dynamics ranged from contemplative to full-blown "belting it out". I liked that ! What a professional sound! In my opinion, MOST of the songs presented on the forum lack vocals that come across as being "fully committed" to the song. (But this did have that quality IMO)

My only negative observations concern the strings, and I have several to make:

1) The strings started and ended too abruptly. A real string section would fade in and out across a fuller range.

2) Also I doubt that a real arranger of strings would ever limit the arrangement to chords. There would most likely be some melodic motif within the chords that repeats through all of the string parts. Ideally this motif would serve as a "signature riff" that makes your song instantly identifiable.

3) ending with sustained strings playing a chord is classic unedited BIAB. This is just my biased opinion, but I think that ending undermines the song by leaving the listener with the part of the song that is least impressive.


You have developed the quality of your songs greatly in terms of interesting chord structures, clever lyrics, well-considered rhyming schemes, and your voice has taken on a professional quality. I'm very impressed by your approach to song writing, and by the excellent results you get by the application of that approach.
Posted By: Danny C. Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 06:14 PM
Very nice, happy, uplifting I really enjoyed. One not pick . . . not enough rainbows, I have a need for more rainbows. Just can't get enough rainbows, dig?

Very enjoyable listen Noel.

Later,
Posted By: boehm Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/12/13 11:05 PM
Hi Noel,

I'd like to quote Floyd: "May have to start calling you "Mr. Rainbow". You find that silver lining in everything!... You are amazing..."
I like the words and the arrangement.

Guenter
Posted By: Sundance Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/13/13 04:52 AM
Noel,

I especially liked the "and traveling easy" in the chorus. I don't really have anything I'd nitpick on here. I like this song very much - listened twice. I've been a little depressed for a while and it made me feel good...so thank you and Brenda - I needed that. smile
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 08:23 AM
Hi Floyd,

I don't think it's that I'm Mr Rainbow, it's just that I prefer to find positive things to think about! I blame that on my mother. She never let things get the better of her for long smile Luckily for writing songs, Brenda likes looking at the world from a positive point of view too.

Thanks for listening. Also, thank you for the tips. As is always the case, you've given me something to think about and I'll go away and have a play with it next time I have 5 minutes to spare.

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 08:24 AM
Hi Herb,

Good to see you again. Thank you for taking time out to listen.

Regards,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 08:55 AM
Hi Pat,

Gosh! Thank you for taking so much time to give me such good ideas. I really appreciate it. Brenda will be tickled pink when she reads your thoughts, too.

Also, thank you for your comments regarding my singing. As you know, I don't think of myself as a singer. One day, however, I discovered iZotope Nectar and, about the same time, I gave up worrying about whether I could sing or not! What you now hear is a combination of electronics and a "I can't be stuffed worrying about it anymore" attitude wink I'm glad it works. Who knows where it will lead (lol) ...

As for the songs, lyrics, etc. ... As much as I'd like to take the credit, I have Pat Pattison to thank there. I also have to thank Andrea Stolpe who showed me how to apply Pat's ideas in a different way. Whenever I'm stumped, applying a little bit of Andrea Stolpe always seems to save the day!

Hope all is 'travelling easy' for you.

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 08:57 AM
Hey Danny!

I agree, it wouldn't hurt the world to have a few more rainbows spread around it! Thanks for having a listen. Appreciate it.

Regards,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 09:07 AM
Hi Guenter,

Thank you! I think Irving Berlin 'Look(ed) for the silver lining' a few decades before my parents even knew I was going to exist smile Believe it or not, 'Look For The Silver Lining' used to be one of my favourite songs! I can still remember the first time I heard it and how it made me feel really good. Hmmm ... I wonder if that's partly responsible for my propensity for happy songs. Interesting thought ...

Anyway, I'd better not bother you with personal philosophy!

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: 90 dB Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 10:21 AM
Very nice Noel. I liked everything about it.


Regards,

Bob
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 01:10 PM
Hi Josie,

Thank you for taking the time to listen and for you encouraging words. I can see Brenda smiling now when she reads what you've written. She'd also be hoping that things are looking up for you, just like I am.

All the best,
Noel

P.S. Also, thank you for singling out the phrase "travelling easy". That was the last bit of the song to fall into place and it didn't come easily! Brenda and I had finished the song but the last line of the chorus just didn't seem to work 100%. We just kept on trying different things and, after 3 months or so, we eventually stumbled across "travelling easy".
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 01:11 PM
Hey Bob,

Thanks for dropping by listening. Appreciate it.

Regards,
Noel
Posted By: JoanneCooper Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/14/13 07:23 PM
I loved it Noel. And the video images added something unique
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/16/13 12:50 AM
Hi Joanne,

Thank you for dropping by. I'm glad the slideshow worked for you smile What I do is to hunt around the net for free images (desktop wallpapers, etc.) and then compile them in a way that seems to make some kind of visual journey. It's a slow process but I enjoy it!

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/16/13 04:58 AM
In case anyone is interested ...

I've now included a link to the leadsheet for this song. It's at the start of the thread along with the links to the recording.

The leadsheet was created in MuseScore which, I must say, is an outstanding music notation program. The more I use it, the more impressed I become. It's hard to believe it's freeware!

Regards,
Noel
Posted By: F.M.M. Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/16/13 02:41 PM
hi noel nice work mix vocal lyrics arrangement everything fits very well done thanks eric
Posted By: Janice & Bud Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/16/13 11:17 PM
The ability or the willingness to see tomorrow seems simple...yet so many folks find it elusive -- and that is sad. I often ponder this. The delicate balance of the past, the present and tomorrow really is the key. And, I am immensely blessed to have a wife that perfectly threads that needle and serves as a daily example for me. Thanks for the opportunity to hear this song.
Posted By: Achordocaster Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/17/13 08:30 PM
Noel,

Another excellent "Noel" song! I really enjoyed it!

I thought Floyd & Pat both had some good observations & comments that I agree with. smile

Great Job!

Greg
Posted By: Charlie Fogle Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/18/13 02:28 AM
I enjoyed your song and It stands well as it is. The song is well written and produced As others have noted, lyrically we are taken on a journey from loneliness to hope. To me, the style and message of the song lends itself to a different musical arrangement, building from a simpler, less busy beginning, by maybe utilizing a single instrument and then building the arrangement more complex through each section. This would musically take us on the journey along with the lyrics. This is not criticism of your fine arrangement. I may just hear it through a different ear and hope I'm making sense. It' hard to keep my explanation brief.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/19/13 07:44 AM
Hi Eric,

Thanks for popping in! Appreciate it. I also appreciate the positive words!

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/19/13 07:50 AM
Hi Bud,

Thanks for taking time to have a listen and to comment. Ever since I saw "Gone With The Wind" decades ago, Scarlet O'Hara's line "After all, tomorrow is another day" has stayed with me. It's so true. Janice is a wise woman!

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/19/13 07:51 AM
Hi Greg,

Hope all is travelling well for you! Thank you for having a listen! It's always a pleasure to read you smile

Best regards,
Noel
Posted By: Noel96 Re: New Song: "I Can See Tomorrow" - 06/19/13 07:55 AM
Hi c_fogle,

Welcome to the forums smile

Also, thank you for have a listen and for taking time to write such detailed comments. I appreciate it. I know that Brenda, my co-writer, will also appreciate your comments.

You raise some good points about the arrangement. I have to confess that I was so busy assembling the song and getting the balances into a workable state that I never really gave the arrangement a great deal of thought. I should have done. You, Floyd, Pat and Achordcaster all seem to agree!!!! When I get a few spare minutes, I'll have a play around with everyone's ideas in mind and see where it takes me.

Once again, "Thank you!"
Noel
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