No Reply (SoundCloud version)
No Reply (video with Asterian)

Some of you may have experienced how quite intense SMS/Mail/chat discussion faded until you got no more reply, even though you would have liked to continue. This is the story about those feelings.

I used Synthesizer V Asterian as the vocalist on the YouTube version, his voice wasn't perfect for this type of intimate mood, but it was nice to make him sing with warm and soft vocal modes in the verses and in the outro and then with slightly more passion in the chorus. I tried also Kevin, but also his voice wasn't something I was looking for and besides he sang some notes out of tune... I'm singing in the SoundCloud version, but I cannot control my voice that much, it is always the same rasping I wish it would be possible to change it in the post process...

I used the chord track for the first time, it is a very nice new feature in BIAB. Earlier I used a certain MIDI string pattern, but now the chord track is much easier way to use with The Orchestra and similar VSTs. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be supported in the BIAB-VST via MGU file yet...

The band:

RealDrums: MalletsSlow16ths

RealTracks:
#1825:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075
#1410:Piano, SynthLayer, Rhythm Soul70sA-B Ev16 100
#1595:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Pop8thsSteady Ev 065
#3545:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CelticBalladSoft Ev 075
#2916:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryFolk8thsBrent Ev 085
#2025:Piano, Acoustic, Soloist CountryJohn Ev 065
#2338:Violin, Background, PopLow Ev 085 (1TrackStringSection)

MIDI: The Orchestra Complete (the chord track + the glockenspiel)

Vocals: me (SoundCloud version), Synthesizer V Asterian (Kevin bgv) (video version)

Mixed in Cakewalk by BandLab

Lyrics:

Scrolled through the screen
your camping photographs
magic in the hearts,
in every laugh.
Soothing starflights of my nights
I savored intimate clues
I could read them on your face
felt like I was there with you.

How I miss all those texts
from prattle to science and art
something told only for me
uniquely soppy, soulful and smart.
Always wanted to know how you were
to calm if you needed to cry
but your words got formal and few
the wait turned to months
I got no reply.

Pondered every pun
refined odes that I wrote
you deserved the best
not glowless notes.
But today I cannot tell
how much your thoughts really mean
when I sense that those red hearts
fill now someone else's screen.

How I miss all those texts..

No ring of thrill
another week scrolled by
downhearted
seeking between the lines
what you tried to imply.
(no blame, just wondering why...)
---------------------
Janne

Janne

Listened to the video version, the synth vocal works very well.

Nice chord choices and the chord track via the orchestral synth worked well.

Very nicely produced, good video and song.

Peter

Janne, I listened to the video version first then part of the Soundcloud version.
Excellent chord progression and orchestration.
Excellent mix in the video version.
I would bring your singing volume up a notch or two. Your vocal kept getting lost in the mix. Your vocal wasn't that bad and in fact it was pretty good. Some singers made a fortune with a raspy voice.

Janne,
Wow you are upping your skills with every tune, training those robo boys (and girls) to sing your tunes. Fantastic effort. Neat composition and very crisp mix. I do miss more indie inclined tunes featuring your vocals. Robo boys are a bit too perfect Thank you for sharing.

Misha.




"I used the chord track for the first time, it is a very nice new feature in BIAB"
Amen.

Janne, great up-to-date topic to write about. You really do well with the orchestration in your songs. I listened to the video version first and thought it was a very well done video. I then listened to the Soundcloud version before I began reading your introduction/information on the song. This is really not my genre of music, so I might be speaking out of turn, but my first thoughts in the Soundcloud version were, "Hey, that's a different voice than on the video - I think I like it better." So for what it's worth, I thought your vocal was good!

Brad

Janne, I listened to the video version and the "Robo boy" as Misha puts it sounded good to me. A heartfelt song of lost love.

I also notice a striking element on the lyric "something". Not sure if it's a chord change or a vocal action but I've heard that elsewhere sporadically over the years and really like it. It suddenly but gracefully takes the listener someplace unexpected.

Great job.

Hi Janne,

I watched the video first. Very well done!

Good song, I like the concept, and very well arranged.

The AI vocal sounded really good, just amazing technology. But after hearing both I think I liked the soundcloud version with your vocal better.

Enjoyed!

(I don't know if I'm allowed to reply to a thread titled "no reply"...)

I listened to both versions and I like your voice better.
First, I don't think Asterian's voice fits this song, and second, I don't think your voice is bad.

Could your vocals be improved with better post production?
I think so.
But the rasping is NOT your problem, it gives your voice a unique quality that I wouldn't process away.

Thanks Peter, I appreciate your positive review I'm glad you liked my chord choices.

Janne

Thanks Mario for your generous feedback As usual, I tried to bury the blemishes of my voice deep in the mix But I do wish my voice was soft and warm and I could be able to increase and decrease the intensity (not just volume) of it.

Janne

Thanks Misha for your positive words I hope to make some more indie tunes with my vocals, those kind of songs do not require so much perfection

Janne

Janne,

Sad but pretty tune . . . really liked the write here and both some sure and surprising chord choices, all of which work well here. Your vocal works well enough here to carry and deliver the tune, so no worries there . . . and I agree the tone of the vocaloid doesn’t quite mesh with the song—though it’s brilliantly done. Really interesting to listen to the two versions . . good stuff here!

Hope all is well in your world,

Deej

Hi Janne,

I was happy to hear your own voice again, although your beautiful song White Night was quite impressive, with the AI vocals! I let my wife listen to it and she was also impressed. That is not easy to achieve, by the way...
But we don't talk about that song here but your two versions I listened to.
The AI version on Youtube was not really my cup of tea. The vocals sounded like an opera singer. Good, nice, but doing nothing much to my feelings.
The SoundCloud version (you) was much better. As I said I was happy to hear Janne sing by himself. The song fibrated in my head and let my thoughts wander through... well through everything that came up in my mind. Even far beyond your beautiful lyrics!

Enjoyed it a lot,
Hans

Love the music that opens this very cool song. I much prefer you vocal, Janne. You know the song and infuse your own emotion, lacing in the video version. I really like the write, the progression and the arrangement. Well done!

Asterian sounded better than I expected, but he was a bit low in the mix. I might eventually be persuaded to buy him.

Uniquely sappy, soulful and smart

Ha! There's some nice alliteration going on in these lyrics.

As for fixing vocals in post-process, the trick is to record the best note you can as close to the pitch you want (for example, a B instead of a G), and then pitch-shift the note. The less you have to shift the note, the less noticeable the cheat will be.

I thought the song did a good job capturing the melancholy of a lost relationship.

Pleasant composition. I usually like the synth voices, but the synth voice on the video just didn't work for me. Your vocal on the SC version was much better and fit the song so much better.

Thanks Brad for your very nice comment I'm glad you liked my voice better.

Janne

The synth voice was a little too loud in the verse and the vibrato a little annoying.
The song, however, is really cool. Good mix, good arrangement, GOOD!

Thanks BT, I appreciate your heartwarming review I guess it is a chord change there, Dbmaj7 in the key of F, I'm very glad you like it - always nice to hear that my song takes to some unexpected place, because that's what I try to achieve, "uniquely" as said later.

Janne

Thanks Dave for your kind feedback I'm still waiting for technology that I can teach to sing like me, so I don't have to sing anymore after that, that's what I would call amazing

Janne

Excellent tune Janne. I think the vocal was excellent. Excellent work on the video as well. Some really cool chord progressions. Well done

Thanks B.D. for your kind words about my voice. And I'm glad you replied, or actually it was mandatory

I agree that Asterian doesn't fit this song, his voice type is bass and baritone would be better. But I really like his warm and soft tones. And that's what I wanted to improve in my vocals, to make the vocal in the verses softer.

Janne

Thanks Deej for your kind feedback Glad to hear you liked the chord choices and that my vocals delivered the tune.

Janne

Janne,

Great melody and chord progression.
It's not Nordic, but the songs in this genre are also really great.
It can be said that it is the royal road of pop music.
The video version is easier to listen to, but your vocal version is much more tasty.
Enjoyed my listen and watch a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Thanks Hans for your kind feedback I agree that Asterian sounds bit like an opera singer, but I really like how I was able to add softness to his voice in the bridge part and I think that especially there he has strong feeling I was after. But I'm glad you liked my voice and the lyrics.

I'm really glad your wife was impressed by my White Night, my best regards to her

Janne

We enjoyed both versions, Janne.

You were successful in having Asterian change from soft & warm in the verses to more passionate in the choruses and the harmonies with Kevin worked well.

As others mentioned your vocal’s “feeling” came through well and presented the melancholy lyric soulfully.

This is a very impressive band (nice piano!) you’ve assembled and the mixes and video production are top notch.

Kudos!

J&B

Thanks Marty, I appreciate your positive feedback Glad you liked my vocal.

Janne

Thanks David for your kind words Especially about the capturing the melancholy, so much talk about the synthesized vocal, bur I'm glad you found that there is actually a song behind that vocal instrument.

Thanks for the tip, although I was referring more to add warmth etc. in the post-processing. For some reason, C3 is the hardest note for me, my voice seems to break there quite often, so I have to learn to sing an incorrect note in place of it and use your suggested shifting

I believe it could be possible to tame Asterian even more for a normal pop song, I need to work on it more. But a new vocalist JUN is going to be released in April, I think he would have been perfect for this song.

Janne

Thanks Mr. Storm for your kind feedback It seems the synth voice selection grows in the future, so I'll be able more easily to find a voice that fits better.

Janne

Thanks Ray for your kind feedback That vibrato is quite hard to tame, it is almost built into the Asterian's AI voice, and because it doesn't fit the mood of the song, I wanted to use another synth voice (which is yet to be released).

Janne

Thanks Scott for your kind words I'm glad you liked also the video.

Janne

Thanks Shigeki Adachi for your interesting and kind review Royal road of pop music sounds like a big compliment to me Glad you thought my vocals was more tasty.

Janne

Thanks J&B for your heartwarming comment I'm really glad you paid attention to Asterian's singing styles. And I'm happy to hear about the comment about the feeling in my vocal, maybe I'm one of the few who have had to face this "No Reply" fate several times, probably that is present in my voice.

Janne

Hi Janne
very nice song
Excellent melody
Plus a great band and the beautiful vocals
I like it very much
Really GREAT work Janne
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Really gorgeous Janne!

I absolutely loved this!!

Thanks Andi, I'm glad you liked it and commented so kindly

Janne

Thanks David, I really appreciate such nice words from a multi-talented songsmith like you

Janne