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It's been a while since I've posted a song here with the things that were going on earlier this year... it's been a struggle at times. This song style is a little bit different for me, but it was fun trying to make it work. It's kind of a melancholy dark song. Recorded with a very basic, stripped down to the essentials kind of a mix. There is one vocal track, one piano track, and one pad track. I did add a bass using the pad to the second version. The particulars: This was a song that I was unable to get a good Band in A Box style to match so I eventually gave up after several weeks of trying. So yeah, this is not using any BB tracks. I really did expend a lot of effort to try to get this into a useable style but nothing was working. I decided to simply play all the parts myself. Solaria is singing it, I'm playing the piano and the pad strings/bass. The piano is the Kontakt Medium Grand and the pad/bass is the Dimension LE warm pad. It was very refreshing to put the guitar down for a while and let myself have fun on the piano. OBSERVATIONS: Two versions: One is simply piano and pad with no bass until the last note. Second version has bass in the choruses. Let me know which you like better. I hear a few nits in this and if there's something that sticks out to you, let me know. Also, I wasn't quite sure what to call it. Shattered Reflection or Strength To Carry On but for now..... it's "Strength To Carry On" All comments and critiques are appreciated. Thanks in advance. It's good to be back!!! Strength To Carry On Strength To Carry On ( with bass ) Lyrics: Strength To Carry On (V 1) Lost and broken Searching for a way Through the wreckage of another day Survivors struggling Hearts in disarray But we're still standing Come what may (V 2) Eyes filled with tears That we can't hide Our heavy hearts Like anchors deep inside In this journey of grief Where we often collide But we keep moving Side by side (Chorus) With every step we stumble and we fall But we rise We rise above it all In this shattered reflection We find strength to carry on Even as our broken heart's bleed We stand strong against the storm But we rise We rise above it all In this shattered reflection We find strength to carry on break.... (V1) repeat (V 3) In the silence of night We face our fears The scars we bear Tell the tales of our tears In this darkness We see the light Guiding us through We keep moving Side by side (Chorus) Copyright 2024 Herbert Hartley
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb,
A moving, beautiful and all around amazing song...
And the production is just superb.
Loved it all.
Bob
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Herb,
You may have been away a bit . . . and this may be something different from you . . . but, boy, it's moving and emotional. Nice write as well. I like it a ton. Going to listen to the bass version now, but like the simplicity of this. That said, I could also see you interweaving some strings into this production. A cello perhaps to give it some bottom.
Ok, listened to the chorus on the second version. Mind you, I'm just listening over my laptop, so grain of salt stuff. I would make the bass more prominent . . . after listening to both, I do think having more of a bottom under that piano would give the song some richness. I'd go for a single note bass (held) and look to add a cello. But of course, that's just my way of thinking . . . and you ultimately should do what you feel is best and what sounds right to you as the artist.
It's a terrific tune just as is, quite honestly.
Deej
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Hi Herb.
Nice song and your piano parts are good. It is a highly emotive song and I believe that it requires a real person to
convey the passion of its message.
btw Did you try POPPNOL.STY (Pop Piano Liverpool Ballad) slow tempo around 60-65 ?
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Hello
I think you did well to follow your instinct because the voice piano pairing works very well. Solaria's voice is very well mastered. Honestly, you can barely hear the bass and I had trouble differentiating the two versions. It's a good song and you show that with a few instruments you can do beautiful things.
Laurent
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Herb, welcome back! This is a really nice song, and you've done some great voice programming here. Really like your piano part, and don't think BiaB can do anything as sweetly nuanced as what you've done here. In my view the bass doesn't add anything, but it's barely there anyway. But LOVE the tune!
DC Ron
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Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Herb,
A moving, beautiful and all around amazing song...
And the production is just superb.
Loved it all.
Bob Thank you Bob. I'm glad you like it.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb,
You may have been away a bit . . . and this may be something different from you . . . but, boy, it's moving and emotional. Nice write as well. I like it a ton. Going to listen to the bass version now, but like the simplicity of this. That said, I could also see you interweaving some strings into this production. A cello perhaps to give it some bottom.
Ok, listened to the chorus on the second version. Mind you, I'm just listening over my laptop, so grain of salt stuff. I would make the bass more prominent . . . after listening to both, I do think having more of a bottom under that piano would give the song some richness. I'd go for a single note bass (held) and look to add a cello. But of course, that's just my way of thinking . . . and you ultimately should do what you feel is best and what sounds right to you as the artist.
It's a terrific tune just as is, quite honestly.
Deej Thanks for listening and your observations. I wanted it to be as simple as possible and was even hesitant to add the string pad.... so the "bass" is intentionally kept light in the mix. If you have good cans or a sub, it's pretty obvious but yep, on laptop speakers, it's going to be hard to hear. It's the same string pad as I used for the strings but played on the lowest keys on the keyboard I have.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb, I really couldn't decide which version was better.
Personally I think upping the volume of the pad and the pad and bass would improve the song, but that is just my opinion. Note I listened with both my near field monitors and my AKG headphones.
Regardless this is a very good song.
Great job on that synth vocal.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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It sounds fabulous but the inflection of grief struck me as a bit odd.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Nice job on the piano.
I listened to the version with the bass but couldn't really hear the bass (on quality speakers). Bass isn't really necessary here, but a piano with more depth would help (this one sounds like it it would be great in a lo-fi production - but that's all subjective).
The melody on the chorus is the really nice. Best thing about the song.
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Herb,
I gave you my thoughts in the Nashville songwriters meeting this month and I guess I'll stick to that.
As I said then I love the potential of this song and I think some really wonderful things are going on.
To me the piano playing is beautiful.
I think the lyrics are on the right track for sure, and for sync music there is a fine line between lyrics that don't make any sense and lyrics that make too much sense.
To a certain extent they should be kind of vague, for sync.
So these are the kind of lyrics that don't really make sense or "shine" outside of the context of the music that they are wedded to, but that's okay, because that's the way it's supposed to be, for this type of ethereal sync song.
I think I told you that I spent a long evening many years ago with a guy who was at that time one of the most famous rock and roll singer songwriters on the planet. While we were sitting on the hood of a car he told me that the most important thing that you need to know is that if it's rock and roll, the lyrics can't make sense.
And that the moment you start trying to make sense, you kill the rock and roll. I thought that was pretty funny but I think he has a good point.
In developing the lyric I think that the more you can work with the struggle that's going on and the way people are struggling, and striving and trying to deal with their struggles, the more powerful the lyrics will be, but that's just a matter of trying your hand at a couple of different approaches, so that you really bring out the poignant aspect of the human struggle element.
But I think that all the work will be worth the effort, because I think you're really on to something with this one.
I can see you crafting something here that could be genuinely and authentically powerful.
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Hi Herb.
Nice song and your piano parts are good. It is a highly emotive song and I believe that it requires a real person to
convey the passion of its message.
btw Did you try POPPNOL.STY (Pop Piano Liverpool Ballad) slow tempo around 60-65 ? Thanks Izzy. I did try a number of styles. probably not that specific one.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Hello
I think you did well to follow your instinct because the voice piano pairing works very well. Solaria's voice is very well mastered. Honestly, you can barely hear the bass and I had trouble differentiating the two versions. It's a good song and you show that with a few instruments you can do beautiful things.
Laurent Thanks. I've been doing a few fairly sparse things here recently. I like it. I'm thinking about reworking this but still pondering what exactly I'll do.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb, welcome back! This is a really nice song, and you've done some great voice programming here. Really like your piano part, and don't think BiaB can do anything as sweetly nuanced as what you've done here. In my view the bass doesn't add anything, but it's barely there anyway. But LOVE the tune! Thanks Ron. Yeah, I agree. BB is great and can do a lot.... but it lacks the finer things at times. I agree on the bass and will probably not use that version.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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My goodness what a song!! and more than that, what a voice. I could listen to her sing all day. Masterfully done.
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haha, I pressed play before reading your song description expecting to hear your voice in there, was a bit of a shock to hear the female vocal  Herb, this is excellent! Just a wonderfully written, emotive song. Vocal is superb, you have certainly mastered the synth vocals. Nice piano too, also liked the pad. Listened to both and prefer the first, the bass isn't adding anything the song needs IMHO. Really good, very much enjoyed.
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Herb, I really couldn't decide which version was better.
Personally I think upping the volume of the pad and the pad and bass would improve the song, but that is just my opinion. Note I listened with both my near field monitors and my AKG headphones.
Regardless this is a very good song.
Great job on that synth vocal. Mario, thanks for listening. I was trying to keep the synth parts low but..... I'm still pondering about another mix. Glad you like the song
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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It sounds fabulous but the inflection of grief struck me as a bit odd. Ray, thanks for listening. Yeah.... I caught that too but somehow neglected a fix. I still have some work left to do with this so..... There's always hope
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Nice job on the piano.
I listened to the version with the bass but couldn't really hear the bass (on quality speakers). Bass isn't really necessary here, but a piano with more depth would help (this one sounds like it it would be great in a lo-fi production - but that's all subjective).
The melody on the chorus is the really nice. Best thing about the song. Floyd. Thanks for your insight. The bass is certainly there but intentionally low. With a fatter sounding piano it wouldn't need a bass in it. I'm working on that. I'm glad you like the melody of the chorus I appreciate you.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
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