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Hey All, it has been awhile since I posted a song on here! I have been lurking in the background  I just completed this song that I wrote, and created the instrumentation using all Real Tracks. I am hoping for constructive ideas, good or bad. I am learning as I go with real band. The song is simply called "Book Of Life" these are the real tracks used: RT700 Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesPush Drums NashvilleEven16^5-HiHat,Ride RT1856 Cello, Background PopCountry RT838 Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopBalladClean RT703 Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Spirited RT409 Fiddle, Background George Ev RT2024 Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryJohn RT1215 Vibes, Rhythm Bossa RT363 Pedal Steel, Background The song is posted on my website as an MP3 download: www.dannyriddle.com/music/BookOfLife-VOCAL_Master.mp3Thanks in advance for taking the time to listen and for your thoughts. All my best Danny
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Hi Danny, You're welcome to join in instead of just lurking. I like your song, vocal, bg vox and the instruments you chose. For me, and others may hear it differently - your voice is sitting back in the mix while instruments and bg vox are very very out front.
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Danny,
Coming along nicely. Nice song. Josie covered it pretty well. The vocals are very nice, but are getting lost in the mix - the instruments should all be pulled back a bit.
I would also suggest (and this is just my opinion, remember) that in several places you make a choice between the pedal steel, the (background) cello and the (background) fiddle. They all sort of serve the same purpose (a flowing sweetening - is how I think of it) and they are often competing against each other - when just one would suffice. Perhaps the steel in the chorus and the cello in the verse (or vice-versa) - and the fiddle for a quick lick here and there as a compliment. That might also help the vocals stand out some.
Looking forward to more.
floyd
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Danny,
Coming along nicely. Nice song. Josie covered it pretty well. The vocals are very nice, but are getting lost in the mix - the instruments should all be pulled back a bit.
I would also suggest (and this is just my opinion, remember) that in several places you make a choice between the pedal steel, the (background) cello and the (background) fiddle. They all sort of serve the same purpose (a flowing sweetening - is how I think of it) and they are often competing against each other - when just one would suffice. Perhaps the steel in the chorus and the cello in the verse (or vice-versa) - and the fiddle for a quick lick here and there as a compliment. That might also help the vocals stand out some.
I agree with Floyd, also you might try panning some of those instruments more L or R so there's more separation and room for the vocal to stand out. Greg
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Hi Danny,
I especially like your
background vocals.
The mix is just a matter of taste. For me it's
not that bad.
Guenter
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Hey All, Thanks Josie, I have enjoyed your songs, especially "walking Streets Of Gold", love your writing technique. Thanks for the listen and the input. Thanks Floyd, Greg and Guenter for the listen and valuable input. I redid the music a bit, taking away here and there and raised the main vocal up a tad, the song is in the same spot. let me know what ya think, www.dannyriddle.com/music/BookOfLife-VOCAL_Master.mp3again, always open for the ideas good or bad - that is how I learn, all my best Danny
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Hi Danny,
those who have replied already are much more focused on recording technique than I am... all of my observations are from the perspective of the average listener
1) I listen to a lot of contemporary Christian music, and the first question I would ask is whether you'd rather make this song "fit in" or "stand out" in that genre. If you want to "fit in", I'd ditch the pedal steel and keep the cello. To my ear, the cello/piano combination works VERY well for the genre... and especially in this song, I prefer the cello parts over the pedal steel parts
2) however, there are lots of faith-based songs in contemporary country music, and in that genre the pedal steel fits quite well. However, the mood of the song and the chord progression used are a better fit (in my subjective opinion) with the CChristian genre than the CCountry genre.
3) having said all that... there are times when you may want to DEPART from genre paradigms and do something unexpected. I would describe this version of your song to be exactly that... something that doesn't fit exactly into an established musical paradigm.
But its worth noting that audiences are hard-wired with genre expectations, and it is very hard for an unknown artist to get away with "breaking the rules". In my opinion, your best path for this song going forward would be to pick one genre and play to it.
I love the fact that you are using your music as a ministry. Keep up the good work!
Last edited by Pat Marr; 05/25/13 05:05 AM.
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Hi, Danny !
I think you have done
a very good job on this one !
Vocals and instros all fit in
very well, I enjoyed it
very much !:)
Cheers
Dani
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hey Pat Marr, I took your advise and I removed the pedal Steel parts and I like it, seemed to flow a lot better too! Thanks for the direction and input. Hey Dani, thanks for the listen and the encouraging words!! Well, the updated song is in the same place...Let me know how it sounds now. www.dannyriddle.com/music/BookOfLife-VOCAL_Master.mp3again, thanks for the great ideas and direction, I really appreciate all the input, good or bad. all my best Danny
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Danny, Thank you. That was some great advice from Pat. And you've really improved the mix. Sounds good here.
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Hi Danny, Long before we had this Users Forum, I used to follow your songs in the Off Topic Forum. I've been a fan of your songs for quite a while This is a very engaging song and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. As it progressed, I found myself getting pulled further and further into the music and lyrics. I have to hand it to you, you developed the emotional contour of the mix very very well. I'm heading back for another listen now! Best regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
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I am only getting to hear the current version, but it sounds pretty good to me. I have a tendency to mix "wide" so I often look for the same thing in others. Yes, I would go for more L-R separation (pan some things wider) and then see how the lead vocal sits. But those kind of things are subjective, so you have to go go with what you feel is best,
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Thanks Noel and Kevin, thanks to everyone for your input and direction in getting this song finished. I really appreciate it! Getting ready to post another song All my best, Danny
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Not much too add. Solid song, good mix. A few minor nits:
At 1:32, the female chorus seems a bit buzzy.
By 2:20, I'm ready for the song to end and fade. So past that point, it feels a bit long.
But that's just me.
Good stuff.
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