Charlie,

I really like this! A lot!

The song is nicely written. Simple lyrics with a nuanced melody. What a sweet melody. There were a couple of places where I expected to go to a little different place, but it worked... as is...

Overall, it has a feel that reminds me of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap... or Grass Roots (ballads)... the Turtles.. that era (and the best of it...)

Your harmonies work really well. A couple spots in the main vocal you seem just a little "unsure" but..

Alyn's suggestions are interesting (everything Alyn does is interesting, so that's no surprise...).

I will take a different tact because... I happen to be in the middle of a production using the exact same style and instruments. I almost never use Styles and if I do, I typically change out at least half of the instruments. But I ended up using this one as is (sort of). It's quite cool. But... I found it "a little difficult" to get things where I wanted them - in ways that are not typical...

The mandolin is louder than I like as a rhythm instrument. The strum guitar is very soft - so you can barely hear it. The piano seems to have reverb on it even if you cut the reverb to 0. The drums are totally cool.

These points may be sort of "scattered" as they occur to me...

You seem to have a lot of reverb going on. Not sure it that is track by track or you added one to the final mix??
I think that may part of "that feeling" you have about the final outcome. I hear it on the drums. And the overall mix has a "distant" feel (just a little). Do you use Ozone? (it is a great addition to your tool chest). Anyway.. if you have a "final mix reverb" you might try taking that off...

For this type song, I think the vocal should be a little more "in the mix" than you have. Less "out front". Typically, that would mean add a little reverb to it, but in this case I'm thinking knock a dB or 2 off it (though I may be wrong - in the context of the mix).

It depends on what you want to feature as your rhythm instrument... but I would pull the mandolin down a hair..
If you want the acoustic guitar to help it out some, try using the "Increase Volume" in Studio One (right-click the track). I do that often on the acoustic guitar tracks - it works well...

I swapped the piano out for the MIDI SuperTrack of the same thing using the HiQ piano - to have more control over the reverb aspect of it. It is much "smoother" in its chord transitions, too.
1839:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075 <<< the RT
2101:Piano, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075 <<< the MIDI SuperTrack
Your piano seems to fit better than mine did (or does)

I have spent a lot of time getting the balance between the piano and mandolin where I want them.
Not sure why. It is something about this particular style.

Your guitar lead sits nicely in the mix.

For your song, I would try adding the Synth Pad that "goes with it"...
1842:Synth Pad, PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
Seems like it would be PERFECT for this song. Use the Mellow version starting (maybe)) in the first chorus... let it continue in the 2nd verse... then switch to the High version for the last chorus (those are just ideas).
I don't think you need any more than that (if even that).

This is a cool song. I hope you get it to where you are happy with it...

floyd

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