PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase A Road With New Horizons -- bringing an older song into 2019

I wrote this back in 2012.

A couple of months ago, I re-did the vocals and looked at what new Realtracks today's BIAB has that might enliven my previous production. Today, I also have a number of plugins that I did not have back in 2012 when the first mix was done. So, armed with all that 2019 has to offer, I set about renovating. Here is where it led me...

• A Road With New Horizons

Please feel free to comment in any way on any aspect of the song, its arranging and its production.

Regards,
Noel



The Production

Instruments
1036: Electric Bass
1037: Acoustic Guitar
1540: Solo Electric Guitar
1599: Rhythm Electric Guitar
1600: Hi-Str Acoustic Guitar
2542: Pedal Steel
0688: Organ
Drums: NashvilleEv16^5

Effects
Bass: CLA Signature Series - Bass
Drums: CLA Signature Series - Drums
Vocals: Nectar 2, Reaper Slapback Delay
Electric Guitar (RT1599): MAutopan
Mix: Ozone 8

Loops (1599 E/Guitar)
I used BIAB to generate variations of individual chords. With these chords, I then selected those that suited me best and used them to create loops in Reaper. The distortion rhythm guitar in the choruses, is assembled using these loops.


Lyrics

Sitting by a campfire
Beneath the Southern Cross
Singing songs and having fun with friends
Or hiking through some forests
And climbing mountain tops
A million memories swim around inside my head
So many stories to take when I go
They'll keep me comp'ny on my new road

Now I walk a road with new horizons
And I'm going to follow the rising sun
They say that on this road with new horizons
The best is yet to come
The best is yet to come

Rides we shared are ending
But journeys linger on
You helped me grow to be the man I am
The years have sped like lightning
And though I'll soon be gone
Lessons learnt will always be my guiding lamp
No matter where I go or what tomorrow holds
I won't forget the days I walked in green and gold

Now I walk a road with new horizons
And I'm going to follow the rising sun
They say that on this road with new horizons
The best is yet to come
The best is yet to come

[instrumental]

Now I walk a road with new horizons
And I'm going to follow the rising sun
They say that on this road with new horizons
The best is yet to come
The best is yet to come
The best is yet to come

©2012 Noel Adams, words and music, all rights reserved

Nothing wong with diging something up for renewal - Dead & Buried proved that.
Good work with the loops etc.
I'm not sure that the CLA stuff does anything useful for the money but the rhythm section sounds good.
Nice work Noel.

Noel,
Very positive tune. I believe your renovation project was a success. Mix is very professional & all instruments spaced very tastefully. Vocals are strong and clear.

P.S. I am trying to renovate a tune I wrote 15+ years back, so far it is going very slow, so I am a bit jealous

Thank you for sharing!

Misha. `

hi noel I don't remember this one but its awesome the mix everything is perfect well done sir eric

Really well done on the melody Noel.
Very well crafted. Thanks for posting. Rob4580

Hi Ray,

Thanks for visiting!

I picked the whole ensemble of CLA's signature series for $49 (US) and have been playing around a lot with it since. Sometimes it's useful and sometimes it's not. In this instance, I only used it for a bit of eq and reverb on the drums. For the bass, though, I used it to add some growl after having manually adjusted the track's volume to make it a bit more uniform. While this growl isn't all that noticeable in the final mix, it seems to help somehow... that could be me, though.

Thanks again for dropping in and having a listen. Very much appreciated.

All the best,
Noel

Love the song. Nice write, well sung, nice harmonies thickening the chorus, excellent arrangement.

I like how you made the chorus big.

Really, really small nit: The strummed acoustic guitar on my left speaker (assuming I've wired it correctly) every now and then "pops" out. Maybe you're panning one of the guitars across the stereo field? It's not terrible, it just feels random, instead of being motivated.

Anyway, I really liked this one.

Revisiting old mixes with new skills and new tools is a worthwhile thing to do IMHO, I've been starting to do that too.

I'm also a fan of the CLA series, very useful set of plugins.

Very good song, Noel, I enjoyed it, and your mix sounds great to these ears

Hi Noel
Your songs are always so positive and upbeat. Loved it. I am sure that updating this was to BIAB 2019 was a revelation. I would love to hear the original to compare. I tend to cringe a little when Listening back to what I actually produced in 2012

Hi Noel. It's as uplifting a message as I have come to expect...but there's also a tinge of melancholy. It doesn't even seem to be trying to "uplift" me. Between the tempo and the chord changes, the build with distorted guitars, as well as the lyric, this "feels more declaratory and inviting rather than emotionally manipulative (for lack of a better word at the moment). All sounds good to me here on phones at mid-volume. Very much enjoyed and appreciated.

Noel,

Your work is always top-shelf... This revisit was well worth the effort. Great vocal and mix.

I really enjoyed this piece.

Bob

Noel, I really like this one! I particularly like the way "the best is yet to come" repeats. Melodically, it emphasizes and settles the statement. The best is yet to come.

Always the optimist! I love that about your songs. So many negative things happen in this world, it's really nice to be reminded of the good and the potential. Keep up the good work!

Steve

Nice work on this! I don't know if I heard the original, but this one certainly sounds right on the money. I concur with those above me - the mix is top notch, really high quality - and your vocals are great also. Perfectly catchy, and some awesome progressions too.

Thanks for sharing

Has an anthemic quality, especially as the chorus kicks in. Well done!

Hi Eric,

Thank you for dropping in. I sincerely appreciate that you had some time to have a listen and to comment.

Best regards,
Noel

Thanks for sharing this Noel. It sounds great. The mix is so clean; every instrument (and your voice) has its space.
Cheers,
Mike

Hey Rob,

It's always good to see you. Thanks for listening!

Regards,
Noel

Hi Misha,

Thanks for having a listen. I appreciate your comments. Hang in there.... I'm sure your work on the 15 year old song will be worth it. I'm looking forward to hearing where BIAB takes you.

All the best,
Noel

Noel

Really liked the build up and chorus. Excellent overall sound, a really nice mix, and a positive vibe.
A very worthwhile renovation.

Peter

Noel,

A good "update". A good arrangement. The instruments are are well placed. The vocal is crisp and clear with warmth. The "fullness" of the chorus with "big guitars" gives it a "current" sound. The solos are really nice. The acoustics sound great (a "personal preference" - I thought they might use more reverb).

Enjoyed it. It sticks with you...

fj

I enjoyed this, very uplifting and you have a brilliant voice. I'd like to hear the old version if you have it anywhere to compare the two.

What are your thoughts on the CLA plugins and Ozone? I have the CLA vocals plugin as part of a Waves subscription and I like it so I was considering getting some of the other ones.

Hi David,

I always look forward to reading what you write. Thanks for taking the time.

Following your comments, I re-listened to this song a number of times to isolate the popping sound you mention. I suspect that what you are hearing is a soft synth sound that I added from Dimension Pro. I was aiming to add a little movement in the audio. This sound ping pongs back and forth between full left and full right. and dies out after around three 'bounces'. I didn't add this sound until the second chorus and then I used it in a couple of places where vocals rest.

I'm going to be revisiting the mix in the next couple of days and I'll have a more critical listen. Thanks for pointing it out.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Noel
I like this a lot. Very nice lyrics and vocal.
You've labelled it a 'rock ballad' but to me it somehow has a bit of a folky feel about it (maybe its the tone of your voice and the delivery).
Regards,
Leon

Love the positive messages on your songs. Very uplifting Noel. Super vocal and loved the backtrack. Well done..

Hi Dave,

Great to see you!

Although it doesn't always do the job I'm after, I'm really pleased that I bought the CLA signature series. It was a bargain price ($49) so I had little to lose. I've chosen not to follow the 'licence' approach that Waves uses and just stay with my original purchase of CLA 10. CLA unplugged and CLA drums are the two I most use.

Glad you like the song. Thanks for the positive feedback.

All the best with your song re-modelling!
Noel

Noel

This was sounding nice and full on my side , Its a pleasant listen clear and precise ..chorus was just fitting for the style of this song.

Enjoyed my listen.....
Only one thing left to say..?

Leon1 I enjoyed this, very uplifting and you have a brilliant voice. I'd like to hear the old version if you have it anywhere to compare the two.


So would I.

Hi Joanne,

Appreciate the visit! Thank you for having a listen.

And yes... BIAB 2019 has a ton more stuff than BIAB 2012 had (although, I have to admit that in 2012, I was walking on that proverbial cloud 9 'cause BIAB let me do so much music making). It's an incredible program that just keeps on getting better and better.

I'll think about putting the old wav up for you to listen to. I did cringe when I listened to it after working on this. It's good to know I'm getting better, at least.

Thanks again and all the best,
Noel

We've also begun to revisit some older projects but unlike you I get so depressed with the way they sound I don't have the heart to tackle re-doing them

This has all the Noel goodness. A heartfelt positive lyric and vocal and a well mixed band (excellent RT choices).

What better attitude could one have than "The best is yet to come?"

No need to parse it out. We like it ALL!

Kudos on the remix.

J&B

PS And, we are huge fans of that CLA series...I'm slowly but surely moving a bit away from Neutron and more toward them...patricularly the CLA drums and CLA unplugged.

Very nice anthemic ballad with uplifting simple message. Great vocals and production, BIAB has done wonders again

Janne

Hi Tangmo,

Thank you for dropping in!

I'm really pleased to read that you picked up on the hint of melancholy. Your description is a great match for my lyric and melodic intentions.

I wrote these words from the perspective of moving on from one situation in life to another one... e.g. changing jobs, moving interstate, etc., and leaving friends and familiar surroundings behind in pursuit of new circumstances. So, while the song is happy with the excitement of change, for me in my mind -- and I wouldn't expect anyone else to hear this -- there is also an underlying sadness and nostalgia that comes from leaving good things behind. (I hope that that makes sense.)

At the end of the day, though, what motivated me to write these lyrics is just a stepping stone to getting cohesive words together. My aim is always to try and write lyrics that leave enough room for listeners to interpret them in ways that are personal and meaningful to them.

I sincerely appreciate your visit and your thoughts.

Thank you again.
Noel

Wonderful song Noel!! I love the philosophical aspect of your writing....always love deep stuff! Beautiful job on the arrangement and mix as well. A delightful listen!! Take care. Greg

Hi Bob,

It's always good to see you. I appreciate the visit. Thank you. Now if only I could master being as clever with words and as productive at songwriting as you are!

All the best,
Noel

Hi Steve,

I always smile when I see that you've visited a thread. Hope things are going well for you!

Repetition is such a powerful device in lyrics. It's one of the reasons that traditional 12-bar blues lyrics work so well.

Thanks for having a listen. And thank you for the positive comments!

All the best,
Noel

Agree with Steve Young about liking the way "the best is yet to come" repeats. I read in a song writing book the best way to make a lyric memorable is to repeat and repeat often. A slightly melancholy mood, yet optimistic. Well done vocal, mix, and production. Enjoyed the listen.

Hi Deryk,

Thankyou. I really appreciate your comments. Even after a dozen years, mixing is still like a game of tug-of-war for me! A lot of effort and when luck is with me, I'm sometimes a winner.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Noel,

I really liked this one: A very nice positive write which is perfectly represented by the melody and your singing - superbly arranged and sounding great. Enjoyed the listen a lot!

Take care,

Stefan

Noel, you totally won me with the first two lines:

Sitting by a campfire
Beneath the Southern Cross

Boy I've done that so often. The Victorian High Country is my favorite place from absolutely everywhere.

Fantastic delivery, lyrics, loved the phrasing 'walked the green and gold'. Perfect.

Trev

Thanks for finding the time to have a listen. I appreciate it.

Regards
Noel

'Noel96'...

A Road With New Horizons would be a great song for me to listen to when I don't feel like getting up and going to work in the morning ...

I like the loose-feeling rhyme scheme. The pedal steel guitar track sounds so sweet and bluesy that I'd like to try to find a place for it in a jazz composition !!!

Your lyrics are like a flag held aloft in the hands of someone at the head of a long line of weary, but hopeful followers, leading them to a place where they might find the things they are looking for, and in abundance...

Sometimes I think you might be a minister of a congregation. That's how consoling and spiritually reassuring your songs always seem to be.

- bluage -

Hi Mike.

Thank you. I'm glad you had time to drop by. I appreciate your comments.

All the best
Noel

Hi noel

This is new to me, I like your mix , less is more , gives space to your tracks and vocals .

Great vocals And backing … this is telling me the best is yet to come !!.

Thanks

Hey Peter,

I appreciate your dropping in. Thank you for listening and for taking time to comment.

All the best,
Noel

Hi floyd,

Thanks for listening and for commenting. I'm glad you had some time to visit the thread.

I appreciate the heads up regarding the acoustic guitars and reverb. You made me realise that when I put the mix together, I didn't really pay all that much attention to the these guitars' reverb. I'll go back and has a play around, now.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Noel ...

Hope all is well with you.

I didn't hear the original but this sure does sound terrific! I particularly enjoyed the way the chorus soars without overpowering the verses. Your vocal is as good as any I've heard from you ... and they're all pretty dang good!

The brief lead guitar solo was spot on ... it really put a shine on the arrangement. Loved this one ... glad you went back, dug it out and reworked it. That was a very enjoyable listen. It sounded as good as the Three Musketeer candy bar I just ate tasted! Great stuff, my friend! You post some really terrific music!

Wishing you all the very best ...

Alan

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the visit! I'm a fan of the CLA plugins. They definitely make it easier to obtain a good overall sound by having easy adjustments for tone, compression, delay and reverb. The ones I use most are 'unplugged', 'drums' and 'bass'. In additon, I've used the 'vocals' one a couple of times and the 'guitar' one a couple of times (for electric guitar Realtracks). I prefer Nectar for vocals and Ozone for the final mix.

I purchased the CLA plugins at a bargain basement price and didn't take up Waves offer of a subscription. What this means is that my version 10 plugins will stay at version 10 without being updated (which I'm happy with).

Since I bought Waves' Linear Multiband Compressor, though, where I used to use CLA plugins as my first port of call, I now find myself starting with the LinMB plugin and then migrating to CLA if I cannot get LinMB effectively creating to get the sound I'm after.

Regards,
Noel

Hi Leon,

Great to see you. Thanks for listening and posting comments. I agree with you about the 'rock ballad'. It's probably more a folk-meets-rock ballad. While I love listening to rock, it's a genre that I don't feel very comfortable writing in. I'm definitely a remnant of the folk songs from the late 1960s! Now if only I could write lyrics half as clever as yours....

Appreciate the visit!
Noel

Thanks Scott. It's always excellent to see you. I appreciate the comments.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Noel !:))


What a sweet tune from you !
Love the new horizons it
brings to me too !
This is one of your
absolutely best !

Congrats to you Noel !

Cheers
Dani

Hey beatmaster,

It's good to see you. Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to listen. I appreciate your feedback.

Thanks again,
Noel

Hi Janice and Bud,

I'm pleased that you found time to visit. Thank you. And thanks for the comments, too.

I have never used Neutron but, given the calibre of your mixes, it must be a mighty fine plugin. Also, that Waves Linear Multiband Compressor you introduced me to gets a huge working out these days. That truly is an amazing plugin. It is now my initial 'go to' plugin when I first start taming tracks and mixes. If that doesn't do the job, I then move to CLA. (While these plugins helps heaps, I still haven't discovered a passion for mixing yet!)

Thanks again for passing through,
Noel

Hi Janne,

Good to see you! I appreciate you time and thanks for commenting, too.

All the best,
Noel

P.S. Yes... BIAB is my wonder-worker... it's kind of like a superhero when it comes to writing songs!

Hi Mark,

Thank you! It's very kind of you pass through and have a listen. And I'm pleased to read that your caught the song's intended mood. My premise for this was that it's about moving on to new pastures... not that there's anything wrong with the old ones... just that change happens as a part of life.

Thanks again.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Stefan,

I appreciate your kind words. Thank you. When it comes to arranging, though, I've got a long way to go to catch up wot you!

All the best,
Noel

Hi Trev,

Ahh... the high country! I agree with you, it's truly magnificent.

In 2014 I went on a trip through Gippsland, Omeo, and ended up a bit north of the Blue Duck Inn (Anglers Rest). I stayed on a farm and did a spot of horse riding over a few days. There were campfires, the Southern Cross and just lots of fun.

We came back over the Great Alpine Highway across Falls Creek and then down through Bright and visited some of the many wineries. I wouldn't mind doing that trip again sometime but I'm probably too dilapidated these days to manage it. Still, some wonderful memories were made on that journey.

Thanks for reminding me about it. And thank you for dropping in and having a listen. I sincerely appreciate it.

All the best,
Noel

Hi again, Beatmaster.

Thanks for a second visit. Now you really have me smiling! I appreciate it lots.

All the best,
Noel

Did I just do that ! .

I find it impossible to keep track on comments !.

Hope I'm not the only one, old age..!

Thanks Noel

beatmaster,

A recent innovation that Andrew (from Team PG) introduced to the forum is the 'green dot' as shown below.

This dot shows you which of the threads you've visited and made a comment in. As you can see on the image below, I've been to all the threads shown except for Joanne Cooper's.

I love this little indicator. It makes life in the forum much easier

Regards,
Noel

Hi Loren,

Thank you for the visit. I always enjoy reading what you write whether it's in a thread of mine or anyone else's. You have a very skilled, gentle and pleasant way with words.

I am sorry for disillusioning you but I am not a minister. I am a school science teacher so maybe that's impacting on my presentations!

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Kind regards,
Noel

Solid production. The instrumentation in baby bear porridge ---just right! I really like the soaring melody in the chorus. Thanks.

Great tune Noel. This is well written and uplifting. I got a laugh when you speak of updating this older song. Every professional to give me songwriting advice over the years have stated to not go back to old songs. Move on to new ones. However, revisiting my old songs is one of my favorite things to do.

2012 was before I joined the forum so this song is 'new' to me and all is good...

Enjoyed my listen.

Ahhh ! Brilliant Noel the green dot- now I know thanks.

Hi Alan and Di,

Good to see you Things are travelling fine for me, thanks for asking. And wow! I've never been sat alongside a Three Musketeer candy bar before. It seems that things are looking up! With Google's help, I've just managed to discover that we have a similar treat over here called a Milky Way bar.... nice!

It's always a pleasure to read posts from you and I'm glad you dropped by and had a listen. Thank you for taking the time.

All the best,
Noel

Dear 'Noel96'...

No, you didn't disillusion me !!! I didn't think that you actually are a minister -- it was the only analogy I could summon to communicate to you how I perceive your spirit through listening to the lyrical content of your musical compositions .

So, you're a school science teacher. My hat's off to you, sir, for choosing to become an educator, as both of my late parents were. Without teachers, there'd be no learning, and without learning, we all would be rather dull people !!!

Thank you for the comment about my writing. I'm only trying to give back to forum members the true and real pleasure I always, always experience while listening to their always-interesting and entertaining music.

Most sincerely,

LOREN (a.k.a. 'bluage')

Hey Dani,

I appreciate that you found time to visit and to have a listen. Thank you! I hope that things are travelling well for you and Li.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Scott,

Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment. I appreciate it.

In relation to the chorus, my approach these days is based on Steve Seskin's advice. Over the years, I've been to three or four of his seminars and his philosophy is that when writing a song, it's best to enter the chorus using higher pitched notes that haven't been used in the verses. Doing this, according to Steve, gives the chorus a sense of musical empowerment and lifts both its effect and its sense of purpose. As a consequence, this approach is something I always keep in mind. It seems to be very effective.

Thanks again for passing through the thread!
Noel

Yep... it's a marvelous feature

Hi Charlie.

I'm glad you had time to drop in. Thank you.

And yes, I've had the "once it's written move on and don't go back" scenario mentioned at almost every seminar I've been to. For me, though, the thing is that I keep on growing and gaining more skills as I continue to practise. When I go back to an old song and think, "yeah, that's not too bad", I sometimes apply a bit of "what I know now" to it and see if I can make it better. On the other hand, those songs that I return to and think. "Oh, that was bad!" I don't bother with.

I firmly believe that some songs are worth going back to.

Thanks for taking time to listen and comment. Much appreciated.

All the best,
Noel

Very well done in all respects! Good full sound in all frequencies and Your use of the pedal steel here is haunting - so sweet!

And love your upbeat lyrics!


much enjoyed!

Hey Lawrence,

It's always good to see you. Thank you for taking the time. Appreciate it.

All the best,
Noel

Noel,

I listened to this song for the first time.
I haven't listened to the previous version.
This version has a great mix, and I understand well you did a great effort.
Your melody and performance are also wonderful.
Uplifting and positive.
The Noel sound is alive.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Hi Shigeki Adachi!

Thank you for visiting. I sincerely appreciate it.

Kind regards,
Noel

A very uplifting song...
Well delivered with the performance...
The mix...
And of course your unique vocals...
I enjoyed the old bones you dug up from 2012