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