PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase A rocky song about a River

Hi Birchwood,

Beautiful arrangement on a series of well chosen chords. There is rhythm. Your voice is well integrated and the guitar solo is excellent. Well done. I appreciated.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash

Hans,

I think this is my favorite of all the tunes of yours! The groove you created with those realtracks is some of the best work I've heard with them! The song is so catchy and has such a great energy that it just compels the listener to stay with it all the way through! Kind of reminds me of something Phil Collins would have done back in the day! Your vocal is outstanding! All the instruments "pop" and the solo is perfectly placed with the right sound! The little guitar chops at the end was an inspired choice! Much applause here for some very nice work! Thanks, Torrey

Hello, 'Birchwood'...

"It is about me dealing with the here and now as a way of living." Well, you certainly made that clear in your lyrics, and also in your vocal recording, which was powerful and sounded as though you were urgently relating to us some kind of a revelation that you have experienced in your personal life.

The BADMAN.STY (Bad Man Country Blues Attitude) possessed a driving sound that matched the liberating feel of your lyrics. As you said in the text of your post, "I think it was the name of the style that drew me to it." It's amazing where we get our musical inspiration from, isn't it?

Through this song, I feel like you shared something with me .

I need to feel happy
Much better for my brains - can I relate to that after the year we've had here. Great job. That rock vibe you created really drew me in. Keep em coming.
Josie

Hey Dave, David, Ghostgum and Tangmo,

How nice of you to come with these nice comments of you. It underlines a growing feeling in me the song wasn't that bad! But is it my best song ever. I don't think so. That song will have to come one day. But this song is one the path to that one. And all that with your nice support. I will answer your post individually under these words:



Dave, loud and clear! Thanks, man.



David, also loud and clear. Thanks too!



Ghostgum, I appreciate you took a listen to a song in a genre you don't really like. Why did you do it then? but about your comment, I try to avoid being frenetic by singing a bit slow, not many words in one line, things like that. I learned from Robert to avoid unnecessary words. My problem was how to get clear lyrics on a difficult topic within 4 minutes. I don't think I succeeded, but I did on the song according to you. Thanks for that!



Tangmo, you put a lot of effort in your answer to me. Thanks! The word that caught my eye for some time was 'DANG'. Then the word(s) groove and of course what might went wrong with the bass or bassdrum. I think I stay with DANG :-). No, I'm really glad with your reaction and the nice compliments. I hope more people will listen to it. I didn't hear the 'anoying' bass sound though.


So thanks everyone and watch out with Delta!
Hans

Hi Scott, Ray, Marty, Mario and Misha,

I'm happy you listened and commented this river. All in his own way (no 'her' around here now) and very pleasantly written. Thanks for that in the first place. What I liked most in all the comments you gave was that I got the feeling my mixings are gettig better, so I am on the right track on this issue. And that is something because all of you are at least experts, but mostly veterans. So, there you go!
And the nice part is I listen to you all. But not always follow wise advise...
I react to all of you individually in this post.



Scott, I'm very happy you are so positive on the song, even on the guitar solo. I expected you would offer your services on that part to get decent solo's instead of these tries.




Ray, I don't use much fx. With recordings of the vocals I use a mike amplifier with some plate voltage and a high/low leveler. After the recording I use some eq, a compressor and a reverb from Native Instruments. No programs like Nectar 3. In this song I used Vocalign for outligning of the bg vocals with the leadvocal, instead of Melodyne. The use of reverb is far less than I did before.
I even did a song without reverb, but that became dull.
What kind of fx you think I'm using? I am very curious on this issue. But thanks a lot for the nice words.




Marty, I was mistaken with that Bad Man style. I thought it was Batman (the one from Gotham city). So I liked the idea using his style. Later on I saw I was wrong, because Bluage mentioned it in his post to me. I still have to answer him, but he tought I had a message for you all. Of course I have, but a bit differently. I fantasize a lot in my lyrics....
And that river IS emotion ;-)




Mario, it feels good to read your post. Short, to the point and fiited in one big compliment. Like that, thanks!




Misha, it's good to hear from you after that little break of yours (by the way, a good song you made there!). As I am used from you, you listen very intense on the vocals. I was thinking what you said about the battle between the vocals, guitar and kick on the hertz-es.
I think you are right on that, although I don't hear it. I only hear the vocals could be mixed a bit brighter, but I still don't no how. And... I use the same headphones as you with mixing. Thanks for your documented cue and compliments!


I hope I answered your comments correctly, otherwise let me know.
Have a nice day,
Hans

Well done. Great arrangement. Lyrics are well written and a lesson worth remembering. Nice mix. I really like whatever effects you used on the chorus vocals. The band was hot!

Good one.

Hello Derochette, Torrey, Blueage, Josie and Jptjptjpt,

Thanks for your nice posts on The River. I appreciated them all. I will answer you separately below.



Derochette, even though we make a different kind of music, we still listen to each other's songs. Thats very nice, don't you think?
I'm glad you liked the way the song is composed and my vocals in it. Thanks for listening. the next song will be more different.




Torrey, of course I am disappointed this is your favorite of my songs, but on the other hand I'm very happy you have a favorite one from me (a bit kidding). Thanks for your nice compliments, especially that association with Phil Collins. I think he will agree ;-)




Bluage, thanks for your wonderful reply.! I am really happy with it! But to start with that Bad Man style; I was mistaken. I thought it was a Batman style, that crimefighter in a certain style. I thought that was funny and that's why I chose that style. But still you're right that it's amazing from where we pick our inspiration. And that is also the case in this song, or lyrics. I didn't have any revelation or something like that. I always think it's not smart to leave out the past. I had some serious discussions with people who strongly believe(d) that the past has no use for their lives. In this song I pretended to be one of them: So I was the one getting those problems I mentioned (the river of emotions, build up from the past and that I never cared for, and not having any friends left). Then I changed my livestyle and 'finally used my brains'.
So, in a way you are also right; it was meant as a revelation, but not to me, but hopefully others will become aware that the past is very relevant to our future. On the other hand, it's also a nice song.



Josie, I believe this is the first time I received a post from you. Thanks for that! I feel honored.
And thinking about your last song on this forum, I can imagine you can use more happyness these times. I hope you are a catlover, because my next song will be about a cat. There is happyness in it too!



Jptjptjpt, thanks for the compliments and your 'support' on the fx discussion.
I feel empowered!

Thanks everyone for discussing or complimenting my song.
I heard that my country will turn deep red again tomorrow because of the Covid variant Delta. I sure hope this won't be the case for your countries, but stay safe!
Hans

Hans

Your song deserves all the praise it's received. Really infectious groove and well composed.

Excellent work all round.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I hope it does, but thanks a lot for your nice comments on it.

Hans

Cool song Hans!! You really have a John Lennon vibe in the vocal.......always a good thing in my book!! The music stays interesting throughout. Very nicely done!! Take care. Greg