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Red Dirt Roads - Soundcloud Red Dirt Roads - YouTube Development:This composition was born from the latest assignment I've set for my group of friends that includes Andrew Dee (avert your ears Andrew if you don't want to listen before our next get together). You can listen Andrew, having completed this assignment I'll probably try and do a second shorter song now. The theme was to write a song where the lyrics don't follow the conventional rhyming patterns, ie AABB, ABAB etc., or they don't have to rhyme at all. So for this song I have been inconsistent as to where the rhyme (if any) falls. So I'd come up with an opening F#m7 - B7 intro that had a choppy, almost train or travelling rhythm. This got me to thinking of a song by Flash and The Pan's song, Waiting for a Train, an Aussie pair from the 80's. That song has an "um, um, cha; um, um, cha" beat that references the train/driving beat. Unfortunately I couldn't find a style in BIAB that came close to the feel, and I nearly settled on a dance style , DANCE6, but in the end I didn't think it was going to work that well. I then came across the "SHOCK" style in rock, and I've settled for a more conventional genre that I'm more comfortable with. So this was originally going to be called Open Roads, a song about someone who lives a nomadic lifestyle on the road. I later changed it to Red Dirt Roads just to give it that extra sense of being away from civilisation and desolation. So, again as is with a few of my songs, no great insights lyrically, and I've probably concentrated on lyrics that work musically. I play the acoustic rhythm and obviously vocals, hard to believe they're not AI right?!?! The lead, bass and drums are BIAB. I'm conscious that BIAB lends a huge part to these songs, but I always want to try to add a human element, warts and all. I just feel that if I let BIAB do it all, I'd be selling myself short and not learning how to play. I really ought to go back and try to learn some of the BIAB solos, does anyone in the forum try to do that? I hope it's to everyone's liking. BIAB Info:Title: Red Dirt Roads File:Red Dirt Roads.SGU Key=F#m, Tempo 118, Length (m:s)=4:58 Style is _SHOCK.STY (Shock Choppy Blues Rock Soloist) RealTracks in style: 1717:Bass, Electric, TexasBluesRockStraight Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 3360:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm BritBluesRock70sChoppy Ev 110 RealTracks in style: 3362:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritBluesRock70s Ev 110 RealDrums in style:RockHardEven8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride Human Info:Acoustic Guitar: Seagull Coastline Vocals: 64 year old vocal chords Song:INTRO VERSE 1 So long, been a drifter for so long. This old pickup it rattles and jangles my bones. Down a red dirt highway, destination’s always round the bend. Moonshine and blinding headlights, Make it hard to stay alive tonight. A roadhouse is a friend for the night. VERSE 2 So long, this red dirt goes on and on. Four pieces of rubber that know no home. Every day’s a long haul, been crossing state lines. Always someone cutting me up. They gotta get in front of you, Must pushing hundred and fifty-two…. k..p..h CHORUS … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold. Chasing endless horizons to the sea. SOLO VERSE 3 So long, Rusty at my side for so long. She don’t care, as to where, she’s got her bone. Ain’t nothing better than bombing along red dirt roads. With your best friend at your side. She’s not trying to catch you out. She’s just a ….. along for the ride. CHORUS … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold. Chasing endless horizons to the sea. … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. ………….. red dirt roads, ……………… I’ll never fold. ……….. endless horizons to the sea. OUTRO
Last edited by Knee Wobbler; Yesterday at 07:56 PM. Reason: Link to YouTube video added
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Ahhhhh! I tried to look away … but once I had seen it, I couldn’t unsee it, and once I couldn’t unsee it, I had to listen to it!
And glad I did Knee Wobbler! A really good choice of style - I’m not sure I understood what style you were looking for, but this sounded great. That bass is good, and I love the way your verse vocal slips into the chorus. Good choice of solo sections as well.
It will be a pleasure to accompany you when we play it live.
For my submission, I’m about 15% of the way there. Gulp. Better get a wriggle on.
Andrew
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Cool exercise, Lee. Nice job sustaining the snappy musicality of your song throughout. Love your (doubled?) vocals and where you have them in the mix. Though I LOVE lyrics that rhyme, they of course don't have to. The song just has to SOUND pleasing, and this is quite pleasing indeed. Good use of BiaB soloists, too, though the ending sounds unresolved to my (68 year old) ears. Nice one!
My grandfather's farm was on a red clay road in the southern United States. The iron content of the soil was so high you could pick up small rocks with a toy magnet. Kids today just don't have that kind of fun any more...
DC Ron
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Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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I'm always a fan of experimenting with rhyme schemes, or eliminating them altogether. I really like this song, especially that uber-catchy chorus! Best use of heys and oohs that I've ever heard on here. Kept listening to it over and over. You've got a great tune here, congratulations. The BIAB guitars fit perfectly, sounded like Stephen Stills. The first time I heard the ending it seemed abrupt. But listening again, it felt like an artistic choice - worked for me.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Excellent result of your exercise, Lee. Cool guitar solo, too. You're so right about BiaB and you, It's a great learning/teaching tool, and you shoulrn't cut yourself short. I heard ryhmes all over the place --some of them likely not even intended. Fun feel, excellent lyrics and a smooth vocal surrounded by a fine backing band.
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Lee,
Great song, excellent vocals and a very cool & open mix. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Bob
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A pretty cool song, even without a title or image it immediately says "dirt and driving".
The vocals are almost too smooth for dirty roads, but they work quite well.
Enjoyed my listen!
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I really like the singing; it sounds a bit like a duet and goes well with the song.
Laurent.
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Great use of BiaB in this song. Balanced mix of well chosen instruments and great solos.
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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Hi Andrew
Thank you for not unseeing it and listening. When I came up with the intro I felt it had a chugging feel to me and my mind went to the train feel or motion that “waiting for a train”. So I went looking for that sort of 80s new wave style, but couldn’t find a suitable style.
Yes the slipping into the chorus from the verse really catches the ear and seemed quite natural. One might say I short changed the chorus of lyrics using the “heys” and “oohs”, but im happy with the way it transitions and sits in the song.
Looking forward to our next catch up. Long time between drinks this time.
Thanks Andrew, regards.
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Thank you Ron,
It is a good exercise, we come up with a different theme or exercise every time we meet… we don’t seem to run out of ideas.
The vocal tracks were trebled, panned L&R at a lesser volume and also centre at a higher volume. Not totally happy with the vocal, there are audible phrasing differences between the tracks which I overlooked. It’s funny, you can listen to a song repeatedly and not hear anything that concerns you, but as soon as you upload it, there they are.
I agree with you about kids today. We used to play in a pile of dirt with our Matchbox cars, making roads and homes, in the baking sun for hours. Kids today….don't know what they’re missing!
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Hi there Tunemonger
Yes, it’s surprising how the ear craves for the rhyme, but a lot of the time it’s not necessary, and the song benefits from not having it. Yes, the heys and oohs, just flowed straight out of the verse and into the chorus so well, it almost didn’t need any lyrics at all. I did review the outro and tried several different finishes. I get that it sounds a little unresolved, but to me it sounds like an open ending, as if it’s saying this travellers journey is still ongoing. As you say a closing artistic choice.
Thank you for the listens. Kind regards.
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Thank you Marty
The guitar solos were brilliant, took a while selecting each one and I think it eventually came up a good variation….a lot were rejected! Yeah, I am worried that by using BIAB that there are skills I’m not focusing on and letting Tech take control of it them, solos are a prime example. There are things like drums, bass and to a lesser extent keys, that I will struggle with and gladly let it BIAB create. There were rhymes there but I was trying to make them obscure or in irregular places.
Thanks for listen Marty. I appreciate your thoughts. Kind regards.
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Thank you Bob,
I had to work on the vocals to get the right balance. They initially sounded too airy, I had to add some low end otherwise they’d floated off into the ether. It’s worked out really well, after deliberating which style to use.
Glad you enjoyed it. Kind regards
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Thank you BD,
First time anyone has said my vocals are too smooth! More often than not they have a rough passage out. It’s amazing what imperfections can be disguised by a little bit of doubling, trebling and digital witchcraft!
I’ll have to summon my inner Joe Cocker for any future tunes! Glad you enjoyed it, kind regards.
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Hi there Laurent
Thank you for listening and your kind comments. I did have three vocal tracks and there are times when my phrasing didn’t match, so I guess those moments when they are out of sync lends to a duet feel.
Glad you found it enjoyable, kind regards.
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Hi Chay,
I couldn’t agree more. The BIAB style, solos and rhythm have taken this song to an extra level. I did spend a quite a lot of time auditioning each solo to get the best (to my ear) and which blended the best together. It was definitely worth the effort to find the best combination.
Glad you enjoyed it. Kind regards.
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Cool song & performances...I like the "feel" of the vocals.
Mix wise I think you could move that electric rhythm git away from the center..in fact a little more spread for the acoustic & electric would be cool.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Thank you for the listen and advice Ray.
I’ll give your suggest with the spread of acoustic and electric a whirl tomorrow and see how it sounds.
Cheers, kind regards.
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Very cool. It has an early 70s Carlos Santana vibe and feel to it.
I like song challenges like this. They kinda force you out of your comfort zone. It seems to have worked out well.
The nits .... For me, the guitar is a tad too far forward and dry. Back it down and add a tad more verb to the guitar to make it smoother. Let it be a part of the mix.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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