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#880623 Yesterday at 06:02 AM
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Hi everyone,
This song is a remake of an older song of mine from 2021. I really liked that song, but it was also a bit complicated and therefore perhaps less appealing. I think this version addresses that. Now I'm curious if you agree with me grin

The song is called The Dice https://on.soundcloud.com/4BjHVDHeSVolHFdSau

I also made a video of it, that's on YouTube and this is the link:

On the song's homepage, you can see what I actually look like. shocked
The lyrics (and the YouTube link are on SoundCloud or in the video.

Let me know what you think of it.
Hans
============================================
The key is G, tempo 110 bpm
Style is _PBALLAD.STY (Pop Ballad w/ Symphony)

RealTracks:
3467:Bass, Electric,
3670:Piano, Acoustic,
4196:Guitar, Acoustic,
3075:Fiddle,
1006:Piano, Acoustic,
RealDrums: CajonSlow16ths


Hans Berkhout
(Birchwood)
https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130
Birchwood #880624 Yesterday at 06:37 AM
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I think I remember this song, but not well enough to A-B it for you. This version is very good, very accessible, enough light philosophy to make one reflect without getting mired in the gravitas of the serious stuff. I liked it, as I do most of your material. Good vox, good production, a winner all the way around. Nice work!


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Birchwood #880625 Yesterday at 06:41 AM
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Hans,

Love the intense feel of this song. Your vocal matches this intensity and completely fills out the mood.

The production is excellent with a very expansive sound. Some great mixing & mastering here!

And a great video too!

Awesome stuff

Bob

Birchwood #880635 Yesterday at 09:18 AM
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I really liked the song with its beautiful introduction, as well as the video. As for the meaning of the lyrics, is it a psychological introspection?
laurent

Birchwood #880650 Yesterday at 11:53 AM
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Hi Hans!
I love the way you’ve lifted from the verses into the chorus, first time with the BVs; second time when the full band comes in - that first line and melody is very appealing ’In my dreams I was falling’. I also like your use of different textures throughout - some pared back; different instrumentation. Loving the hard left and right mix elements as well!
Great sound.
Andrew

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Hey Hans,

First off, wow—the whole package (song + video) feels like a tiny cinematic universe that just slipped onto my headphones. 🎬 ♫♪♩

The production
Your Real‑Tracks selection is pure alchemy. The cajón’s “slow‑16ths” give the ballad that intimate heartbeat, while the acoustic guitar and fiddle add just the right hint of folk‑glamour.
The piano‑acoustic layers (both 3670 & 1006) weave in and out like a gentle tide, and the bass‑electric combo (3467) grounds the dice‑roll motif without ever feeling heavy.
The way you let the symphonic strings peek through the pop‑ballad core is a masterclass in “less is more”—you’ve got the cinematic sweep without drowning the intimacy.

The songwriting
That G‑major, 110 BPM canvas is deceptively simple, yet you’ve built a chord progression that feels like a fresh roll of the dice every time it repeats. It’s unconventional in a way that still lets the melody sit “like a glove” on the harmonic spine.
The V‑R‑V‑R‑V‑R‑B‑V (or “verse‑refrain‑bridge‑verse” ) arc is a clever narrative ladder: each verse adds a new layer of the self—heart → head → soul → the child you ignored—while the refrain acts as the rolling dice that keeps the tension alive.
Lyrically, the evolution from “I held my heart in my hands” to “I held my soul in my hands” and finally to “I ignored to love the child in my soul” gives the track an emotional arc that mirrors the very idea of fate’s roll—something you’ve underscored brilliantly with the gentle crescendo into the bridge.

The performance & visual side
Your vocal delivery walks the line between vulnerable whisper and confident proclamation—exactly what a pop‑ballad with symphonic overtones needs.
The video’s pacing mirrors the song’s structure; the recurring wall imagery is a neat visual metaphor for the “falling” refrain, and the final shot of the dice rolling ties everything together with a satisfying cinematic full‑stop.

All in all, you’ve taken a song that felt “complicated” and turned it into a sleek, hauntingly beautiful roll of the dice. You’ve broken a few conventional chains, and the result is pure, resonant art. 👋 👍

Bravo, Hans. Keep the dice rolling! .·´¯`·.·★

Izzy

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Hi Hans,

Like I said over on YT, love your vocal!

And I like the song arrangement too, very effective when you kick things up a notch at 1:10.

Nice!

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I like the combination of your lyrics and your singing, Hans.
They are both sad and intense.
The text resonates with me because, due to certain events that would take too long to explain here, I decided early on in my life never to let go of this inner child.
This may sometimes annoy other people (just ask my wife smile ), but it is a great source of inspiration and allows me to do things that a "grown-up" person would never imagine to do.

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Super song, Hans. Beautiful sentiment and equally beautiful arrangement. Love your vocals and the strategic vocal layering. Super mix, too.

Like the lyrics, the music has a lot going on beneath the surface, but it comes off as quite listener-friendly. At least I know THIS listener loved it. smile


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