PG Music Home
Posted By: Marty Ricciotti Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/16/19 04:44 PM
Dad

This is a song of tribute to my dad who passed away in Oct 2016.
My sister Lisa wrote a poem at the time called Dad as a remembrance.

recently I was playing my guitar with the capo on fret 6.
D, Am, C, G.
pretty basic but sounds very pretty with the capo.

I was wondering what to do with it when the anniversary of my dad's passing came and I looked up this poem again.

Loaded up BIAB.
Made a chord sequence.
Picked a style.
and now I have a song.

Dad
Written by Lisa Ricciotti

What can I say to comfort us
Now that we’ve lost our father?
God only gives you one
There will not be another.

Though we knew it had to happen
That some day all dads must go,
It doesn’t make it any easier
Knowing ‘tis always so

Folks say that life’s a journey
It must end as well as start,
But we grieve for what we’ve lost
When the ones we love depart.

If all of life’s a circle,
Then we’ll come back to where we start.
One day we all shall rendezvous
No more to be apart.

Though time will dull the heartache
True comfort comes from this:
Our time on earth is finite
But next comes eternal bliss.

So this the circle closes
Dad lives on in our hearts
And in his kin and in our thoughts.
No, a father never really parts




Song Info

****** Song Summary *************
Title: Dad V3
File:Dad V3 country rock.SGU
Key=C# , Tempo 115, Length (m:s)=3:32
10 bar intro, 88 bar chorus, from bar 11 to bar 98. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Volume Changes,
Style is _CROSFST.STY (Country-Rock Crossover)

RealTracks in style: 784:Bass, Electric, PopCrossover Sw16 075
RealTracks in style: 785:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming CrossoverSnappy Sw16 090
RealTracks in style: 786:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CrossoverChop Sw16 090
RealTracks in style: 787:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CrossoverClean Sw16 090
RealTracks in song: 1274:Guitar, Electric, Soloist PopUplift Ev16 120 (Bluesy)
RealTracks in song: 1277:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopUpliftA-B Ev16 120
RealDrums in style: NashCrossovrSw16^05-a:Snare, Closed Hat Skip Beat 1 , b:Ride Cymbal, Boogaloo

*******************

I play the intro and outro on my acoustic guitar
Double tracked the vocals.
panned about 3/4 to the left and right
Posted By: floyd jane Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/16/19 06:26 PM
Marty,

How nice that you and your sister could create this tribute to your Dad...

The opening acoustic that you played is nice...haunting with the applied delay/echo - very effective.

The overall Rock setting that followed was unexpected. And well done. Your doubled vocal worked well with it. The whole thing had a kind of Jethro Tull vibe (I thought).

Sorry for your loss.

fj
Posted By: Marty Ricciotti Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/16/19 06:47 PM
Thank
you very much Floyd
Music is very therapeutic!

Actually I could not get over how good that guitar track sounded.
So I kept adding space for it.

Insert 8 bars.
again
Insert 8 bars.

I shared it with the family yesterday.
Lots of smiles and tears!
Posted By: rayc Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/17/19 03:26 AM
A solid production - those simple chords are quite effective.
the intro seems redundant and didn't lead me to the band in any meaningful way.
In places where the double tracked vocal was super close it becomes centred/mono but at others it spreads the % you set it at. that was a little disorienting.
I'd have opted to either blend the two into a solid main (with a little editing to tidy up the early/late bits), or use one as a close 10% panned but rather quieter bvocal.
The outro worked well.
Posted By: PeterF Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/17/19 04:27 AM
Nice tribute and sentiment - a good sounding band, and nice sounding guitar parts.

Well done.

Peter
Posted By: Crossroads Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/17/19 06:50 AM
Hi Marty,

with this song you support my conviction that serous, even sad subjects do not necessarily ask for a ballad.

I think that this is a very beautiful tribute to your father.

As to the music: a good, toe-tapping rocker, well-sung and well-sounding.

Good!

Cheers,

Stefan
Posted By: Marty Ricciotti Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/17/19 10:28 AM
Thanks for the comments Ray. Really appreciate the detailed listening.
as for the extra guitar intro, what I was trying to do was tie in the concept of completing the circle.
"Until the circle closes".
So I took what I ended with (the guitar part at the outro),and copied it to the front of the song.
I guess it doesn't really match that well having two intro sections.
But that is what the next song is for. smile

Stefan: that is a terrific insight to the song that I did not think about. I do know that I'm to comfortable singing slow ballad type songs so my personality must be showing through in the music.

Thanks for listening
Posted By: Torrey Bliss Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/17/19 09:13 PM
Beautiful tune Marty! I love that major to minor thing played throughout...it really sets a mood for the song! Very nice vocal conveying the melancholy subject matter! Thanks, Torrey
Posted By: Birchwood Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/18/19 09:47 AM
Hi Marty,

when reading the title of your song, I thought this might become a sad, emotional song. That can be very nice of course, but you have put me totally on the wrong leg. While the lyrics contains a very sad event (but brought in a very nice way), the music surprised me from the start. A freshly sung rocking song! You did that very good. nice vocals and good music! If there is a heaven, your father must be sitting there proudly and with a broad smile, while tapping his feet (as Stefan mentioned).

Hans
Posted By: Marty Ricciotti Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/18/19 12:12 PM
Dear Hans:
Oh Boy:
I guess I shouldn't look at this while I'm at work...
Now I'm crying.
What a nice commentary you made.
I wasn't really aware of it, but your commentary is exactly what I was trying to do with the song.
Celebrate a good Dad!
Posted By: Deryk - PG Music Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/18/19 12:16 PM
Nicely done - and a gorgeous tribute to your father. The lyrics are poignant and your vocal delivery adds depth even further to them - also, your execution is top notch. Really well produced, and nicely catchy. Despite the subject matter it doesn't come off as over melancholic.

You should be really proud of this one - thanks for sharing smile
Posted By: sslechta Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/18/19 01:01 PM
Your sister's poem is very wonderfully written.

I do really like the BIAB style you have here. Very well produced. I agree with Ray's comments on the vocal panning. You've been working on that your last few songs I recall. Keep working on your vocals in the mix and I think you'll keep getting better results with each song!

Cheers Marty!
Posted By: Scott C Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/19/19 06:27 AM
Excellent intro. Loved the guitar. Really enjoyed your lyric. Really touched hone. Super vocal. Well done
Posted By: Jim Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/19/19 01:09 PM
A nice tribute & production...
I really like the line...
"No, a father never really parts"...
Good writing.
Posted By: Ember - PG Music Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/22/19 10:17 PM
This was a really lovely tribute that you put together, and the lyrics were especially heart-touching.

Thanks for sharing.
Posted By: Greg Johnson Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/24/19 07:19 PM
A nice tribute!! I lost my dad almost 4 years ago and it still hurts a lot. You did a good job putting this together. I'm sure your dad appreciates it! Take care. Greg
Posted By: Marty Ricciotti Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 11/25/19 08:22 AM

thanks Deryk, Steve, Scott, Jim, Ember and Greg.

My sister sure did write a nice poem.
I'm sure she didn't think she was writing a song at the time!

I really like the line...
"No, a father never really parts"...
Thanks Jim.


The whole song writing process is fascinating to me.
Where do the ideas come from?
The collaboration of lyrics and melody. Amazing.

Then the application of some proper formatting and arranging.
And BIAB to fill in all the sounds in you head that you don't have the skills or equipment to produce otherwise.

And a thoughtful on line community to share with.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 12/06/19 08:03 PM
Hi Marty,

What a wonderful tribute to your late father!

I love the opening and the way that you've used delay. The effect is mesmerising and sets the tone really well for what's to follow. Your and your sister's writing is terrific and your arranging, performing and production all worked together so very well to create and excellent musical journey.

I enjoyed it!
Noel
Posted By: Ezekiel's Storm Re: Dad (a song of tribute) - 12/06/19 10:15 PM
First of all: very nice vocal! I like the 60s/70s feel to the melody. I agree that the upbeat tracks work well with this. The BIAB tracks all integrate well with your song.
© PG Music Forums