Hi everyone,

I wanted to make a bit a different song where the piano is in lead. It even starts with it...
And then I continue with the vocals and some other instruments. The SoundCloud link:
https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130/how-the-dice-fall?si=0aee54ec3a5a446cb03d1c7cbef2e768

I hope you like it, but I'm interested in what you really think of it.
I made it, because when I was young I really had those dreams of falling off a wall and then -in my dreams-learned how to fly. I still like that part!

Hans
=========================================
The Lyrics
How the dice fall
(c) HWBerkhout, 26/09/21

V
I took my heart in my hands
And I stared at that worn out thing
There is some love  inside it
Though for years no one came in

R
In early dreams I was falling
Allways from a wall
I never got me answers
About the meaning of it all

V
I had my heart in my hands
And I stared at that worn out thing
There is some love inside it
Though I let no one in

R
Now I have dreams about nothing
Only falling from a wall
But I won't be moaning
About the meaning of it all

=Solo=
V
I have my life in my hands
And I stared at my worn out soul
There is some crying inside it
A child, I can see through a hole

R
But I have dreams about nothing
Only falling from a wall
I learned some living and to understand
How the dice may fall

Still I have dreams about nothing
Only from that wall
I learned some living and to comprehend
How the dice must fall

=bridge=

V
But I ignored the child in my soul
Weeping on a wall
I was the one I neglected
That's how the dice really fall
===========================================
The instruments and other stuff:
Style: PBallads, Key: G (BiaB)
Bas, 3467Drums, ModernPopBallad 16thPiano 1 (1006) Symphony
Piano 2 (chorus) 3670
Me: composition, lyrics, vocals and keyboard for Strings (Sunset Strings, Realivox) and Drop sounds (Piano Colors from Native instruments)

Lovely intro Hans. Just loved the lyric. Super vocal. Backtrack was very cool. Excellent choice of instrumentation. Well done...

Hans,

This is a really nice progression along with a lovely melody and narrative.

at the 0.17/8 point there's a very rough edit within BIAB of the piano chords...it's happens a coupe of times more after that one.
It's often difficult to over come but would be worth the effort as a) it's pretty naked in the intro and b) the progression is really nice.

Your vocal is still a little harsh in spots, as mentioned some time ago, but not off-putting.

Nice package, the strings add their sweetness well.
Good work!

I really like this one. Super job with that piano and the chord progression. The lyrics are top notch for sure and your vocal was very good, as was your mix.

It was very refreshing hearing a piano as the main instrument. Extra praise for that!

Thumbs up.

Liked the emotion in your singing, it made the song for me. Good lyrics. I felt the piano solo was a little sparse, but it was short, so no big deal. Good work!

Oh, yeah. Flying In Dreams. A lot of us did/do that. It's interesting to ask folks their method and there are a lot of them. WOW! I typed that while the song was cuing, and I was preparing to tell you what I REALLY think of it. Then it started playing and, man, it hit me. Had to stop it and start it over.

I REALLY think this song is outstanding in melody, lyrics, vocal and band, and the mix is perfect. It is so well developed and so emotional. Your vocal is your best. Those strings are so well arranged and played. When you asked how I really felt, I really wanted to give you the tongue-in-cheek response, but the song kept my tongue in check. Man, Hans, I gave it 3 spins so far, and still think it's one of the best songs. Really!

A great write.
The instruments fill the space and the vocal dances across the top.

I can tell this has some deep meaning to you, it shows in your passionate delivery.

Don't change a thing.

moto

Gorgeous classic hit ballad! Very emotional lyrics and the way you interpret is very heartfelt.
I really like how you make heart and soul something tangible. And how the story (and the person) progress with small steps to the revealing end.
Lovely piano, it truly shows the beauty of the chord progression and supports the strong melody. Strings complete the masterpiece. Drop sounds work nicely.
Perfect fit for the darkening autumn days.

Janne

Hi Hans,

This is an excellent song - music and lyrics.

I particularly like your vocals - lots of passion.

Best Regards
Nigel

Hans.
A lovely production with excellent vocals . I very much enjoyed this. Well done.
regards
Gary.

Hans,

A very good write. Both lyric and melody are good.

I like the production. I agree with Ray about the piano. It's a great choice, but there are a few "glitches" to the track. And the vocal is a "bit too crisp" in places (there is more high-EQ than you need). It IS well sung!!

An excellent song.

fj

"I had my heart in my hands
And I stared at that worn out thing
There is some love inside it
Though I let no one in"

"But I ignored the child in my soul
Weeping on a wall
I was the one I neglected
That's how the dice really fall'

A few of our favorite lines ... great write.

John Lennon is back! We love this, Hans. The piano is lovely, as are the strings and the dramatic arrangement is powerful to go along with the powerful lyric. You are a master at dynamics.

And the mix sounds fine on our monitors.

Well produced in all aspects!

J&B

This is very nice. Your vocals are the star of this show. Wonderful. Great lyrics. Then band isn't too bad either, especially that piano player.

One of your best I think, Hans!

Love the melody and chord progression, and great vocal.

Well done!

Hi Scott, Ray, Mario and TuneMonger,

Thanks a lot for listening and your reply on my song. I appreciate that very much.

I feared the song might have been a bit too dramatic, but after reading the posts I admit I was wrong on that.



Hi Scott, thanks! Especially about the lyrics.



Hi Ray, thanks as well for your nice comment, also on the narrative. After your post I had changed the song a bit. I renewed the singing part and I rendered the first piano a couple of times to get what it is now. But beside the renewing of the piano I didn't hear what you wrote about it. Floyd also mentioned some glitches in the pianotrack, while he listened to the newer version. So they still have to be in it. But I don't hear any of this, nor did I read complains about it from others. On the contrary, some said to leave it as it is. And that is how I feel about it too. Also about that 'naked' part...
But keep telling me what I can improve in my songs. I need that information.



Hi Mario, what a nice comment! And what a wonderful mark I got on the lyrics. Thanks!



Hello TuneMonger, Thanks for these nice words and the qualification of the lyrics! I think you've heard the first version of the song, in the second version the piano wasn't sparse (in my opinion). So, I listened :-)

I hope you all have a nice weekend,
Hans

Hans

A really emotive and well sung ballad.

Nice lyric and impressive use of the piano and percussion.

A very good song.

Peter

Hans,

I love a piano song . . . and this one is pretty darn sweet. At 45 seconds, I’m wondering whether the intro is a bit too long, but once the song kicks in it takes off. So perhaps fine as is. The vocal is stellar, crisp and magnetic. The melody on the chorus sticks the ear well. Like the strings behind the piano—just the right touch. A compelling emotion to this piece that resonates. Impressive work!

All my best to you,

Deej

Hans.
nice piano and lyrics mate.
i like it when you push yuour vocs.

nice ending .
happiness.
om

Hi Hans,

You've really done a great job, here. Piano is my instrument and it always makes me feel comfortable when I listen to it.

As I listened, I closed my eyes and simply let your singing and the music drift around me. There's nothing I'd change.

Another fine addition to your ever-growing collection!

All the best,
Noel

Hans,
I believe you achieved your goal. Nice piano lead ballad. Good use, not overly busy synths. Liked that sub bass synth. Good fit. Solid set of lyrics. Zero complaints on your vocals, which in my opinion were pretty good and mix is clear. Easy listen.
Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

Pretty song Hans!! I like the lyrics and the emotion in it! I think the drums sometimes are a bit too aggressive for the style of the song. Really nice work!!! Take care. Greg

Lovely ballad, Hans. Good lyrics (I particularly like the first two lines) and impassioned vocal. I also had flying dreams as a child, the memory of which came back to me listening to your song.
Regards,
Leon

The chorus really stands out for me: The lyrics, melody, and vocal are strong. A chorus that makes one stop what one is doing just to listen to it.

Hi Marty,Captain, Nigel, Gary and Floyd,

There was a little pause in my replies to you all, but I liked your post a lot. Thanks for them!
But I still have to find out how these dice fall...




hi Marty, I was surprised to hear how many have dreams about falling, but manage to turn falling into flying. I did the same. I remember I was afraid of having these falling dreams again. But one time I spread my arms and yes! There I got up and twisted in whatever way I wanted to go.Then I longed for those dreams, but as it often goes, then they disappeared. Must have had something to do with those dice...
Thanks for your very nice compliments, especially about having one of the best songs, wow. My wife gave me a kiss for this. No, that's not true. She smiled.



Hi Moto, your prediction was right. Read my reply to Marty on that. But I also like to sing this kind of 'dramatic' songs. It can be about a cat, live or a mix of both. ;-)
But I did change some things, to get a better sound.
Thanks!



Hello Nigel, thanks for your post. I'm pleased you liked it. It was not so easy for me to compose and sing this one, because of the different parts and moods in it. You saw that right.



Hi Gary, I'm happy you enjoyed it. And I'm also pleased you named the vocals, because they are getting older...




Hello floyd, thanks a lot for your comment and compliments. About the eq thing: I changed some things in the song and I bet you would like it more now.
But about these 'glitches' I don't think i can agree with you, except for one 'glitch'somewhere in the beginning of the song. Couldn't remove it, that's how the dice fall (I would like to say on that).
I hope to improve my songs every time. There comes a time you don't have these eq complains anymore... I hope...

Regards,
Hans

Hi Hans,

This is definitely a keeper! Your vocals sounded great, and strong writing on the lyrics. And you really picked the right musical arrangement for this song. It sounds somewhat theatrical at times, while at the same time, blending in some folksy sounding Neal Young or maybe even Al Stewart vocals. Thanks for posting, I enjoyed the listen.

Hi Janice and Bud, Jptjptjpt, Dave and Peter,

Thanks for your very nice compliments. I was hesitating a bit placing this song on the forum.
I liked it a lot myself, but it wasn't exactly a song where your toes go everywhere. It is a -kind of- dramatic song with the piano(s) and not a potential blockbuster.

Jptjptjpt, thanks for the nice words you used to tell me you enjoyed it!
And Dave, thanks for the award you gave me in your post. It is hanging on the wall of my studio!
Peter, thanks as well for what you said. I'm glad you enjoyed it! It made my day.

I only quote the post from from Janice and Bud, because of all the aspects it it:



Thanks Janice and Bud that you noticed I'm back!
The lines you quoted are (in a way) the words my mother used when I was about 5 or 6 years old.
She told me about the child in yourself. You can ignore it, punish it or cherish it.
That's how you will become as a grownup. Well, in my fantasy I saw it all. And now i made a song about it! (the story is much longer but I don't want to push things too hard...

But I was really really pleased with all you said after John. Thanks a lot for that!
In my head it echoed "wow"!!!

All the best,
Hans

Honest opinion, eh?

Well, the chord progression is flippin' gorgeous man, and the lyrics are fantastic.

Some of it gave me goosebumps.

For me the intro is too long and it takes almost a minute for the song to start, do I would shorten that a lot. But that is just me.

Other than that, this is great. Love it.

Hello Deej56, OM, Noel and Misha,

I appreciated all the kind words you wrote!
Individually I try to answer all the remarks you made on the song, the structure, the lyrics or other items.
A little late, but sincere!



Hi Deej, You are not the first one who made some remarks on the time of 'the intro'. I did this on purpose, not to put the listener on a wrong leg, but to pursuade them to listen to what is going on. The intro was meant as a nicy classical tune that got interupted by tension (the dark piano) and the singing that starts there. Both had to do with the kind of emotions in the song. That intro came back near to the end of the song in some bridge. But all was different compared with the intro. That's how life works, I wanted to tell with all this. And thanks a lot for your compliments!



Hi OM, Nicely said. And I'm glad you liked the lyrics too. Always a challenge for a 'foreigner'!




Wow Noel, that are very nice compliments. I was hoping someone would describe how she/he listens to this song like you did. And thanks a lot for your last line!



Hi Misha, Zero complains on my vocals!!! Well, you are much nicer than I am myself on my vocals (the horror of eq issues). But I'm not sure if I achieved my goal yet; you will probably hear that on other songs that will come from me. But thanks a lot, Misha!

Have a nice day, all of you,
Hans

"In early dreams I was falling / Allways from a wall"

Is this autobiographical?

I've wondered if there's something hardwired about childhood dreams of falling.

Enjoying your music much while typing these thoughts.

Hi Greg, Leon, Ezekiel, Bawb, David and Mark,

Thanks a lot for your comments on the song. I saw it was almost faded away in the forum. On page 3 while I hadn't answered all of you. That goes fast on the forum!
But your reactions were very nice. I appreciated it all very much.

To Mark I can say, yes it was a bit autobiographical. But nothing to worry about ;-)

David, you were not the first saying -maybe- the intro was too long. But I did that on purpose. This opening comes back near to the end and was deliberately to build up the tension when the very sombre piano comes in. But you are so impatience... You want to hear the end when a song starts ;-). You can also enjoy what comes when it comes (not with everything!).

Bawb, you are right. That theatrical effect was to get a contrast with what came next. Nice words you used on it!

Ezekiel, That's a nice way how you wrote about the chorus. And so true. Thanks!

Leon, how did you feel about those dreams? for me they were scary in the beginning, until I learned how to fly. All in those repeated dreams. Then I longed for them, but they disappeared...

Greg, for me these drums needed to be more present. That is to accentuate the emotions. But not everyone is fond of that. Still I read you enjoyed the song. Thanks!

Thanks a lot for listening,
Hans

Hans, your songs are always excellent and you've done it again! Your material always puts me in mind of some of the greats from years back! This reminds me of something Billy Joel would do! Thanks, Torrey

Hi Torrey,

Thanks for your very nice comment on the song. And you tried to let me blush, but then I need this kind of comments on ALL my songs ;-)
I just commented on your new song. I can't think of someone I can compare you with. I think it's because you are unique with your songs.

Regards,
Hans