Daft long 70s prog without the fancy chords and skittish time changes:
FALCONIO
I was listening to a podcast about the murder of Peter Falconio, (another "back packer" murder with a moustachioed serial killer rather like Belangelo with Ivan Milat. The movie Wolf Creek was very loosely based on PF story), while noodling with the verse progression two days ago.
I decided I'd better get it down before I forgot it.
This is built around the verse progression moving through simple minor chords - using BIAb as the sketch pad. I kept the drums (RockNorthern^4) and organ (2692..a bloody beauty) as well as the solo from the psych ballad style.
The guitars are amp in a box things for the moment.
Mainly in A but veers close to C in the choruses.
The strings are Mel9 Orchestra, Mel9 Strings & Mel9 Cello...with the attack at about noon to give some crescendo feel.
I applied some Leslie simulation to the organ in the choruses and outro.
Finger bass on the verses, plectrum for choruses and solo section.
No lyrics as yet...no melody either.
Here's a new mix with some tweaks as per commentary...blanket removed from drums, presence added to organ.
I've done a VERY rough vocal sketch...just two passes the chorus will probably stay but the attempt at using the Falconio story in the verses isn't fabulous.

A couple of folk were interested in the Leslie effect on the organ in the choruses. It's an mda VST that was part of a free bundle sometime in 2006 or so.
I discovered, today, that the speed can be automated and the "ramp up" effect can be, sort of achieved.
Here's a new mix with the organ slightly exaggerated to demonstrate. There're also some real male bvox (a chap I know did 6 tracks) as well as a BIAB female vocal.
Update 24/11

Further update...choral male vocals (by aaron taylor) and BIAB Shelley fem bvox added as well as the two amp-in-a-pedal tracks replaced by guitar recorded through a Pignose 100.


Another step...
The choral vocals are gone for the moment so you can hear & comment on my double tracking of the lead as well as harmony supprts for the verse...
let me know what should stay & what should go...
Falconio with my bvox
Falconio


British back packers
Orange Kombi
Desert highway
Darkness in white

Something unspoken
Something understood
Something unwritten
Something unseen
Something
Something: just something

A white four wheel drive
Handle bar moustache
Tailing and sparks seen
Duct tape and a gun

Someone unspoken
Someone understood
Someone unwritten
Someone unseen
Someone
Someone: just someone

Somehow unspoken
Somehow understood
Somehow unwritten
Somehow unseen
Somehow
Somehow: just somehow

Media frenzy
Victim expose
Policing failures
A death as theatre

ALL suggestions welcome.

Ray ...

Very chill-drama. That organ is so damn sweet! The chorus moderates just a touch from the verses as far as the chill factor is concerned. But the verses and the chorus are mutually supportive. Nice chord mix with the majors and minors.

The lead guitar brings a whole new dimension to the song. It skillfully melds with the other segments.

Interesting and darkly provocative! Still smiling as I type. Ort is that a cringe? No, I think it's a smile ...

Alan

Hello Ray
The song is super successful
Very diversified designed
I like the great guitar sounds
Great job
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

ray,

Good track. (there have been a lot of 5+ minute things posted lately)

Guitars sound good. I like the solo guitar. Bass sounds great.
Organ is cool. When it came in towards the middle of the song, I thought it could use some "brightening" to separate it from the other mid-range sounds going on then.

The drums sound muffled (almost muddy) - like you were trying to "hide" something. Gave me the sense of "a different space" than the rest of the track.

I always enjoy your journeys.

fj

Yeah, that organ is eerily cool. Not sure how you added the Leslie effects, but they are perfect. I like the way you play bass, man. The guitar solo sounds good, but it seems to be hiding behind the bass. There is much sadness in this story and you tell it so well.

Cool chord progression. Organ was an excellent add..

Thanks Al,
Dark for dark work?

A successful draft - thanks mate.

Thanks fj,
LONG it is.
I haven't EQd the organ yet so will follow advice.
Drums...yes there's an EQ shelf blanket over the top end for the moment until I work out how to deal with the aggressive hihats...I will get to it - good ears you have.

Agreed re the organ...almost perfect!
Bass...well, after almost 50 years, (I took it up in 73/74), I'm starting to see the point of chordal tones.
The lead guitar isn't well looked after at present as I'm hoping to get a replacement done...I will, however, get it sorted as a proper interim jobbie.
The leslie effect is a JS plug in that comes with reaper. I dropped it on the track, set it & then bypassed it for the verses...easily done.
Thanks mate.

Cheers
Scott,
fab organ indeed.

Ray,
A little more than a draft... If you ask me, it backing is done.
Very cool bass ang guitar work! Hypnotic tune, I pressed play button and realized when it finished that I wrote only half a sentence Nice open mix. Creative stuff and solid foundation to develop it further. Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

P.S. Wolf Creek sounds scary, is it something like Deliverance?

Thanks Misha,
I plan on retracking the dirty guitars under the chorus.
Wolf Creek, well, like Deliverance, I was only able to watch it once. The actor who plays the chief nasty is know for being a lovely person and often portrays the positives of life so that juxtaposition may have added to the effect for an Australian watching.
Naturally there's been a series made that bases the whole thing on an American in Oz. Good old Netflix.

Sounding good Ray! Listened to your second draft with the vocal demo.

Super bass work, guitars sound good also. I thought that lead guitar could come up a couple of db in spots, the bit at 2:50 for example. But fine playing, you should play more often!

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

Read your comment to Marty about the JS plugin to add the leslie effect to the organ, I'm heading over to Reaper now to check that out!

Hi Ray,

first of all: The back story was (or is) absolutely unknown to me - if it was mentioned at all in German media it was certainly no headline.

Listening to the development of your songs is always a bit like watching a cooking show where the Chef experiments with unusual combinations of ingredents.

This one tastes, sorry: sounds already pretty tasty and I'm curious about the final dish.

Keep on stirring, mate,

Stefan

Vivid lyrics, 'duct tape and a gun' together with your ethereal voice sounds quite scary. Cool dark chord progression. The organ sounds great, kind of nightmarish. I enjoyed the bassline, especially in the solo section, good choice for solo guitarist.

Janne

Ray,

Listened to version 2. A lot of good stuff going on in this one so far. Opening up, I was wondering if the pace of that first verse could be sustained throughout the whole song, but the shift into the lead guitar before the first chorus works pretty well. Some great dimension in the instrumental mix—starting with that haunting organ. Keep working it!

All my best,

Deej

It sounds like you have an excellent start on this one. Very trippy. Good lyrics as usual. Good use of the band. I can't wait to hear the finished product.

Thanks Stefan,
A nasty story - not least for the predatory and cruel treatment of the innocent survivor by the media.
Here's an overview...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75zikZQxUg
It looks like I have a REAL cellist playing on this next week and another chap may do drums or guitar...we'll see.

Thanks mate...you're very kind.

It's a a sad, nasty, scary story Janne,
The organ is fab.
I do hope to replace the guitarist at some stage but it's pretty nice as is.

Thanks Deej,
Yes, keeping the dynamics and pace across six minutes is an interesting & taxing conundrum.
It'll develop slowly.

Thanks jptx3,
slowly developing.

I listened to the third incarnation listed.

Yes, that organ track is a treat and the right fit.

Love the eerie sound. Lennonesque vocal treatment. I thought it could be brought up a short hair.

Excellent work on the bass. I like that I can clearly hear it in the mix too.

Thanks Ezekiel's Storm,
I suspect the vocals are louder in the latest mix, (26/11), as I've "bolstered" them a bit.
ta for the kind comment.

Hi Ray,

thanks for the URL - unfortunately it's no longer auvailanle.

I really admire the way you're experimenting - looking forward to the cellist and some homemade drumming..

Cheers,

Stefan

I had a listen to the first version while browsing for Black Friday deals. So I didn't really pay that much attention to the comments.

My thought: love the guitar lead, but it's a bit... longish.

Then I toggled back and looked through the comments and saw someone comment on the vocal tracks. So I scrolled back, and...

Aw, &$*%$, there are three versions of the track to listen to?

Anyway, after listening, I can safely say that the latest mix sounds the best.

Ray

It's coming together nicely. Remember the murder on the news - 20 years ago!

Can't add much to what has been said (the guitar solo is soft but noted as is the vocal).

Nice progressive rock feel - look forward to the next update.

Peter

Sorry,
I wanted to show progress made based on ideas and comments from the forum.
yes, long long...I've removed the guitar lead at present as without it the length is absorbed in a more hypnotic feel...I feel.

Time moves quickly at my age - it doesn't feel that long ago.
Thanks for your kind words.

No need to apologize! I think it's great when people do that.

I was just making fun at myself for not paying more attention to what you had written.

"A death as theatre"

That is provocative. Period.

We listened to versions 1 and 3 as 2 was no longer available.

Fascinating. The ominous feel is nailed re supporting the dark lyric.

The Leslie sounds really good. Logic Pro X has a Leslie sim and you
can watch the speaker spinning need to try it on an organ MST.

Man, in addition to the fine playing you always have a great bass tone
that cuts through the mix w/o being too edgy or loud.

The guitars sound great ... placement, tone and chops.
Not sure we understand who and how they were done.

I'd go on but for additional thoughts just read Al's comments. Nailed.

J&B

.

Thanks for you kind words J&B,
I scrawled the verses just to fill in the space until I came up with something to match the chorus but decided I liked the darkness.
I tried to amend the OP with updates and remove dead links but the forum system automatically closes edits after X period.
Here's the latest...sans lead guitar at this point...still a work in progress.
Lead guitars gone.
At this point BIAB provides the high female vocal, the organ & the drums.
The rest, is me playing/"singing" and Aaron Taylor providing the choir B.Vox.

I've replaced Amp in a Box tracks with a pair of mic'd Pignose 100 tracks.

Just catching up on things I missed.

I see you've had some updates which are no longer available.
I'm listening to the original........sounds good to me!

moto