Mountain Magic

I guess you could call this Alternative Folk Rock. It features a Mandola on lead.

I apologize to those whom I didn't get to answer their comments on my previous post. Between my surgery follow-ups and Di's never-ending medical appointments, and everyday life requirements, I just ran out of time if I wanted any sleep. But, my appointment issues are less demanding and Di's will probably decrease, so I should be able respond to comments for a while. Thanks for understanding.

Hope you enjoy this one.


File:Mountain Magic.SGU
Key=Am , Tempo 125, Length (m:s)=3:17

4 bar intro, 32 bar chorus, from bar 5 to bar 36

Style is _FOCUSED.STY (Focused Fast Indie Folk Rock)

RealTracks in style: ~~519:Bass, Electric, Pop HalfNotes Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 3706:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm 90sAcRockPush Ev 120
RealTracks in song: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 3329:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm LoungeFunkSwells Ev16 080
RealDrums in Song: CongasEv8Med[single]
RealTracks in song: 3149:Mandola, Background AmericanaFolk8thsAndy ev 120
RealDrums in Song:CajonFolkFast8ths: a: Cajon Fast b: Cajon Fast Shaker

Hi Alan
Really good song
The rhythm is well chosen
Brings the right mood to the song
I like the solo especially well
Fun to listen to from the beginning
Further good improvement you both
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Alan,

This sounds great - very Laurel Canyon... Perfect mix.

Bob

Alan...I love this style of music...your arrangement is super for the style and the mandola is certainly the right choice for the solo part...I like everything about this!

Hi Andi ...


Ich danke dir ...du bist zu nett, aber ich kann lernen damit zu leben!

Thank you very much for the kind words. I appreciate them very much.

Alan

Hi Bob ...

Thanks a bunch. I hadn't thought of Laurel Canyon. Interesting! I appreciate the listen and kindness.

Alan

Hi Dan ...


As I told Andi in German, you are much too kind, but I can live it. Thanks a bunch for those really nice comments.

Alan

Hi Alan, although is nice to respond to comments from the listeners life's matters takes precedent. I sometimes fail to do so soon enough, but it's ok, I understand.
To the point, this is a very well made tune as you have us accustomed to.
Take care

Mike B.

Thanks a bunch, Mike. Glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for the understanding. Best to you.

Alan

Great sound. Really loved the instruments you chose and I'm sure jealous of your mixing abilities. I hope both of you get well and get rested.

Very nice, clean, and bright-sounding instrumental Alan!

Rob

Thanks a bunch, Brad, Sure do appreciate all that!

As far as the mixing, I don't use anything but Audacity - no legit DAW. Most of my mixing is done on the chord input page - lots of stuff going on behind the scenes there. I then touch it up a tad in Audacity. I master it with the Soundcloud mastering option. That's it - nothing else.

It typically takes me 4 - 10 hours to put together a song - from the very inception until it's as finished as it's probably going to get. The great majority of my posts are instrumentals since my wife's health doesn't allow her to sing very often anymore. I only sing when I want to annoy people - it usually works!

Thanks again ...

Alan

Hi Folks!

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for letting me know. wishing both of you the very best.

Alan

With its unique tonal qualities, the mandola is perfectly suited to carry this song. The backing instruments are well placed and mixed. I was hooked from start to finish.

Cool tune Alan. Excellent mix. Well done...

Beautiful. How do you do it, time and time again? I genuinely loved this one - and I can't remember when (if ever) I didn't like a track of yours. Wishing you and your wife nothing but good health and good things coming your way. Thanks ever so much for sharing your music with us.

Alan,

You do some of the Best instrumental on the forum.
Well constructed. Coherent, cohesive.
An excellent mix.

A pleasure to listen to.

fj

Alan

Another very enjoyable and well constructed instrumental.

Excellent mix and choice of band.

Peter

Thanks so much Brian. That's very nice of you to say. best to you ...

Alan

Hi Scott ...

Many thanks. Sure do appreciate that!

Alan

Hello James ..

So nice to hear from, my friend. How do i do it? Simple: A little bit of effort on my part and a whole bunch of near-magical backup from BIAB. What a great software!!!

Thank you for those very nice words. That is so kind of you to say. My health is returning rather quickly but Di struggles every day. But she keeps faith and will power in high gear.

Wishing you everything good ...

Alan

Hi Floyd ...

Dang, you just cost me some money. The few hats I have no longer fit! This is one of my favorites from over the past several years. A simple melody and chord pattern. And just enough instrumentation to fill it out.

Many thanks for your kindness. Wishing you and yours the very best.

Alan

Hello Peter ...

I appreciate all that. So nice of you to say. Glad you enjoyed it. Best to you ...

Alan

Ooo yeah. I love this fun style, and you present it with such pazazz. Alan. Fun changes. That mando does an excellent job of fitting into the fun, but I was waiting for another soloist to take a head. Well done!!

Really friendly, fresh feel to it - well done.

I'm not on here as much as I'd like with all the med appts
we have to go to now. So I get that. All you can do
is the best you can. Wishing you both some R&R.
I really enjoyed your song. It's very pretty and engaging.

Josie

A nice “riding the range” style tune Al.
Isn’t it great when you find BIAB instruments that live together?
Keep em coming.

Vic

Hey Marty!

I tried several fiddle and acoustic guitar tracks but none of them really fit that good. I wanted to keep the lead acoustic, so didn't sample any electric instruments. Glad ya liked it anyway. Thanks for letting me know. best to ya ...

Alan

Hello Ray ...

Thanks for dropping in for a listen. I appreciate the kind words. Take care ...

Alan

Hi Josie!

Thanks for the visit and very nice words. Di and I sincerely hope that whatever the issues are that keep you shuffling back and forth between home and the Dr's office resolve as good as possible. Wishing you the very best ...


Alan

Hi Vuc ...

Really nice to hear from you. Thanks for dropping in. And yes, that always puts a smile on my face! wishing you the very best ...

Alan

Al & Di

This is a very enjoyable listen, Alan. You are a treasure trove of good instrumentals. Not that we do not enjoy your rare vocals.

The mandola sounds great.

A strong band and mix, as always!

We have a framed photo of Crested Butte, CO we shot years ago that looks similar to your cover photo and, boy, those mountains are magical indeed. Wish we were there now!

Enjoyed it!

J&B

PS. We hope things will settle down soon for you and Di.

Hey Guys ...

Thanks a bunch for the very kind comments.

The mandola was my first choice, but I previewed 5 or 6 other possibilities. However, none of the other instruments seemed to to give the song the "character identity" my occasionally-working brain had embraced. So, the choice was easy. I like the slightly lower, richer sound the mandola provided vs a mandolin.

A "treasure trove"? Not so sure about that but a pretty decent song here and there. But I certainly appreciate your appreciation for my efforts.

I lived in Denver for 4 years back in the 70s. I still own 5.3 acres almost 10,000 feet up, just north of Cripple Creek. Paid $17,500 for it in 1979. My guess is if I had appraised, it would be worth a few dollars more today! Never got to Crested Butte. Gunnison is as close as I got. Sure is pretty up there in mountains.

Getting ready to post another one either this evening or tomorrow - has a very unusual chord pattern. Sometimes my brain takes backroads from my song's beginning to its end, rather than sticking to the previously charted route. And you never know what you'll find on those backroads! Occasionally there's a hidden gem there if you poke around a little bit.

Again, many thanks.

Alan

OK, my PS: I'm doing much better. They had to go back and so some repairs on one of my previous surgeries. But it's all good (or nearly so) now. However, Di is slowly regressing. We don't publicly make a big deal of our faith, but it sure helps us in troubled times. There's not much time for sleep and rest, but I have to take care of her. She's a fabulous lady and deserves the best care she can get from the professionals, as well as from me.

Alan, don't worry about listening or commenting. You take care of yourself and Di, that is all that matters.

Oh yea about the song! This is so pro.
It sounds like it was recorded in a pro studio.
Excellent work on the chord progression, the instrumentation, and the mix.

Hi Mario ...

Thank you so much. The came about pretty quickly once I settled on the RTs. I appreciate all those kind words. And yep, I'm taking care of Di the best I can. She deserves nothing less. Best to you ...

Alan

Mandolin feels a bet strange at first (I would have expected Spanish guitar or something like this) but it grows on you, I'm halfway through the song right now and can't imagine it without the mandolin anymore.
Interesting idea, I like the song.

Very rich chord progression, always pleasure to hear something refreshing that is far away from the pop list formulas, still having pop mood and enough melancholy to feed my heart. The song rolls firmly ahead bringing images of a horse running in a valley near mountains. The band sounds mellow and nothing distracts in the mix.

Janne