Soundcloud Share Thread

[Rarebird]

Thanks . keep us posted on any response.

Now, for another question. Do you ever listen more than once to anything we post here? OK, I know you really have to like it to even get to the end the first time, but we all put so much into our composition, instrument choices, mixing and production that the first time through isn't enough to fully appreciate what you are listening to. I know I'm guilty of getting halfway through and then clicking off if it just isn't making an impression on me. No shame there, I get it, but I often do things at the end of a song that expand it beyond the simpler stuff at the beginning. It's a momentum, crescendo thing, and I wonder if anyone ever gets there to hear it, let alone play it again. Just like a book. You don't know you are being thrown a hint/cookie at the beginning that should tip you off to the ending until you read it a second time and go, "oh yeah, I see that now."

To be fair, I don't listen more than once. I try to give some feedback, even if it's just something like: "I like it."

I have to admit I often miss some feedback, if I post my music on this thread, or in some other thread I created for my own music.

I tend to put single songs on Soundcloud and if I have an album ready, I put it on Bandcamp. Alas my last album was cut short, because of the passing of my dad and some other things. Perhaps I should make an album with the things I heve finished and that were ment to be together with some other pieces on a double album. I could split it in two and release a 'Where is the audience (The title I had in mind for the album I was working on last year) part 1'.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

Richard, thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Personally, I guess at this point in my life, I don't really expect a lot of attention to my work. I do it for my own enjoyment and am happy to have 100 or so listens to a track. There's also a couple of radio stations around here that play original music that also play my stuff on their show along with other very talented musicians. That's really sufficient to me. I love the creative process and don't much care if it's popular. I learned long ago that the music business is a horrible one. I choose to eschew the business side and create for myself. In the CD age, I used to sell my music and donate all of the proceeds to a charity. I'd say I sold 100-200 copies of each release and got some local newspaper and radio coverage. Thankfully, I had a nice non-musical career, and can create music at my leisure without worrying about putting food on the table. I'm grateful for that.

I just think this thread is cool because of the interactions between musicians at all levels. Whether or not it generates listens is a side benefit. Your idea is a fine one, though, and I'm also interested, like Bob, in what the mods say.

Joe

[Top Cat]

To be fair, I don't listen more than once. I try to give some feedback, even if it's just something like: "I like it."

I have to admit I often miss some feedback, if I post my music on this thread, or in some other thread I created for my own music.

I tend to put single songs on Soundcloud and if I have an album ready, I put it on Bandcamp. Alas my last album was cut short, because of the passing of my dad and some other things. Perhaps I should make an album with the things I heve finished and that were ment to be together with some other pieces on a double album. I could split it in two and release a 'Where is the audience (The title I had in mind for the album I was working on last year) part 1'.

I'm so sorry to hear about your father's passing. I hope you're handling the emotional impact that this can bring. My heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.
Please think about releasing all of your material when you're ready.

Richard, thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Personally, I guess at this point in my life, I don't really expect a lot of attention to my work. I do it for my own enjoyment and am happy to have 100 or so listens to a track. There's also a couple of radio stations around here that play original original music that also play my stuff on their show along with other very talented musicians. That's really sufficient to me. I love the creative process and don't much care if it's popular. I learned long ago that the music business is a horrible one. I choose to eschew the business side and create for myself. In the CD age, I used to sell my music and donate all of the proceeds to a charity. I'd say I sold 100-200 copies of each release and got some local newspaper and radio coverage. Thankfully, I had a nice non-musical career, and can create music at my leisure without worrying about putting food on the table. I'm grateful for that.

I just think this thread is cool because of the interactions between musicians at all levels. Whether or not it generates listens is a side benefit. Your idea is a fine one, though, and I'm also interested, like Bob, in what the mods say.

Joe

That's quite a resume you have there Joe, and well deserved because you're a very talented writer and guitarist(I'm especially fond of your Beatlesque stuff). lol

I've accepted long ago, responses from new songs are usually quite low, and that's standard, not only for us, but professional musicians who post not only here but in other places.

As you say, we do it for our own enjoyment, and now with the internet we can share music more easily than running around handing out cassettes or mini discs of our work. lol

I totally get how you feel about the camaraderie that you get in this thread.
And I think my idea is just a separate thing, so they really are two different things.

Thanks for your response and keep on rockin...oh, and I'll be anxiously waiting for Christmas season for you and your wife's wonderful Christmas music.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

^^ Thanks, Richard! We haven't picked one for 2021 yet. Any requests?

[Rarebird]

Here's one I threw together last night in insomniac mode.

https://www.bandlab.com/ptmconsultin...3-501ac5b31db1

Beautifull and dreamy. Love it. It's only to short.

[BobM]

∆∆thanks for your kind words. I've done several longer pieces but, as I've written above, I wonder if people make it all the way through them. 3 minutes was radio play and it's not too hard to stay interesting for that long without some kind of exciting change up that's required for a song twice as long.

You guys are my primary audience and I appreciate your ears and your work. Keep on playing!

[Top Cat]

^^ Thanks, Richard! We haven't picked one for 2021 yet. Any requests?

I always like what you choose, sometimes it's something new I haven't heard before, so I'll wait and see what you both come up with. It will be like a Christmas package waiting to be opened.

∆∆thanks for your kind words. I've done several longer pieces but, as I've written above, I wonder if people make it all the way through them. 3 minutes was radio play and it's not too hard to stay interesting for that long without some kind of exciting change up that's required for a song twice as long.

You guys are my primary audience and I appreciate your ears and your work. Keep on playing!

I thought it was a perfect length Bob, anything longer and I usually lose focus.

[Rarebird]

∆∆thanks for your kind words. I've done several longer pieces but, as I've written above, I wonder if people make it all the way through them. 3 minutes was radio play and it's not too hard to stay interesting for that long without some kind of exciting change up that's required for a song twice as long.

You guys are my primary audience and I appreciate your ears and your work. Keep on playing!

My stuff often gets a bit on the long side. The composition I'm currently working on 'Annus horribilis' takes around 16 minutes.

[hFx]

Here's one I threw together last night in insomniac mode.

https://www.bandlab.com/ptmconsultin...3-501ac5b31db1

A beautiful and contemplative piece! I really like the flow and the constantly breathing rubatos! Teasingly short but I enjoy it even more every time I listen to it!

[BobM]

Appreciate your kind words. It was about 3 in the morning, dark, quiet, peaceful, and I had to play softly with headphones on. No doubt that had a lot to do with it.

[BobM]

Here's a question for those of you who use microphones. I'm trying to sing (sic) some vocals and I'm getting a whole bunch of hissssss. I have the mic plugged into the mic port on my computer with a mini jack. I'm pretty sure it's not the mic. It's the computer soundcard or just general computer and Microsoft noise (Win 7).

I've tried everything including playing with the input variables and trying to EQ it away but it's pretty broad and the sound of the vocals suffers in post processing. It's still there no matter what I do. Any tips?

[Top Cat]

Here's a question for those of you who use microphones. I'm trying to sing (sic) some vocals and I'm getting a whole bunch of hissssss. I have the mic plugged into the mic port on my computer with a mini jack. I'm pretty sure it's not the mic. It's the computer soundcard or just general computer and Microsoft noise (Win 7).

I've tried everything including playing with the input variables and trying to EQ it away but it's pretty broad and the sound of the vocals suffers in post processing. It's still there no matter what I do. Any tips?

I don't think it's your soundcard, computer or Microsoft noise Bob.
What microphone are you using? is it intended for vocals or just general recording? is it dynamic or condenser?
Many vocal microphones require a preamp, but a dynamic mic does not.
To be honest I've never heard of using a mini jack to get good vocals on a track, so there may be some compatibility issue.
Also, will you be recording this into a track on your DAW?
Also, are you using an audio interface?
This is fixable for sure, we just need to sort.
Hopefully others will join in, because I just plug mine in and sing..lol

[BobM]

It's a condenser mic, the kind with a battery inside. It's a relatively inexpensive Akai for general recording. I plug it into the computer directly, which is where I think the problem lies. Then I select the microphone jack as input on my DAW. I've used this mic before directly into a tape machine and never had any noise problems.

[Top Cat]

It's a condenser mic, the kind with a battery inside. It's a relatively inexpensive Akai for general recording. I plug it into the computer directly, which is where I think the problem lies. Then I select the microphone jack as input on my DAW. I've used this mic before directly into a tape machine and never had any noise problems.

I was hoping someone with more tech smarts than I have, would've commented by now Bob.
I'm sure it's just some mismatch(impedance?) where the gain isn't working right.
I know it's probably just a simple fix with an adapter cable or something inexpensive like that.
I had Win 7 for years and never had any hiss issues, but I always used an audio interface like Focusrite or something, and if I needed a preamp it's right in there.
But I believe that type of mic doesn't need a preamp anyway.

[BobM]

I'm pretty sure it's a gain issue. I am using a microphone jack on the PC, but the amplification in the PC is for shit, so I have to boost this quite a bit in the mix, hence the hiss. I bet if I had some kind of preamplifier, and then feed the signal into the PC using a line level jack it would be better.

Hmmm, I have an old cassette player upstairs, ohhh and my old Teac 4 track RTR. I wonder if I plug the mic into that, then use the output to the PC ... it's getting pretty kludgy here.

[BobM]

Here's the song on Soundcloud. My very first ZOMBIE song. I did my best Robbie Robertson impression on the lyrics, so please take my vocals with a grain of salt (and a pinch of the hiss I was talking about). I'm proud of the lyrics you you may want to give it a second runthrough if you don't catch them completely the first time through - they're truly tongue in cheek (my own tongue in my own cheek, not another tongue in a zombie cheek).

[Top Cat]

This is really good Bob, I enjoyed it a lot, and the mic worked and sounds great. I think the lo tech mic adds a nice grit to your voice and the track.
I didn't notice the hiss, and wouldn't have known unless you'd asked about it.
Vocals sound perfect for the song!

The lyrics are wonderful, and if I may suggest, post them along with the song on SC.
There's a lot of very cool imagery going on, and it would be fun to read them while listening.

Oh, if I may comment, first the insomnia song and now zombies...is there something you want to tell us? lol

[BobM]

Good idea about the lyrics. They are posted now.

It's damn hot and rainy down here in Florida for the last month or so. That means more time indoors so I'm finding time to play more music, and take afternoon naps. Hence, I'm not as tired at night. And we've been watching a Netflix show called Black Summer, fast zombies. I wrote the lyric in about 5 minutes during a commercial.

[Rarebird]

Here's the song on Soundcloud. My very first ZOMBIE song. I did my best Robbie Robertson impression on the lyrics, so please take my vocals with a grain of salt (and a pinch of the hiss I was talking about). I'm proud of the lyrics you you may want to give it a second runthrough if you don't catch them completely the first time through - they're truly tongue in cheek (my own tongue in my own cheek, not another tongue in a zombie cheek).

Very nice, channel Robby Robertson solo, don't remember the title of the song.

[Top Cat]

I had a chance to read the lyrics, really enjoyed reading them along with the music.

Oh, I know all about the weather in Florida. I'm south of you on the Gulf side, a small town about 12 miles N of Clearwater.
Don't want to give exact location in case some of your Zombie friends visit PE. I love my face and don't want them to eat it. lol

[Rarebird]

Another version of Moat, actually the way it was intended to be, recorded with V instruments from Arturia
Piano V: Intimate piano
Jup-8 V3: Sound I created for this composition

[BobM]

I feel like I'm waiting for the priest to walk in the cathedral. Very church-like theme here. Soothing.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

Very nice, contemplative work, Renate.

[Rarebird]

I feel like I'm waiting for the priest to walk in the cathedral. Very church-like theme here. Soothing.

Perhaps I should use a church-organ instead of a synthesizer, though I think I actually had multiple vocals in mind when I wrote the synthesizer-part.

[Top Cat]

Perhaps I should use a church-organ instead of a synthesizer, though I think I actually had multiple vocals in mind when I wrote the synthesizer-part.

Nice classical piece vibe Renate. I assume writing this because of how detailed it is, took quite a long time. Lot of things going on, but all blend together well.
I think a church organ would overpower the other tracks, and there is an instrument(Jup 8?) that sounds similar to a organ to me.