Members JohnBenussi Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 *impressed whistle* that was incredible. If those are songs that didn't make the grade, I can't imagine what your make-the-grade songs sound like. I'm jealous. uber jealous. you are incredibly talentedyou remind me of the weakerthans.... who i love I know I can't do {censored} with my songs...but I can see truly raw talent when I see and hear it! If I wasn't such a procrastinator and didn't have a broken computer I'd be trying my best to pump out hits like this guy does seemingly effortless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kennychaffin Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 Damn man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I know I can't do {censored} with my songs...but I can see truly raw talent when I see and hear it! If I wasn't such a procrastinator and didn't have a broken computer I'd be trying my best to pump out hits like this guy does seemingly effortless! I hope you're using your computer down time to play music. That's the important thing. _______________ Stick, I'm going to contradict one thing John said, Don't move to Hollywood. Move to Long Beach. We can hang out. Seriously, though, Hollywood (not the real Hollywood, which is just a big neighborhood, but the meta-Hollywood) is not for you. Not at this time, I don't think. It can simultaneously suck out your soul and fill your head with big ideas that don't add up to anything. If you find yourself even thinking about it, do yourself a favor: watch the Cohen brothers cautionary, Nathaniel West-like movie, Barton Fink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I think I can kind of understand what Stick means when he says the praise makes him feel a little sad. It's kind of like, gee, all these people think it's so great, why doesn't it make me feel great? Why don't I feel instantly fulfilled and transformed? But that's just the thing, if you did, it might well undo you. It's undone lots of other folks. That's kind of what I mean by not moving to Hollywood. In Hollywood, they tell everyone how great they are -- it's one of the primary ways of manipulating people. But what it does all too often is it destroys them. So, go ahead and be who you are, because it's so much better than being what people tell you you are. It's kind of like coming into money. When you don't have any, you think all your problems would be solved if you could just get enough to not have to worry about it any more. But, all too often, money doesn't buy any satisfaction at all -- especially for folks who aren't a half-inch deep. Success -- or being told how great you are -- feels pretty good for just a little while. And then it becomes its own burden. A lot of people end up squandering their success just like someone who feels secretly guilty for coming into money will squander that money... There's a kind of basic physics to things... the faster something or someone goes up, all too often, the faster they come down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JohnBenussi Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I hope you're using your computer down time to play music. That's the important thing. _______________ Stick, I'm going to contradict one thing John said, Don't move to Hollywood. Move to Long Beach. We can hang out. Seriously, though, Hollywood (not the real Hollywood, which is just a big neighborhood, but the meta-Hollywood) is not for you. Not at this time, I don't think. It can simultaneously suck out your soul and fill your head with big ideas that don't add up to anything. If you find yourself even thinking about it, do yourself a favor: watch the Cohen brothers cautionary, Nathaniel West-like movie, Barton Fink. I haven't touched the bloody piano! I'm thinking about using my laptop just to get back in the saddle, I heard my lappy accepts 8GBs of ram but no firewire port/express card so I will need a USB 2.0 interface...but sadly zero cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I like the songs but can I make a criticism? I really don't like the piano sound that you use. They sound like cheap samples to me. Are they? If so, try mixing things up with synthesized pianos sometimes, like TruePianos. If they're recorded pianos, then you need more room mic. I'm assuming that these are just old recordings so that's the best quality you could have gotten. Sorry, I don't mean to nitpick but fake sounding pianos are really grating to my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stickboymusic Posted February 4, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I like the songs but can I make a criticism? I really don't like the piano sound that you use.They sound like cheap samples to me. Are they? If so, try mixing things up with synthesized pianos sometimes, like TruePianos.If they're recorded pianos, then you need more room mic. I'm assuming that these are just old recordings so that's the best quality you could have gotten.Sorry, I don't mean to nitpick but fake sounding pianos are really grating to my ears. ahhh yeh totally - these are songs that date back over the last few years... some of the early ones i literally had no equipment... no midi based anyway so was just using a cheap keyboard.... hopefully my sounds are better now a days.... still .... nothing beats a real piano but I dont have room for one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I hear ya about the lack of room for a real piano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 OK, no probs. I wish I even had room for a fake piano. I can rack up all my guitars no problem, but you can't just make a keyboard disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 Our study / music room / computer room is a storeroom now for the...*counting* 9 guitars, 1 bass, 1 mandolin, 1 banjo, 1 baby guitar, 3 ukuleles, 1 electronic keyboard...*groan* I can barely fit in here!! This is why I'm on a diet. lol. Edit - oh wait, I forgot the 2 recorders and 1 ocarina. Oh, and the harmonica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 I have six guitars in my bedroom now. Two Fenders (Jag, Mustang), one Fender Musicmaster Bass, a Squier Strat that I'm fixing up for a friend, and of course, my pink Hello Kitty Strat and black Badtz Maru bass. Dudes always think that they're cool with their awesome looking guitars, but seriously, I've gotten more positive comments about the Hello Kitty guitar than any other musical item I have. I used to have a Korg M3 in here but now that sits in the laundry room. My room was getting a little cluttered with the one cat, one 40" TV, one full-sized couch, one full-sized bed, and the one 27" iMac, to add to the six guitars and the Rock Band drums and guitar and two amplifiers and speaker cabinets. I do have a large room, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 Our room is small already and stuffed full. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MellowMateo Posted February 4, 2011 Members Share Posted February 4, 2011 Not to beat a dead horse, but all I can really say is "Wow!" I don't consider myself an expert on music, in fact far from it, but I listen to A LOT of music and I know what I like. I'm pretty new to these boards, so this is my first introduction to your work and I must say I am thoroughly impressed. I would easily spend money on these songs, and here you are letting us listen to them for free. The layers, the melodies, even your subtle vocals are exactly where they need to be. Everything compliments everything else (if that makes any sense). Turned To Smoke - Reminds me of The Decemberists. Love the bouncy feel of the pianos. Great lyrical content. Excellent overdubs with the subtle bells. Absolutely love the "Burned your house down" section towards the end. Just makes me want to sing along. Untitled Number 2 - Very Sufjan Stevens/Bon Iverish. Soft. Almost fragile. Like it might fall a part at a moment's notice. Then the bass kicks in and gives it a stable backbone. Then what's this? A banjo?! Nice! The echoing guitar towards the end is another great touch. You really seem to know how to add small pieces that make huge differences in the dynamic of a song. Bravo. That's OK (Walk Away) - From the start I was expecting Tom Waits to start singing. Then you start singing, although it's almost talking...similar to Tom Waits. Seriously, three songs in and you already sound like a musical chameleon, trying on genres like the rest of us try on pants. Well, I don't have much more time to listen...it's quitting time! I'll try to listen to the rest this weekend. I wish I could offer you some crit, but to be honest, I wouldn't change a thing in any of the three songs I had a chance to listen to. If these are "throw aways", I shutter to think how good your "quality" stuff is. You really have a lot of talent and I hope it gets heard. I wouldn't worry about your "crippling shyness" either. Harry Nilsson and Nick Drake were both very, very shy, introverted people, but they still managed to have pretty successful music careers without any touring. I think it's even easier now to make a living with great songs with the internet and music licensing in everything from commercials to TV shows and movies. I really implore you to get your stuff out there because it deserves to be heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JohnBenussi Posted February 6, 2011 Members Share Posted February 6, 2011 I like the songs but can I make a criticism? I really don't like the piano sound that you use.They sound like cheap samples to me. Are they? If so, try mixing things up with synthesized pianos sometimes, like TruePianos.If they're recorded pianos, then you need more room mic. I'm assuming that these are just old recordings so that's the best quality you could have gotten.Sorry, I don't mean to nitpick but fake sounding pianos are really grating to my ears. No, please don't endorse such a {censored}ty piano sample library! If he needs to change the sound: and of course it depends on budget:Alicia Keys, ToneHammer's emo piano are exceptional sounding given their low price. Heck, Tascam's free vsti piano (if he can find it) sounds incredibly realistic for being free and modeled.Tweaks are available on YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marshal Posted February 6, 2011 Members Share Posted February 6, 2011 I've listened to the first 3 so far, . . . , and think they're TERRIFIC. My goodness very enjoyable. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AliceinChains Posted February 6, 2011 Members Share Posted February 6, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tbry Posted February 6, 2011 Members Share Posted February 6, 2011 Stickboy has it going on...just let me say if I say one of these is just ok, that only means in relationship to the great ones...any other time or whatever they would also be great! 1)...Turned to smoke...Just ok 2)...Untitled...Great!!! 3)...Thats ok...Good to very good 4)...Forget yourself...Ok 5)...I remember...Ok 6) ...Cold...Good 7)...Lonely Blackbirds...Good to very good! 8)...Outta Time...Very good to great! 9)...Useless...Great!! Bonus Track.....Sound of the city...Geez, that was awesome...I gotta stop now cause I haven't found a bad one yet. In fact they are all pretty damn good. Dang it, they just keep coming!!!...The Riots...WOW! I take it you don't play out...A studio rat, but man someone needs to sign you up!!! By the time I finish one listen the next starts and it hooks me....The Box...Great!!You light my heart...Great Pop!!! ...Hands clean...very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted February 6, 2011 Members Share Posted February 6, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED. What we try to do here is help each other write better songs. Whether any of us like each other's personal style is really irrelevant. If you could think about the specific things about the song that you don't think work, that would probably be a lot more helpful than observations about the popularity or lack thereof of some other band. Understood you may have been put off by the fulsomeness of praise above, particularly given your feelings about the music. (I think a lot of folks above were caught off guard by a stack of 'rejects' that struck many as quite likable.) But the OP clearly wasn't looking for simple praise; so, I think your more critical comments could offer some value and balance to him, if you were to try to pin down what's not working for you in terms of the songwriting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JohnBenussi Posted February 7, 2011 Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED. You sound jealous to me.Please post a clip of your own original song(s) in a new thread...I'd like to hear your work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted February 7, 2011 Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yes, I think we all would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ido1957 Posted February 7, 2011 Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 Listening as I type.... Two minus one - recording quality is great (tape?). Nice breathy vocals. The organ when the drums come in = kinda so so....too monotone needs some swirl. The backwards stuff works good maybe a little louder...Oooh short...could actually use more. How about some harmonies? Useless - more interesting effects (downslide) maybe emphasize that a bit more. Love the vocals and lyrics on this. Again harmonies would be cool to lift it up a bit. Nice soloing - fits perfectly. The rest of the song I just got taken away - relaxing and started imagining the lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stickboymusic Posted February 7, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED.Ha - i never heard of this band but i had a listen.... are they hated? i just checked their myspace to have a listen and they have had 156 million plays!?? hated?Wow.... imagine a band that was LOVEDPlease HATE me in this way.... i could make a career of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted February 7, 2011 Moderators Share Posted February 7, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED. Hated by who? By the friends of a guy who's "forum handle" is a verbatim use of a 90's, defunct grunge band. On no! With qualifications like that! Oh no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ido1957 Posted February 7, 2011 Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 i dont like em. you sound like never shout never. that may not be bad to you, but those guys are HATED. WTH are you talking about? No SPAM in the sig so I'm confused? Who is hated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kennychaffin Posted February 7, 2011 Members Share Posted February 7, 2011 WTH are you talking about? No SPAM in the sig so I'm confused? Who is hated? best ignored IMO.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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