New batch of songs: Three on a Match
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- ufug
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New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Hello everybody.
I'm back with the third and final installment of my home-brew tunes for the year, give or take a few weeks:
Three on a Match. If you like it, feel free to download it in whatever format you like (just put in zero for the amount).
I continue to mix and match open and closed source, depending on what works best for my needs in the moment: Mixbus 32C, Guitarix, Calf and Tracktion plugins, and the Infamous Lush Life covered 90% of it. Keys are SetBFree, Calf organ, Helm, Dexed, and Pianoteq. Electric guitars are all "in the box" with Guitarix, except bass which is just DI (usually with a little tube saturation).
Some background on why I did this for anybody who is interested: The three-albums-in-a-year project was a personal challenge designed to get myself back on track writing music and to learn how to use the tools available to me on Linux. I've been a full time Linux user for almost 11 years now (Mac refugee), but using it to make music had always been a point of frustration for me. I'm not super-technical or detail oriented as computer user or as a musician, and like most of you I have very limited time for music, so it was a great exercise in focus. And boy have I scoured this forum. I'm pleased with the progress I've made over the year, although I can certainly hear some rough spots--I let plenty of "issues" go in order to keep pumping tunes out.
I have a lot of thoughts brewing (or brewed) about Linux as an audio production platform for musicians with modest tech skills, and hope to blog about it a bit in the near future.
I'm back with the third and final installment of my home-brew tunes for the year, give or take a few weeks:
Three on a Match. If you like it, feel free to download it in whatever format you like (just put in zero for the amount).
I continue to mix and match open and closed source, depending on what works best for my needs in the moment: Mixbus 32C, Guitarix, Calf and Tracktion plugins, and the Infamous Lush Life covered 90% of it. Keys are SetBFree, Calf organ, Helm, Dexed, and Pianoteq. Electric guitars are all "in the box" with Guitarix, except bass which is just DI (usually with a little tube saturation).
Some background on why I did this for anybody who is interested: The three-albums-in-a-year project was a personal challenge designed to get myself back on track writing music and to learn how to use the tools available to me on Linux. I've been a full time Linux user for almost 11 years now (Mac refugee), but using it to make music had always been a point of frustration for me. I'm not super-technical or detail oriented as computer user or as a musician, and like most of you I have very limited time for music, so it was a great exercise in focus. And boy have I scoured this forum. I'm pleased with the progress I've made over the year, although I can certainly hear some rough spots--I let plenty of "issues" go in order to keep pumping tunes out.
I have a lot of thoughts brewing (or brewed) about Linux as an audio production platform for musicians with modest tech skills, and hope to blog about it a bit in the near future.
listenable at c6a7.org
- magicalex
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Wow, that's a great bunch of songs. What an achievement in such a short space of time. Quite an inspiration for people like me who've spent the last 25 years trying to finish one song. I love the Harrisonesque slide on 'Promise of Brevity'.
Various Guitarix bits and pieces here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_SkqlUjG1LSjcd2SfTIjE1c24OLw7GA
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Quite good. It would be nice to attend a 'concert' in a small place, would make for a nice evening. This said, the music could be in many cases a bit more upfront, more bite, more edge. Not too much, a bit.
- magicalex
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Thanks, Scotty; you obviously have impeccable taste.ufug wrote:Thanks Sandy! I've listened to most of your videos and I think we have some very significant record collection overlap.
Various Guitarix bits and pieces here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_SkqlUjG1LSjcd2SfTIjE1c24OLw7GA
- GMaq
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Hi, and congrats!
You've got it all going on here, really unique and interesting songs with killer lyrics (love your voice!), great playing, sounds and arrangements with a lot of atmosphere and the production and mixes are very well done to top it all off. Please keep challenging yourself to put out "three-albums-in-a-year".
Excellent stuff!
You've got it all going on here, really unique and interesting songs with killer lyrics (love your voice!), great playing, sounds and arrangements with a lot of atmosphere and the production and mixes are very well done to top it all off. Please keep challenging yourself to put out "three-albums-in-a-year".
Excellent stuff!
- ufug
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Very astute and I absolutely agree. I have not had much edge myself the last few months due to some personal stuff, and I think the subdued performances reflect that more than any plugin could fix. I am definitely going to keep that comment in mind going forward--more upfrontiness!jonetsu wrote:This said, the music could be in many cases a bit more upfront, more bite, more edge. Not too much, a bit.
listenable at c6a7.org
- GMaq
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Hi,
I'm certainly not going to disagree with you ufug, you are the maestro.
I do wonder though about how influenced we are by the pumped up mastering of EDM and heavier more rhythm section-based forms of music. I really like that the songs/vocals/lyrics here are the dominant thing I'm hearing rather than feeling the kick drum in my ribcage. Some of these songs are very delicate and I actually like that the 'edge' and 'bite' are a bit subdued, the edge and bite are coming through loud and clear in the lyrics and delivery. I think it almost seems/sounds like a conscious decision to let the production reflect the mood and gently backlight the songs.
I dunno, obviously your call, I'm really enjoying the arrangements personally.
I'm certainly not going to disagree with you ufug, you are the maestro.
I do wonder though about how influenced we are by the pumped up mastering of EDM and heavier more rhythm section-based forms of music. I really like that the songs/vocals/lyrics here are the dominant thing I'm hearing rather than feeling the kick drum in my ribcage. Some of these songs are very delicate and I actually like that the 'edge' and 'bite' are a bit subdued, the edge and bite are coming through loud and clear in the lyrics and delivery. I think it almost seems/sounds like a conscious decision to let the production reflect the mood and gently backlight the songs.
I dunno, obviously your call, I'm really enjoying the arrangements personally.
- ufug
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Hey Glen, belated thanks for the comments, I really appreciate them.
You are definitely right that our expectations have changed sonically over the years. This past year I've been learning a lot more about mixing (AKA listening), something I've not really paid attention to in the past. As much as I might enjoy mix referencing to Nilsson Schmilsson, it might be interesting to try an updated context and a more up-front approach. I'm always up for those kinds of critiques that could either improve the result or lead me to try something new.
Quite a few of the songs were written for a couple who are my dearest, oldest friends, one of whom passed last night after a long illness. I think having them on my mind so much definitely led to some gentleness in the performances, which is real and appropriate, but life is fleeting and I love big pop hooks so I think next time I will notch it up for sure in the energy department!
You are definitely right that our expectations have changed sonically over the years. This past year I've been learning a lot more about mixing (AKA listening), something I've not really paid attention to in the past. As much as I might enjoy mix referencing to Nilsson Schmilsson, it might be interesting to try an updated context and a more up-front approach. I'm always up for those kinds of critiques that could either improve the result or lead me to try something new.
Quite a few of the songs were written for a couple who are my dearest, oldest friends, one of whom passed last night after a long illness. I think having them on my mind so much definitely led to some gentleness in the performances, which is real and appropriate, but life is fleeting and I love big pop hooks so I think next time I will notch it up for sure in the energy department!
42low, that is probably the best thing we can hope for out of any creative endeavor. Thank you.42low wrote:You know what i like? In all songs your own 'style' comes back. It's highly recognizable. That's super.
listenable at c6a7.org
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
There's a world in-between EDM/loudness wars and adding a bit of an edge and bite. No. There's a universe. I hope the universe is not reduced. I think it's still expanding.GMaq wrote: I do wonder though about how influenced we are by the pumped up mastering of EDM and heavier more rhythm section-based forms of music. I really like that the songs/vocals/lyrics here are the dominant thing I'm hearing rather than feeling the kick drum in my ribcage. Some of these songs are very delicate and I actually like that the 'edge' and 'bite' are a bit subdued, the edge and bite are coming through loud and clear in the lyrics and delivery.
In this case the lyrics, the nature of the vocal delivery on many pieces (not all - and I did listen to every piece) would benefit from an E&B in the music dept. It would uplift the whole piece altogether. As always, it's the little additions here and there that cumulates to give a global effect on the audio. It's a balancing act. There is way much more than we perceive in the interaction between frequencies. Wanting to mostly suggest to the listener and have the listener actively - and not with too much effort - fulfill what remains of the suggestion, possibly by having the listener 'surf' on the audio waves.
And then there's Rammstein.
Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
So great, how do you do that in such short time? Love the music!
Keyboard sounds are insane too!
Keyboard sounds are insane too!
- ufug
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Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
Thanks for listening, singforme!
*Anything* to avoid time-suck on details helps. I think the power of the modern DAW can constantly tempt us away from ever finishing things.
For lyrics I've been using Pomodoro Technique. I totally clam up on lyrics, it's a nightmare for me. I do take notes during the week if I have an idea or hear something interesting, and use those as my Pomodoro nuggets.
Basically just by blocking out a day every weekend and getting to it. For the music, I let A LOT of mistakes go. These songs have plenty out-of-tune singing, guitar clams, timing issues etc. and I'm OK with that--my audience is just my friends and you guys, really. I also don't do punch-ins, and believe it or not, that saves huge amounts of time. I throw away sessions and/or songs that aren't working and move forward, because trying to fix broken things can really kill you on time.singforme wrote:...how do you do that in such short time?
*Anything* to avoid time-suck on details helps. I think the power of the modern DAW can constantly tempt us away from ever finishing things.
For lyrics I've been using Pomodoro Technique. I totally clam up on lyrics, it's a nightmare for me. I do take notes during the week if I have an idea or hear something interesting, and use those as my Pomodoro nuggets.
listenable at c6a7.org
Re: New batch of songs: Three on a Match
A lot of wisdom in there, very inspiring! I'll need to try out this pomodoro technique some time. You've also got a lot of talent it seems, because if you're fine with "mistakes", then there's not a lot one can really spot.