When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Show off original scores and recordings made with Linux!

Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz

User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

Hi LM friends!

I have a tune here in progress I was hoping to post soon and it's been waiting for a friend of a friend to put some saxophone down on it but the sax guy has just had dental surgery and I'm a little wary if the Delta Covid variant is going to rain on our studio parade and prevent us from getting together so since I'm feeling inspired and recharged from recently catching up with the great new tunes that y'all have been posting here I'm just going to post it as-is for now..

This is a change of pace for me and it will be on a future so-called solo project (as opposed to a band Rated Blue album)... Do we still say 'album'...? :? I can't say if I like it yet or not, the chorus tag line (inspired by my GF) and the chord progression fell in my lap pretty quickly which is usually a hopeful sign but stylistically and thematically this tune is a bit like an alien baby to me and we're still getting to know each other...lol. The recording was quite different as most of the beds were recorded in my living room on our little Tama Bop Kit and I tuned a baritone Telecaster up to C and restrung my Fender Precision Bass with a string set from a 5-string bass and tuned it to C as well.. Lastly a new dealio for me was playing slide guitar on this. Drums are by my son Connor, Piano and Hammond organ by Dave Williams and I did the rest.. Looking forward to getting a Coltrane/Maceo Parker style sax freakout in the the bridge at some point when I can hopefully arrange a session with the sax player.

Anyway, here it is:
http://bandshed.net/music/SPARE_PARTS/W ... -MIX-d.mp3
Last edited by GMaq on Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
sunrat
Established Member
Posts: 907
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:08 pm
Has thanked: 151 times
Been thanked: 238 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by sunrat »

Very nice, Glen! Song is really good and all the playing is great but I particularly like your vocals on this, both the performance and their sound in the track. 8)
User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

sunrat wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:35 am Very nice, Glen! Song is really good and all the playing is great but I particularly like your vocals on this, both the performance and their sound in the track. 8)
Hi sunrat!

Lol, Vocals are what I always absolutely dread so to get a comment on them specifically is nice, thanks!

I did change my workflow on the vocals for this tune.. I used u-he Presswerk with it's 'warm and airy' vocal preset and a touch of the Ardour a-Delay feeding into the TAL Reverb II (it's a very good vocal plate) and most notably I unchecked 'strict i/o' in the Ardour Mixer strip so the vocal tracks are in stereo. I also double tracked myself going into the pre-chorus to make that part more distinct..
Last edited by GMaq on Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tenaba
Established Member
Posts: 228
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2018 3:33 am
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 79 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by Tenaba »

GMaq wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 3:43 pm Hi sunrat!

Lol, Vocals are what I always absolutely dread so to get a comment on them specifically is nice, thanks!

I did change my workflow on the vocals for this tune.. I used u-he Presswerk with it's 'light and airy' vocal preset and a touch of the Ardour a-Delay feeding into the TAL Reverb II (it's a very good vocal plate) and most notably I unchecked 'strict i/o' in the Ardour Mixer strip so the vocal tracks are in stereo. I also double tracked myself going into the pre-chorus to make that part more distinct..
Well the vocals definitely turned out well. I liked the lyrics for the verse at 1:24. The mix is very seamless as well IMO.

I make music as Tenaba! Bandcamp

User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

Tenaba wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 5:23 pm Well the vocals definitely turned out well. I liked the lyrics for the verse at 1:24. The mix is very seamless as well IMO.
Thanks Tenaba!

The vocals and the lyrics are the biggest struggle (for me) and are often that last thing that have any attention paid so I really appreciate your comment!
folderol
Established Member
Posts: 2066
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:06 pm
Location: Here, of course!
Has thanked: 223 times
Been thanked: 398 times
Contact:

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by folderol »

This is a really good song, and the vocals are absolutely fine.
The only slight criticism I'd make would be that the first few seconds of the intro seemed a bit confused timing wise.
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
User avatar
milo
Established Member
Posts: 1242
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:55 am
Location: Southern Utah, USA
Has thanked: 275 times
Been thanked: 218 times
Contact:

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by milo »

I like where this is going. I can definitely hear the space you left for the solo, but it's easier for me to hear a guitar there than a sax.

I also liked the vocals. They are arranged and mixed well, and you really hit the sweet spot of your range.

It's also nice to hear something on the positive end of the emotional spectrum come out of the bandshed. :) I'm happy for you.
User avatar
Rainmak3r
Established Member
Posts: 888
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 49 times
Been thanked: 180 times
Contact:

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by Rainmak3r »

I second all the compliments on the vocals: I told you some time ago your voice reminds me of Robby Steinhardt's (who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago, RIP...) from Kansas, a vocal tone I'm very partial to. So don't be shy and just let those pipes sing :mrgreen:
User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

Rainmak3r wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:20 am I second all the compliments on the vocals: I told you some time ago your voice reminds me of Robby Steinhardt's (who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago, RIP...) from Kansas, a vocal tone I'm very partial to. So don't be shy and just let those pipes sing :mrgreen:
Yeah I read that about Robby, between him and Dusty Hill (from ZZ Top) it's been a tough month on classic rock musicians.. :(
jeanette_c
Established Member
Posts: 728
Joined: Tue May 12, 2020 5:53 pm
Has thanked: 347 times
Been thanked: 268 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by jeanette_c »

If I was an envious person, I would be envious of your production skills and musicianship. It's such a transparent and open sound and still it packs power and punch.
It's a lovely song, though not a genre I'd gravitate to in particular. I'm looking forward to the full version with the sax in it though. The b section beginning at 2:26 ios a great surprise. I love the tension!
--
distro: ArchLinux, DAW: Nama, MIDI sequencer: Midish
All my latest music on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rf ... 7jhC1Jnv7g
Albums, patches and Csound on http://juliencoder.de
User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

jeanette_c wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:47 pm If I was an envious person, I would be envious of your production skills and musicianship. It's such a transparent and open sound and still it packs power and punch.
It's a lovely song, though not a genre I'd gravitate to in particular. I'm looking forward to the full version with the sax in it though. The b section beginning at 2:26 ios a great surprise. I love the tension!
Hi Jeanette!

Thanks for the listen and the kind words!

Not much to be envious of here (even if you were that type), I've been playing live and recording for around 35 years.. If in that amount of time I hadn't acquired at least some skills in performance, composition and recording I would be a very sad case indeed! I will say the generosity of folks here to listen and comment is priceless to me, thanks so much to all!
User avatar
psyocean
Established Member
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:54 pm
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 88 times
Contact:

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by psyocean »

Like golden times go on! :) Glorious song with a retro touch! :wink:
Guitar and synth tales... https://www.youtube.com/user/Psyocean/
User avatar
GMaq
Established Member
Posts: 2768
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:42 pm
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by GMaq »

Hi!

I finally managed to get together with 'the sax guy' (Ken Foster) a brilliantly talented lifelong jazz musician who had no business slumming with an untutored savage like me.. :D. We did 2 songs which will both be on the upcoming 'Willie Mack' album and he played a great 'free jazz' kind of solo which was exactly the kind of thing I heard in my 'mind's ear' in this song..

Here is an updated (probably not final) mix with the sax solo in the bridge section:
http://bandshed.net/music/WILLIE_MACK/W ... -MIX-f.mp3
folderol
Established Member
Posts: 2066
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:06 pm
Location: Here, of course!
Has thanked: 223 times
Been thanked: 398 times
Contact:

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by folderol »

That's some tasty Sax from Ken. It's great when someone can come along with a perfect fit like that :D
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
User avatar
LAM
Established Member
Posts: 992
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:16 pm
Has thanked: 140 times
Been thanked: 348 times

Re: When You Smile (I Can See Your Light) - WIP

Post by LAM »

Wow @GMaq,
this sounds great! Performance, recording, mixing and everything top notch. :D

in mix, nobody can hear your screen

Post Reply