Mind Cavern

[milo]

Here is an introspective piece, which I consider to be a kind of Introvert's Anthem: https://sanderson.band/2020/07/29/mind-cavern/

The music was written and sequenced by my cousin Tom, and I contributed lyrics and vocals. Also a very subtle tremolo guitar (Guitarix tremolo, also uses the cabinet and chorus lv2s and the FatFrog amp). I did the mixing and mastering in Ardour 5.12, using generous heapings of Dragonfly Reverb and Calf vintage tape delay, and a touch of compressors, limiters, and EQ from Linux Studio Plugins.

The production notes also illustrate some of the pitfalls and benefits of remote collaboration, for those interested.

Enjoy!

[folderol]

Interesting song, some very nice sung harmonies, and unusual changes.

[Basslint]

Very good lyrics, composition and arrangement! The lyrics remind me of the late Chuck Schuldiner (may his great soul rest in peace) - of course, it's a completely different genre but I think that in the end the quest for introspection concerns us all. I find we are our worst forgivers.

[milo]

I had to look up Schuldinger. Yeah, very different genre. And actually, I couldn't understand a word he was singing -- er, yelling. I read the Wikipedia article about him, and he sounds like an interesting and thoughtful guy. Brain cancer is nasty. I had a patient die of brain cancer not too long ago.

It is true that we are all generally bad at forgiving ourselves. Maybe we would be nicer to other people if we could see the burdens they carry on the inside, the things they can't forgive themselves for. My mother used to repeat an old quote, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Thanks for your thoughts and comments, @folderol and @Basslint.

[Michael Willis]

This is a sort of ode to metacognition that really speaks to me. As somebody who tends to overanalyze pretty much everything, I need regular reminders to get out of the Mind Cavern

Musically, I really like the piano part and the vocal harmony. Good stuff all around.

[milo]

"Ode to metacognition" -- I like that.

Thanks for the listen!

[psyocean]

Hearing balm, fine song! Harmony in all components

[jonetsu]

This is a good song. It's nice to hear that the tone is rather positive in the verses and then becomes mysterious for the choruses.

Since instrumentals are my thing, I would naturally have inserted an instrumental part somewhere around the second chorus ! Benefits: extends the song by some coloration and gives a little break for the listener to ponder the lyrics.

Cheers.

[GMaq]

Hi!

Took a while to get back down here and listen..

Great song, a great set of lyrics and the vocals and harmonies are tremendous!

[milo]

Thanks, everyone.

@jonetsu , that is a good suggestion. I thought the song was long enough without adding an instrumental part, but I suppose a bridge would have been a good addition.

[jeanette_c]

What a lovely, relaxed 70s feel and these breathy background vocals. It strikes so many chords.

[turbidh20]

Good song, some nice melodic meanderings. Very interesting and sounds great

[milo]

Thanks for listening! I have grown more and more fond of this song since we finished the recording.

[pdechery]

Milo,

Great song! I loved the harmonies, it's not common to hear these kind of harmonies in mainstream music today.

The arrangement sounds great too, the piano leads the song but the guitar parts and percussion fits very well. I liked the way the drums were mixed, kind of low and not so loud.

Great job in composition and production. I don't know nothing about mastering, would like to know how it can help in the end result.

[milo]

Milo,

Great song! I loved the harmonies, it's not common to hear these kind of harmonies in mainstream music today.

The arrangement sounds great too, the piano leads the song but the guitar parts and percussion fits very well. I liked the way the drums were mixed, kind of low and not so loud.

Great job in composition and production. I don't know nothing about mastering, would like to know how it can help in the end result.

Thanks, Pierre! Most of the credit for this composition goes to my cousin Tom, who recorded all the instrument tracks, although I did write lyrics for two of the verses and arrange some of the vocal harmonies. Tom is a great songwriter, and I am lucky to have him as a collaborator.

Mastering is like a dark art, and I'm kind of new at it myself. I think I have had some success lately, but it might be beginner's luck. One thing is certain, though: mastering a track can make a night-and-day difference on its impact.