Real love

[jeanette_c]

Hey hey,
Real love is an indie/electro pop ballad, I suppose, inspired by Simon Collins' solo debut "All of who you are":
https://youtu.be/bbLkiJO5bSo
which I adore when it was released back in 1997/98. But here is "Real love":
https://youtu.be/xkDbP3DHL_U
One of my "auxiliary pair of ears" remakred that this is possibly my best production and then I had to go and spoil it all and sing. It gets much better in the prechorus and chorus.
Lyrics at the end of this post.
Instruments used:
Shiny Guitar (SFZ)
AVL drums (intro)
Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra - SSO (strings)
Sampletekk/PMI Orchestral (register piano) (GigaSample)
Sampletekk Tubed Rhodes (GigaSample)
Roland JV-1080 (drums and string layer)
Behringer Neutron (sequence and bass)
Waldorf Microwave Xt (pluck)
Special mention on the plugin side must go to the TAP chorus, which is beautiful on the electric guitar!
Enjoy!
*** Lyrics of "Real Love" ***
[Verse]
Many a time - far at sea - you are my lifeline
With just the smile in your voice.
When events bare me down until I'm supine,
I feel your call and I have no choice
But to shoulder the weight of the world like a cloud...
Thus in fade I rejoice
With my feet on the ground and my heart reaching out...
-
Patiently listening to the lonely,
Solitude melts in your spell.
With wide open arms you never knowingly
Coax me like pearl from a shell.
The turmoil you cause, you will sooth with a laugh
Towards the storm...
Then you summon the light and the blue black above
is torn...

[Prechorus]
Hell is on fire
Heaven's burning bright.
'Cause now I aspire
To ask if you requite

[Chorus]
My love (all my love)
To live outside a dream on safer ground
In your love (all your love)
To face our days
And make our ways
Hand in open hand...

[Verse]
Compassion alone shall bestow your noble birthright,
And thus give credence to you.
My princess, hold court with the timid and the forthright!
Joy will provide all that is due.
And together we serve with the creatures of earth
Where we stay.
And in kisses we share what a passion is worth
Day to day.

[Prechorus]
[Chorus]
[Instrumental]
[Chorus]
*** End of lyrics ***

[milo]

That Shiny Guitar SFZ is quite good. If I weren't a guitarist I would probably want to use it. And I agree that the TAP Chorus has a nice sound. I have mostly used the chorus plugins from Calf or Guitarix, but I will have to check out Tom's.

I like the synth + guitar sound, heavily weighted to the synth side in this case. I agree that the production is well done.

Don't worry about your vocal performance -- bravely putting your voice down on a recording is nothing to be ashamed of. It's not the strongest part of your sound, but that's ok. You would probably benefit from learning about abdominal wall and diaphragm control for singers. You can get a lot of mileage from just those two things, and give your voice a more disciplined sound.

Thanks for sharing your recordings here. I always enjoy them!

[jeanette_c]

Thanks @milo , you are very supportive as ever. I know that I would benefit from practice, especially concerning my diaphragm. I had some of that, but not for singing. Next time I visit my dear friend who sang on "Kisses don't lie", I'll make sure that we get down to some exercises. Being a teacher and knowing my issues, she should be able to help.

[Basslint]

I am always impressed by your arrangements. The production is really top notch and I liked the little touches like the electric piano. I wouldn't be able to guess that the guitars are sampled!

[GMaq]

Hi Jeanette!

I like it! A great set of lyrics there with some killer lines! Very well put together and I as a guitarist was also astonished and somewhat dismayed by an SFZ handling the task so well...lol. As far as the vocals, yes there is some work to be done but your compositional skills are so good as to maybe start to get boring with the ease you can put a song together now, the vocals are a new frontier to conquer and I'm sure with time and focus they will fall in line as well!

PS,
I noticed AVL Drums in your list, glad to see them finding use in your work!

[jeanette_c]

Many thanks @GMaq . The guitar was a surprise for me, too. I did use the acoustic version of this SFZ in a previous piece and it didn't really cut it. This is very much due to the fantastic TAP chorus. That was a really good find!
I wonder if I will ever truly master my own vocals. Living in a house with multiple parties there isn't as much time to practise, even if I was fully dedicated.

[folderol]

Excellent production (as usual!). Yes, the voice needs work, but it's getting better over time.