Cheers for the comments, i thought after a few days that either no-one listened to the tracks or that nobody liked them. I'm surprised that a couple have listened and liked and i'll be sure to post more songs as soon as we have them recorded!
Music The RedCafe "Original Songwriter's" Music Thread
- Thread starter Kinky Melinky
- Start date
How goes it in the studio?
Very good. Songs are taking a very interesting shape. Aiming to get 5 tracks down initially
It's weird, in my limited experience they don't sound like how you expect them to (like what you hear in your head) once they are recorded.
nice one kinks! did you get it downloaded alright? i dont even have a sound cloud account so i dont know how it works but i can send you them if you cant get them.
Yeah I hear ya on this one ! But that's the thing about studio work. It's a fine balance of putting forward your ideas as well as allowing others to be creative.
When I wrote my songs on the acoustic I had considerably different ideas to how the songs have taken shape. This can include anything from the instruments used to the tempo.
For example we put the guitar tracks down on 3 of my songs on Friday, and one in particular took a very unexpected route. In saying that I think it's a really good route - but definitely an unexpected one. It included laying down a riff that was being played on one of those D tuned electric guitar. It almost sounded like someone was playing a bass guitar very high up the neck. Bizarre but it worked.
I suppose you just have to exercise humility while keeping an eye on things. The finished product should really be the "band" sound, with one person making the key decisions.
No they downloaded ok. You just setup on Soundcloud and within the song there is a download option. Pretty straight forward.
I've been passing Hayley Commits about to friends. I hope you don't mind. It can only help from an exposure point of view
Of course mate, it's free to download for anyone who wants it and so by that token anyone should be able to hear it or have it. And word of mouth is still the best way to get exposure and i'm sure you have plenty of mates into music like you are so it's great really.
Like you said exposure can't be bad and that's pretty much the first song we wrote as a band!
Aye, even for us as a band it sort of works like that. We would record the track live (studio live) so basically the guitars/bass are pretty much live. The drum track is already on disk and the only issues are doing a decent take and deciding what to overdub and of course doing the vocals.
Most of the time it's just about adding something extra, to fill it out a bit when it sounds a bit flat etc We basically had 6hours recording and mixing for each song. Which might sound like a long time for someone who has never done it before but in reality it's feck all. YOu could literally spend as much time as you want on a song and probably never be happy with it.
You should try your very best to get a real drummer but I do understand you've been through a few - kinda like Spinal Tap
It just sounds a zillion times better. Also you must get a drummer who works well with your bassist so you create that pocket of sound for everything else to fall upon. Once you manage this you're certainly going to sound good and if you're lucky enough / work hard at it the success follows
I did a bit of rehearsal with a good Dobro player last night, doing a bit of recording with him on Saturday, I'll pop something up next week.
You should try your very best to get a real drummer but I do understand you've been through a few - kinda like Spinal Tap
It just sounds a zillion times better. Also you must get a drummer who works well with your bassist so you create that pocket of sound for everything else to fall upon. Once you manage this you're certainly going to sound good and if you're lucky enough / work hard at it the success follows
That's the dream kinks, we're all good mates with a good repertoire so maybe the drummers just havent liked that. Our actual aim is to either get a lot better working with electronic drums or to do some live shows with the electronic drums which will wet the appetite of some drummers who will realize we're pretty good and then want to drum for us. That's the idea anyway.
In the meantime, my session buddies
Very early yesterday, very unrehearsed.
Quality as always Pops. Really good sound, and I think that this type of style is really going to stand tall over the coming years. The gap between commercial and non-commercial is growing bigger and bigger. Even over in London I've seen a surge in styles that are in some, shape, form or size linked to country (I'm not saying your music is country by the way).
It's getting popular and lets hope a revival happens soon so we can all live through and be part of a musical movement. God knows we need one !
Fairly low quality render as this track is unfinished and so has yet to be mixed down and mastered fully.
Cheers Kinks, yeah theres a lot of that alt/country blues pop stuff going round at the moment, personally I think its a result of musicians (like me) who aren't good enough to stick to a genre and just play what they like, who cares as long as you enjoy it!! I think the best description I've heard of mine is Slaney Delta Blues
Keep an eye on BandwagonTV, they were down my way at the weekend and recorded about 20 acts, a lot of talent in Wexford at the moment.
Check out the Glenisk challenge I put up on my facebook.
I had nothing ready from the studio and so I thought I'd throw up a recording of a few of us sitting around a table. We only had 1 mic and it was all pre-studio work. We were all quite pissed. That song will be on the E.P
Drum and bass are down for all tracks and we've a lot of work to do on just 1 more song and little bits n' bobs on 3. I'm also thinking about putting in a 5th song.
What do you reckon ? 5 a good number on an EP ? It'd mean getting in the drummer and bassist again but might be worthwhile
I had nothing ready from the studio and so I thought I'd throw up a recording of a few of us sitting around a table. We only had 1 mic and it was all pre-studio work. We were all quite pissed. That song will be on the E.P
Drum and bass are down for all tracks and we've a lot of work to do on just 1 more song and little bits n' bobs on 3. I'm also thinking about putting in a 5th song.
What do you reckon ? 5 a good number on an EP ? It'd mean getting in the drummer and bassist again but might be worthwhile
Yeah I've had that debate about EPs before. I think 4 is fine. I'd like to do a mini album, maybe 9 tracks, so 5 isn't too far away from that.
I think my plan is going to be a scaled back, primarily acoustic, 4 songs which ill use as a fore runner for the album. Then when I eventually have the album it'll be buy the album get the EP free.
I think my plan is going to be a scaled back, primarily acoustic, 4 songs which ill use as a fore runner for the album. Then when I eventually have the album it'll be buy the album get the EP free.
Although many consider 12 to be the standard I guess
New track done today, should be on soundcloud etc at some point, hopefully tonight but i cant be sure.
It's different to Hailey Commits and Locust II, it's called Locust I and sounds quite pop really!
It's different to Hailey Commits and Locust II, it's called Locust I and sounds quite pop really!
New track done today, should be on soundcloud etc at some point, hopefully tonight but i cant be sure.
It's different to Hailey Commits and Locust II, it's called Locust I and sounds quite pop really!
That's ok man. Some of my songs are in stark contrast to one another. My song 'Funeral Frank' for example is chalk and cheese to 'In love Again.'
The trick is to use the same instruments and effects. You look at a band like The Pogues for examples. Compare a song like Lullaby of London to Turkish Song of the Damned and you will get 2 entirely different tunes, but they link because the same core instruments are being used. Once the sound is consistent you can get away with it
Should be able to release a teaser for my latest track today, just trying to clean up the vocals which is hard for me because thats the one thing I am never happy with!
Aye you never know how they'll turn out! I never imagined this one would sound like this.
Locust I by It Girl on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
For such a pop number the lyrics aren't exactly poptastic.
We were sent here to forage, we humans, we locusts
feed patientlessly, all precious of resources
come to gather under neon signs, under taxi light, the stroke of midnight
it brings a tear to my eye
Life's been living outside my head
throwing away my change until i've got nothing left
Life's been living outside my head
all i've come to earn, i've got there through theft
Stripped from our ethos of law, we are in essence carnivors
dripping blood across the floor,
It pains me to see our every day, a dark display of dog on dog tactics
I'd sooner go hungry, than to go that way
This love's fading all the time
all my grit has fallen victim to the grind
This love's fading all the time
no release, no treatment, no syptoms, no sign
We were sent here to forage, we humans, we locusts
feed feverishly, all precious of resources
come to gather under neon signs, under taxi light, the stroke of midnight
it brings a tear to my eye
Downloading now. Going to give it a good listen later when I've a few beers and the house to myself. Blaring volume will probably be involved
There's something weird about the drums/snare on the Locust I track. It sounds a bit off?
There does seem to be something going on in it that's a little off. I think at the start there is too much going on and you've got main instruments crossing over one another
I think it's just the timing of that snare that makes it sound off. What does Frankly do, vocals, bass, guitar?
Guitar
It's not the timing, it's just a wierd sound i think, i know what you mean though the snare is kinda overpowering on it. I'm not too hot on the drum beat but it's kinda mechanical and the song sounds kinda mechanical.
The guitars do overlap but they're meant to.
We're actually getting a drummer in to go over the tracks we've done and put live drums on them but for recording purposes it's actually much easier to do it with a track i think.
Cheers for the feedback lads!
The guitars do overlap but they're meant to.
We're actually getting a drummer in to go over the tracks we've done and put live drums on them but for recording purposes it's actually much easier to do it with a track i think.
Cheers for the feedback lads!
Yea the guitars are grand. Another really good track as well.
Cheers phillip!
Got another one coming in the next few weeks too! It should be slightly strange, with a wierd structure and slightly slower and darker but who knows. I thought Locusts 1 would be gritty but it's sort of poptastic.
Got another one coming in the next few weeks too! It should be slightly strange, with a wierd structure and slightly slower and darker but who knows. I thought Locusts 1 would be gritty but it's sort of poptastic.
Did I read Locust II was the first song you wrote as a band or was it Haileys Comet? Can't be arsed checking now I've started typing this but yea really good stuff if so. Working towards an album?
Another great song ! I had a chance to listen to it on speakers rather than my crappy built in laptop ones. Really love what you guys are doing
I like how the singer doesn't actually have to be too dramatic to be effective. Morrisey used this technique regularly as I'm sure you know
Guitar is excellent. Sweet chorus and the effect you're using is ace. Similar to some of the stuff A Perfect Circle used. Would love to see you guys play live
I like how the singer doesn't actually have to be too dramatic to be effective. Morrisey used this technique regularly as I'm sure you know
Guitar is excellent. Sweet chorus and the effect you're using is ace. Similar to some of the stuff A Perfect Circle used. Would love to see you guys play live
Havent played live once yet! it's the next hurdle for us.
Yeah Phillip when i joined the band the first song we wrote was Hailey Commits. That was about 5 or 6 months ago. We've wrote a lot of songs, discarded some and are just now trying to put it together in terms of recording and getting gigs. We are pretty much small gig ready and will be playing the scene in Glasgow soon.
Our feedback has been good but we do have a talented good guy doing our production (at £10 an hour!!) so we owe some of it to him really.
Really appreciate the comments from you guys and i'll be sure to let you know as soon as our next song is recorded. We've really just started to get serious and think about making a go of it. We;ll have a website up soon and have an artist we know doing the artwork for us.
Not building towards an album right now. Just an EP of probably 5 tracks we plan to send to everyone and anyone in order to get exposure and then we want to do some mini touring etc. We still just lack basic funding for equipment and stuff but we're getting there. I like the direction we've taken and feel we've got a good thing going, for others to echo my sentiments gives me and the others more confidence so thanks alot to Philip and especially Kinky for showing their support! ALOT!
Yeah Phillip when i joined the band the first song we wrote was Hailey Commits. That was about 5 or 6 months ago. We've wrote a lot of songs, discarded some and are just now trying to put it together in terms of recording and getting gigs. We are pretty much small gig ready and will be playing the scene in Glasgow soon.
Our feedback has been good but we do have a talented good guy doing our production (at £10 an hour!!) so we owe some of it to him really.
Really appreciate the comments from you guys and i'll be sure to let you know as soon as our next song is recorded. We've really just started to get serious and think about making a go of it. We;ll have a website up soon and have an artist we know doing the artwork for us.
Not building towards an album right now. Just an EP of probably 5 tracks we plan to send to everyone and anyone in order to get exposure and then we want to do some mini touring etc. We still just lack basic funding for equipment and stuff but we're getting there. I like the direction we've taken and feel we've got a good thing going, for others to echo my sentiments gives me and the others more confidence so thanks alot to Philip and especially Kinky for showing their support! ALOT!
Production is very important. Too much or too little and you can be buggered. The art of good production is often an outsider taking a song and using their imagination to turn it into something 10 times better than it originally was. It's almost like bringing a superb fillet of steak to a top chef and watching where it goes
The missus and myself were listening to your music yesterday and we both agreed just how good it is to hear original material. It really excites me. I feel like I'm part of something new and fresh.
I know I'm a bit of a stickler for it, but I cannot emphasize enough how important writing original material is. We've just gone through a decade that has been shaped and moulded on the back of cover songs. We've just witnessed the most appalling public display of contempt or disinterest towards the instrument. It's pretty pathetic really and it dragged a lot of people into it's vortex flow.
And dangling from it's entrails hung the gossip, lies, drama and public humiliation that comes with the fickle world of shallow entertainment. I'm really not trying to big this up any more than is required; quite simply put the music industry has gone to hell.
So fair fecks to you FranklyVulgar, and Popps, and Noodle, and Kaner - and all the others who are involved in music - to you and all the lads you're writing original music with. Just be inspired and inspire others. It's the only way we're going to move away from the past 10 years.
It'd be great if we had a musical revolution not unlike the 90's grunge era or the Irish folk revolution in the 80's
I know I'm a bit of a stickler for it, but I cannot emphasize enough how important writing original material is. We've just gone through a decade that has been shaped and moulded on the back of cover songs. We've just witnessed the most appalling public display of contempt or disinterest towards the instrument. It's pretty pathetic really and it dragged a lot of people into it's vortex flow.
And dangling from it's entrails hung the gossip, lies, drama and public humiliation that comes with the fickle world of shallow entertainment. I'm really not trying to big this up any more than is required; quite simply put the music industry has gone to hell.
So fair fecks to you FranklyVulgar, and Popps, and Noodle, and Kaner - and all the others who are involved in music - to you and all the lads you're writing original music with. Just be inspired and inspire others. It's the only way we're going to move away from the past 10 years.
It'd be great if we had a musical revolution not unlike the 90's grunge era or the Irish folk revolution in the 80's
And on that note, heres a teaser for my latest track:
Great post Kinky, my feelings are summed up in this completely.