Scratch

Seeing as you're online, I'll e-mail you a quick render of the raw mix so far. It's 1:30 AM here so I'll continue tomorrow 

DIY wrote:

There is a short guitar solo at the end, am I right? It seems buried in the mix for now, but I'm sure it'll be fixed.

Kinda - hpotter134 improvised quite a bit in the last chorus. It'll be much more prominent in the final mix for sure 

Techno, I have been really busy with Noteflight lately (especially the week before last since Noteflight didn't work for me for a few days this week) and during this thread's recent inactivity, I managed to complete the instrumentation score for five new songs. I have even done the lyrics to one of them (a lovely solo acoustic guitar ballad for Mari to sing, composed on the splendid vacation I had a fortnight ago upcountry). Here they are:

• Early December
• Chanson sur E minuer (not certain of using this French title yet)
• Untitled C-Major Piano Ballad
• G Major Piano Ballad
• Untitled Song on Em

The last three are piano ballads, all which do not have a guitar part. Somehow I think that my piano ballads just sound nicer without any guitar. The first one is the acoustic ballad I mentioned with lyrics. The second is a tune I've had for ages, waiting for it to be performed, and finally here's an opportunity for it to be recorded.

I also entirely completed the G-Major Ballad duet (now officially titled 'Blissful Rapture'). It was missing lyrics to the second verse and a solo in the middle (not the fading solo), so now those have been covered. I also decided to scrap off the idea of the female interlude since the instrumentation alone in that segment sounds fine as it is. Here's the link:

• Blissful Rapture

We certainly do have more than enough songs for a third album, and if we count the countless tunes I still have in mind, we can carry on for much more. I will be updating the first post soon with the two new entirely complete songs, and while I'm at it, I may also change the structure to a more simplistic and easily distinguishable one.

Also, the A-Minor "masterpiece" has been fully mixed save for the vocals and the long ending guitar solo. It sounds - fabulous... to say the least...! The lead guitar literally screams at you! I'd prefer to e-mail you the entire thing once it's done, so that you will be stunned by the overall outcome. As for when I'll complete it, I'm not sure, but perhaps next week; I can't be certain on that.

All I can say is, prepare to be blown away! 

technoguyx wrote:

Well, we're pretty much set for our third album now    I'll check out all of the songs and tell you what I think of each.

I recorded my bass vocal track for OOtP. It's not perfect, though at a low level in the mix it sounds good and gives the song much more depth. I'm currently messing with a bit of harmony that LolaRose recorded on her track (it was mixed in with the actual vocal track - due to ambiguity in my annotations I presume), sounds pretty good with Mari's track.

OK, I hope the third harmony will sound fine. The mix you sent me sounded good with Mari's vocals alone, but your bass voice buried into it will be nice.

technoguyx wrote:

Massive feedback dump, engage.

Early December - Love that guitar and the lyrics, the solo too... Love the song overall.    Definitely going in this album if you ask me. It's obviously ready for recording and hpotter134 and Mari (and you? idk who records what though I'm sure hpotter can handle that lead) should get right away to it - the first post list needs updating 

Chanson sur E-mineur - Totally picturing an accordion playing along to this, or at least the intro. Like the darker tone of the song. Some parts sound a bit weird in Noteflight, I suppose they'll sound cleaner on record. Ends a bit too suddenly, is it meant to fade out?

C Piano Ballad - Standard I-V-vi-IV progression with a typical rock beat... Nothing really shines about this song; though it doesn't sound bad. If we want this song to be worth recording, it needs vocals which would likely be the center of the song.

G Piano Ballad - I'm sure I've heard this before, did you share it earlier? I love that fast drum beat, that plus the sustained piano gives the song a pretty trance-y feel - I think it could sound awesome with a catchier bassline (even just applying a funkier rhythm could suffice - I'll take care of it when we record this). Some subtle, short guitar chords in the later verses, accentuating certain beats, might sound good too.

Em Piano Ballad - Lol this one sounds like something between the two previous ones. Generic, and applying the same catchy drum beat + sustained piano combination. As it sounds a bit too much like the Ballad in G, we'd be better off considering only that one, if you ask me.

Blissful Rapture - Nice addition to the intro. I actually liked the first version's leading into the first verse, sounds a bit too sudden of a change to me now. Nice lyrics. Just had ideas for the first guitar solo, before the male vocal interlude.

Thanks for the feedback. 

The first song is fit for recording then, glad you like it. I shall be recording guitar for it, probably the entire thing because I'm familiar with it. Mari can record vocals for this soon.

Yeah, the next song could have a fade out, buton real guitar, it sounds much better. That applies to the entire thing, so no worries there. Your' right; an accordian would sound nice on this, or maybe a mellotrone.

Trust me, the next song sounds majestic on real piano. It is actually a song I love to jam on my piano whenever I have time (sounds like Amsterdam and Let It Be sort of, if you have heard them; two of my favourite songs by Coldplay and The Beatles). The piano bass notes will sound much richer and fuller and with vocals, it sure will be great. I love the piano solo too.

The next song really is a great favourite of mine and I agree, I love the trancey feel of the sus piano. I will be utilising the sus pedal to get that effect of course and I hope jslomba will be abl to play the catchy drum beat well. I'd prefer if you followed my bass line for this song, but I guess there's no harm if you decide to improvise anyway.

To the next song, I have some lead guitar licks in mind that will give the song a ditinct sound. I usually don't implement guitar parts to my piano ballads on Noteflight as they sound awful, but instead, I'm going to add them along as we record. Also, I purposely intended this to be a sort of 'sister song' to the previous one (I like the progressions of both songs equally well), as bands ocassionally do; you know, a song with a similar backbeat (like Clocks and Speed of Sound, to quote another Coldplay example). So lol, it was intentional indeed and I was fully aware of that. 

Please do post your ideas for the solo before the male interlude if you had one in mind for 'Blissful Rapture'. I usually don't find solos a problem, but it is difficult for me to get a right-sounding one for this song somehow. Glad you like the lyrics. They sound poetic, don't they? About the intro leading off into the song; The tempo of the intro segment slows down gradually (I'll be doing so when mixing) until it comes to a stop and picks up again into the song. The effect is good in my head, so I may or may not leave it as it is, if you feel strongly about the change.

Last edited by DIY (2012-07-23 00:30:50)

technoguyx wrote:

E-mailing you a MIDI of my solo idea. After I'm done writing both solos we can add Blissful Rapture to recording priority.

Most certainly we'll prioritise that too. Thanks for the e-mail.

Like it, might check back to add something later as I gotta go out now (for a short while).

Sorry I've been disappearing here and there over the past few days - family vacations tend to be like that. 

Anyhow, I was told there were some songs I need to record?

Here's the main guitar track for Early December. Nice job, DIY, I like the song 

It's the same picking pattern (called Travis Picking) as the Beatles used in Julia and Dear Prudence, did you use it consciously, or did it accidentally come up while you were playing the song?

EDIT: Can you two CC the rest of the band in your emails? There's been a lot of references to the secret "email I sent you" 

Last edited by hpotter134 (2012-07-22 16:40:00)

hpotter134 wrote:

Here's the main guitar track for Early December. Nice job, DIY, I like the song 

It's the same picking pattern (called Travis Picking) as the Beatles used in Julia and Dear Prudence, did you use it consciously, or did it accidentally come up while you were playing the song?

EDIT: Can you two CC the rest of the band in your emails? There's been a lot of references to the secret "email I sent you" 

Firstly, thanks for the compliment about the song. 

You're spot on about the Travis Picking! I was aware it was called so and was really keen on learning it (I'm a huge fan of The Beatles  ) and even wanted to experiment with a song like that. I have learned Julia and Dear Prudence too.    I can see you're a fan of them too from your SoundCloud 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away' track. It's pretty good!

I recorded 'Early December' yesterday on guitar since I am so familiar with the pattern, but I'll compare yours and my track and see which one sounds better. I hope you're as proficient of the pattern as me. If there's hardly a difference between the two, I'll definitely prioritise your track. 

EDIT: Just listened to your track and it sounds good. I'll be using it in the final mix, although there are mistakes at about 1:15 and 1:43, so congratulations! 

technoguyx wrote:

That track of yours sounds pretty good hpotter    I wonder why DIY didn't seem to consider you playing it.

hpotter134 wrote:

EDIT: Can you two CC the rest of the band in your emails? There's been a lot of references to the secret "email I sent you" 

I really don't like how band discussion seems to be restricted to me and DIY at times... The reason behind this is that this is a thread that everyone can see, and both DIY and I have agreed in that people outside the band must see as little as possible before we release the album. I believe it's fine for me (and you'd perhaps even expect me) to send the rest of the band the guitar solo and the OOtP mix so far - I'll do so now.

EDIT: I can't find jslomba and LolaRose's e-mails, I'll share the private track of OOtP with them both through SoundCloud. I don't have any way to contact Mari, though. 

Well, it is understandable that the two managers should discuss these matters beforehand, especially since it is stuff like raw mixes, etc. Once we are done with what will be the final mix (or at least what we think will be it), we can share with the rest and see if they have any more feedback. If there are stuff to fix still, we can do so with no worries. I hope you understand. 

Also, I do not know the e-mails either of jslomba and LolaRose, but let us just follow this current policy for now. I guarantee you, you'll be able to see a great song of mine fully mixed soon.

Don't worry about Mari (ContinentalRain since you two will be familiar with that). I can contact her through Twitter and Tumblr. I even have her e-mail, but she has warned me that she doesn't check that too often. I know an awful lot of ways to contact her since I tracked her down through a series of links. 

Last edited by DIY (2012-07-23 04:44:22)

DIY wrote:

ContinentalRain wrote:

Sorry I've been disappearing here and there over the past few days - family vacations tend to be like that. 

Anyhow, I was told there were some songs I need to record?

Mari, here are the completed songs you need to record of mine (techno linked you, but I'll link again):

- Blissful Rapture (the duet you enjoyed very much)
- Early December (a beautiful solo acoustic ballad)

I need you to sing the second vocalist's part too for the latter as well as the first, and of course the entire female part for the duet. If you are having problems pitching the first, do tell me and I'll bring the pitch down.

Hope to hear them uploaded this week as you mentioned you could on Tumblr a while back! 

Alright, I'll get that done sometime this week. 

Techno, I completed the song I linked you to yesterday (only the intro was done then). Here it is.

You did mention you liked it (the acoustic intro was very nice, but I decided to add piano to it as well and now it sounds fabulous). I intentionally made it quite repetitive because of the intro, interludes and vocals running on the same chords; it will sound completely different when recorded (as you can see by the dynamics on the score, more the volume of the instruments is brought down in the verses and choruses). And the ending purposely ends on an anticipatory note. So any feedback other than that will be appreciated.

It is almost solely a piano and guitar song except for the small drums and bass cameo at the end which I quite like. And there are some crazily fast drum rolls. 

Last edited by DIY (2012-07-23 10:23:47)

technoguyx wrote:

Loved the dynamics and the song as well. Not sure if jslomba can handle the fast drum rolls, though 

Yeah. I thought so too.

If he can't handle them, I can use a drum machine for the fast drum rolls.

EDIT: 900th post!

Last edited by DIY (2012-07-23 12:14:07)