Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

The song is called "Happy Folks." It's the bottom song (just uploaded) on my song list.
The style is "kind-of" rock, with something else mixed in . . .
. . . lot of chord changes, and the bass moves around a bit . . .
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I have a part-time vocalist, and I was toying w/the idea of writing lyrics for it . . . but I kind of like it the way it is . . .
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So . . .
Lyrics for the song "Happy Folks?"
Yeah or nay?

Nay.
Your going to hate me for this but I got this visual of Big Bird doing a little soft shoe on that one.
Some simple sharp electric lead licks would compliment that well, a very catchy tune indeed.

I don't know about vocals, but I would like to hear a little more instrumentation...at @1:25, you have a nice little guitar/bass interplay going on. I'd love to hear some more of that type of thing scattered around a bit. That's a really catchy tune, Alan-good job, as always.

I didn't realize that Sans said "catchy tune." Now I feel like a copycat.

It is catchy! no cat to copy. Just the facts as seen by us.

There's rhythm stuff going on that almost clicks, but barely misses, for me, Alan. Your writing style requires a definite precision that I'd find difficult to attain, but it would make me feel like a king when I nailed it.

I hear a bit of trumpet lead on it, for some strange reason. With a mute, to give it that silly kind of feel. At some point near the end I can hear some of that goofy "wah wah wah" that they used in the Peanuts cartoons whenever the teacher speaks.

Cool little ditty. Dunno if I'd put voice on it, though it would work for sure. I'd find some interesting instrument to do the talking, cuz that's just how it hits me.

Yeah, a lead - a simple lead might be cool . . . agreed.
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. . . surprised that 'goofy' stuff came to mind . . . maybe San's comment influenced opinions; dunno . . .
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And - you're right - the rhythm on this song is HARD . . . whew . . .
A lot of what the guitar does, and much of what the bass does is not supposed to be on the same beats as the drums . . .
Not just synchopation, but jazz-synchopation, and with a little extra feeling thrown in. No beginners will be playing bass for this song . . .
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Lots of people feel more comfortable with the Bass locked in and unmovable. That's great for 99.95% of songs; but with this song, I thought an in-the-pocket bass sounded wooden and robotic, mediocre . . .
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But if most people think parts of the rhythm 'almost work,' then I'll have to scrap this entire recording and re-record it with a different rhythm.
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The song requires notes on the beat, the 1/2 beat, 1/4 beat, 1/8 beat, and much of the stuff in this song is 1/16 and 1/32 of a beat, and it's a pretty quick song to begin with.
If you stray too far off of a 1/32 of a beat, then the ear can hear a clash . . .
1/32 of a beat at the tempo of this song - is a little longer than an eyeblink (which is 1/10 of a second).
I'm just concerned that a tighter rhythm could hurt this song, rather than help it . . .
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OK, so - lyrics not necessary. Good.
Thanks.
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And - seeing as it was brought up . . .
What do you guys think of the rhythm?
Keep the Rhythm - or change it?

I would say it depends on your part-time singer's style, but yeah I found myself starting to lip a rhythm to the vocal part while I was listening. I imagine something sorta "talky" or at least something mostly lower-pitched with an occasional slide up. And, I could also see where a solo\bridge might be cool after the first two go-arounds.

Keep!

Oh, and yeah. *makes mental note to fully read previous post next time* Keep the rhythm. The rhythm is gold.

I don't hear much room for vocals on that, but I'm a fan of instrumentals anyway. A simple lead would be good, or maybe a sax...and you are right, it would have to be simple, anything gets very busy and it won't sound good.

I would also bring the bass up a hair, and possibly some organ or synth to fill it up a little.

Ok, so:
- simple lead - poss sax. (got no sax player)
- if vocals - then low-key, maybey talk
- keep the rhythm (whew)
- possibly a bridge needed (I've been trying to keep my songs short)
- hamonica . . . hmmm . . .
- make bass hotter
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Thanks for the comments.
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Re-listening to the song, I did notice a few spots where the guitar might have been slightly adrift from the drums; not quite noticably, I hope . . .
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Anyone else think that the bass should be louder?

After another listen, maybe a touch more bass, just enough to clearly differentiate between It and the acoustic bass notes.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, thanks.

I boosted the bass & re-recorded the guitar for a slightly tighter rhyrhm.