General Music Chat

I figured I would post a few things up this week I have been working on.

NEW SONG: "The Other Side" © 2010 Craig Maxim


LYRICS:

You keep looking outside, but I see the impatient stare
Know the car's still running there
Why, can't we just take some time
Your looking at me, like your fearful of everything
Staring at the enemy
Girl, it's me that used to hide

It's not only you, that was hurt by the solitude
Never sure just what to do
Let's make time, now to find out
Both of us hurt, so the truth we just both denied
Walls building up inside
Silent till we'd shout

But I'm sorry now
Maybe you could learn from the enemy
Waiting on the other side

---------------------------- CHORUS -----------------------------
Girl, take me to the other side
Where we could learn from the enemy
Love when we disagree, Know we've tried
Girl, take me to the other side
Where we just might find a friend who'll be
Waiting with the only key, to our heart's divide
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Break)

I know it feels that the past can't be overcome
Far too much was said and done
Like all hope just disappeared

But sometimes in life, there's a chance to redeem again
Something that had seemed to end
Maybe, our chance is here

Don't be sorry now
Babe, when you could learn from the enemy
Waiting on the other side

Yeah, the other side
Girl, take me to the other side

Why be sorry now
Babe, when we could learn from the enemy
Waiting on the other side

Your melody and groove of the song is awesome. You have done
something that is very hard to do. You have established a signature
sound. That is one of the keys to being commercially successful.
I like this song though the lyrics can become a little confusing.
I know as the writer it has perfect clarity to you. The drums are a little cheesy but the guitar sound is perfect and carries everything to a
place I want to be while listening. Vocal went flat in only two tiny
places but that's my ear.

Overall Great song, Great sound, Great signature.

Bingo

Your melody and groove of the song is awesome. You have done
something that is very hard to do. You have established a signature
sound. That is one of the keys to being commercially successful.

That's VERY good to hear! Thank you!

I like this song though the lyrics can become a little confusing.
I know as the writer it has perfect clarity to you.

That's NOT good to hear! Wife said that the same thing!

The idea is that in the relationship, they are separated to the point of looking at one another as the "enemy" on the "other side". He has realized this, and wants to correct it, telling her, that even though he is looked at still, as the enemy... we can always learn something from the enemy... in this case... That a change of heart is possible, it's not too late to save the relationship, there was not just one person to blame here. The confusing part... I think, is when he then asks her... "Take me to the other side", when HE IS the other side. But that is meant from her perspective... Take me to the other side... her side. And it concludes... "We can learn from the enemy (each other) waiting on the other side!" They are BOTH the "other side" when they are posturing, and divided into separate camps.

I'm not sure what to do about that confusion. I may need to tweak the lyrics. I was expecting more, the criticism of... "The words are cheesy and simplistic Craig!"

LOL

The drums are a little cheesy but the guitar sound is perfect and carries everything to a
place I want to be while listening.

The drums are canned of course. I need to figure out how to improve them somehow, so they are more realistic. The other problem is that I am limited in BEATS using my keyboard, so I don't always get the perfect rhythm for what the song requires. I could build the rhythm from scratch, but it is time consuming to try and get them right, and quantize correctly (which I SUCK at!)

Vocal went flat in only two tiny
places but that's my ear.

Yes... it is your ear!

Your ear is CORRECTLY telling you that I am going flat a few times! (and also cracking, in places I didn't mean to crack) LOL - I recorded most of the lead vocals awhile back, and my voice wasn't quite up to snuff that day. I wanted to re-do ALL the vocals, when I wrote the last verses and put harmonies (which I did tonight) but.... I have a full house right now, and it is VERY HARD for me to receive quiet for long periods of time right now. I had to ask everyone to be quiet for about 20 minutes while I recorded the last verses and put the harmonies. Which meant the family had to watch a good part of the TV show they had on, MUTED, until I screamed out... "Ok guys, I'm done! Thank you!!!"

When the kids go back to school, that will help GREATLY in getting more hours to record, while they are in class!

Overall Great song, Great sound, Great signature.

Bingo

Thanks brother!

My problem is, that I have a FEW "signature sounds" and this one, is a little more modern, less bassy and growling, than my harder rock, and different from the blues or southern rock I sing. This tune goes well with my song "Don't Hang Up" I think.

I need to stick with one genre, but that is hard for me. I like ALOT of stuff, and I can write and sing alot of stuff. But it is going to hold me back commercially, because they want you in a NICHE, and they want to see, that you ALREADY HAVE that niche worked out. When you are all over the place, it creates the idea in them... "What is his genre? Blues? Rock? Alternative? Who are we going to market this to?"

They don't like IMAGINING "FOR" you! They want the package already in place, so that they just have to polish, tweak and promote it.

But good criticisms... and compiments! Thank you very much for listening and taking the time to respond!

Liked it Craig. Very upbeat, something I think is needed. Loved your vocals as usual.
Nice one man.

Kudos.

Great stylistic "Craigs" music. You hit it right on the head though. You have to spend the time to bring in REAL DRUMS. Not just for tone but as talented as you may be,at this level you need real drums.
I put up a song I did 34 years ago recorded with sm58s.I'm still impressed with the drummer who came in set up played through twice and then nailed it the best he could. I didn't realise how important that real drum feel is.
[shoot me down]
Craig ,your putting songs together at almost album quality. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

Liked it Craig. Very upbeat, something I think is needed. Loved your vocals as usual.
Nice one man.

Kudos.

Thanks Chippy!

Craig ,your putting songs together at almost album quality.

If I could learn how to record and mix better on this keyboard, then, maybe... maybe... I could get close to that. Got a ways to go yet. I think as "demos" though, this thing does a nice job... It gets the ideas across more than sufficiently!

Thanks Glen!

Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

I don't get a purple heart for shooting myself in the foot?

Damn!


LOL

*** This is a really good point about drums.

I have a cheap set of midi DD50's and my programmable software. I don't have anywhere I could put a kit in any case. Of course I keep it to what I would play, but to actually get the feel is another matter.
There are things I could do, most of them take an extreme amount of time however.

Could you not get someone in there Craig? Often I find its the resonance, the air expelled when a stick hits the skin that is missing, plus of course the tone of the shell.

If I could learn how to record and mix better on this keyboard, then, maybe... maybe... I could get close to that. Got a ways to go yet. I think as "demos" though, this thing does a nice job... It gets the ideas across more than sufficiently!

Craig, all the cracking of voice that you hear within the song is golden.
I wouldn't remove one bit of that. To a listeners ear that translates to emotion and being real. The areas I hear that are flat can all be fixed in mastering. Excuse me final mixing. Drums is another story.

Thank you JD for the correction.

Nice song Craig. Reminds me of Asia a little. Remember, you're not your. And flat vocals can only be fixed two ways: redo them (punch?) or pitch correction software. Mastering only adjusts volumes, everything else must be done before you mix. Rock on!

Nice song Craig. Reminds me of Asia a little.

Really? That's quite a compliement! (I've always loved Asia)

Hey doode
Cool job in general , I think.
Verses are catchy

Two things I'll pitch in:(and forgive me if I'm repeating someone else)

1) I found your vocals buried too a tad far down & reverb distracted me a bit
2) My ears heard over-compression of the mix: though granted I'm not listening on the greatest of systems at present

Cheers!
Rich

Yeah, the drums have to be fixed.

In Audian, we used programmed drums for our demos. I know it's time consuming, but it makes such a big difference if you can get the drums right. The first time I heard Audian's stuff I didn't realize the drums were artificial because Josh had done such a good job programming the drums.

Part of the problem is the kit you chose; it's just the wrong kit for the song. It's too much like Slaughter (late 80's) - it's too big of a drum sound, especially on the toms and snare. It's like an 80's hair metal kit. You gotta go with something else that isn't so heavy and dark.

The guitar work is great though Craig. The layering is great, I love all the little licks. The intro to the song should be twice as long though. It didn't have any time to breath and warm me up to the song before the lyrics jumped in.

And I know I'm minority here, but I'm not a fan of your vocals with this style of music. I think it's a decent song, but it's way more pop-rock sounding and requires a totally different voice; even a chick's voice maybe.

Your voice - to me - says southern rock. I hear your singing and I think Zakk Wylde. I imagine an amalgam of Zakk Wylde and SRV with your vocals and that would fit to me. This is too poppy for your vocal style. Not saying the song is bad, just wrong for you.

My opinion only.

Part of the problem is the kit you chose; it's just the wrong kit for the song. It's too much like Slaughter (late 80's) - it's too big of a drum sound, especially on the toms and snare. It's like an 80's hair metal kit. You gotta go with something else that isn't so heavy and dark.

Gotcha.

The guitar work is great though Craig. The layering is great, I love all the little licks. The intro to the song should be twice as long though. It didn't have any time to breath and warm me up to the song before the lyrics jumped in.

The song is too long as it is. I should have shortened the break. I'm also not happy that I put three verses, and ended up not getting to repeat the chorus as a result. I'm thinking about changing it, but man... that's alot of work, and will require the entire song being revamped. Ughh!!! - If this was a saleable quality recording... I would do it for sure! But I can't sell this stuff, at this quality. It's just not good enough. For demo purposes, it is perfectly fine, and any band wanting to record it, can arrange it however they see fit.

And I know I'm minority here, but I'm not a fan of your vocals with this style of music.

Hey, that's alright bro. I "DO" have a versatile voice, but I can't sing like The All American Rejects (for example) I am WELL PAST puberty not a 20-something kid, with a thin trebly voice. And honestly, I wouldn't sing like that if I could. Just too juvenile sounding. I'd feel stupid. LOL


The critiques are appreciated brother!

Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Craig it’s a great tune, yeah I agree with Jimmy it sounds a lot like Asia. Was thinking maybe Van Halen, but a little more mellow and much more fluid. Wow Train is a good tune as well, actually all great stuff.

Craig you using a DAW or all hardware? I just upgrade Sonar and they have session drummer 3 which I just started using. What’s cool (I’m not a drummer and can’t even pretend well), if you come up with something for one measure, just loop the sample then drag it out for as many measures you want. They have some great pre-installed samples zep kits blues techno etc.

Cakewalk makes “studio instruments” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UquKaN5Ruio They can be individually tuned, make a snare deep or as thin as you want. Built in panning, reverb and compression

http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/StudioInstruments/drums.asp $50.00 Although without the DAW you can’t do the loop drag thing. I think the samples included would sound better than what you are using now. From what I hear to me, the drum samples are the only weak spot in that song. The kick didn’t sound bad, but the snare seemed to keep changing it’s mind on how it wanted to sound.

Found a demo version: http://www.pccomputerease.com/cakewalk-studio-instruments-demo-rapidshare.html

I have no idea how current the software is at the end of the link. We are finishing our last tune which we were using an old Roland R-5 for the patterns, (we already had them programmed when we switched over) and using the new samples from the session drummer. In a previous mix we committed to a kick drum sample that just evaporated, we were doing straight audio and it had a huge bottom rumble we couldn’t separate from the bass and the rest of the mix. We’re looking for a local drummer, regardless of whether or not we find one, our next tune will be using a lot more MIDI recording.