General Music Chat

Well. Seeing that my producer is in Hospice and doing all he can for me with the money I do have, me knowing going into this that he was sick and that it was no Nashville studio with pro tools to fix every little thing. I think it's pretty damn good myself for being my very first album. I'm proud of it. I had 100 cd's on May 1st and now only have 15 left. So that counts to me. People are buying. From California to Georgia and all the way to Switzerland somebody loves me. I know it's no Mercury. But their the producers are not paid by the musicians. They are paid by Mercury and better get it down right to make it count for the label.

I have no regret. (O:

As for April Smith. I'm not into that kind of music. And I don't like her voice. And I know there are people. Like the few of you. That won't like me. And it will always be that way. If ya don't like it? Don't listen anymore. Plain and simple. Won't hurt my feelers.

As for the recording it 2 x. It was my very first Demo. The guy needed an artist. I needed a demo. So it all worked out. I thought it was cool.

Thanks again.

Look darlin', you're the one on here begging for comments and techniques, I was merely giving them to you which took me time and energy to write because I CARED to. You don't hang out here, you don't contribute to any conversations, you don't bother to get to know anyone here. But you want everyone to jump through hoops and listen to all your songs and give you feed back, and when they say something you don't like you want to get all defensive. You asked, I gave it to you. I don't get a rise out of saying negative things to people, in fact I don't care to.

It's not a matter of not liking your voice, your voice needs work.

Selling CD's doesn't mean squat. Just because someone buys your CD doesn't mean they bought it because they really like you. You put the hard sell on someone they'll buy anything. My friends were in Vegas last weekend and got cornered by a rapper dude. They listened to a few tracks over his CD player, and because her hubs was drunk, they bought it. They posted on FB how they couldn't believe how terrible it was. I bought someone's CD at a gig to support them. It's awful, but I didn't have the heart to tell them it sucks because they're my friend and I'd look like an a-hole. I don't mind being an a-hole, but certain friends, I protect from that.

So whatever, keep singing to your fans.

Chaeya

Yes and Thank you but I don't beg. LOL!

Look darlin', you're the one on here begging for comments and techniques, I was merely giving them to you which took me time and energy to write because I CARED to. You don't hang out here, you don't contribute to any conversations, you don't bother to get to know anyone here. But you want everyone to jump through hoops and listen to all your songs and give you feed back, and when they say something you don't like you want to get all defensive. You asked, I gave it to you. I don't get a rise out of saying negative things to people, in fact I don't care to.

It's not a matter of not liking your voice, your voice needs work.

Selling CD's doesn't mean squat. Just because someone buys your CD doesn't mean they bought it because they really like you. You put the hard sell on someone they'll buy anything. My friends were in Vegas last weekend and got cornered by a rapper dude. They listened to a few tracks over his CD player, and because her hubs was drunk, they bought it. They posted on FB how they couldn't believe how terrible it was. I bought someone's CD at a gig to support them. It's awful, but I didn't have the heart to tell them it sucks because they're my friend and I'd look like an a-hole. I don't mind being an a-hole, but certain friends, I protect from that.

So whatever, keep singing to your fans.

Chaeya

Nah, I'm not defensive at all. I respect everything ya'll have said. I love to get to know people. I love to know what people think of my music. I don't like people putting words in my mouth or assuming thing that I don't care. If you want to get to know me just ask. If i want to get to know you. I'll ask. I do care.

And yes. I want to hear feedback. I have hand delivered over 40 of those cd's to people who have heard me and WANT them. As for the rapper. God for him for selling his CD. Myself? I never push anything on anyone. If someone doesn't have the money. I give them my card with my site to listen for free. They usually ended up calling me and I have personally mailed it or hand delivered.

The one thing of many things that I believe in is. The only people wasting their time are the ones that never try to succeed in life.

I will never stop trying..

Never give up and never give in:

One of the keys of life.

AND YOU KNOW THIS! The next album work I am doing is a final gospel album with Michael.

Melissa, you posted here asking for advise and to test your recordings amongst your peers! I am guessing you are fairly young and or possibly inexperienced! Initially I pretty much felt the same way Phil and would have posted almost the same thing (especially about your producer) I hope you have not been too insulted and please understand that for the most part these are all opinions! Having said that they are opinions from your peers! If I were you I would take them with a grain of salt understanding that in this Biz. you have to have VERY thick skin because that is the strongest atribute a singer can have! Also most of the folks on this site are not Country musicians.

Make mine country - The piano sound is atrocious. The format is bland and cliched. And yes there IS hot country. The lead tone sucks. The leads are relentlessly busy and way too panned. The vocals are very... eh.... cracker. And at 2:18 its the Opry not the opery.

Gotta Go - Better than the first. Drum sound is pretty dated. It's ok. Just not memorable. You aren't a bad singer. You just need to turn loose!

You Are All I Need - Old lady, old church lady vibrato. Slow and rickety vibrato. The break starting at :58 is just bad. Occasional, almost great classic country guitar licks.

Die For You - What the heck?! That's a great chorus. A much better production too. Digging the doubled vocals. Way better leads. Man the chorus is immediately memorable. That is NOT the same lead player or producer. The leads are almost awesome. They are very good. This track is clearly superior. That pick scrape at 3:00 is too long, too loud, and too sloppy. That's the only thing negative I can say about that track. I mean it is a really strong song. I'm just shocked at the difference in song writing quality, musicianship, and production. Whatever you did on that one do it again.

Good luck.
Now go respond to other peoples posts here for critiques.

Melissa, have you sent any of these CD's for review? That's free publicity, even a bad review is good publicity...believe it or not.

I have to caution you that some reviewers are really vicious at times, especially if they're also starving musicians on the side themselves. Back in the day I remember this guy just tearing at the band I was in. He did like three huge paragraphs as to why he hated everything and why nobody should give it the time of day. If you plan on coming up, you need to prepare by growing thick skin(something I had to work on).

The people on this forum were really nice in an honest way. You don't need to defend yourself. I would advise just giving a simple thanks to anyone and moving on. I know that may sound crazy to you, but the music world is tight knit, and word gets around fast regarding everything an artist says. Remember, your character is just as important, if not more, than your music too.

Best to you!

It isn't that I don't like country, Mz Procter. I DO like good country, when it's performed well. Check out my reviews for Klugmo's stuff, or Bobby Allen's.

Imho, it matters not if the producer is your BFF, performs miracles, & has cancer; he didn't do you right. Your recordings could be much more powerful & effective with someone else at the helm.

Yeah, I'd be proud of this if it were my very 1st effort, too, however, you came asking for pointers from ppl who know. Note that every person who has responded to your recordings has said something about the lack of emotional content in your delivery. There are many singers who don't belt it out in every song, but still deliver the feeling inherent in the lyric. That, imho, is your biggest hurdle to cross. You need to listen to more artists, & apply the best parts of what they do in this area, until you find your own voice. Otherwise, you're just reading words off of a page, & not doing the song justice.

You claim that country is your 1st love. Look at the genre. It's chock-full of drama & melodrama. There are loads of country artists out there putting out more emotion than content, lately. It's that important. The women have sass, as Glen says. They have attitude. They have volume. AND they can grasp the emotion in the song. They sound like they're having fun with it all, too.

In Make Mine Country, you should have a totally partyin', upbeat feel coming across, but you sound quiet & afraid. Die For You should sound like a completely love-smacked individual is singing it, someone totally committed & joyful, someone in that early-love stage where everything is perfect & she would DIE for the one she loves!!! The lyric demands exclamation points, but your delivery was almost a whispery question mark. Put your heart & guts out there. Don't be afraid to show what the song wants you to show. Country demands this, probably more than most other genres.

Melissa, you posted here asking for advise and to test your recordings amongst your peers! I am guessing you are fairly young and or possibly inexperienced! Initially I pretty much felt the same way Phil and would have posted almost the same thing (especially about your producer) I hope you have not been too insulted and please understand that for the most part these are all opinions! Having said that they are opinions from your peers! If I were you I would take them with a grain of salt understanding that in this Biz. you have to have VERY thick skin because that is the strongest atribute a singer can have! Also most of the folks on this site are not Country musicians.

LOL. Yes. It's all good.

Make mine country - The piano sound is atrocious. The format is bland and cliched. And yes there IS hot country. The lead tone sucks. The leads are relentlessly busy and way too panned. The vocals are very... eh.... cracker. And at 2:18 its the Opry not the opery.

Gotta Go - Better than the first. Drum sound is pretty dated. It's ok. Just not memorable. You aren't a bad singer. You just need to turn loose!

You Are All I Need - Old lady, old church lady vibrato. Slow and rickety vibrato. The break starting at :58 is just bad. Occasional, almost great classic country guitar licks.

Die For You - What the heck?! That's a great chorus. A much better production too. Digging the doubled vocals. Way better leads. Man the chorus is immediately memorable. That is NOT the same lead player or producer. The leads are almost awesome. They are very good. This track is clearly superior. That pick scrape at 3:00 is too long, too loud, and too sloppy. That's the only thing negative I can say about that track. I mean it is a really strong song. I'm just shocked at the difference in song writing quality, musicianship, and production. Whatever you did on that one do it again.

Good luck.
Now go respond to other peoples posts here for critiques.

Thank you very much. All of the instruments on my album were done by Michael. Except for Honor. The music was done by Will Smith in Nashville.

Melissa, have you sent any of these CD's for review? That's free publicity, even a bad review is good publicity...believe it or not.

I have to caution you that some reviewers are really vicious at times, especially if they're also starving musicians on the side themselves. Back in the day I remember this guy just tearing at the band I was in. He did like three huge paragraphs as to why he hated everything and why nobody should give it the time of day. If you plan on coming up, you need to prepare by growing thick skin(something I had to work on).

The people on this forum were really nice in an honest way. You don't need to defend yourself. I would advise just giving a simple thanks to anyone and moving on. I know that may sound crazy to you, but the music world is tight knit, and word gets around fast regarding everything an artist says. Remember, your character is just as important, if not more, than your music too.

Best to you!

That's a good idea. Never thought of it. And thick skin. LOL! I'm not offended. I don't take anything personal.

It's chock-full of drama & melodrama. There are loads of country artists out there putting out more emotion than content, lately. It's that important. The women have sass, as Glen says. They have attitude. They have volume. AND they can grasp the emotion in the song. They sound like they're having fun with it all, too.

In Make Mine Country, you should have a totally partyin', upbeat feel coming across, but you sound quiet & afraid. Die For You should sound like a completely love-smacked individual is singing it, someone totally committed & joyful, someone in that early-love stage where everything is perfect & she would DIE for the one she loves!!! The lyric demands exclamation points, but your delivery was almost a whispery question mark. Put your heart & guts out there. Don't be afraid to show what the song wants you to show. Country demands this, probably more than most other genres.

It's Mrs. Proctor. I'm 32 and have been married since 1996. we met Oct. 7th 1995 at The Coors Rodeo Chute Out In Az. I love him with all my heart. We have to gorgeous children 11 and 13. I got the fever in 2005 after an accident I had been in. Been in the recording studio since. I really got into it in 3 yrs ago when it started driving me nuts. I was obsessing over it and still am. But Going from a stay at home Mom to losin both my parents and part of my memory. Nothin anything anyone can say or do can change my mind. It just makes me want it more.. I'd love to improve.

I really appreciate what you said above.

Ya know though? I've thought of taking voice lessons. But I do have my own style on stuff I have written and composed you can hear it more. I don't want any teacher to make me change that. But again. If I were to ever take them It would be to learn how to feel the emotion of the song better.

Now on "Sometimes I Feel". I hear all the time from people that they get the chills, by the end of the song they're cryin and that they can see everything I'm singin. I think that's cool.

Ya know though? I've thought of taking voice lessons. But I do have my own style on stuff I have written and composed you can hear it more. I don't want any teacher to make me change that. But again. If I were to ever take them It would be to learn how to feel the emotion of the song better.

Melissa, a vocal teacher is not going to change your style. Your style is your own. A vocal teacher will teach you breathing techniques, how to utilize more power, emphasis and so on into what you're singing, vocal exercises and such.

When I was young I used to brag I taught myself to sing until a lady heard me singing and said "you're gonna lose your voice singing from your throat like that." You said it in front of a bunch of people so talk about getting your feelings hurt, but when I got to California, I looked up a well known vocal teacher who worked with many opera singers. He was like $55 for a half hour (and this was in the 80s). He had me do some of the weirdest exercises like sticking a pill bottle in my mouth and doing scales while moving my head from side to side. He worked my butt off and I spent a fortune. I had no desire to be a opera singer and nor would I ever work in opera because I hadn't had the training since I was young. However, I was able to take what he taught me and carry it over into rock. I can sing for hours without vocal fatigue like so many singers get. However, my style is sloppy and raunchy and I like it like that.

So think about it. A musician should never stop trying different things, or trying to get better or perfecting themselves. They should always practice. Stop using the audience as your gauge for being an artist. Always be a perfectionist and push yourself to the limits.

No one is saying you shouldn't be proud of what you've accomplished, it is a feat to finish a project. But you have work to do, if you're up for the challenge.

Chaeya