Is Your Music Any Good? Find Out Here!!

[bchilderskc.rr.com]

Late to the thread (late to this board for that matter)... XFactor - HERE I AM - Good overall sound, nive vocal harmonies, guitar sound is buzzy, overall arrangement is good but the drums could do with some variety - I know it is supposed to be semi-techno but even techno has some variation. Some nice drum pattern dynamics could really highlight the arrangement etc. Jeremy Frederick - Olympia - Oooff! Are the drums supposed to sound like that? Very distracting, the vocals could be nice but sound like they were recorded with a bad mic. Repetitive drums - I know this can be part of the style of the music - I just have a strong preference for dynamics/changes etc. within a song. Now the sound opens up some, and is much more listenable (around 2:20).. Chip McDonald (Guitar) - Provoked Food Response - Fun with a harmonizer, then real guitar semi-disonant harmonies. I wish I could play fast. Fun for what it is - nothing strong melodically for the ear to hang on to. Chip McDonald - North Carolina Creepy Stick - If you were looking for clarity, you got it. It is a bit strident and you can tell it was very close-mic'd. I love acoustic guitar solo stuff when well done, and this is. I would prefer if this song had more (acoustic solos) - Set up the changes with the rhythm part - then add the solo stuff over the top and keep it going. Indulgent? Maybe - isn't that the point? chip McDonald - A Particular Bandwidth of Emotions - I love piano and guitars together so I fell right into this one. Nice and ambient, sparse - refreshing! However - the overall slowness makes me uncomfortable - it would be great soundtrack material. (I comment I hear regularly - I translate such comments to: it sounds good, but there isn't enough there to grab me enough to listen to it for it's own sake). Eduardo Aplonia - Give me a Gun - wow. Loud. Dry. Lots of compression. Almost too dry. The vocals sound too dry - they don't sit with the music. Decent drum sound, the drums have some room sound etc. OVerall balance between instruments is good. The vocals arent' buried etc. I won't comment further. This isn't my type of music. Though I understand it's quite popular these days. Walter (PledgeDrive) - Josephine - Trying to listen to now. page won't load. I'll try again in a bit. OK, got it. Sounds clean - midi horns/synth & drums? The chorus is louder than the verse, by a fair bit. Clean recording. I like the bridge - good overall arrangement. I would prefer to hear some more range in the vocals, but that is a taste thing. StevePow - You're page won't load either. MP3.COm must be having problems. Poetry? 8 & 9MB files? yikes. I'm scared before I hear anything. Listening to "Every Leaf ..." - ambient. Seems to be missing a rhythm and a melody. Wow. Over a hundred bucks in playback payback. [shrug]. What to say? The birds and Star Trek Space noises sound OK, the vocals are clear. I'm not familiar enough with the genre to comment further. Tone MOnkey - Shuffle Down - Nice, good instrument balance, nothing glaring out of place, vocals fairly clear but not overly in-your-face. This is alt.country? Sounds pretty pop to my naive ears, alt.rock even. As good or better than most of the similar stuff out today. Tangent - The Circus of Light - Dark sounding. Interesting though, different! Different is good. I like the character of the lead vocals - almost a XTC meets Danny Elfmen thing...It changes around 1:00 - hmm, not as interesting as the opening bit - kind of generic, big change again (I like changes) - This part is louder than the previous parts...back to the generic bit. Solo guitar sound isn't the best, 2:50 - now back to interesting. The hard panning might be a bit extreme (lead guitar hard right, rhythm hard left). This song was kind of refreshing - though it had a non-pro sound - a bit lacking in the high-end, not-so-wippy reverb or room sound on the guitar. I didn't like the chorus(?) parts - the other sections of the song are original sounding - the chorus is generic - IMO. Dr. Destructo - Societicide - Scorpio - The lead guitar is too buried, the rhythm too prominent. Where's the bass? This could be really cool, almost a hard-rock-surf-guitar thing. Dr. Destructo - FreeWill - See previous - Maybe too much 'verb on the lead guitar - I'm guilty of that too. It got a bit monotonous. Alphajerk - Couldn't find the song you mentioned. JOnathan Hughes - All Robots Are Safe - Had to listen if only because of the song title. Subdued melody...Pretty cool.... My stuff is at [url=http://www.mp3.com/bcproject]www.mp3.com/bcproject[/url]

[Chip McDonald]

[quote]Originally posted by bchilders@kc.rr.com: [b]Chip McDonald (Guitar) - Provoked Food Response - Fun with a harmonizer, then real guitar semi-disonant harmonies. I [/b][/quote] No harmonizer.... but definite silly dissonance. [b]wish I could play fast. Fun for what it is - nothing strong melodically for the ear to hang on to.[/b] I agree, like I said in the disclaimer - just silly over the top playing for the sake of it. I used to do this kind of thing "seriously", but I can't anymore and won't pretend to. You have to take the Ferrari out for a spin now and then, you know? [b] [quote]Chip McDonald - North Carolina Creepy Stick - If you were looking for clarity, you got it.[/quote] It is a bit strident and you can tell it was very close-mic'd.[/b][/quote] Yeah, I thought that would be the general consensus. Can't really get clarity right on a budget I suppose. [b] [quote] I love acoustic guitar solo stuff when well done, and this is. I would prefer if this song had more (acoustic solos)[/quote][/b] Thanks for the compliment... Hmm. Well, I'm not really sure what genre of music this is in - I don't know if I'm treading a line marked "New Age" or "Experimental Jazz" or "Rock World Beat" or "?". I'm afraid if I solo more it might turn off people that might consider it more new-agey? But I guess it isn't really new age to begin with? I dunno.. What kind of music would you say that is? Or should I just throw in the towel and do "guitar-fan music"? [b] [quote] - Set up the changes with the rhythm part - then add the solo stuff over the top and keep it going. Indulgent? Maybe - isn't that the point?[/b][/quote] Is it, does it come across that way? Ack... So what you're saying is I should just give in to the Dark Side? People at gigs have said I should solo more, but I always figure they're just being polite, or in that "testosterone guitar porn voyeur" mode...? [b] [quote]chip McDonald - A Particular Bandwidth of Emotions - I love piano and guitars together so I fell right into this one. Nice and ambient, sparse - refreshing! However - the overall slowness makes me uncomfortable[/b][/quote] It's too moribund, isn't it? I suppose one shouldn't write music in a depressed state that ultimately ends up in a sort of new age space? I know, I can be the first New Age artist whose music makes you uncomfortable! Yeah, I've got a life of prosperity ahead of me... Gothic New Age? I agree, I need to hear such comments to focus my efforts. I wish I could hire someone to play piano with me live, I like the blend as well. Diane Krall does some neat stuff in that respect, a bit too straight ahead for my tastes, but if I could afford it.. oh well. [b] [quote] - it would be great soundtrack material. (I comment I hear regularly - I translate such comments to: it sounds good, but there isn't enough there to grab me enough to listen to it for it's own sake).[/b][/quote] I agree. Thanks for the remarks; I have a hard time making music that fits a category in a "traditional" way and I need to concentrate on that I suppose. Thanks again.

[x factor music]

Hi BC, Thanks for your comments about my 2 songs. Regarding the drums, had to use what loops I had available for me. I'm primarily a singer, so my keyboard/guitar chops are more accompaniment than what you would hear from a full-fledged band. I recorded Olympia with the same mic as Here I Am Still, but I used a phaser/chorus mix on the vox for the effect that sounds like a bad mic (was using a Rode NT1, for the $$ a very good mic). Listened to Gandymede and The Door. I really like the feeling of Gandymede. A good rhythm section as a bed for the Pink Floydish solo. I'm not too up on instrumental guitarists out there, but I think it was good. A bit much effect on the guitar, but I liked the flow, and the length of the song was appropriate. The Door - I liked the groove of the song once the loops kicked in around 1:00 or so. The vox are a little generic and not my style, but they fit the song well. The thing that jumps out at me about the song is that it has a good groove, but it needs more of a hook and a little more direction. Production is great. Thanks again!

[bchilderskc.rr.com]

[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b] I agree. Thanks for the remarks; I have a hard time making music that fits a category in a "traditional" way and I need to concentrate on that I suppose. Thanks again.[/b][/quote] I would say Why? Art/Music by it's very nature should be totally self-indulgent unless you are genuinely trying to make a living at it, then you need to make 'product' not 'art'. And I have absolutely nothing against 'product' music. Your stuff is really good but it seems like you can't quite decide which side of the fence to come down on. If you are making this music strictly for your own enjoyment that leads in a direction that only you can determine (obviously) - if you are trying to make your music more accessible - then I would suggest providing more hooks or ear-candy (guitar porn) as each song dictates. If you can satisfy both - then you are indeed doubly blessed. However - If your music, as presented, does satisfy you - then tell me to lump it! (BTW - I corresponded with you over a year ago about guitar lessons over the internet. You probably don't remember, but I should probably ask you again!)

[bchilderskc.rr.com]

[b]Hi BC, Thanks for your comments about my 2 songs. Regarding the drums, had to use what loops I had available for me. I'm primarily a singer, so my keyboard/guitar chops are more accompaniment than what you would hear from a full-fledged band. I recorded Olympia with the same mic as Here I Am Still, but I used a phaser/chorus mix on the vox for the effect that sounds like a bad mic (was using a Rode NT1, for the $$ a very good mic). [/b] I won't claim to have golden ears. My main observation was noting the lack of variety in the drums. But I still dug the tunes! [b] Listened to Gandymede and The Door. I really like the feeling of Gandymede. A good rhythm section as a bed for the Pink Floydish solo. I'm not too up on instrumental guitarists out there, but I think it was good. A bit much effect on the guitar, but I liked the flow, and the length of the song was appropriate. [/b] Yeah SHORT! Most of the solos in GANYMEDE were just 'marking-territory-while-noodling' takes. Inevitably - I couldn't do much better on subsequent passes and I had way too much 'verb on. [shrug] This ain't Grammy material. Gilmour is one of my all-time-faves so just hearing you say 'Pink Floyd-ish' makes my day. [b] The Door - I liked the groove of the song once the loops kicked in around 1:00 or so. The vox are a little generic and not my style, but they fit the song well. The thing that jumps out at me about the song is that it has a good groove, but it needs more of a hook and a little more direction. Production is great. [/b] Vocal arrangement is not my strong suite. The whole song is pretty indulgent. If I were to try to make it more accessible I would lose the middle solo bit and do a lot more with the vocal melody and arrangement - add more harmonies/doubling etc. Excellent valid points. Thanks for listening!

[Chip McDonald]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bchilders@kc.rr.com: [b] I would say Why? Art/Music by it's very nature should be totally self-indulgent unless you are genuinely trying to make a living at it,[/b] Well, "self-indulgent" is subjective/relative I guess; one would like to make a living at music, but to me "self-indulgent" can mean merely playing music I have respect for. I don't think "product" and "art" are mutually exclusive, but the delineation is unclear to me I suppose. The Seeking of the Happy Medium is my goal. [b]you can't quite decide which side of the fence to come down on. [/b] I agree, that's my problem. In the respect that my problem is I truly like a lot of different music, and unfortunately that makes me put a spin on what I do that puts it outside of an obvious category. HOWEVER - exterior to my own id what I do is no doubt perceived differently, and that objective glare would focus my aim if I was more aware of it I think. [b]you are trying to make your music more accessible - then I would suggest providing more hooks or ear-candy (guitar porn) as [/b] I have to make it more accessible to justify my existance. I'm in a catch-22; if I can't play music I'll die; if I play the wrong music I'll die just as suredly. [b]However - If your music, as presented, does satisfy you - then tell me to lump it![/b] No, nothing will totally satisfy me; that music (the acoustic music) does from one perspective, but just that one angle. I bitterly hate having to be pigeonholed, which I suppose inevitably leads to the "all purpose guitar hero" Satriani type angle, which is kind of anachronistic these days I suppose. [b](BTW - I corresponded with you over a year ago about guitar lessons over the internet. You probably don't remember, but I should probably ask you again!)[/b] Hmm.. I'll have to look. I don't really do the cassette-tape correspondence lessons anymore - it got to be too much of a time soak, but if you think I can help via email send me some but I can't guarantee when I can get back to you. Thanks again for you comments... http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald This message has been edited by Chip McDonald on 12-21-2000 at 11:39 AM

[Throatsinger]

Hi, I'm with the band Big Sky, and we've been one of the most successful Rock bands on MP3.com, with several Songs of the Day and #1 hits. We're at [url=http://mp3.com/bigsky]mp3.com/bigsky[/url] Our songs there range from studio recordings to rough demos and live gig tracks, and feature stellar F vocals, gtr, bass, drums, sometimes keys, and Tuvan Throat-Singing (yup, I'm one o' them guys who sings 2-3 notes at the same time!). Give a listen and lemme know what you think. "Discover the Greatest Undiscovered Rock Band in America" - MP3.com "Undoubtedly the Greatest F Rock Vocals You Will Ever Hear!" - MP3.com Thanks, Steve Sklar/Big Sky

[Tedster]

>>yup, I'm one o' them guys who sings 2-3 notes at the same time! (Homer Simpson voice): "Well, I'll just have you know that I'm one of those guys who drinks 2-3 beers at the same time...so THERE, Mr. Smartypants" [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] All joking aside, how is that accomplished???

[Throatsinger]

Well, Tedster, There are several different styles of Throat-Singing, using different techniques. Some, like the low Kargyraa style, involve learning to sing with the ventricular, or false, vocal folds in addition to the usual folds. Some use a dramatic pinching within the larynx combined with tension on the vocal folds to generate or strengthen the harmonic components. In all styles, the singer learns to create and control resonant cavities within the throat and mouth to amplify the desired harmonics while minimizing the unwanted ones, such as supressing the fundamental. There are also tongue, lip, and nose/sinus techniques. I have a khoomei site at http://www.atech.org/khoomei/khoomei.html if you'd like more info; while in need of "remodeling" it's quite informative, with spectrograms, videos, etc. Steve Sklar/Big Sky [url=http://www.bigskyrocks.com]www.bigskyrocks.com[/url]

[Guest]

Check us out, choose any tune but keep in mind they are all vastly different. So if you happen upon a really crazed experimental number, know that's only one aspect of what we do. [url=http://www.jamfree.com]www.jamfree.com[/url] Peace and Love, Stephen LeBlanc

[Master Zap]

[i]Public Announcement[/i] If you havn't listened to Steve Sklar's "Big Sky", doth ye so. Try Siberia, which is my favourite I think. It's ... well its fucking amazing thats what it is. Pardon my french [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Anyway if [b]Any Of You[/b] have the strength (poor Craig and his 28.8) I would love to hear comments on my track " [url=http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/664/664847.html]Let The Computer Speak[/url] ", since it tends to get popular. Warning - it has no guitars anywhere [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] /Z

[Master Zap]

Oops did I just kill this thread with my "no guitars" music? [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] /Z

[Throatsinger]

No Zap, you killed it with yer no-khoomei music [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] But thanks for the kind words. You kick too, dudester! Steve Sklar/Big Sky [url=http://mp3.com/bigsky]mp3.com/bigsky[/url]

[Joebob133yahoo.com]

HAHAHAHA!!!! there is no escape!!! i jus spoken to da man Craig foe real!! he wrote to me about how they didn't want people promoting on main page of da forams!! well, foe da people dat saw it while it was on dere, dat was mah 10 minutes uh FAME!! soooo, check out da psychostick.com foe some real CRAZY metal, an pluh.com/forums foe da CRAZY forams. p.s. hey Craig, even though I hadn't heard of you before about an hour ago, everybody that has heard of you says "YOU DA MAN!!" except my dad. he says that ya kick da major bunghole!! keep on rockin' and we'll start rockin'. OH NO!! the guys in the suits are coming for me again!! they're gonna take me away to that room with the mattresses on the wall again!!! NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[bigstarletyahoo.com]

Howdy, At the behest of my good buddy Steve Sklar, #1 Western throat-singer, I stand here, hat in hand, awaiting a good ass-whoopin'. Please tell me how bad my stuff is, and then tell me how I can improve it. This was ALL done at home, using a PC and various multitrack software programs and Mics (a Shure Beta 58 for the earliest tunes; an Ocktava MK 312 purchased at Guitar Center for the later ones) (except where indicated). Regards, Shaky Tee [url=http://mp3.com/shakytee]mp3.com/shakytee[/url] [url=http://mp3.com/helens]mp3.com/helens[/url] [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] This message has been edited by bigstarlet@yahoo.com on 12-28-2000 at 04:07 PM

[vononoffon.com]

Hello: I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Von Babasin and I'm the bassist in a progressive jazz rock band from Los Angeles called ONOFFON. We have released two self produced CDs over the last 3 1/2 years and promoted them almost exclusively over the internet. In that time, I have placed us on over 250 websites around the world that promote, review, stream audio and/or video, distribute, and broadcast our music, including all the major sites such as MP3.com, Amazon.com, CDBaby, The All Music Guide, and tons of others, with more coming every day. The latest Lycos search for 'onoffon' yields 1,439 links, and Google has 1,450. Please see what we're doing at our site at: http://www.onoffon.com/ Our Mp3.com page has 26 tracks, some from studio recordings, and some from live gigs we have played: http://www.mp3.com/onoffon I am also the son of one of the most innovative and creative jazz bassist-producers in Hollywood, Harry Babasin, who made his most significant mark in the fifties. I have archives of over 500 hours of recorded music, from the '50's through the '80's, by most of the definers of the west coast jazz movement, owning publishing on most of it, and broadcast rights to all. I have been seeking funding to digitally remaster these archives to broadcast internet radio, and equip our facility to digitally broadcast live video jazz concerts from Hollywood, and literally be the home of "Jazz in Hollywood", spanning six decades, also having memorabilia to create an online jazz museum. I have info about my dad at: http://www.onoffon.com/harrythebear.html I have also built an Mp3.com page with my father's music, to help raise funds for the remastering of the archives. That page is at: http://www.mp3.com/jazzinhollywood I hope you like what we're doing. Thanks for your time, Von Babasin von@onoffon.com http://www.onoffon.com/

[annesongwriter.net]

If any of you are into Country music, I'd be interested in your opinion of some of my songs. ("If these Walls Could Talk" as an example.) I have been lucky enough to have my music on commercial radio and my CD "The Second Time Around" was produced by Mickey Dean (MP3s Country Artist of 1999). My latest project "Anne's Country Christmas" is presently on air in Ireland (in regular rotation), Germany and Australia. If you wish, give me your URL and I'd be happy to listen to and comment on your music in return. Cheers. Anne [url=http://mp3.com/anneminnery]mp3.com/anneminnery[/url]

[sintz_productionshotmail.]

Most likely one of my horrendous mistakes, I'll post a link on here. Take it from me, my stuff it bizarre, strange, not normal. But yet I’m a firm believer that a mind must be messed with. TC [url=http://mp3.com/SINTZ]SINTZ[/url] [quote]The concept of the rock-guitar solo in the eightees has pretty much been reduced to: Weedly-weedly-wee, make a face, hold your guitar like it's your weenie, point it eavenward, and look like you're really doing something. Then, you get a big ovation while the the smoke bombs go off, and the motorized lights in your truss twirl around!" If there's ever an obscene noise to be made on an instrument, it's gonna come out of a guitar! On a sax you can play sleze, on a bass you can play balls.but on a guitar you can be truely obscene! Lets be realistic about this, the guitar can be the single most blastomphous device on the earth! the guitar makes a stink noise. thats why I like it!! ~ Frank Zappa ~ [/quote]

[HMmgmtaol.com]

I enjoy feeback regarding material & there is no requirement except honesty. [url=http://www.ampcast.com/philfrazier]www.ampcast.com/philfrazier[/url]

[Guest]

From Tangent: Thanks for taking time to listen to Circus Of Light. I appreciate the frank feedback - - after working on a song for so long, all the preciouse objectivity is sorely compromised (crippled is more like it!). The somewhat 'crapped out' sound of the lead guitar was me on my Strat, playing through an ancient Boss distortion stomp box right into the mixer. Re: the chorus - What does 'generic' mean to you? Just curious... we go out of our way to stay on whatever sidetracks and detours we end up on; usually 'generic' is 2 miles back on the highway we just left... [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Thanx again for listening and commenting. - philbo mp3.com/tangent

[Tom Aragon]

[b]Soundscape/Journeys in several genres spanning two sites... Thank You For Listening[/b] [b] [url=http://www.mp3.com/tomaragon]Tom Aragon[/url] [/b] [b] [url=http://www.mp3.com/tomaragonII]Tom AragonII[/url] [/b]

[Sunburn In Cyprus]

Hi all, I would be very interested on your comments to [url=http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/1044/1044409.html]True love[/url] and [url=http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/436/436764.html]Dreamtime[/url] . Thank you for listening - Ulli - ------------------ -- [url=http://sunburn.iuma.com]Sunburn In Cyprus[/url] - Remix/Construction project

[Songbuilder]

Hi all, cool thread. I just joined mp3.com and would like to here what you guys think. [url=http://www.mp3.com/ChrisDasch]www.mp3.com/ChrisDasch[/url] Thanks all, Chris

[Anderton]

Checked out Shaky Tee's "The Insecure Single Girl." Nice retro concept, but here are my suggestions for improvements: 1. Background vocals, or at least some harmony lines. Some good "girl group" background vocals would really be cool. 2. Bass mixed too high. 3. Drum part is way too stiff. It should swing more. How about some manually-played shaker? 4. The voice needs to inject a little more humor/irony into the performance. It's a little rote. 5. If you're going to camp something up, go to the extreme! How about a pseudo-Herb Alpert brass part?

[Anderton]

Regarding "Siberia"...very nice. Could use a little more vocal variety, and Tony Levin would be great to have playing bass on the Stick... My main suggestion" this is a sterling example of how a song could be improved dramatically by a pro mastering job. The overall sound is a bit thin, and needs to "pop" more in places. BTW the throat singing is way cool.

[bigstarletyahoo.com]

Thanks dude, I'm looking into getting this redone, so any input is GREATLY appreciated.

[Throatsinger]

Craig, Thanks for the feedback. However, the CD was mastered (maybe not as well as it coulda been?). But I did use an cheezier old program to make the MP3s a couple years back, and should probably redo 'em with newer, better software. I seem to recall that you have a slooow modem. If you email me an address, I'd be happy to send you some stuff on CD. Oh, and I tried calling Tony, but his mother-in-law got the message confused, just like in the early 70s when she told him some guy called wanting him to play bass with "Murray Vishnu and his Orchestra." Which he blew off, much to his later chagrin. Oh, well! Steve Sklar [url=http://www.bigskyrocks.com]www.bigskyrocks.com[/url] [email]bigsky@bigskyrocks.com[/email]

[dabooshprodigy.net]

http://www.DaBOOSH.net/download.html "ER (Extreme Rant)" recently got a good critique and forwarded to a project by TAXI! My first one! (still keeping my fingers crossed). It was written for music behind sports footage. I would like to know what others think. Be honest....I can take it. (where did I put that dull razor blade?) JD http://www.DaBOOSH.net

[Guest]

Been reading this forum for a while...why not jump in the deep end? http://www.mp3.com/Kosmolith (Master Zap, if you are reading this, you WILL get your "musicware" CD, we are still waiting on the artwork!)

[The Studio Pet-Rock]

Cheap songs from cheap days. Some nifty little tunes for you to critique. "Nothing Wrong", "Trampoline" and "Xylem" were recorded on an ancient torture device which Tascam nicely named the Porta 03-mkII. "Well I Hadn't Thought" was recorded on a much nicer, cheap four track. "Crawl" was recorded at a home-studio, cheaply. (I still owe my producer a 12 pack.) Tell me what went wrong. Tell me what went right. Hear the songs at: http://www.mp3.com/mikepetrick