The reception from members here on my last album was a great boost to morale, so thanks to all who supported me. I wasn't sure how I'd progress having churned out 17 songs in just two months, but now feel.....
I need a break. Until then thanks for the compliments.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 8, 2021

Mucho excellentae my friend.Fits my styles of appreciation. Well done.
Have been a recluse from the industry like you for last 15yrs.
Recently have started writing , recording and working on projekts for friends.
It has given me a renewed purpose. Having follwed your discourse over months on the site
here I can empathise with your emotions.
Best in Health and best in Mentality
Stay safe ,stay well and continue to move forward

 

It's good to leave something behind if only to appreciate it when you come back. That's what I say to all my ex girlfriends. Except I don't come back. For a Pope I have committed many sins. Glad you like the track.

 

It was a Like, then it turned into a Love It! As the delay on the first guitar happened.
Second listen as I'm writing.
Amazing 'soundstage'; is that what it's called? The stereophonic panorama. And it was the placement of the kit that made me realise.
Or that helps enforce it? I might be learning something...
Straight in. Love it. Nice guitar in the intro.
First chorus 1:04. Check. Textbook. Modulation was an unexpected treat. Love the two vocal lines harmonies together.
Second, double chorus AND extra sub-melody vocal part? Check. You're spoiling us.
Overall great vocal motifs that are memorable and singable? (And whistle-able!) Check.
Lyrics that kept me with you all the way? Check.
And your mix choices are great. Love hearing the plectrum on the strings in that way.

Your tracks themselves absolve you of your sins!
So happy for the last 2 years, mate.
I know I joined the right church for me.
Don't know how I missed this on Friday!
Oh, wait...
Yeah, I was in the Lab or something.

Solid track, mate. Well done.

 

Yeah, the soundstage! I've started using a template where I place Softube Console 1 SSL 9000K on every channel. The results are genuinely a 3D feeling. I know it's was all done in a small room, but it even fools me.
As for the composition. You are, as always, too kind.

 

Okay, but it's got to be your mixing choices too. Surely?
I mean, I know what it sounds like when I use certain things on every channel, and it really helps the overall sound, but it's still up to me to make a good mix!
Own it! You can mix! Admit it! haha.

 

I guess I've been doing it so long I don't really think with my head, I think with my ears.

 

I went for a long drive yesterday and listened to the entire album that I released through DistroKid. To be honest, I bored myself. I heard nothing that made me think anybody would want to invest time and money in this low energy style of music. Even the song above makes me think I need to shift my focus. But where? I've spent so many years making instrumentals, I do like the novelty of singing, but any suggestions of how I can inject some "lightness" or "energy" would be much appreciated.
https://layker.bandcamp.com/

 

great sound!

 

Sounds like red hot chilli peppers a bit, I like it, mix sounds real nice, thanks for sharing your work.

 

Perhaps modulate up a step on the last chorus to kick it into high gear.

 

Spoken like a true artist. - But - for a sec.- try imagine viewing/listning from a different perspective. from a human thats not a musician, what you've done is magic to them.

take a trip down memory lane of your life. Sort thru all the "not great moments" and get to the "oh shit that moment was AMAZING" and try to recall all the finer details around that moment. where you where in life. what had only happend so far. Keep going, get as many details in there, make it vivid. Suck/zoom yourself in to the essence of those moments. the feelings you had. the sensations. and "play from that place"

basicly, play your instruments joyfully. capture the innosence, the lightness from beeing young. - and go from there.

it have worked for me alot of times, even in other creative fields.
if it doesnt "work", try again. might have to practice

all the best!

 

I'm going to use your tracks as comparison trax! thx!

 

Lenny, I really like it...The lyrics, the arrangement, everything!

It reminds me a lot of Tom Petty.

By the way, how did you manage to produce such a "sounds like a record" acoustic guitar? Is this a real acoustic or a vsti?

The only thing that bothers me a little is the excessively auto-tuned vocals. I mean, I understand that it was probably a stylistic choice, but I don't know if it fits the rest of the song, which has more of an acoustic ballad feel.

Anyway, your song, your rules.

Good job, brother!

 

Well, I'm just listening to your other songs and I honestly think you're on the right path, brother.

Serious songwriting, overall artistry and production skills. I mean it. You're clearly talented.

However, since you asked, I have a suggestion. Like I said on my previous post, I think the autotune sounds off...I think this is the kind of effect that's either all or nothing, I mean, either you use it very subtly to fix vocals but still making them sound natural, or you you use it very creatively (check Bon Iver - Woods)...In other words, I think your use of autotune is kind of in a limbo.

Since your arrangements are very spacey, I think you could add more automated effects like delays or lush, big reverbs...You know, approach the vocals as an instrument...Make these effects fill some gaps here and there, dance with the song...

Or, you could simply use less autotune, just enough to fix things, stealth style. Melodyne is great for this kind of stuff.

Just my two cents.

 

It's very well produced but as someone who has had a professional recording career, you already know this.

And because of that background, I have much higher expectations from your output than the average bedroom dj mix that gets posted up on here.

The chorus lets the track down IMO as it's not particularly memorable, and personally I don't like the vocal production. Is it vocoder or is it autotune? Not sure, but it all seems to arrive at the same flat top note.

EDIT: oh I've more or less just repeated what RMorgan said.

 

Last edited: Feb 7, 2021

I never liked Tom Petty and I agree it sounds like Tom Petty which is disturbing.
Guitar is an amalgamation of small bits of me playing Line 6 Variax through Helix, some Ample sound guitar, processed phrases and one shot wav files of which I have collected thousands.
Vocals are admittedly over auto tuned. Not through choice, nor stylistic choice but because I'm a lousy singer and I'd rather hear auto tune than hear off pitch notes.

 

I think I need to reassess the idea that I am a solo artist. I went through the process of completing a set of songs and seeing them on iTunes and Spotify and it's done. It was one of the boxes I wanted to tick off and I achieved it. That doesn't mean I should do it again.

 

I honestly wouldn't be able to sing to save my life but I wouldn't try.

It's not that it's out of tune as such but they are so up front in the mix, that you can't help but notice the limitations.

It's up to you what you're now trying to achieve.
If you want the widest possible audience, then I'm sure you know enough industry contacts to get a vocalist to make the song shine brighter.

Having said that... I stand by what I said about the chorus.

Take it as a compliment that I expect to hear Coldplay or Radiohead standard when you post a track up.

 

Well done, keep up with the great song ideas it's a pleasure hearing real music.