READER FEEDBACK FOR AUDIOPHILE SELECTIONS
FROM Funkylb: The feedback and suggestions have been really helpful to me. Thank you. Please don't feel as if you'll hurt my feelings or something. I need hard truths, my friends, hard truths. Help me see the error of my ways!
September 2003: "Pages for You"
The guitar solo is too long at the beginning. It takes too long for the vocals to start. [I know; but I shall not trim it. It's the first time I've been able to capture the exact tone I was going for. So that part stays, but you are right.--Funkylb]
I love the strings on this. They fill the song out. [Thank you--Funkylb]
This sounds like 3 different songs in one. Maybe 3 movements of a piece? The changes in the drums are little bit jarring. [Yeah; I have to say that programming the drums on this one was tough. I don't know what I'm doing when programming drums, really. I just thought I'd go for it. It would be better to just play them, but recording acoustic drums is challenging given my computer hardware limitations at home. I only have one line/mic IN while I'd need 3 mic INs to cover my whole kit adequately.--Funkylb]
JULY 2003: "Run Here"
The beginning (the 1st minute or so) is boring. You should change it up some or cut a part of it out. Once that first change starts and the vocals come in, it's good. That's the only change I would make [I agree; I've trimmed the beginning of the track by @25 secs in song draft #3--Funkylb]
The track seems to drag...pick up
the pace a little... [Sorry, but this is
how I move through life overall...at a snail's pace !
Subsequent songs will have varied tempos, but
honestly, I've not mastered the slow love song as yet. I hear you,
though--Funkylb]
The second set of vocals don't match the quality of first set. You should redo the second. Good singing mostly, though, just too different sounding. It sounds like 2 different people, but I know it's you both times. [Done!--Funkylb]
Some of the changes are a little awkward like the stops that flow into the little bass solo thing...is that a production thing or a poor playing execution thing? I would fix that. [Yeah, that's just me being a hack musician. Nah...seriously, there are 2 issues here: me not being able to hear individual instruments well within the context of the main mix (need better ref. monitors/headphone monitors) AND some computer recording latency issues, so that what gets recorded doesn't exactly match how I play it with respect to tempo. I know exactly what you're talking about...working on it-- Funkylb]
This track sounds just like the other one (Around You). [I respectfully disagree, but the problem may be what's discussed in comment #2 above. I only write slow to medium tempo love songs right now. That will remain the case until I write something that comes close to Prince's "Adore." Then, and only then, will I move on to other kinds of songs. I'm single-minded and crazy like that. Nah'mean...? 'Preciate your candor, though--Funkylb]
JUNE 2003: "Around You"
You should sing out more on those first verses like you do later in the song. The shy you is singing those parts, switch personas like you usually do. [Gotcha; several folks said the same thing--Funkylb]
I wanted to hear more from the horns and piano; there is something about horns that really makes a song come alive. I think this would be a great jazz song with a little more instrumental and a little less singing. There is a great foundation here and overall, I liked the song.
There's something that needs to be refined about the ending - perhaps the entry of another instrument, or removal of some "around you's" [I hear you, but that's a funkylb stylistic mainstay...ending the song with some vocally harmonized something or other. My songs will always have some opening or closing tralalala's and/or a very misplaced guitar solo whether that's a good thing or not. That's just how I get down. I'm just kiddin', but I'm kinda not. I will consider your suggestion more closely. Something a little different can be done there, I think--Funkylb]
It's such a pretty song! It gives me the same vibe/love feel that some of my favorite songs give me... they have a kind of crescendo in there where you don't want the song to end...
The last 2.5 minutes of the song is much stronger than the beginning. You may want to get rid of some of the beginning and make the track shorter. It will be a better song, in my opinion. I don't know that much about editing, but may be you can re-organize the song.
You should give up the whole songwriting thing...it ain't working. [Thanks for sharing, dawg (Shaking my head & cracking up!!!) I say the exact same thing right before I upload a new song to this site. You may be on to something there-- Funkylb]