Life Is A Hard Road

[Wicked]

@Tesgin

Howdy, @Wicked. Listening now and reading comments. Boy, what can I add. This is like a graduate-level education just reading the comments.

Hi Tesgin, yes there’s lots of great audio/ mixing info on this page and good advice on arrangement ideas!

@Tesgin

But the guitars just don’t sound good acoustically. I think you nailed the biggest issue in your second post: cheap guitar, old strings. The strings sound dead. Have you considered re-recording the guitar? I’m hearing the song with a Martin. There’s a fullness, richness to the tone – and a balance – that’s just missing.

At some point I’ll very likely re-do the acoustic guitars and everything else in this song. When I was making it, my intention was just to do a demo. A few months ago I had decided to demo a bunch of originals that I particularly liked. I figured I’d make it less work and less stressful if I wasn’t too concerned about the end results…That’s why I initially approached this batch of songs with the “demo mindset”. I pretty much just wanted to throw my songs on a canvas, so to speak, so that I could see their strengths and weaknesses more clearly…and then I could build from there. Unfortunately my OCD kicked in and I couldn’t accept a really quick demo, so I ended up doing A LOT more work than I intended. Now, I’m almost dreading the idea of recording these songs over again (I’m still in the middle of “demoing” 11 other songs…and there’s a ton more that I need to record after that). BUT, once I’ve clearly decided on the final arrangement and have every note, lick, riff, bass line, drum fill, vocal harmony, embellishment, etc., it will be much easier recording everything from scratch again. The hardest part is the arranging and the millions of small decisions that have to be made in order to produce a good piece of music that others can enjoy. When I re-record this song, I’ll shoot new strings on the guitar or/ and maybe rent a better guitar. At some point I’ll have to buy a better guitar for recording. Would be nice to have a 12-string to play this song because t’s really awkward playing the octave of the acoustic that comes in at around the 3 or 4 minute mark (not sure of the exact time it kicks in). There’s a very big finger stretch in the octave position. It would be so much easier to just be using a 12 string for that.

@Tesgin

The other thing (well, this might be personal taste, and maybe this is the vibe you were shooting for) is that, well, the guitar sounds too perfect to me. The timing is SO perfect it feels like it’s missing some “humanness” to it. I am curious, and forgive me for asking, but is the guitar looping? Whoever played this (was it you?), if they played that that perfectly for eight minutes, that’s impressive. But there are nuances in the right hand technique that are missing for me – variations, changes in timing, velocity – that make this sound mechanical.

Ah, you’re the first one to pick up on that!

Remember I said I was planning on doing an easy demo? Well, when I first started recording this song, I would play 30 second or 45 second snippets because I wasn’t sure how long the song was going to be or how the arrangements would go. I had a lot of vocal ideas, so I found myself copying and pasting the guitar. I thought the song would be about 5 minutes of so…but it kept getting longer and longer, so that I could test out some ideas that I had been singing for a few years…and then I also added a few new vocal phrases. That’s why it’s so long.

@Tesgin

So, please don’t be offended. And that might not be the feedback you want. It perhaps isn’t even proper for me to comment on the recording/playing, cuz, well, this is a mixing forum (IDK. Is it okay to comment on that stuff?).

I think it’s absolutely relevant to BTR and anytime someone is looking for opinions of others regarding their songs! It’s not only OK, it’s actually important to hear this! So I’m glad you mentioned it.

Thanks so much for taking the time to listen to my song and the effort to give your feedback! I appreciate it!

[steban]

Before I read what everyone else has said, I want to listen to the song and tell you what I think. First is how much I like it as is, maybe more for its 8 minute length. I do not have ADHD. First, the chord progression reminds me of Uriah Heep July Morning, but taken in a different direction. I’d say the rhymes were a bit cliche, but life is a hard road already is, but that is the reality it is, and so many true things do sound cliche.

The guitars sound wonderful layered like you do. I found it to be like listening to a very enjoyable soft Metallica type track, and that is largely on the tone of your voice. I’m not a huge Metallica fan, but I especially like their couple of soft ballads. If you sang it like David Gilmour, it could easily be Pink Floyd.

I think it is my favorite song of yours.

[Wicked]

@steban

First is how much I like it as is, maybe more for its 8 minute length. I do not have ADHD.

It’s funny you mention this because I’ve been thinking that long songs like this aren’t much in fashion today. It might be a tough task getting anyone to focus on one song for such an extended period of time. I kind of laughed at your ADHD comment because it’s a common malady in today’s society. Most people want to be hit over the head with a quick hook…You know that saying, “Don’t bore us, Get to the chorus”.

@steban

First, the chord progression reminds me of Uriah Heep July Morning, but taken in a different direction.

I’ll check that song out. I know quite a few Uriah Heep songs but I’m not sure if I’ve heard that one. Maybe when I hear it I’ll recognize it.

@steban

The guitars sound wonderful layered like you do. I found it to be like listening to a very enjoyable soft Metallica type track, and that is largely on the tone of your voice. I’m not a huge Metallica fan, but I especially like their couple of soft ballads. If you sang it like David Gilmour, it could easily be Pink Floyd.

I’m not a big Metallica fan either, although I do like some songs off Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, and the Black album. I can see what you mean about the tone or affect of my voice being similar to Metallica’s James Hetfield’s voice. I’ve had a few other people mention there’s some similarities to Pink Floyd’s music also, and I can see/ hear that too. It’s the gloom and doom style.

I really appreciate you taking the time to listen. Thanks Steban!