Wow, thank you very much. You Don’t know how much that means to me. I’ve always considered myself a guitarist first, but supporting a family took precedence.
Based on some great suggestions, I worked out a new arrangement. Still using EZ Drummer, but found a different kit and took all the unneeded junk off the drums to open them up a little, and tried to reduce the nasal honk in my voice, Andrew, I have a new line for that part you found clunky, but my allergies are so bad right now I didn’t dare punching it in. That will get done when I get the live drums from Aaron. With those things noted, let me know if it has improved a little.
1 Like
I’m really liking where this is going - cool!
Nice and clear. I read only a few of the other reviews. Great intro and the she comes alive with some great guitar playing. (and tone) Your voice is really suited to this. If you wanna get really get picky, I guess you could find some notes off a tad. Sounds live to me, Some on those guitar runs were scary good. ha ha Congrats
1 Like
Thanks, it’s getting there. I don’t auto tune anything, but I’ll listen more closely. I took a bit of reverb out that may have let some sour stuff through. Old guys rule as long as their fingers keep working.
Yeah, the auto tune thing is a pride thing to younger guys like yourself. I am forced to tweak some of my lower notes. What I like about melodyne is that you can take the snap feature off and give them a little bump yourself to taste. Its funny that I can hear someone else’s vocal when it’s off, but now don’t sing on key myself and can’t tell as I am doing it. I don’t like verb either. I use a little analog delay in Studio one that is called “sweeten the vocal” It is barely noticeable and doesn’t seem to cloud the mix. I am not schooled at all. ha ha this song has bones bud
1 Like
Hey Styles… great song! Funny, I was thinking about you the other day as I heard a song on the radio while i was out and about and it reminded me of your sound but not as good!!
This is sounding cool… and from 1.23 when the guitar kicks in, the song rocks wonderfully well, fab tones awesome grunt curl and clarity.
In bash mode: I’m finding the entry a little pale by comparison… the vocal lacks the density of tone that the guitar has and my ears really want them to match… It feels to me as though you are squeezing in a lot of lyric for your bpm… 'circumstances’ is a killer of a word to sing!! I actually wondered about possibly starting off a little slower and speeding things up as the song unfolds. The lyrics are feeling a little rushed for me rather than having the space to unfold and sing the story… I’d like a little more gritty intimacy that then opens to the rich guitar snarl… I’m getting a sense of vocal popping in that first verse that suggests a compression issue? What about playing around with some parallel compression for the opening verse, just to thicken the sound a little? So great to hear you again and listening to the earlier two versions, it’s developing ever so well… yay!!
1 Like
Thanks, Emma, great to hear from you. I did thin the vocals out a bit, might have taken out a touch too much of the body. At this point, I am reworking the arrangement a bit and getting used to it, and collecting valuable input.
The phrase " circumstances left me in the cold again" is a little cumbersome. It is somewhat a combination of Curly, from the 3 Stooges, (Very lowbrow example of my sense of humor) who used to say “I’m a victim of soy-come-stance” when he was in trouble, and a quaint way of telling yourself it was your fault you got fired from your job. If that makes any sense, that’s the justification for my lyrical juxtaposition.
Thanks for your help, your input is appreciated!
2 Likes
Yeah I was wanting some more of that lovely husky timbre your voice holds, specially at that beginning part 
And I do like the words, well, my songs are always lyrics-driven and I make them do what they want with the rest of things coming second place hehe…
hah… love soy-come-stance, not heard that before… [grin]
Definitely like the changes in arrangement here Bob. But I agree with Emma and you that you may have thinned out those vocals a bit too much. Too high a HPF cutoff? Drums sound MUCH better though!!
And +1 for the excellence of your guitar work… really splendid. 
1 Like
Oh, now I understand, I can do that, no problem. Gives me a reason to sip some scotch and get all emotional.
Thanks Dave, it is nice to hear progress is being made. I may redoing the main voice, I could get a little more anger in there. I am also working with some honky headphones. My room is a mess right now, but I need to get my pseudo monitors up and running again.
Hey Bob, same thing happened to me. I was made redundant last February, and I turn 66 this November 1st. I am currently on unemployment looking for a job til then, but no takers yet, surprise, surprise! On the upside I feel much happier for it.
As to Perfect Diamond, the lyrics are modern folk rock, you squeezed a lot in 3:46. I’m not a great technical critic, but I preferred the later version overall, the tone on your voice, the acoustic intro, etc. I’m afraid the world isn’t real big on songs about old people, even though we all grow old. They want songs about glory days I think. You’d almost have to form your own band with a playlist that focussed on oldness- hey wait! Flatliners! There you go.
It does affect one’s songwriting, though, aging. I have lyrics from fairly recent that reveal my older age, about a girl I knew when I was 21 whose name and face I couldn’t remember, another Waiting for What about retiring, and Practicing Retiring. I’m not sure I’m going to musically document this unemployment insurance phase, and I might actually wait until I’m officially totally retired to really write about it. After all, I will need stuff to do then…
I think I’ll have to create an Old/Retired playlist, add this to it. Great song!
Thanks, sorry about your job. Seems like you need to be a doctor or maybe self-employed to make it to retirement alive.
As far as marketability goes, a lot of old bands make a pretty good living playing the Hard Rock or House of Blues circuit, and they pack those places with people on the far side of 50. Obviously, you are not cutting in on Taylor Swift’s lunch money, but going out for two or three weeks a couple of times a year would be a great retirement supplement.
Either way, you write about what you know, and It’s all fun and games if no one gets hurt. Thank you for the kind words!
Hey Styles,
I can relate to your song, even if I still have 4 more years to go before I can call it a day. I guess (at 61) I’m lucky having a job where people are still interested in my experience and knowledge (and grim and bear jokes about “grandpa remembers”), but I have enough friends who haven’t been so lucky. It’s ridiculous how youthfulness is rated so much higher than experience. Once out of a of a job above 55 it’s almost impossible to get back into the rat race.
Even so, I am a little bit envious of the guys in my band (all of them older and retired) who have a hell of a lot more time to make music than I do. I’m looking forward for that day!
I like the term “inquisition” for a job interview. I hated job interviews, I was always very nervous, no where near close to being my normal self. I was only 46 when I had to beg for another decent job. I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be at 60 plus.
Anyway: good song! The second - in your face - version sounds better. Great lead guitar, but that’s no surprize. I like the subtle orchestra in the background. So great mix as well.
I was thinking: there must be a lot of people our age (i.e. roughly between 60 and 75) who:
a. still love their good and honest soul searching rock’n roll
b. don’t give a shit about what modern day hit radio is pouring out
c. have a lot of money to spend.
The only question is a marketing question. How can we get connected to people who might genuinely be interested in songs about the - now aging - generation that started this whole thing? I’m no good at marketing. Maybe start a new music/ video site dedicated to our generation?
You know the ‘Voice of America (and other countries)’ talent show? The original format is Dutch, and recently they launched a 60 + age version. I don’t like these shows much, but I heard it was quite good so watched a few. The singers were better than the younger version, and particular I found they were more genuine. I have a feeling there’s opportunities there! Us older musicians just need to find our own audience and not bother with the rest. 
Thanks, brother. Life changes dramatically when you are no longer chasing the cheese. I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently, and I was probably younger than the majority of people there. I think there is a market out there that just wants to hear good music about things beyond the grasp of Taylor Swift’s depth of experience, and I am hell bound about tapping into it. Either way I’m going to keep playing; I’m a frustrated musician who needs to play and write. I wouldn’t mind making a little side money for fun, but I have to play for sanity.
1 Like
For those who were following the progress of this track, here is where you can listen to the finished product:
1 Like
Nice work guys! Cool to see the journey on this song.
And it is motivating me to get back in the studio… have been pulled in way too many directions in recent months, haven’t done a damn thing in there.
StylesB.,
Thank you for the review! Now reviewing your second mix: You play guitar and sing very well! Very nice lead guitar. Your mix sounds fine to me. Nice song! Well done! 
1 Like
Thank you. Andrew did a great job of bringing this song out in its best light. Thanks for digging it back up.