http://artists.mp3s.com/a...ist08.html


Check out the page and tell me what you think of the tracks. I wanted to use the first one "The Aliens..." for the NFO project. PLEASE give me all the feedback that you can. Thanks guys!

I honestly liked all three of your songs. You're pretty diverse and that's a great thing.

I didn't listen very closely yet, but the Aliens song was probably my favorite. I think you should retitle it, but that's just me. How did you get the cool spaceship sounds?

You've got really good production values - it all sounded very good. I thought the guitar on Theory and Speculation could've been louder and less canned sounding, and (hate to say it) the harmonica on 'Best Tonight' wasn't so great. Fixable things. Otherwise I liked what I heard - good job.

And you should think of a new name - "Artist08" isn't it. What's your real name dude? You're talented.

Rudy, thanks, man, I appreciate the compliments. The title 'The Aliens...' is inspired by some of Morrissey's titles such as 'We hate it when our friends become successful" and "Lifeguard sleeping, girl drowning." The effects are from my keyboard, a Korg N5. As for that harmonica part, I actually wrote and recorded that song all in a three hour span one Sunday. Most of it is one take, including that harmonica. I could have definitely done better, but since it's just in the background I just left it and concentrated more on other things. There's things about a lot of my songs that I'd love to change or sound differently, but, of course, I never get around to it because I have a new idea or something. I want "the aliens" to be on the NFO CD - cool?

This is very good stuff! I really like the song "Theory And Speculation" and I think it would be a good add to the NFO project 1.


Peace!
JD

Since project one is seeming to go in more of a funk/electronic/retro/rock kind of direction, I think that "Theory" will be a better selection for Project 1 and Project 2 for "Aliens", because I see Project 2 being a very very big project, possibly a double CD.


Peace,
JD

Ok, that's cool. You can use them however you see fit. Thanks so much for the compliments! It makes me feel good coming from other knowledgable musicians.

I'm still interested in hearing some critiques, guys. Give me a little help here!

artist08 said:

"Theory & Speculation"
The lytics are kinda hard 2 hear through the musik (i got alotta nerve 2 talk) but it still sound cool. It needs a chorus, or more lyrics 2 i it i think but I like the music...

"The Best Tonight"
I dont really like country, but il critique 4 ya! I think this one is very catchy! I gotta lotta nerve 2 talk and should take my wn medicine but, just work on the vocal range a little more, i think u still gotta find ur voice, i do 2!

"Aliens Are Breeding With The Humans.."
This one has a cool vibe 2 it! I think this one would b one 2 do 4 the NFO proj. The music is just kikin ass!

I'd still like to hear about what you guys think of these tracks. Otan? Lewis? VinaBlue? I added another track. Unfortunately, I can only display 3 at a time.

Sorry man, still working on my track, so I don't have time to give a valuable critique. I should get done mixing my track this week, so I will put mine up for review and I will review yours.

I'm such a picky perfectionist, and I'm still learning, lol.

Sorry - I been tied down. Er. Tied up.

The Best Tonight
Love the country song. If anything, you should pump the vocals up more - they're too buried in the song - or, maybe make the bass more percussive - something in there is burying the vocals. Go listen to Willie's "on the road again" - this is very in the same vein - try to figure out what he does to push the vocals through - maybe more mids?

(oh - and speaking of vocals - I just bought a new mic this weekend - Oktava m-319 or something or other, and WOW. It's amazing that I've use a shure sm58 all these years. This thing captures vocals SOOO much better. If you got the $, it's worth it (us $79 for the 219, or $99 for the 319 at guitar center right now, I think). Honestly - I NEVER woulda purchased a "VOCAL mic" per se, this was a birthday/gift certificate thing, but MAN I wish I'd have purchased one long long long ago. Okay. Off of the endorsement soapbox.)

Lyrically, it's a great song.

Theory and Speculation:
Here's another one where the vocals are buried. Are you too close to the mic? Mic proximity definitely impacts the mic's ability to pick up the whole range.

Okay. Here's the problem, I think. All parts are taking up the same chunk o' audio spectrum - bottom heavy, bright highs. Nothing in the song occupies the midrange... you've got the distorted bass, guitar, drums and vocals - ALL pumped up bass, dropped out mids. (that's what it sounds like to me). Mess around with the eq - I dunno if you have a 2 or 3 band eq, but, if only 2-band, roll them both back and turn it up some. (that's what I used to do).

OH - another thing. IN MY OPINION (so you're not wrong if you disagree) there's no dynamics to "Theory" - it just goes. The listener doesn't recognize much in the way of patterns... thereby making it hard to remember parts of the song.

Noble Savage
Can't say nothing against Rousseau's philosophies! But, again - the eq is overkill. Let the instruments occupy their natural range, your mixes will totally benefit.

These songs sound very good - very finished, just not mixed so well. Also - I think all three would benefit from the LACK of instrumentation - pulling some stuff out of it occasionally... like on the second verse, kill the guitar entirely - or the keys - either one, because again, they're competing for the same space, EQ-wise.

But you're DEFINITELY coming up with some interesting stuff.

Otan, thanks for the input. I definitely don't know how to mix or EQ this shit. I keep asking other people to help me with mixing and eq-ing, but they're always busy. You're also right about pulling out instrumentation at times. I've thought about this and never bothered to do it on the final mixdown. I had to take a song off of MP3.com to put 'noble savage' on, but I finally did get it to upload to garageband. Please check this one out, too:

http://www.garageband.com...t/artist08

Sorry to bug ya, but I value your opinion and want to make sure I improve! Thanks again.

u really precisive on wanting 2 know what ur stuff sound like. Ur lucky 2 get attention like the way we do on the org!

Hahaha, look who's talking! I see someone's added their own new MP3.com track...