Lyrics turned out good I think Really nice song!

Lyrics turned out good I think =) Really nice song!

man you nailed the AIC vibe from the start, before I could even read the description I was like this is very alice in chains. Then when the harmonies come in WOW!! Dude you fuckin KILLED it. Amazing work.

man you nailed the AIC vibe from the start, before I could even read the description I was like this is very alice in chains. Then when the harmonies come in WOW!! Dude you fuckin KILLED it. Amazing work.

That chorus, wowza! very nice harmonies. great guitar sound, well put together, i bet it's very satisfying to be able to power thru creative blockages and produce a tasty song that gets where you were trying to go, hats of to you!

That chorus, wowza! very nice harmonies. great guitar sound, well put together, i bet it's very satisfying to be able to power thru creative blockages and produce a tasty song that gets where you were trying to go, hats of to you!

Paisley playing the game on hard mode and making it look easy. Nailing it again!

I do have some feedback, if you're up for that.

First is the mix. I find it's a tad too muddy sounding. I think cutting a bit around ~300Hz could really help the track out. Which ties neatly to my next point... Contrast!

Your aim was to make the chorus sound massive, but I don't think they do. Not because they aren't big. But because the sections surrounding don't get small enough. So I don't think there is enough sense of scale, if that makes sense?

Some practical suggestions. Cut that ~300Hz and boost 5K for the intro from 0m00s till 1m37s. Then mostly undo that. So the mix feel especially heavy there. You can even play that further and let the mix get even murkier by allowing more 300Hz to come back in when the lyrics go 'I don't know where I'm going...".

Then from 2:22 to 3:19 go light again. And then go heavy again. Also, don't be afraid to ride the faders. Push them up, to go actually louder during the choruses. Smash into the compressor for those sections. Contrast is king.

Naturally this is all my opinion, of course. So feel free to completely ignore it. But as you're operating at such a high skill level already, the little details become more and more important.

Anyway, good song!

BTW:
I'm sure you know this, but just in case you're ever bothered by that 60Hz hum. It's called a ground loop. You can buy ground loop isolaters to get rid of it. Or plugging things into different wall sockets.

Paisley playing the game on hard mode and making it look easy. Nailing it again! I do have some feedback, if you're up for that. First is the mix. I find it's a tad too muddy sounding. I think cutting a bit around ~300Hz could really help the track out. Which ties neatly to my next point... Contrast! Your aim was to make the chorus sound massive, but I don't think they do. Not because they aren't big. But because the sections surrounding don't get small enough. So I don't think there is enough sense of scale, if that makes sense? Some practical suggestions. Cut that ~300Hz and boost 5K for the intro from 0m00s till 1m37s. Then mostly undo that. So the mix feel especially heavy there. You can even play that further and let the mix get even murkier by allowing more 300Hz to come back in when the lyrics go 'I don't know where I'm going...". Then from 2:22 to 3:19 go light again. And then go heavy again. Also, don't be afraid to ride the faders. Push them up, to go actually louder during the choruses. Smash into the compressor for those sections. Contrast is king. Naturally this is all my opinion, of course. So feel free to completely ignore it. But as you're operating at such a high skill level already, the little details become more and more important. Anyway, good song! BTW: I'm sure you know this, but just in case you're ever bothered by that 60Hz hum. It's called a ground loop. You can buy ground loop isolaters to get rid of it. Or plugging things into different wall sockets.

so on point w/ the alice in chains vibes wow ! when it all comes together at 1:40 🧑‍🍳 lovely track.

i feel the struggle with wb lyrics too, but I think they turned out great i think it's just the nature of WB; sometimes we have to let it go a little earlier than we wanted to

that backroad photo too

so on point w/ the alice in chains vibes wow ! when it all comes together at 1:40 🧑‍🍳 lovely track. i feel the struggle with wb lyrics too, but I think they turned out great :) i think it's just the nature of WB; sometimes we have to let it go a little earlier than we wanted to <3 that backroad photo too <3

Quickly mocked up what I was on about. And sent it you via Discord, check your friend requests / direct messages. If you're interested, of course.

Quickly mocked up what I was on about. And sent it you via Discord, check your friend requests / direct messages. If you're interested, of course.

Vocal harmonies! Yay! I like the moody grunge vibe, I can feel the rain falling lightly. Oh yeah good job on the chorus! You got a good wall of guitars without being muddy, which can be a challenge. Great mix and sound, thank you for sharing this with us!

Vocal harmonies! Yay! I like the moody grunge vibe, I can feel the rain falling lightly. Oh yeah good job on the chorus! You got a good wall of guitars without being muddy, which can be a challenge. Great mix and sound, thank you for sharing this with us!

Great stuff! Lyrics are cool imo, or maybe I think so because you sang them well and with conviction

Amazing entry, I'd listen to the whole album like this

Great stuff! Lyrics are cool imo, or maybe I think so because you sang them well and with conviction :D Amazing entry, I'd listen to the whole album like this <3

Thanks! I tend to overthink lyrics, that may be another thing for me to work on this year

Thanks so much! Dr Frog was very much like, "last week had some AiC flavor - this week is an homage!"  This week was also the most fun I've had doing vocals, had to mind my technique to hit the higher notes instead of plowing through like I normally do

Thank you! And yep, incredibly satisfying. This week's chorus is what I wanted last week to sound like. Learning things as the weeks go by, it's what WB is all about!

I am ABSOLUTELY keeping this in my back pocket for next time. Funny thing is, Dr. Frog had the same critique, that my verse still sounded too big. Ran out of time to work on it much more...but I have never even considered adjusting mix "weight" via EQ automation...that is an amazing tip.

As far as the ground loop....yeah, the correct way to deal with it would have been to find my lift box and re-record. I've also found that I can get a similar hum from electronic interference, so a longer cable and moving away from my monitors can help. But, I liked the performance (it was from an early take when I was hacking things together) and ran short on time...so I fixed it in post

Amazing thoughts as usual, thank you so much

Thank you!! Makes me feel a bit better that you struggle with lyrics too, considering how amazing your songs are   I need to trust my ideas and not overthink as much. Such good lessons from weekly beats.

Glad you like the photo! That was 20 years ago - looking back, I had a journey ahead of me to find my way home...

I realized last week that I should be using my own photos for cover art. RPLKTR has been doing this, I finally took the hint and realized I should do it as well Why look online when I have 20+ years of pics to look through, that are already more personal to me?

Thank you!! Doing the harmonies was SO much fun, I'll be doing that again. I'm very happy with how the guitars EQd together - I've definitely had piles of big muddy mess before when I've tried that in the past WB continues to help me make heavy music!

[quote=ChillBitz]Lyrics turned out good I think =) Really nice song![/quote] Thanks! I tend to overthink lyrics, that may be another thing for me to work on this year :) [quote=SQF]man you nailed the AIC vibe from the start, before I could even read the description I was like this is very alice in chains. Then when the harmonies come in WOW!! Dude you fuckin KILLED it. Amazing work. [/quote] Thanks so much! Dr Frog was very much like, "last week had some AiC flavor - this week is an homage!" This week was also the most fun I've had doing vocals, had to mind my technique to hit the higher notes instead of plowing through like I normally do :) [quote=fetalface]That chorus, wowza! very nice harmonies. great guitar sound, well put together, i bet it's very satisfying to be able to power thru creative blockages and produce a tasty song that gets where you were trying to go, hats of to you! [/quote] Thank you! And yep, [i]incredibly[/i] satisfying. This week's chorus is what I wanted last week to sound like. Learning things as the weeks go by, it's what WB is all about! <3 [quote=electronic_tiger]Paisley playing the game on hard mode and making it look easy. Nailing it again! I do have some feedback, if you're up for that. First is the mix. I find it's a tad too muddy sounding. I think cutting a bit around ~300Hz could really help the track out. Which ties neatly to my next point... Contrast! Your aim was to make the chorus sound massive, but I don't think they do. Not because they aren't big. But because the sections surrounding don't get small enough. So I don't think there is enough sense of scale, if that makes sense? Some practical suggestions. Cut that ~300Hz and boost 5K for the intro from 0m00s till 1m37s. Then mostly undo that. So the mix feel especially heavy there. You can even play that further and let the mix get even murkier by allowing more 300Hz to come back in when the lyrics go 'I don't know where I'm going...". Then from 2:22 to 3:19 go light again. And then go heavy again. Also, don't be afraid to ride the faders. Push them up, to go actually louder during the choruses. Smash into the compressor for those sections. Contrast is king. Naturally this is all my opinion, of course. So feel free to completely ignore it. But as you're operating at such a high skill level already, the little details become more and more important. Anyway, good song! BTW: I'm sure you know this, but just in case you're ever bothered by that 60Hz hum. It's called a ground loop. You can buy ground loop isolaters to get rid of it. Or plugging things into different wall sockets. [/quote] I am ABSOLUTELY keeping this in my back pocket for next time. Funny thing is, Dr. Frog had the same critique, that my verse still sounded too big. Ran out of time to work on it much more...but I have never even considered adjusting mix "weight" via EQ automation...that is an amazing tip. As far as the ground loop....yeah, the correct way to deal with it would have been to find my lift box and re-record. I've also found that I can get a similar hum from electronic interference, so a longer cable and moving away from my monitors can help. But, I liked the performance (it was from an early take when I was hacking things together) and ran short on time...so I fixed it in post :) Amazing thoughts as usual, thank you so much <3 [quote=MaisieMarra]so on point w/ the alice in chains vibes wow ! when it all comes together at 1:40 🧑‍🍳 lovely track. i feel the struggle with wb lyrics too, but I think they turned out great :) i think it's just the nature of WB; sometimes we have to let it go a little earlier than we wanted to <3 that backroad photo too <3 [/quote] Thank you!! <3 Makes me feel a bit better that you struggle with lyrics too, considering how amazing your songs are <3 I need to trust my ideas and not overthink as much. Such good lessons from weekly beats. Glad you like the photo! That was 20 years ago - looking back, I had a journey ahead of me to find my way home... I realized last week that I should be using my own photos for cover art. RPLKTR has been doing this, I finally took the hint and realized I should do it as well :) Why look online when I have 20+ years of pics to look through, that are already more personal to me? [quote=Kedbreak136]Vocal harmonies! Yay! I like the moody grunge vibe, I can feel the rain falling lightly. Oh yeah good job on the chorus! You got a good wall of guitars without being muddy, which can be a challenge. Great mix and sound, thank you for sharing this with us![/quote] Thank you!! Doing the harmonies was SO much fun, I'll be doing that again. I'm very happy with how the guitars EQd together - I've definitely had piles of big muddy mess before when I've tried that in the past :) WB continues to help me make heavy music!

Yeahhhhhhhhhh rooster baby! This was awesome and honestly fit the brief perfectly. Yes, there are mix issues, and I am curious how you will resolve them going forward but also just sorta wanna take a stab at mastering this for you, I think it would be fun because I am a dork like that.

Yeahhhhhhhhhh rooster baby! This was awesome and honestly fit the brief perfectly. Yes, there are mix issues, and I am curious how you will resolve them going forward but also just sorta wanna take a stab at mastering this for you, I think it would be fun because I am a dork like that.

Rooster is easily my favorite AiC song (as this track abundantly makes clear LOL). I had some goals I wanted to hit and I think I mostly did - but there’s way more I could do. It would be AMAZING if you did a mastering pass - I’ll shout you a message, let’s chat

[quote=neon liminal]Yeahhhhhhhhhh rooster baby! This was awesome and honestly fit the brief perfectly. Yes, there are mix issues, and I am curious how you will resolve them going forward but also just sorta wanna take a stab at mastering this for you, I think it would be fun because I am a dork like that.[/quote] Rooster is easily my favorite AiC song (as this track abundantly makes clear LOL). I had some goals I wanted to hit and I think I mostly did - but there’s way more I could do. It would be AMAZING if you did a mastering pass - I’ll shout you a message, let’s chat :)

Hail yais! \m/ AIC vibes throughout and love the chorus especially with all that lush harmony!  Excellent triumphant backstory too!  This rocks!

Hail yais! \m/ AIC vibes throughout and love the chorus especially with all that lush harmony! Excellent triumphant backstory too! This rocks!

Solid rocking track, it sounds big.

I like the vocal performances.

Solid rocking track, it sounds big. I like the vocal performances.

This rocks.. low key love the bass work on this too. amazing chorus too

This rocks.. low key love the bass work on this too. amazing chorus too

Thank you! I really need to get out of my head more with lyrics - and you’re right, lyrics work if they sound good and you own them

Thank you! The chorus was so fun, doing those bending notes. I need to do more harmonies this year, work on being more intentional with melody. If I practice it’ll get easier

Thanks! I’m looking forward to actually practicing vocals more, singing lately has been fun.

As a musician whose primary instrument is bass, this comment made my day

[quote=dreat]Great stuff! Lyrics are cool imo, or maybe I think so because you sang them well and with conviction :D Amazing entry, I'd listen to the whole album like this <3 [/quote] Thank you! I really need to get out of my head more with lyrics - and you’re right, lyrics work if they sound good and you own them <3 [quote=Tone Matrix]Hail yais! \m/ AIC vibes throughout and love the chorus especially with all that lush harmony! Excellent triumphant backstory too! This rocks![/quote] Thank you! The chorus was so fun, doing those bending notes. I need to do more harmonies this year, work on being more intentional with melody. If I practice it’ll get easier :) [quote=djippy]Solid rocking track, it sounds big. I like the vocal performances.[/quote] Thanks! I’m looking forward to actually practicing vocals more, singing lately has been fun. [quote=alonemusic]This rocks.. low key love the bass work on this too. amazing chorus too[/quote] As a musician whose primary instrument is bass, this comment made my day <3 <3

Incredible track, enjoyed this so much, love when all the sound hits you for the first chorus, agree with above, that bass is sublime.  Already listened a few times today.

Incredible track, enjoyed this so much, love when all the sound hits you for the first chorus, agree with above, that bass is sublime. Already listened a few times today.

Wow this is great feedback, I wish I could retain this and figure out how to try something similar myself!

[quote=electronic_tiger] [/quote] Wow this is great feedback, I wish I could retain this and figure out how to try something similar myself!

awesome track, can't think of any feedback! awesome to read about it too, esp the electronic_tiger comment!

very good points about the dynamics. To me it sounded big and I can see the intention with the verses being a bit held back, but it's true, maybe it could sound even bigger somehow by contrast.... maybe things are generally too compressed which kills dynamics. however the good thing is that the vocals for instance are using the diaphragm (from what I can tell).

idk how they do it in some songs it just feels like it's covering the whole universe. but I think there's an art of using reverb and delay to basically create a fake room where these things exist, and making things exist in different layers from the front aaaaaaallllll the way to the back of the mix. easier said than done obv.

on second listen - LOVE the cheezy lyrics hahh. I bet it goes hard for certain particular times in life.

awesome track, can't think of any feedback! awesome to read about it too, esp the electronic_tiger comment! very good points about the dynamics. To me it sounded big and I can see the intention with the verses being a bit held back, but it's true, maybe it could sound even bigger somehow by contrast.... maybe things are generally too compressed which kills dynamics. however the good thing is that the vocals for instance are using the diaphragm (from what I can tell). idk how they do it in some songs it just feels like it's covering the whole universe. but I think there's an art of using reverb and delay to basically create a fake room where these things exist, and making things exist in different layers from the front aaaaaaallllll the way to the back of the mix. easier said than done obv. on second listen - LOVE the cheezy lyrics hahh. I bet it goes hard for certain particular times in life.

you gotta check out Tom Foolery's track in regards to this conversation about dynamics and choruses btw
https://weeklybeats.com/tom+foolery/music/ten-feet-too-far

you gotta check out Tom Foolery's track in regards to this conversation about dynamics and choruses btw https://weeklybeats.com/tom+foolery/music/ten-feet-too-far

omg yes the chorus sounds so good!!!!

omg yes the chorus sounds so good!!!!

Thank you so much! Bass amp sim is the same one I used last week, it's becoming my go-to. Repeated listening is such a compliment

I KNOW, RIGHT?!? I think this is the best comment thread I've ever had.

I love Weekly Beats because it is primarily about encouraging each other. It's the repeated practice that helps us learn. But something this community excels at is dropping pearls of wisdom in with that encouragement...and knowing the right times to do that. I've been on other music boards, and it can be hard to determine if a critique is a genuine way to improve, or just not the way someone else would have done it. Suggestions here are always ways to technically improve, and better achieve our artistic goals.

I love this place

Thank you, and thanks for the heads up on Tom Foolery's track! I've come around on these lyrics a bit, but Tom's track helped me really solidify what I had come to think - these lyrics don't *sound*, but they are cliche and the rhymes are basic AF. They work, but they're a blunt hammer, I've written better. At least I didn't rhyme "moon" and "june", or talk about lonely highways. As far as the lyrics going hard in certain times of life...once I had the idea, they largely came about from me thinking of times when I have immensely fucked up, and where I went from there. I'm old enough that I have plenty of experience with that

One thing I did this week was work on my singing technique. I have decent diaphragm support (years of brass and wind playing!), but I finally figured out that I've been pinching in my throat *way* too much. Worked on loosening and really opening my mouth to allow a good air path and I think that helped a *lot*. Also stopped coughing after trying to hit high notes! Looking forward to improving more there.

I've got some ideas afoot on how to help with dynamics. Tom's track helped that with that wonderful delicate verse, which made his chorus louder. Gonna also use electronic tiger's suggestion and remove weight with EQ. neon liminal also showed me what I can sound like with some better mastering. JFC, my jaw was on the ground. Here's the mastered track. He's *good*.

Thank you! I love the guitar roar I got - gonna work on EQ so my vocals can sit together better. I have discovered that my vocals and the guitars share a lot of frequencies.

[quote=Jason Nijjer]Incredible track, enjoyed this so much, love when all the sound hits you for the first chorus, agree with above, that bass is sublime. Already listened a few times today.[/quote] Thank you so much! Bass amp sim is the same one I used last week, it's becoming my go-to. Repeated listening is such a compliment <3 [quote=fetalface][quote=electronic_tiger] [/quote] Wow this is great feedback, I wish I could retain this and figure out how to try something similar myself! [/quote] I KNOW, RIGHT?!? I think this is the best comment thread I've ever had. I love Weekly Beats because it is primarily about encouraging each other. It's the repeated practice that helps us learn. But something this community excels at is dropping pearls of wisdom in with that encouragement...and knowing the right times to do that. I've been on other music boards, and it can be hard to determine if a critique is a genuine way to improve, or just not the way someone else would have done it. Suggestions here are always ways to technically improve, and better achieve our artistic goals. I love this place <3 [quote=horatiuromantic]awesome track, can't think of any feedback! awesome to read about it too, esp the electronic_tiger comment! very good points about the dynamics. To me it sounded big and I can see the intention with the verses being a bit held back, but it's true, maybe it could sound even bigger somehow by contrast.... maybe things are generally too compressed which kills dynamics. however the good thing is that the vocals for instance are using the diaphragm (from what I can tell). idk how they do it in some songs it just feels like it's covering the whole universe. but I think there's an art of using reverb and delay to basically create a fake room where these things exist, and making things exist in different layers from the front aaaaaaallllll the way to the back of the mix. easier said than done obv. on second listen - LOVE the cheezy lyrics hahh. I bet it goes hard for certain particular times in life. [/quote] Thank you, and thanks for the heads up on Tom Foolery's track! I've come around on these lyrics a bit, but Tom's track helped me really solidify what I had come to think - these lyrics don't *sound*, but they are cliche and the rhymes are basic AF. They work, but they're a blunt hammer, I've written better. At least I didn't rhyme "moon" and "june", or talk about lonely highways. As far as the lyrics going hard in certain times of life...once I had the idea, they largely came about from me thinking of times when I have immensely fucked up, and where I went from there. I'm old enough that I have plenty of experience with that :) One thing I did this week was work on my singing technique. I have decent diaphragm support (years of brass and wind playing!), but I finally figured out that I've been pinching in my throat *way* too much. Worked on loosening and really opening my mouth to allow a good air path and I think that helped a *lot*. Also stopped coughing after trying to hit high notes! Looking forward to improving more there. I've got some ideas afoot on how to help with dynamics. Tom's track helped that with that wonderful delicate verse, which made his chorus louder. Gonna also use electronic tiger's suggestion and remove weight with EQ. neon liminal also showed me what I can sound like with some better mastering. JFC, my jaw was on the ground. [url=https://www.freaksign.org/~paisleyfrog/media/2026/WB26/_Media/Paisley%20Frog%20-%20Finding%20My%20Way%20Home%20MS100326%2048k%2024b.mp3]Here's the mastered track.[/url] He's *good*. :) [quote=dreeks]omg yes the chorus sounds so good!!!![/quote] Thank you! I love the guitar roar I got - gonna work on EQ so my vocals can sit together better. I have discovered that my vocals and the guitars share a lot of frequencies. :)

re: neon liminal's mastering
sorry, and I'm sure it's more nuanced, but to me the neon version sounded more or less the same, only louder. maybe the vocals also a bit more toasted... tho probably the vocals could be changed by aiming for the neon sound but already in the mixing stage so the changes don't affect anything else. once I listened without the difference in loudness it was basically the same thing tho... I mean not sure what else you can meaningfully do on a master than EQ and multiband compressor, and maybe automate the parameters across the track?!!? anyway cool to try and listen for the differences

re: neon liminal's mastering sorry, and I'm sure it's more nuanced, but to me the neon version sounded more or less the same, only louder. maybe the vocals also a bit more toasted... tho probably the vocals could be changed by aiming for the neon sound but already in the mixing stage so the changes don't affect anything else. once I listened without the difference in loudness it was basically the same thing tho... I mean not sure what else you can meaningfully do on a master than EQ and multiband compressor, and maybe automate the parameters across the track?!!? anyway cool to try and listen for the differences :)

Thank you so much for comparing! It’s definitely subtle.  The difference I hear is the width and space of the track - it’s more expansive, can particularly hear it in the prechorus. I particularly noticed when I did an A/B comparison. Whole things feels more encompassing to me, and the chorus hits harder - some unruly midrange was calmed down.

Re: my vocals - yeah, not a lot to be done about that in the mix! Something neon and I talked about was that my vocals share a lot of frequencies with guitar…and that’s something that I’ll have to deal with in the tracking stage.

On the whole, I learned so much this week. It showed me where I can be with my sound - and really excited me for where I might go in the next 42 weeks.

Best music community ever.

[quote=horatiuromantic]re: neon liminal's mastering[/quote] Thank you so much for comparing! It’s definitely subtle. The difference I hear is the width and space of the track - it’s more expansive, can particularly hear it in the prechorus. I particularly noticed when I did an A/B comparison. Whole things feels more encompassing to me, and the chorus hits harder - some unruly midrange was calmed down. Re: my vocals - yeah, not a lot to be done about that in the mix! :) Something neon and I talked about was that my vocals share a lot of frequencies with guitar…and that’s something that I’ll have to deal with in the tracking stage. On the whole, I learned so much this week. It showed me where I can be with my sound - and really excited me for where I might go in the next 42 weeks. Best music community ever.

Great use of dynamics and quiet-loud-quiet-loud! This is a great track!! Very much sounds like the direction you mentioned you were aiming at!

Regarding adding more dynamics: you could definitely do this to accentuate the effect even more, but I think you have still effectively achieved the quiet-loud contrast!! Something I also like to do is pull some of the lower frequency content in the quiet bits to change the shape, which might help particularly on a full bass tone like this. This applies for any genre, even in the chip-bass stuff I used to make. But in my experience, the dynamic contrast (amongst many other things) is often best achieved in the instrumentation and arrangement, rather than the mixing.

I'm flattered to hear your thoughts on my track! I don't consider myself very experienced with guitar-based music or songwriting, it's been something I've tried a few times but only really started to take seriously in the last year or two (have a look at my 2024 tracks to see how far I've come for example). I also have very similar problems with guitar/vocal mix clashes. Stereo panning can help with this too!
I think your lyrics are good! I often find it hard to write lyrics with meaning, and rather tend to write lyrics more freely and then retrospectively apply meaning, or do word association and work backwards to make them fit. It's kind of like putting together a puzzle, or solving a cryptic crossword, and sometimes like coming up with a good pun. Jeff Tweedy's book How to Write One Song has some excellent exercises and ideas for lyrics. I've also found some interesting approaches from youtube videos: some suggesting things like being vague about some terms (e.g. Radiohead's "In a fast german car") but then specific about other things (e.g. all of The 1975's track Wintering), some about reordering the lines to provide a more interesting phrase (something I tried in week 4). It's a creative problem and you can take creative approaches just like with any instrument! I can't remember where I was going with this but these are just some ideas that I've come across that have helped me, and maybe they'll help you too? I'm definitely no authority on this!

Also, I totally relate to your findings on vocal technique!! I grew up playing trumpet, so although I have reasonable breath support, figuring out how that applies to singing and opening up my vocal cords has been (and will continue to be) a learning experience!! I'm starting to realise how much difference slight pronunciation changes can make too. The voice is a strange thing.

Great use of dynamics and quiet-loud-quiet-loud! This is a great track!! Very much sounds like the direction you mentioned you were aiming at! Regarding adding more dynamics: you could definitely do this to accentuate the effect even more, but I think you have still effectively achieved the quiet-loud contrast!! Something I also like to do is pull some of the lower frequency content in the quiet bits to change the shape, which might help particularly on a full bass tone like this. This applies for any genre, even in the chip-bass stuff I used to make. But in my experience, the dynamic contrast (amongst many other things) is often best achieved in the instrumentation and arrangement, rather than the mixing. I'm flattered to hear your thoughts on my track! I don't consider myself very experienced with guitar-based music or songwriting, it's been something I've tried a few times but only really started to take seriously in the last year or two (have a look at my 2024 tracks to see how far I've come for example). I also have very similar problems with guitar/vocal mix clashes. Stereo panning can help with this too! I think your lyrics are good! I often find it hard to write lyrics with meaning, and rather tend to write lyrics more freely and then retrospectively apply meaning, or do word association and work backwards to make them fit. It's kind of like putting together a puzzle, or solving a cryptic crossword, and sometimes like coming up with a good pun. Jeff Tweedy's book How to Write One Song has some excellent exercises and ideas for lyrics. I've also found some interesting approaches from youtube videos: some suggesting things like being vague about some terms (e.g. Radiohead's "In a fast german car") but then specific about other things (e.g. all of The 1975's track Wintering), some about reordering the lines to provide a more interesting phrase (something I tried in week 4). It's a creative problem and you can take creative approaches just like with any instrument! I can't remember where I was going with this but these are just some ideas that I've come across that have helped me, and maybe they'll help you too? I'm definitely no authority on this! Also, I totally relate to your findings on vocal technique!! I grew up playing trumpet, so although I have reasonable breath support, figuring out how that applies to singing and opening up my vocal cords has been (and will continue to be) a learning experience!! I'm starting to realise how much difference slight pronunciation changes can make too. The voice is a strange thing.

This is so good! The amount of time that you put into this is crazy and it have definitely paid off with this song! Love this

This is so good! The amount of time that you put into this is crazy and it have definitely paid off with this song! Love this

Thank you for such a great comment!!

I'm definitely looking forward to trying out EQ automation - agreed that reducing weight is something that largely needs to happen in the tracking stage, but I think it could help get something the rest of the way there. Use all the tools! I need to go back and check out some of your tracks, I've managed to miss a lot of them. Too many good artists on this site. Interesting trick about using panning to avoid frequency clashes, never even thought about it that way!

Great stuff to check out for lyrics, I'll look into all of those! I think I approach them similarly, as wordplay. I've always liked puns (much to my family's chagrin), and rhyming is like breathing to me. It's a matter of getting something deeper in there...I think that works better for me when I switch of my brain a bit and flow. Practice non-doing, so to speak I've always wanted to try Bowie's method, where he would slice up a page of a magazine and let the words fall where they may. I really think that cryptic lyrics are a feature rather than a bug, in that they allow the listener to insert their own meaning - as opposed to a clearly set out message. But I'm no expert either!

And yeah, voices are weird. After all, we sing by squirting air through our meat. There's so much technique to work on, and I think that I often forget that as an instrumentalist. Singing is just something we do, right?

Thank you again!

Thanks so much! The funny thing is ...the majority of the time I spent on this song was spent with me beating my head against a wall LOL

[quote=Tom Foolery][/quote] Thank you for such a great comment!! I'm definitely looking forward to trying out EQ automation - agreed that reducing weight is something that largely needs to happen in the tracking stage, but I think it could help get something the rest of the way there. Use all the tools! I need to go back and check out some of your tracks, I've managed to miss a lot of them. Too many good artists on this site. Interesting trick about using panning to avoid frequency clashes, never even thought about it that way! Great stuff to check out for lyrics, I'll look into all of those! I think I approach them similarly, as wordplay. I've always liked puns (much to my family's chagrin), and rhyming is like breathing to me. It's a matter of getting something deeper in there...I think that works better for me when I switch of my brain a bit and flow. Practice non-doing, so to speak :) I've always wanted to try Bowie's method, where he would slice up a page of a magazine and let the words fall where they may. I really think that cryptic lyrics are a feature rather than a bug, in that they allow the listener to insert their own meaning - as opposed to a clearly set out message. But I'm no expert either! And yeah, voices are weird. [url=https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/thinkingMeat.html]After all, we sing by squirting air through our meat.[/url] :D There's so much technique to work on, and I think that I often forget that as an instrumentalist. Singing is just something we do, right? :) Thank you again! [quote=b bro]This is so good! The amount of time that you put into this is crazy and it have definitely paid off with this song! Love this[/quote] Thanks so much! The funny thing is ...the majority of the time I spent on this song was spent with me beating my head against a wall LOL

Interesting to read to read through these discussions and hear different opinions. I'm in no place to give any technical feedback here, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the track and I think you've got a cool sound. Well done!

Interesting to read to read through these discussions and hear different opinions. I'm in no place to give any technical feedback here, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the track and I think you've got a cool sound. Well done!

Thank you!! I've been having a ton of fun with guitar based tracks so far. And definitely, this comment thread has been awesome - great discussion, thoughts and suggestions. I will never tire of saying this: the community here is awesome.

[quote=qp]Interesting to read to read through these discussions and hear different opinions. I'm in no place to give any technical feedback here, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the track and I think you've got a cool sound. Well done![/quote] Thank you!! I've been having a ton of fun with guitar based tracks so far. And definitely, this comment thread has been awesome - great discussion, thoughts and suggestions. I will never tire of saying this: the community here is [i]awesome[/i].

This
Sounds
AWESOME
I was never a huge AIC (or grunge) fan but this sounds smooth and humongous and rich. Awesome expansive guitar sound, but it's your vocals, and those harmonies, that really make it.

This Sounds AWESOME I was never a huge AIC (or grunge) fan but this sounds smooth and humongous and rich. Awesome expansive guitar sound, but it's your vocals, and those harmonies, that really make it.

That swooshy guitar chorus is perfect for this. You really hit the nail on the head when the layered distorted guitars kick in.

That swooshy guitar chorus is perfect for this. You really hit the nail on the head when the layered distorted guitars kick in.

so well done! i'm back in high school in my bedroom with a candle lit, feeling HEAVY FEELS.

it already sounded good, but yeah... i think Neon's master really brings things into focus. the width really gives the vocals more room to shine, and everything has such clarity and impact. that chorus really soars! and that's what good mastering does imo, it elevates the elements that are already there.

nice work, my friend! onward to week 11

so well done! i'm back in high school in my bedroom with a candle lit, feeling HEAVY FEELS. it already sounded good, but yeah... i think Neon's master really brings things into focus. the width really gives the vocals more room to shine, and everything has such clarity and impact. that chorus really soars! and that's what good mastering does imo, it elevates the elements that are already there. nice work, my friend! onward to week 11

this. fucks.

I got the alice in chains vibes immediately. the tone and style for the era is so on point that you're doing a real magic trick here. you're not writing a love letter to it, and you're not wearing it like a costume that's sort of half parody. this is the real deal.

absolutely in love with this sound. the guitar, the vocals, the whole thing. this is album worthy all day.

this. fucks. I got the alice in chains vibes immediately. the tone and style for the era is so on point that you're doing a real magic trick here. you're not writing a love letter to it, and you're not wearing it like a costume that's sort of half parody. this is the real deal. absolutely in love with this sound. the guitar, the vocals, the whole thing. this is album worthy all day.

[img]https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdXRvMzlsaWNyNWl5dDhrYWllY3o3aXZ4dTk5NnpvdzZvZ29xdnRsZSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/X7ONoiUjnHVoafR229/giphy.gif[/img] <3

That guitar tone is fucking sweeeeet, and I love that the bass is kind of doing it's own thing that's interesting yet still compliments the guitar part perfectly. I dig it.

That guitar tone is fucking sweeeeet, and I love that the bass is kind of doing it's own thing that's interesting yet still compliments the guitar part perfectly. I dig it.

truly epic

truly epic

Thank you This week's vocal sound is closer to what I wanted last week to sound like. And I think I'll be saving this guitar stack for the future

Thanks! I love how they hit, especially in neon's master.

I'm looking forward to using that guitar sound again sometime....but maybe in a more streamlined project manner. In this song it's set up as six tracks (three for each side), each of the three with a different amp setup. Realized later that this is exactly what bus sends are for...I can use ONE instance of my amps and two tracks panned left and right. Learning how to do things easier!

<3<3

Listening to neon's master the first time, I was like..."is this different?" But then I started noticing the details. Better clarity, better width. I got a few of those feelings of "I made this!?" Hard to believe that was already in there

Makes me look forward even more to getting the album I did with Dr Frog mastered

Oh wow. Thank you

As someone who plays with a lot of styles...and sometimes thinks of the trappings of genre as a costume...this is such an amazing compliment. I love music, and I'm glad I'm doing right by what I'm trying to do

Makes me think of a chicken I was rehabilitating at home. When she got better, I took her back to the henhouse. I set her down and she just followed me. (I still feel bad about her, should have kept her as a house chicken....the rest of the flock wasn't kind to her. Chickens can be assholes.)

Thank you! I love how the bass turned out in this. It's my primary instrument, but I am not fancy. I love serving the song...but trying to keep it interesting is a goal

Thank you!!

[quote=MRDRCAT]This Sounds AWESOME I was never a huge AIC (or grunge) fan but this sounds smooth and humongous and rich. Awesome expansive guitar sound, but it's your vocals, and those harmonies, that really make it.[/quote] Thank you <3 This week's vocal sound is closer to what I wanted last week to sound like. And I think I'll be saving this guitar stack for the future :) [quote=ENC_]That swooshy guitar chorus is perfect for this. You really hit the nail on the head when the layered distorted guitars kick in.[/quote] Thanks! I love how they hit, especially in neon's master. I'm looking forward to using that guitar sound again sometime....but maybe in a more streamlined project manner. In this song it's set up as six tracks (three for each side), each of the three with a different amp setup. Realized later that this is exactly what bus sends are for...I can use ONE instance of my amps and two tracks panned left and right. Learning how to do things easier! [quote=jwh]so well done! i'm back in high school in my bedroom with a candle lit, feeling HEAVY FEELS. it already sounded good, but yeah... i think Neon's master really brings things into focus. the width really gives the vocals more room to shine, and everything has such clarity and impact. that chorus really soars! and that's what good mastering does imo, it elevates the elements that are already there. nice work, my friend! onward to week 11[/quote] <3<3<3 Listening to neon's master the first time, I was like..."is this different?" But then I started noticing the details. Better clarity, better width. I got a few of those feelings of "I made this!?" Hard to believe that was already in there :) Makes me look forward even more to getting the album I did with Dr Frog mastered :) [quote=sleepunit]this. fucks. I got the alice in chains vibes immediately. the tone and style for the era is so on point that you're doing a real magic trick here. you're not writing a love letter to it, and you're not wearing it like a costume that's sort of half parody. this is the real deal. absolutely in love with this sound. the guitar, the vocals, the whole thing. this is album worthy all day.[/quote] Oh wow. Thank you <3 As someone who plays with a lot of styles...and sometimes thinks of the trappings of genre as a costume...this is such an amazing compliment. I love music, and I'm glad I'm doing right by what I'm trying to do <3 [quote=emily] <3[/quote] Makes me think of a chicken I was rehabilitating at home. When she got better, I took her back to the henhouse. I set her down and she just followed me. (I still feel bad about her, should have kept her as a house chicken....the rest of the flock wasn't kind to her. Chickens can be assholes.) [quote=Dyrt Dyzyrt]That guitar tone is fucking sweeeeet, and I love that the bass is kind of doing it's own thing that's interesting yet still compliments the guitar part perfectly. I dig it.[/quote] Thank you! I love how the bass turned out in this. It's my primary instrument, but I am not fancy. I love serving the song...but trying to keep it interesting is a goal :) [quote=DESLRV]truly epic[/quote] Thank you!!

Hooly moly this was a work of god damn art!!

Hooly moly this was a work of god damn art!!

Flattered to hear I inspired you to use your personal photos. It's not the intention with my track descriptions to hint at what other people should be doing. That I write them explicitly in comments under their submissions!

In any case, glad you found it works for you, too. Provides an additional dimension to the art and extends the personal connection.

OK, enough with the self-indulgment and onto the actual track. Man, fuck yes. When I saw the "Alice in Chains" tag I was like "well Mr PaisleyFrog, we'll see about THAT" and you pulled it off so well it's scary. Brings me back to my long-ass commutes to high school with "Dirt" in my earphones. Your track feels so authentic in that regard, but through your vocals it clearly remains your music, and not an AiC clone. I dig it to bits.

No notes, five stars. No wonder this is close to 40 comments.

[quote=Paisleyfrog]I realized last week that I should be using my own photos for cover art. RPLKTR has been doing this, I finally took the hint and realized I should do it as well :) Why look online when I have 20+ years of pics to look through, that are already more personal to me? [/quote] Flattered to hear I inspired you to use your personal photos. It's not the intention with my track descriptions to hint at what other people should be doing. That I write them explicitly in comments under their submissions! ;) In any case, glad you found it works for you, too. Provides an additional dimension to the art and extends the personal connection. OK, enough with the self-indulgment and onto the actual track. Man, fuck yes. When I saw the "Alice in Chains" tag I was like "well Mr PaisleyFrog, we'll see about THAT" and you pulled it off so well it's scary. Brings me back to my long-ass commutes to high school with "Dirt" in my earphones. Your track feels so authentic in that regard, but through your vocals it clearly remains your music, and not an AiC clone. I dig it to bits. No notes, five stars. No wonder this is close to 40 comments.

Thank you so much. Whenever I try a genre/artist track (and especially when I'm modeling off one song in particular), I worry about cutting too close to the source. Very happy I made it work, and still sounded like me   This track is closest to what I've been wanting to do this year so far - big guitars, contrasts, and getting to do some stacked harmonies. Need to revisit this style, it's a lot of fun.

Oh, and with regards to cover art - I didn't think of your picture work as telling anyone what to do. More like, "oh damn, that's a great idea. Why am I NOT doing that?" Camera phone culture makes it so easy to take a million pictures, but then never really revisit. I'm enjoying how this process has me going back through the years and really looking....seeing where I've been. Thank you for that

[quote=RPLKTR][quote=Paisleyfrog]I realized last week that I should be using my own photos for cover art. RPLKTR has been doing this, I finally took the hint and realized I should do it as well :) Why look online when I have 20+ years of pics to look through, that are already more personal to me? [/quote] Flattered to hear I inspired you to use your personal photos. It's not the intention with my track descriptions to hint at what other people should be doing. That I write them explicitly in comments under their submissions! ;) In any case, glad you found it works for you, too. Provides an additional dimension to the art and extends the personal connection. OK, enough with the self-indulgment and onto the actual track. Man, fuck yes. When I saw the "Alice in Chains" tag I was like "well Mr PaisleyFrog, we'll see about THAT" and you pulled it off so well it's scary. Brings me back to my long-ass commutes to high school with "Dirt" in my earphones. Your track feels so authentic in that regard, but through your vocals it clearly remains your music, and not an AiC clone. I dig it to bits. No notes, five stars. No wonder this is close to 40 comments.[/quote] Thank you so much. Whenever I try a genre/artist track (and especially when I'm modeling off one song in particular), I worry about cutting too close to the source. Very happy I made it work, and still sounded like me :) This track is closest to what I've been wanting to do this year so far - big guitars, contrasts, and getting to do some stacked harmonies. Need to revisit this style, it's a lot of fun. Oh, and with regards to cover art - I didn't think of your picture work as telling anyone what to do. More like, "oh damn, that's a great idea. Why am I NOT doing that?" Camera phone culture makes it so easy to take a million pictures, but then never really revisit. I'm enjoying how this process has me going back through the years and really looking....seeing where I've been. Thank you for that <3

1000% the way to if your streamlining. Curious what modulation effect you used? Sounds kind of between flanger and chorus on second listen. The new pedals often can do both and end up somewhere in between. I've been looking for a new modulation pedal. Sold off my Walrus Audio Julia as it didn't play well with synths (dropped bass and gain staging problems). I've been looking for a replacement since.

[quote=Paisleyfrog] [quote=ENC_]That swooshy guitar chorus is perfect for this. You really hit the nail on the head when the layered distorted guitars kick in.[/quote] Thanks! I love how they hit, especially in neon's master. I'm looking forward to using that guitar sound again sometime....but maybe in a more streamlined project manner. In this song it's set up as six tracks (three for each side), each of the three with a different amp setup. Realized later that this is exactly what bus sends are for...I can use ONE instance of my amps and two tracks panned left and right. Learning how to do things easier! [/quote] 1000% the way to if your streamlining. Curious what modulation effect you used? Sounds kind of between flanger and chorus on second listen. The new pedals often can do both and end up somewhere in between. I've been looking for a new modulation pedal. Sold off my Walrus Audio Julia as it didn't play well with synths (dropped bass and gain staging problems). I've been looking for a replacement since.

Had to go back and look - after the amp model, clean guitar is using a flanger and echo, just the stock Logic versions. I am not fancy with my effects

[quote=ENC_][quote=Paisleyfrog] [quote=ENC_]That swooshy guitar chorus is perfect for this. You really hit the nail on the head when the layered distorted guitars kick in.[/quote] Thanks! I love how they hit, especially in neon's master. I'm looking forward to using that guitar sound again sometime....but maybe in a more streamlined project manner. In this song it's set up as six tracks (three for each side), each of the three with a different amp setup. Realized later that this is exactly what bus sends are for...I can use ONE instance of my amps and two tracks panned left and right. Learning how to do things easier! [/quote] 1000% the way to if your streamlining. Curious what modulation effect you used? Sounds kind of between flanger and chorus on second listen. The new pedals often can do both and end up somewhere in between. I've been looking for a new modulation pedal. Sold off my Walrus Audio Julia as it didn't play well with synths (dropped bass and gain staging problems). I've been looking for a replacement since.[/quote] Had to go back and look - after the amp model, clean guitar is using a flanger and echo, just the stock Logic versions. I am not fancy with my effects :)

TY, For going back!

TY, For going back!