The Smiley Smile Message Board

Here is another song.  This one is incomplete in that it needs additional verses and who knows what else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmMsk1nee8c

Your feedback is appreciated.

mps

Wow, this one's really cool! ;D I love the loose, almost jazzy chords on this one and  the lyrics compliment the feel of the melody really well.

You should definately put some more work into this one so that you could end up with a finished song. If you put a bridge in there which veer a bit off from the main melody in a surprising way I think this could turn into a great little song.

Man, your vocals are already a lot better! The doubletracking works so well now! And this is a cool little thing, but yeah, kwan is right - give it a bridge and poss. another verse and you'll have a cracking two minute pop song! Nice one, man! I'm kinda psyched about this one, actually ;D

Great chords, cool idea. I'd be excited if I had this in my hip pocket.

Definitely would fit into any songs derived from the mid-sixties pop era, so simple and yet charming and memorable. Great work!

Thanks for the kind words everyone.  I really appreciate it.  I've got an ending worked out but I agree with kwan, it would be nice to through in a twist of some sort, and of course I need to finish out the lyrics.  Once its done I'll post the final work here.

Thanks again!

mps

Just listened to this again and it's still bitching. Any progress?

I think you mentioned somewhere about wanting a more advanced setup, and that's not so expensive to achieve. To whit, I got a microphone that cost £65 (A Joe Meek JM37, which can record 99% of stuff competently), a soundcard that cost £70 (A Yamaha Audiogram 3) that came with Cubase software free, and a tiny keyboard (The korg I got was shite, but an similar size Akai comes with sensitive keys) to record midi for £45. So that's £180 and you can do, for instance, that Snow Queen stuff you've listened to. Torrent the right software and you can get sounds like the Stormy Weather recording easy. I mean, you're working with dollars, but the difference should be negligible. But save a little, and it's yours. And with that stuff, it suddenly becomes more palatable to express certain fancies with your songs - want drums? Midi is your friend. Guitar effects? Easy. Reverb? and so on.... It's absolutely worth it, it does wonders for your creative nous to have your ideas sound better.

[/rant]

Hypehat: thanks for asking.  Actually, I'm kind of stuck.  I wrote what I thought would be a bridge but it was too "strong" and made what currently functions as the chorus sound weak in comparison, but it wasn't the right sort of thing to become the chorus.  Instead I'm going to use it as an ending.  I've run into similar problems with everything else I've attempted - the flow back into the chorus results in weakening the affect of the chorus.  I believe I've got an exception to this but I couldn't quite put together a proper melody.  In short, I'm stuck.  I’ve got it in my head that the song needs a tempo change but I’ve not written anything with such a change and I’m not sure I can do it.  And I haven't yet attempted additional lyrics...perhaps I should as that might yield a melody or chord progression.

Also, I've been working on some other songs one of which is coming along nicely, except the recording sucks.  Speaking of recording, and I've asked this question elsewhere but I ask now with a bit more focus, I want to be able to record my guitar and vocals simultaneously.  I will therefore either need to mic both or mic my voice and plug my guitar directly into my computer.  I have several questions:

1. For the guitar, which is preferable, a mic or direct line into my computer (and why)?
2. What is an affordable way to record both simultaneously?  What will I need to buy?
3. Supposing I don’t have the money to afford a simultaneous solution at present, what is the best, yet affordable, way to record my guitar directly into my computer?  I realize I can buy a special cable but if that is going to sound horrible (as I’ve read elsewhere) then I don’t want to do it.

I am currently using Audacity and would prefer to continue to do so in order to avoid purchasing additional software.

I may make this a separate post as it may not generate much response buried here.

Glad you like the song.  I hope I can finish it up.

mps

Hey, mps.

I hate finishing stuff up after the initial creative burst, it feels so unnatural. I think the thing to do is to wait, really (Luther, for instance, waits YEARS to finish up songs just because it doesn't feel right yet) but I know that's annoying.

I'm hardly the greatest recording whiz round here, so someone else should chime in. The following is stricly IME or IMO  ;D

1) Depends on what you plan to do with it after (although I don't know what sorta guitar(s) you have!) - sticking effects is much better to do on a dry signal not mixed up with any room noise. But if you want to keep the thing natural sounding, mic it up. Unless I'm futzing about with my pedals, I always tend to record my electric 'into the board', as it were. More control over the sound later, although you lose a little something. My acoustic ain't electroacoustic, so that's micced. Not having much confidence as a singer, I rarely do it.

2) My soundcard can only record one at a time, but my flatmate has this Alesis soundcard which can do both and he never has problems http://www.gak.co.uk/en/alesis-io-2-portable-usb-audio-interface/624 You should try finding it on an american site, I guess?

3) My guess, the Alesis - you can take my word it's not gonna suck, and does exactly what you're looking for at a alright price...  The midi was only what I did, however - if you're not interested in that, don't get it and spend a little more on a decent mic! As for that, all the decent priced JM37s seem to have disappeared off ebay. Have a look for one though, it can record anything.

Hope i've been some help!

hypehat: yes, you have been helpful.  I've got to stop asking such questions until I have money to buy some of these items.  I'm so ready to purchase, but I just can't justify it.  I'm in a necessities/investments only mode.  If I don't have to have it or if it isn't going to yield income, I don't buy it.  I haven't even purchased SMiLE.  Shame on me.

Right now I have only one guitar, which is acoustic/electric.  I suspect the "electric" was added after the fact.  The guitar was given to me, its a cheapo, and the guy who gave it to me has been known to do his own.  Works just fine though, so no complaints.

Speaking of money, the same guy has a great sounding classical guitar.  It sounds great to me, though I admit I don't know what to listen for.  Anyway, he's going to sell it to me for $65 as soon as I am willing to part with the money.  Man am I ever looking forward to it.  Now if he'll just throw in his acoustic amp for another $65 I'll be thrilled.

mps

Oh wow, this is painful.  They have the Alesis for $82 (including shipping, which is free) at amazon.  I already have the amp I want in my cart.  The total is $265, including tax, shipping, etc.  I forgot I have a $110 credit in my amazon account.  My total is only $155.  Oh how I want to add a mic and make the purchase.  I just can't justify the additional expense.  Somebody stop me before I pull the trigger and make my family starve to death.  ;)

Does anyone know anything about this amp?

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-ACX450-Ultracoustic-45-Watt-Amplifier/dp/B000LAT0AK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319740728&sr=8-1

Ok, I might have to do this.  I think I am going to ask for early birthday presents, its only 3 months away.  What mic should I get and why?

mps

EDIT: Sorry Hypehat, now I see you already recommended a mic.  In the meantime I've calmed down and plan to start making money again before I go and buy anything.  Reason prevails.

It has to, sometimes  :'(

Save them pennies! ;D