The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => Feedback on Works in Progress => Topic started by: pompeyjazz on November 15, 2017, 08:22:02 AM
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I've just tried a little experiment where I set myself one hour to write and record a song from scratch, including lyrics and would be interested in any feedback others have on writing to deadlines.
I know that loads of great songs came out of FAWM earlier this year so there must be something about writing under pressure.
OK - I'll be honest, I did come back to this and add some BV's so were talking 1 hour 15 mins
Is this worth further development ?
https://soundcloud.com/pompeyjazz/elizabeth-knows
Cheers
John
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Respect to you Pompey. This is impressive work to complete in little over an hour. This is a very cool song.
I wrote a full album of music,each composition taking 3 hours. I used used drum loops to make the project happen - programming drums would have made the task too difficult. I then sent to the results on to nooms. Not sure how long he took to write lyrics and melody but I think we had a great project going. There are 11 track in total. Often very short but we are both happy with the results.
https://soundcloud.com/noomsvasey
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They could have slipped this onto the white album and nobody would have batted an eyelid
Very impressive and a big challenge to complete a song like that.
Definitely worth expanding on, some lovely chord changes and I loved the story and sentiment behind it.
Brilliant!
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Like it - the good thing about these things is that the writing ideas take precedence over the production. There's already an atmosphere here due to the lyrical theme and harmonic choices...
It's like sharing the first draft with your bandmates... (a privilege for us!) and we have to imagine the development etc. and what it could become...
Perhaps our next competition should be a "kamikaze" theme for raw songs a bit like this or FAWM. 1 hour is pushing it a bit though - maybe give ourselves a weekend?
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all of that in 1 hour?
That's awesome, I would never guess. The quality of the composition and the amount of elements is suitable for much more complex projects.
Is there a method to it?
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Like it - the good thing about these things is that the writing ideas take precedence over the production. There's already an atmosphere here due to the lyrical theme and harmonic choices...
It's like sharing the first draft with your bandmates... (a privilege for us!) and we have to imagine the development etc. and what it could become...
Perhaps our next competition should be a "kamikaze" theme for raw songs a bit like this or FAWM. 1 hour is pushing it a bit though - maybe give ourselves a weekend?
I agree with this whole-heartedly Adam.
Pompey, this is a great number with emphasis on the song and not production!
Paul
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Time and motion study now,is it pomps?
Bin will be all over you like a bad suit. :D I can see him now,sitting with a calculator to see how many songs per day he can nail yore speedy writing ass for. :D
It's a really nice song John,well worth developing further if you wanted to. As PaulAds said,it's pure Beatles. I'd happily steal that one for the 'Cover' thread. 8)
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Cool stuff! :)
Very Beatles-esque while your own voice still shines through. I'm also interested in what the purpose of the 1 hour to write/record was?? Was it a challenge to see what would what music would come when you're just shooting from the hip???
Under the circumstances it was really impressive! Well done.
/Emmanuel
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Was it a challenge to see what would what music would come when you're just shooting from the hip???
Yes - I suppose it was really - Who knows what's going to happen sort of thing
With regard to the question on my method, I suppose a lot of it is down to familiarity with my setups. I save a lot of presets etc and I know which VST's I'm going to use
Thanks all - I will be developing this further
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A good song. The time aspect shows you know what you're doing. I didn't like the drums that much. Keep working in it. Martin.
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I've done a bit more than an hour on this song now and worked on a mix, BUT then came along the Black Friday sale for Abbey Road plates reverb and of course I've been like a kid at Xmas messing around with it.
https://soundcloud.com/pompeyjazz/elizabeth-knows
I wanted a pretty "reverby" feel to this song but do you guys think that it's a bit overdone ?
Having said that, I was listening to some Jeff Beck in the car today and the vocals are absolutely drenched in reverb so I guess it's a bit of a personal choice :)
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Dear PompeyJazz
A great song, very Beatleqsue I agree with Martin, there was something about the drums that didn't sit well, and it could be 5 bpm faster. Maybe shorter too.
Loved the pre chorus building the 'whole tone' tension leading to the chorus.
You might think of putting backing vox in the pre chorus and chorus, and maybe a hair of double tracking on the lead vox.
Hope you don't mind my comments...
it's a great song.
CPM
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Dear Pompey Jazz
I should apologise, I re read that you wrote and recorded this in an hour, so for that it's stunning.
CPM
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Just did a remix on this taking into account all feedback
Thanks so much all :) :) :)
https://soundcloud.com/pompeyjazz/elizabeth-knows
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An hour Pompz!!! AN HOUR!!? As I tick over to my like 16th hour on a project and still haven't got close to this. Lovely song and great skill to do all this in such a short time. FAWM this year for you?
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Tbh. It's about 2.5 hours total now. Maybe do FAWM this year
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PompeyJazz
Just listened to your remixed version.
MUCH better, is it slightly faster? could still be a bit faster. but something is missing, I think it's strummed acoustic guitar, if there is one forgive me, but I was just trying to think what the 60's sound would have, I hope you don't mind.
I know what it is, the lead vox needs a shadow, not a double track, but bits to thicken it out, not BVox, do you know what I mean, the lead vox sound a bit exposed.
I'm not sure the organ is necessary if you put in a strummed acoustic, panned over to the side somewhere.
It's a very good song.
Hope you find this useful
CPM
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Tbh. It's about 2.5 hours total now. Maybe do FAWM this year
Ahh well 2.5 hours eh! Still that's blooming good. Good luck with it if you do pompz
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Hey - hanks guys, and CPM - That's what this forum is all about so thank you so much for taking the time to make suggestions :)
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My pleasure, Love the hat.
Thanks too for your comments on the co nushessnuss, I've put you in the song, and I have a very real image of you in the back of the Mustang with that hat on, between Cindy and Babs , on the way to the Party in the song, probably in Chicago.
CPM
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I wish mate ;D
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Very good achievement - to create this in an hour...erm two and a half hours. Just think if it becomes a hit record you could be earning more per hour than say Christiano Ronaldo.
I like the song anyway, it just flows in a way that suggests it easily came to you. Sometimes songs come easy, and sometimes they are a bitch fighting against their creation. Just depends if the Muse is being kind to you I guess! This time the Force was with you! ;D
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Hi John,
You did all of that in just 2 hrs?
That is a great demo!
Only thing for me was the bass guitar wasn't there or if it was i didn't hear it here.
But once you do get that in the mix that should really help to drive the song home even more.
A great demo from just 2 hrs work.
Johnny :)