[Eline97]

Hi!

What a great song! I loved the piano intro, the lyrics and vocals are strong and the song really builds up from small to big. The production is very good as well.

Can't think of anything I would change!

Eline

[mickyplankton]

Great song Yoda. Love the piano, vocals and the awesome production. Id love to know how you get such a full sound. Any advice about what gear you use/set up? Thanks!

[Yodasdad]

Thanks MickyP,

I'm really not the person to be giving advice on production, I just feel my way to what I think sounds good.

In terms of my setup:

I'm running Logic Pro X on an iMac, i7 quad core, 16gb ram, SSD.
Interface is a focusrite Scarlett 2i4
Mic is an SE X1
Monitoring using Yamaha Hs5's (very good but I'd go for the 8 inch model if I was buying again) and Beyerdynamic dt100's (old skool) (I hate these because my music sounds pretty awful on them but I guess they're doing their job by showing me what the music really sounds like and pushing me to try harder)

Cheap midi keyboard and a digital piano connected via midi.

I often use Waves plugins from the CLA collection on tracks and then fiddle around with eq, compression, reverb and pan plus whatever effects I think enhance it.

Drums, I sometimes programme them via midi keyboard or use and edit the drummer feature in logic.

Once I'm done I bounce it and put it back into logic to do my take on mastering it. This seems to add quite a lot to enhance the sound (see my reply earlier in this thread for what I'm using here)

I'm pleased that you like the production, I'm getting better at it slowly I think but it ain't easy and I'm far from where I'd like to be. I've just got to keep playing, learning and listening.

And I must remember not to get too carried away and forget about writing the songs in the first place.

Yodasdad

[Skub]

Hey YD.

This is a beautiful song,I hear 70s stuff such as Badfinger in the arrangement and tone.

Lovely stuff.   

[Movin Flavour]

Before the vocals I liked this song.

I love piano led ballads.

Great vocals and excellent production.

Beautiful song.

Sandeep

[igg]

Yoda,

I really love the build throughout the song...the rounded over urgency of the piano is a great lead and sustains the beautiful melodic rippling of the tune...
In terms of production ....the voice is a bit dry for the soundspace...and I think you should eq a little more space for the vocals ...the piano and orchestra needs to thin out in that freq range to let your voice through....  Well done!

igg

[mickyplankton]

Hi Yoda. Thanks for the insight into how you produced the song. I'm also trying to feel my way through production, but you've absolutely nailed it on this one in my opinion.

[Jamie]

Hi, love the piano intro made me think of Chris Cross. Great build and structure. Good vocals too. Really good song of its type! I have a similar set up and like you I'm still working out how to use it all, but it sounds to me like you've got it going pretty well!
Nice one!
Cheers
Jamie

[Neil C]

Hi,
Really nice piano motif and chords on the verse.
I like the lyrics too. Sounded personal without being to soppy, locomotive train was great.
Wasn't quiet expecting the big MOR chorus with its guitars but it was catchy.
Likesd it with th bv's on the ending chorus too.
 
Neil

[fischermans]

You got me with the first seconds. That piano sound always caught me into a song. Very well sung and played.Lyrics are fine. I would resign the dirty sound of the E-guitar and would use a dreamy sound. But this only me.
Alexander

[Yodasdad]

Thanks for the continued replies. I have taken on board what a number of people have said about the guitars and a new version now exists, without the heavy distorted guitar sound. I agree it works better.

Thanks for the honest feedback.

Yodasdad

[montydog]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the later version you mentioned with the guitars turned down. They sound fine to me. I like the piano part and the overall sweep of the song and the vocal has an attractive open and honest quality to it. Fine song, nicely arranged with a real commercial quality to it. I'd be getting this out there if it were mine, which I wish it was. I can pay it no higher compliment.

M

[Boydie]

This is a really nice song and the production supports it well

My suggestions would be...

The piano sounds really "compressed" - not necessarily with a compressor but it lacks dynamic range - ie all the notes sound like they are being played at the same volume

Some attention to varying the levels (eg make the higher notes a little "softer") would help create a more dynamic and emotional performance

I really like it when the song "takes off", you have achieved a great balance and a big sound

[adamfarr]

Hey there - great ballad (and great production as always). I think the vocal this one is really human and authentic sounding. Great build and details all through. Perhaps some of the lyrics are not really anything we haven't heard before, but the feeling really comes through.

[richmon]

Great song and nice arrangement and not too cluttered. Sounds complete.