MissouriPicker Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Here's a song I recorded this afternoon. With all the semi-fancy and semi-expensive software and recording gear I have I tend to find simply recording directly into a LifeCam works best. The little mic seems to do well and it's simple-as-hell. I added a harmonica track and a track with a stomp box I made (still experimenting with that). All the pics are off of the net. Anyway, here's a tune about an old woman I saw a few years ago. Comments, heckling, laughing, and tears are always welcome-------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Great song! A real "slice of life" as you would say. I really enjoyed your writing--some really good lyrics in this song. Brought to my mind an experience I had last week. Gave a guy a little money outside a CVS pharmacy. Probably just out of instinct, or not wanting to say no to him. The guy was profusely thankful...kind of made me feel odd because I don't really feel I helped at all. Anyway... Thought at first this would be a Gordon Lightfoot cover. Knowing you're a big fan, and he has a song with a similar title? But cool to hear this original instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Very poignant song fine sir - love the picture painted by those lyrics. I love your original stuff, and this is at the top of the heap. [thumbup] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 There are some great storytellers on the board like Anne and yourelf Larry. You have a real ability to put together a simple but appealing melody and use that as a vehicle to tell a life story. And as you pointed out yourself correctly, in many cases, that is all that is required, anything on top could almost be clutter and would take away from the message. One suggestion, just from my own journey, is to try to sing a little more from your chest and use your daphram, the tone will be warmer and richer and will help you in dynamics and telling your story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 real nice Missouri,, real nice... great lyrics. !like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Very well done MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Well done indeed. Thanks for sharing it Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug the Old Geezer Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Here's a song I recorded this afternoon. With all the semi-fancy and semi-expensive software and recording gear I have I tend to find simply recording directly into a LifeCam works best. The little mic seems to do well and it's simple-as-hell. I added a harmonica track and a track with a stomp box I made (still experimenting with that). All the pics are off of the net. Anyway, here's a tune about an old woman I saw a few years ago. Comments, heckling, laughing, and tears are always welcome-------- Nice, Larry, thanks for sharing your song with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 Thanks for all the nice comments. They are appreciated........and using the diaphragm is a big deal, especially when you're getting to the end of a long line. Sometimes I concentrate on it. Other times I don't even think about it....lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wilson Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 MP, breath control is as important as singing from the diaphragm. The more you rehearse a song, the quicker you will work out the breathing that gets you to the end of the line or helps you hit that high note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Aw, nice song, Larry-and sweetly performed. Thanks for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Good writing young man!Enjoyed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 A very nice song, tune and video, MP! You probably should send it to a decent tv station? Pretty sad, but the good news is that it is still summer and warm here. If you must sleep rough, head for the nicer weather if you can! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Again, thanks to everyone..............Seriously now, any of you run into the same situation I have? You've got the software and gear available to do things a bit more fancy, but you prefer doing things in a much simpler way. I like the sound of an unplugged guitar with a voice. I did use software when playing the harmonica into a mic, and plugged the stomp box in also. Those two tracks were done with MixCraft 7. Adequate software for some and high tech software for me. I just think this little Microsoft LifeCam does a really good job recording audio. I'm looking for a sound that somewhat matches what someone will hear in a coffeehouse. My days of being the next Cash or Dylan are long gone. Besides, the talent and drive were never there. I'm just trying to come across as "me," If there are blazing guitar solos and a feverish beat in the song, then it's not "me." I guess I don't want to do with software something I can't do for real. Anyway, the internet can be a really cool thing for music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 MP, that was absolutely wonderful! This is exactly the kind of no nonsense, real music, I aspire to be able to write and perform. You do it very, very well and I'm glad you did not go for a more polished production. I think we might be kindered spirits when it comes to how we like music to sound, and more importantly feel. By the way, are these the same lyrics you posted as a work in progres this past summer when I had a thread with a song with a similar theme? If so, I'm glad you finished it! (this is the song I'm reffering to: https://soundcloud.com/lars1968/way-up-on-the-hill-accordion. ) Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappy Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 MP, Loved the lyrics and the melody. You have a unique way of painting a life picture with your music. Very nice job indeed,brought back some ancient memories of my childhood . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Once more, I appreciate the words and inspiration. Pappy, thanks for the comments on the pictures. We've all got these stories and pictures in our lives. All we have to do is dig them out. The things I write about may be personal to me, but the subjects are generic and apply to all of us. Yes, Lars, that's the same song. I didn't change the lyrics much, but I found how I wanted to do the song. It's not always easy to come-up with something that is at least a little different from what you've done before. I kind of use the same dozen or so chords throughout all of my music, so I'm usually looking for a way to change the chord progressions to lead me to a different melody or else I'm looking for a melody that takes all those familiar chords in a slightly different direction. Practically everything I do is in the keys of C, G, and D (I use a capo if need be). All my chords and chord fragments come out of those keys. Within the boundaries of those chords, I try to do several hammer-on and pull-offs and variations on the chords (learning what chords can be substituted for others can be a big help when looking for different sounds and tones). One thing that helps me to is to play notes within the particular key's scale instead of just strumming the chords. Gives more movement to the song and helps keep the listener more interested. I need that with my quiet and slow-medium tempo songs. An old dog can learn new tricks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Very Nice Larry! As most of us wish.... a Humanatarian deed done to all in need! Your singing/playing reflect that wish! Peace to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Again, thanks to everyone..............Seriously now, any of you run into the same situation I have? You've got the software and gear available to do things a bit more fancy, but you prefer doing things in a much simpler way. yes Larry Definitely! path of least resistance please! I have one of the first Roland workstations (VS880EX).. It faithfully powers up and in minutes, the red light is lit, and I'm off. (it actually does quite a lot of "Stuff") My son is a pro-tools genius, insisted I would be much better off going that route, set me up and "you're good to go" Nope! it took me friggen hours to figure out how to do on that set up, what I can literally do in 10 seconds on my Roland. I could not just fire up pro-tools with out having to reboot the pc, unplug a USB device that was taking up the resources, install a new driver because for some reason, the one that worked last week, no longer works WTF!! After a few weeks of tearing my hair out, I went back to the Roland VS880EX, at present moment, this is at least 15/16 year old technology. I know I can do a lot more with Pro Tools, but, I haven't got the time or patience to figure out all the little idiosyncrasies involved. Turn on the VS880, hit the REC button.. it works for me. Every time. The boy just shakes his head "Dad, I don't get it..." If I am setting out to record an idea, or something I feel I want tracked, to spend 2 hours fiddling with software/plugins/interfaces.... Oy Vhey,, by the time I sort it all out, I forgot what I wanted to do in the first place. (Btw, I'm an IT support guy, and have been for 30+ years. so it's not like technology dumbfounds me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Definitely, Kid....that is funny. I guess part of the problem is that the older I get the more I don't want to change...lol...I know what I know and I know I don't want it to change. Everything I record, I do it initially into a LifeCam Camera. $60 when I got it. I'll use Acoustic Mixcraft to add a harmonica track, etc. Mixcraft is fairly simple and avoids technical language, so I can do the things I need. It can get real detailed with loops, but I don't do any of that. All I want to do is record the track as it is.....A couple months ago I did a video with the LifeCam and a friend of mine asked me if I recorded the audio with a Shure SM86. He didn't believe it was a cheap webcam. I'm just glad it's easy to use. I've got an old Fostex recorder that also does a great job. You've got to perform the song the way you want it (which can take me a few times), but it sounds real and not manufactured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Mixcraft is fairly simple and avoids technical language, so I can do the things I need. You've got to perform the song the way you want it (which can take me a few times), but it sounds real and not manufactured. yea Larry really, and that' all there is to it. You can sink all the dough you want to in to this stuff, the reality is you can't out buy "suck"! give a really good player a crappy guitar, he'll still sing and play like he always does. put a $5,000 guitar is crappy players lap........ and it's not gonna make that dude play, sing, sound any different. Stick with what you know friend, your songs are great, I've listened to all of them, $2,000 worth of gear isn't going to change the heart of the song or the person who wrote it. /Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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