Manhattan Glutton wrote:Oh my gosh, I'm going to regret this.
I'm not gonna bite your head off.
Well, I'm pretty sure the reason he wrote that was because you were in such a pissy fit that he knew better than to try to point out any obvious logical fallacies in your rants as it could have very well fanned the flames of said pissy fit.
All your whining was just a big "F you" to anyone who's ever liked your music or said anything nice about it. The amount of kind* words that you receive will greatly decrease over time if you ignore them to bitch about the words that you perceived as not being kind... in front of those that said the kind words. You should consider yourself more than fortunate that there are people on here not only willing to put up with this, but to go above and beyond offering advice and suggestions with not only your music but with coping with the emotions that the review thread brings to all song fighters.
You owe a big apology to all your fans, and a big thank you to the people who are trying to help in spite of your attitude.
*kind - supportive, constructive, basically what you're hoping to hear.
Apollo14... Keeping mooses safe since 1992. Full album here
fürrypedro wrote:I thought it was fine but I'll be honest my speakers could be better and I'm not anxious to spend loads of cash on new monitors yet.
It could be that your song just reacts poorly to my headphones, too. Anyway, here's something that will help if you don't want to get new headphones/monitors yet: spectral analysis. It's not fool proof or perfect, but it can help.
fürrypedro wrote:I'm not actually sure how to measure the rms too, I usually just watch the peak, got a tip for that?
Oh, any sound editor should have some sort of 'statistics' or somesuch feature. My mastering process after Reaper goes: 1. open wav in editor 2. trim off silence, 3. find average RMS, 4. mildly compress one last time and aim for -12dB by tweaking volume maximization parameter.
fürrypedro wrote:my vocals, well, I'm sure you've heard my singing before, I don't think I'm going to be giving pitch-perfect performances any time soon
Eh, but I've heard you do a lot better vocal performances. Mastering jobs, too. You've got it in you - just keep on plugging! And hey, I can look the other way if you do some pitch correcting, too!
fürrypedro wrote:I usually keep the mix fairly dry but I'll crank the reverb on the whole mix and shee what happensh
Yeah, and that can be chalked up to mostly a style thing, too. But you don't need a whole lot of reverb to make a song feel a little softer and more polished - most of the time it's not even noticeable. It's kind of like airbrushing out skin imperfections for magazine photos - just industry standard, if you will (but it won't make a fatty look thin).
fürrypedro wrote:Thanks for the tips dude!
No problem. I like all your stuff.
EDIT:
fürrypedro wrote:But yeah, I did a bass track, I didn't think it fit with the song style
Sometimes even a really low-end synth can help fill in and keep things from being too twangy and causing compression to go awry. You don't need anything too fancy, but ya know, filling in the spectrum never hurts.
Last edited by Manhattan Glutton on Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If I had a dollar for every one of my songs j$ has called a 90s pastiche, I'd have $1 for every song I've written.
fürrypedro wrote:WTFBBS: Like reading Penny Arcade, probably hilarious but I haven't played this game so it goes over my head. From my standpoint of ignorance the track doesn't change and the lyrics are crowbarred into the lines.
Haha, I like the way you put that. Especially cuz you then said "crowbarred" which made me think of Half-Life. BUT ANYWAY thanks for the attention.
I can't even dignify this attack with a response. I was in a bad mood, and apparently I'm not allowed to rant. So I'm just not going to say anything at all.
LML wrote:Meh, I'm over it. I don't care if people think I'm a bitch, that's their problem.
There is something to be said for taking a breather and coming back when you actually don't care anymore. Believe me, I've wigged out on the boards before, and a few days later nobody cares about it. At all.
LML wrote:Meh, I'm over it. I don't care if people think I'm a bitch, that's their problem.
There is something to be said for taking a breather and coming back when you actually don't care anymore. Believe me, I've wigged out on the boards before, and a few days later nobody cares about it. At all.
Wise words. I have in the past gone for a walk when someone's made me miffed here before making a hasty post. It works.
FortunesFavorite wrote:
fürrypedro wrote: You don't like people saying "you"? That can make songwriting difficult, especially with this title, and I'm not sure why my song was singled out for it.
I didn't mean for it to apply to just you; it had happened several times already but your song was where I began to notice it was a recurring trend. Makes me realize that next time I should post a leader that says "common themes applying to several people because they happened a lot", which was more where this came from. The problem I have with it isn't exactly in your song per se. It stems from when I would write lyrics myself; Ifound whenever I started using the second person too much it really hurt my songs. Often, with me, it turned blamey or preachy, which especially with a title like this would be something to watch out for. Yours doesn't seem to suffer that problem really, so I withdraw that remark.
Edit: also, thanks for the kind words. the vocals in mine were very last minute and they suffered for that.
I totally know what you mean about it sounding preachy, I have often fallen it that style before so I get where you're coming from now. But thanks for explaining!
A Far Off Land - This song is quite a delicious piece of musical pudding. I particularly enjoyed the slight panning of vocals back and forth, as well as the constant interspersion of long, meandering guitar solos. This piece makes me feel as if I am in the passenger seat of my father's station wagon, driving through Oklahoma, staring out the window while I ponder the mysteries of the universe. I also loved the way the lyrics were completely unintelligible except for the phrase "keep all your promises"; I would hate to have my enjoyment of this cosmic journey through the human soul ruined by actually knowing what the song is about. How did you accomplish this particular ambient effect? Did you inject Novocaine into your gums before singing it, or do you just have down syndrome? Either way, I love it.
Architects of Desire - Hmm, an old time harpsichord, combined with drums and an organ? I'm not sure I approve; entirely too unorthodox for my tastes. The production was very nice, and the song does have a certain meandering ambiance, suggesting depth. Perhaps if you replaced the harpsichord sound with a tape of barking dogs singing "Jingle Bells"? No, that would be silly. Forget I said anything.
Balance Lost - Beautiful. Exquisite. Fantastic. By fingerpicking over a set of simple chords, you suggest a tone that is melancholy, yet hopeful. This song makes me want to stare pensively out the window of a college dorm whilst I reflect on things of a serious nature. I did not care for the glockenspiel, however. Too high of a pitch and too prevalent. A piano would be far more somber. The harmonica is acceptable, but I might use it a tad less, place more emphasis on the acoustic guitar, and perhaps have the harmonica float in and play a moody little solo. Nothing shows the ladies how deep you are quite like a moody harmonica solo. Also, make sure to gel your hair a little.
Barton Stink - Oh my god, if I were a teenage girl backstage at your concert I would so let you whisper meaningful things in my ear. The synth-strings serve to emphasize the seriousness of your choice of subject matter; it is clear that you are doing all you can to spread awareness of this particular social problem through your music, and I think people will really respect that. The fusion of rock and hip hop is, in my opinion, one of the best ideas the late twentieth century ever had; it has all the rhythmic monotony of actual hip hop, without those dreadful synthesized drum-loops and continuous references to the buttocks. This music tells me that you're an emotionally sensitive white person in his mid twenties, so I can relate to you, plus you're exploring and implementing the musical styles of another culture, which means that I can feel like I'm being multicultural just by listening to this. I really think that this is something we can all enjoy. Vote!
Cthonic Youth - Alt rock, lovely alt rock. I do so enjoy this style of music, although at times it can come off as a bit threatening. However, I really feel that you guys have a sound that could go somewhere, if you were willing to change a few things. The slightly off-kilter guitar parts are a bit dangerous, for example. Soften your sound up a bit, press it onto plastic, and insert some photos of yourselves posing in torn jeans at a local skate park and I think I could really get into this.
c. layne - I can't tell if it is a man or a woman singing this, and that's just how I like it. The echo on the acoustic guitar is fantastic; it really adds to the somber effect of your song as a whole. When a song begins like this, I just know that I'm going to hear something deep, something meaningful. Oh, my god, reverse echoes on the vocals. Do me now! Oh, sweet mother Mary, the drums don't come in until the song is 1/3 finished, and the beat doesn't start to really hammer until the song is more than half over. I am so yours! A more conventional rock artist might have started and ended the song on a bang, but none of that testosterone-infused philistinism for you! You'd rather let it build up, reach a low climax, and taper off, just like a dream; a dream of two lovers running along a cold rocky beach, where everything is all black and white and seagulls are flying around everywhere while you sing in the background. You're lucky I don't have a vagina, or I would be suffocating you with it as I type.
cobalt stomach - Dreadful, absolutely dreadful. The synths sound like cheap retro-technology, and you clearly can't sing, at least not in a style that people are going to like. Why would you even think of trying to be a musician if you can't sing in a lilting, beautiful voice? And even if you can't sing well, could you at least try playing an acoustic guitar and crooning mournfully? I mean, throw us a bone here! Take my word; the only people who would enjoy this kind of low-fi techno-pop are isolated, lonely, pimple-pocked computer nerds who will probably grow up to be the heads of major corporations, or scientists, or software engineers, or something equally dull and useless. Hardly a demographic worth fussing over. Do us all a favor and give c. layne or A Far Off Land a listen. That's how you write a song.
fortune's favorite - Gaaaaack, this is even worse! Read everything I wrote above about Cobalt Stomach's entry, and multiply it by a thousand! And what the hell is with those lyrics?!? This conjures up all sorts of unusual imagery, and none of it looks like the pictures of shirtless men from the Abercrombie and Fitch catalogues that I dream of constantly. Wait, did I type that? Oh, shit. Strike that last part from your memory. Anyway, back to your awful vocal. The words don't rhyme, and the meter is occasionally irregular. This isn't music! THIS ISN'T MUSIC, I SAY!!!!!!
The Interchangeables - Hmmmmmm.... I want to like this, I really do. It's a nice, bouncy, pleasant tune, and I think your particular style of singing would sell well in Southeast Asia, particularly amongst people who don't know how the English language is supposed to be enunciated. However, I find the humour in the lyrics to be a tad on the dark side; your view of relationships, I think, is a bit too cynical for the average teenager to "groove" with.
James Owens - Oh, sweet Jesus Mary Joseph on a stick, this is the finest piece of music that has ever been performed by anyone, anywhere, ever!! This has everything that makes a piece of music worth anything; soft, crooning male vocals, a piano, competent drum work, serious and meaningful lyrics about a relationship or something I guess.... If I could vote for this a million times I would. You are the greatest singer/songwriter that has ever lived. Plook me now, you savage rascal.
Jeff Robertson and the Neo Candylanders - Ah, some riffs never get old. Except for this one. Retro-fifties grooves played with guitar and synthesizer are definitely cool...or would be, if this was still the eighties. Get with the times. And what was all that hogwash you wrote earlier in the thread about kids at your college playing Candy Land instead of partying? What kind of a message do you think you're sending, naming your band after a group of rejects like that? Name your band after a name-brand cola, if you want it to go somewhere. Amateur.
King Arthur - When I first saw your name, I have to admit that I groaned inwardly. "King Arthur", I thought, "So what is this going to be? Some kind of retro-medieval poppycock about knights and dragons and wizards, performed on synthesized flutes and oboes by an obese man in his thirties clad in sweat pants and a T-Shirt that reads 'Dungeon Master'?" Ah, but you were only teasing me with that name, weren't you, you crafty little man? This song is quite a dainty little piece of delectable man-cake, if I do say so myself. Nice, even groove, competent guitar playing (not too flashy - I like that!). All in all this is a nice, uptempo rocker, well suited for an older generation; fans of Springsteen and Steely Dan, men and women who have lives and children and mortgages, but who still like to get together and "rock out" every now and again. Well done, sir.
LML - Ah, my but this is funky. It fills me with the desire to "shake my groove thing", as it were. Really "get down". However, alas and alack, I think I would prefer for my "groove thing" to remain safe and unshaken, I'm afraid. I do apologize, but I must agree with whoever it was who implied that people danced before the eighties; I actually looked it up and, would you believe it, he was right? People have, in fact, been dancing for some time now. I know, I'm as surprised as you. However, I digress. Here is how I would improve this song, if you really want to get people dancing: Get rid of the synthesizers, just get rid of them. Too funky. And tone down the lyrics a bit; there might be kids listening, for crying out loud! Get yourself a nice brass orchestra and some snappy red uniforms. Tall hats, feathers, button down coats; the whole shebang. Book a room at a nice hotel downtown somewhere. Make sure it's a nice, open area with plenty of room for people to dance. Then, bust out some real dance music. I'm thinking, maybe a nice, 3/4 waltz, along the lines of The Blue Danube. Make sure you don't play it too fast, now. You don't want people getting tired and going home before your second set.
Lucky Spoon - Blecch, heavy metal! Loud guitars, pounding drums, and I'm not sure, but I do think there might be some anti-authoritarian sentiments hidden in your lyrics. Are you trying to make the baby Jesus cry?
Manhattan Glutton - Ah, thank you for this. As you may have guessed, I am a really big fan of John Mayer, and I have to say, the only thing better than listening to a song by John Mayer is listening to a song by someone else, who happens to sound exactly like John Mayer! Upbeat and chipper, nice even chord strumming; you don't need to impress anybody with any of that fancy-pants pentatonic riff-shredding, no sir. Ooh, and I absolutely loved that little choppy drum effect right before the horn solo. Drums can't do that in real life! Are you some kind of magician? Wow, I'm sold on every part of this. Really great, man, really great.
MENBAH! - Hey, now, I'm not sure this is really fair, guys. I mean, as fantastic and super-duper awesomely amazing as this song is, how is anyone else supposed to compete with Boyz II Men, even if they are recording under a different name? I don't really think that, in any good conscience, I can vote for this, even though I really, really, really want to. Aw, gee whiz. I just can't stay mad at you guys. What is it about love ballads sung in harmony and performed on acoustic guitars against a backdrop of urban rhythms that I find so utterly irresistible? Who knows, it's science.
Mister Mann - Okay, all of you amateurs take note: this is how you write a song. Do you hear the way he's plucking the strings individually instead of playing the whole chord? That's how you let the audience know you're being serious. Anyone can just strum a chord. It takes someone with a really deep and noble soul to play a guitar this way. And if that alone doesn't convince you, do you hear how he's singing? Nice and soft, with plenty of reverb. If these lyrics weren't deep and meaningful, do you think he'd be singing them this way? All quiet and junk? Not bloody likely. You can't just belt out lyrics all emphatically and stuff; I mean, Ethel Merman did that, and who gives a shit about her? Am I right? You have to be soft and gentle, like an evening breeze. Mister Mann, you are an inspiration to us all.
Montana Fudge With James Peen - Heh. I don't suppose I can be objective here, can I? Alas, modesty has never been my strong suit. To be fair, this isn't really my song, it's Montana's. Although I can't say I much agree with his choice of subject matter, I really admire Mr. Fudge as a guitarist, and it was a pleasure to work with him. F.Y.I., this particular collaboration was an experiment of sorts, and I am proud to announce that it went well; I will officially be acting as producer on Montana Fudge's debut album, Fudge Train Goin' Nowhere. Keep an eye out, it should be dropping soon.
Ross Durand - Hmmmm, this one has a nice rustic feel to it, almost like bluegrass. I'm not sure I care for that. Indigenous music is just so, I don't know, indigenous. Okay, wait a minute, you fooled me! I do like this. This sounds just like Matchbox 20, and I like Matchbox 20. Really, my only real concern here is the lyrics; they're entirely too depressing. The idea is to make the audience think you're writing about something serious and thought provoking, not to write something serious that might actually provoke thought. Party foul, my friend. This is a nice effort, and I think I understand what you were going for, but if you really want to hear how this kind of thing is supposed to be done, you should give Mister Mann a listen.
State Shirt - Oh, jeez, there are so many fantastic entries in this fight! I'm sooooooooooooo super glad I don't have to just pick one to vote for! I really like the way you put echoes on the main vocals, that way if I want to listen to them again right away I can. Also, the lo-fi vocal interspersed against the regular vocal in the choruses is really neato! It's like, whoa, wait a minute! I thought I was listening to something recorded all high tech and whatever, and then here's this random little vocal line that sounds like it was recorded on an old Talkboy, just popping in out of the blue. The guy recording it obviously has the technology to not record it that way, but he did record it that way. He must be really artistic and creative and stuff. Oh, yikes! I thought this was going to be a nice, quiet mellow song with acoustic guitars, but then you jumped in on an electric and started screaming. You sure fooled me! Really great. It's nice to hear something original.
Styop Quoons - Yikes! What in the world is this? Did you even tune your guitar before recording this? It sounds out of tune. Why would you play your guitar if it's out of tune, you silly man? I mean, this whole thing just sounds like...I don't know...like...it's all noisy and stuff. Did you do it that way on purpose? I can't believe you would. Why would anyone record a piece of music that is intentionally dissonant and awful? That makes absolutely no sense. Music should be pretty and beautiful and make us all want to take our Ritalin and prance around the meadow picking flowers. Did you read James Owens' review? Well, you should. He thinks you're wasting his time, Quoons! His TIME! Ten minutes is just insulting, Quoons, surely you must have realized that? Did you hear his song? Did you hear how it's all soft and pretty and pianowy and full of meaning about love and relationships and whatever? Give it a listen. That's how music should sound.
Therman - Wow, you even made a video for this. I am very impressed with you, sir. Not many people can play the drums against a recording and film themselves all at the same time. Now, I'm not normally of fan of the harder sort of rock music, you know, the heavier metals, but I have to say, you do this well. The way you shake your head with your eyes closed while you play...I can really tell this music is making you want to move, and you know what? That makes me want to move too. And even though this is some hard, loud, crazy dangerous rock music, I feel safe watching you play it. And I enjoyed staring at your exposed boxer shorts for the duration of the song, that was really cool. All those wild, crazy rap artists like to have their boxer shorts showing like that, you know, so that must mean you're cool like them. However, you're also the sort of person who is moved emotionally by his own drumming, so that means you're sensitive, you know, not too wild and crazy like a real black person. In fact, if anything, you could stand to be a little more wild and crazy. I noticed in your avatar photo you have your hair gelled up into one of those super-cool trendy little faux mohawks. I think that's so awesome! You should have done that for the video. Society would be all like, "Whoa! That's not a conventional haircut!" But you're just being yourself, so it's okay. Anyway, great song.
Torrentz - Yay! Another white person rap song! Oooh, and this one is hella funky. My Lord, did you just say a naughty word? That's pretty far out. You're dangerous.
Ux Mpuzm - Why on earth would you possibly think that anyone anywhere would have any desire to listen to this? It's nothing but drums and a bassline, and the vocals sound like they were performed by a robot! Is that what you were going for? Some kind of minimalist science-fiction robot song? Because I don't think anyone is going to like that. I certainly don't. Why can't you sound a little more like The Fray, or My Chemical Romance? Those are good bands. You should try and sound more like them.
wages - I really enjoy the way you emphasize single-syllable words with an inflection of your voice when you sing. The guy from Staind does that, and he seems pretty on the ball. Plus, you're clearly someone who likes to rock and roll, I can tell from all the minor chords you're using, but you're playing this song solo with an acoustic guitar. That's how the pros do it, you know. This is the song that the frontman of the band would play while the rest of the musicians take a smoke break. You know, since he would be getting first pick of the groupies anyway, you might as well just let him play his little emotional acoustic love ballad and let the ladies fight over him. Then the rest of the guys could just sit back, relax, and collect the remains. Win/win.
The Weakest Suit - Okay, so here's the deal. I'm all about songs where a lone man with an acoustic guitar strums some chords and bares the contents of his soul. That is pretty much the foundation of all music. But what the hell is the deal with all the lasers? Was there some kind of outer space battle going on in the background while you were playing? You should have told those aliens to quit firin' their lazars while you're trying to record a song. Outer space madness is no excuse for outer space rudeness.
WTFBBS - Yuck. This is dreadful. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about rap tunes, so long as they are performed by white kids with bleached hair and plenty of tattoos, but this is NOT how you do it. First of all, what in the world were you thinking when you recorded the instrumental? It sounds like an old video game system or something. Did you think that was cute or something? Trying to be all "retro"? Bad choice, my friends. This is the twenty first century, quality synthesizers are everywhere, and you need to start recording music that reflects that. In fact, the whole song is pretty low fidelity. Here's what I would do, if you ever expect anything you ever do to to ever be considered worth anything by anyone: run out and buy as many albums as you can by the following artists: Linkin' Park, Limp Bizkit, Crazy Town, Kid Rock, The Kottonmouth Kings, and Avril Lavigne. Then, put those albums on continuous play in your living room and never attempt to record your own music again. SongFight! has spoken.
Late Entries - Enter on time next time.
“Traditionally in the U.S., tofu was eaten by vegetarians as a protein substitute for meat. It was generally served plain, in large chunks completely devoid of flavor.”
james peen wrote:WTFBBS - Yuck. This is dreadful. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about rap tunes, so long as they are performed by white kids with bleached hair and plenty of tattoos, but this is NOT how you do it. First of all, what in the world were you thinking when you recorded the instrumental? It sounds like an old video game system or something. Did you think that was cute or something? Trying to be all "retro"? Bad choice, my friends. This is the twenty first century, quality synthesizers are everywhere, and you need to start recording music that reflects that. In fact, the whole song is pretty low fidelity. Here's what I would do, if you ever expect anything you ever do to to ever be considered worth anything by anyone: run out and buy as many albums as you can by the following artists: Linkin' Park, Limp Bizkit, Crazy Town, Kid Rock, The Kottonmouth Kings, and Avril Lavigne. Then, put those albums on continuous play in your living room and never attempt to record your own music again. SongFight! has spoken.
1. It IS dreadful but whatever we'll be better later
2. I didn't make the beat but I thought it was fine
3. Yeah I'm gonna try to get good at making beats with LMMS
4. ALL OF THOSE BANDS FUCKING SUCK
5. I will continue to make music because I want to
James Peen, I'm not sure whether to roll on the floor laughing until I pass out or blush uncontrollably regarding that gushing review you gave me. Maybe both. Anyways, a job well done!
wyrfxrssn wrote:4. ALL OF THOSE BANDS FUCKING SUCK
Now I am torn, being your #1 Gold-Star-giving fan and the proud owner of Hybrid Theory, Meteora, and Minutes to Midnight.
Madren wrote:James Peen, I'm not sure whether to roll on the floor laughing until I pass out or blush uncontrollably regarding that gushing review you gave me. Maybe both. Anyways, a job well done!
wyrfxrssn wrote:4. ALL OF THOSE BANDS FUCKING SUCK
Now I am torn, being your #1 Gold-Star-giving fan and the proud owner of Hybrid Theory, Meteora, and Minutes to Midnight.
I dunno guys. I am kind hoping he is going fur the ultimate class act and just makes that one post and is never heard from again. Somehow, I doubt it, though.
This made me peen my pants a bit 
