Never In A Million Years

Here's a piano song with arrangement. No vocal. If the ending sounds kind of like The Beatles "Hello Goodbye" that's because I absolutely had to modulate the key and it just wanted to go there... so, sue me.  :)

Here's the box.com link:

https://app.box.com/s/b2ckd7sasb6n95hk67zt6c65l6ufngrt

If want reviews, most people aren't gonna make the effort to get a new application to download a song, find something to transfer the file to MP3 and someone will probably make an effort.

Some Guy That writes Music,

Are you saying that you we're prompted to download an application in order to listen to the mp3?

I wasn't aware that an application was required to stream and or download files from box.com.

I thought that people could simply click on the link and hit "play" when the file appears.

hmmm.... that's the first I've heard of this.

I was able to listen to the song by just clicking "Play." I didn't have to download anything.

Nice song. You have some nice chord changes in places. Yes, the end reminds me of "Hello, Goodbye." And the beginning reminds me of "Fool on the Hill."

I couldn't play the song, I had to download it.  Normally at Box (which I have an account at too. One can go to the link and play it. I'm on a mac laptop with Safari 10.1.1  Yeah I would check into why some people have to download it.

I love the Beatles, so I really enjoyed your piece. Keep up the good work.

I'm loving this. I love the later Beatles sound that it has. Musically it's great, but sonically, it would sound better with some of the low end turned down. I found the bass in the mix was kind of overpowering. 

However, that's my only gripe.

It's a lovely arrangement. I think all it needs is some EQ tinkering.

mark styles,

Thanks for the feedback. Maybe I should just do both methods i.e. upload an mp3 to YC and also give a link to box.com. I don't think mp3's posted here at YC have an option to be downloaded if one should want to do that. Box.com, on the other hand, does give one the option to download... so I guess maybe doing both methods would be best. Thanks again, and it's always nice to meet a fellow Beatles guy!

JBegley,

Thanks! Great to get feedback about the low end. I really wish I knew someone with mixing/mastering skills 'cause I have zero ability in that area. Getting the bass and drum levels balanced is the hardest thing for me. I just like composing and arranging. Good information though, so thanks for that.  :)

Beatles-4-Ever!

You want to learn the characteristics of your speakers and the room you mix in.. Most often, it's a combination of both, which mislead you.  One trick would be to play (or load  into two tracks of your DAW song) a CD or high quality commercial mix of a band which you like or is similar to the type of material you are using. Then you can A/B between your mix and a commercially recorded mix. Use volume and EQ to match.. Typically a lot of home studios, are not acoustically even.. So one compensates, by adding bass, so it sounds good. However when played on other systems, the bass EQ of mix is overbearing.. Get a decent set of headphones. check you mix on that. Play your mixes on other speakers, or systems, to check sound balance. I-Phone, boombox, etc. Try to ignore the music and just listen to the mix/balance of frequencies in the music. As you get more into it, you will get better adjusting individual instrument levels, and EQ's. You can also roll off the low end of some instruments.  I often roll off the bottom of acoustic and electric guitars, so it doesn't mask the bass part. 

Check online.  There are  plenty of websites, where home speaker tips are available.. Room treatment,  baffles, acoustic foam, can help greatly.  I use some acoustic foam to absorb hi end frequencies.. instead of baffles to soak up low speaker sound waves.  I found some 'Theatre curtains'. They are 3 layered, with a thicker sound absorbing material between the front and back.  Read up on sound acoustics. If you place your speakers too close to a  wall, they can greatly affect the sound of your room.  Buy the best speaker monitors you can afford.  I bought some Genelec 8040 A's and Grado headphones. Both high quality.  Google for articles about studio monitors.. There are certainly decent, reasonably priced set-ups..  

Back in the 70's when I was much younger, i worked in a 24 track studio in Boston..  I used to play David Bowies's 'Young Americans' because I loved the sound.. I would play the song, then mix in my kick drum, EQ and set level to 'fit' into song, then the snare, then the bass guitar, etc. Even if the songs were in different keys, or BPM's you could still get the EQ's right..  Patch commercial recordings into your set-up and listen carefully to how it sounds, check out different genre's of music.  

Sometimes is easier to put a final MIX plug-in on the master output.  I use Logic, (I assume all other DAWS would have similar plug-in chains)  i also use Steven Slate XG plug-in, or Isotope 8. They are very good mastering plug-ins.

Once you understand the characteristics of your room/speaker set-up, you can compensate. It takes time, and with experience, you begin to 'attune' your ears, to notice much more.  There is a LOT to learn about creating good music.. That is why in the old days, there were song writers, arrangers, recording engineers, producers, a separate/different mastering process.  With DAWS.  that can all become the job of on person.  Be patient.  It's fun, and you can learn a lot. I was plagued by too much low end on my songs a number of years ago.  While visiting a new friend. I checked out his set-up.. I upgraded to Mackie HR, and then later to the Genelecs.  I am not saying you have to have expensive speakers to make good music.  Indeed in the last few years, smaller cheaper speakers have much improved bass response.. 

mark styles,

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response. Very, very helpful information. Loading a commercial song into the DAW (in my case Sonar 8.5) as a reference is an excellent idea. And feeding all tracks into a master output and using a mastering plugin is also a great idea. I just don’t understand what I’m listening for or looking at but I guess I should try and learn these things. I always mix in my flat response studio headphones even though everything I’ve read says not to do that. The technical stuff is all very difficult to understand, especially looking at waveforms and adjusting dB levels and such... yuck! But I’ll keep trying. Thanks again for all the helpful ideas they are much appreciated.  :)

epii, I enjoyed listening to this instrumental song. It does have something of a Beatles ambience, and I was actually reminded of one or two tracks on Revolver (if you know it).

Like some of the other comments above, I thought that the bass side was a little heavy. I should also have preferred the flute to have felt a little more nimble. I particularly enjoyed some of the lovely chord sequences and transitions (which is something at which the Beatles excelled). More, please.

By the way, I had no problem with Box.com: an online client loaded and I was able to play the piece without further ado.

Hughes,

Thanks for your nice comments.

If I know "Revolver"?!!! You happen to be conversing with the worlds number one (self appointed) Beatles freak.

I spent my youth learning to play every guitar, piano, and bass note on Beatle songs. I sometimes watch "How To" YouTube videos of people teaching how to play a particular Beatle song only to most often say "nope" then go on to the next video. There are only a few people on YouTube who get the parts right, most do not. I'm a stickler for accuracy. And though I've been humbled on occasion, it doesn't happen often and only then it's in "splitting hairs" territory. I could teach a class on being a McCartney impersonator I've studied that guy so much.

I tried many years ago putting a Beatle tribute band together when I lived in Seattle but soon realized how hard it was to find a really good John, George, and Ringo and gave up on it.

Probably just as well because I'd likely have needed therapy to find "me" again. I freaking love the Beatles!

I'm glad to know that box.com worked for you.

I'm also glad to have found a fellow Beatles fan!