Old 02-25-2015, 06:40 AM   #1
AdrianStovold
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Default Saying hello, sharing a couple of tracks

Hi all,

Glad I found this forum, and am enjoying hearing what other Reaper users are making.

My name is Adrian Stovold, and my background is as a keyboard and bass player. I've been writing my own songs for a while, but they haven't been performed live, and it's only comparatively recently that I've started trying to record them with a view to making them available for others to hear. These days I work exclusively in Reaper, with just a few free VST instruments for company. I'm only just starting to learn how to create a mix, so have drawn on help from a friend to create my first couple of recorded tracks:

https://soundcloud.com/adrian-stovold/ontario
https://soundcloud.com/adrian-stovol...es-and-princes

I'm trying to decide the best way forward with my music, and am asking myself questions like these:
  • What genre of music am I writing? When people ask me to describe it, I struggle, which doesn't help when I'm trying to decide what tags or categories to use when uploading the tracks, e.g. to SoundCloud.
  • I hope that there are people out there somewhere who would like my songs (once I've polished the sound a little), but I don't yet know who they are or how to reach them. How do I go about finding listeners?
  • Should I be looking to collaborate with other musicians? For example, I enjoy the songwriting process much more than the recording/mixing process, and would rather concentrate on the former. Also, would it help raise my profile if the songs were also being performed live? I'm happy standing at the back of the stage bashing a keyboard (was in a covers band for several years), but would probably want to bring in a more accomplished and charismatic performer type to be the main vocalist (think 80s synth-pop duo!).

So, please feel free to chip in if you've ever had cause to ask yourself similar questions; it would be great to hear from you.

Kind regards,
Adrian
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Old 02-25-2015, 11:19 AM   #2
Sambo Rouge
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Nice stuff Adrian.

I think your mixing is not too bad. You need to calm down the bass a tad in the second song -- it intrudes into your singing too much and is a distraction.

Having said that, I think your music is very good. The voice is pleasant and the lyrics in song number one are terrific.

I used to live in Ontario and can relate to it a wee bit.

I wouldn't worry too much about what genre your music is --- maybe you could create a new one, like trance-folk or such. You have a distinctive writing style and your voice lends itself very well to it -- don't spoil the magic by rushing off to get another singer.

Great stuff Adrian, keep it up.
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Old 02-25-2015, 03:26 PM   #3
bluetinstar
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Hi Adrian !

Well you seem to have got the recording/mixing stuff sorted well !!
I enjoyed the songs, and found them easy listening and musically very proficient !

I look forward to hearing more of your work, and don't worry about 'genres', whatever they are !!

Good luck, from a fellow Reaper recording Sussex boy (Hove actually),

Best
Fred
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Old 02-25-2015, 04:16 PM   #4
whiteaxxxe
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I dont find the mix that great ... but I liked the songs very much! despite the mix, and that is seldom.

2 things: tame the bass, listen and mix on a system that gives the bass thats in the mix. at some points it earthquaked my monitors from the IKEA shelf. second thing: dont change the singer. more charismatic? forget it. your voice and your attitude is perfectly right for what you do.

you mentioned 80s music, so I assume you are a bit younger than me. but your songs reminded me very of Beggars Opera, Pentangle, Lindisfarne, Don McLean, little bit Donovan, and so on, and that all are acts from the mid/late 60s to first half 70s. maybe you should look at this direction a little bit and then add what you think you should add. folk can have synths, why not.

indeed your songs sounded to me very english, not british, but english. (where Don McLean doesnt fit in ... anyway.)

would like to hear more of your works. and maybe ... I would be interested in trying to mix for you. kinda collaboration, because I find it very interesting what you are doing.
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Old 02-25-2015, 05:34 PM   #5
sammydix
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Sounds a bit on the pop side to me, but I don't mean that in any pejorative sense. Just pleasant to listen to.
As stated, I too really like the songs themselves, but not the mixes so much. Problems already covered well enough, so I won't repeat.
Most welcome to the forums.
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Old 02-27-2015, 05:54 AM   #6
AdrianStovold
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Thanks, all, for the warm welcome, and for the positive and helpful comments.

I like "trance-folk-pop" as a genre name! I'm aware of most of the bands that Whiteaxxxe listed (don't know Beggars Opera - will look them up) but didn't realise that folk was such an audible influence in my songs, so it has been great to hear all your observations.

Yes, I agree I have a tendency to have the bass too loud; will bear that in mind as I mix the new song I'm working on at the moment.

All the best,
Adrian
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