Lies [atmospheric synth ballad]

Steinberg Lounge
#1

Hello all,

Last time I posted a song I did it in the lounge, I didn’t know there was a dedicated music page now, still with my head in the previous forum :blush:

Here you can listen:

http://soundcloud.com/dylan-siemerink/lies-16

It’s the last track of my look at the world project. 12 songs about our world.

I used Korg legacy VST synth and prologue for this track.

It are in fact 2 projects, the middle part I made in a different project and merged it with the song.
Tricky to get it all coherent but I think I succeeded.

Greetz Dylan.
Vocals are going to be rerecorded on a better mic.

Comments are highly welcome!

#2

Very nice, Dylan. It comes across as honest and heartfelt.

It’s funny, but usually when I hear a stripped down version of something, it’s done either a cappella,
or accompanied by an acoustic guitar or piano, but I don’t recall ever hearing a song with a single voice
with only a few layers of analog synths with no low end or backbeat at any point.
That makes it unique to me. I like it.

Lenny

#3

Hey Thanks Lenny,

A kid was over playing with my son, both are 4. And he told me that there was actually gold at the end of the rainbow. That remark triggered this whole song.
And yes I do feel very close to all of the songs in this project, I really think we are taking a wrong turn with the world.

Greetz Dylan.

#4

Hiya Dylan. This is very ambitious to me. The sounds are very thin and fragile, is that what you meant to happen?
I think the vox should compliment the synths more, currently they are too loud and kind of stick out of the mix. There’s some wonderful sounds going on in the background and the overall effect sounds symphonic and very well done. Like I said, ambitious but drop the volume of the vox so it sits better with the synths and fatten a few of the sounds up. This is my opinion of course but still worth experimenting with…

Cheers
Phil

#5

Absolutely not! I want it full and lush, not thin and fragile, I will take a peek at this later, thanx for the replie.
The vocals will be rerecorded with a valve rode mic, now i recorded it with a stagg low budget, impossible to get it right in the mix. i tried everything but it’s either way on top or burried deep, hopefully the rode will do a better job.
I can get them deeper in the mix but then i’ll have to notch a midhigh freq way up untill it sounds like a telephone, not what I am after.

Thanks Phil!

Greetz Dylan

#6

I agree with Philter, the vocal doesn’t sit right in the mix. You’ve got some interesting textures with the synths, I think they sound great and could really carry the song if you brought them out more.
The arrangement is nice although I feel the long instrumental part from about 3:00 on could be a bit shorter. Is that the 2nd project you mentioned?

#7

Thanks for posting this one. I agree with the comments above. It comes across as a very personal expression, so the composition does meet your goals, I think.
Early

#8

@Strophoid,

The song is an element of a complete story that consists out of twelve songs. In that context the long bridge should work. As a stand along song you are right, a radio edit should be the answer, but these songs will never be broadcasted on radio anyway, so I leave it as it is.

And yes, I sung in the song sitting behind my desk reading the words, and quickly set the sound.
It was recorded while I composed the piece. I will re record all of it, also with a better mike. (I can borrough a Valve Rode for a month)
The current track is just not mixable at all, so I don’t even try it.

Thanks for your comment!

#9

I wasn’t really ‘getting’ this when I first listened. The vocal on a Jarre-esque backdrop seemed quite incongruous to me at first. But second time round it’s growing on me I must admit.

There’s a few pitch issues in the vocal here and there but it sounds like you’re going to record anyway. I’m in agreement with Phil too - I’d be thinking about a different mix approcah to the vocal… something that perhaps helps it gel and generally integrate more fully in the elctro backing - not sure what that would be but I guess a different choice of reverbs, use of delays etc etc. - perhaps other SFX in places even.

There’s some nice dramatic moments in this which I really like.

Cool. :sunglasses:

#10

Hey Sherz how are you?

I think I’m beginning to see the point here.
The vocals are realy small and that is because I started with a piano piece. More of an acousticall ballad.
Further on I just wanted to experiment with soundscapes and loose the piano all together, that was when I already made the vocallines. Now I realize that it doesn’t fitt that easy.

I could mix the vocals more big wet and lush, but I don’t know if that is going to work with so many words.
I will definately gve it a try.

Thanks all for the pointers, really helpfull!

#11

fine and dandy! :smiley:


The vocals are realy small and that is because I started with a piano piece. More of an acousticall ballad.

Ah ha! That’s exactly what I’m hearing… the vocal does sound like it belongs more to a stripped-back acoustic type arrangement. I think re-singing to this arrangement will yeild a different result in terms of the actual delivery andd then add to that different vocal mix choices - and well, I think it will take it to a whole other level. :sunglasses:

#12

Hi Dylan,

Good song, it can only get better when you redo the vocals.

I love those ‘old’ analog sounds, very nice! :sunglasses:

Cheers,
Wim