This is my latest production for one of my clients. It’s turned into quite a substantial project! 
The vocalist is Matt’s daughter Holly… she’s around 10 - 12? not sure…
Matt wrote this one in 1982, and I’ve given it a significant Sherz 2011 makeover! 
My only slight concern is that I may have over-cooked it. 
Anyway…
yeh good job nice tune and nice strings behind it ,the only thing i think youve over cooked is the guitar solo and there is some right attitude in the guitar which i like but its a bit like hendrix going on tour with the monkees ,i would have put something a bit more innocent there like an acoustic solo or a recorder or something to suit hollys voice,but every thing else works great , could see that been in a film.
Gorgeous arrangement. Seriously – I knew you were good, but this tune is ridiculously excellent. I do have a few objections, however:
IMO, the backing is a bit too loud overall. The vocal should be the focal point and the loudness of the orchestration seems to be fighting her. Don’t get me wrong – I can understand her vocal okay, but if you backed off just a bit it would allow the orchestration to do what it’s meant to do – SUPPORT the vocal, not compete with it for attention
I agree with firestamper – the guitar solo is WILDLY inappropriate here. I know they say “There are no rules” but actually there are and this exemplifies that. I also had much the same thought fire had – a nice flute, recorder, or mellow synth lead would fit the tune better
That’s all I really have to say. The arrangement is superb and I was impressed by the lasses’ intonation. I also think I’m hearing some new piano samples here – MUCH better than the ones you used to use (which isn’t to say they were “bad” but just that this is definitely more “realistic”
“Antipodean Clayderman” indeed (although I STILL don’t know what that means 
)
Thanks! That’s very generous! 
Thanks for the responses! Much appreciated. 
…the guitar solo is WILDLY inappropriate here
Now here’s the thing with the solo section. I did explore the soft option… but it just seemed at the time the whole thing was sounding WAY too prissy, sweet and syrupy… in fact I was thinking Holly needs to skip down the road, shop-lift a packet of Rothmans, smoke the lot THEN come back and sing the song! Ok, just kidding… - but I really felt like I needed to inject some dirt, a bit of ‘metal’ to offset the dominating ‘sweetness’ which is largely due to Holly’s vocal of course, backed by piano and strings. In other words opting for extreme contrast rather than complimenting what’s already there in abundance.
Ok, thinking about it, maybe a went TOO far… and perhaps toning it down a little is justified, but I aint doing flutes or recorders!
Yes! Well spotted Doug! I’ve owned a few pianos over the years though mostly I used The Grand (the original version) in most of my past work. Recently NI had a half-price sale so I grabbed a copy of their Alicia Key’s piano. It’s the first piano that to me actually sounds like a real piano. While all the others sound good… it’s not until I sit in front of a real piano that I realise how lacking they are. It doesn’t happen often that I get to play a real piano though, most recently was a recital in front of a 200+ audience on a Yamaha upright (gulp!) and prior to that just before Xmas, my friends Steinway. Well… there’s no substitute for the real thing of course, but I reckon this Alicia Key’s piano is the closest thing I’ve ever used so far.
regarding the guitar solo: it’s not so much the “dirt” or tone of the guitar that’s out of place, it’s what the guitar plays – it’s shredding in the middle of a childrens’ song. A bit more legato and conservatively phrased and I think it would come off much better
Well, I’m flattered in the sense that my guitar playing has been called ‘shredding’. That would be a first!
I never thought I could ever make it to the dizzy heights of ‘shredder status’
I’ll work on it, though at the end of the day… I guess the customer will decide…
I love the contrast that the guitar adds to this “pretty” song.
Well, that’s certainly what I was aiming for. I tried a cleaner tone…and well it sounds naff. 
Not nearly as dramatic!
Good tune
but I aint doing flutes or recorders!
Led Zep used recorders in Stairway to Heaven!
Steve
Not to mention Jethro Tull… TULL ROCKS!!!
I listened again. Actually, I was wrong. The playing of the guitar solo is fine. It’s the tone that is all wrong. I think if it were an overdriven but “round” tone (think your typical Carlos Santana tone) it would work great. Instead it’s like Velvet Underground feedback loop fuzz… I don’t like it.
Did you lower the backing level? It sounds like you did… Except for the last verse where the strings in the left channel are pretty durn loud, and I can’t understand her anymore.
Aside from these rather personal taste issues, for me this represents a new plateau for you Sherz. Very impressed.
Cheers Steve
Did you lower the backing level? It sounds like you did… Except for the last verse where the strings in the left channel are pretty durn loud, and I can’t understand her anymore.
Aside from these rather personal taste issues, for me this represents a new plateau for you Sherz. Very impressed.
I’ve just uploaded a new mix. We’ve added some extra harmonies and I’ve tweaked a few levels, and played around with the solo guitar tone… just a WEE bit… I think it’s a better mix…
Guitar sounds better! Sounds like you backed off a bit on the backing in the last section – I like it.
I have truly come to LOVE this song/production! The only part I’m not thrilled about is the way it ends, but hey, that’s artistic prerogative for you.
I’m sure this Wright guy is well-pleased. One of the best productions I’ve heard at cubase.net EVER baby!
Now I can die happy!
Oh! Well then, I can have your Alicia Keyes piano then? I mean, YOU’RE not gonna be using them, so they might as well go to somebody who will…
That reminds me… I must update my will… 
Another kid with a future… and I liked the guitar, I would not call it shredding really… I am a little curious if there was any correction on her voice… she certainly has it together if there wasn’t.
My only mildly negative comment might be about the snare, too muddy for me!
Well done overall. Cheers.
Thanks for checkin this one out.
I am a little curious if there was any correction on her voice…
There was the odd note here and there I had to tune up but mostly she did a pretty good job.
My only mildly negative comment might be about the snare, too muddy for me!
It was only a matter of time before someone mentioned the snare!
Cheers!
I really like it. Nice job, they just get better and better. Sorry, I also don’t like the sound of your drums very much!
Cheers…
As for drums hmmm… doesn’t matter which kit I use, there’s always someone who doesn’t like them and I’ve used a wide variety over the years! I’ve given up trying to please everybody!
I’m still determined to do a release one day using cardboard boxes and kitchen utensils instead!