Your music! (any and all types are welcome)

It's pretty decent, bro. One thing that bothers me though is that your drummer doesn't follow the syncopated rhythm of the guitars/bass on that first track. It kind of lessens the flow a little bit.

JimmyB wrote:

Harbor.  I only posted this here, because I will be uploading a video of it within a few hours.

So where is it?

Harbortown wrote:

JimmyB wrote:

Harbor.  I only posted this here, because I will be uploading a video of it within a few hours.

So where is it?

Currently unable to sing-sore throat.

Like usual, a thread turns to being all about Jimmy. Ugh, will it ever end.........

33RPMHero wrote:

Well here it is, I only practiced it for 20 minutes so it's a really rough cover that I recorded on my ipone.  I'm sure as time goes on and with practice it will sound better and more polished.  My voice really sounds strained and sucky on it.  haha.  I'm pretty proud of the lyrics though and it at least I was able to come up with some rhythm.  It's called for "Urban Hymn"

https://soundcloud.com/gaslightfan59/urban-hymn-original-testing

I thing your singing is much better than on the first covers you posted a few month ago. Looking forward to hear the final versions of your songs!

Okay, my most recent written song.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=821719991187093&set=vb.345208378838259&type=2&theater

Harbortown wrote:

It's pretty decent, bro. One thing that bothers me though is that your drummer doesn't follow the syncopated rhythm of the guitars/bass on that first track. It kind of lessens the flow a little bit.

Thanks for checking and for the advice!

HolyBreakOfDay wrote:

33RPMHero wrote:

Well here it is, I only practiced it for 20 minutes so it's a really rough cover that I recorded on my ipone.  I'm sure as time goes on and with practice it will sound better and more polished.  My voice really sounds strained and sucky on it.  haha.  I'm pretty proud of the lyrics though and it at least I was able to come up with some rhythm.  It's called for "Urban Hymn"

https://soundcloud.com/gaslightfan59/urban-hymn-original-testing

I thing your singing is much better than on the first covers you posted a few month ago. Looking forward to hear the final versions of your songs!

Thanks! Always like hearing from ya. Thanks for the kind words

These are my first non crappy iphone recordings. Would really appreciate it if anyone gave the time to listen. https://soundcloud.com/napier-avalon-jones

I think I may just stop posting my music on here, since I never get any feedback on it.

JimmyB wrote:

I think I may just stop posting my music on here, since I never get any feedback on it.

Generally your guitar playing is off-tempo and shaky, and generally your singing lacks dynamics (and is sometimes off-key).

One time you said you've been singing for several years. I don't want to be that guy but you need a lot of practice in that area or just to consider maybe focusing on improving your guitar skills.
Either way, as far as your songs are concerned, I find that most of them just aren't (to me) very interesting. They lack structure and seem like a bunch of chord progressions with a random melody thrown on top, all of it without direction. I don't mean to be harsh, but you wanted feedback and that's the best feedback I can give you without being a total dick.

Harbortown wrote:

JimmyB wrote:

I think I may just stop posting my music on here, since I never get any feedback on it.

Generally your guitar playing is off-tempo and shaky, and generally your singing lacks dynamics (and is sometimes off-key).

One time you said you've been singing for several years. I don't want to be that guy but you need a lot of practice in that area or just to consider maybe focusing on improving your guitar skills.
Either way, as far as your songs are concerned, I find that most of them just aren't (to me) very interesting. They lack structure and seem like a bunch of chord progressions with a random melody thrown on top, all of it without direction. I don't mean to be harsh, but you wanted feedback and that's the best feedback I can give you without being a total dick.

Ugh, John, Ugh. How dare you? You make me sick!

The Angry Johnny Revue wrote:

These are my first non crappy iphone recordings. Would really appreciate it if anyone gave the time to listen. https://soundcloud.com/napier-avalon-jones

Pretty sweet, dude. I like the simplistic arrangements and the kinda grungy feel of "Down at the place.."

I just feel like your singing needs some work because the melody isn't really very clear a lot of the time. You've got some pretty sweet stuff to work with though as far as the music and lyrics are concerned.

33RPMHero wrote:

Ugh, John, Ugh. How dare you? You make me sick!

I just you're just gonna have to...

deal with it

Harbortown wrote:

The Angry Johnny Revue wrote:

These are my first non crappy iphone recordings. Would really appreciate it if anyone gave the time to listen. https://soundcloud.com/napier-avalon-jones

Pretty sweet, dude. I like the simplistic arrangements and the kinda grungy feel of "Down at the place.."

I just feel like your singing needs some work because the melody isn't really very clear a lot of the time. You've got some pretty sweet stuff to work with though as far as the music and lyrics are concerned.

33RPMHero wrote:

Ugh, John, Ugh. How dare you? You make me sick!

I just you're just gonna have to...

deal with it

Just what I wanted to hear from you. I think I'll crack open a bottle of Jim Beam too.

Fine. I give up. I'm done trying to be anything special.

So anyway here's two of my new songs that I intend to record as soon as I get my new microphone, the quality is really shoddy as vocaroo does that when you upload, but here goes:
http://vocaroo.com/i/s18ezgfXDvIh

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1xNXd0ZDBSu

These recordings sound a lot like some kind of Gregory Alan Isakov type of music, which essentially it is, but I've recently been inspired to add percussion, mandolin and a whole bunch of other folky instruments. It's gonna be lush with sounds.

JimmyB wrote:

Fine.  I give up.  I'm done trying to be anything special.

Why would you try to be special? Be yourself and do what you love.

Look, either you could take my advice to heart or you can sit around and mope. I don't give a fuck anymore.

JimmyB wrote:

Fine.  I give up.  I'm done trying to be anything special.

It's called practice Jimmy. No one is going to just be good at anything. I had a buddy who always complained about not being able to play. He always said I don't want to take the time to learn I just want to be able to play it. Guess what? He turned out to be a douche. I'm just saying keep practicing...and you will get better. Try new things with your voice. I started singing a year or two ago and have made a little bit of improvement and I am happy I am making at least a little bit. There is no reason to mope around....just play like the rest of us do and overtime you will make improvement. Then again, some people just don't have an interesting voice when they sing, maybe John is right and just focus on your guitar playing for now.

I've been playing for 10 years. I've been singing since high school. I've gotten compliments on my voice. I've had a professional around here complement my guitar playing..were they all really lies?

I really love the lyrics you write Jimmy, and I think you should keep on practicing. Your guitar playing is really not bad (mine is ahah) and your voice is not bad either, but you're sometimes ouf of key. But again, you've got a real talent in writting lyrics, I'm jealous of it, so you should keep on practicing because those lyrics are great!

Hartbortown, I'm really jealous too.    And I like the way you talk about your songs at the beginning.

@Jimmy: well i, too think your guitar playing isn't that bad (but the recording quality is - so i can't really tell..) but your singing kinda not touches me. I myself am trying to sing every now and than and i'm getting better on being in key - but my voice isn't that interesting - as is yours in my opinion - so i'd say you should take Johns and 33rpmhero's advice and focus on your guitar playing/ songwriting. Maybe find someone with a good voice but without your potential for songwriting - and team up with him/her? i don't know. But wining on here about how good you are and how nobody recognizes you - that's the way to piss people off. It gets to no point. I'd say what about you practice one song for like three month and just when you're really happy with it/ got a proper recording you post it on here?

@Harbortown: Wow, you did it again man! album soon, eh? Great stuff! and i totally get this Gregory Alan Isakov thing  

Harbortown wrote:

So anyway here's two of my new songs that I intend to record as soon as I get my new microphone, the quality is really shoddy as vocaroo does that when you upload, but here goes:
http://vocaroo.com/i/s18ezgfXDvIh

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1xNXd0ZDBSu

These recordings sound a lot like some kind of Gregory Alan Isakov type of music, which essentially it is, but I've recently been inspired to add percussion, mandolin and a whole bunch of other folky instruments. It's gonna be lush with sounds.

Your low register is so phenomenal. You have such interesting vocal color on the bottom end and I'm always going to listen no matter what because of that. I got excited after hearing the first song so I jumped the gun on this post. I'm going to listen to the second one now but I can tell you the first one is great.

Have you ever heard Augustana? You occasionally remind me of Dan Layus' lower register and that's a very good thing. You also have a great voice for singing with girls simply because you're a strong baritone with great tone and pitch. And we talked about how awesome the guy-girl dynamic is.

Record with good quality. Also, where do you live? I always forget whether you live in Sweden or some place in the US of A. Maybe just PM me and I could hook you up with studio time if you live somewhere in my vicinity.

As for Jimmy…here's why I never comment on your songs:

You take everything way too hard, like it's always life or death. I know, because I used to be that way. You can't do that. You have a lot to work on and I don't want to be the person that sends you into a tailspin where you start wallowing in self-pity. I used to be shit at writing and singing. Do you want a sample of my lyrics at 13? Here we go, I still remember because it was so terrible:

"Pens, papers, notebooks/Leftover lunch cooked"

Now imagine that sung off-key over a shitty Nirvana knockoff riff that was very dissonant and didn't match the melody. I'm not saying you're that bad, but the point is a lot of us have been doing this for a while. And no one is good at the beginning. No one. I can tell you're very insecure and that should show you something about where you are in this thing. If you feel the need to have people validate you or report to us when someone says that you're really great…then I think you should maybe think about what that means.

-

JimmyB wrote:

I've been playing for 10 years.  I've been singing since high school.  I've gotten compliments on my voice.  I've had a professional around here complement my guitar playing..were they all really lies?

I wouldn't call them lies as much as untruths told to not hurt your feelings. I always make a point to compliment musicians after a gig or something, it doesn't necessarily mean I liked it.

Have you taken any professional music classes? Because if you sing in a choir you can get away with basically anything. I think what you need is a professional teacher who can actually tell you what you're doing wrong because if you don't hear that, you won't improve.