The reason I’m posting this at night? I want to make sure it works…and I didn’t want to be scrambling with it on my way to work.
I am putting together my new music computer and I haven’t recorded anything in a few years… and what a project it has been! I was wondering if you all would be receptive if I posted any of my songs once in a while? I’m only talking every once in a while…not many. The only thing I request of you…is if you can… listen to it… if possible wear headphones. The reason is I am NOT a good mixer and I mixed them down in headphones which you should never do.
On most, I played all the instruments myself unless I note it otherwise. When I was playing more (before covid) with the guys in my garage…I would make demos to show them…hey this is how it goes.
The songs you will be hearing are basically demos… I made them a few years ago for our band to learn so we could record them properly. Well life happens and that never happened. Some of you have heard some of the songs I’ve emailed to you… and I’ve somehow got positive feedback. I did most of the instruments my self…guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, and programming real drums sounds which I’m not good at. These were never meant for public consumption but what the hell…I’m not 20 anymore trying to make something.
The reason I haven’t posted them before? My terrible voice and I was waiting for my cousin Mark…who is a proper singer to take over but that will take a while…so you would be hearing the rough demos.
So what do you think? Are you game for this? I’ve included an example of a song…this one has no vocals…just something a friend I have and I put together in 10 minutes (really just 10 minutes) a few years ago to work on later. It’s just guitar (him), bass (me), and some drums that I programmed from real drum kits. We called it “Whats In That Brown Paper Bag?”…more as a joke. This is not one of the songs I want feedback on…the feedback on this is how it sounds over your system. It is harder than the usual songs I write. Chris, my friend who plays guitar on this, came up with this riff. It gave me an excuse to have fun playing bass…Also….does it even play?
It’s very repetitive because like I said…it was for the fun of it and so we wouldn’t forget it. Today we are using it as a test. IF it goes well and I don’t get too many “no’s” then I will post one within a week or two with singing and a real song.
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Nice jam, pretty cool stuff. It sounds like an old Cream song.
THANKS JIM!
I wasn’t sure if it would work! Thank you so much
HECK YES! This is freegin fabulous, Max. You’ve been holding out on me!
Awesome! So it played with no trouble?
It started played immediately and clearly as soon as I hit play.
Thank you! I’ve told Chris we need to finish it one day.
Just listened to it again with the headphones on. Your bass really comes through and reminds me of JPJ. Very cool guitar riff by Chris also!
Yea he is a great guitar player. This gave me an excuse to go bananas on bass lol.
And you did. You’re a talented bass player.
Thank you Lisa!
Came through on my end as clear as a bell, Max. Groovy tune, and now looking forward to more!
Thank you so much Bruce…so you are onboard? You haven’t heard my voice yet lol. I appreciate it!
Looking forward to hearing more…and yes, with you singing as well lol.
It has a good beat and is easy to dance to, I give it 10 out of 10. Love the title, love the wah, love the bass. Rock on!
Thanks man! So you wouldn’t mind hearing some more with vocals?
Bring it on!
Yes, I forgot to mention I love the title also!
Wow, yeah …super glad you are posting some of your own music! Will give it a listen tomorrow thru headphones as you suggest thru the computer. I know I heard a couple of three of your songs before thru some other site you had them on & they sounded better than you gave yourself credit for.
Thanks…it’s unfinished…no vocals…it’s just a test to see if it will play from that soundcloud site I post things to.
Yes!
Thank you Randy!
” Iv’e got a feeling, a feeling deep inside, oh yeah.” Why not post more of them Max?
Thanks Phil! I will soon. I posted this to make sure it played…that is why I didn’t post a real song…but everything went well on Soundcloud so I will.
Keep it up brother.
Yep, that was damn good- felt Kravitzy to my ear. Again, I know little about the intricacies of music, but I know what I like. What IS in that mysterious paper bag?!?
It all played fine through the ‘phones as well. Carry on Max. (And I would tell you straight if it didn’t do it for me.)
Thank you so much for listening…yea that was a fun unfinished thing that I thought I would test by… hmmm…I guess the mystery will remain until it’s finished…the mystery of the brown paper bag
I dig this!!!!
Thanks Keith!
Sounds great mate, tasty tones there. Definitely upload more!
Thanks Jeremy!
It sounds good to my ears. Well done.
Thank you for listening!
I want to hear your voice but the accompaniment is fantastic. Surely it will obliterate the crapiness of the voice. (I’m being series). You’ve got to dive into the deep end if you want to learn how to swim. (Says me cowing like a f***ing piano playing idiot.)
LOL…I am going to post those as well…this was a test to see if people could hear it. Soundcloud worked really well. Thanks Bruce
Pretty funky, man! Yeah – of course I’d be interested in hearing more. 🙂
Thanks !
This has a really cool sound and vibe to it. I agree with the Kravitz comparison. I say vocals are not needed at all. Save that for another song.
I could hear it just fine. It actually sounds great. I like the guitar tone, the bass is prominent and the drums beat is great. All-in-all, I think this is awesome. I would be up for hearing the your music.
Thanks John!
Great stuff Sir…throw it out there as you just never know who might be listening!
I just don’t want to get booed lol.
We’ll promise not to boo you.
ah…I want criticism… that is the only way you learn…
We didn’t say no critiques…just no boos – how about no boos without elaboration?
That works!
Wowza! It sounds great to me.
Thank you!
Of course on posting tunes (I said this before I listened to the cut)
You know I like a good instrumental. I could stay in the groove on ”What’s in The Brown Paper Bag”. Not kidding Max, that is very cool. Can I use it as my theme music. I’m listening to it twice. No vocals are good
We will change it to CB’s theme! That will work
I’m going to bust that out every time I make an entrance anywhere. Looking forward to more.
Now that would be an entrance!
pretty good buddy! Especially for ten minutes work? Plays ok on both my phone and on the computer, will do what you say and listen through the headphones since first two times (once on each device) was through their speakers and the guitar kind of took over the sound, but I think that’s the limitations of the speakers not your mix… I expect I’ll hear your bass a bit more when hearing the way you intended it! Looking forward to more,for sure.
Yep…the bass is booming through the headphhones…I’m getting some cheap flat computer speakers and mix it on there and see how that is
Sounds great to me – reminds me a bit of early Stereophonics 🙂
Thank you for listening Kevin…the others vary from power pop to rock
Sounds great! DO IT!
Thanks John! This is much harder than the rest of them.
As long as you don’t post this track, I’m all good, Max!😆
On a more serious note, I think this would be totally cool!
As for this particular track, it sounds pretty groovy. I like both your friend’s guitar work, especially the sound, as well as your melodic bass-playing!
So, yes, you passed the audition. More please!😀
Thanks Christian I appreciate it!
You already know my answer…
Okidoki… I’ll probably post the first one next week for power pop friday.
Awesome!
I’m going to try to mix it again before I do it…so we will see
Sounds good. Like something I might exercise to or listen to while driving. But not right now. 🙂
Thanks for listening! My songs are not that hard usually…they are more jangly power pop songs.
Nice! Will it come out on 8 track?
I’ll try to arrange that! lol
Max! Clean sound, anticipatory form, room for a killer guitar solo, and ready for some angsty lyrics. Been a while. I didn’t realize it was going to be tougher with two kids, haha! Surviving (barely). Not much time for movies or music, but the summer will be a good redemption. Hope all is well. Nice to hear you shred!
Once they get a little older you will have some time…that is when you are not trying to score Valium for going insane…lol.
Thanks man…I’m going to start posting some of the real songs I’ve written.
Haha! I keep reminding myself that the time will come. Rylan is a lot more fun now that she can talk more and run around. She loves her goofy dad 🙂
Please send those songs our way. You’ve got the knack and passion for this sound. You’re becoming a focus of your own reviews, haha!
LOL… oh yes I won’t lie…I didn’t know what to do with Bailey until he learned to talk…that is when we really bonded…I loved him of course before but we got a lot closer after that.
This is a fun groove. Straight ahead. Plays well. As a mixer, I’m curious about what DAW you’re using, and also wanted to share that I do pre mixing EQ thru headphones. I like having the sound unmediated into my head. Final mix thru monitors though. I use Logic Pro and encourage people not to get hung up about vocals. You can do a hell of a lot of clean up on the DAW.
Thanks for listening! I use Cubase. I’m sure not a mixer!
What I’ve done now…I’m an IT guy so I got some cheap cheap computer speakers and I’m trying to mix on them. I’ve read where it’s best mixed on flat speakers…the problem is getting the bass up on those speakers….it makes the bass way too loud.
When I play some of the recordings I’ve done on speakers…they sound completely different. The difference is…you know what you are doing and I don’t!
I may post one this Friday if I can figure this out.
I’ve only been working with DAW for a couple of years. My mentor is a trained sound engineer. I’m an old school “classically trained”musician. So I’m also learning! But I like your sound!
Wow…that is cool. I’m NOT a trained anything…I learned by ear starting off…I wish I would have been trained more. I’ve worked with Cubase off and on for a few years…it’s not the easist thing in the world getting all the plugins and everything else to mesh.
Thank you so much! My other stuff is more power pop I would say…and I’ve been told “Max your music sounds 20th Century” which I say thank you lol.
This pure rock genre I love to counteract the sappy pop I hear today/ Go for it. Why don’t you add some horn tracks for an ex trombone player?
I do have a song with horns…and a clavinet that I will post
Thank you.