"Vote Them Out"

[MisterE]

Genre

Rock

Instruments

Lots of guitars acoustic and electric, bass, drums, lots of vocals, various percussion, piano, celli.

For reasons that will instantly become evident, the time has come to unleash this modern-day protest song recorded, arranged, and produced entirely in Studio One 6. I'm the writer, words and music, and I'm playing and singing all the parts with the exception of the drums and a guest vocalist.

Other humans mixed this in Cubase and mastered it with old-school hardware.

Those basics aside, the tune speaks for itself.

 

[Craig Anderton]

Putting my production hat on ... I would recommend a few changes:

• Push the vocals more, like what started kicking in around 2:30.
• For the rhythm section, more drums, and add saturation to the bass so it can punch through at a lower level.
• Have the drums hit harder by compressing them with an 1176-type fast FET compressor.
• Speed up the stereo master by 1 or 2 per cent.
• Given the subject matter, the music seems kind of polite. Rough it up a bit Throw in a couple unexpected arrangement surprises.

Please understand none of this is to say there's anything "wrong" with the music! I just want to help you make your point more effectively.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Love the energy! It's interesting to contrast this version with the one in your blog:
https://themilkmen.space/blog/blog/mm-dig-deep-to-save-the-free-world-drop-vote-them-out

 

[MisterE]

Putting my production hat on ... I would recommend a few changes:

• Push the vocals more, like what started kicking in around 2:30.
• For the rhythm section, more drums, and add saturation to the bass so it can punch through at a lower level.
• Have the drums hit harder by compressing them with an 1176-type fast FET compressor.
• Speed up the stereo master by 1 or 2 per cent.
• Given the subject matter, the music seems kind of polite. Rough it up a bit Throw in a couple unexpected arrangement surprises.

Please understand none of this is to say there's anything "wrong" with the music! I just want to help you make your point more effectively.

Noteworthy that in the same week the administration this protest song addresses has started WWIII that you see it as an underproduced effort devoid of a single redeeming quality.

 

[MisterE]

Love the energy! It's interesting to contrast this version with the one in your blog:
https://themilkmen.space/blog/blog/mm-dig-deep-to-save-the-free-world-drop-vote-them-out

Thank you for noticing. AFAIK, the only difference between the two versions is that the one on my website was a WAV file and the one on YouTube is a mp3. In case you didn't know, YouTube has an option for "sound leveling" which is on by default. What that does, theoretically at least, is try and make the volume between dialog and music not as drastic as it can be when certain music comes in. It seems to help with movies, but may rob music videos of dynamics. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Craig Anderton]

Noteworthy that in the same week the administration this protest song addresses has started WWIII that you see it as an underproduced effort devoid of a single redeeming quality.

Believe me, if I thought it had no redeeming quality, I would never have said "I just want to help you make your point more effectively"! I assumed writers of protest songs want them to be heard by as widely as possible. Based on past experience, listeners often respond favorably to the kinds of tweaks I suggested.

Most of my comments on the music is this thread are intended to help the artist further their vision. Some find my comments helpful, some don't, which is fine. Music is subjective. But hopefully they all know the only reason I'm listening to a song in its entirety is because it has a certain "something" that drew me in. A comment like "push the vocals more" or "more drums" doesn't mean I don't like the vocals or drums, it means I think they're good and deserve more of the spotlight. For a list of things I like about the song, they include:

• The electric guitar's modern-yet-retro guitar tone. Strong without being harsh.
• The mirroring of the drums and guitar by the bass. Sounded like a real rhythm section.
• Writing a song that actually says something.
• The way the drummer takes advantage of the toms (Some drummers seem allergic to toms - I'm a huge fan of toms with the right drummer.)
• The bridge at 1:40 happened at just the right time in the arrangement, and it resolved well with the non-lyric-based vocals and single-note instrument lines.
• It's the right length for a song like this. You didn't starve it and cut it too short, or get overindulgent and make it too long. Compactness helps get a song like this heard. Of course that's all about the arrangement.
• It had a real ending, not a fadeout. To me this underscores that it's a statement, because it didn't just fade off into the distance.

I hope that gives you a different perspective on my suggestions. But to explain my philosophy a little more, I'm personally more interested in negative comments than positive ones - like your reaction just now. It reminded me that in this forum, I'm not dealing with clients who hire me because they want consulting on how to make something better. Without your comment, who knows how long it would have taken for that to sink in with me? Going forward, it's probably best to say what I like first, and then close with any suggestions.

 

[lokeyfly]

Noteworthy that in the same week the administration this protest song addresses has started WWIII that you see it as an underproduced effort devoid of a single redeeming quality.

In all fairness....
Let's keep the discussion on the forum side of things, about the music, and not imposing political diatribe, shall we. Protest songs are not the issue, and should never be as that is free expression. However suggesting political positions such as what you think is starting "WWIII" (in forum commentary) are political in nature. Let's keep it about the song, Studio One/Pro, the guitars, tracking, etc in check, and not about personal attacks or added posturing.

I read Craig's opinions as completely professional, unbiased, and in an effort to enhance the production. Compliments included. His later response even more outreaching.

With that, I enjoyed the song, guitar sound and vocal thickening. I also agree with your take MisterE that the YouTube sound leveling added some of its own leveling on a whole. That's unfortunate, and I've experienced the same Youtube imposed level crushing in my last release as well. Anyway, good luck and keep the music coming.

FWIW, I make no political claims or positions, but enjoy the forum content on a whole. keeping it DAW, or production related just makes it all the better.

 

[MisterE]

Believe me, if I thought it had no redeeming quality, I would never have said "I just want to help you make your point more effectively"! I assumed writers of protest songs want them to be heard by as widely as possible. Based on past experience, listeners often respond favorably to the kinds of tweaks I suggested.

Most of my comments on the music is this thread are intended to help the artist further their vision. Some find my comments helpful, some don't, which is fine. Music is subjective. But hopefully they all know the only reason I'm listening to a song in its entirety is because it has a certain "something" that drew me in. A comment like "push the vocals more" or "more drums" doesn't mean I don't like the vocals or drums, it means I think they're good and deserve more of the spotlight. For a list of things I like about the song, they include:

• The electric guitar's modern-yet-retro guitar tone. Strong without being harsh.
• The mirroring of the drums and guitar by the bass. Sounded like a real rhythm section.
• Writing a song that actually says something.
• The way the drummer takes advantage of the toms (Some drummers seem allergic to toms - I'm a huge fan of toms with the right drummer.)
• The bridge at 1:40 happened at just the right time in the arrangement, and it resolved well with the non-lyric-based vocals and single-note instrument lines.
• It's the right length for a song like this. You didn't starve it and cut it too short, or get overindulgent and make it too long. Compactness helps get a song like this heard. Of course that's all about the arrangement.
• It had a real ending, not a fadeout. To me this underscores that it's a statement, because it didn't just fade off into the distance.

I hope that gives you a different perspective on my suggestions. But to explain my philosophy a little more, I'm personally more interested in negative comments than positive ones - like your reaction just now. It reminded me that in this forum, I'm not dealing with clients who hire me because they want consulting on how to make something better. Without your comment, who knows how long it would have taken for that to sink in with me? Going forward, it's probably best to say what I like first, and then close with any suggestions.

Perhaps you've heard of a "criticism sandwich?" Well, first time around, you forgot the bread. Stating "I just want to help you make your point more effectively" isn't finding at least one element in a deep production to cite as remotely worthy, and sounds a little egotistical to boot. Have you found that "listeners often respond favorably" to your suggestions after detailing things you find wrong with their productions without naming a single element they got right? I doubt that goes over too well with most talent.

I would have been open to your suggestions had you tempered them with all or some of the bullet points you list above. Not being a mind reader, why would I imagine you'd noticed anything positive about it?

Re-reading your last paragraph, which is way more human, thank you, it occurs to me that perhaps you haven't heard the term "criticism sandwich." Let me explain that for people who haven't heard it or aren't native English speakers. First, you find something good to tell a person as a prelude to telling them what they might not want to hear. Then you hit them with the actual criticism. Then you close with at least one more thing you like. That makes someone less defensive and shows you not only care, but you're someone they'd actually listen to cause you were diplomatic enough to deliver your criticism in a palatable form. Then it's perceived as constructive criticism and has every chance of being accepted.

So yeah, I'd agree it would be a more appropriate philosophy to treat posters in this subforum who didn't hire you a little differently than you treat people who hired you expressly to find flaws in their material and fix them.