Kara-Moon Forum

Another poprock tune I recently finished. No singularities in this one. Straightforward guitar stuff.

Here it is:

http://www.martin-e-music.nl/mp3/dancinginthewind.mp3

Martin

Another well crafted piece of work. It's very mainstream (that's not a criticism by the way), with some good changes. Lots of detail, which I always like :)

Thanks Folderol.

Yeah. I'm doing more mainstream stuff lately I guess. But not to the point that it gets to be boring or predictable, I hope  ;D

Another good one, i allways look forward to songs of you.
You should realy create a band and go live with your stuff.

k

Thanks Kara.

Playing live again? That has been a long time ago. I really don't think I could accomodate my life now in such a way to make room for gigging. All I need is a band that's interested in playing my tunes.

That souldn't be difficult IMHO, your music is realy good.

Well, it could be difficult to play it well of course  :o :-\

k

Hey Martin!

Another beautiful Martin E song. Chord progression makes for a nice mood. Vocals are spot on as usual. The guitars sound great. Some very nice analog sounding synths (really like the sound choices). Some excellent changes and a proper ending (for a change ;) ;D). Excellent dynamics throughout. Although, I like the break at 2:22, I think it could have been a little longer and developed a little further before getting back in the tune and getting back in maybe with a bigger "splash". Well, just a thought and certainly not a criticism. Moot anyway, since the song is finished.

Excellent tune...well written, played, mixed and produced.

Hi Fred. Thanks for the comment. Glad you like it.

The analog sounding lead synth part is done with a freebie called Memorymoon by Voltkitchen. The synth in the intro and the verses is another freebie called StringZ by Krakli. I did use some heavy fx on it. In the middle section I used a hardware Roland Super JD990. Which is still a great synth module IMHO.

I knew you would like the ending and the dynamics  ;D  ;)

The break at 2:22 could have been extended for sure, but this is what it is for now.



I have to credit Max for part of the mix. He gave me some very good advice and showed me some tips and tricks. He also did a remix of Mighty Kingdom (well part of it anyway) that I'll maybe post later on.

Martin

Martin, I wouldn't have guessed you had help on the mixing...you always do such a good job on that.

BUT, now Max, you know you have to share those tips and tricks with me as well!!!  I can give you some tips on laying hardwood floor in exchange (just finished the hallway). I promise not to mention it to the Mrs. ;)

This is so cool Martin ;) You sound very professional.
Excellent Vocals, nice Structure :)

Well Max didn't give me advice on this mix in particular but he gave me some general tips and insight in the things he had done to the remix of "Mighty Kingdom". Consequently I applied this in the mix of "Dancing in the wind" and I think it worked out very well and gave the song a more professional sound.

Thanks Neon. How are things over in Greece. Fire hazards were pretty bad. Went to Kos myself this summer.

Things are getting "calmer" here, but still the destruction remains... I hope you had a nice Holiday here in my country, man. Kos is a very beautiful Island ;)
Thanks for asking.

Peter

@ Neon. Kos was great, no doubt. Very friendly and relaxed.

Martin,

Thoughtfully laid out, some pleasant surpises, easy to enjoy. Some composers have an innate respect for the listener....ya, I'm talkin' about you, fella  ;D !

Thanks Oren.

I do what I can  ;D

I don't like doing repeats, but.....
 :-[
Martin,

Sorry it's taken me so long to get round to giving this song a listen.

But.......well worth the wait......this is SO professional, and so enjoyable.....

Thank you!
 ;D
James

Thanks again, James  ;D

Hi Martin
I've been away for a while and now I'm glad to be back to listen to all the good things you and the others posted here.
This is very nice, I like the different moods of the guitars and vocals are superb as usual. Very solid song, but there are enough variations to keep it interesting all the time. Excellent production

Cheers

Hi Laguna

Good to see you back. Thanks for the kind words

This is a great piece of music!

Your attention to detail is evident here. Everything fits like a glove. Your vox is spot on!

It get two thumbs up from MarioD

Hi Martin

A superb song as usual - can't think of anything I'd want to change. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Mario and FM. Glad you enjoyed it.

Very good work indeed. Natural and clever arranging of the parts, superb vocals and perfect mixing and mastering job.

 Cheers, Petru

Martin,

This is really beautiful. I really like the way
your voice is so clear and easy to hear, even though
it isn't loud.

Really beautiful song and a really nice mix as well.

If you wanted to share more about what you have learned about
how to mix like that, I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks,

Wyatt

Thanks Petru and Wyatt. Glad you like it.

@Wyatt. A lot of things are involved off course in getting the sound of an end product such as; the host you use, the source sounds you have, the plug-ins you use during tracking, your mixing skills, the plug-ins you use for mastering and your mastering skills. I don't excel in any of these areas but I've managed to get a decent average level in them that leads to a sound that you guys seem to appreciate. And I've obtained a number of plug-ins to do the job for me in a way that suits my needs
As said earlier in this thread I've improved my mixing skills considerably (at last I think so) in the last few months. Doing some reading and getting some help from guys like Max.
I wouldn't mind sharing my working methods. (for what they are worth, because I don't consider myself a pro at all). But I think I'll do so in a seperate thread cos it could get a bit lenghty.
However at the moment I'm a bit busy with work and my volunteer job at the local soccer club (beginning of the season) so you'll have to bear with me.

I'll get back to you.

Martin

Martin,

That's so cool! 

Even with folks using different hardware/software, a lot can be learned.

This latest mix of yours just jumped out at me in 3-D..I have always
thought you had a terrific singing voice, and in this song it is showcased
to perfection..awesome.

I really look forward to hearing about how you did that, when things slow down a bit for you.

That sort of thing always seems to point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

Wyatt