Much better. :-) Cool stuff. Now you get those tracks noise-free and boost up the EQ, and you've got yourself a hit!

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This is one hell of a charming song. Wonderful voice. And I hear you took Miss C's advice on the remix. Here's my advice: start with further developing the song. I mean... make it longer (it's more than worth it). I was waiting for a breakthrough... something loud... and then coming back again to the original chords and melody. Sooo much potential in this. Sure I will follow your progress...

- Walter

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Thank you for commenting or I would not have gone to your page and heard your beautiful voice and lyrics. I don't know how to describe it to you - you are like no other person - but you do what Nick Cave and Serge Gainsberg (sp) do to me.

Anyway, I will take that as homework to develop this song.

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Very interesting song and singing - like Miss C said, remove the hiss and (for me) sort out the backing. What happened to the drums - they just kind of stopped?? This song probably deserves a full backing band - bass, drums, keys - in order to bring out it's best. I know that's difficult when you're just starting out, but worth thinking about for the future. Your main vocal and harmony are good.
I see that you are in the early stages of recording your songs. It sounds like you have a lot of potential, but the process (and maybe your mic) is letting you down a bit. My new year prediction is that you will sort these both out and we will be hearing some excellent new songs from you.
Happy Christmas and a productive new year!
Neil

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well, I like the sudden cutting off of drums. it's deliberate, but I'll give it a second thought. but about the back up band, I agree. I'm new to recording because I much prefer playing live. I wish I had a real drummer and other people for this song, too. I'm not a stranger to singing/playing with others. Problem is I'm new in Austin and in grad school, so I haven't found any people to play with. Hopefully I can meet people here. Thank you very much for your suggestions.

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Estellie, I probably should have been more specific - I meant a virtual band, with drum loops but other MJers on bass and keys - there are always people willing to help out. I just don't think that drums without bass sounds right - to me they just work well together (probably because I'm a bass player : )
Walter's comments are well worth following for sure.
Neil

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<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/27228">If God Is Love (with Alfalpha)</a>

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would be very rich. hadn't thought of adding MORE to this. well, i'll test some out and develop more and on and on. I think your right, drums, especially this kind of drum are naked without the bass. I play a little keyboard, so I'll play with that as well. there's so much out there I can do. thanks. and thanks for your compliments earlier.

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I can think of an exception to the naked drum rule though: The White Stripes. I however, am not such a guitarist who can make fill up a song the way Jack White does.

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..... just a preference of mine - I'm sure it can be done quite successfully : ) Must listen to the White Stripes some day.
Neil

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If God Is Love (with Alfalpha)

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Just noticed you with this song... and I see you have some great Macjammers here helping you (MissChaos, Moorlandt, Jiguma...) Not much I can add here, except that I'm a lover of catchy melodies, and you have that here, the beginnings of a great song indeed... and a nice voice too. So the next things you should look into are (1) The drums stop at an odd place, and don't return. Usually in a song there's the main theme, then a chorus or refrain, and people often use different intensity in those two parts... you may want to structure this similarly, where the main part has drums, the refraini doesn't, but when you return to the main part, bring the drums back... that's just an example. (2) To reduce the hiss on the vocal recording, try singing closer to the mic and drop the recording volume a little, so you don't pick up as much room noise, that may help (same advice on the guitar recording). Finally, your harmonies were nice, but not enough... it would be great to hear a little more harmony parts through this song.... again, maybe a bunch in the chorus, not as much in the main part, or vice versa. Hope that is useful. I look forward to more of your music, and possible collabs with bass players and otehrs here... you've found a great place!
ttfn,
Drakonis

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you just need to get some command of digital recording (and I don't say that to disparage, it's taken me almost two years to begin feeling comfortable in this realm). I can see that others have already extended some advice to you, here's what I noticed: the song begs for more (or is that me?), a neat little break, a build up. With some arrangement, it would be a killer, instead of a nice little ditty. I'm not sure what kind of microphone you use, but Drak's ideas are good, and if they don't help, a better mic will help immensely. Drums, I'm listening on my laptop with its poor excuse for speakers, but even so, I could hardly hear the drums.
As Moorlandt said, much potential here.

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looks like your getting some good feedback here, so rather than be redundant on the audio quality, I'd just like to add that your voice is terrific and its a great song. I particularly enjoy the vocal melody line and how it plays out over the guitar. keep em coming

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I will.

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*estella

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i really like your voice and music creativity, i just wish your songs were a little longer. keep up the great work ! thanks for sharing your talent with us.

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I appreciate your comments. Better you want more song than less! I agree with you. I don't feel any of my songs have been fully developed. I'll work on it. Take care and happy new year!

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*estella

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Hey Estellie - I'll try not to repeat what's been said before. Firstly, vocal and harmonies are superb - you have a real sultry quality to your voice which I love. The song is really good (I'd like to see the lyric to get more of a feel for structure). As for backing - well, I personally miss the bass, but you've gotta try stuff and see what feels right for you ... that way, you'll develop your own thang.

Looking forward to hearing more great stuff from you in 2007

Steve

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resonating with heart.. empathising. soft, haunting and beautiful. love the accompaniment of your other voice not just harmonising your original melody line but complimenting it.

thank you very much for sharing this :)


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had to check this one ...sound great i like the lyric and your voice is lovely

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I'm glad you liked it : )

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*estella

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You should do a proper version of this song. It's great! Clearly it needs to be done. Kind of a Dido feel.
Dave

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