I missed the other version, but this sounds good. I like the chorus the best :) Very emotional stuff here, I admire that. A lot of care and effort went into this and it all pays off. Thanks for sharing.

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I'm so happy that you liked this version. The older version is still listed on my artist page. Even now when I listen to it, I can hear how long this song has come along. Thanks so much for the listen and comment!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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Everything sounds so much better. The lead guitars still are out of whack. Maybe just leave them off! They seem to detract from the song.

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I'm glad that all the hours that I've put into this song in the last little while have paid off. I understand what you're saying about the guitar, maybe I've just listened to it so many times I can't "hear" it anymore. I'm going to get my guitars looked at soon. Thanks for the listen and comment!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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The guitar leads work for me.
I love the real drums and acoustics. I just love to find real music with heart n soul. Nice song. Well laid ut and performed. great cuz vox as well as the character in the lead vocal. very soulful.
Enjoyed this very much.
Thanks for sharing.
Tim

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Thanks very much for the comment and listen. I'm still not 100% with the vocals, but the rest of the mix I'm very happy with. 2 or 3 hours with it yesterday, and it's finally to a point where I'm ok with it. I recorded this before I really paid attention to what I should be doing, so mixing the levels was a bit of a nightmare. Glad to see that the hard work is paying off!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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i believe in what i call dumb luck. sometimes knowing less is better. The more i learn aout GB, the more time i spend editing and mixing, and less time playing. so dont let not knowing slow you down i think it a good thing.
I use to record on a workstation and the mix went direct to disc and i had to pan and fade manualy with nobs and i miss that cause it was final. I could do it over and over but i was quicker to finalize a project and move to the next one.
here you can go back and go back and go back
if you know what i mean.
I think you did a great job.
Tim


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"Sooner or latter it all gets real...Walk On"

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Lead works well for me too.

This has turned out so nice Jen. Good work, everyone!

. - Harold

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It's been a long process, but I've learned a tonne just with this song! Still waiting for Flying High, or did I miss it?

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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Heh, sooner or later, I'll get it done :-|

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I'm looking forward to it Harold!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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Overall, I like this one a little better... some parts have gotten a little worse, but many other parts are a lot better and make up for it. There are a couple of noticeable dissonant notes early on between guitar/piano I think that sound incorrect. The backup singing adds a little, although it is usually in unison instead of harmony... even still, it does make this better. I didn't notice the little piano/guitar embellishments on the last version, there are little leading notes that help guide into the next verse that are now really sweet, I like that! Your singing is great on this! Drums... well, it's Mike, so they're great. The performance between piano, drums, guitar, and singing is a little loose, timing-wise, and now that there are a lot of things going on, it is on the verge of getting muddy... I might increase the bass (instrument) a little? There are a lot of midrange instruments competing (voice, guitar, piano). Great rolling song, Jen! And what a learning experience this has been for you, you are doing really well!
ttfn,
Drakonis

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I was not so patiently waiting for you to come across this version, as I value your opinion greatly! I hear what you are saying about the loosenss, but I simply couldn't bring myself to re-record every instrument. It started as just adding some background vocals. And then I decided to re-record the lead vocals, then lots of mixing and Eq'ing. What parts would you change?

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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You moody thang you. Yes! I think you nailed the vocal. This is a lovely piece Jennifer. Tore me up when the electric guitar riff came in...just right. A well-written, well-played and BEAUTIFULLY sung collab. Abundant kudos!


Be well!

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How to make a gal smile! Thanks for such a wonderful comment. The vocals are a little "off" here and there, but I think that it adds to the over-all feel of the track. Thanks for the listen and comment!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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I wish you all could have heard what I just did.

See, I have this totally bootleg version of "So Selfish" on my computer. Well, not *really* bootleg: I got it straight from Jennifer two months ago, just a couple of days after Sarah added her backing vox. With all the improvements made and the new backing vocals - it put the song right over the top for me ... I was already a fan of the song, and it got even better. Like Jennifer mentioned in the song description above, I did kinda pester her about letting people hear that version. So, I was pretty well stoked when I saw this one pop up.

While I think you all are hearing the best version posted on MacJams, there is a better version out there, and it's sitting right here on my computer. And that's what I wish you could all could have heard: I just got done playing a line-by-line comparison of MJ song 29710 versus my bootleg. While there's no doubt the mix has improved since my mid-January bootleg (mid-range nitpicks aside), there's one element that will have me returning to my bootleg every time: the lead vocals.

I am the last person who should ever say anything about anyone's singing. I have a version of a song that I've written from the ground up with my vocals, and I'm not sure I'll ever inflict it on you folks, but I clearly do not have one-hundredth the vocal talent that Jennifer has.

But there's just something about this take ... Jennifer: I can't say that you're flat because you're not, but it just sounds to me like you're hunting a bit, a touch uncertain. I think the very first re-record you did of your vocals after Sarah added her part was the best I've ever heard you sing (although my frame of reference so far is admittedly limited). So unbelievably pure, you stuck every note with such conviction and passion, and that very first appearance of the chorus (before the drums kicked in) was just a thing of beauty.

It's not that MJ-29710 is a bad take, the enhancements to the mix are really well-done and SO necessary. I actually think the depth of that is tough to grasp without doing a side-by-side comparison as I just did. It's just that in my humble opinion you caught some real vocal magic back there in mid-January. I guess I just wish other people could hear what I'm listening to right now.

OK ... I'm letting go now. I know you're done with this song. You can't wait to get to your next tunes and I can't wait to hear them - maybe with you on live drums, even? So go get 'em! Thanks for posting this one.

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Thanks Mike. Good thing that I SAVED the other vocals tracks, the ones that you are speaking of. You could be entirely right, and I'll take a listen for that tonight. If you like, you could post the version that you have under your name, and see which one wins out? Up to you my friend!

Then again, maybe I'll just have 20 versions of this one song on MacJams! LOL!

Thank you again for lending your excellent skills to my work. And I'll be working on kicking it on the drums myself sometime soon!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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I think there are more songs in you that are kicking and screaming to get out. I don't think you should hold them back any more trying to squeeze perfection out of this one because it's already great.

I couldn't post what I've got anyway because it doesn't have the mix improvements that are so essential. Like I said before, your EQ work was great and there's a really nice stereo space now that's sorely missing on my bootleg.

It's just funny how fickle the human voice can be. On that song I mentioned before where I'm singing, I recorded half of it one day and another verse of it a full month later. And you can SO tell the difference. Funny how our singing is affected by the world around us ... one night may have been a perfect night - great dinner, glass of wine or two, fun weekend plans on the horizon and we sing our guts out. The next time we try, it's turned a bit colder, our significant other is on a business trip, whatever ...

So, we'll leave "So Selfish" right where it is, and you'll get to work on your paradiddles and flamacues!

Besides, I kinda like knowing that I have this little gem right here on my HD. Oh, look at me, I'm playing it again ...

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I can always send you another "bootleg"... How's about that? I'm sure that could be arranged for later on this evening. See what you think and all!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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So Mike's dabbling in bass now - the complete rhythm section :)
Nit pickers are ON: like the vox, although not as true as I remember, I'm with Chad on the guitar solo, drums are brilliant - congratulations Mike, bass could be louder for sure, but well played, a great song, with lots of "grunt" and a really nice development. The major improvement I note is the leap forward in production - volume is up, very present in all areas.
Nice job!!
Neil

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You HAVE to be kidding me, Neil. I hope that Jennifer will back me up ... I submitted that bass part as a placeholder - a scratch track, really until she got something worthy. I even dropped your name, hoping she would call on your services.

I just implored Jennifer to close the door on this song so she can move on and inspire us with other tunes. Still, it would have been nice to have you in on this one for sure.

I appreciate your compliment, you know it means a lot to me coming from you.

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Yes, Mike DID throw that in there as pretty much a filler. BUT, I did really like the simplicity of it, so I stuck with it. I agree with you Neil, I like it and think that it's well done.

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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Glad that you liked the production, I've spent more hours than I care to admit on this one. Yes, I'm getting the guitars looked at soon, once I find the time to get them done that is, which in the near future is going to be hard to come by. But thanks for taking a listen and leaving a comment, your opinion is one that I always look forward to !

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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...which, when I come to think of it, would be some meeting...

I love this in headphones, where the lead and background vocals sound really nice. I like the Young-ish lead guitar and rhythm strumming against the Harvest-era drumming... Having live drumming is such a luxury and gives it a really solid and real feel....

Terrific lyrics and terrific melody... Tired of me saying that you're basically a strong songwriter, and that's where all the good stuff starts?...

[Are you really playing a left-handed guitar, or is that a flopped picture?]

A lot of MacJammers should hear this for an example of good, solid songcraft with emotion that never gets cloying...

Ed

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Thanks for the awesome comment! I'm so happy that you appreciate my song writing, that means volumes to me!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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It isn't a lefty guitar, it's a righty. My iSight camera likes to flip things around on me!

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-- the artist formally known as minigurl --

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gets greater with every post. Already a classic in my book. I admire your work on this, it's worth every second spent. Splendid vocal melody and brilliant lyrics. I love your evolvement. Isn't this a great place?

- Walter

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Big Song came from Great Focus and Collabs.

What a Fine Job.

Very Best,
rtc

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awesome ... I m glad i found your music ..love this
spirit in your voice ...marvelous drums and guitar
work ..came just in time ..good lyircs indeed !!
great song wish to hear more from you my friend ..
thnx alot for sharin !!!!

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