This is very beautiful guitar playing, with a great, distinctive middle eastern feel. I'm not sure it needs any kind of embellishments. Strings (violin, etc.) could be a good enhancement. Percussion could work well, if you can find someone to record it (I use loops for my percussion tracks, which only works if the original is recorded to a click track). I would be very interested in seeing your documentary, when it is done.

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Denny, this is a very moving piece as is. I agree with perceptualvortex: It doesn't really need anything extra, just an ending and less air in the background. I can't wait to see the documentary. This music is so indigenous to that culture and I think you're off to a great start here. I hope your documentary shows us what the media will never show us or is too scared to show us. Stay safe and keep up the good work.

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Have look at the forum I put up if you haven't already which give a little more info on how it came about. My mission in the next three weeks is to get as much footage together as I can. The BBC and Channel4 as well as Channel 9 in Oz have shown interest. I would really like to get some recording gear over here next time and make and give the tracks the real justice. Hopefully when there is a budget we will produce the piece of art on the screen as it is to me here. Just really glad to share this part of my life with you guys and get some instant feedback.

I took this audio from extracting it from a camcorder I gave to the to film for me so as you can imagine the footage is really amateur and the sound is as it is for them.

Please pass on to all your fans so I can show the Iraqi man playing that the world loves his playing and inspire him to continue to be brave and play and say more.

God Bless


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sound for a camcorder. This is genuine... you can tell they've been jamming for sometime. A bit of a Serenade. Has a flamenco sound. The master and his pupil. Reminds me of when I grew up in Brazil, my friends and I in our neighborhood would gather in the evening taking turns playing some of the local classics.

If you were to use Logic, there are some factory master settings to help clean up recordings... That might be an easy way to enhancd the sound. All in all it's a fine piece of work.

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Denny, the best person I can think of at MJ for advice on how to clean this up would be Alimar. I for one don't think you should mess about with it too much - maybe just remove the hiss and try to boost the instruments a bit. You may not be aware of Feter, and Iraqi who is also a MJer - definitely worth having a listen to his music. Let me play around with this a bit in Logic - I'll see what I can come up with.
Neil

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I have no technical advice to offer, but I'm sure there are others here who will help out with that. I understand why you want to clean it up for marketing reasons, but the hiss really doesn't bother me. If anything, knowing the back story, it adds a certain authenticity - and ambience - to the recording. The lead sounds more like an oud than a guitar to me, but maybe that's coming out of the style of the playing.

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unique sound i would loveto see the footage too...dont care if the camera work is shakey!

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Your playing is very soulful. I have no doubt that this will work well with the film. Thanks for sharing this project.

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...transcending the recording...

This is what it is, and what it is, is very beautiful playing, with great heart...

A run through SoundSoap would probably clean it just a tiny bit, but it's not like it needs violins or a tuba...

This is great to hear, and I'd love to hear more. Wish I could ship you a MacBook Pro and a stereo Rode mic... and a carton of charged up MacBook batteries...

Ed



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nostalgic, melancholic, sweet, a mixture of flamenco, latin, middle eastern? Moor? I loved it......thank you for sharing...I imagine the flamenco flavor is from the time the Moors lived in Spain. I may be wrong, but I see a musical connection there.....From Iraq to Arabia to Spain to South America...to Florida and California......Wild!

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Guys just wanted to say thanks a lot for your support, advice, tha love and appreciation. You guys don't know how much inspiration you have been giving me since I joined last week.

I have been doing all this work on my own, with no support and hoping for the best. Now that I have found you guys, the world has opened up again and I believe anything is possible and that is down to you guys.

Last night, 0001hrs approximately, my time here in Baghdad I posted this along with a forum. Since then I cannot believe the response and constructive advice I have had.

Neil thanks a lot for taking the tune and ridding the white noise in the background. You are a legend!

PV, 1rwhite1, TEXAFEEL, Warren Smith,*itiswotitis*, peacepiano, Ejh, Enrique Gil, Tom Wounded, Sherrill56, I love you all man and thanks a lot for the support.

I have heard a lot of you music and love it guys and am honoured to be of you acquaintance. Sorry if I haven%u2019t got to you all yet and left posts but as you can see I am working against the clock here.

Thank a lot guys!

Denny - STK


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This tune is full of emotion and suffering... It bleeds hope and pain...
I would be very interested in seeing your documentary, when it is done.

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and if you can get that bit of hiss out (as it sounds like someone already did), i would just plain leave it alone. Perhaps rather than changing it, you could just do as you did for us - explain the situation, and where the music came from, so people understand the constraints that these musicians are working under. If you can keep up with this project to its conclusion, it will be an excellent portrait of everyday life in difficult circumstances that many people need to see and hear. Don't get discouraged- many of us are here to offer whatever support we can. Even though I can't really give any technical aid at this time, I'll help with any other requests you make that I can do something for.

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I will post Neils version today.

Thank you for your comments and support. I cannot tell you how much it means to us at this time.

Kristyjo, you really are wise, because the hardest thing is to keep going out here. I am not a movie producer nor as you know doubt can tell, I am a music producer.

I have been playing around with GB and imovie for a few years now and believe I have an knack at capturing the moment when it come to making real life movies. This documentary I am making is going to be based around one family and in one house they are restricted to. This family go to work/university and then return home. There lives are restricted to this routine day in and day out.

Filming has been difficult because by me going to their home would put them in danger so I have had to give guidance on paper to Naseer and he comes back with the footage. I pray that the love and emotion you feel through these pieces of music come out as well in the movie.

Craft, thanks for coming along.




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