Is this Contemporary Country?

[johnhampt]

Getting all my songs returned because I am submitting to Contemporary Country listings but am being told mine are traditional. This is one I hope is contemporary. Having a hard time knowing the difference. Any opinions are welcome. Thanks***This is edited version with piano/restructured parts...Letting Gowww.taxi.com/jwhamptonLetting GoJohn W. HamptonThe hardest part of letting go is getting back the ringThe words you said, the memories Keep piling on my headCome to find that all along you had another manI close my eyes at the thought of you and himWalking hand in handAll I wanted was someone to love, someone to be trueAnd I prayed that that one was youChorusLetting go is the first step on that dismal road to painI walk all by myself, down that lonely laneLetting go is the hardest part of having to say goodbyeNow I know that it’s time to let goTime to say goodbyeThe first time I saw your face you looked just like a childYour hazel eyes and smooth black hairJust added to your smileNow I live from day to day with all these memoriesI often stop and I wonder if you Even remember meChorusGuitar leadChorus

[sgs4u]

Hi John, listening now. I could be wrong, but this song sounds a lot more contemporary than traditional, to me, but I'm Canadian. hehe. The chord changes and melody are not at all what I would expect to be labelled traditional. However, this demo doesn't have the same Nashvlle Sound, that I expect screeners are looking for. Maybe get a pedal steel on the track, and see if that changes anything. It's a nice song. Quote:Getting all my songs returned because I am submitting to Contemporary Country listings but am being told mine are traditional. Having a hard time knowing the difference. Any opinions are welcome. ThanksLetting Gowww.taxi.com/jwhampton

[johnhampt]

I am sorry Steve. I was not clear in my original thread. My bad. This is my attempt to be more contemporary compared to my other songs. So I am hoping this is more contemporary and it sounds like you think it is. Thank you for you comment. I was thinking of putting some pedal steel throughout and maybe add a piano and or organ. In my opinion this song is almost a power ballad from an 80's hair band. Can't get that out of my influence I guess LOL

[sgs4u]

Quote:I am sorry Steve. I was not clear in my original thread. My bad. Apology? What are you Canadian or something?(this doesn't mean Americans never apologize)Quote:This is my attempt to be more contemporary compared to my other songs. So I am hoping this is more contemporary and it sounds like you think it is. It's definitely more contemporary than the other tunes of yours I've listened to. Nice work, I like the structure, chord pattern a lot. Quote:Thank you for you comment. I was thinking of putting some pedal steel throughout and maybe add a piano and or organ. If you're going contemporary, don't bother with the organ. Steel and piano will be better choices, imho. Certainly if you have to pay for them. Quote:In my opinion this song is almost a power ballad from an 80's hair band. Can't get that out of my influence I guess LOL The screeners will get it out of your head eventually. They always do. Or do the song as an 80's hair band track. That might be just as great, and mo betta for the song. Your call.

[johnhampt]

Pay for them? Ha! I play my own instruments and with instruments I have no idea about (fiddle-what you Canadians call a violin-pedal guitar) I lay down loops. They do what I tell them and don't cost me a dime Thanks again for your thoughtful feedback. Another question, does the lead vocal track sound okay. It is me singing and my feelings wont be hurt if you hear someone different for it. I sang it pretty well pitch wise after enough takes but did add pitch correction to give it that contemporary feel you hear so much in music today, especially country...

[sgs4u]

Quote:Pay for them? Ha! I play my own instruments and with instruments I have no idea about (fiddle-what you Canadians call a violin-pedal guitar) I lay down loops. They do what I tell them and don't cost me a dime Thanks again for your thoughtful feedback. Another question, does the lead vocal track sound okay. It is me singing and my feelings wont be hurt if you hear someone different for it. I sang it pretty well pitch wise after enough takes but did add pitch correction to give it that contemporary feel you hear so much in music today, especially country...Lead vocal sounds just ok, but is awash in too much reverb, me thinks, and also maybe a little too quiet. You may feel like tuning a vocal is part of contemporary country, but I can assure you, it's not worth your time to tune a lead vocal, unless it NEEDS it. The ONLY reason to run any kind of auto tune, is if it creates a better connection to the listeners from the singer/song. Or if, there is a disconnect, BECAUSE a singer is out of tune enough that it's distracting. There is no rule. Tim McGraw only needs it, sometimes. Get yourself a custom critique on the lyric content and melody. Cause my help, would be suspect... I did notice that the chorus doesn't take off, and that may be something you'll need to work on, if you wanna get it thru the contemporary country screeners. ps - we call violins, fiddles in Canada too, but only if they're making appropriate country sounds. Sampled fiddles are probably great even when the bows are moving, cause they're still in tune. What brand of library do you have for the pedal steel and fiddles? Let me know when you've added the other stuff, 'cause I'm interested. The only problem with loops(especially in any kind of roots music) is they don't communicate with the other instruments. You might have great luck with those loops, if you re-do your rythm stuff, after the loops are dropped in. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I've only ever been a musician/songwriter all my life. So I don't enjoy the sound of someone making a joke about refusing to pay musicians. Never have, in fact. You don't get any awards for doing the whole damn thing yourself. No one actually cares about that, except you the producer. But I am like you, I do pretty much everything. Not for long tho. When you add some kick-ass musicians to your mix, every kind of music (except electronic) is gonna sound eons better, and be more FUN to listen to. These screeners are used to listening to Nashville cats that read fly shit, play any kind of style fluently, instantly create great solos, heads, or anything else your music needs. Once you've gotten your melody and lyric to the point of being really solid, the recorded demo may well become the weak link in the chain. The weakest links are well, identified and then sent home for re-writes.Strive for excellent singing, excellent lyric, excellent melody, excellent musicians and an excellent recording. Any song that has all 5 of those, will get forwarded, as long as the listing needs that exact kind of song. Be prepared to have to learn what you don't want to know. and by all means, prove me wrong steve

[johnhampt]

I agree with you and respect the fact that there are FAR better musicians out there than I am that would make my song, or any for that matter, sound better. But I am making a demo. My attempt at humor was just to say that for now, I can use my own talents and skills to get across the point of my creation. I would love to hear the best cats out there play my stuff and make my song sound the way it was intended. And a real violinist would be tons better than my sterile loops. I understand that. I have a stereo delay with just a tad of verb on the lead vocal. I may bring down the delay per your comment. I think I agree with you on that. Thanks again for all your comments. Although I have been singing and playing for many a years, I am new to home recording and writing songs with a serious effort to make money at it. Every so often feel free to slap us green guys around....

[sgs4u]

I have been slapped around by the "Don", Matto, Casey, and Vikki. Quite a few others have called me a$$hole. (usually because of my apparently weird sense of humour) Thick skin IS essential.

[hummingbird]

Quote: I have been slapped around by the "Don", Matto, Casey, and Vikki. Quite a few others have called me a$$hole. (usually because of my apparently weird sense of humour) Thick skin IS essential. Excuse me, I have never slapped anyone around. Ever ...even if they deserved it. Really.

[sgs4u]

OK, you're right, you were extremely diplomatic (more than once) in a way that I am still incapable of. Quote:Quote: I have been slapped around by the "Don", Matto, Casey, and Vikki. Quite a few others have called me a$$hole. (usually because of my apparently weird sense of humour) Thick skin IS essential. Excuse me, I have never slapped anyone around. Ever ...even if they deserved it. Really.