New Country Rock Listing

[DBarnett]

Howdy!
The strange thing is I just finished working on an instrumental using one of the references -Whiskey Myers' "Die Rockin"

HIGH-ENERGY COUNTRY ROCK INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a very successful EXCLUSIVE Music Licensing Company for placements in Sports-related Programming.

This Company is looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumental Cues that would fall within the general stylistic wheelhouse of the following references:

"1, 2, Many" by Luke Combs feat. Brooks and Dunn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSUGanzzabA

"Die Rockin" by Whiskey Myers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcpqwHUSAEI

"Arkansas" by Chris Stapleton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3hMKn4x_8

Although the references have vocals, please submit Instrumental Cues only for this pitch.

Please submit well-produced Country Rock Instrumental Cues that fire on all cylinders from start to finish. Craft your Cues around a singular motif and mood, and create a sense of forward momentum and dynamics by layering instrumentation in and out as they progress. Authentic-sounding Country Rock instrumentation is key to nailing this request; so if you're using any virtual instruments or samples, they need to sound like the real deal and not synthetic or obviously MIDI-driven. Your production should be high-quality, as well!

All submissions should be around 90 seconds to 2 minutes in length, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Please do not copy the references in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for feel, texture, and tone. Broadcast Quality is needed.

Please comment on any elements that need improvement. Thank you for your time and thoughts

*Final Mix* by Co-Producer Robert E Gardner

[funsongs]

Pardon the rePete: "sounds Rock-Solid to me."
I can imagine a New Country group doing a song to this and a live audience (now that they're back) at The Opry.
Cause that's how they roll these days.
HTH.
Your mileage may vary.

[AlanHall]

Dave! You're rockin' my socks off!

But seriously, I saw your post and thought 'how'd he get another cue posted so fast?'
Great work. If I had a nit to pick, I'd say it doesn't need a bridge, and that would get it closer to the 2 minute mark. Just an idea.
Alan

[DBarnett]

Dave! You're rockin' my socks off!

But seriously, I saw your post and thought 'how'd he get another cue posted so fast?'
Great work. If I had a nit to pick, I'd say it doesn't need a bridge, and that would get it closer to the 2 minute mark. Just an idea.
Alan

Thanks Alan!

Right? I just finished this up last week using the Die Rockin' reference because there was no other listings for me (my style) to work on

Listening back today I hear some low end issues?... I think

Also the guitars may be too distorted?

The other 2 references are more country than rock....Am I right?

The Whiskey Myers is more "HIGH ENERGY" IMO

If I tone down the guitars it will hopefully maintain the energy?

[AlanHall]

Had to listen to the ref tracks... pretty sure the Chris Stapleton was used on a previous listing as well. I don't remember hearing the Luke Combs before... but what I can say after listening is that I hear a larger dynamic range, i.e., places in the ref tracks where they break it down to just a few instruments (layers) and then bring solos & such up on top of that so that it's not too cluttered (not saying your track is cluttered!!) before rising to a climax. So maybe instead of 'toning down' your guitars, you could drop them out for 8..16 bars in favor of something clean (acoustic? Tele?) for a sectional contrast. I would leave the distortion and the grit at the level it is, just offer "alternatives".

Can't say about the low end. Maybe, maybe not. I like a solid low end, but it may not be genre correct. I dunno.

And let me say I like the harp. Is that you, playing live? It sure helps cement the 'country' in country rock.

[DBarnett]

Had to listen to the ref tracks... pretty sure the Chris Stapleton was used on a previous listing as well. I don't remember hearing the Luke Combs before... but what I can say after listening is that I hear a larger dynamic range, i.e., places in the ref tracks where they break it down to just a few instruments (layers) and then bring solos & such up on top of that so that it's not too cluttered (not saying your track is cluttered!!) before rising to a climax. So maybe instead of 'toning down' your guitars, you could drop them out for 8..16 bars in favor of something clean (acoustic? Tele?) for a sectional contrast. I would leave the distortion and the grit at the level it is, just offer "alternatives".

Can't say about the low end. Maybe, maybe not. I like a solid low end, but it may not be genre correct. I dunno.

And let me say I like the harp. Is that you, playing live? It sure helps cement the 'country' in country rock.

I think those are all great tips and insights, Alan
My co-writer, Bob Gardner is doing a re-mix so we'll see what his vision is but I think you're on the money with dropping the gritty guitars and replacing with Acoustic and Tele (I have both )
Yes that is me on harmonica
Thanks for your help brother. Please keep an ear for new version(s)
Peace!

[DBarnett]

Please submit well-produced Country Rock Instrumental Cues that fire on all cylinders from start to finish.

So I'm going to back up here though I appreciate what Alan is saying but from the listing the first line of what is needed
How would any of you interpret this?

[funsongs]

Please submit well-produced Country Rock Instrumental Cues that fire on all cylinders from start to finish.

So I'm going to back up here though I appreciate what Alan is saying but from the listing the first line of what is needed
How would any of you interpret this?

They're looking for a super-charged, fully-blown big-block V8 with power to spare; not a wimpy hybrid that you gotta plug in.

[DBarnett]

Please submit well-produced Country Rock Instrumental Cues that fire on all cylinders from start to finish.

So I'm going to back up here though I appreciate what Alan is saying but from the listing the first line of what is needed
How would any of you interpret this?

They're looking for a super-charged, fully-blown big-block V8 with power to spare; not a wimpy hybrid that you gotta plug in.

Ok lol yeah I get that Now I'm not sure I got what it takes hahaha
Peter, you should write for Taxi Listings, very descriptive my friend

[AlanHall]

Please submit well-produced Country Rock Instrumental Cues that fire on all cylinders from start to finish.

So I'm going to back up here though I appreciate what Alan is saying but from the listing the first line of what is needed
How would any of you interpret this?

Please don't misunderstand my comments, I'm certainly not saying you should ditch any of the hard, gritty, driving elements
From my listening to the ref tracks, as well as "archetypal" cues - and the stick-figure drawings that ML has displayed on Taxi TV (!!) - it seems to me that at some point there's a breakdown to soft, then the layered build back up to massive. The editors IMHO want enough variety to make choices. If they want 60 sec of full-throttle blast, you've given it to them. If they need to insert a softer 'donut hole' in the cut, you've given them material to do that too. They'll use whatever you've delivered in your smorgasbord of sound [I bet there's a southern rock version of smorgasbord] to accomplish their goal. 2 minutes is a very long buffet table!