Critique and listing help

[georginasaint]

Hi Allen, welcome to Taxi, and you're in for a great ride!
I really like your voice. Nice song too, but I think it misses for this particular listing.
Although it says tempo "medium to up" this song feels on the lower end of medium to me.
Interpreting the listings is a skill that we tend to gain as we go along on our Taxi ride. Sometimes we persuade ourselves that it says something it doesn't!!!
And sometimes it's really hard to judge our own work and that's why getting feedback on here is so valuable.
I would say print out the listings you want to go for, read them half a dozen times, carefully, and underline or highlight bits that are important, and always listen to the ref tracks!
Best of luck to you!
Georgie

[amweiss]

Hi Georgie
Thanks for this and for the welcome...is this about tempo per se since this reference listing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65BbJMCyA4

is about the same tempo of my song. Are you referring to tempo, or maybe the content of the lyrics (which Casey mentioned and which I'm changing). Or is it the melody that makes the song not right for the listing?

Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Allen

[nick.moxsom]

Hey, Allen

This is a cute song. Whether it's right for this listing is not my forte, but the theme in the 'a la's' seems to be that acoustic, singer-songwriter vibe, which your song has, but needs producing to capture. I appreciate that this is only a work tape, but you really have to fix that drum, which is mostly late and is throwing everything out. If you can find the pocket it'll start to live. Mess around with hand claps, finger clicks etc., see what happens. Definitely worth progressing, though, and I'm looking forward to the next version.

Good luck,
Nick

[georginasaint]

Hi Allen - I listened to the link you put there and then your song, and you're right that they're not that different in tempo.
So then I can only think that it is to do with the lyrics and production that's making it sound slower, to my ear.
It's a strange thing that sometimes a track with a higher BPM can end up sounding slower for various reasons.
I hope you'll tweak this and post it again.

Georgie

[amweiss]

Thanks Georgie and Nick..very helpful and appreciated...will have a new version up soon.

[amweiss]

Hi all
Here is my updated version of this song (You've Always Been There)...please let me know what you think.

http://soundcloud.com/allenweiss

Thanks
Allen

[georginasaint]

Hey Allen,
Great job! I'd say you have a real shot at that now.

Georgie

[rnrmachine]

Hard to recall the old version since I only listened a couple times, BUT I think it fits the the listing better now and I really like when the guitars go stereo, it gives the song a slightly grand feel which helps move it along from the more intimate feel. Nice work!!

I like the upbeat yet somber feel of the entire track... I have some stuff that's a lot like this that I never submitted. I only wrote/played it because I love it lol.

Reminds me of a time when I was 18-21 and I used to go sit at this pond and play. It was so peaceful and I really felt one with nature... haha.

[amweiss]

Hi John..thanks for your comment..and I personally agree it has an upbeat (optimistic) feel that is yet somewhat tinged with somber, but that (in my opinion) is how people experience most of their emotions. Anyway, thanks again for listening.

[nick.moxsom]

Good work, dude.

The sadness, is, I think, in your voice, but that makes the whole song very poignant and reflective.

Nice one.
Nick