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I'm having trouble making my songs sound contemporary. Any suggestions??? Could you have a look at "Like A Dream" under David Schwan and make some comments please.

Thanks,
David

Hey David,
I'm not sure how to find your page? Could you post the URL?
Joe

I'm having trouble making my songs sound contemporary. Any suggestions??? Could you have a look at "Like A Dream" under David Schwan and make some comments please. https://soundcloud.com/the-maestro-2

Thanks,
David

sounds like you just have an older songwriting / production / mix / vocal sound.

You have a lot of reverb in your mix, and while not every song is really dry these days and the space of reverb is coming back, the way its used is different than it used to be.

You can get "contemporary" in your songwriting / vocal / and production approach, but its something that's going to happen organically by listening and trying new ideas.

I would consider filling your ears with sounds like this: https://www.musicbed.com/playlists/autumn/153

Check out Robin Frederick's books on songwriting too. They are jam packed with ideas.

Nice song David.

There are different ways you can make it sound "contemporary". Instrumentation, arrangement, etc. I would suggest you listen to current recordings of artists that you like or want to emulate stylistically. Listen for what they include in their songs, how they mix them. For example, the intro to Like A Dream was nine bars, you could cut the first four bars, or keep it at nine but add another instrument or layer starting in bar five. I thought this was going to be just vocals and guitar, then the drums came in. The rim shot is a title far back in the mix, and the guitar seemed hot to me still. The bass could be more present and "bassier." Additional layers like synth pad, strings, some light percussion or sequence elements all can add to the sound.

Just my $0.02, hope this is helpful.

i totally agree with paulie on the intro, cut it in half, or bring in something extra after 4 bars. being so used to listening to the hits of today, i expected the vocal to start on bar 5. i've listened to several of your songs, and the biggest issue for me is the singers you're using. the tone in their voice, phrasing, articulation reminds me of something from the seventies.

I don't think you can make this sound contemporary. It's more of a classic singer/songwriter song a la Kenny Loggins, James Taylor and Jackson Browne. Back off the reverb quite a bit, and try it for those types of listings, imo.

Maybe you shouldn't change a thing. I absolutely loved it, on first listen. Then again, I'm old enough to really miss Dan Fogelberg. It could be pushed in a more modern direction with different instrumentation/production, but it could as easily do very well, for a retro singer/songwriter pitch, IMO. It's well-recorded enough to pass muster in that genre, even across different eras, but if I were you, I'd let the song be, cuz I think it'll find a market.

Hi David,

For me it's all about the vocal.

Firstly, your voice is amazing - just the kind of vocal I love recording when I have my 'purist' hat on. The thing that REALLY 'dates' it is the long notes and the vibrato. It straight away puts you in the Carpenters / Neil Sedaka / James Taylor bracket for listeners (NOT a bad thing at all, but also not contemporary). The only thing I might suggest if you really want to sound more contemporary is to shorten the notes and lessen the vibrato, or change the character of the vibrato. (listen to Rhianna's vibrato - quite fast and character-full and she often takes the notes sharp within the vibrato..)

All that said, I'm not criticizing at all - like I said, your voice is amazing, and I reckon, definitely has a place in suitable film and TV placemnts for sure!

Hope this is helpful - just my opinion.

Gary

Professional songwriters immerse themselves in the music coming out making hits, learn to play it and then try to go beyond it.

It really is just about falling in love with modern music and learning how to play it.

You also have to pay attention to the language younger people use and the language being used in songs.

Writing uptempo, positive love songs also helps enormously because the reality is only a tiny percentage of ballads ever make it to the radio and mid to uptempo songs are easier to rework into contemporary grooves.