Makes You Wonder

jiguma

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Description

There were two inspirations for this – firstly, a TV show looking at four 18 year old Iraqi school students trying to pass their final exams in the middle of an ongoing nightmare made me think about MacJams’ Yeman (Birdman Wayne) who had to leave school in Baghdad and move to another country as a refugee. That was the lyrical inspiration.

The musical inspiration came from my new-found very best friends – Logic Studio and my new 24” G5 iMac. So much to play with and so little time!

I play one track each of Seagull S6 acoustic, Telecaster and bass. Drums and percussion are midi, strings are EXS24 synth based midi. There are 8 vocal tracks in the aaaaaaaah sections.

Thanks to Anne Cozean for her guidance on the vocals.

Hope you enjoy it,
Neil

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Lyrics

MAkes You Wonder
© 2008 Neil Porter

You lock the door and dim the light
You won’t be going out tonight
You wonder what it’s coming to
It seems the world’s forgotten you

All the time you’re waiting
Past anticipating
Another day
All the time you’re praying
All the time you’re hoping
To get away

You walk the street, you go with care
There’s danger hiding everywhere
You wonder why this came to you
You wonder what you’re going to do

All the time you’re waiting
Past anticipating
Another day
All the time you’re praying
All the time you’re hoping
To get away

Day and night in a danger zone
You’re not safe out there
You’re not safe at home
Wasted coins in a wishing well
You’ve got so much to learn
You’ve got so much to tell

You’re out of mind you’re out of sight
It’s hard to tell who’s wrong who’s right
You try to live a normal life
You’re lucky just to stay alive

All the time you’re waiting
Past anticipating
Another day
All the time you’re praying
All the time you’re hoping
To get away

Day and night in a danger zone
You’re not safe out there
You’re not safe at home
Wasted coins in a wishing well
You’ve got so much to learn
You’ve got so much to tell

You lock the door and dim the light
You won’t be going out tonight
You wonder what you’re going to do
It seems the world’s forgotten you

All the time you’re waiting
Past anticipating
Another day
All the time you’re praying
All the time you’re hoping
To get away

Song Stats

Hits: 1701
Comments: 46
Fans: 44
Plays: 169
Downloads: 75
Votes: 21
Uploaded: Aug 04, 2008 - 01:21:00 AM
Last Updated: Aug 04, 2008 - 01:48:20 AM Last Played: Oct 19, 2009 - 12:04:53 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Keywords:

Iraq (40), Leaving School (1), fear (48), Irak (1), ()

Hardware:

Rode NT3 mic
Fender Telecaster
Fender Precision Bass
Seagull S6 acoustic
Yamaha PSR300 midi keyboard
Behringer UB802 mixer/preamp
iMac G5

Software:

Logic Studio
Ozone 3

Comments

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	alright I'm firsty's I think Neil, I am totally stunned. This is beyond blowing sunshine outrageous. I really like this and the mix and production is fantastic. the ooohs are to cool. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	2nd listen & remembered to vote Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

jiguma

jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Thanks for the listen Vic
I've been sitting on this for a month or two while the GOOC and EKNM festivals were on, and while I tried some more synthy stuff with Retro Plien ;)

I finally got Ozone across to the new iMac last night, and liked the sound it gave this so much I thought I'd post.

The "aaaah"s and/or "ooooh"s are my fav bits.

Cheers,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

magnatone	magnatone said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Makes You Wonder Neil, this is incredible. I will feel eternally guilty for blowing sunshine, and yet, I MUST! What an accomplishment this is - makes me wistful for SISTERS too, so glad to know Anne was a little part of this. Can't believe you've been SITTING on this, holding out on us. Great work, congratulations (from Ms. Sunshine) Check out my latest song called Symphonic Smackdown

jiguma

jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Hi Karen
Thanks for the positive response, I'm glad you liked it. This was kind of like the child I didn't want to leave home at the moment, but I took a deep breath and shoved it out the door. I think Anne's advice on the original vocals I did made a real improvement to the song - next best thing to having her sing on it I suppose.

Although I've been sitting on it, I've also been tweaking it - a bit of a lab experiment to see what I could do with Logic Pro.

Thanks again for the kind comment Karen, always appreciated.

Cheers,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

dirigent	dirigent said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Makes You Wonder Wow this brandnew song is excellently written and most expertly performed. Fantastic playing, great and intense vox. A superb work!! bravo!!! Check out my latest song called Autumn

jiguma	jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Danke Andreas Es fret mir sehr, dass es Ihnen gefällt. Alles gute, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

jiguma	jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Hmmmmm Tut mir leid ....... "freut"! Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

lavalamp	lavalamp said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	New best friend Glad you could get to know your new best friend a bit. What I like about this are the production, lyrics and vocals. Very heartfelt. Any criticism might be that it's not extremely catchy.........you see?, now I feel bad. But, I think this song is a good accomplishment. We all miss Yeman here. Dave Check out my latest song called Googolplex Times Zero

jiguma	jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Cheers Dave Don't feel bad - honesty is the best policy :) I guess "catchy" wasn't one of the things I was trying for, so I succeeded (lol), although I've found that this one "sticks" in my head more than most of the songs I've done. Thanks for stopping by for a listen and for taking the time to comment - always appreciated. Cheers, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

lavalamp	lavalamp said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Yeah I sort of figured you weren't going for catchy or poppy. Just wanted to keep down on earth. HA HA Brilliant song, mate. Dave Check out my latest song called Googolplex Times Zero

Skean	Skean said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Your best ever man You always impress on me with the quality of you songs.. WOW what a lyrics and the music is fantastic you can say what you want this should only have 10's from every one who vote... oooh's yes SIr. Take care --- Kenta Check out my latest song called Walking seeking & depressed

jiguma	jiguma said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Thanks Kenta Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for the compliment. Hi to Linda! Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Kenta_and_Linda_Rocks_together	Kenta_and_Linda_Rocks_together said 458 days ago (August 7th, 2008)
	Linda says Hi back And we both love what you've done here my friend. I say it again the best song you done with out offending you. I hope you are working on a new CD with this and many more candy's like this... Cheers :D) From two LOVE Bird's Check out my latest song called Beat The Beast (with vox)

tokai	tokai said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Well put togehter tune with a great arrangement. i like the sound of the guitars on this. I like where the inspiration comes from and the subject matter. Check out my latest song called farriage/Gaylen75

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	THanks Steve Glad you enjoyed it - the TV program I saw made me reflect on how hard it normally is for 18 year olds to graduate from high school and how much harder it must be for kids in a war torn city like Baghdad. Peace, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

mowguy3	mowguy3 said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Just A fantastic tune in every fashon. Your vocals with the hush kind of delivery is right on. Just awsome. Thanks, Russ Check out my latest song called A Different Shade Of Moonlight

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Russ Thanks for having a listen. The "hush" vocals are what I do - I have no other options ;) Glad you enjoyed the tune, and thanks for commenting. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

MarkHolbrook	MarkHolbrook said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Stunning... So clean, so perfectly mixed. Great sounds and more important a great message. 8 tracks of ahs... They sound like one! One very tight amazing track. Thoroughly enjoyed this to the dual core! :) I just got the logic studio upgrade installed and wow... ya too much to play with too little time. M Check out my latest song called Never Say Goodbye - Bond Challenge

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Mark You're going to just love Studio! It's like being let loose in a lolly shop. Thanks for the listen and comment. the aaahs were such a lot of fun to do. Cheers, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 461 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Subject bullseye
Another fab song. All around great writing. Two critiques: I don't mind you imprecise vocal pitch except on a few first words of stanzas. I really want to hear you start on the right pitch on chord changes in the chorus, for example. Also, there are a few times you use the exact same finger-picking that you've used on many other songs (all the time you're waiting, for example), and if this song is in a collection of others, you might want to figure out an alternative voicing.

Great song. Great subject choice, again.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Tobin
Thanks for listening and commenting - I'm especially pleased when I see you've left a comment on one of my songs.

You've picked two nits that were also in my mind. The imprecise vocals were something that made me doubtful about posting this, but I've tried a lot of re-takes, and, as usual, they never sound quite as good as the first one or two. I'll definitely re-record the lead vocal if this ever makes it to a CD.

I agree about my picking style too - I'm aware that on "jiguma dreaming" there was a sameness about some songs, due mainly to my picking style, and I don't want that to happen again. That's one of the reasons I've started messing about on synths (see MJer "Retro Plien"). The picking is a pattern I've always used, and it's probably time I tried to develop some alternatives.

I really appreciate you taking the time to leave constructive suggestions Tobin.

Cheers from Oz,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

davajonah	davajonah said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Stunner... Neil, this is gorgeous. I've taken a DL, thanks. Terrific song, terrific mix. Kudos. Check out my latest song called Mendel's Ratio

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Thanks Dave I appreciate you having a listen. Cheers from Oz, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

thoddi

thoddi said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

cool lead guitar
You have made some nice textures with your telecaster in here. I dig it when you rip up an otherwise pretty smooth groove with some distorted guitar notes. Very tasty:)

And the groove is smooth and flows with good help from your finger picking on that seagull. I read Tobins comment about the guitar picking, and I think he has a point worth looking into especially if you have an album in mind, where such patterns could be recognizable from song to song... But looking at any song isolated, it works very well:)

Your production skills have become very good. You've made a perfect mix to my ears.

Thanks for your comment on my latest... I chose to pull it down, 'cause I noticed that the kick drum was way too loud and started to annoy me:)

Check out my latest song called Don't tell me what I can't w/KTB and Ingve

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Thor
Thanks for the kind comments about the Tele part - I'm fine as long as I don't have to reproduce it ;)

The picking style thing is definitely something I'll start working on - I'm playing a fair bit of electric rhythm guitar with some local guys, so hopefully something might come of that.

Hope you get that song up again with a tamed kick.

Cheers,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

peacepiano	peacepiano said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Song Well sung song about a grim reality for too many young people in the world today. Sounds great. Thanks Bill Check out my latest song called I Should Have Known

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Cheers Bill It sometimes seems we've forgotten a lot about what a mess that part of the world has become. I must admit that I don't get how situations like this are allowed to happen. Very sad! Peace, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Ibstrat	Ibstrat said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	I love the way the bass line locks in with the drums.That bass line sounds like something Chris Squire of Yes would have done.Some of the vocals are maybe slightly not on pitch- doesn't bother me much being a fan of Dylan,Mark Knopler and the Dead.It's the feel that matters to me.I'm going to have to listen to this a bunch of times. Check out my latest song called Blues in Bm

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Chris Squire
One of my fav bassists Mark - very chuffed you mention him in this way. I usually tie the bass and kick as much as I can - it was always how I tried to play live.

I'm never going to have perfect vocals, in fact if it wasn't for MJ, I'd never have had vocals at all. Best discovery I made here was that you can still sing without a perfect voice.

Thanks for dropping by for a listen Mark - it's really appreciated.

Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

lengold	lengold said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	I really wish I could find something to criticise. But this just sounds perfect to me. Great song, playing, singing and fantastic production. Cheers Len Check out my latest song called Dodgy Doughnut

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Len Not finding anything to criticise is a good thing from my point of view ;) I'm pleased that you listened and left a note. Cheers from Oz, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

michael2

michael2 said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

neil
this is cool, almost reminds me of later era Floyd. You say it's not catchy, but i find it's definitely engaging and holds your interest. wish there was a little more bass (if I am to find something constructive to say), but man the stereo imaging is great, and so are those guitar sounds. what do you use to create your drum tracks? i'm always looking for new ideas. thanks for posting.

Check out my latest song called Stars and Dust (space challenge)

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Michael
Thanks for dropping by for a listen. In retrospect, maybe the bass could have been up a bit - in the aif it was almost too loud, so something seems to have happened in the transition to mp3.

The secret of drum tracks ....... it's pretty simple really. I usually start with a set of midi drum loops (there are heaps in Logic Studio and elsewhere). Then I set out the loops in a vague sort of way so they fit the changes (verse/chorus, soft/loud etc) in the tune. Then I start working on modifying the midi by adding emphasis where needed and tailoring the kick to my bass. This involves removing midi "events" as much as adding them. I usually then split it into 5 sub-tracks with each one having one instrument (eg kick, snare, hihat etc) so I can get the sound just right for each of them.

There's usually very little similarities between the loops I start with and what ends up on a track. Playing bass for years with some very good drummers helps a lot, and I've always played "air drums" since I was a kid. Put me in front of a real kit though and I'm completely useless.

Cheers,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

dajama

dajama said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Very cool
A haunting track, with lovely performances, both instrumentally and vocally. The story behind the song is powerful, and you express the tragedy of that life so well. Excellent lyrics. The singing is superb (lead as well as backing) and I too love the oohs and aahs. The guitar sounds lovely, and the drums are perfect for the song; love that snare sound. A couple of minor nits spring to mind: At the end, I felt the fadeout didn't feel right ("I felt it didn't feel right"? What?) and I think it would have been better to end on that keyboard sound from the beginning in isolation, or accompanied by your backing vocal (the oohs and aahs). The other minor thing is the instrumental section, which I felt was a tad too long. But these are nits. A magnificent song, brilliantly played. You've got the touch, brother. Nicely done. Peace.

Check out my latest song called Across the Wire (MJRF)

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Thanks for dropping in,
and apologies for being late to your song - I'll get there soon.

First, thanks for the very positive comments about the tune - I think it's probably my best for a while. Re the nits, I mostly agree about the ending - maybe it was a little slack of me not to go the whole hog and tidy the end up - I can hear the beginning oooohs and the rain tree ending it really nicely. I'll look at that for the inevitable re-record if I do another CD. I know what you mean about the "instrumental", although I was thinking of it as a sort of "interlude" - had to make room for another few sets of ooohs!

Always appreciate your viits to my songs Dave.

Peace,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Moviz	Moviz said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Great sounds and production Neil. Love all the instruments; the drums and slightly menacing sounding string synths especially, but the vocals are really tops. As always these are great lyrics with a lot of thought going into them. Just a great sound and song, cheers M Check out my latest song called A Soldiers Dream (Remix/record)

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Cheers Maurice Thanks for listening - I had this "finished" in Logic Pro, but it just didn't have the sparkle of what I like to produce, so I reverted to Ozone 3 as a final plugin for the final master. Ozone is just such a gem of a plugin to play with for getting that "gloss". Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Moviz	Moviz said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	AND.... it worked LOL, great stuff, M Check out my latest song called A Soldiers Dream (Remix/record)

FEEL	FEEL said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Fine Mix Solid song with a lot of meaning... I hope Yeman is doing ok. Sounds like you got that Ozone down, the mix sounds nice. Thanks for sharing. Check out my latest song called Pigs Fly

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	John Thanks for the listen. I sent the link to Yeman yesterday, and he's been back to me this morning after having a listen. He sounds well, although how that translates into our understanding of wellness and safety I'm not sure. Glad you enjoyed the tune John, Cheers, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

guygrooves

guygrooves said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

This is moving..
Thank you for the post, download, and the reminder to keep Yeman, as well as all others who live with this daily, in mind.
This is one of the few that is actually worthy of the sunshine blown in it's direction. Outside of what has already been mentioned, I have only one thing that I don't like about this piece. That little crash cymbal that stands out like a sore thumb ha ha. It might be because of a drummer I once played with, who wouldn't spend a dime on improving his kit and he had these awful cymbals, and it reminded me of it.... so it's probably just me lol. Outstanding Neil

Check out my latest song called Last Day Here

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Guy .. .. that cymbal is my favourite part ......... ;) Just joking. Maybe it could have been a little softer, although I don't find it distracting. Like all of us, I'm very happy to have sunshine blown in my general direction - thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it Guy, Cheers from Oz, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

sloparts	sloparts said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Oh man, this is great Neil The concept, the execution, the playing, the mixing, the production, are all wonderful. An outstanding piece in all respect my friend, you should be very proud of this one. Thanks you for sharing this Neil, it's to good for words to express. Ed Check out my latest song called Just a little Something

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	What can I say Ed! Thank you for the lovely comment. Yes I'm pretty happy with this. Cheers, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	multiwow There's so many great features to this tune! Great song. It all meshes together very very well. -- around 4:09 there's some dissonance between the vocals and strings, perhaps on purpose, but it caught my ear. thanks Check out my latest song called Settle

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Multiwow ;)
I appreciate your comment Bill.

That dissonance is all a part of having so much going on. I hadn't really noticed it until you mentioned it, and even then I had trouble hearing it when I listened. I'll keep my ears open for it. Needless to say it wasn't intentional, just a result of letting an amateur loose on some inspiring software.

Cheeras from Oz,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

	said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	very well mixed really good composition, the voice reminds me of roger waters -this IS A GREAT TUNE! on headphones its a pleasure

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Mixed on phones I used phones to do most of the mixing on this, and it probably does sound better on phones than speakers. Vielen Dank für Ihre positive Worte. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

guitapick	guitapick said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	~ Serious tune... Check out my latest song called Outside the Corral

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Bob Serious times. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

E-Frame Wrecker	E-Frame Wrecker said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	First time hearing your stuff Interesting progression in the bridge/chorus. I enjoyed the song. Nice job on the drums, nice blend of the acoustic with the rest of the music. Overall a well produced song that has relevance at this moment. Going with that Robbie Robertson whisper - fits the song and the subject matter. Check out my latest song called Being With You

jiguma	jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Robbie Robertson The Band are an all-time fav of mine, and RR a guitar hero, so thanks for mentioning him. My voice is what I'm stuck with - it's not really how I'd like to sing (I'd like more a Sting, Rick Danko, Jack Bruce kind of voice), but whispery it is. Thanks for the positive words John. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

	said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)
	Makes you wonder. Neil it sounds gorgous as usual. You sure know your music. Thanks for sharing. My only qualm is it sqeaks a bit if you know what I mean. more than a few times. spoils it a bit for me. Peace Dee.

said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Added info
The only way to describe it is that it sounds like to my ears like chalk screetching on a blackboard the guitar.
That is my honest opinion for what its worth.
I am happy that you are open and honest with myself on my work. And no offence meant.
And I have decided to be honest with other artist also from now on. this is actually the very first one I have heard from you that sounds like a chalk scratching across a backboard in some of your wonderful song. I hope you are not offended,

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Dee
Thanks for dropping in and having a listen Dee - it's pretty difficult to offend me, so no probs in that direction. As you know I'm all for being honest and supportive as much as I can.

The sound you mentioned is something that used to really bug me too - it's caused by my fingers sliding on the lower, wound strings on my acoustic guitar, and once I realised that there wasn't much I could do about it (and someone told me it was OK and some people used it as a part of their playing) I decided to just let it happen. It's really hard to stop it happening when you play the way I do.

I think it's great that you're going to start being up front about music - listening hard to try to hear the details of a song (both the ones you like and don't like) is a really good way of learning more about how people write, play and record.

Thanks Dee for the visit and the comment - I'll take another look on my next tune at that string "squeak".

Cheers from Oz,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Dragonas

Dragonas said 460 days ago (August 4th, 2008)

Neil!
Wow!
Where to start?
(I'll try to limit my sunshine, even though I know you secretly love it. ;-))
The drums sound so real to me. Very big and full sounding drums.
You vocals are very Pink Floyd-ish to me, kinda haunting and thought provoking, yet melodic and pleasing to the ear at the same time.
Great bass work. (I'm a fellow bassist.)
The Tele seems to wonder melodically a bit, but I assume you are using it for ambience.
I know you could rerecord a better guitar solo, if you wanted to.
But that's my biggest nits.
I really like the mix. (I might make the jump up to Logic Pro just for the sound quality.)
Great song!
Cheers,
John

Check out my latest song called LSD

jiguma

jiguma said 460 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

John
Thanks for the comments and for having a listen.

The Tele's role in this was, as you said, very much for ambience - I didn't really think of the instrumental section as a solo in the normal sense of the word - more an excuse to use some more multitracked vocals. The Tele tone was a new one I'd just found in Studio, and it seemed perfect to me - lots of harmonics in there.

Bass-wise, it's just such a fun groove to play - very simple, but lots of room for having a good time.

I described my kit track process further up the page - suffice to say that I think that the sound of the kit is usually directly related to the amount of time you put in on it.

I have to admit that I do enjoy a spot of sun every now and then ;)

Thanks,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

rtcooper

rtcooper said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

YEAH, I GUESS!
STUDIO 8, Eh?
Well, The Ideas Didn't come from STUDIO 8, Brother.

Great Groove, cleverly reinforced several different ways.
The Percussion is Cool, even with less polyrhythms than many of your pieces. Direct with a hint of hesitation, like, "what's next?"

There is a guitar that appears twice that sounds like a Gibson LP Jr., with a tricked out Fralin P90 through a Mesa Heartbreaker! Did you borrow some Gear?

Wish the last stanza was other than a refrain, because I know where that goes when you could have surprised me.

TOP SHELF Production Values.

Compliments and Regards,
Cooper

Check out my latest song called Intimate Anyway

jiguma

jiguma said 458 days ago (August 7th, 2008)

Coop
Thanks for dropping by this one. Yeah, the ending is probably the weak link. Maybe finishing on the verse and some aaaahs, strings and a little sustained Tele would do the trick.

One of the many joys of Logic Studio is the vast range of options for real and virtual instrument sounds/fx available. It's positively inspirational, as you've already heard on "Orcs", and as you'll hear again in a week or so. Even with lots of time on my hands, there's never going to be enough to get my head around LS - I plan to do my best though :)

Cheers from NSW,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Roxylee	Roxylee said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	I agree EVERYTHING about this is superb. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

jiguma	jiguma said 457 days ago (August 7th, 2008)
	Thanks RoxyLee Always appreciate you having a listen. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

ktb	ktb said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	stunning Neil, what a monster track. A very new cool sound on the guitars, almost frippish. The mix is excellent. You keep the bar raising. Could very well be my new favorite Jiguma tune. Check out my latest song called off the deck (w/Z293)

jiguma	jiguma said 456 days ago (August 8th, 2008)
	Thanks John Fripp is good ;) Logic Studio is a monster set of tools -just scratching the surface at this stage. Cheers, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

J.A.Stewart

J.A.Stewart said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)

Great Musical Atmosphere...
for a not-so-great Real-Life atmosphere.

This is truly an inspired piece, Neil and you've put it together exceptionally well. You've made some splendid choices for instrument textures in here, adding to the vibe. Nice work with the distorted Tele... it really complements this piece.

I never imagined I'd ever be saying this to a bass player, but... I thought the bass was a little TOO subtle in the mix. LOL

But that little nit aside, this is one very good song and arrangement. ;)

--- Joe

Check out my latest song called A Night @ Neverland

jiguma	jiguma said 456 days ago (August 8th, 2008)
	Joe Thanks for the kind words. I get the message about the bass - it sounded so strong in the phones on the aif. On my next track - probably next week - I don't think anyone will be wanting more bass ;) Glad you enjoyed listening - such a sad, sad set of circumstances. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Doadars Uncle	Doadars Uncle said 459 days ago (August 5th, 2008)
	Heavy I pray for peace. Good song. Check out my latest song called Capitalist's Drag

SJB

SJB said 459 days ago (August 6th, 2008)

G'day
Ah Neil, another classic from you! As usual the real bass marks this one out for me, just so much better than a midi line. The Telecaster's sounding very moody underneath and gives a nice edge against the delicate sound of the Seagull. Lyrically very strong and making me thankful for the fortune I've had.
All the best
Steve
P.S. Not sure how you will ever avoid string squeaks as long as you're sticking with real guitars. Even midi as a string squeak sound to liven up a midi guitar track!

Check out my latest song called Short tune

justatom	justatom said 459 days ago (August 6th, 2008)
	Great performance and production. Thanks Neil for the download. This is a very good song. Love the lyrics, vocals, mix, arrangement... Thanks for sharing. Tom Check out my latest song called Goodbye to you

Miller-Schletty	Miller-Schletty said 459 days ago (August 6th, 2008)
	A real good one one Neil... .. for the Yemans and the Feters of this all too often sad and seemingly senseless world. real good one... Jack Check out my latest song called Loss (Dadai poem read by RSchletty)

egobandit	egobandit said 458 days ago (August 7th, 2008)
	Bass! The drums and bass are so tight and clear that thump thump you get is envious,besides that the subject matter and the way it is expressed through the lyrics really sets the listener up for some serious goosebumps. As allways for me this is an instant download another one in my Jiguma collection thanks! Check out my latest song called So I been told

12parsecs

12parsecs said 457 days ago (August 7th, 2008)

great production!
very liberating, isn't it? all the power of a new computer and program. but let's not detract from a well written and performed tune. the drums are perfect as with everything else. the sound you got on the lead vox is perfect! and the 8 bg tracks are very cool. (and your new G5 didn't even flinch, i'll bet.) i'm sure yeman would love this. i wonder how he's doing?

Check out my latest song called Through

jiguma

jiguma said 457 days ago (August 7th, 2008)

12
Thanks for the kind words. I heard from Yeman and he sounds fine - hopefully things will settle down for him soon. He liked the song.

The new gear and especially Logic Studio has been a real eye opener for me. On my old machine I was constantly waiting for LE7 to do things, and always had to minimise stress on the CPU by freezing tracks and trimming plugins.

Cheers,
Neil

Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

aclarke

aclarke said 457 days ago (August 7th, 2008)

This may sound odd....
and I know you won't take it the wrong way... but I really think this would be fantastic with Lisa (LeDebutant's) voice on it. It's totally your song and style, Neil... I just really think she would sound terrific on this. Not a knock on your voice... just sharing an idea!

Very strong subject matter. You really have developed your own way of saying things lyrically... songs tinged with sadness and subtle protest. Does that even make sense?

Check out my latest song called Ballad of The Little Tiki

jiguma	jiguma said 457 days ago (August 7th, 2008)
	Adam Thanks for dropping in. You have a good idea there regarding Lisa (on one of my tunes at least). If you wait a week or two you may well hear what that might sound like ;) Cheers from Oz, Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

composerclark	composerclark said 457 days ago (August 8th, 2008)
	Fantastic! Extremely powerful%u2026 haunting even, and the sound you have is amazing; so clean, crisp, and%u2026 full. It sounds completely professional to me. Fantastic. Check out my latest song called Scarlet Nightfall

rsorensen

rsorensen said 456 days ago (August 8th, 2008)

makes you wonder
wow. the first thing that stood out to me on this one was the production. really full mix. that low end really carries the song nicely. great vocal performances - the harmonizing is really well done. I like the changeup in the chorus but something caught me a little off guard in there and it didn't feel 'right' to me. I think it's the synths. Maybe they're just a little too 'dreamy' for the vibe you're going for. They kind of clash with the guitars to me and they're all I hear. It might be a matter of choosing a different synth sound or putting something else in their place. I think the synths work great everywhere else (esp. the instrumental break), just not in the chorus. Now all this is just my opinion and preference of course. Someone else may think the chorus synths are the best part of the song. The other thing (sorry) is the fade out at the end. I would've liked to hear 1-2 more rotations of the lyric 'All the time you%u2019re praying
All the time you%u2019re hoping To get away'. The fade out as is sounds a little too abrupt to me. If you sing those lyrics a couple more times and fade out on them it would really mark the 'end' of the song better in my opinion. Ok ok, done. I really really like this one Neil and I wouldn't spend time writing all this up if I didn't, so know I think this is one of your best. Great job. And congrats on your new setup. Jealous!

Check out my latest song called You Are My Whole Life

timothy devine	timothy devine said 456 days ago (August 8th, 2008)
	Neil this is fab the sound you get with the guitars is real hip the electric soloing is a real good spice adding lots of flavor. Anchored with that strong bass and the acoustic (is recordig real good with that mic) its a go nice classic jiguma peace tm Check out my latest song called Mankind Needs a Change/WoodstockII

BossHook	BossHook said 455 days ago (August 9th, 2008)
	Sweet mix and production. I love the way this builds the "all the time" hook throughout. Interesting departure in the bridge. Check out my latest song called LAUGH OUT LOUD

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 455 days ago (August 9th, 2008)

Okay, finally got here...
Here are some things I like:

I like the slower-than-jiguma-standard tempo, and the more delicate touch on the fingerpicked acoustic, especially at the intro. I like the way the bass is phrased very much, less four-to-the-bar than in the past, but more phrase-pause-phrase, and both phrases both melodic and rhythmic. I think the drums are nicely in the pocket, and some of the fills perfectly augment music or lyric. I like some of the "structured-noise-becomes-music" electric guitar bits very much... And the bass works very well against the drums.

I continue to like the stripped down jiguma vocal, and yet welcome the return of artfully sparse doubling or shadowing voices.

On its own I would have not a nit to pick with this song. I will give one sort of offshoot to Tobin's comment, which is not so much about the fingerpicking but about melody. Taken as part of the whole evolving collected works of Neil, I'd love to see you bust out a little as regards melody and phrasing, making some of the songs more songlike and less 'spoken' in the singing.

Also, I want to hear those power pop hooks and big choruses I know you have in you...

Quite remarkably clear mix, too...

Ed

Check out my latest song called After Loving Anne (w/jiguma, SISTERS, Komrade K and Scott Carmichael)

caroline	caroline said 455 days ago (August 10th, 2008)
	blimey jiggy.... ... i'm late and i am gob-smacked - this is a very ouchie song and you know how much i hate having my chakras hurt but it is amazing - congratulations on producing something so professional and so moving - you have the gift my dear - big loves xoxo Check out my latest song called clink that link mjrf

Feter	Feter said 454 days ago (August 10th, 2008)
	Makes You Wonder Ye ... I ve been there ..thnx for your sharin your honest emotions and thoughts !! Check out my latest song called A Night With Feter feat'(Roxylee sloparts crissew johnwhitehead and Yamin AL Yamani )

Scott Carmichael

Scott Carmichael said 453 days ago (August 11th, 2008)

Neil
I love the textured bed this lands on... that guitar peddling under and left is perfect... your quite a master of the craft... in another life I might have had a chance to tag along with you... one can dream...

this slinks along wonderfully and paints the picture before a word is sung... I'm always looking for someone to use the full language like this....

so what's in that glass/snifter you are holding in your picture?

Check out my latest song called Good Morning

jiguma	jiguma said 453 days ago (August 11th, 2008)
	Cheers Scott Thanks for the listen. It's a cheeky South Australian Pinot Noir from memory. :) Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

D-Day1944	D-Day1944 said 452 days ago (August 12th, 2008)
	Chalk Wow your awsome LOL this is realy gorgous. Your a reaally talented musician. I especially love the bits that sound like chalk skreetching on a blackboard that's my favourite noise that is. Peas. D-Day xxx

Artist Info

Name: Neil Porter

My old bio page looked pretty out of date, so it’s time for a new one: For the full story, see my interview in the MacJammer Blog "The Jiguma Is Up" by Tobin Mueller. I started to learn guitar when I was about 10 – but didn’t last long be... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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More songs in Acoustic Rock:

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