Get Flash to see this player.
Description
I'm pretty happy with the arrangement on this, but I'm struggling with the vocal. I've listened to it soooooo many times that I can no longer tell if I'm in tune, or outta tune or if the whole thing just plain stinks????
Working backwards, I'm happy with the last section from "It's a reflex..." (with the exception of the wobble on the last couple of lines, which is just me being not too hot a singer - but I can live with that!). Then the chorus's seem to work okay along with the orchestration which I kind of like.
My problem though is with the two verses. Sometimes I listen and they seem okay - but then the next time I think I'm really flat. Also - bizarrely - if I listen on monitors it sounds reallllllly flat - but on headphones okay. As I say I really can't tell anymore. I think that perhaps I need a better singer than me to have a go at re-pitching the vocal in the verses (maybe a bit higher) so that when the low vocal of the chorus comes in there is sufficient contrast. I'd love a real female diva/soul singer to have a crack at this!!!!!
Please let me know what you think - and be honest - I really need some help here.
Also, if you do want to have a go at singing this then just let me know and I can send you a version without vocals for you to play with -
Cheers in advance -
Phil
p.s. Please PLAY LOUD for best effects - it's outputted pretty quiet
Working backwards, I'm happy with the last section from "It's a reflex..." (with the exception of the wobble on the last couple of lines, which is just me being not too hot a singer - but I can live with that!). Then the chorus's seem to work okay along with the orchestration which I kind of like.
My problem though is with the two verses. Sometimes I listen and they seem okay - but then the next time I think I'm really flat. Also - bizarrely - if I listen on monitors it sounds reallllllly flat - but on headphones okay. As I say I really can't tell anymore. I think that perhaps I need a better singer than me to have a go at re-pitching the vocal in the verses (maybe a bit higher) so that when the low vocal of the chorus comes in there is sufficient contrast. I'd love a real female diva/soul singer to have a crack at this!!!!!
Please let me know what you think - and be honest - I really need some help here.
Also, if you do want to have a go at singing this then just let me know and I can send you a version without vocals for you to play with -
Cheers in advance -
Phil
p.s. Please PLAY LOUD for best effects - it's outputted pretty quiet
Leave a Comment
You must be registered and logged-in to comment.
Lyrics
You Can't Win Them All
© Phil Dolby 2009
This is how it goes
You're getting angrier by the second, and it's starting to show
This is how you feel
Locked and underneath the wheel
And so you say
A thousand different words in different ways
Heaven help the ones who do not pray
When come the day
Only luck can see you through
Only luck can see you through
This is what I know
Not a lot if truth be told
And this is what I've seen
Things aren't always what they seem
And so you say
A thousand different words in different ways
Heaven help the ones who do not pray
When come the day
Only luck can see you through
Only luck can see you through
It's a reflex not a reason
To feel constantly appalled
But my weakness is I forget
That you just can't win them all
I'm a walking contradiction
Who's half waiting for their call
When I know I'll never get the nod
I say thank you, goodnight, that's all
I say thank you, goodnight, that's all
© Phil Dolby 2009
This is how it goes
You're getting angrier by the second, and it's starting to show
This is how you feel
Locked and underneath the wheel
And so you say
A thousand different words in different ways
Heaven help the ones who do not pray
When come the day
Only luck can see you through
Only luck can see you through
This is what I know
Not a lot if truth be told
And this is what I've seen
Things aren't always what they seem
And so you say
A thousand different words in different ways
Heaven help the ones who do not pray
When come the day
Only luck can see you through
Only luck can see you through
It's a reflex not a reason
To feel constantly appalled
But my weakness is I forget
That you just can't win them all
I'm a walking contradiction
Who's half waiting for their call
When I know I'll never get the nod
I say thank you, goodnight, that's all
I say thank you, goodnight, that's all
chronologic
Yeah I do get a faint "off" sense, it's very fleeting so it is difficult to nail down. I sometimes have that problem when a song/melody is really new to me. Once I get comfortable with the song it's easier. So my suggestion is put this on a CD or your ipod or whatever works for you... and just hang with it for a few days. If you drive to work that is perfect, you can sing it on your way to work and home for a few days. Don't worry about the fact that the recording is off. After a few days you should get comfortable with the melody you are shooting for (which is itself vocally complex I think) and it will come out better when you re-record it. That's one thing that's tough when you're writing your own material... you don't know really how it's "supposed" to sound until it's done, and by then, it wasn't you, it was IT that said how it should be. You almost have to learn it from yourself...
And headphones making it flat (or vice versa)... yeah I've noticed this a lot. I don't really understand what causes that. That's one of the reasons I stopped trying to record with one ear on phones and one ear off. It messes me up. Both ears on works better for me, that way I hear myself with the recording and everything is in tune. But I did have to get good isolation headphones (direct sound is what I use).
On another angle, this song is awesome. I love the lyrics and the other work. The vocals are cool, though not quite perfect. They are good like this but if you want to work on them more you are probably right you can do better and will be happier with them.