New Original: I will be free

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:34 pm

Here is a song I have been working on for a few days. It has drums, acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, and vocals. Let me know what you think. Critiquing is welcome!

use this, its "I will be Free": http://www.purevolume.com/ryanjohnsonandfriends

I Will Be Free

I’m high in the window
Feelin’ alright
I spread my arms and
Close my eyes

There’s tears on the page
Of a letter to you
Do I have it in me
To see this thing through

I will be free
I will be free
I will be free
Free....

My hands are off the wheel
I’m coasting along
Straddling the lines
between right and wrong

I’m high in the window
Feelin’ alright
Why won’t this sadness
Inside me die

I will be free
I will be free
I will be free
Free....

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:49 am

*shameless bump*

MOE.PHISH · Post by **MOE.PHISH** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:14 pm

i like your voice, it sounds good a bit raspy. the acoustic sounds good, but the grungy line you run over it is a little off rythm sometimes. i would be curious to what it would sound like with a little different line overtop of the acoustic, or even without it. good job

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:22 pm

Thanks man, im really not happy with the vocals on this track. mainly because i have a sinus cold and it is killing me so im going to rerecord them when i can breath again. You're right on the electric. its the same as the acuostic but i tried to fatten it up at the last minute. If anyone on here is a good electric player and wants to contribute that would be cool by me.

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:53 pm

I like it alot, but i think the vocals are too soft, not it mixing volume but in like umph... the instrumentals in the song are really strong and your voice is a raspy whisper.

nice work tho.

6_strings_for_life · Post by **6_strings_for_life** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 6:38 pm

I really like it, like the others said your voice needs re-mixing or something. But this song has a real catchy hook, keep up the good work and thanks for posting.

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:58 pm

Re did the vocals, i must have really fucked them up with the EQ last time, these are much clearer. Just click the PUREVOLUME link above for the new version.

eliot1171 · Post by **eliot1171** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:27 am

RunsWithBuffalo wrote:Re did the vocals, i must have really fucked them up with the EQ last time, these are much clearer. Just click the PUREVOLUME link above for the new version.

I was going to say, I thought the vocals sounded good. I didn't here the first vocal track but I thought this was mixed pretty well.

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:44 pm

RunsWithBuffalo wrote:Re did the vocals, i must have really fucked them up with the EQ last time, these are much clearer. Just click the PUREVOLUME link above for the new version.

Much better ryan, you have now earned the title of "jerk" for being better than me. its a large club so dont feel too special.

thats your boss drum machine on the recording?

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:07 pm

Dat be it, i love that thing..

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:28 am

RunsWithBuffalo wrote:Dat be it, i love that thing..

ive recently decided that my style is suited much better for single person acoustic style rather than full band, so ive been looking for some way to add some percussion. ive decided a drum machine is way to fake an novel, but i think im gonna go with a percussion stomper like jeff lang uses.

however when i went on to his website it says the stompbox he uses is an d i quote: " A roadcase lid with a pmz microphone underneath it"

oy

c_tietze · Post by **c_tietze** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 pm

I dig this track and the style of the music. Only thing I could say is that when you sing I will be free the last time hold it and use the delay for a little bit let it soar, but that's just my personal preference, I really can't say anything else except good work and I dig it

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:21 pm

Thats pretty cool, I know KT Tunstall stomps on a tamborine a lot which is a nice effect. I only use the drum machine for "studio work." It's nice because it can be very authentic sounding if used right. The problem is the rest of my setup does not sound as high quality so the drums can stand out. I think as my setup and technique improve, the drums will blend better.

When i play live though I use a style similiar to howie day: banging on different parts of the guitar to achieve different suond and i loop it. I also go a step further and beat box which i also loop since my mic is hooked up to the same loop sampler. I even have a little egg shaker that I keep in my pocket and sometimes i add that. All in all its pretty effective.

Work on beat boxing, its pretty fun

RunsWithBuffalo · Post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:23 pm

c_tietze wrote:I dig this track and the style of the music. Only thing I could say is that when you sing I will be free the last time hold it and use the delay for a little bit let it soar, but that's just my personal preference, I really can't say anything else except good work and I dig it

Hey thanks man, I think youre right about holding that note longer, Ill work on it and add some delay.

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:38 pm

RunsWithBuffalo wrote:Thats pretty cool, I know KT Tunstall stomps on a tamborine a lot which is a nice effect. I only use the drum machine for "studio work." It's nice because it can be very authentic sounding if used right. The problem is the rest of my setup does not sound as high quality so the drums can stand out. I think as my setup and technique improve, the drums will blend better.

When i play live though I use a style similiar to howie day: banging on different parts of the guitar to achieve different suond and i loop it. I also go a step further and beat box which i also loop since my mic is hooked up to the same loop sampler. I even have a little egg shaker that I keep in my pocket and sometimes i add that. All in all its pretty effective.

Work on beat boxing, its pretty fun

oh yeh yeh definetly, i LOVE my looper and drop beats like that all the time, but none of them are deep enough... this sound that lang had was like inexplicable, it wasnt a note and it was barely audible, but it shook the FUCK out of your chest, i think im gonna build my own by making a 12" x 12" x 1" cedar box and attatching a transducer to the underside of the top, then ill run it through a bass amp with no trebble and no mid... yeh thats the ticket... i can feel it now....

edit: and also the great thing about the manual stomp as opposed to a looped percussion is that as the song changed from verse to chorus to bridge to jam, he changed the beat/way in which he stomped on it, made some great transitions too...