All The While-Sonar Original

[voclizr]

I was going to enter this in the upcoming annual Songwriting competition but the "experts" at the Sonar forum said it has no melody. In fact, one person there said that "scat" music has more melody than this has. I appreciate their warning me because otherwise, I might've blown $35.00 to have professional experts tell me the same (or worse). Anyway, here it is for you to check out. I used to think it was the best I've ever done, but how can that be if it has no melody. I have nothing more to lose with it as it's already been trashed so flame away.

https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/all-the-while

[The Cracks]

Serves you right for straying away from the one true home recording forum.

There is a melody to this song. I wasn't sure if you were kidding or not. It's a nice song. Very clear recording and nice (synth?) instrumentation. Lyrics are good. The vocals are very clear. I personally would have put a touch of the old 'verb on them but that's me. I liked the horns on the end parts.

Good one, V.

[Lungfruit]

haha.."experts". I agree with Sean it has a melody all right. It might be just too sophisticated for for those sonar people It's a nice piece in your recognizable style. It's mixed well and I can hear all parts nicely. Nothing wrong this one John!

Illegitimi non carborundum (Don't let the bastards grind you down)

[Jim_Fogle]

Well gosh John, I'm not sure I know what to say.

I listened to it on BandCamp. Good recording, nice tone, mixed well, everything's clean and the reverb is not overbearing. I'm not sure why you would have gotten flamed in the Sonar forum so ...

I downloaded the song file then imported it into the latest, October 2017 update of Sonar Home Studio. The song sounded just as nice as it did on BandCamp!

By-the-way, I'm keeping the download as I like the song.

[voclizr]

Thanks Jim F, Lung & Sean. You're right about straying from this forum, especially over there. They seem to use a different insight into music than most people I know. They don't just listen and enjoy, they anally probe every note and every nuance. It gets nerve wracking! But I guess I asked for it. The comment that pissed me off the most was "Even the most out there scat singing has melodic elements to it". What BS is that?! So, just because it sounds a bit out of my range because of my asthma, it doesn't have a melody? Is that what this idiot is trying to imply?

Once, I posted a song I wrote two years ago which had the "s" word in it and they castigated me for using that word. I don't use language like that in my music often but I figured if my late hero, Dan Fogelberg could do it in one of his album cuts, so could I, but they were on and on about how that song could never be a hit with that word (like I'd ever expect it to). I posed the same song here and not a word was said about the dreaded "S" word.

Anyway, here's the link to the thread-
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Considering-E ... 22892.aspx
See if you can figure out what they're yapping about.

Thanks again.

[surfercook]

Sounds "Melodic" to me. It's a beautiful piece of music w/your recognizable style. Nice work here for sure. I too enjoyed that ending w/the horn. Forget those "Sonar Sound Snobs"!

[The Cracks]

V, that site reminds me of another horrible songwriting forum (I forget the name off hand) that I used to post on occasionally. They were dreadful people. Dick Langford posted the song Bitter Season (that I co-wrote with him) that contained the word "skewed" as an end rhyme to one of the lines. They acted as if that was the greatest sin that could possibly have been committed in songwriting. They were idiots. Thank God that site crashed under it's own weight and no longer exists.

[dickl]

I've been a little absent so I'm very late with this.

Nothing wrong with this at all John. The melody works well with the chord progression and has a very nice jazzy feel.

Very smooth work and as has already been said, very sophisticated.

I remember that site Sean. It did indeed collapse at one point although I think it may have started up again under slightly different name. Talk about storm in a tea cup.

Cheers

Dick

[ps02]

For the sound and style you were going for this is fine. I mean its not a hook laden pop song but thats not what its meant to be right? Sounds like a relaxing love letter set to music.

I wouldn't get to hung on people that so deeply analyse.

[voclizr]

Marc, Sean, Dick & ps02-Thanks so much for listening and commenting. I've decided to hell with the competition. I can think of better uses for that $35.00. @ps, Yes, I never thought of it as a future "rock or Pop classic". Just a nice mellow jazz vocal tune. Sean & Dick-Maybe you're thinking of Gearslutz. Those guys can be brutal.

[Roy-Al]

Absolutely lovely! An effortless blending of words, melody and music as in the part that goes:

"Never a day goes by when I feel blue
Never a time when I feel not good enough
Never have you voiced concern of doubt at any time
Always I feel right at home to speak to you my mind."

Your vocals, I can tell, you feel this one. I think this is the song is one of your best!

[voclizr]

Absolutely lovely! An effortless blending of words, melody and music as in the part that goes:

"Never a day goes by when I feel blue
Never a time when I feel not good enough
Never have you voiced concern of doubt at any time
Always I feel right at home to speak to you my mind."

Your vocals, I can tell, you feel this one. I think this is the song is one of your best!

Thank you, Roy!

[jonesvox]

I agree with the posts here. Music, ultimately, is to be 'expression' and I feel that you have expressed some deep emotion here and I dig the jazz feel and sophistication of the melody....yes, melody. Cheers!