I bought one of Don Mason's Yamaha PSR-S970's and thought I'd share a blues number I named, "I'm Not Excited" using the Box Account I set up. Tony Mads led me through the "maze" to get this done. So, thanks Tony... and thanks, Don. I really enjoy this arranger. ----Dave Rice

https://app.box.com/s/nw7ov4figir63cfbkb5efyzvfj2glzot

I like that, Dave ... If anything, perhaps it could use a couple of breaks, and/or fill ins ...

Not taking anything away from you, but it sounds like something made for Don Mason to perform ...

Thanks Tony:

As you probably know, I am a song-writer first, a singer of sorts secondly and a miserable musician. My objective with my catalog of songs (Many with ASCAP) has been to lure better singers with starpower of followings who might do "covers" of my work to "plug me into the income stream." Problem is, today, most big name performers write their own, roll their own and even have their own publishing entities... thus, cutting out the middle man.

The good news: There is always hope and I enjoy what I do. I would rate the quality of my body of work as 40% needing significant work, 60% worth combing through (I do multi-genre songs, blues, pop, folk, latin-pop, ballads, rock and country.)

Of that 60% possibly 15% is "A" side material and the rest "B" side. Songwriters are the worst possible judges of their own work.

You are 100% correct... I think Mason could "tear this song up" but there are others here who could do it justice. Unfortunately, most of you are not recording artists... even though you could be. You are real performers out there in those more personal venues doing live arranger gigs.

As I age, I realize it is probably a larger goal to find a way for my music to survive long after I'm gone. My legacy to the culture I grew up in and was exposed to as I travelled the world.

Thanks for listening and commenting. ----Dave

Dave, please take this as CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. First of all, the vocals are fine, the style fits the mood of the song, the blues guitar work is spot on, and the recording is well balanced with excellent clarity. Here is what I would change, bearing in mind that this is just MY opinion. The position of the chord changes. The changes themselves are fine but in some places they seem to come in a measure or so early or resolve too quickly. I feel that it could be just slightly re-engineered by having the changes come in at the usual anticipated places. Again, this is JUST MY OPINION and I'm no expert, so take it with a grain of salt. Really glad to see you put it out there, though and just remember, there isn't a song out there that SOMEONE doesn't think should be done differently , that's why we have so many variations of 'hit songs' when other people 'cover' them. Good luck. You nailed the BEST element of songwriting, which is, to tell a story.

chas

Dave, I have to say that I felt the same way chas does about the chord changes, but I wasn't sure how to express it ... I'm glad chas did it so well ...

Hi Dave,
Love the tune and your vocals, as Chas said there were some timing problems between vocals and chord changes
Eric

Thank you all. Remember, I am a song-writer... not a performer or good vocalist. I am thus, a fisherman... and the song I created is bait for someone with a following to do a "cover." I was pleased at how Yamaha has increased the availability of stringed instruments and guitars for their styles. I spend more time setting up the song than I do in performing and recording. Phrasing does not come naturally to me.

I'm guessing that each of you could take that style and make it a show-stopper. My recordings are little more than cheapo-demos. I've paid to have a few done... but with a catalogue of more than 1000 songs, I would soon run out of money... and have little to show for it... unless I landed some Big Fish or two to record them. Pitching songs to artists and promoters has become an ordeal and a real pain in the posterior. Competition out the Kazoo... and most of them are already performing artists.

Your constructive criticisms are well taken and I will do my best to clean up this problem if and when I have time to record it again. Also know that most artists are going to cut the song the way they see fit... and as long as I still own the copyright and get royalties from their work... that is fine with me.

You guys get out there and bust your tails performing on a weekly basis, and though most of you are doing covers, they had better sound great at each performance or your audience will drift away.
On my side of the ledger, I only have to get one good recording done... and with luck, never record the song again after I get one good cut out of the effort.

Thanks so much for listening and commenting. It can only help me to improve. B-T-W, I am one year younger than Willie Nelson and he got started about 50 years ahead of me. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I further promise to not drown the "Zone" with many of my songs. There are many of us here.. and the "stage" should be shared.
All the best, and thanks again. ----Dave

You've been holding out on us Dave. You sing really well and I liked the song a lot.
Nice guitar playin' too.

My thoughts exactly. I’m surprised we hadn’t any of your songs before. Enjoyed it!

I'm humbled to receive kind words from "The Man Himself"... one of my music idols, Don Mason. That "board" you sold me has been a real learning experience compared to the 910 but if I ever master the VH and Vocal Effects... the "instruments" (Yamaha calls them voices) are light years ahead of what I had before.

Thanks for taking time to listen. ----Dave