Nice songs,
What did you use besides the keyboard? Did you use a mixer? Did you record strait into your PC. What software did you use? How about some tech-side on how recorded.

Thanks

------------------
I don't steer the ship, I bail out the water.

Hi folks,

Thank you to those who have given a listening to my latest home efforts on the Korg PA80.

ANDREA
I am sorry to hear it takes you that long to download just one of my songs, I can well imagine how discouraging this must be. At the same time I am counting my blessings as many here in Holland do, where most people are connected by Cable and are online 24 hours a day with a pretty fast connection.
(it takes me about 4 minutes to download one of my songs............)
I am glad that at least you liked the one you picked and will be in touch personally.

DONM
I don't understand about you getting the same song with the "unindentifiables" but there it is I'm afraid. AFter all IUMA is offering a service which is totally free, so I can't complain too much.
"can't help falling in love " is of course one of the two Elvis songs on this new CD, the other being "Love me tender" in a totally different arrangement, which is one of my favourites really. (it was on my previous CD but this is a remake really).
All of the songs are of course great hits form that outstanding era of popmusic, the
sixties. But I very much like to totally rearrange the song with the instruments and styles that the Korg PA80 offer me. I know many people do not like this and want to hear a song as close to the original version as possible. Not me though. I can understand this for party purposes, but then I think where is the challenge ? It is not very likely you will outdo the original artist if your version is (almost) identical. The PA80
has given me (perhaps more than any other keyboard) inspiration to fiddle with the arrangements and come up with this CD.

DNJ
Thank you for your personal email. Though critical of my performance, I do treasure your evaluation, which I am sure is anything but perfect. I will try and answer you personally as well ,but part of the answer lies in the following reply that is addressed to the queries of BEACHBUM:
(and 7 out of 10 will do for me son !!!)

BEACHBUM:
I record all my stuff literally in my livingroom (if the missus isn't there!!).
The KORG PA-80 (as well as the old Roland E70 which I use almost exclusively for the righthand acoustic piano) go into a Roland
8 channel mixer, as does the Shure SM58 microphone. The reverb on the singing comes from an old Alesis Microverb 3.
I then record LIVE AND IN ONE TAKE into a
DAT recorder. (digital audio tape). As the recording is in stereo only I am unable to make any changes afterwards. So in fact I am very limited in these respects.
I know I should change and start hooking up to computer etc. and get a vocaliser but for
various reasons I have not yet done so.
So there you are really................

greetings,
john

P.S. if you decide to give some of my songs a listening don't forget to choose for the download option as the streaming certainly doesn't do them (or any recording for that matter) justice...............

John,
I'll try them again when I get time. I did stream them, but they sound great.
I record myself the same way, except even simpler. I record directly into the stereo digital recorder from the outputs of the PSR2000. Nothing extra, no remix.
If I ever want to get really serious, I would multitrack everything, but mostly I record to monitor my performances, and I want it to sound exactly as I do live.
Don

John,

Very nice work, I love that sax in Can't Help Falling In Love .
You are right, I'm also one of the lucky guy's who have cable, Although sometimes the connection is gone and I can't go online .
Anyway, keep on making this kind of music, I'm looking forward to your next CD.

Greetz ,
Marcel

John,

I didnt know you did your songs in a One Shot all inclusive recording as you can tell by my email to you. My suggestions were realized thinking you did a multitrack version in which I still think would help you greatly in your music creativity.

Thanx for sharing......

John,

I have the same problem as the rest of the phone modem folks, but I listened to pieces of most of the songs. You have a good voice and your playing technique is good as well. I like the version of Tears in Heaven. I understand the effect of putting your own spin on the songs and in reality, big groups often do that as well when redoing a great original. Listen to Ray Charles' version of the Beatles Eleanor Rigby or earth Wind and Fire's version of "Got to get You into my life" and I think they applied the same principle

It's tough to do a one shot recording and get it to sound exactly right on a CD, no matter how talented the player is. I don't generally do it, because much of my music does not feature vocals and in that respect each instrument part has to have it's own personality and feel for me to be happy with the work. The downside is I spend a lot of time mixing, remixing, applying individual effects ,setting different levels, and mastering it all at the end, but I'd rather strive to get it exactly as I wish and fortuunately for me I love to tweak anyway.

Although this strays from the topic a little in a way it's connected too. Years ago I was a little hung up on the ( sometimes ) "non musicianship" aspect of it, Today I appreciate the nuances and challenges of creating electronic music. In part maybe the same musicianship skills aren't ALWAYS at the forefront as they are when playing an acoustic piano or an organ, but now having dabbled, I can appreciate that the process of creating and blending sounds and musical intonations ( and sometimes even playing them in real time as opposed to arpeggiating them all ) is an art form of it's own. Putting your own spin on existing music is another part of the artistic process.

Cheers John,

AJ

That's hitting the nail on the head AJ,
"putting your spin on existing music" is what I like doing best, but in all honesty also out of necessity as I am a lousy composer etc.
I like these "one shot recordings" as you call them and it is not necessarily so that if they are given much more "treatment"they
will sound that much better. Besides I have my musical limits, even more than you might think.
So yes I am quite happy doing this, the only drawback that I am now facing is that after two years I could do with the challenge of another keyboard, but as funds are a bit low at present I will gladly hang on to my Korg PA80; perhaps DNJ's suggestion of getting the Vocal Board isn't such a bad one. Apparently Uncle Dave is using it a lot.
(and to your heart's content UD ??)

thanks to you all for all the feedback !!

john

good move John,


The Voc Card is a inexpensive upgrade for your PA80 that will provide you another dimension to your music, vocals for sure.

Go For It!!