Right Here Now

[TripleM]

@Greg_L - it's at the top.

[Greg_L]

@Greg_L - it's at the top.

Okay thanks now I can hear the issues.

It sounds like, to my drummer ear, the fills are either poorly arranged and/or over-humanized within the drum software. The fills are not elaborate. They are just messy. These fills at....
1:10
1:39
2:01
2:59
3:20

Listen to the fills at those time markers. They are stuttery and they lose the beat and they are not a smooth transition into the next part. They're jarring. Basic little fills that don't work will RUIN an entire drum take. This song is not complex. That drum track is not complex. It should be easy-peasy smooth sailing from start to finish but you have all these hiccuping fills everywhere. It kills the song. Fix the fills and I bet the rest falls together easily.

[Lt. Bob]

Listen to the fills at those time markers. They are stuttery and they lose the beat and they are not a smooth transition into the next part.

^^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^ I don't care what the program says ...... the fills are not in time with the whole 'feel' of the song

[TripleM]

I reworked the drums. I did things at all those time markers as well as a few other spots. New "mix" at the top. The only changes are the drum parts. No mix changes.

Thanks for the help @Greg_L and @Lt. Bob .

[TripleM]

Now that I've put the time in on this, I'd like to hear from you how I did. Just listen to mix 2 - no need to waste time on the other stuff.

Did I sort the drums out?
Any mix comments?
Songwriting comments (since there is plenty about it that I don't like)?

Thanks.

[Greg_L]

Now that I've put the time in on this, I'd like to hear from you how I did. Just listen to mix 2 - no need to waste time on the other stuff.

Did I sort the drums out?
Any mix comments?
Songwriting comments (since there is plenty about it that I don't like)?

Thanks.

It is better. I felt it flowed much better from section to section. It's still not "locked" with the guitars and vocals and bass but it is improved....until that very last ending fill. Lol. I was like "okay this got better" and than that last fill happened. Get rid of that.

Also, if you want, that ride ping pattern in what I'm calling the pre-chorus is weird. I get what you're trying to do there but it's off in it's feel. I don't know how you fix that with programmed drums but it's too robotic and mechanical. A pattern like that needs to have some kind of swing to it.

[TripleM]

Cool. Thanks Greg. OK I'll redo that last fill. And I was never "sold" on the ride thing going on in the B part of the verses. I just gotta change em in 3 places. The perils of copy-and-paste. Thanks again.

[Greg_L]

Cool. Thanks Greg. OK I'll redo that last fill. And I was never "sold" on the ride thing going on in the B part of the verses. I just gotta change em in 3 places. The perils of copy-and-paste. Thanks again.

[TripleM]

OK I'm in to this this far, I might as well finish it off. I re-did the last fill, and I tweaked a couple other spots. Also replaced the ride cymbal in the B part of the verse with hats.

I'd appreciate thoughts. Thanks.

[rayc]

Much improved.

[TripleM]

Much improved.

Thank you Ray!!

[Tadpui]

I never got to hear the first draft of this, but just from the couple of available mixes, you definitely came a long way with this one. The main guitar riff still kinda beats against the kick drum rhythm, but overall things fit together a lot better in the latest mix. Nice show of perseverance, @TripleM !

[JD01]

Listened to the various versions of this quite a few times now.
I think there's a couple of problems with it which aren't working for me.
Firstly, I don't like the tone of your rhythm guitars - I know you like a 60s garagey sound, but they're just too abrasive and spikey.
The main thing though is that the rhythm of the song just don't lock together - the riff at the start seems to imply a different pattern with the kick drum to me and then it comes in sounding all wonky. I can't described drum beats very well so it would probably be confusing if I tried.

Also, at 51s, on "Dream The Dreams" the emphasis of the kick seems all wrong - its still just playing a basic straight up beat where the kick pattern needs to change to lock in with the rhythm.

I think you need to spend a bit more time on the drums, making them lock together with the rhythmic feel of the song. Then I think you should re-record the rhythm guitars. Get a less abrasive tone, but also if you've got a tidier rhythm section that fits what you're playing, you'll probably play it better too.

[TripleM]

Thanks @Tadpui and @JD01.

I think I've had it with this one. I don't like the song myself and I don't think anyone else does either.

It was going to be an anniversary present to my wife, but I just don't think it's going to be the gift I want to give her.

Thanks again.

[Tadpui]

@TripleM I understand. I think the song is fine, and the chorus is great. But I understand if the vibe isn't there, it's not there. Maybe sit it down for a while and come back to it later to see if the spark comes back. Next anniversary!

[rayc]

I agree with Tad, put it away and then come back to it...use it as a problem solving template. There're lots of good things about it but I, like you, would be disappointed that such a cool plan ran aground.

[JD01]

Thanks @Tadpui and @JD01.

I think I've had it with this one. I don't like the song myself and I don't think anyone else does either.

It was going to be an anniversary present to my wife, but I just don't think it's going to be the gift I want to give her.

Thanks again.

I think it would be fine if you got the beat to work with the song so all the elements felt like they were rhythmically working together.
I'll try and described what I mean with notation if you want to have another crack at it.

[TripleM]

I think it would be fine if you got the beat to work with the song so all the elements felt like they were rhythmically working together.
I'll try and described what I mean with notation if you want to have another crack at it.

Yeah I'd like that. Thanks.

I like the music. It has a couple of cool chords and chord changes. But it's full of forced rhymes and cliches. And nobody likes the rhythm.

[JD01]

I think it would be fine if you got the beat to work with the song so all the elements felt like they were rhythmically working together.
I'll try and described what I mean with notation if you want to have another crack at it.

Yeah I'd like that. Thanks.

I like the music. It has a couple of cool chords and chord changes. But it's full of forced rhymes and cliches. And nobody likes the rhythm.

The most obvious spot, to me at least, where it goes a bit awry to me is the "Dream The Dreams" bit. You're playing a straight up beat there. But something like this would work better

1-2-3-4 / 1-2-3-4
h-h-h-h / h-h-h-h
k-x-x-k / x-k-x-k
x-x-S-x / x-x-S-x

[Lt. Bob]

Personally I like the song actually.

The drums just did not fit ..... no amount of tweaking will make them fit .... the 'feel' is not right.

When you get around to fooling with it again I'd just start over on the drums