Hello everybody,

I'd like to invite you all to have a listen to Sweet Home Production:-

www.myspace.com/sweethomeproductions

The song is called "Better Day" and we hope you enjoy it.

Surprisingly, perhaps, we're not looking to become famous, or even get a record deal. Our aim is to write songs for major artists.

This is probably a naive view of how the industry operates. For that reason we welcome your opinions on the music and also how best to go about making things happen...

Thank you for listening. May all your days be better days.

Richard

Nice moody sound Richard.

Thank you!

I was surprised by your description, as "moody" usually conjures up for me a dark atmosphere. But thinking about it, being happy is a mood just like any other.

Glad you enjoyed it,

Richard

Interesting arrangement.Like it.
One question, why is Richard D not so respected?
What did he do??

Hello Mart,

Thanks for your comment! The arrangment, indeed, everything you hear recorded is the hard work of my colleague Carlos Santos.

As to me not being so respected--it's just a throwaway comment, as I'm sure you realised. In fact, I consider myself a pretty good guitarist in my own right. So I am respected, at least by myself!

Just in case listeners are wondering, Carlos is from Cuba and hence sings with a slight accent. We hope it doesn't detract from the performance.

Once again, thank you for listening and sharing your thoughts. If any readers are afraid of sharing criticisms, don't be! We have quite thick skins and are perfectly open to hearing constructive critiques.

All the best,

Richard

I like the song, however I thought the beginning sounded a bit distorted and in need of a re-do, but that might just be my crummy speakers. I really must buy new ones.

Is the artist called Sweet Home, or Sweet Home Productions? I'm not clear on that.

Hi Cat--thanks for your comment!

Glad you liked the song.

There isn't any unwanted distorsion on the "master" (the guitar is distorted, but this is the usual rock distortion).

Mp3 compression obviously entails a loss of quality, but I don't think there's any noticeable resultant clipping.

I am going to check again, but as much as I hate to say this to a listener: yes, maybe the problem is in your speakers!

Has anyone else had the same problem as Cat?

All the best,

Richard

I like the mood and melody. The choppy rhythmn guitar is too high in the mix...it is not distorting, but it is going right across the vocal. Back off the compression/level and it will be fine.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to listen! Glad you liked the song Big End.

Excellent point about the guitar part. We're going to remedy this soon--we'll be going into the studio to master the demo.

One of the things about music, as I'm sure you all know, is that you quickly become accustomed to your mix and it's difficult to step outside and view it objectively.

For that reason, I really value your thoughts and opinions.

I've found the experience on this board to be very positive. What a nice, helpful bunch of people you are!

Enjoyed it too. Quite summery - shame summer was June 7th this year, was nice while it lasted.

Another one feeling the mix is letting the song down, a bit not terribly.

You are right that living with a track means you don't hear it after a while. All I can suggest is to listen to it somewhere away from the studio with people who are not involved.

Good luck with your venture.

If it's any consolation, ZOOLOO, the weather here in the north of Spain hasn't been anything to write home about either...

Glad you liked the song!

That's two comments about the mix so we definitely have some things to improve. Much obliged!

Richard