[LAU] Cedars ... my CD made with Linux

[Bob van der Poel]

First off, thanks for taking time to listen. I truly appreciate that.


>   I just listened to the demos on your side. I like the saxophone, 
> itsounds really warm. But the rest of the sounds is too MIDI for my 

Funny that things sound too MIDI :) After all, it is just that. I guess 
that I could take that as a criticism, but honestly this record is more 
a demo of how easy it is to create "acceptable" backgrounds with MMA. 
Well, that what it started out as. I really do know crap about mixing 
and audio. I do know what I like to listen to, and play. And, yes, I 
agree that a lot of the tracks are a bit mechanical.

> taste. I think even with free software and free sounds you could have 
> found a nicer piano and nicer drums. Also especially in Wynndel-waltz 
> the ride is played a bit too MIDI-like in a few places.

Okay. Too midi-like? Does this mean too mechanical?

>   Even though the songs are simple little tunes, for dancing, you did 
> yourself harm with the sound-selection. I know this sounds hard, 
> especially, when I read, that it took you so long to get this CD done. 

You read too closely the words. I really did not work on this record for 
40 years :) But, I have been playing for at least that long (not sax, 
but that is another story).

> BUT: perhaps you will get back to a few of your tunes or start another 
> CD, from which I definitely wouldn't discourage you, and then you can 
> just take care of the sounds. Probably even invest a little in either a 
> few samples or some synth-module. I'd hope so. And I hope, that you're 
> not too sad about tis answer.

Heck no. Not sad at all.

I do find it very difficult to hear the things you talk about.

The crappy piano sounds on a $20 synth sound to me like "piano sounds". 
The old piano at the school sounds like a piano. The grand at the 
concert hall sounds like a piano. Do they sound different? Sure. Is one 
sound more clear, more vibrant, "better". Sure. Does it matter? Not to 
my ears. I listen to the music. What the musician is putting into the 
song. The interpretation (which is the stuff that I think is lacking 
from my own playing, even after all these years). The melody, etc.

I listen to a lot of the so-called modern music and the pure sounds and 
wonderful mixes and I just don't get it. Sure, the audio is wonderful 
... but that's about it. And don't get me started ranting about a lot of 
the radio we are subjected to each day.

Oppps, I'm ranting ... and it might even sound like I'm trying to 
justify or defend my little project. Sorry, that's not the intention.

I'd like to redo the album some day with a live band in a real studio. 
Ahh, such are dreams. I live in a little community where the only 
popular music is playing on old guitars which are capable of only 3 or 4 
chords :)

Again, thanks for listening.


-- 
Bob van der Poel ** Wynndel, British Columbia, CANADA **
EMAIL: bob at mellowood.ca
WWW:   http://www.mellowood.ca