Shameless vanity: Just released a new song.

YouTube ^ | Nov 11, 2021 | Self

[Rocco DiPippo]

Thanks man! Listened to your cut. The guitar playing, especially near the end, is absolutely epic - well done! You’ve got some sick chops. Kind of has an Alan Holdsworth feel. Yeah, the mix is definitely overcompressed - the dynamics are being killed. Sounds like a high ratio was used and then slammed. I’d start with a 1:1.5 ratio and slowly dial down the threshold until it was glued, then leave it at that and then finish up with some mild peak limiting with the peaks hitting around 1db. By the time I get to the mastering phase the only thing I usually apply is light limiting to get the loudness up and some minor EQ tweaks if required to sweeten things up. The rest is done during mixdown. If you want a free remaster of it let me know! I think remastering it properly will fix it.

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

Sounds like you’re a David Gilmore fan,

[mairdie]

If you enjoy clear voices, this is an amateur who sings for “filk” conventions. She’s recorded many albums and I remember having her come up to our room to see the videos I made from her songs. At one convention, the star of the show was said to have broken down crying while she sang in the bar.

Tombstone - Temper of Revenge - Julia Ecklar
https://youtu.be/DgEbFsG9dwM

Farscape - Lost - Julia Ecklar
https://youtu.be/YaDopIFd-6w

I have a whole playlist for the songs of hers I’ve done.

She also wrote some of the professional Star Trek novels and is, I believe, by profession a coroner.

*************************

And here’s an amateur piano composer. He used to play in the waiting room of a hospital to calm the cancer patients. An absolutely magnificent example of what a human being is supposed to be. He doesn’t read music and plays by remembering what he played before. I did suggest he record as he goes. By profession, he’s an electrician. I’ve also got a playlist of the pieces I’ve done with his music. I think Joe has out 3 albums. He can’t take his fingers off his 4th.

Joseph Blanchard - LIVE - ML - Morning Light with New Introduction - Jan 9, 2019
https://youtu.be/b-bJMgM9aeE

[Westbrook]

Wow, quite a compliment!

Many thanks. I confess I am a fan of Allan Holdsworth. Couldn’t hold a candle to him, but I very much appreciate that you could feel his influence in my playing.

As for the mix, yeah, overcompressed. I’ll see if I can come up with something better.

And when I finally have time to pursue my own interests, I’ll be contacting you for production help, because you very obviously know your stuff.

[Rocco DiPippo]

She’s got an excellent, powerful Broadway-style voice - very pro sounding with great pitch. I’d like to hear her with professional production - this production does not do her justice. The pianist is excellent too! Thanks for sharing this.

[Rocco DiPippo]

Any time man. Feel free to pick my brain on production.

[mairdie]

Her friends got together and bought her an orchestra for that album. I never heard what they did for mixing. The album was “Divine Intervention,” put out in 2003. She writes much of her own work, and also covers other songs.

https://juliaecklar.bandcamp.com/album/divine-intervention

The rest of her albums are much simpler, some recorded live at conventions.

If you don’t mind video with the audio:

Julia playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYTtL1FB2XCrgxwSSRs-XjTgTlvsL9kKn

Joe playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYTtL1FB2XCqSP-cw2Tnn4uZoI8GvFq-4

**************

You mentioned albums of your own, but gave no details. Is this a profession or an avocation? One thing is obvious, it’s a joy. What amazing fun you’re having!