JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum "How Are You?"

John,

I love your simple effective production here. This reminds me a little of The Beatles' "Good Morning" but just a little.

But this carves its own unique-ness with those Gothic sounding harmonies and the off-kilter sensation your title line engenders with it's odd time signature.

Beautiful work!

Mike

Wow, what a cool rock track! I love hearing these chords that you normally don't run across in rock, along with some nice vocal harmonies to set them off. I feel like I want a lead sheet to this tune just to play through it and take it in (and I feel too lazy to write it out myself). Cool instrumental and vocal break after the first verse and chorus - it felt right.

Like Mike, I definitely hear echoes of the Beatles. I'm reminded of stuff off of Abby Road and Sgt. Pepper like Mr. Mustard and Mr. Kite. If you could find regional bands (in the northern US?) that had the vocal and musical chops to pull it off, I think one would pick it up for rotation into their set.

My only suggestions would be to:

- Flesh out the lyrics to have less repetition in them,
- Be open to having the band alter lyrics, and
- Insert an area of the track that was clearly a space to add a guitar solo on top of.

I would imagine that the solo section could be at 1:37 and just have one chord per bar of D - F - G - D (you've got the first 3 already). Then repeat the 4-bar phrase a few times maybe, to give them the idea where they would place the solo.

Thanks for sharing!

Thank yo so much for your comments and thoughtful advice! Really good ones too. I tried to do the original band thing form 2008- early 2011. When folks don't know the songs when they are out at bars and such, they mostly keep talking. Not singing along. But I will keep the band thing in mind as for what you said, another band in that style. I would give the band full freedom to do as they want with it. If I wouldn't like it all, I would just ask not to mention my name for credit! Ha! If so, I would want my name in banners being paraded around the place!!! Ha!

Here are the chords, (which are the same for all like sections), in case you want to play along, as you mentioned: (Thank you)!

Verse:

G Gb Inverted Bb Gm GbDim-6 Gm C G
First flurries of the year, woke up feeling fine. Woke up feeling fine

"How Are You?":
https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=13669399

Tracked in a broken-up day, (Time wise), and sung the next.

Tinnitus and having freaky Hyperacousis forces me to TRY to track correctly in the first take or two, then sing with the same needed focus, to later edit anything needed. (I have gotten good at editing)! haha!

The first line, "First flurries of the year", was from an actual moment a few years ago when outside and seeing JUST one flurry, way ahead of the first snow day in the Philly area. I was actually in Philly with Cindy, driving her to her insurance job field work she had to do that day. When we got home, I wrote this simply tune, based on that one snow flurry. I felt good when seeing it, so is why I went right into the hook, "Woke Up Feeling Fine". I didn't wake up to see the flurry, but I know many people do, seeing the first flurries out of their bedroom window. So,,,that's what I imagined when writing that hook line.

I played a real Hi Hat, to go with he keyboard, finger playing in real time, drums. (Yes I had sound blocking headphones on for that hi hat playing). Also played a Les Paul knockoff, (Epiphone Special II Model), for the two tacks of them, (L and R channels). A piano from my keys, and the bass from the keys. All in real time. NO loops or programs. I like to play as if playing the song all the way through, on the clicker. I edit later as needed. I will either push or pull the tune with drums here and there is I FEEL it works. Same for the bass. I will line up the bass note with the kick drum, if wanting a push or pull.

Thank you for any comments. If anyone wants demos done by how I can do them for ANY style music, have your head checked! Ha!

Very welcome, Johnny! I hear you about the band thing. It sounds like you have the right kind of flexible mindset to allow somebody to take your song and run with it. I appreciate the chords!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the section that begins with "You may have another story...", I'm hearing:

A G Gb D F

That Gb chord is very interesting! To me, it sounds like it suggests an upcoming b minor chord. Totally fine that no b minor is played, though. When it goes straight from the Gb chord (or better yet, call it an F# chord) to the D chord in the section I outlined, it even evokes memories of the 50s and a resurgence of use of that progression in the 90s by groups like Weezer and Radiohead. In music theory terms, it functions as a V of iii and then later as a V of vi.

Bottom line is that I like its use!

Cool rocker with a retro vibe and a dash of Beatles thrown in for good measure.

I liked the song and the production was good except I was not a fan of that super-thin sounding snare drum. The changeup in the intro grabbed my attention when the song really kicked in; nicely done.

I approach my songs like you do. I always play them all the way through on every instrument, and rarely cut and paste anything. I feel like this linear approach keeps the song evolving even if it is just nuances. I leave little mistakes in there, too, because there is such a thing as 'too perfect.' However, I never use a click track except for self rehearsal. I feel like a straight click track sucks the life out of songs a lot of the time. After I get the main progression and the basic arrangement down, I do my drums next to outline the song and then play to them (instead of a click). I can always edit or even redo the drums later but having a percussion track with the feel of the song helps me swing the timing the way I want.

Overall, great job!

Peace,
TC

Oh man, I neglected to insert those last chords! The Chorus! ha! Sorry. Thank YOU for posting them. Yeah, My hands simply went to that F# Has an Augmentive in there too for one quarter note, (if in 4/4).

Thank you!