Ray888

As long as there are listeners that can relate to a lyric it is fine. It is also important that the storyline unfolds with a little more information unfolding in each verse in order to retain the interest of the listener. Chorus or hook should kick home the crux of the story. Having stated the above it is not something set in stone because there have been plenty of song lyrics that have charted that defy logic.

As I stated earlier, it is a good write and if you are open to advice the main thing that needs addressing in my humble opinion is just to retain the first "Dear Dad" and replace the others with something else.

Yep, I am most certainly unique, but then again we all are. True beauty lies in the individual's soul. What we see on the outside is just an illusion.

It's amazing that a discussion about arrogance can attract so many posters. All I have to say to symphonious7 is that I am by far better looking than him. If you all take a look at the photograph of me on the left you MUST agree that I am the most handsome individual on Songstuff, on this planet, the solar system, the Milky way and the universe. It feels so good to be a humble personality and one day I must give up the crack pipe.

I really love this song and it has much potential. it's a really good write although it would be advisable to come up with something to replace the repeated Dear Dad's. My reasoning is that the song reads like a letter which is a good thing but you wouldn't say dear dad three times. Once is Enough. I am guessing that the melody is in the early stages of development because some parts really work well and some feel a little sticky but it may be the case that you sang and played live. I also like your voice because there are many that can sing but there's few who can express a song with the feeling that you put into it. Once you have ironed out the melody get yourself into a studio and record it properly, it will be a great song. If you were in London I would get you into my studio pronto and not let you go until you had an album recorded. I would have no problem with buying the song if it was completed and radio ready. Well done so far

I don't concern myself with how others perceive my lyrics. As long as I feel that I have got my message across it's OK with me. In my experience (which is a very long time) different people will perceive a lyric according to their own individual experiences. Not everyone will be able to identify with it or even get close to understanding your intended meaning. Back in the sixties there was a song written by Gary Brooker titled "Whiter shade of pale" whose meaning nobody except Gary understood and he had to explain it. It didn't stop the song from becoming a hit.

I'm not a musician so don't use pitch correction personally but it doesn't bother me because the majority of songs in the charts nowadays used it to varying degrees. It's a sign of the times with the advancement of technology i'm afraid. No sins involved unless you happen to be a purist. Anyway I am only responsible for lyrics so don't have to concern myself about that aspect so my perspective is neutral on the subject.

Thanks but my options are very limited with my layout because the controller either needs to fit in my centre rack which I can easily adapt or it needs to fit in a space that is maximum 39 inches wide bX 14 inches deep. I do have a midi keyboard controller which is an Axiom 61 note but I need a controller which has great auto faders. I have just seen the Avid artist mix but I don't know if they will work with Protools and Logic or if the auto faders are as good as the SSL or Avid S3. It will be a long term investment so I don't want to make a purchase that I regret. I did so much research before I purchased the Neumann KH120s because they weren't cheap and am very happy with them. I want to be as happy when I purchase a control surface. I really love the look of the Icon Qcon pro X but it seems to be going through a lot of teething problems with it's software interfacing and the master fader on the unit was not syncing with protools or Logic the last time I checked on forums. I'm hoping that a reliable company makes a unit that will suit my set-up but I can only pray lol.

Hey John, I can't work out if that keyboard is really curved or whether it is trick photography. Is that a Mackie control surface your using, how do you find it and are you happy with it's functions? I have been looking around for a controller that has smooth auto faders and works with both protools and logic pro. I have checked out the SSL Nucleus, Avid A3, and Icon Qcon pro X but they all seem to have problems from what I have read on forums like Gearlutz. I am limited for space which doesn't help. I only have 14 inch deep space in front of my outboard equipment which means thet the SSL would hang over the front a little. What monitor speakers are you using John?

I think that one of your problems may be the size of your monitors compared to the size of your room. I would advise you to situate your right hand screen above your larger monitor at an angle down because as a rule of thumb it is always a good thing to keep the monitor wall as symmetrical as possible. Also I would advise that you place some thick absorbers behind your monitor speakers because it will help prevent reflections from the wall behind. One more thing you could do is to hang some heavy curtains to the window which would prevent high frequencies bouncing back at you, or fit louvered wooden blinds leaving them at a 45 degree angle which would act as a diffuser. Obtaining a balanced sound especially for mixing purposes is one of the hardest things to achieve and it will probably amount to much trial and error before you get it right. My studio is a lot smaller than yours so I am using 5 inch Neuman KH120s which is as large as I dare risk. I have had a much larger studio in the past using 14 inch questeds but still used Yamaha NS 10s and cubes for reference. Looks like you have a decent setup though.

Good article John. I'm no longer an artist and now concentrate on writing for other Artists. It's become very noticeable that the Artists that are gigging and also are good at self publicity or have media help and DJ radio contacts bring in a lot more revenue than those that aren't socially as active and have less idea of how to market themselves. I do some promotion and marketing for them myself but am no expert. I don't even know how to utilise any other available platforms other than Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I am fortunate enough to have a couple of independent record labels that do some work on promotion and marketing and also sublicense to other distributors but their budgets are nowhere near to what the major labels spend. It's the reason that I don't rely solely on revenue from songs that I pitch successfully to artists because I also have to pitch songs for TV and Film. Basically the vast majority of Songwriters and artists are swimming upstream in a torrent. The market is now flooded with songwriters, singer songwriters and artists who are all competing within a market that has become accustomed to downloading or streaming free music. I know of several pro songwriters who have left the music business because they can't earn enough money to live on. I spoke to a friend earlier today who has written a number of hit songs in the past who is now busking because it earns him a better living. He still gigs with different bands but he doesn't rely on that for regular wages. Truth is that the whole music industry is in a mess and it all began with the digital revolution. I think it will take a long time before some sort of solution or balance is found.

As I stated earlier, whatever works for you is personal, and it may not be what works for others. Everyone has their own path and I for one don't wish to push anything down anyones throats.

I believe that it's OK for a person to find out the way to their own spirit in whatever way they can. I believe in the teachings of Jesus but I also believe that we have had many great teachers in our history that can lead us to a path of righteousness. Once you tell someone that your way is the only way you are on stoney ground. I did not intend this to develope into a religious discussion, I was just relating my personal experience of where I believe my lyrics emanate from. In any case, there is a paragraph in the rules of this website that discourage religious discussion.