[- - e r i k - -]

... how's this for a GarageBand production?

Monophobe - Can I Turn Now

It's our bands latest song, it was written by Angelo Cannavo, sung by Caroline Ingeberg and produced by me. Have a listen and let me know what you think. I'm open to input as it's not final yet.

[DarwinX]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
... how's this for a GarageBand production?

I'm a fan.

Thanks for sharing. It seems as if different styles inspired the song, and I'm a definite fan of that.

[iMOTOR]

Free music, Yaaay!

Cool stuff

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by DarwinX:
I'm a fan.

Thanks for sharing. It seems as if different styles inspired the song, and I'm a definite fan of that.

Yes, we are most definitely a multi-style band. When we chose the name Monophobe it wasn't in the dictionary, so we made up our own definition: fear of being one-sided and it sums up our music perfectly

[DarwinX]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
Yes, we are most definitely a multi-style band. When we chose the name Monophobe it wasn't in the dictionary, so we made up our own definition: fear of being one-sided and it sums up our music perfectly

Very nice. The song will be headed to my iPod. Keep us posted on the bands latest efforts.

Long live music.

[JohnSmithXTREME]

As webscreamer tell us:

stealing music is okay, but sharing music is BAD

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by DarwinX:
Very nice. The song will be headed to my iPod. Keep us posted on the bands latest efforts.

Long live music.

Well, you might also be interested in our last song: Metermind

[Demonhood]

very cool.
i still have, on my playlist, the song that you used in your film competition entry way back when. catchy.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Demonhood:
very cool.
i still have, on my playlist, the song that you used in your film competition entry way back when. catchy.

Hehe, Pepper Symphony Thanks. Hope this new one will join it.

[demograph68]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
Hehe, Pepper Symphony Thanks. Hope this new one will join it.

That was really good! You just use garageband?

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
... how's this for a GarageBand production?

Monophobe - Can I Turn Now

It's our bands latest song, it was written by Angelo Cannavo, sung by Caroline Ingeberg and produced by me. Have a listen and let me know what you think. I'm open to input as it's not final yet.

(first song)

I like it - it's got real potential - but FFS go and do it in a proper studio.

Lose the drums/bass intro though - start it straight into the guitar bit, maybe with a little lead-in blip or something. The "build up" start is a major failing amongst amateurs.

(second song - on web page)

Utter crap, the like of which every student I've ever had comes out with. A total non-entity. Stick with the bubblegum style girlie singing and feel of the first song if you want to get anywhere.

(Sorry dude but I figure you'd want the truth of the matter rather than a polite fawning - but hey I'm probably still in your ignore list anyways)

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
(first song)

I like it - it's got real potential - but FFS go and do it in a proper studio.

Lose the drums/bass intro though - start it straight into the guitar bit, maybe with a little lead-in blip or something. The "build up" start is a major failing amongst amateurs.

(second song - on web page)

Utter crap, the like of which every student I've ever had comes out with. A total non-entity. Stick with the bubblegum style girlie singing and feel of the first song if you want to get anywhere.

(Sorry dude but I figure you'd want the truth of the matter rather than a polite fawning - but hey I'm probably still in your ignore list anyways)

You are, but I make exceptions for posts to my own topics

Of course I want honest opinions rather than polite fawning, why the hell did you think I posted it to MacNN?

I might be inclined to agree with you on the build up start on the first song. However, I must politely disagree with your opinion on the second song. I think it's very original and so did Norwegian National Radio when it made it demo of the week last summer

Production values could always be better though. The first songs vocals were recorded in a professional studio, and the second wasn't. This shows of course, but hey for now this is just a hobby

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by demograph68:
That was really good! You just use garageband?

No, that one was actually long before GB existed. Done with venerable, but dead, PlayerPRO.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
I might be inclined to agree with you on the build up start on the first song.

Yeah dude - I can actually see that song going a long long way. Got a real good vibe to it.

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
However, I must politely disagree with your opinion on the second song. I think it's very original and so did Norwegian National Radio when it made it demo of the week last summer

Fair enough. I gave it a listen with my A&R man's head on. Seriously, I've heard that same song a million times - the first one is, IMHO, a way way better style to go for.
(BTW, if you wanna take it further you will need a cohesive style/sound - people don't tend to buy product - read that as record companies don't tend to view product as saleable - if they don't know what they're going to be getting from one song to the next).

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
but hey for now this is just a hobby

If you can write more stuff like that first one (the bubblegum girlie one), it won't be a hobby for much longer. If I was still in the biz I'd be on the phone right now hassling someone to sign you up with that kind of stuff.

Random tip: Try not to do demos. Think in "finished production" terms all the way - i.e. head for product, not facsimile of product. OK, anyone signing is probably going to rip it apart with their own producer anyways but the more finished it is the better chance it'll have of getting to that stage in the first place.

[Demonhood]

don't forget your award winning music video.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Random tip: Try not to do demos. Think in "finished production" terms all the way - i.e. head for product, not facsimile of product. OK, anyone signing is probably going to rip it apart with their own producer anyways but the more finished it is the better chance it'll have of getting to that stage in the first place.

We always think "finished production", but there's only so far one can go with the equipment availible. Thank you for all your input, it's very valued. I went straight away and did an alternate version where it starts right on the guitars/keyboard.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
We always think "finished production", but there's only so far one can go with the equipment availible. Thank you for all your input, it's very valued. I went straight away and did an alternate version where it starts right on the guitars/keyboard.

That's the politest way of someone telling me to shut up I've heard in a while.



OK, I'm done. Keep up the good work.

[Xeo]

I want more with Caroline singing. On first listen of Can I Turn Now, I was unsure. Now I'm listening again and it's already growing on me. Although there are parts that throw me off. Somewhere before the first chorus, you stop the beat for a second. It doesn't seem to fit there to me. Also, her voice seems "on top" of the music too much. Rather than singing with the music, it sticks out. I don't know how to describe it.

I'm not a big fan of long techno songs with no lyrics. I hear the repetitions too much rather than the variations that I know are going on. It still ends up sounding like 4 min of loops. So Pepper Symphony is not for me.

I don't like the voice in Metermaid.

Keep in mind, I know nothing about music...

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Xeo:
I want more with Caroline singing. On first listen of Can I Turn Now, I was unsure. Now I'm listening again and it's already growing on me.

We are working closely with Caroline on future songs. Being that we can't sing ourselves we experiment with a lot of different vocalists. Caroline is already known in Norway and has had a couple of hits with her earlier band.

Originally posted by Xeo:
I'm not a big fan of long techno songs with no lyrics. I hear the repetitions too much rather than the variations that I know are going on. It still ends up sounding like 4 min of loops. So Pepper Symphony is not for me.

Fair enough, it's not for everyone. Just a fun little ditty we wipped up in a few hours many years back.

Originally posted by Xeo:
I don't like the voice in Metermaid.

Metermind. But yeah, it's not a "professional" vocalist nor a professional recording. The production probably isn't the best either

[Xeo]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
We are working closely with Caroline on future songs. Being that we can't sing ourselves we experiment with a lot of different vocalists. Caroline is already known in Norway and has had a couple of hits with her earlier band.

What was that bands name?

Fair enough, it's not for everyone. Just a fun little ditty we wipped up in a few hours many years back.

I don't listen to other techno music either, so yeah, it's just me.

Metermind.

Oh, oops.

And, fyi:

mon·o·pho·bi·a
n.

• An abnormal fear of being alone.

I would assume that a monophobe would then be one who is afraid of being alone.

[edit: More Caroline Ingeberg music for download.]

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Xeo:
What was that bands name?

Fountainheads. It still exists, but with a different singer. The single was called Drop of Water.

Oh and of course I now know the definition.

[willed]

The most recent one's really good - I'm impressed.

A great improvement on Metermind IMO - the guy on the vocals in that one can't cut it (err... sorry if that's you!)

[ASIMO]

Originally posted by Demonhood:
don't forget your award winning music video.

Norwegian crip walking, yo.

Pepper Symphony is bestest of three. Actually, the other two I simply find forgetful. Otherwise, good job.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by willed:
The most recent one's really good - I'm impressed.

A great improvement on Metermind IMO - the guy on the vocals in that one can't cut it (err... sorry if that's you!)

Not me actually. Good vocalists are hard to come by. Just watch Idol for christ's sake

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
Not me actually. Good vocalists are hard to come by.

Narh

[- - e r i k - -]

OK, I've taken some feedback from different places (including here) and done a remix of the first song. Have a listen and see what you think:

http://home.no.net/monop/Monophobe-CanITurnNowAlt.mp3

[Xeo]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
OK, I've taken some feedback from different places (including here) and done a remix of the first song. Have a listen and see what you think:

http://home.no.net/monop/Monophobe-CanITurnNowAlt.mp3

I kinda liked the bass part of the intro. It sounds a lot better with her volume turned down (I think that's what you did). That fixed what I was talking about earlier.

[RAILhead]

You asked, so...no thanks. After the first couple of "beats," all I could think was "Love Shack, baby, Love Shack" would start any second. But, if you like it, more power to you.

I like music with nads, so now I'll purge my ears with the likes of Quicksand, STP and maybe some old school Metallica (Justice or Black album).

Maury

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
OK, I've taken some feedback from different places (including here) and done a remix of the first song. Have a listen and see what you think:

http://home.no.net/monop/Monophobe-CanITurnNowAlt.mp3

Here's my €0.02 (bearing in mind I'm listening to it on Apple Pro Speakers, not some Genelecs!):

It's getting better. Good stuff.

• I like the start better, much punchier (doesn't arse about).
• I don't like the way the guitars are up in the mix (but I see where you're going with that). The way I see it, the main instruments are the voice and the bass - with the interplay between the two being the catchy bit - the guitar is a support instrument.
• Drums a tiny bit too loud in the first chorus.
• Seems like it needs something under the first chorus - maybe a synth pad or organ - just to fill it out a bit and make it less jagged (note: a thin sound, not a thick one). Something to tie it into what's going on underneath the middle 8 would be great.

Random Tip #2: (the feminazis don't like this one!) Every song mix should be assembled to resemble a "good woman". Firm bum (bass), nice rack (middle, the bulk of the attraction) and a sparkling smile (the top end "tinkly bits").

Random Tip #3: Sometimes it's the things you don't hear which make the mix perfect - the stuff you don't notice until it's taken out. I've spent whole weeks putting stuff into songs which nobody is ever going to notice ('coz they're never going to hear it with that stuff taken out).

HTH.

[Mafia]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
(first song)

I like it - it's got real potential - but FFS go and do it in a proper studio.

Lose the drums/bass intro though - start it straight into the guitar bit, maybe with a little lead-in blip or something. The "build up" start is a major failing amongst amateurs.

i agree. maybe bring the treble down on the guitar a little bit in the first verse.

[macintologist]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
OK, I've taken some feedback from different places (including here) and done a remix of the first song. Have a listen and see what you think:

http://home.no.net/monop/Monophobe-CanITurnNowAlt.mp3

Links down.

If you put it in my public folder in my idisk, then it can be hosted there.

username: ********

the url will be: http://homepage.mac.com/******/.Public/file.mp3

[- - e r i k - -]

Thanks. But I got plenty of FTP-servers to put it on, including my own iDisk

Here's an even more finetuned version up:
http://home.no.net/monophob/Monophob...TurnNowAlt.mp3

[analogika]

voice dry in verse (effect makes it a little hard to understand), leave the phasing/chorusing effect for the chorus and the middle eight.

cool tracks.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
Here's an even more finetuned version up:
http://home.no.net/monophob/Monophob...TurnNowAlt.mp3

Yep, that's going in the right direction for my ears, anyways.
Second verse bothers me - the chunky guitars are fighting with the voice. Maybe try to EQ them so they sit under the voice?

[Xeo]

Originally posted by analogika:
voice dry in verse (effect makes it a little hard to understand), leave the phasing/chorusing effect for the chorus and the middle eight.

cool tracks.

I'm not too excited about the voice effects on the verses either.

However, yesterday I had this song in my head all day. I had to listen to it on at least 3 different occasions just to satisfy it.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Yep, that's going in the right direction for my ears, anyways.
Second verse bothers me - the chunky guitars are fighting with the voice. Maybe try to EQ them so they sit under the voice?

Yup. We're getting new guitars to complement it as well. I'll remove the effects on the verses. On the original, it was accidentally set as Edgy Drums for some reasone

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Xeo:
I'm not too excited about the voice effects on the verses either.

However, yesterday I had this song in my head all day. I had to listen to it on at least 3 different occasions just to satisfy it.

Hehe. I love that you had the song in your head. I love it when songs have that effect on people.

The songwriter got the feel for the trash metal drums after a few listens even. He couldn't make himself like it at first. His version had straight through drums, with effected drums to offset it. This one has the double pedal drums to offset it and more human sounding variations.

I think we are moving in the right direction, just as Sherwin said.

Hehe. This is really a group collaboration

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by analogika:
voice dry in verse (effect makes it a little hard to understand), leave the phasing/chorusing effect for the chorus and the middle eight.

cool tracks.

Agreed completely

[Oneota]

Catchy song, but I'd like to be able to hear the vocal tracks better. I gotta really strain to understand what the words are. Just my 2¢.

[Timo]

I like the sound OK but I think Ms Ingeborg sings a bit flat. Or sounds flat. Or both. Somehow her vocal is recessed and flattened for me, and I'd appreciate more immediacy in the vocal sound.

[macintologist]

Hmm now the guitars overpower the voice.

It's better if the vocals are a bit louder, so they are in the forefront of the song.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by macintologist:
Hmm now the guitars overpower the voice.

It's better if the vocals are a bit louder, so they are in the forefront of the song.

I should know better than to produce when drunk at 6 in the morning

http://home.no.net/monophob/Monophobe-CanITurnNow.mp3

Oh, and there's some extra guitars in this one as well.

[PurpleGiant]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
I should know better than to produce when drunk at 6 in the morning

http://home.no.net/monophob/Monophobe-CanITurnNow.mp3

Oh, and there's some extra guitars in this one as well.

The song has more depth than the original you posted (I missed out on the in-between versions), which is good. Can't pinpoint if that's the extra guitars, or other 'noise' you put in there, but it's good. Top Stuff

[Oneota]

It's definitely better, but there are still some parts where I give up on trying to understand the words that the vocalist is singing. As just raw music, though, it's very good.

[- - e r i k - -]

OK, a new as-perfect-as-possible-since-I-can't-mix-the-guitars-seperately has been posted to the web and is starting to get radioplay in Norway:

MacJams
iCompositions

[storer]

Hrmmmn, though i didnt listen to the latest one, I really like the music, it sounds ok. The Vocalist... I'm sure she's really talented, but not at this style of song, at some places in it especially. But congratulations, you've done a really good job

[Oneota]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
OK, a new as-perfect-as-possible-since-I-can't-mix-the-guitars-seperately has been posted to the web and is starting to get radioplay in Norway:

MacJams
iCompositions

Very nice! Having the lyrics in front of me helped a lot; well done.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Oneota:
Very nice! Having the lyrics in front of me helped a lot; well done.

Yes, I do think the new mix helps understand the words a little better. The vocals will sound better once I can get my hands on a full instrumental mix on this though. Just have to wait a month or two

[storer]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
Yes, I do think the new mix helps understand the words a little better. The vocals will sound better once I can get my hands on a full instrumental mix on this though. Just have to wait a month or two

Awesome, don't forget 2 post it! I've really grown to love "Can I turn now‽" Post if you come up with anything else, too!

[- - e r i k - -]

Not exactly a new mix of the original, but here's a remix