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View Full Version : Sam / Mark Collab #4


mschuster
05-26-2016, 12:24 PM
As always - any and all comments welcome and appreciated!

Living on a Deadline (v1.1) (https://soundcloud.com/markbschuster/living-on-a-deadline)


Living on a Deadline
Schuster/Dixon 2016

I sink swimming on a foreign coast
contemplating alone again
Feel like my soul's on ice

Lives change measured by the same routines
All the things you've done so far
Will be answered and finalized

Can you feel the hunger
Pouring from a sense of failure?
I don't know anymore if I'll get it right
I don't know anymore, but one thing for sho I'm
Living on a deadline
(sign me under, sign me up)

So I'm here waiting for a final word
I will give you anything
just for simplicity

One fear: sacrificing everything
Is this what they call destiny?
Or is it a silent void?

All my words are seething
Dangling from a mind that's bleeding
I don't know anymore if I'll get it right
I don't know anymore, but one thing for sho I'm
Living on a deadline

So now you have heard the coward's fear
An emotion of memories
Answered and finalized

Can you feel me, filling a hole with my lies?
Feeding my mind to get by

I don't know what I'm feeling
I don't know why
I don't know what I'm feeling anymore
I don't know why
(I've seen better days)
[sign me under, sign me up.]

msundh
05-26-2016, 12:57 PM
Regarding that you both are skilled mixers, I think it's 'messy' in the stronger parts where the lead and backing vocals 'interfere'.
Anyway great song, performance and terrific ending.

onemanconceptalbum
05-26-2016, 01:18 PM
I'm not in this mixing league by far, but I thought I'd give my comments anyway. Live and learn and all that.

Overall, this sounds awesome! Very good song and performance indeed. Very polished sound. To me, it is a tad too smooth and high-end sheeny. It's hard to explain, but sort of feels like butter in a hot frying pan - about to slip and slide in any direction really fast at any time. No friction. That might be your thing, so if it is please disregard the following! I would have enjoyed some more grit from somewhere. One possible source could be the kick, which is very fluffy and undefined. I get that is a thing in this mix, and I like it too, but just a tad more definition and less "woof"/"air moving" might bring it a bit more together because it is a source of contrast. The guitars and vocals both sound thin, in a polished very good way, but also end up quite similar at times because of that (thinking about the distorted rhythm guitar).

There are some "razor sharp" piercing frequencies in the vocals, which are perhaps most clearly audible on the acapella outro. I think killing them off a bit could be nice, but might cost some warmth and not be worth it at all.

Man, that intro solo guitar sound on Living on a Deadline as well... Have you been listening to Mark Knopfler? ;-)

Anyway, take it or leave it! This is just my two cents, and I don't have a nickle to my name in this music-business! Hehe.

Feel free to tear me a new one!:
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=1686606#post1686606

Fictional Substance
05-26-2016, 06:25 PM
Brilliant performances all around. Sounds so pro.

BCF1
05-26-2016, 07:50 PM
definitely has the highest quality musicianship with you two monsters together cool song need to listen tp this again without all the background noise I have now

mschnell
05-26-2016, 10:06 PM
Great !

To my taste, the voices should stand out a lot more.

-Michael

msundh
05-27-2016, 07:24 AM
I listened again since no one seems to think the same as me:(
The lead and Back Vox is not interfering. The lead is too diffuse.
Listen at 2.12, GREAT, listen at 1:38, not great IMhO. OK, not same style, but your voice get lost.
The lower case 'h' is intended :)

morgon
05-27-2016, 04:03 PM
Really took me somewhere good with the atmosphere of this, very well done.

mschuster
05-28-2016, 06:18 AM
Thank you all for the comments!

I made a few adjustments to the mix based on comments above. Version 1.1 added above.

msundh
05-28-2016, 07:54 AM
Well this is so much better. I would prefer the same adjustments at the end, just before the harmonies, but now this song has gone from good to brilliant.
Please continue your collabs.

sammydix
05-28-2016, 08:10 AM
Glad you made me a part of this, Mark. I have to confess, I like the new version even better. Gotta replace my old "final" with this one.

Thanks guys for listening.

EDIT: Mark I just noticed the lyrics and saw I forgot to tell you to remove the parts that "didn't make the cut":

(Where did I go wrong?
Where did I fall down?
where did I go wrong?)
and
Feeling too tired to fight

msore
05-28-2016, 09:00 AM
Really took me somewhere good with the atmosphere of this, very well done.

Agreed. I love music like this that has no fear, and pursues a vision.

That's my first reaction, but this song deserves several more listens.

morgon
05-28-2016, 03:17 PM
Agreed. I love music like this that has no fear, and pursues a vision.

That's my first reaction, but this song deserves several more listens.
I should have said "takes" to a good place, this is another cool song that will stand the test of time.

mschuster
05-29-2016, 07:19 AM
@msundh: Sam deviated a little on what he did for the last few choruses, so i'll have to figure out how to translate what i'm doing on the others there. good catch! thanks for all your comments and listens!

@sam: fixed. sent you an email with the most recent copies (mp3/wav), although i'll most definitely be in there again in the next few days, so expect another.. ;)

@msore/morgon: thanks guys!

In the next few months I'll be pulling out all four collaborations Sam and I have worked on for the past couple years and polishing them in Reaper to be eventually placed on an EP. To what end, I have no idea (most likely free download). But I do feel good about these little collabs we've done and want to make sure they don't fall through the cracks of my hard drive and get lost for all time.

Thanks again everyone!

sammydix
05-29-2016, 08:11 AM
"FINAL" mix. What's that?

mschuster
05-30-2016, 03:25 PM
"FINAL" mix. What's that?

i don't think i've ever used the words "FINAL" and "MIX" in the same sentence. ;)

HugoRibeiroDotCom
05-31-2016, 08:31 AM
That was damn good Sam and Mark! As expected!! Love the electronic loops in the song. Fantastic work!!!
You guys don't fuck around!! :D

cheers

mschuster
05-31-2016, 01:05 PM
That was damn good Sam and Mark! As expected!! Love the electronic loops in the song. Fantastic work!!!
You guys don't fuck around!! :D

cheers

Thanks Hugo! Yea, electronic loops - who woulda thunk!