#118: Music Production and Songwriting Tips | THE PRODUCER'S PUB Christmas Special

Step into a captivating exchange of artistic sentiments and music production wisdom with a Christmas special from Inside the Mix. I've assembled an enthralling ensemble including Aisle9, RogueFx, Sub Neon, Neon Highway, and Valley Lights, each delivering a 30-second snippet of their creations for an in-depth dialogue. Prepare to be swept off your feet by the energetic "Bass Doctor" from Sub Neon, and let Aisle9's track "Copper Sun" demonstrate how to make a quick impact with your music.

Through the intriguing melodies of Valley Lights and Sub-Neon, we delve into the significance of intros and maintaining authenticity in your sound. You'll find your groove with the funk and 80s' essence of Sub-Neon and appreciate a serene night-time cityscape with "After Hours" from Neon Highway. Tune in to soak up insights on track transitions, the value of various saved versions during production, and sticking to your artistic instincts.

In the spirit of the holiday season, we cap things off with a hearty discussion on "California", a vibrant track that showcases songwriting in a major key and the uplifting aura it brings. We also revisit the iconic blend of synth and rock that defined the 80s' music scene. Learn from our discussions on recognizing your strengths and weaknesses in music production and the dynamism of collaboration. Stay with us as we unwrap some feedback on Kai Valley's "Lights" and RogueFxs' "In the Dead of Night", wrapping up with a sneak peek into Aisle9's chillwave, 80s' nostalgia-infused new track. Ready your headphones and immerse in our musical voyage.

Book a seat at the Producer's Pub: https://bit.ly/3rBcYv6

Listen to Let You Go on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4ARvlY0FXZEwnAQTvj6N6B?si=rW65U0oET9OePPZiXmDTTA

Watch the Let You Go music video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sabjnmW0Rts

CLICK HERE, to follow Aisle9: https://linktr.ee/aisle9
CLICK HERE, to follow Neon Highway: https://www.instagram.com/neonhighwaysynth/
CLICK HERE, to follow Sub Neon: https://www.subneon.net/
CLICK HERE, to follow Valley Lights: https://linktr.ee/valley

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello folks and welcome back to the Inside the Mix podcast, and it is the Christmas special. It only seems like the Halloween special was a few weeks ago, which it actually was at the point of recording this. So if you are a new listener, make sure you hit that follow button on your podcast player of choice, and if you're watching this on YouTube, make sure you hit subscribe and notify so you know when we go live with these episodes and also when I release some new music, which I have done recently. And if you are a returning listener or viewer, as always, a big welcome back. Now, this is the Christmas special. So for those of you not watching this on YouTube, I'm going to go around and say who we have. So we've got valley lights. We've got sub neon. We've got our nine. We've got neon highway and we've got rogue effects and everybody is in some form of Christmas attire. Our nine is wearing a Christmas dress on his head. We've got valolites. It's got a Santa's hat. We've got some flashing lights for sub neon. We've got a Santa's hat with Andrew.

Speaker 1: 0:54

I love the Ghostbusters jump amount. I was watching the just now. I was trying to come up with a montage scene for some social media and I was. I chose the Ghostbusters montage bits just before they come to the the tower and and whatnot. Absolutely love it. In fact, I might do Ghostbusters too. Anyway, we are live on YouTube. I think it's gone live. It has, so I'm going to dip in and out of there throughout this. The first song. So if you're unfamiliar with this format, folks, what happens is each artist producer will they have submitted 30 seconds of a piece of work and we're going to listen to it and then we just chat about it afterwards. So the first one is sub neon.

Speaker 2: 1:35

What have we got coming up some really good question. I can't actually remember it's. It's a track that I've been messing around with for for about a week and a half now. I have got a short term passion for kind of bouncy bass at the minute, and I'm seeing what I can do with layering some some kind of karma sounds over the top of that. So I don't know what this is called yet. The working title is based doctor. It's not going to be called that, so if there's any thoughts as to what it could be called, it will be really, really useful to hear your feedback. So so, yeah, this, this section, is kind of a variation on the verse, because I've been posting little bits of this or other social media for the last couple of weeks. So, yeah, be interested to know what you think.

Speaker 1: 2:30

Here we go. So this is a working title based doctor. Here we go. Lovely stuff, mate. I'm going to flip it this time. I'm going to, I'm going to throw it straight out to the room. So let's go and neon highway. What are your thoughts?

Speaker 3: 3:16

It's incredible. It sounds incredible. I feel like every time I got a preview of one of your tracks, that's instantly going to go, but it always sounds that good right from the beginning. I've got nothing to add to that. I'm just more curious to see where it's going to go next. It's such a it's not going to be the start of the track. Are you going to bounce straight in with that or have you got anything to set, build up?

Speaker 2: 3:40

I think it's going to be quite similar to that. Yeah, the start starts with the base and then it slaps in with the drums straight afterwards, but it's got quite a melodic chorus as well. So so, yeah, but I'm quite into the whole. Just get to the point.

Speaker 2: 3:59

Yeah all of my tracks so far I've had a like a minute's worth of intro and I wonder whether that's a bad thing. When people are kind of scrolling through and everything, if it's got kind of a build up, you know, do you lose people's attention? That would be an interesting question to pose to everyone really. I mean, you know, in this short term attention span world that we live in, our intros no longer as relevant as they used to be, you know so you just get into the groove as quickly as you possibly can.

Speaker 3: 4:37

Yeah, I've taken a lot of inspiration off Tim's Copper Sun track because it just launches straight into it and when I hear that I'm like God, why do my tracks not do that? I'm always doing some kind of build up and try to do this. And do you know what? Copper Sun just hits from the get go, and I think your track as well would be boom right in there. Amazing, and it's something I need to do a lot more of. Just getting there and get people whoop the SAP.

Speaker 1: 5:00

There's. There's a lot. I've read a lot about that and I've seen a lot on on social media sort of like short clips, people saying that, to get to the point quickly, specifically, if you want people to discover your music, they're probably not gonna. I mean, this is a sweeping statement, but I mean I've got long intros and then somebody said it to me. They were like Mark, you just get rid of that that first bit there. I've got it for one of my songs now I think it was drew night. He said he was just get rid of that intro but just get straight to the point. That way, once you've got an audience, then they know your music and then they're more likely to listen to that longer intros. So yeah, 100%, I totally agree, but your stuff kicks in straight away and it immediately grabs anyway. So like you've immediately got that going on. That's a really bad example, but it was. I should record that and release a song online. What are your thoughts?

Speaker 5: 5:45

I think you know it's got that energy that I expect of your track straight from the get go. It's got. It has got a bounce as well. I really feel that bounce in the groove and that I love that. I mean it's just, you know, and I mean five bass lines, six bass lines.

Speaker 2: 6:11

No, there's only two on the, on the stabby bass, but then there's a horn and a sub bass, so there's actually four on this one.

Speaker 5: 6:17

Yeah, yeah, no, but it's amazing how you make those low end, how you make all those low end elements work, you know is a sort of part of, I think, your your battle with each track. You know, and it's kind of you really do enjoy making that work, but you know it's not that there's not lots of other things going on as well. Yeah, I think, like ever, it's probably sort of I really like it. Carl said it's hard to sort of you know, comment anything bad about, like or anything to improve or change about, like what you've got. I think it's really fantastic.

Speaker 5: 6:56

But I guess the biggest thing is is light and shade in in in the final pieces and it is getting that the rise and drop and keeping you, keeping you engaged. You know, I mean it's interesting what you say about. Like you know, should, should things come straight in and kick straight in, and I mean, yeah, I think there is a lot to say that we don't have great attention spans for long beginnings, but like it's amazing that I can actually make something succinct and quick on a track, but like you know, it takes me forever to say anything. So you know, like five hours later and I might have actually come to a point.

Speaker 5: 7:31

So if I can do it musically, that's, that's a miracle, because I never do it any other way. But no, it's. I think it's got real legs. This one is great. Yeah, that's my feeling, oh thank you.

Speaker 1: 7:43

There we go. Lovely stuff. Thank you, I'll nine. Let's go with a newcomer today to the to the producers pub. I totally forgot where I was then. We've got Kai valley lights Welcome. What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 6: 7:58

Yeah, thanks, mark. No, it's great to be here. I thought it sounded amazing, man, like I love I love funk, like 80s funk and like you know, you had that throbbing base element to it but it had some like I had the fucking stank face going on. I was like, yeah, like this has a groove to it, this feels good. You know, it wasn't like straight out run or something like it had a real kind of like just feeling to it and I really appreciated that. And, yeah, I mean great start. And like you were saying, man, who knows who knows what the right direction to go is. Like you know, do you do cater to the spotify market where you got to hook them in five seconds, like I? Just I just try to be true to myself and if you feel like it needs an intro, do an intro. And for others, if you want to just like push it for you know accessibility, do that. But at the end of the day, do do what feels right for the song and fuck everybody else. That's what I say.

Speaker 2: 8:59

Do you know what? That? That's probably the best advice I've ever had, I think. I think you know, to be honest, I am not the biggest fan of Spotify either, and you know it. If it feels like it needs a particular something in the track, I'm going to do it. You know, it was just an interesting talking point, you know, because I mean I've I'm not going to get like 20,000 or 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. That's not the objective this whole thing is about. You know, catharsis and enjoyment and stuff, you know. So yeah, if I have a start, you know, if I ever start shaping a track in a way that is for someone else and I've kind of lost the point of this thing, I think. So yeah, but it's good advice, appreciate that, thank you.

Speaker 6: 9:46

Yeah, no, thank you man.

Speaker 5: 9:48

I really dug the track and then keep doing it Just whatever you do, don't sell out and wear a dress on your head. That's all I said.

Speaker 1: 9:55

No.

Speaker 2: 9:57

That's peer pressure.

Speaker 6: 10:00

Yeah, mine is apparently joining the Illuminati.

Speaker 5: 10:05

Indeed, they have been in touch.

Speaker 1: 10:10

I love your description and the use of the phrase Stank Face. I think that's the first on the podcast, man, and I love it. I love the use. That's a great way to say that you dig in a track.

Speaker 2: 10:19

Oh yeah, when you just like oh, that's a stank face, I like it, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 10:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the one, I know the one, andrew Rogheffx. What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 4: 10:32

Yeah, I mean Sub-Neon always has that characteristic base and, yeah, a little bit funkier maybe than some of the previous tracks, it's got a bit of a buddy cop kind of feel to it. I thought Listen to it with kind of late eighties buddy cop movie Thought it sounded absolutely great, definitely a one to release. You know, I think short build up straight into a couple of drops and yeah, I think you're home and drive with that one.

Speaker 2: 11:07

Nice one, thank you.

Speaker 4: 11:08

Really good.

Speaker 2: 11:11

Do you know? What's really annoying is that there's a synth that kind of sounds like a bit of a reverse synth in there, when after it kicks in. I only deleted it earlier today and then saved it. So I've now got a gut. I can't remember which VST it's connected to. I want to go through about 8000 presets to try and find it again. But yeah, I thought I'd share that. That was really boring. I'll share that now.

Speaker 5: 11:35

So tell me just one thing Don't you save sequentially.

Speaker 2: 11:41

Oh, normally I do, yeah, normally I do.

Speaker 5: 11:43

So every time you make a change, you save in a.

Speaker 2: 11:46

Yeah, but not this time. There was just one at one time. I didn't save sequentially.

Speaker 4: 11:54

So it was the one time you don't do it.

Speaker 5: 11:57

Yeah, so I'll log back to a sort of version before I started, whatever the session was, and then hopefully I've still got that preset in there or whatever, but of course it doesn't always work, yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:09

I think I normally have about 25 to 35. But I do meet people who don't do that. Yeah, normally I have like 25 to 35 different versions of the track. This one I've got one because I've been working on it for a week. So I'm like oh, come on, never mind, never mind.

Speaker 1: 12:25

OK, Gents, thank you very much. I've known everyone. Let's press on, as next we have Neon Highway. What have we got coming up buddy?

Speaker 3: 12:34

So this is a track I've been working on for about a month or two. It's pretty much done. It's really sort of spawned from what happens in the early hours of the morning, you know, when the city has gone quiet and there's really nobody out in the streets. It's like Martin Scorsese's after hours, martin Scorsese's bringing out the dead, stanley Kubrick's wide eyes, wide shot, like kind of midnight. You know what's going on. So the track is called after hours and I've tried to capture that really subdued kind of midnight kind of feeling. It does switch up a bit, kind of keep your interest throughout. But I'm struggling a bit with the 30 seconds that I've sent. So about 15 seconds into this clip it changes. I'm like a break in the track and I don't think the break works. The music works, but I need some sort of transition. I just can't figure out the transition. So really sort of looking to get anyone's advice on how can transition this a bit better.

Speaker 1: 13:33

Cool man, excellent stuff. Cool, let's have a listen. Okay, brittle 650. Cool mate. My immediate thoughts were, because I was listening out for those 15 seconds was like some sort of string build or something like synth string build or something that's slowly building, maybe a filter sweep or something along those lines. That way you've got something else building up towards that break. And then I mean what I generally do is when a break comes in, I have some sort of weird cinematic impact stuff going on. But that's just that's the general direction my stuff goes. But I'm definitely hearing like if you're going to have a break, you kind of want something to build with it. So it just I knew it was coming because you told us, but if you had that going up, the audience is kind of then expecting it.

Speaker 3: 14:44

And that's my medium. It's signal something in that direction, doesn't it? Yeah, yeah, exactly, it's a good tune. It's a good tune.

Speaker 1: 14:50

You're giving them those sort of like this is potentially coming up next, or you could just do that and then totally not do it Well, which might throw them off even more. But let's throw it around, let's go with Subney on that?

Speaker 2: 15:00

What are you also doing? I mean I'm just like no, it's putting me off. It's a good job. I don't know how epilepsy is, isn't it really? I really liked it, I think. But I see what you mean about the transition. I wonder whether the keys that you've got leading up to where the bass comes in you could maybe slap a bit more reverb on and make more of the space there. So let it kind of ring out a little bit longer and then automate the volume or the filter sweep or something like that to bring the bass in a little bit more organically, because it kind of just comes straight in.

Speaker 2: 15:34

So that would be my point, my own suggestion, but it sounds amazing and the vibe that you're going for your description is amazing.

Speaker 3: 15:42

Yeah, cheers, man. Thanks for that. And interestingly, that feedback is pretty much word for word with Clinton gave me a bit an hour ago Wow, okay, well, that's my praise. We're going along the same lines there. So, no, that's good shout, good shout. I tried working it after Clinton saying that and I just couldn't get it right. But what you've kind of said does help. I had a bit more context here, so I'm going to give that a shot Cheers man Cool Andry, real good fact.

Speaker 4: 16:09

Can't get used to the mute button. I do this all at work as well. I'm on zooms, all you know, so it's always me that hasn't unmuted. Yeah, so when I first started out, it's at a bit of you know you from. Is it Glasgow you're from? Yeah, that way, yeah, yeah, the blue Nile. I think they're a Glasgow band.

Speaker 3: 16:31

Yeah.

Speaker 4: 16:33

Definitely had a kind of F80s style yeah, down time lights, I've got that kind of feel to it and so I was expecting it to go, like, you know, through that. So, yeah, really cool, really cool. And it went into a different way. You know, it's kind of different kind of genre. I guess it went into the more outrun type of music which is not my forte, it's not really what I know too well.

Speaker 4: 17:00

So the first part of it I was like, yeah, yeah, love that. And then I went to an area that was like, okay, well, I wasn't expecting that, so that's that, I guess that's a good thing. So certainly wasn't expecting it. But yeah, my, I loved the first part and the second part I was. I preferred the first part, but I like it all. But you know, just being honest, that the first part was read of music and I think that's so if I was, if I was doing something, I would go down that route, think it was that really that could be a really excellent song as a full song. In that, in that, you know, in that, in that way of doing it.

Speaker 3: 17:40

So yeah, I think I mean, the first sort of run of the demo of that was pretty much that and I was just like this is losing interest, so I needed to kind of switch up the tempo a few more bits into it and there's almost like a pre chorus that's built on the verse.

Speaker 3: 17:55

It just it opens up the filter a bit. So structurally it's pretty much there. I'm just I'm just trying to find that transition in that break which occurs about two thirds of the way through the song. But when I start at that break and listen from there, it's perfect. You know, I can listen to that and go right, that's perfect from there to the end of the song. I just need that transition. But yeah, that's cool. And then, thanks for the kind words, appreciate it, yeah no problem, no problem, excellent Thanks, buddy, kai Valley Lights.

Speaker 1: 18:24

What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 6: 19:40

I thought it was cool man and, yeah, definitely contrasting pieces. And I was kind of like on the other side of the spectrum, like Mark was talking about, how he heard kind of like a build up, some strings or whatever to it, and for me it was more like you have that sort of more chill section up front and then I almost just hear it sort of reverbing out a little bit, just fading, and then it just like kicks you in the head with that more intense bass. So I was hearing kind of like a fade and then boom, you get hit with that kind of more intense thing as opposed to like getting into it.

Speaker 6: 20:20

It's sort of like you're lulled into this chill kind of ambient feeling and then you just get kicked in the head with that bass.

Speaker 4: 20:29

So yeah, that's kind of how.

Speaker 3: 20:32

I almost kind of it looks, and suddenly you're on the same boat. Do it about earlier, or you know it can come up and beat itself. Yeah, yeah, that's cool, that's a good show.

Speaker 6: 20:39

Yeah, but yeah, no, I mean I think it sounds great and you know, I think it's good to just have. You know, just have those changes in your song. So if that's kind of the feeling you're going for, I think, yeah, as long as you weave it together properly, then it's going to be seamless and it's all going to be connected very well. And yeah, I thought it was sick man. Thanks one Cheers.

Speaker 1: 21:05

Yeah, cheers, ace, and finally our mind, ah well, I really like the first part.

Speaker 5: 21:13

I think it sounds great. I really like the snare reverb. Don't change that. It's really ideal, not just the space on that snare.

Speaker 3: 21:19

I was reading about what he's been about, so I'm glad you picked up on that.

Speaker 5: 21:21

Yeah, yeah, I really like that. Obviously it sort of changes from a sort of half time to a sort of you know sort of straight on, sort of fall to the floor kind of vibe, doesn't it? So your snare is changing from the third beat to the second and fourth or whatever, Something like that, it all depending on how you see it, change tempo. But like you know, and I mean I don't know, I mean I think when you've got that, I think sort of building intensity at the end of that with, you know, I mean sweeps, filters, reverse symbols, all kinds of things that will work to kind of create a build up. You know is a good idea and I really like the snare thing that's going on there, but like, but I think sometimes like a little drop, like, like it can even be just a beat, Like the, something you may find things that can come out just before it comes in, so the kick can drop out, the bass could drop out, you know everything, but the bass note could drop out.

Speaker 5: 22:24

Like there's all kinds of little sort of things that maybe it's on the on the, on beat four, maybe it's on beat three, but just a short kind of. So build up the intensity, kick everything out and then kick everything in can work quite well. But I did wonder whether, when it kicks in, if, like I, like the energy of it, but maybe like it sort of needs to have that tempo but is does the bass need to be as busy, or so sometimes it can have the change of tempo but not be quite as busy so that it hints at the tempo before it, if that makes sense, so that you've got a change of tempo but not everything has to change in how fast it's going. Do you know what I mean? But obviously the beats changed. But you know if that makes sense.

Speaker 3: 23:13

Yeah, that makes sense Absolutely, and it's funny I've, you know, I've used that kind of drop in the past to dropping everything out for beating and boom back in, and I kind of got to a point where I was like I'm using this in every song, but I haven't used it in a while. Haven't used it in a while, so maybe good to revisit that. I think I need to have that busyness, I need to have that tempo change because the verses are quite sparse and hopefully it does kind of evoke that kind of midnight. You know what's going on in the world of different suicide, and so I think having the choruses when they do come in, like that is working, is working really well at the moment. It's just, it's just that little bit, and then I think what you're saying combines you know what everybody said just a mash of that that it can probably work something afterwards. So this is useful. I usually come on here with 30 seconds or something. Just go, let's listen to this and see how it goes. But I genuinely wanted to get that constructed.

Speaker 5: 24:04

Yeah, well, I think it's really good, really helpful. Yeah, it is really good. I mean I I know I struggled with some similar things on the Turn All Over drive my track because, like that definitely goes, the half time is quite bigger than it and then it goes to the sort of four on the floor. So yeah, I know that kind of feeling when you want it to go from one to the other. But it's quite hard to make it do that and feel natural and feel like, oh, I'm happy with that change. You know, and like you say, you don't want it to sort of like Andrew says, like sort of can feel like two separate kind of you know styles. But if you get it right it won't feel like that. It will just feel like a musical change that carries you along and then you know you've got. You've got the song right. I think you know yeah, nice one.

Speaker 3: 24:48

And and thanks for picking up on the snare, because every time I listen to it I'm like is that snare too much? I don't know, nobody's ever mentioned it before.

Speaker 5: 24:56

No, no, no, it's not too much. Let's go on, let's go. This is Synthwave. It couldn't have been too much All right cheers guys.

Speaker 1: 25:04

Thank you Excellent. Thank you everyone. Thank you very much Neon Highway for sharing. Just before we move on to Valley Lights, we have a viewer on YouTube, so not another whiskey show says Valley Lights, big up all artists. So there's a shout out there. Thank you for tuning in. So yes, valley Lights. What've we got coming up buddy?

Speaker 6: 25:27

So this is a. This is a finished track. This is off my debut album, tulane Highway, which came out September 29th, and I had sent you another track before and then you were like, oh, it's the Christmas special. So if you have any like Christmas stuff and I was like Christmas Synthwave, what the hell Like is that a thing? And then I was like, oh, wait a minute, I have a song where I actually talk about Christmas and so I sent that one to you and it's called California.

Speaker 1: 25:59

Fantastic mate. Yes, synthwave and Christmas. I actually released a Christmas song last year and if I weren't releasing another music, I would be promoting it, and Tim did as well. We set each other a challenge. I believe we had this conversation last year and released Christmas songs.

Speaker 6: 26:13

Oh, that's awesome.

Speaker 1: 26:15

I'd say well, audience listening. I'll put links to both of our Christmas Christmas songs in the episode descriptions, because I'd like to get some more plays on it. To be honest, it's sort of like in the wilderness of musical releases at the moment. I think there's a music video on there might be. Anyway, digress, here we go, and that is Valley Lights, california.

Speaker 6: 26:36

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 5: 27:09

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 27:11

Cool man, that chorus. It's got the bassline of what it reminds me of a song called how is it? She's got the look. I think it is. She's got the look and it's that thing.

Speaker 3: 27:22

Oh it's Savage Garden. Oh, is it Savage Garden? Yeah, you know the song.

Speaker 6: 27:28

I mean then, can you hear it?

Speaker 1: 27:30

in the chorus, which is a good thing, because that's a very, very catchy.

Speaker 6: 27:34

Yeah, I never thought about that. But yeah, that's cool.

Speaker 1: 27:37

Yeah, I do this on every episode. Somebody will play a song and I'll hear something, and I can never pick up that song.

Speaker 4: 27:41

Great folks. I've actually done it this time. You don't like it? Yeah, vocals are amazing, man.

Speaker 1: 27:46

Oh, thank you. Let's sling it around the room. So, andrew, do you want to Rogue of X? What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 4: 27:54

Yeah, well, I love Violet Likes Stuff. So you know, no surprise to me that it's so good. It's a little bit more, you know, vocally, proper powerhouse on that, isn't it? You're really, really going for it. And then some of the songs are a little bit more subdued that you're relating to, but I think that was, you know, really really good. Love Dits got that. You know a lot of your stuff's got that wide screen type of you know feel to it. You know open roads and all of that kind of thing, but the 80s style and you know it's really really good. Is that going to be a single or?

Speaker 6: 28:32

No plans to do it as a single, but I have been kicking around the idea of doing, if we do another music video, that one. But yeah, people really love that song. And it's kind of crazy to me because I think that was the hardest song for me to write on the album, because it's so like major key and in your face, like I remember when I was working with this producer and he kicked it over to me and I was just like what am I going to do with this? Because, you know, I was like I'm into the like sort of melancholic synthwave stuff and then this is just like. This is in your face and I was like, okay, like challenge accepted and it took me a long time.

Speaker 6: 29:41

Yeah, but but it got there and I'm really happy with it.

Speaker 4: 29:45

Yeah yeah, no, no no video because it's anything like your last video. Obviously that was, you know, excellent. That definitely was the extra mile to most of the videos you say in there.

Speaker 2: 29:58

Oh, thank you.

Speaker 4: 29:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah, really good Enjoyed it. No, yeah, thank you.

Speaker 6: 30:04

I appreciate all your feedback, andrew Mann, and I'm a big fan of yours as well. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 30:09

Cool, excellent. So we get around neon highway. What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 3: 30:16

Yeah, it was great. I'm sorry it's coming off me there. Yeah, fantastic, the vocals just are amazing. They just stand out and they just build and build and it's like you said, you know, writing it in that major key. I think often it's really hard to write a good song in a major key. It's easy to go down to sad roots, easy to go down. I mean it might not key into that. I suppose you, if you're going for Christmas, you kind of want it to be upbeat and I love the fact that, from where you are, and just the whole theme of the song, california, and it's such a bright, joyful song. You know, I can't imagine a Christmas song in Scotland being that bright. I would definitely go for a minor key but yeah, it's tremendous. What is curious is to put synth you're using on that bass there when it kicks in the one that we know which bit is talking about, because it's just the sound's brilliant, you know.

Speaker 6: 31:08

you know, to be honest with you, man like I'm, I'm really more of a songwriter, like I wrote. I write all this stuff on acoustic guitar or electric guitar mostly, and then unfortunately I'm not like super knowledgeable about the the synth stuff I have. I have a great guy over in France that I linked up with and he put that one together after we sort of kicked it kicked around like the skeletal thing I put together. So unfortunately I can't give you the answer. But I could probably dig his brain if you want me to.

Speaker 3: 31:40

It's a good sound man and it defines. Is that how you always write your songs? To start with acoustic guitar.

Speaker 6: 31:47

Yeah, pretty much, or like I'm. I'm very much a vocalist and and like a lyricist, and so either I get a skeleton thing or I'll just like. I have two producers that I work with primarily and I'll just kind of talk about, like, what I want or send them a reference track or something, and I don't know. I just kind of went into this whole project, which was pretty new, and I just said you know what? I'm just going to write, like whether I like the song, and, like you know, california is a great example. I don't know if I would have written to it, but I just said, no, like you're going to write to it.

Speaker 6: 32:24

Maybe you're not feeling it, I don't care. If you're feeling it, you're going to write to it. And so I just I work with these producers, I write stuff on my own and I just try to make a habit of whatever I get, I'm going to turn it into a song. Maybe it's a good song, maybe it's a bad song. At the end of the day I don't care. I'm writing, I'm making music and that's making me happy. So that's kind of like what. That's what I do.

Speaker 3: 32:48

Yeah, man, that's cool when it comes across. I said such a joyful vibe, really good stuff, love it.

Speaker 6: 32:54

Yeah, thank you so much, man.

Speaker 4: 32:56

I appreciate that you could, you could pick, you could put that song that could be a rock song, just as you know all guitars just as easily as a synth, but it would probably sound brilliant. Yeah, and that's maybe where you're right. You know you're writing the word from the synth and that's maybe why that's. You know it's like that. Yeah, so rock yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, could, could be a one for the remix album.

Speaker 5: 33:23

I could make you a rock version. I can hear that. Yeah, I was going to say I online.

Speaker 6: 33:28

I came to my attention because he was playing guitar on a track that Mark put out and he was killing it.

Speaker 1: 33:34

Yeah, yeah that would be sweet. Yeah yeah, shameless plug there that that song's coming out on my EP on December the 8th. It's called Lost and Found. It features all nine, so do look up for that. But yeah, nice segue there. Let's go with our nine's feedback.

Speaker 5: 33:48

Yeah, I was just thinking I've got a full six and a half hour playlist called Going to California. I may have a slight obsession with songs that have California in the title. So there we go. So you might just be added to that playlist very shortly Not to say that anyone follows it, it's just me. So there we go. But like, yeah, I don't know, it's like, I think it's because I come from a part of the world where California is a mythical place that I've never been to, that, you know, is beautiful and full of sunshine and the girls look great. But like, we all know that, like, life is probably not quite the same as that. But like, yeah, I really like the song. It's got a great. I think you work with a major key really well, which is really difficult, and I just go, oh no, when a major key turns up, it's just going to sound, you know, really sort of, you know cheesy if you're not careful.

Speaker 5: 34:42

But like, I think you work really well with that and the lyrics work well and yeah, I can really hear what Rogue effects is saying about like the rock thing. I mean, obviously the synth wave and rock kind of do sit together and like there is a kind of common thread and 80s rock particularly and that kind of sort of thing, 80s synth pop, you know, and like they do meld together. I mean, I know I was desperately upset in the in the 80s when, like you know, I was really into rock music and hated synth music at all. I thought everything to do with synths was terrible in the 80s when it was actually happening. But like, looking back, there are lots of great examples of bands that use both, like throughout the 80s you know which tears for fears or whoever it would be who use fantastic amounts of amazing synths and great guitar work as well. So yeah, I can sort of you know, I mean I can, in my producer head, hear things like you know, with a song like that I can almost sort of think, oh, that'd be interesting, That'd be interesting.

Speaker 5: 35:45

But I thought it was really strong the way it is. It's got a real energy and really good. I think the bones of it is it's good, writing underneath it. It's good lyrics, good melody and that's that's what you know. You can put all kinds of different production on something like that. I think the thing is because it's got a good energy and the vocal and the melody are really strong and the singing is really strong. It just carries and works. So you could probably do it 10 different ways and they're probably all be good. But you know, I really enjoyed it, really did. Yeah, it's good, yeah, no thank you.

Speaker 6: 36:19

I mean, I'm a rock guy. I'm a rock guy at heart, I grew up on rock and metal and, yeah, I've heard Mark you talk about this. You came from a metal background too.

Speaker 1: 36:28

Yeah, yeah, man, my, my EP that I'm releasing soon. It's got a lot of well. All three. Three out of the four tracks, like our nine, plays lead guitar. One. They've all got lead guitar, so yeah 100%.

Speaker 6: 36:41

Yeah, yeah, I have. I have a lot of ripping guitar solos and I mean I just for me, synthwave was a great space where you can just let all that crazy shit out. You know whether it's saxophone or just ridiculous guitar Like I'm into. I just love how over the top it is and that's that's what I love about it. You really are free to do whatever you want. And yeah, California is a little bit more on the rock side, but yeah, I mean I'll always have guitar and guitar solos and my stuff, because that's that's where I come from.

Speaker 1: 37:12

Yes, that's what we like to hear. Sub-neyon, your feedback buddy, there's anything left?

Speaker 2: 37:16

I can say, to be honest, apart from, it was awesome. I mean, it's really, really catchy and I loved it. I loved it. I think it reminded me a little bit of John Bon Jovi. I don't know why that you know you are not the first person that is.

Speaker 2: 37:36

And and I mean that in a good way I mean, john Bon Jovi has written some crap, but but no, this is, this is amazing, and I guess I'd be really interested to know what what you do with your vocal chain, because it blends so nicely and yeah. So so rather than me talking about it, I'm going to bounce it back to you. Can you tell me about what you do with the guy?

Speaker 6: 38:03

I'm going to have to defer again here. Like I told Mark, I was like I'm not a producer man, I'm a fucking songwriter. I had this great guy he his name is Matthias, he's in Argentina, he produced about half the tracks on the album and and he's just my dude man Like he. He takes it to this place where, like this whole project for me, man was about adaptation and I had to say these are not my skills, like mixing, mastering, all of that shit. Like I'm a songwriter, that's what I do and that's what I want to focus on.

Speaker 6: 38:41

So, instead of trying to like, do everything myself, I just found really awesome people to do it and work with. And that's why this is the first project I did that I'm super happy with, because, like, I didn't make myself do everything and because of that, I found good people to work with. Yeah, I mean that's. I think it's important to accept your strengths and your weaknesses, and that's kind of what I did for this whole project and that's why it's not. I mean, I'm not, I'm not bragging here, but I don't feel like it's mediocre. I feel like most the other music I've ever done has been extremely mediocre, either from a writing or just a sonic perspective mixing, mastering, production, and you know, I think it's just important to understand that about ourselves. And so when I was able to put a team around myself like that's, that's how we got here.

Speaker 1: 39:40

Yeah, wise words, mate. I think there's a really good, I think, knowing where your strengths and weaknesses are and they're not being afraid to outsource and ask for help, essentially, and like get. I love what you say about having a team. I think that's brilliant. And having a team of people I know I regularly reach out to the same people and ask for critiqued feedback on stuff I'm working on. You can also almost see that like a team, you know everyone's helping out and, yeah, 100% like that.

Speaker 4: 40:05

And do a lot of having an artist, someone who yes, yeah, yeah, exactly yeah.

Speaker 1: 40:09

It's great having someone who's just purely like that songwriter artist on the show.

Speaker 6: 40:14

I mean yeah, I mean I was like kind of I don't know holding my breath for a little bit on coming on the show because I had heard you guys talk and I'm like all these guys are so fucking smart and they all know about side chains and snares and all this shit and I was like what am I going to contribute? But no, I really appreciate all your guys insight and I mean I really I would like to get to a technical level, but I'm not there right now and so I just kind of have to accept what I can do. But like I mean, I love that, I love that you guys all have this knowledge and I really appreciate it so much.

Speaker 1: 40:53

I say that, just keep doing what you're doing. You know, just ask my. I just keep doing what you're doing in the interest of time. But huge thank you. Value like sky.

Speaker 6: 41:00

Thank you, yeah, thank you guys.

Speaker 1: 41:02

Yeah. So now we're going to go actually just going to go over to YouTube because Russell Nash I don't know what my speech today. Russell Nash is in the chat and he says me to. I'm assuming he's referring to the metal on Rocklink there, because I'm a bit behind. Yeah, rogue effects, andrew. We've got coming up buddy.

Speaker 4: 41:23

Well, you know I was hoping you wouldn't come to me after Kai's walk-up. You know I really, really I was thinking I'll give it a break before you go to mine. Yeah, I can't have a thing like that. My, this one that's coming up is very unusual. It's a, it's a collab. It's a producer called Sign of Cros, which I don't know a lot, a lot about, but I'm a little bit like Kai Valley Lights in that, you know, production probably isn't. You know I can get by production, you know I'm okay with it, but it's not really that much of a strong point.

Speaker 4: 42:03

So if it's a collab, comes on, someone's done the music, I can write a song, sing it. Happy days, you know, cuts out a lot of the heartache I have to go through when I'm you know, when I'm doing a song. So so this one a bit different, because that happened, but then I've ended up. It's come back to me to add little bits and to mix it. So, struggling with the mix a little bit. The bass is very unlike what the kind of bass I'd have in one of my songs. I'm like electro bass. This one's a very low end kind of sub-bass and, you know, struggled a bit, struggled. It's a drum loop, not individual tracks. So yeah, I've struggled with the mix, but this is it so far. So that's that's what you're hearing Call up. Yeah, in the dead of night it is, it's called at the moment All right buddy.

Speaker 4: 42:51

And this is the first part, coming up In the dead of night, in the blackness, my mind is racing in the shadows, my beating heart from despair to regretting. Back again, back again, back again taste the levium till the bitter end In the dead of night. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, man, the harm is still out in here, that already.

Speaker 1: 43:35

Yeah, it's hard with this Riverside platform. What you find is it's not a true representation of some of the music, because I believe it it might even play a mono. I'm not entirely sure, but I mean, my initial thoughts are I think your snare sounds quite, quite to the kick and the kick's quite prominent in that mix in itself.

Speaker 4: 43:51

Yeah, and it's a loop. I think it sounds very good, and the synths as well. It's a loop, so I can't. I can't do anything about that at the moment.

Speaker 1: 43:57

Yeah, you did say, didn't you? You did say it might be worth then just picking that apart and then just programming it yourself, so you've got more control over it.

Speaker 4: 44:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because it's it's, it's the mix, it's the way it works on Cubase is you import the tracks and everything has to be played live over it. It just I can't get it to. You know, just go on and quantize. You can't quantize or anything like that. It's just not working. So all of the bits are added. I've just had the track and put to the grid as best I can, but yeah.

Speaker 6: 44:34

I'm, I'm, I'm getting so.

Speaker 4: 44:35

I have gotten touching and said look, is there any way you can split out the base, cause there's a synth on the base track, like so maybe you can split them out, but I think it's a loop cause. I did ask that before.

Speaker 1: 44:46

Yeah, so having that flexibility of control, I'm all in something to be done in the master and stage.

Speaker 5: 44:55

I can see Tim shaking his head.

Speaker 1: 44:57

That was my initial thought was yeah, I mean yeah, I'll pass it over to Tim. Yeah, what are your thoughts? Are nine.

Speaker 5: 45:05

Yeah, I, I think there's a good song in there. I immediately could hear the song. It's like, I think, yeah, when it's always difficult, that when you're mixing something and what you've got isn't what you need and isn't quite right, yeah. Or when you you're importing it into your software and it's not all lining up, you're having problems with technical problems, and it's just not good, you know. I mean, you know, do do fire me a message if you want my help. I might be able to sort of sort it out or whatever. But like, so that it works in your Cubase is. But, like you know, I'm a Cubase user but not Cubase is user. But like, yeah, it's. Yeah, it's very difficult If everything isn't making sense in your door, and I know those kind of projects can be difficult.

Speaker 5: 45:57

I think, yeah, I think, is that the kind of thing of, as Mark said, getting the drums right and then the bass sitting right with them, taking up a? I mean, I'm never afraid at that point. If I don't like something, just rewrite it. So I'm just like, no, it's not that I don't like the drums, no, it's not that the bass isn't right, I just rewrite it, you know, if it's not work, if it's not working, or indeed go back to the other person and see if they can't provide me with the right things. And sometimes that's what you have to do to get it. You know, right, and yeah, I mean you know.

Speaker 5: 46:31

Then you obviously, as you're saying, like you can hear things with the vocal levels, maybe to get them them sitting right, and then just the synths to sort of fill out that gap underneath them a bit more, because they seem sort of too separate at the moment. But, like you know, I don't think it's miles away if you've got the elements to just balance up. And I do hear a good synth pop song going on in there. It really is. So, yeah, I like the song. I'm definitely straight away I could hear a catchy song in there and I like the vocal. Actually, I like the way the vocal works on it. It's good melody on there, it's nice. So I think, don't despair. The mix is probably just in need of a bit of fixing, but, you know, don't leave it to your mastering engineer either, because he's not going to be happy.

Speaker 1: 47:19

Especially if he was me? Yes, yeah, yeah, that would be, a tricky one. Yeah, it would be tricky. Yeah, Although AI mastery getting.

Speaker 5: 47:28

AI stuff is getting crazy now with the way that you can, like, take a mix that someone sent you and just like, literally divide it into stems, like you know, and have the drums, the bass and the vocal, even from a stereo track. It's crazy. So yeah, I mean not ideal, but like still it's crazy where that kind of stuff is heading.

Speaker 1: 47:49

So you know it's interesting. You mentioned that because I saw a post. Now I don't know if this was true or not it may have been one of those fake news posts, but I'm sure it said it was a caption and it was where someone says and it was actual AI, a bot giving feedback on a mix, telling them what to do to improve their mix. Actual feedbacks are saying oh, I cannot remember the exact what it said, it was something along the lines of like, your snare needs to have a drop in this particular frequency range range because it's clashing with this. And I was like surely not, Surely, I mean, if that, and again, you're at the limit or you're at the mercy of this vast data set that this AI is churning through. So it's not always going to be going to be correct.

Speaker 1: 48:30

Anyway, I was just mentioning that because I saw it and I thought, wow, yeah, actual written feedback telling you how to fix a mix. That's quite worried. I would much rather send it, yeah Well, yes, I'd much rather send it to someone and just have there is. But there you go. That's me. Let's go round the room. Kai valley lights. What are your thoughts?

Speaker 6: 48:49

buddy, I thought it was very cool. Man, and rogufx Andrew just dropped a very cool rendition of people are strange by the doors, who I love, and so shout out to you for doing that. The thought had crossed my mind to do the same, so good on you. And I mean I'm not really going to go into the technicalities of the drums and things, but I think, from a songwriting perspective, I think you're on the right track and you know, like you, the first thing you said was like, oh, I hope I hope you're not going to put me up because Kai just did his thing.

Speaker 6: 49:27

But you know what? We all have our own voices, and I mean when, like, I'm still getting used to my own. So I think, just just be comfortable with with what you're doing, because what you're doing has a great signature sound to it and people are going to enjoy your voice. And as long as, as long as you just keep doing it. And I mean every time I listen to my vocals I'm just like, oh my God, what the hell am I doing? But no, I mean I just I just want to say like, just keep doing it, bro, and you're doing a great job. And I think, yeah, just keep writing, and my personal opinion is to not just to get caught up on things too much, like you have to pay attention, but write the song, get it to where you want it. You know, get your vocals where you want them and move on to the next one. That's, that's how you progress and that's how you evolve. So I mean great job.

Speaker 4: 50:24

Yeah, good advice. I just want to say I'm on 3%. I was on 60 when I started, but it's shooting down. I'm only on 3%, so I might have to join on the phone.

Speaker 1: 50:33

Oh, wow you know what it is.

Speaker 4: 50:36

I'll just join on the phone.

Speaker 1: 50:38

Yeah, no problem. No problem, no problem at all. It does rinse the battery. I guess a bit this platform. I know my old MacBook Pro. When I used to use that it would sound like it was taking off next to me. But now I've got this delicious Mac Studio down on the floor here, so I'm not bragging Subnu. What are your thoughts, buddy?

Speaker 2: 50:57

Well, I mean I really like it and I'm kind of in awe a little bit, to be honest, because I've been trying to write vocals and recording vocals for probably six months now and none of it is good enough to release, Not from a writing point of view, not from a mixing point of view. So I mean I can hear that it could probably glue together a little bit better, but other than that, I mean it sounds great. And one of my favorite vocalists is Mike Patton from Face no More, and I remember an interview of him saying that it doesn't really matter what you're saying, I don't really care about the lyrics per se, it's about where you place the syllables and stuff like that. That's kind of a deviated version from what he actually said, but that was kind of the point, that it was about where you place the intonation rather than anything else. And it's yeah, absolutely, and I can hear that really really cleanly in what you've written.

Speaker 2: 52:03

So, other than maybe gluing it together with some compression or something like that, like I said, I've bought Waves, Harmony and all sorts of other vocals. Vsts still can't make it sound good. So I don't think I've got any real advice to add. But I think, from where you are at the minute. It sounds great.

Speaker 1: 52:28

Yeah thank you, Carl Neon Highway.

Speaker 3: 52:33

Yeah, it sounds good, man, but much with the delegates have said that you know, and also with Pocai we're saying about your cover of the Doors it's a fantastic cover. The only thing I would add to this current one is that I'm a big fan of the synths, keyboards and stuff in the background, creating their own melodies, their own counter melodies, and there is a keyboard that you've got going on there that sounds like some of the stuff Kraftwerk were doing in the 80s rather than the 70s, which is really melodic, but it's melodic in the background, but it's without. That is kind of lacking something in the song and you've got it there. I just think that probably needs to come up a bit in the mix.

Speaker 4: 53:13

Yeah, I did that. Yeah, there's a bit, because it was a bit.

Speaker 3: 53:17

There's bars, there's some beautiful kind of keyboards that are doing that counter melody in the background and you know, just handing off from the vocals to keyboards and those gaps in the song just keeps it going. And you've already got it. I think it's just getting the mix right. But yeah, and I'm sure you'll get there. You know it's all part of the process. But once you end up with that final mix, I'm looking forward to hearing that Right, Jace.

Speaker 4: 53:40

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 53:41

R9, the final one. Here we go. What've we got?

Speaker 5: 53:43

coming up. This one is called Our Sun Kissed Dreams, I believe, so that was just titled. About half an hour ago or whenever, like before the show, I just kind of like my Mrs and I were going over it and yeah, she's very creative. So she was helpful, though, and we just like listened to it and trying to think what the track was.

Speaker 5: 54:09

I think I guess it's a chill wave, kind of a sort of you know vibe in it or heading in that direction, and certainly more chill than some of my tracks. But like, yeah, yeah, I mean you know you're probably in an open top car heading down somewhere coastal when you're listening to this. It's got that 80s nostalgic thing going on in it, those kind of vibes, and yeah, it's a sort of quite a simple tune in some ways, but like I think it's going to be a new single for me. I don't know whether I'm going to release it now before Christmas or after, because you know things get chewed up a little bit around Christmas time, but like you know, but yeah, I might just release it sort of straight in the new year, but like, yeah, I sort of just thought I'd move a little bit more like into the chilled sort of territory and sort of see how it goes down really.

Speaker 1: 55:11

Excellent mate. I noticed it's a longer file. Do you want me to play it from the beginning?

Speaker 5: 55:14

Yeah, just play it from the beginning, see how you go.

Speaker 1: 55:56

Cool, man, in the interest of fed. I could listen to that all the way through because I love the guitar and I could have kept playing that. But I was like, in the interest of fed us, I'll stop it there, but are you going to have vocals on that? Because I could hear like you could have that sort of guitar motif that you've got going on there and then the vocals come in there. You could couldn't, you? You're right, actually, that's what I'm, that's what I'm that's what I was expecting.

Speaker 1: 56:15

Yeah, I was expecting the guitar to cut out, and then obviously it's new, and then I would expect the vocal to come in there.

Speaker 5: 56:22

That's my thought. Yeah, I mean it's a great idea because I it could work as a vocal track and I have not written that, I've written something else, but you know it is instrumental all the way through, but I entirely can hear that. Yeah, two versions more. Yeah, you maybe think I should maybe try it as a vocal track as well, because it could. It could work like that. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 56:43

Yeah, that lead is really nice. Like that, just that repeating of that lead and then going into the vocal and then you could have the chorus and then, before you go back into the second verse, just have that lead again.

Speaker 5: 56:55

Yeah, sort of hook yeah.

Speaker 1: 56:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%. That's that's what I thought. But no, I love it, mate. Love it, lovely stuff. Let's go, carl neon highway. What do you think, buddy?

Speaker 3: 57:07

Yeah, it was great man, Usual quality from yourself it's. It's an amazing, great vibe, like you said. You know that kind of coastal highway drive, just beautiful. I kind of I feel towards you know, as you're developing a song, when you get to the end it's going to have some sort of crescendo into a really sort of euphoric kind of you know what's the sort of stuff twinkling away Can almost you suggested it right from the get go with what you've got going on there, but I think that almost could sort of open up a bit more towards the end of the song when you get there. But sounds beautiful, man, sounds really good.

Speaker 1: 57:47

Cool, cool, andry Roghefax. What do you think about?

Speaker 4: 57:50

it. Yeah, I mean, tim knows absolutely, you know, idolizes guitar. We're absolutely brilliant and you know that that had made that absolutely brilliant. It's kind of Pink Floyd, I think. I just it's just just floats over the music, doesn't it? It's just really just effortless and I just loved it, yeah. Yeah, I mean it could work as an instrumental, but work as a vocal track. I mean, if you've knocked that up in just one night, I'm, you know, absolutely not worthy. It's not really, really, really good.

Speaker 5: 58:26

Love that. Thank you, man. Thank you and Dave Gilmore not worthy, you know, but that's amazing.

Speaker 6: 58:31

That's amazing.

Speaker 5: 58:33

I completely love this music.

Speaker 5: 58:35

So you know, I mean, yeah, definitely, if I can get a look. I mean there's definitely there is. I mean I am influenced by him, whether whether or not. Like you know, as Mark has said, I'm the Dave Gilmore of Watch it, but, like you know, the like it's it's definitely that sort of thing of guitars being melodic really and soulful and emotional, rather than, you know, just being a million notes in a bar, you know. But yeah, I've sort of, I've definitely had that in a few other tracks and I think I quite like that idea of. I know there's some other people out who are doing that as well, like in I've heard in their synth wave as well, and I think it's definitely in the genre. But there is also quite a lot of more sort of 80s shred kind of guitar in synth wave which don't get me wrong, I think can work beautifully and sound really good. But like, yeah, I guess I definitely sort of head in a different direction. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So if it gets, gets the feels, that's good, that's good.

Speaker 1: 59:42

Yeah, definitely do it I think that that description of like floating it's part of the mix, it's coherent and it's within the context of the mix, but it just sort of like, like, like Andrew said, it kind of just floats on top and I think that's a great description of it. And, yeah, really, really nice guitar playing man. It's there having you. I gotta plug my own music again, but I lost and found, which is out on December the 8th, my new EP which Tim is part of. On that particular track. You can. You can hear that in evidence there. It's absolutely delightful. But let's go around sub-neighorn. What do you think?

Speaker 2: 1:00:14

of course, I think it's amazing. I think you know our line has has this kind of weight to your mixes. That that I just love, you know, and it kind of you were saying this in the last podcast is it's got a really immersive feel to it. I think the thing I heard and I don't know how achievable this might be with your, with your network is I don't know if you know a guy, a musician, called Chino Moreno, who is the singer from Deftones and he did a side project called Crosses, which is amazing. If you haven't heard it, I really recommend you listen to it, and it's kind of really clean reverb, soaked with kind of that reverse reverb type thing that kind of leads various different lines into it. I can hear a vocal that that is quite ethereal, that that goes over the top of that. So, so yeah, that that would be my only suggestion, but it it from a, from a production point of view, it sounds beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Speaker 5: 1:01:24

Thank you, I like that ethereal vocal idea. Yeah, yeah, interesting. I mean, I like the fact that vocals are obviously being bounded around, as you know, might might work on this, which is, you know? Yeah, definitely, I definitely ought to look at that you know yeah cool.

Speaker 1: 1:01:42

I think that's a great shout change in the house of flies my Deftones oh.

Speaker 5: 1:01:48

I like the Deftones.

Speaker 1: 1:01:50

Yeah, that, that sort of style, that really. Yeah, chino Moreno's got a great voice. Man, it's a great shout. I'm gonna check out Crosses as well. It's gonna be. That's gonna be my theme of tomorrow, I think Valley Lights, kai.

Speaker 6: 1:02:04

The first thing I want to say is I think you got a strong candidate for your, your California playlist, with that one man like I. You know it definitely. What I love about Synthwave is it. For me it just paints these pictures right. So like, yeah, like that song cruising into the sunset. You know, I totally see that and you know I first learned about you as a guitar player, so I definitely I mean for me there are times when you put that, that ripping solo kind of in the middle and it's like, yeah, this is the solo, but on that track it's so chill and it's like moving into the distance. For me it almost has one of those solos that comes in and you know it doesn't even have an ending lick necessarily. It just kind of just cruises out as the track fades out. And you know, I think you could do some really cool guitar stuff on there, as it's sort of, you know, because it builds and then it sort of fades and I really could hear that, you know, as you're just cruising on into the distance.

Speaker 5: 1:03:10

Yeah, yeah, I like that idea. Yeah, I mean, I love outros, that's just, and guitar drenched outros amongst the best, I just. I love that kind of vibe in in outros in general, in fades, where you sort of feel like the band were just continuing on and couldn't give a fuck and like they just had to fade them out because they just really got on one as the track went on, they got more and more into it and they just went oh shit, we're just going to have to pull the fader down on this because like we've got 20 minutes of it and no one will buy it.

Speaker 5: 1:03:43

And I kind of like that vibe, because in those fades you get that feeling that everyone is just losing themselves in the music and it's going, and yet you don't get to hear all of that. You just know that it's going on and it's disappeared. But like that's a nice sort of thing that almost in your you know, in you can imagine that in a room somewhere that music is still going on and that vibe is still going on. So I quite like that.

Speaker 6: 1:04:07

And in fades yeah yeah um, yeah, no, that's exactly it. I mean, when it doesn't end completely that that song is still going on somewhere, you just, yeah, hear it, yeah, exactly yeah that's something I quite like in fades yeah, yeah, yeah so but yeah, great job man thank you, man.

Speaker 5: 1:04:25

Thanks very much.

Speaker 1: 1:04:27

Ash, fantastic gents, it's been a brilliant showcase of music, as always. I'm just going to go over to YouTube and we've got midnight. Void says jolly holiday, everybody seasons greetings. Russell Nash has some nice lead guitar work again, tim definitely some Gilmore influence in there. So a big shout out to everybody who's joined us on YouTube. Folks, it's now the opportunity to give yourself a shout out and where our audience can find you. So I'm just going to go around on my screen here. So, valley lights, where's the best place our audience can find you online?

Speaker 6: 1:05:00

thank you so much for having me mark and and to everybody else is really great to meet you guys. I'm on Instagram primarily, but I'm on all the socials. My debut album to lane highway came out September 29th. We just released the music video for the Fleetwood Mac cover of dreams that came out about a week ago. At this point that is on my YouTube as well as my record label Outland Recordings YouTube channel. But yeah, go stream the album, go buy the CD, go buy the cassette on bandcamp and enjoy the music. And thank you guys so much thanks, buddy.

Speaker 1: 1:05:40

Now. It's a pleasure having you here as well and hopefully you'll you'll return in the new year with us again. I hope to. Yes, please do sub neon.

Speaker 2: 1:05:48

Where can I find you, but everywhere that, all my 300 followers, that, yeah, I could do with some more. All roads point to my website, sub neon net, and I thought I would give online a bit of a nudge, because my next single is called blood dance, which will be coming out as soon as he's mastered it. So, yeah, I will shut up now fantastic and online.

Speaker 5: 1:06:17

Yeah, you can find me at online music when I'm not sitting at my desk mastering other people's music yeah no online music, sort of on Instagram would be the best place to find me, probably, but I'm on all the socials, not even on TikTok, so you know you can find me at I'll know music, but if you're on X, then I'm at I'll nine synth wave, but I'm also online music.

Speaker 1: 1:06:46

I just never there to be found the same with that with with X is only so much, so many hours in the day.

Speaker 3: 1:06:56

Neon highway yeah, just the Instagram at neon highway, since then everything links off from there. A new track, which got a bit off tonight after hours, should be coming out in about January, just once I can finish up, so I'm looking forward to getting that fantastic and rogue effects.

Speaker 4: 1:07:16

Andrew, yeah, I'm confusingly on on Instagram is rogue effects retro wave and on the other side, rogue effects synth or rogue effects synth wave? I couldn't make my mind up. I think, and it's just so not a lot of consistency on the socials, but I'm on them all and, yeah, just all the digital stores as well bandcamp. So yeah, if you want to find rogue effects, you can. I'm on all those places fantastic stuff.

Speaker 1: 1:07:44

Thank you everyone and audience listening. If you want to participate in a producers pub, I might be re renaming it in the new year. Haven't decided yet head over to inside the mix podcast on podium calm or inside the mix podcast calm when I get my ass around to actually releasing the website. Alternatively, you can click on the link in the episode description and get on board. I know we, or rather I, have put the date in for January, so that is available. Just need to fill out the rest of the calendar. Gents, it's been a pleasure and have a great Christmas when it arrives and I will catch up with you all soon.