Month: August 2017

Broadjam Artist: Douglas Branson aka dB+1
Song: Silent Streets

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: This has a Sgt Peppers meets Nick Cave feel with a bit of Alice Cooper thrown in.

Constructive Comments: You need to push the levels up–I could barely hear this. The vocal recording has a room echo in it I think. There are some nice ideas here on all counts but I think you need to work on the musicality of the performance and sound a bit yet. Sing the vocals more and sweeten the vocal sound with a low cut, some delay/reverb and boost the vocal level over the mix more. You need more that just the Malaguena chord progression to make the song interesting.

Broadjam Artist: All Around
Song: Hold U ( Prod.By All Around)

Reviewer: David James

Positive Comments: Firstly the sound quality is excellent. The backing track is very melodic and really nicely produced. Strong lead vocal and good use of backing vocals and improvs. Nice balance to track…bass is just right. Really well mastered.

Constructive Comments: The track is very commercial and it’s broadcast quality. It’s stronger than a lot of stuff I hear on the radio. I see no reason why you shouldn’t have success with this.

Broadjam Artist: Aaron Hamblin
Song: The Answer

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Pretty cool intro. Heavy heavy beat with guitars locked to it–very Metallica. Ominous vocals. Interesting middle section–a bit of Limp Bizcuit / Linkin Park. With a few tweaks this could move into a very cool Rage AtM territory!

Constructive Comments: The distorted vocal in the intro is too loud and harsh. I think if you took a bit of the rasp off the guitar tone it would make the sound heavier. It was hard to hear what the lyrics are all about.

Broadjam Artist: Randy Calligan
Song: Movie Theme 2

Reviewer: David James

Positive Comments: It’s a lovely compelling piece. I like the way the piano takes centre stage, with the strings just adding accent. The melodic line is memorable and poignant. Just the right length too…not overworked. The musicianship is really strong.

Constructive Comments: Certainly good enough for film/TV to my ear, but what do I know of the tastes of music supervisors? Good luck!

Broadjam Artist: Charlie Shock
Song: CALIFORNIA COOL

Reviewer: Mitch Siegal

Positive Comments: Lyriclly this is reminessant of the Dandy Warhols, a band I really dig. so, very cool vibe here. arrangement is solid and I liked the chorusy vocal. Lots of talent here.

Constructive Comments: The recording could have been a bit cleaner and the fade out at the end could have been done a bit more creatively. other than that I think the song was trippy enough to be in a movie or cable show. good luck and thanks for the listen.

Broadjam Artist: Margie & Art Corey, S. & A. Corey
Song: You Don’t know Me

Reviewer: Mitch Siegal

Positive Comments: Vocalist is very talented and the harmonies are well done.

Constructive Comments: The instrumentation is a bit on the low volume end side. there is a very famous producer (Fett) that says to always try to add a real instrument somewhere in the mix if you can. ie, I noticed lots of midi trumpets, maybe bring in someone to add a lead trumpet part. I know its a bit costly and a pain in the ass to do, but it really does add to the overall mix. otherwise you have a pretty cool song here. thanks for the listen.

Broadjam Artist: Ronald Arduini
Song: What Remains#2

Reviewer: Mitch Siegal

Positive Comments: Intro is great, very imagine dragons.. Vocalist is talented.Instrumentation is first class. nicely done

Constructive Comments: I like the vocalist but thought the EQ was a bit bass challenged. need a a little more color in the lower end. just personal preference. otherwise very good song.

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: L.A. Waltz

Reviewer: Spitting Lama MIDI

Positive Comments: The electric-piano type part is cool. I’d love to hear it in isolation. If this reminds me of anything it would be Band Ane. I do like the arrangement in that there is actual development. This is one of the few reviews I’ve done where I wanted the song to be longer.

Constructive Comments: All IMVHO: The strings were very strident. Use EQ or different string sounds. It’s almost too experimental/random. I’d make the el. piano part central, make sure that’s developing thru the work and has a point. (I don’t dig through composition. I dig statement and recapitulation.) Then add randomness in a more deliberate manner. It can still sound random/experimental and appeal to a wider audience. Also – the end was very abrupt. Have an end or a fade-out. Hope this helps. Cheers!

Broadjam Artist: Signal 30
Song: Roll With It

Reviewer: Spitting Lama MIDI

Positive Comments: This reminds me of ME circa the mid-90s. I love the bass line, that 70s groove, and the simple hook. This has – as the youngsters say – an old-stool vibe. I don’t have the time to collaborate with others these days but, if I did, I’d wanna work on this tune. If I have it here on Broadjam check out my first stab at “Trance”-type genre called Helixism.

Constructive Comments: I think this could be a 5/5 with some work. There’s not enough material for the length. But that hook could provide endless material. Try doubling the speed/halving the note values, maybe alter the pitches, and use that as a counterpoint for development. The low end doesn’t sound right because the bass line is so legato. Add some rests, alter the synths amp envelope with less decay/release, etc. to make the notes more distinct. Sidechain the kick to the bass so it lowers the bass volume while it’s playing. Try raising the bassline up a couple octaves to make an additional part to add and possibly transpose it more to make it a diatonic harmony part. Do your harmonic changes (:55) more quickly. I I IV I over 8 bars. Or even 4 bars. The solo drums during the break won’t cut it. Use a real fill or breakbeat or percussion loop. In/Build/Break/Bring It/Mix Out. Bring a new element in (at least) every 16 bars during the build.

Broadjam Artist: Tristyn Leach
Song: The Defeated ( instrumental)

Reviewer: Spitting Lama MIDI

Positive Comments: Reminds me of soundtrack music or New Age Space music ala Constance Demby. I like the choral sounds used and the recording.

Constructive Comments: Genre be damned, this sounds more like film score music than ambient. As it moved on it hinted at traditional new age/space music ala Hearts of Space radio, Constance Demby, etc… In my OVH opinion, ambient lives and dies by sounds/timbres and the careful development of interest through motif development – all while still not calling too much attention to itself. (Also important is the creative use of space/reverb.) Ambient is, by definition, background music. How I think this work might be improved: Target New Age or Soundtrack genre. Remove the resonant synth layer and replace with a more modern granular type pad sound. Save the percussive stuff till later in tune. Filter or remove the low register parts and bring them in (slowly) later as well. Use the parts to develop and accent a simple yet recognizable motif. Find or create some of your own less traditional percussion sounds. I think this could be 4/5 with changes in the linear arrangement and updating the palette of sounds used. Hope this helps.