Rotor
Apr 26, 2020
alechutson
Rotator
Cutting it a bit close with the submission. Don’t mind the underwhelming synth solo…
Looking for feedback on
Songwriting?
Apr 26, 2020Cutting it a bit close with the submission. Don’t mind the underwhelming synth solo…
Songwriting?
Discussion
nurphgun April 30, 2020 10:09pm
Gorgeous. OK Computer vibes. 🙂 Your chorus palindrome melody reminds me of a melody I ended up incorporating in my song.
alechutson May 1, 2020 10:18pm
thank you nora <3 <3
nick April 28, 2020 2:30pm
also, i love bass line and sound. is that live or programmed?
alechutson April 30, 2020 3:13pm
Programmed!
Ben April 28, 2020 2:26pm
Yo this is a *really* great chord progression and melody. Love when the chorus comes in. Very cinematic, seems likes its moving and swirling and spiraling around. I’m also a sucker for these piano chord quarter notes throughout the whole things.
Also what you got against your synth solo?
alechutson April 30, 2020 3:14pm
thanks dude! i guess i just finished the song so close to the deadline that after the first listen the solo felt out of place but i didn’t have time to revisit it haha. it’s grown on me a bit since then 🙂
Sam Pearce April 27, 2020 12:48pm
Hey Alec! My name’s Sam. Still listening now. I like the escalation on the choruses. I think it’s just enough added intensity, with the hi hat and the louder dynamic, expanding the song but keeping the link to the verses seamless. I think it’s cool that the synth solo is in a middle-low register, as opposed to flying above the piano. Rather than being explosive, it builds potential energy that’s released on the last chorus. My favorite couplet is the one about splinters. It’s unsettling and mysterious, to me, as a listener who doesn’t know the whole story. Song just ended and that last vocal phrase, on “eyes”, is exquisite!
nick April 27, 2020 11:44am
Lot of great things going on here. Synth solo is certainly one of them. And yeah, your voice sounds great. I like to experiment with finding small personal details to include in dramatic songs like this. Little moments of localization can end up enriching the overall drama.
nick April 27, 2020 11:48am
And I know this isn’t quite songwriting, but for me, if you could nudge the melodic/chordal elements back in time a little bit so the drums are on the front end of the rhythm, the groove would really set in and let those melodies sing on stop. Really slight edit, like microseconds, for a pretty large reward.
BenApril 28, 2020 2:22pm
thats pretty timeless advice, and ends up happening a lot for me. Something wont be sitting well in my song (or a section of a song) so I literally just nudge the drum tracks forward or back a bit, and magically it sits better. And I’ve been surprised that sometimes it’s really as easy and blunt as moving the whole damn thing forward or back. If i recall correctly, nick, you did this for a koah song or two that we were tracking in the berkshires and it instantly glued things together.
alechutson April 27, 2020 5:28pm
Word! Could you elaborate on what you mean by small personal details? Do you mean lyrics-wise?
nickApril 27, 2020 5:48pm
Yup—I mean looking for moments in the lyrics where you could try swapping out something more general for something more personal, to create a balance of the two. This really is nicely written, and paints an expressive picture. I just think an additional bit of your perspective from ground level could be a nice touch.
Tengo April 27, 2020 11:36am
This rocks! The chorus is satisfying on so many levels, never mind that it’s also a great palindromic melody. Whole song flows beautifully from section to section
alechutson May 1, 2020 10:19pm
thank you <3
aubspeeps April 27, 2020 12:46am
i like the synth solo as well, i really like how it pairs with the jazzier chords and vocalizations. your voice is great too
agasthya April 26, 2020 10:43pm
I liked the synth solo! very understated, nice contrast with the chorus.
alechutson May 1, 2020 10:19pm
thanks agasthya! it’s grown on me a bit since i submitted this 🙂
froebusiness April 26, 2020 10:14pm
Songwriting.
alechutson April 26, 2020 9:03pm
Lyrics:
Climbing up a ladder you’ve been down before
Little bit unsteady, little bit unsure
A palindrome of patterns in the sky
As fire reignites behind your eye
Splinters tracing down your hands
You tear at them but they just grow right back again
You finally see a vision to the top
You hold on to the feeling in the hopes it never stops
(Chorus:)
Splitting to the surface
Spinning like a rotor
Take you by the throat, honey
Panic taking over
Wash away yourself
In the passing of the water
Pour another drink
For your mother and your father
You feel at ease knowing you’ve been here before
You don’t know when or how, but it’s getting harder to ignore
And if you’ve made it through 100x or more
The journey can’t have killed you, no matter what’s in store
(Chorus)
Climbing up a ladder you’ve been down before
Little bit unsteady, little bit unsure
A palindrome of patterns in the sky
As fire reignites behind your eye