Socio - November 2022 - Writing To Reach You & Lost (Anouk)

Since picking up the guitar a year ago, I’ve had a few Travis songs on my list of songs that I wanted to learn. So here’s my attempt at one from my list Writing To Reach You - Travis Cover - YouTube As always feedback is appreciated.

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Lost - Anouk (fingerstyle)

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Full credit for listing your video on youtube!

Sounded good all the way around. Steady and clean strumming. Not knowing where you are in your journey, I would only suggest looking for ways to introduce more dynamics. I could just as easily be saying this to myself: Strumming Dynamics for Beginners | Transform Your Play!

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@CT
Thanks for the listen and feedback Clint. It’s much appreciated. I’m just over one year into the journey. Yeah. Yes, absolutely agree with you that I need to apply dynamics to this song (something that I’ll be working on as its one for the repetiore) like I did with my cover of The Circle. I found this one more of a challenge. I just need to keep working on it as it can only get easier.

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You are well ahead of the curve. Well done!

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@Socio you are crushing it for only being a year in!

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CT beat me to it but your answer surprised me - for your time in its something to think about and try and apply it gradually, dynamics come with time and practice.

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That was great James. I thought you were playing longer than a year. You certainly play like someone who has been playing longer. I am playing just over 3 years and was nowhere near where you are by that stage. Keep it up mate as your ceiling is really high!

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@Traveler
Thanks for the listen and encouragement Travis, it much appreciated.

@DarrellW
Thanks for the listen and advice Darrell. My answer surprised you? That is good solid advice on applying dynamics gradually. It’s definitely something that I will continue to work on and develop.

@Eddie_09
Hey Eddie, thanks for the listen, feedback and encouragement. It’s much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed it mate.

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Spot on mate, not an easy vocal line but carried really nicely!

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James you surely are ready to introduce dynamics, easier said than done for me I’m afraid! Your strumming is nicely consistent and timing is steady. :blush: I wish I could do half as well with my strumming.

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Great steady strumming work there James. Yes it could do with a bit more of a dynamic but you caught the Travis vibe I thought. Really good vocal too on what must be a difficult song to sing.
Well done.

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Another fine one James you are on fire! Some good comments on dynamics from Clint, this should improve your performances even more. All the best

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Nice one James. Not listened to a lot of Travis and it seems years ago now (ha not decades though for most of my usual stuff!) What I do remember I liked, so I enjoyed this immensely. Nice and tight and the vocals were darn good as well. + 1 on the dynamics but all part of the development learning path !
Well done.
:sunglasses:

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Ha again James,
Came across fine on this end. However, you are stretching to get the high notes with your vox. I might try pulling the capo off and singing it down a half step to see if you can better handle those high notes?

All the best to you!
LB

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That was excellent playing and singing James. What a great choice of tune as well. Love the sound of your guitar.

One slight nit pick is your voice was slight drowned out by your guitar. Are you able to turn the volume of your vocal up a bit?

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Nice job James and I do like this song (and others on their first album). Thought you did a very good job. The vocal is tricky but you pulled it off fine.

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@Notter
Thanks for the listen and feedback Mark :smiley: Yes, it wasn’t an easy song to sing. It was almost getting to the point I was thinking of just playing to a backing track with vocals.

@SILVIA
Thanks for the listen and feedback Silvia :smiley: I have been working since the recording on the dynamics and making improvements. So progress is being made even if its little by little :wink:

@sairfingers
Thanks for the listen and feedback Gordon :smiley: I’m glad the Travis vibe came across as I spent considerable time listening to the song and watching him play it on the acoustic. I found it a really difficult song to sing which gave me a lot more respect for him as a singer.

@adi_mrok
Thanks for the listen and feedback Adrian :smiley: Yes, that was some good feedback from @CT and @DarrellW on the dynamics which I have been working on since the recording. Though, it got me thinking about another comment Clint made on another post in the forum about making the song your own. I think this one I may revisit when I’ve got the techniques down. I’m thinking of reducing the tempo, apply hybrid picking to the verses and strumming the bridge/chorus.

@TheMadman_tobyjenner
Thanks for the listen and feedback Toby :smiley: Glad you enjoyed this one mate. I’m definitely going to be working on and not overlooking dynamics. As you said all part of the development process and as long as I’m making progress I’m happy.

@LBro @brianlarsen
Thank you both for the listen and feedback. I’m glad it came across well at your end. Brian although you commented on the other post regarding this recording, I thought I would bring the point you raised here as it relates with the feedback from LBro.

I learned the song with the capo in the position Fran plays it, on the second fret. However, I found this song to be a really difficult song to sing. I did try changing the position of the capo (up and down) and ended up settling with it on the 1st fret but in hindsight I should have tried it also without the capo :roll_eyes: doh…

@SgtColon
Thanks for the listen and feedback Stefan :smiley: No problem, for you mate I can definitely turn the volume of the vocal up a bit :wink:

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@Rossco01
Thanks for the listen and feedback Jason :smiley: Yeah, I found the vocal difficult, it made me appreciate more the quality of Fran’s singing.

Late to this party, James. Bravo, well played and sung. An impressive showcase of the use of the stuck chords and you looked really comfortable throughout.

I also loved the video production. The black and white, your choice of top, camera angle … looked really pro.

From a subjective experience perspective, I felt the guitar was perhaps a little to bright and dominant in the mix. The mic appears angled down towards the guitar. If it were me (of course it’s not) I’d try perhaps inverting the mic and positioning it level with your mouth, maybe slightly angled to the guitar.

I suggest you also allow the recording to run an additional few seconds to allow the last note(s) to naturally fade to silence, a slight pause and then hit the stop button.

Great job overall, well done, keep 'em coming!

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@DavidP
Thank you very much for the listen and feedback, David, it’s much appreciated :smiley: I’m pleased to hear that you loved the video production. You’re ‘subjective experience perspective’ is the perspective that I got watching back the video after I recorded it.

That’s exactly what I was thinking about doing on my next AVoYP where I’m singing and playing at the same time.

That’s another good point which I will definitely be taking on board.

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