Project: Queen For A Day

[Aloysius]

Project: Decent For A Day

[ariston]

Just gave a listen to Rainbow Queen. I was thinking hard about what feedback to give you, and I'm taking this very seriously.

Here's my Wot I Think:

It's well-written, just as most of your music is. Your compositional chops are definitely there.

I find it hard to listen to your singing, as it's really off-key, and you're straining way too hard. You're probably composing the melody on the keyboard, which means you write lines you can't really pull off. My advice would be to improvise melodies by singing to the music - never mind off-notes when you're doing that, but you'll arrive at melodies that suit your voice the way it is NOW, and not how it might be should you turn into Jessye Norman overnight (RIP, gal). Hell, do a Leonard Cohen if you have to, just work within your limitations, and everything will be better!

The music itself sounds heavily quantised, there's now real feel or swing to it. It's a shame, because it gets that instant Bontempi Preset Rhythm quality. Why not play everything by hand, even the drums? I understand you can play keyboards, is that right? Get off the grid, you're not making EDM!

I can never connect with your lyrics, they seem very pretentious to me, as in: you have no clue what it is you're singing about. You write what others have written, with turns of phrase and rhymes and what have you that are completely unoriginal. I'm not talking about reinventing the wheel, rather this (and I've been building up to it):

You keep on churning out tune after tune, which, to me, is a real drawback. Most of it is half-baked, and even the most inspired sections could benefit from maturing over time. There's no artistic process going on, it's like all the songs come from some hyperactive assembly line. I've never heard a song from you that seems to come from YOU, from your heart, your stomach, your head (other other body parts worthy of mention). I have no idea who the guy behind the tunes is, because he doesn't show himself.

Why not try writing something from the heart? In music as well as lyrics? Write what you know. Show your feelings - it's 2019. Ever since - 2013 I think it was - men are officially permitted to cry and talk about their feelings.

Anyways, that's my honest assessment. You don't have to listen to it, of course, and just keep on keepin' on, if it's all about the fun you're having, that's perfectly fine and valid.

[wagtunes]

Just gave a listen to Rainbow Queen. I was thinking hard about what feedback to give you, and I'm taking this very seriously.

Here's my Wot I Think:

It's well-written, just as most of your music is. Your compositional chops are definitely there.

I find it hard to listen to your singing, as it's really off-key, and you're straining way too hard. You're probably composing the melody on the keyboard, which means you write lines you can't really pull off. My advice would be to improvise melodies by singing to the music - never mind off-notes when you're doing that, but you'll arrive at melodies that suit your voice the way it is NOW, and not how it might be should you turn into Jessye Norman overnight (RIP, gal). Hell, do a Leonard Cohen if you have to, just work within your limitations, and everything will be better!

The music itself sounds heavily quantised, there's now real feel or swing to it. It's a shame, because it gets that instant Bontempi Preset Rhythm quality. Why not play everything by hand, even the drums? I understand you can play keyboards, is that right? Get off the grid, you're not making EDM!

I can never connect with your lyrics, they seem very pretentious to me, as in: you have no clue what it is you're singing about. You write what others have written, with turns of phrase and rhymes and what have you that are completely unoriginal. I'm not talking about reinventing the wheel, rather this (and I've been building up to it):

You keep on churning out tune after tune, which, to me, is a real drawback. Most of it is half-baked, and even the most inspired sections could benefit from maturing over time. There's no artistic process going on, it's like all the songs come from some hyperactive assembly line. I've never heard a song from you that seems to come from YOU, from your heart, your stomach, your head (other other body parts worthy of mention). I have no idea who the guy behind the tunes is, because he doesn't show himself.

Why not try writing something from the heart? In music as well as lyrics? Write what you know. Show your feelings - it's 2019. Ever since - 2013 I think it was - men are officially permitted to cry and talk about their feelings.

Anyways, that's my honest assessment. You don't have to listen to it, of course, and just keep on keepin' on, if it's all about the fun you're having, that's perfectly fine and valid.

Thanks for the listen and the feedback. It is very much appreciated.

The only thing I will comment on is my singing. I can't sing. I have said this from the start. That's why I did Vocaloid. When I did Vocaloid, people said "sing yourself." Now that I sing myself, people say "you can't sing." So I can't win either way there. So I no longer let it bother me. For that matter, I no longer let any criticisms bother me. I do music for my own enjoyment. If others enjoy it too, that's great. If not, that's fine too.

I'm done trying to please the world.

[wagtunes]

One last thing. Thanks for the inspiration for my next "Queen" song. It's titled "Can't Please The World" and I'm gonna make sure it's extra corny just because.

Life is good.

[wagtunes]

Oh, completely forgot. This one came to me last night in a flash and I just threw it together in like an hour or so. I like it. That's all that matters. Oh, about my quantization. When I didn't quantize people criticized me for my terrible timing. No, I don't play well. So now I quantize. Can't please the world.

Anyway, here's another throwaway, meaningless, not from the heart, robotic crappy tune. Hope you like it.

Alias Smith And Wesson

I got you in my sights
Ready to pull the trigger
I'll never back down from a fight
We'll see whose gun is bigger
You won't see it coming down

Bang bang (Ready aim fire)
Bang bang (This gun for hire)
Bang bang (Your life will expire)
Bang bang (Death to the liar)

I caught you in deceit
Thought you could sneak one by me
But I smelled your dirty feet
Teach you to never try me
Now you won't see it coming down

Repeat Chorus

Instrumental Break

Repeat Chorus

And now you're dead and gone
It really was so easy
And me I'll just go on
Your death it sure does please me
And you never saw it coming down

Repeat Chorus

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... and-wesson

[Aloysius]

I find it hard to listen to your singing, as it's really off-key, and you're straining way too hard. You're probably composing the melody on the keyboard, which means you write lines you can't really pull off. My advice would be to improvise melodies by singing to the music - never mind off-notes when you're doing that, but you'll arrive at melodies that suit your voice the way it is NOW, and not how it might be should you turn into Jessye Norman overnight (RIP, gal). Hell, do a Leonard Cohen if you have to, just work within your limitations, and everything will be better!

I like that idea of singing melodic ideas, rather than composing them at a keyboard. Makes a lot of sense.

[Aloysius]

Alias Smith And Wesson

The verse bit has some potential imho.

The lyrics are pre-teen imho.

[ariston]

I like that idea of singing melodic ideas, rather than composing them at a keyboard. Makes a lot of sense.

It really makes for more natural melodies. I know several singers who work that way, for example Matt Berninger of The National. He's a great example, actually, because he's not really a good singer from a technical point of view. But he works within his limits, and almost sings like he talks. And it's great when he does, he has the ladies swooning, which is the purpose of singing, innit?

[wagtunes]

I find it hard to listen to your singing, as it's really off-key, and you're straining way too hard. You're probably composing the melody on the keyboard, which means you write lines you can't really pull off. My advice would be to improvise melodies by singing to the music - never mind off-notes when you're doing that, but you'll arrive at melodies that suit your voice the way it is NOW, and not how it might be should you turn into Jessye Norman overnight (RIP, gal). Hell, do a Leonard Cohen if you have to, just work within your limitations, and everything will be better!

I like that idea of singing melodic ideas, rather than composing them at a keyboard. Makes a lot of sense.

I don't know where this idea came from that I compose melodies at the keyboard. I use a variety of methods to compose melodies. Sometimes I write the lyrics and then start singing a melody to them. If they sound out of my range it's because I don't censor myself and go "Oh, I have to transpose this because I can't sing that high or low or whatever." Transposing rarely works well anyway for me, especially since I have such a limited range anyway.

Sometimes I'll come up with a melody in my head and will write lyrics to the melody. Same thing. I don't try to transpose to my range because I don't have much of a range.

When you're not a singer, you're not a singer. I could go back to using Vocaloid to do the singing but then people will just bitch about that. So I stopped caring what people think.

Listen to my stuff, don't listen to my stuff, makes no difference to me. I've finally accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in my life (getting a paying gig) and that's all I care about. The rest is unimportant.

And with that, I'm going to get back to doing my songs. I have 4 left to do and then my Queen project will be done.

[wagtunes]

Only 3 left to go and project is complete.

My thanks to Ariston for inspiring this song.

Can't Please The World

You're doing it wrong
That's what they all say
You should just give up now
Well I don't know about that man
Why don't you show me how

You're doing it wrong
Your life is wasted
You should just pack it in
Well I don't know about that man
Cause I'm just about to begin

One thing that I've learned in all this time

You can't please the world
So you gotta please yourself
Leave your cares right where they are
On that dusty shelf
You can't please the world
So don't you try it
Give me love or I can buy it
You just can't please the world
No no
You just can't please the world

You're making a mess
Or so they declare
You should just clean it up
Well I don't know about that man
I think I'll wait until I've had enough

One thing that I've learned in all this time

Repeat Chorus

Instrumental Break

Repeat Chorus

Outro

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... -the-world

[thecontrolcentre]

I've finally accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in my life (getting a paying gig) and that's all I care about. The rest is unimportant.

Says it all

[wagtunes]

I've finally accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in my life (getting a paying gig) and that's all I care about. The rest is unimportant.

Says it all

That I want to eat? Yeah, that's pretty sad isn't it.

[wagtunes]

Let me just clarify something. Getting a paying gig is validation that my music has worth. I don't have to listen to people anymore telling me that I have no talent and that my music sucks. A paying gig invalidates those comments. The money is actually secondary. I'm just tired of all the "you have no talent" comments that I've been getting for 42 years. My recent success says otherwise.

So yeah, that's all I care about. The rest IS irrelevant.

[Aloysius]

What are you getting paid for? I seem to have missed that bit.

[Karbon L. Forms]

Containment?