GOF Sing-along: If We Hold On Together

Nimrod · **Reply #20 on:** July 22, 2019, 07:39:03 AM

The more I listen to my recording, the more I feel the need to do a new recording.
I am so self-critical.

Flathead770 · **Reply #21 on:** July 22, 2019, 07:06:34 PM

Don't worry I feel the same haha. I've already sent in a second recording because I wasn't happy with the first. Can't say I'm fully satisfied but I don't think I can improve enough in the short term anyways.

I'm sure you sound great though!

Belmont2500 · **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2019, 02:51:17 PM

I didn't think I'd like the way mine would come out, but the result was surprisingly good

Mumbling · **Reply #23 on:** July 24, 2019, 01:03:20 AM

Don't you guys worry, your performances are wonderful!

bestariana1girl · **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2019, 02:45:19 AM

Count me in!

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #25 on:** July 27, 2019, 03:27:08 AM

Mumbling, I must say this is a very successful and influential Gang of Five Singing Project you've got running. It seems like people who weren't active for months or maybe years have suddenly returned seemingly to participate in this collective.

I was also interested in Tim's custom arrangement of If We Hold On Together, so I downloaded and gave it a listen. Personally, it's not my cup of tea. Here's why. Sometimes simplicity is the best. There were a bit too many instruments and I felt the emotion of the song washed out a bit and not as effective. To best illustrate my point, here's a link to my favorite instrumental version of the song. It was overall perfectly paced in my opinion, the piano was the star, and it was complimented nicely by only a few select instruments. It really captured the essence that the song should convey, and that what mainly sold me there. But still, it was pretty amazing to have someone compose an entirely different instrumental with a computer program. It does remind me of an orchestra, I'll give you that. Anyway, I wrote this mostly to voice the thought that has been swirling in my head for awhile, rather than actually directly critisize Tim's composition. But in all seriousness, this is likely the best project done in a while I've noticed. How often do you see people on the internet uniting like this?

Mumbling · **Reply #26 on:** July 27, 2019, 03:45:34 AM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on July 27, 2019, 03:27:08 AM

Mumbling, I must say this is a very successful and influential Gang of Five Singing Project you've got running. It seems like people who weren't active for months or maybe years have suddenly returned seemingly to participate in this collective.

To be fair, the singing projects preceded even my time here on the GoF. They were very successful back then as well, completely organized by Tim who wrote both the music and did the mixing. I'm just making use of that known popularity and even his arrangement, and it still seems to be a success! As to old members returning, that is just me pestering them until they give in

bestariana1girl · **Reply #27 on:** July 27, 2019, 04:53:27 AM

My audition has been sent over Discord? I think that’s alright?

Mumbling · **Reply #28 on:** July 27, 2019, 05:12:40 AM

That's perfect, thank you!

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #29 on:** July 27, 2019, 02:25:01 PM

Just wondering, do you have any thoughts/comments about the second paragraph I wrote in my previous post? Do you agree or disagree with my stance on the custom arrangement?

Also, I couldn't help but notice that there was around 64 downloads for the instrumental? Like wow, I swear, yesterday I thought there were only 28 downloads in total. Or maybe my memory is clogged? Haha, have you been pestering people to download the custom arrangement too?

Mumbling · **Reply #30 on:** July 28, 2019, 01:22:52 AM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on July 27, 2019, 02:25:01 PM

Just wondering, do you have any thoughts/comments about the second paragraph I wrote in my previous post? Do you agree or disagree with my stance on the custom arrangement?

Also, I couldn't help but notice that there was around 64 downloads for the instrumental? Like wow, I swear, yesterday I thought there were only 28 downloads in total. Or maybe my memory is clogged? Haha, have you been pestering people to download the custom arrangement too?

No real thoughts on the subject, no. My interest in and knowledge of music is... limited, so I feel like I wouldn't be the right person to make any comment on that

Now that is odd! I indeed remember seeing 29 yesterday. Who has been spamming that download button? Hahaha! But I have been telling people to download the custom arrangement, since the timing is slightly different to the original.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #31 on:** July 28, 2019, 02:20:32 AM

Quote from: Mumbling on July 28, 2019, 01:22:52 AM

No real thoughts on the subject, no. My interest in and knowledge of music is... limited, so I feel like I wouldn't be the right person to make any comment on that

Eh...I don't think I have any knowledge on the intricacies of music, but you can notice things that bother or appeal to you just by listening attentively to the song, multiple times maybe, and compare it to different versions of it to get the gist of it. Many variables can affect your overall experience on what you listen to, such as quality, vocals, instruments, pacing, tone, and whatnot. And depending on how those elements are executed, it could lead to a wonderful, unsatisfactory, or disasterous outcome.

So, when I listened to Tim's composition, it was very underwhelming by itself, and especially when I compare it to the instrumental I've been listening to for awhile. So yeah, I have already expressed the reasons why I felt that way in my initial post, so no need to repeat it here. Once again, I'm no expert on music and everything I've said here is my opinion. This conversation turned out to be longer than I previously thought, hehe.

Edit: I did another listen of the song, turns out it's not underwhelming, but a bit of the opposite problem actually. Like I said already with the instruments, too much going on at once. But despite that, I actually really liked it. I now felt the emotion that was seemingly lacking the first time around. Hmm. So yeah, probably because I didn't listen to it at a high enough volume. Now I could hear everything much more clearly. But everything else I said still stands, and it's still not my cup of tea.

And yep, the old adage is true that the more you listen to something, the more you grow to like it.

LeventeII · **Reply #32 on:** July 29, 2019, 04:21:00 PM

Is it still possible for me to participate?

Mumbling · **Reply #33 on:** July 30, 2019, 12:18:56 AM

Definitely! Looking forward to receiving your recording

LeventeII · **Reply #34 on:** July 31, 2019, 03:46:50 PM

I have sent it.

I hope I did everything correctly. It was definitely a lot of fun to sing it!

Flathead770 · **Reply #35 on:** July 31, 2019, 08:12:59 PM

Great to see all this participation! If everyone who showed interest in this so far submitted that would put us up to 11. My memory is hazy but I think in the past Bestest Friends had the most submissions at 12 total? Pretty successful turnout to this!

Petrie · **Reply #36 on:** August 01, 2019, 07:23:54 AM

Yes I remember Best Friends getting a lot of attention back in the day.

Mumbling · **Reply #37 on:** August 01, 2019, 12:45:16 PM

Thanks Levente, well received!

UnionRags123 · **Reply #38 on:** August 03, 2019, 06:34:50 PM

I finally got around to start recording...but apparently I have no idea what I'm supposed to be singing at what point - I can't seem to match the lyrics to the instrumental

Petrie · **Reply #39 on:** August 06, 2019, 05:00:10 PM

Quote from: UnionRags123 on August 03, 2019, 06:34:50 PM

I finally got around to start recording...but apparently I have no idea what I'm supposed to be singing at what point - I can't seem to match the lyrics to the instrumental

Because it's all accompaniment I get that it's hard to line up. My first run was off. I had to listen to the original song to get an idea for the song again, and I was able to do it the second time.