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Does my music sound like the 1960's?

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rvacountrysinger
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14 Sep 2017, 11:56 am

I was just wondering what Y'all think. Regardless of whether you think its good or not, does it have a '60s feel or quality to it? See, I'm trying to recapture early 1990's Pop Country sound. That's the style I'm going for. But some folks say it sounds like 1960s or 70s or early 80s. How can I sound more modern?

Here is a typical song of mine "Running on Empty"



Raleigh
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14 Sep 2017, 2:07 pm

It does have an old fashioned feel to it.
The piano makes it dated, IMO.
It makes it sound like a peppy number you'd hear in an old time dance hall.
Do you usually have piano accompaniment?
It seems unsuited to your voice.


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rvacountrysinger
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14 Sep 2017, 2:13 pm

Raleigh wrote:
It does have an old fashioned feel to it.
The piano makes it dated, IMO.
It makes it sound like a peppy number you'd hear in an old time dance hall.
Do you usually have piano accompaniment?
It seems unsuited to your voice.


I'm a piano player, and I kind of prefer it to any other type of instrument. The guitar is much overused in Popular song. Thanks for the feedback, though. I am trying to improve!



Raleigh
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14 Sep 2017, 2:15 pm

You sound a bit like Charlie Pride.


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rvacountrysinger
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14 Sep 2017, 2:24 pm

Raleigh wrote:
You sound a bit like Charlie Pride.


Is he the colored singer from the 1970s? Thanks!

Here is another song with just me and piano. I think it has a '70s feel to it.



Raleigh
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14 Sep 2017, 2:56 pm

^ sorry, I may have got that mixed up there.
My stepdad used to play a mix of old country and you definitely sound like someone in the mix.
I'll have a think about it.
I think I may have mentioned that I'm not a great country music fan. :lol:


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rvacountrysinger
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14 Sep 2017, 2:59 pm

Raleigh wrote:
^ sorry, I may have got that mixed up there.
My stepdad used to play a mix of old country and you definitely sound like someone in the mix.
I'll have a think about it.
I think I may have mentioned that I'm not a great country music fan. :lol:


Charlie Pride is one of my favorite colored musicians! I would be honored to sound like him. Some folks compare me to John Denver, Roy Orbison, or Don McClean, but all those singers are remarkably different to me.
Anyways, I can work on it.



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14 Sep 2017, 3:29 pm

Charlie Rich is who meant, sorry.
Wrong Charlie.
Although maybe it's the piano accompaniment that reminded me of Charlie Rich too.

Well, I think it's great what you're doing and I wish you every success.


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14 Sep 2017, 5:36 pm

First song has a 60's feel a second one a 70's soft country rock feel. I do not think that is a bad thing. Today with youtube nothing is really dated because people are exposed to all styles.

To modernize you could add synths and autotune, a little EDM etc but I think you would be miserable doing that.


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14 Sep 2017, 9:44 pm

I dig the writing but the mix is too bright and modern sounding. Try narrowing the stereo image and using a plate reverb.



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14 Sep 2017, 9:45 pm

Yeah the true kind of country. Definitely not modern.


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15 Sep 2017, 5:05 pm

For Running on Empty... I think the drums are way too busy. When I think 60's country I think Hank Williams Sr and Patsy Cline and a simple backbeat and maybe 4 quarters on the kick would get in that sixties vibe a little better.

After listening to both...I get a John Denver feel from the vocals and more of a POP Elton John vibe from the music.

Overall it sounds good.

Shark



rvacountrysinger
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15 Sep 2017, 7:26 pm

ASPartOfMe wrote:
First song has a 60's feel a second one a 70's soft country rock feel. I do not think that is a bad thing. Today with youtube nothing is really dated because people are exposed to all styles.

To modernize you could add synths and autotune, a little EDM etc but I think you would be miserable doing that.


That is a very astute observation, because I was thinking the same thing! I remember growing up in the 90s and thinking how dated things from the 1980s and 70s sounded.. But now they sound almost current, because of the constant spectrum of styles of music around us on the social media and youtube. You can watch the Monkees and then go to some current stuff like um, I don't know Foster the People, and its as if era of music doesn't have as much boundary anymore because of constant exposure.



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20 Sep 2017, 10:08 am

I can usually tell what decade the music sounds like it's from.

-LegoMaster2149 (Written on September 20, 2017)



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20 Sep 2017, 11:00 pm

rvacountrysinger wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
First song has a 60's feel a second one a 70's soft country rock feel. I do not think that is a bad thing. Today with youtube nothing is really dated because people are exposed to all styles.

To modernize you could add synths and autotune, a little EDM etc but I think you would be miserable doing that.


That is a very astute observation, because I was thinking the same thing! I remember growing up in the 90s and thinking how dated things from the 1980s and 70s sounded.. But now they sound almost current, because of the constant spectrum of styles of music around us on the social media and youtube. You can watch the Monkees and then go to some current stuff like um, I don't know Foster the People, and its as if era of music doesn't have as much boundary anymore because of constant exposure.


One other factor is how certain production methods will come and go out of fashion. 70s and 90s hard rock bands both preferred similar drum tones, but now mainstream music is embracing the gated reverb sound that defines so much of 80s music. Bands imitating 80s thrash metal got big about 10 years ago, but the thrash revival didn't last very long. Certain things come in and out of fashion and if you keep plugging away at what you like you'll probably be happier than if you chase trends - with any luck a trend will find you instead.


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rvacountrysinger
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24 Sep 2017, 1:05 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
rvacountrysinger wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
First song has a 60's feel a second one a 70's soft country rock feel. I do not think that is a bad thing. Today with youtube nothing is really dated because people are exposed to all styles.

To modernize you could add synths and autotune, a little EDM etc but I think you would be miserable doing that.


That is a very astute observation, because I was thinking the same thing! I remember growing up in the 90s and thinking how dated things from the 1980s and 70s sounded.. But now they sound almost current, because of the constant spectrum of styles of music around us on the social media and youtube. You can watch the Monkees and then go to some current stuff like um, I don't know Foster the People, and its as if era of music doesn't have as much boundary anymore because of constant exposure.


To me the best music is natural sounding and unaffected. Almost like a babbling meadow brook or soft rain taping on a window.

One other factor is how certain production methods will come and go out of fashion. 70s and 90s hard rock bands both preferred similar drum tones, but now mainstream music is embracing the gated reverb sound that defines so much of 80s music. Bands imitating 80s thrash metal got big about 10 years ago, but the thrash revival didn't last very long. Certain things come in and out of fashion and if you keep plugging away at what you like you'll probably be happier than if you chase trends - with any luck a trend will find you instead.