ZCARS

[rayc]

Hello Folks,
I started on a newish song.
I raided the dim past of late 60s pop for ideas for chord progressions, changed key several times and changed chord even more time.
This one I came up with has a short verse, longish prechorus & chorus as well as a bridgey bit...well, those are the names I'll use for the moment.
The question is "Does the song hang together?".
Only a draft - BIAB drums and the rest is DI'd guitars n bass.
The BIAB gap filler Rhodes solos are a) gap fillers & b) a nod to vague origins.
NO melody, vocals or lyrics.
Does it work as a base for a song?

VERSION TEN NEW VOX
Here's a new mix with new vocals and some tweaking of the 12 string arpeggios.

Z CARS 0807 organ.mp3

VERSION NINE

I've almost sorted the hand claps. seems inconsistency of tone & level was the big issue.
I remembered I have a drum machine from the mid 80s so found it & dragged it out. Long shot I know as they have awful sounds in the TR505. Anyway, I manually played the claps & bango..yes they sounded awful but when blended with my handclaps they brought a consistency that seems to have worked. The machine claps aren't great but they seem to have repaired the hole.
VERSION EIGHT


Vocal melody sorted but needs a strong voice
Added FX to bridge vox and retracked the main vocal so it's more consistent - not good just consistent.
Organ solo rather than my rough guitar bit.
I do need help settling the hand claps - @Greg_L and ideas?


VERSION SEVEN - draft/experimental vocals in place,(seriously reworking a few parts and all will be retracked when I can do it properly) and a bit of a restructuring - I added an extra chorus to go out on.

Mainly 60s/70s Brit Cop Drama stuff.
UPDATED LYRICS

Quilley's Zephyr's ready
Stane provides the back up
Task Force holding steady

Vera can't solve this
Even Morse is clueless
Gently's softly softly
Annika made a real mess

Z Cars help me
I'm losing
Someone's trying to steal
Trying to steal my baby.

Fast response patrol
Waiting at the road side
Banks is in control

Lewis can't solve this
The Sweeney is useless
Foyle' softly softly
Maigret made a real mess

Z Cars help me
I'm dying
Someone's taking
Taking my baby.

Bridge
Z Victory One
Lynch has lost all sign
Get me Dalziel's (Dee Ell)
On the line

SOLO

Z Cars help me
Stop cruisin'
Someone's trying to steal
Trying to steal my baby.

Bridge
Z Victory Two
Get Barlow on the line
So everything will be fine

Pascoe's on the case
Calling in the Old Tricks
All cars in the chase

Z Cars help me
I'm losing
Someone's trying to steal
Trying to steal my baby.


VERSION SIX
I've replaced one of the accent guitars with a more accurate performance but had to use a 6 rather than 12 to make that easier.
I've softened and lowered the melody track just so it doesn't annoy you good folk. AND I swapped my "lead" parts for an organ.

OKAY,
I've settled in & retracked some of the guitars with my amp. I've added two 12 string parts as well as a place holder "lead" thing.
I'm trying to "write" a melody for this before lyrics and by using cord tones. I've added the roughie of that via midi.
Z CARS THREE WEEKS LATER


DRAFT VERSION 4


Draft Version 3.
Replaced the bass with my full sized one.


Draft VERSION 2.


Draft VERSION 1

ZCars2.mp3

.

[vomitHatSteve]

The noodley keys aren't really doing it for me, but the rest of the structure seems like it'd be fine. Really depends on the melody tho.

[rayc]

The noodley keys aren't really doing it for me...

Nor me.

[Armistice]

Yep, you should be able to get something out of that. I think with some instrumentation changes here and there instead of just crashing chords for variety it'll be good. But lose the Rhodes - it's not even a good Rhodes sound, but I can see how a decent one could fit into the vibe.

[Mr Clean]

I really like the structure and progression have going on. It'll be interesting to follow the progress and see where you go with it.

[TripleM]

I like the jangle guitars. They sounded nice. Bass sounds pretty good to.

Another thumbs down on the noodling keys.

Snare is a bit back in the mix and could maybe use a little more "crack" in the sound.

[rayc]

Mr Clean & TripleM,
Thanks.
El Piano replaced for the moment...as It's a roughie I've not spend much time on anything yet. I'll fix the drums when the new guitars are in place I suspect.
David, organ replaced the Rhodes and an acoustic piano replaced one of the guitars with some chopping up of arrangement parts.
V2 in OP.

[rayc]

Any better?

[vomitHatSteve]

The organ sounds a little more coherent, I suppose.

The piano being hard right is a little weird.

[rayc]

The organ sounds a little more coherent, I suppose.
The piano being hard right is a little weird.

I've moved the piano in and shoved the verse guitar out.
Thanks for the observations.

[rayc]

UPDATED

[vomitHatSteve]

Melody sounds solid.

The guitars that come in around 1:47 sound like they're having some pitch issues tho.

[rayc]

Melody sounds solid.
The guitars that come in around 1:47 sound like they're having some pitch issues tho.

Yes, I threw in some dissonant notes to suss out how they'd rub...not very effective though.
Thanks.

[TripleM]

I listened to (what I think is) mix 5.

I like the jangle guitars. Great sound. Bass sound is real good too. Kick and snare sound great. Maybe back the hats down a couple of dbs.

The keyboard part might be a little loud. I also wonder if taming the mid-2Ks might be a nice change.

The guitar at 1:47 sounds OK. It's nice change up to the keyboard.

[rayc]

I listened to (what I think is) mix 5.
I like the jangle guitars. Great sound. Bass sound is real good too. Kick and snare sound great. Maybe back the hats down a couple of dbs.
The keyboard part might be a little loud. I also wonder if taming the mid-2Ks might be a nice change.
The guitar at 1:47 sounds OK. It's nice change up to the keyboard.

Thanks MMM,
The keyboard part is just a default midi patch that I'm using to try to write a usable melody. It's clear of the backing so that I can focus on it & decide what needs changing whilst attempting lyrics and, hopefully, doing a vocal which would render it redundant.
Glad you like the other bits...the "lead" guitar is pretty wonky but it marks the space if nothing else.

[rayc]

New Mix, new parts, hand claps too - my that's hard yakka.

[vomitHatSteve]

retracked guits sound good.

My partner watches all those British murder mystery shows, so I got - like - half the references in this! (Tho, let's be honest, Vera is regularly stumped by "where did all the liquor go?" so what is she really solving?)

[rayc]

Updated

[rayc]

retracked guits sound good.

My partner watches all those British murder mystery shows, so I got - like - half the references in this! (Tho, let's be honest, Vera is regularly stumped by "where did all the liquor go?" so what is she really solving?)

Seems I'm writing for your partner...1st art history & now Brit Cop dramas.
Vera was excellent for years but the format appears a little worn now...her drinking has escalated doing things that would get a copper suspended.

[vomitHatSteve]

Seems I'm writing for your partner...1st art history & now Brit Cop dramas.
Vera was excellent for years but the format appears a little worn now...her drinking has escalated doing things that would get a copper suspended.

Apparently, you are!