Really keen on opinions
Moderator: Capt. Black
- nztim
- Squier
- Posts: 390
- meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:33 pm
- Location: Wanganui, New Zealand
- Has liked: 8 times
- Been liked: 12 times
Really keen on opinions
Hey,
So my band just came out of the studio in the weekend with 3 songs done, we where at Tsunami Sounds in Levin (Which i see in the guest book Shinenz was there last week. haha) anyway... Im pretty keen to know your opinions on our tracks?
http://soundcloud.com/alphahunterband/s ... ahunter-ep
Have a listen and let me know.
So my band just came out of the studio in the weekend with 3 songs done, we where at Tsunami Sounds in Levin (Which i see in the guest book Shinenz was there last week. haha) anyway... Im pretty keen to know your opinions on our tracks?
http://soundcloud.com/alphahunterband/s ... ahunter-ep
Have a listen and let me know.
"This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make."
- NZRS-Dave
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 2592
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:32 pm
- Has liked: 4 times
- Been liked: 52 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
I had a listen ... wasn't a fan of the first song, but really liked the second song and thought the third song was alright. I thought the third song got a bit repetitive ('my god what have I done') but then it's also kinda of catchy so I guess it's a delicate balance to get it right.
Thought the playing was fairly tight - bit raw in places which I liked and that may have been the desire. Solos needed more floyd rose work (I have to say that, it's in my genetic makeup)

The only thing I really didn't like - was the snare drum - was way too bright on my speakers and the not the sound I was expecting for the music.
Anyways - good stuff and rock on.
Thought the playing was fairly tight - bit raw in places which I liked and that may have been the desire. Solos needed more floyd rose work (I have to say that, it's in my genetic makeup)

The only thing I really didn't like - was the snare drum - was way too bright on my speakers and the not the sound I was expecting for the music.
Anyways - good stuff and rock on.
Yup - that's me and my pal Steve or little stevie vai as I like to call him. In Auckland airport when I was 26. I'm not 26 anymore.
- MogwaiBoy
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 2398
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:35 pm
- Has liked: 166 times
- Been liked: 246 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Off the cuff impressions:
- Good energy
- Well impressed with the drummer
- Singers make or break these kinds of bands, and your singer is great - has a knack for choruses
- Love the group shout-a-longs and screaming on track 3
Critiques:
- A little "godly".. for me - but that's just personal
- Most of the guitars sound really restricted, like a notched EQ or something. Buzzy with no guts.
Nice work, dude
- Good energy
- Well impressed with the drummer
- Singers make or break these kinds of bands, and your singer is great - has a knack for choruses
- Love the group shout-a-longs and screaming on track 3
Critiques:
- A little "godly".. for me - but that's just personal

- Most of the guitars sound really restricted, like a notched EQ or something. Buzzy with no guts.
Nice work, dude

- mitch.twentyfive
- Ashton
- Posts: 282
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:17 pm
- Location: Hamilton
- MogwaiBoy
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 2398
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:35 pm
- Has liked: 166 times
- Been liked: 246 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Yeah it has a piccollo quality to it. I love that kind of snare sound in stuff like Deftones / Helmet, but I'm not sure it works for double time pop-punk type music (the first song in particular). But it's not that bad. Atleast.... not St Anger badNZRS-Dave wrote: The only thing I really didn't like - was the snare drum - was way too bright on my speakers and the not the sound I was expecting for the music.

- nztim
- Squier
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:33 pm
- Location: Wanganui, New Zealand
- Has liked: 8 times
- Been liked: 12 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Thanks guys for the opinions they are much appreciated. My band kinda wants to print of a bunch of cd's with these 3 songs on them so we can sell them and put a lil money into a gas money jar. what would you think would be an ok price to chuck on it at a show, we were thinking 3-5 dollars area? is that about right, is it under selling, or over selling?
"This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make."
- NZRS-Dave
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 2592
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:32 pm
- Has liked: 4 times
- Been liked: 52 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
I'd pay $5 for a CD with three songs on it.nztim wrote:Thanks guys for the opinions they are much appreciated. My band kinda wants to print of a bunch of cd's with these 3 songs on them so we can sell them and put a lil money into a gas money jar. what would you think would be an ok price to chuck on it at a show, we were thinking 3-5 dollars area? is that about right, is it under selling, or over selling?
Yup - that's me and my pal Steve or little stevie vai as I like to call him. In Auckland airport when I was 26. I'm not 26 anymore.
-
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:23 am
- Location: Christchurch
- Has liked: 7 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Just an idea, but seeing as a lot of people (myself included) don't carry a lot of cash, I'd try striking up a deal with whatever bar you're playing at: ~$10 for a CD and a tap beer or house wine. Get them to pay you out of the til for each CD moved. Could help to move a few more units. How profitable it is will depend on the bar's prices though.NZRS-Dave wrote:I'd pay $5 for a CD with three songs on it.nztim wrote:Thanks guys for the opinions they are much appreciated. My band kinda wants to print of a bunch of cd's with these 3 songs on them so we can sell them and put a lil money into a gas money jar. what would you think would be an ok price to chuck on it at a show, we were thinking 3-5 dollars area? is that about right, is it under selling, or over selling?
- MogwaiBoy
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 2398
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:35 pm
- Has liked: 166 times
- Been liked: 246 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Or add an extra couple of bucks to the door charge and call it "CD with entry" (for the first XX people) or some such arrangement
Basically it's a demo so you want to give it away to as many people as possible. Recommend free download or 'Pay As You Like' setup on bandcamp too.
Send copies to all uni/b-net radio stations in the towns you're playing, a few weeks before you go.
Unless you have gaurantees sorted with bars, you won't cover costs and you will lose money - and that's your fault for creating original music

Send copies to all uni/b-net radio stations in the towns you're playing, a few weeks before you go.
Unless you have gaurantees sorted with bars, you won't cover costs and you will lose money - and that's your fault for creating original music

- rob_on_guitar
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 1671
- Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 12:29 pm
- Location: Te Awamutu
- Has liked: 1 time
- Been liked: 8 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
Not something i listen too but:
The good:
The drummer is good, the songs I think work for the genre, clear sound.
The bad:
The guitars seem ... lacking, not sure if it is the mix or levels, the actual lead parts are ok though, there is also an over all volume difference in the tracks, like track 1 seemed much louder and clearer than track 2 & 3.
Im guessing you guys are a christian band? Just the words/theme come across a bit much for my taste, but I guess as mentioned earlier that is more a personal preference.
The good:
The drummer is good, the songs I think work for the genre, clear sound.
The bad:
The guitars seem ... lacking, not sure if it is the mix or levels, the actual lead parts are ok though, there is also an over all volume difference in the tracks, like track 1 seemed much louder and clearer than track 2 & 3.
Im guessing you guys are a christian band? Just the words/theme come across a bit much for my taste, but I guess as mentioned earlier that is more a personal preference.
- alanp
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 4637
- Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:51 am
- Location: Wanganui
- Has liked: 4 times
- Been liked: 11 times
- Contact:
Re: Really keen on opinions
Very good... sounds a bit compressed to me, I dunno. Perhaps the two guitars could have been distanced a bit, tone-wise (I don't know how, they just sound a bit similar), otherwise I liked it.
Capt. Black wrote:Call me if you're looking for the sound of a sows ear made from a silk purse with a side of hot bitches and alcohol
- nztim
- Squier
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:33 pm
- Location: Wanganui, New Zealand
- Has liked: 8 times
- Been liked: 12 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
I forgot to mention all solos were preformed with the razor pedal engagedalanp wrote:Very good... sounds a bit compressed to me, I dunno. Perhaps the two guitars could have been distanced a bit, tone-wise (I don't know how, they just sound a bit similar), otherwise I liked it.

Yea I can see how you would hear that, the studio recording process was new to our band so I'm taking lots of notes to bring up next time we do it
"This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make."
Re: Really keen on opinions
Sounds good. Really like the first track, and as a demo i think it is sort of exactly what you want. A demo should leave room for improvement. I'd agree about the snare, something about it, maybe is to do with how it was tuned or recorded. But the songs are wicked and it doesn't take away from that.
- SixGunLover
- Ashton
- Posts: 295
- Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:09 pm
- Location: Dunedin
- Has liked: 35 times
- Been liked: 13 times
Re: Really keen on opinions
This isn't a genre I normally listen to but here are my thoughts:
As many have said, the snare/drums. Enough said.
Also as others have said, the guitars are sounding weak and gutless in the mix. Conversely, I thought the solo was good and sounded good.
I think the vocalist is hit and miss - good and well suited to the genre at times, weaving in and out of tune at others. Nothing more vocal takes wouldn't fix, but maybe it's a feature of the genre as it hasn't seemed to bother anyone else. I thought the backing vocals were great, they really added punch and had that sing-along arena type sound to boost your hooks.
From a songwriting perspective, I think the first song is the weakest overall; I thought the second was good with some nice hooks and the third had its moments too although I found it to be the lyrically weakest of the three. The chorus is quite catchy.
Overall, some promising songwriting and talent showcased there, as any good demo should. If you resolve a few of these issues you could have something really tasty on your hands. All the best, keep up the good work.
As many have said, the snare/drums. Enough said.
Also as others have said, the guitars are sounding weak and gutless in the mix. Conversely, I thought the solo was good and sounded good.
I think the vocalist is hit and miss - good and well suited to the genre at times, weaving in and out of tune at others. Nothing more vocal takes wouldn't fix, but maybe it's a feature of the genre as it hasn't seemed to bother anyone else. I thought the backing vocals were great, they really added punch and had that sing-along arena type sound to boost your hooks.
From a songwriting perspective, I think the first song is the weakest overall; I thought the second was good with some nice hooks and the third had its moments too although I found it to be the lyrically weakest of the three. The chorus is quite catchy.
Overall, some promising songwriting and talent showcased there, as any good demo should. If you resolve a few of these issues you could have something really tasty on your hands. All the best, keep up the good work.