"Smiling Faces"

[FrankAxtell]

"Smiling Faces"
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7524869
© 2009 FrankAxtell ® All Rights Reserved. Music by Frank Axtell

[Jimi75]

WOW! That is a great song Frank! I was suprised by the fast drum, because I expected something else when reading the title of the track. Is that a programmed drum or did you record with a drummer? If so this guy is pretty darn good though!

I loved the lines that you played together with the keyboard and the solo was great, too. Cool tone - was that the neck pick up? It sounded full and rich, woody. That short speed part starting around 1:33 was super accurate.

The melody changes really keep the song interesting. How do you write your songs? do you have chord changes first and then come up with the melodies, is it melodies that you hear in your mind (while riding the car or so....) or does your keyboard player inspire you? Frank, your body of work is highly interesting.

Greetz
Jimi75

[FrankAxtell]

WOW! That is a great song Frank! I was suprised by the fast drum, because I expected something else when reading the title of the track. Is that a programmed drum or did you record with a drummer? If so this guy is pretty darn good though!

I loved the lines that you played together with the keyboard and the solo was great, too. Cool tone - was that the neck pick up? It sounded full and rich, woody. That short speed part starting around 1:33 was super accurate.

The melody changes really keep the song interesting. How do you write your songs? do you have chord changes first and then come up with the melodies, is it melodies that you hear in your mind (while riding the car or so....) or does your keyboard player inspire you? Frank, your body of work is highly interesting.

Greetz
Jimi75

Hi Jimi,
Thank so much for the kind words. It's nice to hear that coming from a respected guitarist as yourself. I've always enjoyed your posts. I used both neck and bridge pickups on my strat in different parts of the solo. I programed the drums and played keyboards and bass on my keyboard controller into Logic Pro 7. I started as a classical pianist as a child and in my early teens switched like so many to guitar. In this tune, I wrote the chord progression first. It was inspired by a friend of mine named Mark Doyle who a fantastic jazz pianist that I've jammed with for years. Mark was a child prodigy and used to play with Scott Henderson years ago before Scott left for LA and hit it big. Anyway Mark and I play in a jazz group locally and also a rehearsal band where we play standard jazz tunes and many of Mark's brilliant arrangements and compositions. He always comes up with some super hip progressions so the changes in this tune were inspired by these rehearsal sessions...I will be bring this tune into the rehearsal band for their entertainment. The progression is filled with modulating minor ninth chords and lydian chords along with a few ostinatos and II V's and other such compositional devises.
Thanks again for listening and commenting!

Cheers,

Frank
West Palm Beach, FL
USA

[Jimi75]

Thank you very much Frank, it was interesting getting a glance behind the curtains of your songwriting!

Respect, I didn't know that you played the keyboards yourself. It's great to hear that you have a classical background on the piano. The drum programming is awesome.

:

[fensonpaulcaster]

very nice a little rough, but thats just a matter of mixing lol. the only tips i have:

in mixing: vocals need to be more up front, but you already said that
guitar and drums were good, but the solo needs boosting badly because i honestly couldn't hear alot of the notes of the solo. the solo was pretty good
vocals were also relatively good except for the mixing, and also you didn't seem to be pushing your voice enough (read on lol) but i think if you tried to sing louder by pushing your air out from your diaphragm a little harder it would improve the tone of it and fit the raw push of the song. you stayed in pitch pretty well you went a little out like twice i think which is very good. THe lyrics were very good too!
Great song though! very good and raw and well put together. Keep rocking!