DMFA Theme : Princes of the Dreams.

[Tezkat]

Well Ok, maybe it's because I'm French, and I just pronounce badly some words, so I manage to put a lot of syllables in a single note XD, and so on and so on XD.

Yeah, pronunciation is an issue (e.g. "journey" and "away" usually don't rhyme), but the main problem is that the music and lyrics are set to the rhythm of a native romance-language speaker. For instance, you sing "somewher-e far away" in the first line--which matches the music and sounds perfectly fine with your accent. That sounds a bit strange in a native English or American accent, however; we'd either sing "somewhere (break) far away" with an unnatural pause in the middle or have to add an extra word. I went for the kitchy fairy tale opening and sang the line as "When evil's rising in a land far, far away" in my version. My mutilation of your lyrics only gets worse from there--another reason for my reluctance to post anything. 


By the way, your voice sounds a lot sexier when you lower the pitch instead of raising it. 

[Poofyspikes]

Here's my take, with and without background music. There's a 27-second pause in front of the vocals-only, since I just took the w/background version and took out the music. Edited the lyrics here and there. For those of you with Windows Media Player, lyrics are included in the first one.

Vocals + Music
Vocals only

[Miaka]

here's my try for the chorus.

I know a lot of its off, going more on JP's recording than anything. I'll try it again later, perhaps do the whole song this time too.

hope ya like it! http://www.box.net/public/oxffa1dy0n

[Xss]

For instance, you sing "somewher-e far away" in the first line--which matches the music and sounds perfectly fine with your accent. That sounds a bit strange in a native English or American accent

Ohmygosh, you're right!  I even didn't think about that at all, but now you say it...How could I have forgoten that? Bah, I'm quite stupid sometimes -_-

My mutilation of your lyrics only gets worse from there--another reason for my reluctance to post anything.

Well, you can always post XD...You know, most of time I don't care about the lyrics of a song (shame on me!) : if the music is OK, it goes fine with me. I'm quite weird, I like vocals, but I don't care a lot of what they say XD. Well, that doesn't prevent me to try to work a little bit hard on the lyrics of the DMFA theme XD.

By the way, your voice sounds a lot sexier when you lower the pitch instead of raising it.

Are you insane? 

Nice try Poofyspikes (even if I think it could be better singing an octave up XD) ^^. You missed some notes, but well, it's the same for me. Dunno why, adding some reverb or echo on your voice could sound cool (I'm really a "reverb fan-freak" XD).

Miaka...You know you have quite a beautiful voice? o_O Could you try to sing it louder and with a higher pich if you can, gosh, I think it could sound great! ^^

[Miaka]

 :redface thanks! yeah, I'll try that next time I'm recording, and maybe I'll atte,pt the whole song.

[Lysander]

Yeah, I kinda like the higher voice more.
I'd say go for it with the whole song, Maika. Sounds lovely.
Step 1 complete...

[Tapewolf]

Okie, XSS liked the first attempt, so here's the new prototype.  It's kind of diverged somewhat from the original song, but there ya go.
There are a couple of glitches in the MIDI still, but those aside, I think it's pretty much ready to go on the multitrack now.
In this version you get to hear me be totally confused by the second verse.

http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm2.mp3

Since the vocals are so awful, I've also provided just the backing track if anyone wants to add their own vocals (please!!!).

http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm2i.mp3

I also have an outtake of the last verse (as if this version wasn't one big outtake anyway..)

http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssflub.mp3

And here' s a picture of how the Hammond 'waterfall' effect was assembled by mouse.

http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/stuff/xss.jpg

[Xss]

Sounds nice JP Morris  even if I'ld say "more energy, something more agressive"...Perhaps something more with the battery or adding more instruments? o_O

Since the vocals are so awful, I've also provided just the backing track if anyone wants to add their own vocals (please!!!).

Well, it wasn't that bad...Even if I must admit I found a little bit funny when I suddendly heard you rushing on "you know the rest of that story" like "omg, omg, omg, so much to say in so less time!". I can always give you my version of the vocals, if you know how to past/copy that easily, but I don't think my vocals will fit with that new version of the song o_O
And nice try on trying to change the lyrics! 

[Tapewolf]

Sounds nice JP Morris  even if I'ld say "more energy, something more agressive"...Perhaps something more with the battery or adding more instruments? o_O

Since the vocals are so awful, I've also provided just the backing track if anyone wants to add their own vocals (please!!!).

Well, it wasn't that bad...Even if I must admit I found a little bit funny when I suddendly heard you rushing on "you know the rest of that story" like "omg, omg, omg, so much to say in so less time!". I can always give you my version of the vocals, if you know how to past/copy that easily, but I don't think my vocals will fit with that new version of the song o_O
And nice try on trying to change the lyrics! 

Thanks.  By the way, I've also been mulling over 'Kool in the Kaftan' by B.A. Robertson, which I was considering doing a cover of for the 'Hippy Merlitz' picture if anyone ever does one.
That song has some very similar problems - when the original author can't squish his own lyrics into his own song, you know you've got a problem.

e.g. the first verse of the song starts like this:

"You can give away your skintight
Mohair drainpipes
Little leather mini and your pork-pie hat"

..it would have worked if he had removed "You can" from the start.  As it stands I had to buy the thing on e-bay to work out what the hell he was saying - the lyrics aren't on the internet, but I have them!  Muahahaha!
If you can find a copy it's fun to listen to - he gets lost at the start of his own song. It still made #17 in the charts, though, and that chunky bit on the organ (which happily ignores the timing of the rest of the song) is to die for.  How did he do it?

"Grow your hair long
Write some really
Long songs it's looking rough"

...But I digress.  Going back to your song, the 'you know the rest of the story' but was a bad take - I have managed to make that bit work.
But I'm not at all happy with what follows.  I'll figure something out before it goes to tape, though, even if I have to rewrite it.  Tezkat, what did you do for that bit in your modded lyrics?

As for the aggression, it really needs an extra kick for the final bit - again, I'll think of something.

[Tezkat]

Are you insane? 

Why yes... yes I am... 

Nice try Poofyspikes (even if I think it could be better singing an octave up XD) ^^.

I'm not surprised that he sung it an octave down. The song ranges from Gb3 to Gb4 in the default key. Most men can't even hit the high notes without training, and you need a tenor or alto to make it sound good. Personally, I found it uncomfortable to sing without at least a 2b drop (or going high enough to sing it all in head voice, but that came out even girlier than Xss's version). I don't have the vocal training to sing it properly. 

Okie, XSS liked the first attempt, so here's the new prototype.  It's kind of diverged somewhat from the original song, but there ya go.

Yay! The final chorus doesn't go up by a semitone anymore! I'd probably still fail at singing it, though...

Tezkat, what did you do for that bit in your modded lyrics?

Okay... here's my version of the lyrics. I wound up rewriting large chunks of the song. My songwriting sucks as bad as my singing, but I did try to make something that flows a little better than Xss's version. I tried to make it rhyme a little better, too--that's my excuse for the dumb headwings line, at any rate. 



PRINCES OF THE DREAMS (Tezkat's Version)


When evil's rising in a land far, far away,
Old prophecies will say that nothing can be done.
But there's a hero who goes off to save the day.
You know that story well--those battles you have won.

Your adventuring life (a warrior for hire):
It's easy money slaying demons that you find.
But now that awful truth (your soul engraved by fire):
The truth that's in your blood--you preyed on your own kind.


Come on. Come on. Let's spread our wings so we can fly
Far from the ground, above the seas.
Let's fly high. Let's tear the clouds up in the sky.
We are the princes of the dreams.

Grab my hand if you're afraid to fall.

Don't deny what you must be.
Follow your feelings to be free.


So tell me how it feels to step into my world,
Or are you so afraid you just want a way out?
But there's no turning back; your headwings have unfurled.
The voices in your head are crying out so loud.

They're telling you about the creature that's inside:
The life you've lived till now was built upon a lie.
But your true self remains--a truth no one can hide:
The flame within your soul will burn for all of time.


Come on. Come on. Let's spread our wings so we can fly
Far from the ground, above the seas.
Let's fly high. Let's tear the clouds up in the sky.
We are the princes of the dreams.

Grab my hand if you're afraid to fall.

Don't deny what you must be.
Follow your feelings to be free.


Hello, boy... will you join me in the night?
Don't be afraid. Trust that I am on your side.
And we won't fall. We'll be the ones to rise.
We'll still be here until the very end of time.


Come on. Come on. Let's spread our wings so we can fly
Far from the ground, above the seas.
Let's fly high. Let's tear the clouds up in the sky.
We are the princes of the dreams.

Come on. Come on. Let's spread our wings so we can fly
Far from the ground, above the seas.
Let's fly high. Let's tear the clouds up in the sky.
We are the princes of the dreams.

Come on. Come on. Let's spread our wings so we can fly
Far from the ground, above the seas.
Let's fly high. Let's tear the clouds up in the sky.
We are the princes of the dreams.

Let it go. You no longer need me.

Fly on your own now you are free.
Follow your path to destiny.


We are the princes of the dreams.



Meh... it needs work, but it might be easier for subsequent singers to mod my version than the original.

[Xss]

Well, you know that I said I don't care a lot about the lyrics, so ^^...Anyway, I think those are not bad!

[Tapewolf]

Well, you know that I said I don't care a lot about the lyrics, so ^^...Anyway, I think those are not bad!

I'm listening to a new version which uses a hybrid of Tezkat's and my lyrics and is done on tape.  Somehow the music seems to have lost some of its punch.. I think it's missing a lot of bass - probably the way it's been mixed (I tend to cut the bass on most channels).

I'll take it to work tomorrow and if I still like it there, I'll upload it, but I don't have time now.

[Miaka]

BAH. BAH I SAY. I just tried to record the whole song, failed horribly, tried again, did even worse, and then proceeded to swear a lot, tell Kaos' computer to go do interesting things to a chicken, and went on to record lines.

>>

[Lysander]

Well at least you got back at the computer...with a vengeance.

So, I was just going to give the song a few tries, see how I can do. But it kept drawing me in, forcing me to contintue until completeion. Sure they sound kinda fruity, but here we have 2 slightly different attempts. They are both in JP's arrangement of the music, I couldn't figure out how to turn the theme without vocals into the same tone as the one with. The only difference between these two attempts is the stanza that begins "Hello, boy..." 

http://www.files.bz/files/8393/Princes%20of%20the%20Dreams%201.mp3
http://www.files.bz/files/8393/Princes%20of%20the%20Dreams%202.mp3

[Tapewolf]

Okay, here's rev 4 of my cover version.  IMHO it's got the punch of v2, and a little more.  It's done on tape.  As an experiment, I tracked all the sequenced instruments with Rosegarden in Linux, except for the Wurlitzer which is a Windows softsynth.  But Gabi is probably the only person here who might care about that

http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm4.mp3

Drawbacks:
* mixed onto the PC rather than 1/4", and through audacity.  I ran out of headroom, which means:
A) it clips here and there
B) the mix isn't the best
C) I couldn't quite do that lovely touch from v2 where the organ fades in just as the leslie spins up (around 1:42 on the older version)
D) the scream at the end isn't as loud as it should be

Other:
* The counterpoint thing (now done on the Pulse) is played live rather than under sequencer control and thus kind of sucks.

[Xss]

If this is your final version, can I put it on my website (well, not right now, whithin a few days/weeks, when I'll be less lazy XD) ?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

But Gabi is probably the only person here who might care about that

No, she isn't. The only one, I mean :-)

[Tezkat]

JP's remix seemed somehow easier to sing than the original, so I figured I'd give it another shot. This is actually the first time I've ever put a recording of my singing online, so I'm gonna just go ahead and post it before my usual "What the hell was I thinking?!? KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!" reflex kicks in.

So, um...

Get it before I kill it with fire! 

To be honest, I don't know what possessed me to try to sing it like that. At any rate, I don't particularly feel like abusing my voice to rerecord all the mistakes anytime soon; I'll probably need a day or two to recover from that stupidity as is.  But it does sound kinda cool...

[Tapewolf]

JP's remix seemed somehow easier to sing than the original, so I figured I'd give it another shot. This is actually the first time I've ever put a recording of my singing online, so I'm gonna just go ahead and post it before my usual "What the hell was I thinking?!? KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!" reflex kicks in.

Holy God.  And there was me hoping you were going to sing it in your Jyrras voice
When I saw your post I assumed you had bad things to say about my choice of lyrics in R4..

If this is your final version, can I put it on my website (well, not right now, whithin a few days/weeks, when I'll be less lazy XD) ?

It isn't final until it's on 1/4".  Seriously, the more I listen to it the more out of tune the vocals sound, so I'm going to have to do them again.  I'd also like to experiment with disabling the melody line so that it's carried entirely by the vocals on the verses.  And I'm going to re-sequence the counterpoint because I just can't play and it sounds horrible.

[James StarRunner]

Listened to it and enjoyed it! Hope you get a singer and lyrics finalized soon!

[Xss]

JP's remix seemed somehow easier to sing than the original, so I figured I'd give it another shot. This is actually the first time I've ever put a recording of my singing online, so I'm gonna just go ahead and post it before my usual "What the hell was I thinking?!? KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!" reflex kicks in.

OMG!!!  
That was my first reaction XD, mostly because I was expecting your voice I heard in those tracks, when you were playing that character, I don't remember the name...See, the kind of "mad scientist" in the cubi academy.
Man, you don't sing bad, but...Why with that voice ? This isn't "hard rock"   I thought "Out of place, but nice voice,  could be Dark Pegasus voice, yeah...Dark Pegasus singing a cute freaky song, dancing like Britney Spear, surrounded by mows"...And that's when I rolled in the floor laughing XD.
In a way it's amazing, it sounds so different from you other voice, you know how to do many things with it! X3

Holy God.  And there was me hoping you were going to sing it in your Jyrras voice

Ah, because Tezkat do also Jyrras' voice? I want to hear it!!! Plus because it's Jyrras! Of course, like everybody I love that character! Jyrras if TEH cuteness, the main symbol of DMFA, the eigth wonder of the world!  

It isn't final until it's on 1/4".  Seriously, the more I listen to it the more out of tune the vocals sound, so I'm going to have to do them again.  I'd also like to experiment with disabling the melody line so that it's carried entirely by the vocals on the verses.  And I'm going to re-sequence the counterpoint because I just can't play and it sounds horrible.

Okay! 

[Tapewolf]

Holy God.  And there was me hoping you were going to sing it in your Jyrras voice

Ah, because Tezkat do also Jyrras' voice? I want to hear it!!! Plus because it's Jyrras! Of course, like everybody I love that character! Jyrras if TEH cuteness, the main symbol of DMFA, the eigth wonder of the world!  

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/dmfa_269.wav.mp3

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/609demo3.mp3 (because I love the score so much)

I can roughly stand in for Tezkat's Jyrras voice myself.  I was tempted to try doing the chorus of PotD myself if he doesn't..

It isn't final until it's on 1/4".

Okay! 

..but you can put it somewhere if you want.  Greg of Gaming Guardians fame passed around a really early version of 'Pidge & Greg' for quite a while.  I don't mind.  (And 'quid still has the first version of Zoocity, I think.)

[Xss]

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/dmfa_269.wav.mp3

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/609demo3.mp3 (because I love the score so much)

OMYGOSH!  I almost want to change it a little bit with audacity to make it more squeeky! 

[Tezkat]

Between all the talk about making the music more aggressive and the shouty bits in JP's version, I guess I figured I'd try singing it a heavy, masculine character voice. That's one of my favourite voices to do, but I haven't had the chance to use it here yet due DMFA's chronic shortage of manly men.

In some ways, I find singing in character easier because I'm less critical of the end result when it doesn't sound like me. I'm very self-conscious about my "normal" voice. Honestly, I don't really like how it sounds when I sing. Heck, until late last year when I developed a bit more confidence in my voice acting, I didn't even like it as a speaking voice. (I slip out of character for the "Hello, boy..." portion of the song, if you want an idea of how my normal singing voice sounds.)

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/dmfa_269.wav.mp3

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/609demo3.mp3 (because I love the score so much)

OMYGOSH!  I almost want to change it a little bit with audacity to make it more squeeky! 

When I saw your post I assumed you had bad things to say about my choice of lyrics in R4..

Meh... I find it interesting how people how people have been picking and choosing lyrics. For instance, I personally loved "step into my world" but added the headwings thing as a silly attempt to rhyme (what else rhymes with world?). Everyone skipped the former but added the latter. Go figure.

I can roughly stand in for Tezkat's Jyrras voice myself.  I was tempted to try doing the chorus of PotD myself if he doesn't..

Your American accents still need a bit of work... 


Ah, well... I suppose could have used this recording time to do my SAIA lines, but where's the fun in that? 

Maybe that Cubi patch worked a little too well. 



So... do you sing, James? We could totally do a DMFA character song collection...   

[Tapewolf]

When I saw your post I assumed you had bad things to say about my choice of lyrics in R4..

Meh... I find it interesting how people how people have been picking and choosing lyrics. For instance, I personally loved "step into my world" but added the headwings thing as a silly attempt to rhyme (what else rhymes with world?). Everyone skipped the former but added the latter. Go figure.

I took the headwings bit because it beat all the alternatives, not because it was a masterpiece

I can roughly stand in for Tezkat's Jyrras voice myself.  I was tempted to try doing the chorus of PotD myself if he doesn't..

Your American accents still need a bit of work... 

That's okay, I can't do the Welsh lilt either and I live there

Anyway.  The reason I am still here at this ungodly hour is because of this:
http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm5.mp3

I'll probably hate myself in the morning, but right now I think it sounds better than the last one.  And it's mixed (badly?) onto tape.  Use them together.  Use them in peace.

Maybe that Cubi patch worked a little too well. 

Woah.

So... do you sing, James? We could totally do a DMFA character song collection...   

I've just about managed to sing in Merl's voice, but it isn't easy and I haven't made any recordings yet.

Doesn't quite work, does it?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I've just about managed to sing in Merl's voice, but it isn't easy and I haven't made any recordings yet.

Doesn't quite work, does it?

Bwahahahahaha! :-)

That's just hilarious :-)

[Tapewolf]

Just a quick note: I've updated both the recording and the picture of Merlitz. Five or more listens last night and I still didn't hear it clipping.  At great length I've remixed it again and managed to digitize it without the soundcard clipping (the tape is fine.. the PC just didn't wanna know.)

In case anyone wants to see the first version of Merl where his hair floofed, it's here: http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/stuff/conversions/hippymerl-old.png
..but that mix of the song has been burned with fire.

[Miaka]

@Tezkat's "character song collection"- heh, I use my regular speaking voice for Wildy(except for that first recording I ever did, and I apparently can't replicate whatever I did to my voice there) so that'd be easy for me at least. sounds like that'd be kinda fun, but meh. I'm strange.

[Xss]

Ah, well... I suppose could have used this recording time to do my SAIA lines, but where's the fun in that? 

Maybe that Cubi patch worked a little too well. 

ooOOOoooooooOOOOooh my GooooOOOOoooOOOOd!!!!    I LOVE you! That's one of the funniest things I ever heard! I MUST put this version in my website! And I MUST rise it with Audacity to make it a little bit more squeeky, just to see how it sounds (I'm NOT mad)!     That was GREAT! XD

(I slip out of character for the "Hello, boy..." portion of the song, if you want an idea of how my normal singing voice sounds.)

Well, honestly I don't it bad '.' You seem to have a low strongh voice, exactly what I don't have, I kinda like how it sounds...I'm sure that working it and using it with another kind of music it could sound great.

Anyway.  The reason I am still here at this ungodly hour is because of this:
http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm5.mp3

I'll probably hate myself in the morning, but right now I think it sounds better than the last one.  And it's mixed (badly?) onto tape.  Use them together.  Use them in peace.

I think it's okay, you have a nice voice in that one...Is this the "final" version, or not yet? 

So... do you sing, James? We could totally do a DMFA character song collection...

Oh yes! JP, are you ready to do the "POTD Mow's version"? 

I've just about managed to sing in Merl's voice, but it isn't easy and I haven't made any recordings yet.

Doesn't quite work, does it?

That drawing...Brilliant! 

[Tapewolf]

Anyway.  The reason I am still here at this ungodly hour is because of this:
http://www.jpmorris.force9.co.uk/music/xssjpm5.mp3

I'll probably hate myself in the morning, but right now I think it sounds better than the last one.  And it's mixed (badly?) onto tape.  Use them together.  Use them in peace.

I think it's okay, you have a nice voice in that one...Is this the "final" version, or not yet? 

As long as the ID3 tag says 'take 2', yes.  I might revisit it in future as there are still a few glitches and things that could be improved, but yeah, it will do for now.

So... do you sing, James? We could totally do a DMFA character song collection...

Oh yes! JP, are you ready to do the "POTD Mow's version"? 

Tricky.. the multitrack won't run at half speed.  I could probably do one with Audacity against that backing track, though..

I've just about managed to sing in Merl's voice, but it isn't easy and I haven't made any recordings yet.
Doesn't quite work, does it?

That drawing...Brilliant! 

Yes, I'm happier with the improved one I did this morning (as opposed to the other one which I did at 2am in the 'morning')