Beyond

So, I finally finished the “redo” of a song I’ve been meaning to overhaul. Revised some words, added harmonies, changed all instrumentation.

This could be considered a milestone since there are a lot of “firsts” in (re)making this song.

1. It’s sequenced in Sonar 64-bit on Windows7.
2. First time to use the BFD2 (drum software)
3. First time to use Trilian for the bass track – and the different articulations are now done with one single instance ¹ With Reason, I had to make different patches for different articulations. 😉
4. First time to use Omnisphere (synths)
5. First time to try recording using the FastTrack Pro… which honestly, sucked balls. Probably the last time I’m going to use it for desktop recording ² I’ll keep it around in case I need to record on the laptop though
6. First time to try the jBridge VST wrapper – this allows me to use 32bit plugins which Sonar’s BitBridge tech couldn’t handle. So I was able to use my old Waves Plugins on 64bit

There are 2 drawbacks AFAIK

1. I lost the ability to use Reason for the meantime. But given I’m using a different synth and bass now, there really is no… er… reason to use Reason for now. There is one thing I kinda miss though; the old version had a sorta jet-engine-esque screeching sound effect, and that’s c/o Reason.
2. There isn’t a “DX wrapper” that I could find that would let me use Antares Microphone Modeler. This is the reason why the vocals don’t sound as “good” as they used to. ³ Not that they were good in the first place, but they sounded “better” before at least Right now the plugins I had to use couldn’t “shape” the sound as well as the Antares modeler did. Also doesn’t help that the product has been discontinued – so there’s no hope of getting an “updated” version that works natively with Sonar 64bit.

Beyond

5:13 / 4.7MB
04/19/2010
Carlo Santos
Theme: Social hypocrisy

I
Hey, can you hear me? Are you restless inside and can’t seem to take anymore?
Can you feel me as I try to do what I can to open the door?
Can you see me when I spit in your eye as I shove back the lies down your throat. Won’t you greet me? ‘Cause I finally realized how wrong I was all along.

REFRAIN
Don’t you dare say that you know how to fix this mess were in. I’ve heard it all before

We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we’re wasting time with things we do not need.
And we think – we start to wonder if we could touch the sky while remaining in our places.
I am so sick of these words that we say, and this shit about “possibilities.”
Why don’t/not we just relax, step back, attack these problems that we see;
trying not to overthink, but just get over ourselves.
Don’t look above/around. (Don’t look inside) Look beyond.

II
Hey, are you happy? Well then good for you! Have you tried making others the same?
Are you laughing? Well, it’s hilarious how your insincerity actually is!
And when you’re crying; do you realize that there so much more pain there outside?
You wanna piece of me? Well, come and get it . . . at least then, you’ll finally show initiative!

REFRAIN

OUTRO
We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we’re wasting time with faces, places, and cases of futility.
Then we start to wonder if we could touch the sky while maintaining our paces.
I am so sick and tired of solutions we say and the sheer lack of follow-through.
Why not we just relax, step back, attack these problems that we’ve made;
Stop to think; shut the fuck up – and get over ourselves.
Don’t look above. Don’t look inside. Look beyond!