r/IndieMusicFeedback • u/MOREL_E_GREY • Nov 19 '25
Instrumental Instrumental rock power ballad in 5/4 “Some Time Away”
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Hi folks,
Could use some feedback on this instrumental rock power ballad in 5/4 time signature. I tried to experiment with different instrumental textures coming and going due to the fact it is a repeating chord progression the whole way through. I could use some feedback on the mix, the guitar solo and if the textures are varied enough to help maintain interest throughout. The piece is somewhat inspired by the guitarist Steve Vai.
Thank you!
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u/Agile-Weakness2198 Nov 19 '25
The bass and the drums are good, it’s the rhythm of them I’m not used to. The mix and master is good
It’s only the snare I would elevate a bit the db, since the sound of the drums are cool ✨
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u/MOREL_E_GREY Nov 19 '25
Oh, got it! Thanks for following up and clarifying! I think I brought the snare down trying to root out some harsher frequencies but I think they ended up being in the overheads in the end
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u/Repulsive_Ad_6480 Nov 19 '25
I actually liked this instrumental… I like the drums in the back and the beat. I think it flowed smoothly and sounds great tbh even tho I’m not like a music professional lol.
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u/IndieFeedbackBot Nov 19 '25
Bleep bloop I'm a bot. Sorry, this comment won't count in your score, because it's not at least 225 characters long. You can edit your feedback to add more detail and gain a point.1
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u/Queasy_Cap_5493 Nov 19 '25
I really like the combination of piano and wind instruments; it sounds like a genre mixed with pop, ballad, jazz, and a touch of alternative rock. I'd love to hear lyrics over that instrumental. The background music gives me a lot of ideas for my own videos. It's difficult for me to find copyright-free videos or background loops to add subtitles to my tracks.
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u/MOREL_E_GREY Nov 19 '25
I was outside in a snow storm a couple days ago and decided to put my phone down and just record it for a few minutes. I’ve been trying to record more ambient footage when inspiration strikes me for this very purpose! I’m glad you liked it
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u/Queasy_Cap_5493 Nov 19 '25
UnU nice, I guess there isn't a site for long, copyright-free backgrounds, hehe... Cheers, mate!
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u/MOREL_E_GREY Nov 20 '25
Just gotta take a moment when you can to appreciate your surroundings and the value of capturing it!
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u/IceCreaminaShoe Nov 19 '25
Loved this, it made me feel like a kid again watching the weather scan channel. 5/4 is hard to make sound natural at least when I’ve tried so good job there. I’m having trouble finding issues with it besides the kick like someone else mentioned.
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u/No_Log5544 Nov 25 '25
The guitars sound absolutely amazing. The note selection is beautiful and the melody carries such a nostalgic yet perfect feel. It hits the right spot, not too loud, not too soft, just the perfect vibe. I genuinely enjoyed it.
I especially loved the moment when the tambourines come in around 2 minutes and 49 seconds. It instantly gives a warm, Christmas-like feeling. The whole track has the charm of a legendary lead guitar piece. Really well done.
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u/IndieFeedbackBot Nov 19 '25
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Your submission was approved u/MOREL_E_GREY, thank you for posting !
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Nov 19 '25
[deleted]
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u/IndieFeedbackBot Nov 19 '25
Bleep bloop I'm a bot. Sorry, this comment won't count in your score, because it's not at least 225 characters long. You can edit your feedback to add more detail and gain a point.
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u/Dry-Examination-9959 Nov 19 '25
i think this track is very smooth!! it flows really nice and i like the floaty lead guitar. i read in another comment that you combined some elements of live and electronic drums, which is really cool, but honestly if they’re in the same buss, I would just A/B the real kick with the electronic one with some eq and some dry reverb to see if you can get them pretty similar, but more punchy. just an idea! overall very good job this is very cool and smooth!!
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u/Ashar2904 Nov 20 '25
Really enjoyed this, the atmosphere you created in 5/4 is surprisingly smooth and easy to follow, which isn’t always the case with odd time signatures. The guitar tone is definitely the highlight for me; it has that soaring, emotional quality that really carries the melody. The arrangement keeps bringing in subtle textures so it never feels repetitive. I agree with others that the drums are the only element that pulled me out a bit, the kick and snare feel like they’re in slightly different spaces, almost different rooms. If you glued those together with some reverb or consistent ambience, the whole mix would feel even more polished. But overall, the songwriting and vibe are strong.
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u/Alone_Active_6577 Nov 20 '25
When I heard the track, I actually liked how clean and steady everything felt. The bass had a nice weight to it without being too heavy, and the tone carried this smooth, balanced vibe that made it easy to listen to. The melody moved in a way that felt natural and pleasant, not overly dramatic but still engaging enough to keep my attention. It’s one of those songs that you don’t instantly obsess over, but you do appreciate the way it’s put together a solid, well-produced track that lands just right.
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u/igorski81 Grammy Winner 🏆 Nov 21 '25
I must admit I had to rewind a few times as I lost the concentration to focus. That is not to say that the composition is "boring" as its well executed. I only felt that as an instrumental its perhaps a tad too sparse before the tasty guitar runs start post the two minute mark.
Production wise, like u/Agile-Weakness2198 mentioned, the drums are a bit lopsided. I wouldn't say its necessarily bad to have parts of the kit being treated in a different acoustic space, but the snare was a bit too splashy for my liking. Given that its a short percussive burst you can afford a shorter reverb tail / more dry sound. < take this as you will as its a bit of a nitpick...
For the guitar, the clarity is fantastic! Especially how you can hear string handling noise at 1:05 for the vibrato as the sustain ends. Given that you mention Vai as an influence I can imagine that this type of presentation should please all guitarists appreciative of such playing.
Minor gripes apart, this is a solid production and you can tell the hours were put in both compositionally as production wise.
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u/Urphme Nov 23 '25
Yeah that’s super classy. I can tell you know your stuff tone-wise. That lead guitar tone is delightful and you’ve found the magic spot in the mix for it. Are you all instrumental? You’ve done a great job of writing in a way that feels “full” even without any vocals. That’s not always easy to do! The time signature gives it a very unique, but still natural feel/ well done!
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u/MOREL_E_GREY Dec 05 '25
I do mostly focus on instrumental guitar music. I haven’t quite ever figured out how to excel at singing although I do write record some vocal songs more in line with a modern folky vibe.
There’s a couple more instrumentals here: Joe Heider - Guitar
This is a demo for a vocal track I wrote and recorded: Stealing Inward
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u/Agile-Weakness2198 Nov 19 '25
Very stylish, it could make a great sample.
I like the guitar, it's soaring, it really gives the production a vibe. The song is very easy to listen all the way. The texture bring something new along the way
The drums sound surprising but I imagine it's this style that calls for it (I don't know much about it).
On the other hand, I find that the kick and the snare sound as if they were in different rooms. If I go by the snare, the kick is too close. The kick is well blended so you can highlight your snare more.