My first track with vocals. Credited to Enois Scroggins as he sings and wrote the lyrics. Additional writing, arrangement and production by me
http://soundcloud.com/kbeesmusic/dont-stop-3

As it looks now, this will probably end up on Scroggins' next album. Look on youtube for additional tracks by him. I've not been involved on thos though

Nice job on this. I've heard a lot of 80s funk and the track does have an authentic vibe. Enois has a big, soulful voice and it elevates this into something special. Googling his name, he has been singing for decades but isn't well known. He has the voice but perhaps he didn't have the look record companies were looking for. (The name Scroggins probably didn't help either.)

Now, with the magic of the internet, he doesn't need a record company and he can collaborate with you in Denmark. Hopefully the two of you will do more songs in the future.

Definitely '80's. I was there.

You've included every 80's ear-cookie as well: Cascading synth strings? Check. Sine based solo? Check Slap bass? Check etc.

very authentic, nice job.

The only tell is the modern production. Very clean. Perhaps a little too clean for purists (which I am not).

Cheers
-B

thats actualy some super funky music.

That's a very enjoyable piece of mid-'80s funkalgia. Great sounds and Mr. Scroggins has the right voice for this style of music.

Good work

Thank you guys, much appreciated. I really enjoy doing stuff in this style and I believe it's what I do best. Hopefully this will emerge to something interesting.
Not quitting the day job though


Scroggins sounds a bit like Booker Newberry III of "Love Town" fame btw

Very good! Great 80's emulation!

I've commented at SC too.

Thank you for listening

By the way, one thing I was pleased to see that you DIDN'T do was use straight, "on the beat" machine gun type drums and fills.

Back in the day (yes, the 80's) my roommate was a Berklee prof, with a decidedly funky bent. He actually introduced me to the basics of modern recording. Now my tastes ran (and still do) more toward the suburban rock (now 'classic' rock)stuff, while my roommate's taste was definitely more 'urban.'

I would hear a lot of stuff through him that I otherwise would not have. His own demos, those of his students and colleagues, and pro sessions that he would sit in on or that he produced. Your tune would have fit nicely among those.

But every one of them had very rigid programmed beats. It was NOT the technology, because other genres would strive for a more realistic sounding rhythm. My roommate told me that this was a part of the genre, but I never understood why an otherwise funky sound would incorporate that feel. Fortunately, that trend seemed to fade fairly quickly. But it bugged the hell out of me.

Man, am I old. Next time I'll tell you what it was like before electricity.

Cheers
-B

The main thing about emulating early 80s r&b is the ability to make it "swing" so to speak. You can't do this sitting in a piano roll placing notes in the grid. It will sound "on the beat" and as such, have more in common with electro-funk and the freestyle sound of the mid 80s.
For this kind of music you have to think: How would this sound when being played by hand, and how can I get a similar feel in my DAW? Let me tell you; Quantizing is your worst enemy when it comes to the organic sound. This was done in FL and the DAW has a nice swing option but while making it stray from the whole "on beat" feel, it will still sound artificial. A combination of the swing option, carefully chosen velocity and some manual moving around here and there - all mixed up with my 25+ years of listening and collecting this type of music - is what made me come up with this.
After doing this track I decided to buy myself an Akai drum controller. My plan is to learn to use this as a live instrument and utilize what I know about drumming and rhythm arranging to do so, ultimately incorporating it in my music. (i'm a fairly decent drummer/percussionist in "real" life although I do not really practise it)
I'm old too - I do not work the traditional way the kids would these days. That's why my music sounds different I suppose

Really nice soulful 80s vibe on this one. I really like your 80s funk stuff. Keep it coming.

Will do, thanks

Love the 80's feel!

Nice to hear this again. I really enjoyed that Freddie Washington-style bass.

Sadly he wasn't available that day So I had to seek out other means