Hi All -

I'm finally biting the bullet to try to get this right. I need a reference track and for some reason am coming up entirely blank.

I wrote this song a very long time ago and was into Hornsby's Mandolin Rain and also have always been smitten with the outro of Layla - - both of which work well as inspiration for the writing of the song but are not at all what I'm looking for for a reference track in 2020 to mix too.and it is almost impossible for me to separate myself from a decade in Hollywood in the 80s and 90s. :) Thus - - -bigness at the end. But I actually want it to sound more timely than dated. If that's at all possible.

That said - and this may sound contradictory - but I really want the beginning of the song to be more open and "on-the-open-range" kind of thing.

I've attached a super-duper rough mix of the basic tracks.

I would love your ideas as to some decent reference tracks - and any other thoughts for that matter.

FWIW - as an overall tone I was just digging Meet Virginia by Train for general dynamics and EQ but it's not right either - primarily because this song has always been acoustic guitar driven - at least the beginning - for the past - - - very long time.

The outro clearly isn't. Totally different animal.

The mandolin in the beginning is a brand new addition to this song which I dig - but what I really want to hear is some balance of an upfront acoustic guitar balanced with the piano in the beginning, And I like drums - punchy drums.

You'll be able to tell that I have PLENTY of acoustic tracks to work with. I recorded so many because I was trying to make it fuller but have since learned a couple of tricks to probably subtract about 75% of the acoustic guitar tracks fwiw.

Anyway - - thank you for listening and I truly would be really grateful for reference ideas. Not trying to show the song off - - cuz it clearly still needs some work.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

https://recording.o…