Joey M

I love the guitar.....all the instruments, very captivating. Such a nice mood to this piece. And I think the vocal fits like a glove. The lyric is so nice, and I would love to hear it brought forward slightly, but not so much as to destroy the lovely blend with the music. Very nice........couldn't help but listen several times to just sit back and enjoy the vibe. Great composition. Nice job all the way around! Joey

Hi Paul, Another very creative and captivating song from you. So simple, yet full of nice musical surprises. And I love the way you drive the hook home, a great example of one that keeps playing in the listeners head long after the song is over. This is a memorable one, and I found it wonderful listening. A very nice build to the music too, and I always love hearing the clarity and feeling in your vocals. Great job. Joey

Hi Gary, Thank you so much for taking the time to go over HIY so thoroughly. It's so interesting to really get into what makes a song tick. I work very intuitively after many years of playing and singing songs, but it wasn't until I started composing songs that I realized how they are constructed and what makes a song succeed. So many things need to come together just right in order for a song to come across, and it is nice to see such a thoughtful evaluation from you. I have really enjoyed collaborating with Patty to combine our skills to specialize and unify the two primary aspects of the creative process, composing the music and writing the lyric. Patty worked hard to write a lyric that fits my composition so nicely, creating a mood and story that brings meaning to my work on the music side of the equation. It was so much fun to try and get all the elements of the song working in harmony with each other. The real thrill for me came when I finally sat down at my keyboard to sing and record the song. This one felt right from start to finish, and I'm so glad you like it. Joey Hey Carl, I appreciate your taking the time to listen. So glad you enjoyed the song and found it relatable. It's very satisfying to hear compliments, and always so nice to hear them from you. Thanks so much, Joey

Music and Vocals Joe Mcmichael Lyrics Patty Lakamp Copyright © 2018 Hi folks, Here is a new song that I composed and recorded. I asked Patty Lakamp to write a lyric to fit my melody, and I'm very grateful that she came up with such touching heartfelt words to so beautifully adorn this music. I hope you enjoy it, and would love to hear your impressions of the composition, lyric and delivery. Home is You Maybe it’s a cabin tucked back in the woods Or a broken down walkup in a bad neighborhood Worlds apart, home is in the heart We feel it just the same It doesn’t matter if it’s large or small A rambling mansion or a hole in the wall Home’s the only place that grabs your heart this way Ch1 It’s a lifetime mem’ry you hold inside One you will treasure or try to deny But your home gave rise to you, it’s in everything you do Home is you It wraps its arms around you and invites you in Makes you comfy on the sofa and asks how you been Anything you say, it’s all OK Home is on your side It’s where you go to feel like yourself Your favorite slippers, your things on the shelf Home’s the only place that makes you feel this way Ch2 Four walls that welcome you home at night An old friend who thinks you are always right Waiting there for you, easy as a well-worn shoe Home is you Bridge I wonder lately if I got it all wrong Maybe home is anywhere you feel you belong Maybe home is anywhere with you Ch3 As far as I can see I can’t imagine home without you and me My home is here with you, anywhere with you Home is you Home is you Home is you Copyright © 2018 Joe McMichael & Patty Lakamp

Thanks Andy. It's great to have such specific input. I'm always wondering about the subtle things that can be done with a melody and the vocal. This is great information. And I see what you are saying about the drum track too.... it really makes sense. I'll pass along the bass idea to Dominick. That should be an easy fix. It is very helpful that you are so specific. I'm really trying to make the vocal shine, and the subtle variations you mentioned are great for me to know about. I really appreciate it! Joey

Hey Gary, Patty showed me your production critique. I told her. that's the kind of thing that turns a demo into an album cut. I'm sure Dominick learned allot from it as well. You really know allot about songs and their production, and it's wonderful to have your input. Thanks for spending so much time on it. And thank you for listening to our song again for just the enjoyment....and for liking it. That's a real confidence boost for us! Joey

Thanks Jonathan. Wow, the lyric sugs are really helpful. I think they are improvements! I'll pass them along to Patty and see if she agrees. I'm so pleased that you like our song. It's lots of fun working as a team.....and, again, thank you for the specific input on those lines. Joey

Thanks for finding our song and taking the time to listen! I'm really pleased that you like it. It was allot of fun working this up with Patty and Dominick. Much appreciated! Joey

This is EXCELLENT! I'd like to hear your vocal brought up just a little. I like the way it's embedded fine, but I wish it was sitting right up on top because it's so nice. The lyric and music are great. I really enjoyed listening.

Very expressive and heartfelt. The guitar really makes all the difference in this. I like how you prerecorded the keyboard then built the song and your guitar parts on top. I also like your voice allot. It works so well with the guitar and the music you composed. Nice!

Thanks so much for listening. I really enjoyed listening to you too! My friend, Dominick, did allot of the recording and the entire mix-down on his system. But the DAW we both use is Cubase. It's excellent, and you can get a version of it for not too much money. The full blown program is a little expensive....and not really necessary for good results. There are tutorial videos online that will give you an idea how it works. But there are also other recording programs that may be good for your application. I haven't used any of them, but some may be a little less complicated than Cubase. I'm sure you can Google digital recording software to learn about them on Google and decide what seems right for you. But, you can't go wrong with Cubase if you're after excellence, power and versatility. Keep up the good work. I like your style and sensitivity!

Thanks. I love "nit pickin"....cuz that's how I make improvements. Yes, that line is easy to relate too. And the older I get, the faster it becomes yesterday. Patty wrote the lyric, and I'll pass that along to her. And, Dominick created those nice fills for us. I love the way he can do that in just the right spots. I appreciate your listening and your input. Very helpful and encouraging. 😊 Joey

Thanks so much! It was really fun working with Patty on rendering her writing. In addition to creating an excellent lyric, she had allot of good ideas on the melody structure, especially the change up in V3. And Dominick did such a wonderful job on the instruments and production. It was luxurious to have so much of the music and the entire lyric handled by two very talented friends. I'm so pleased with the result, and I'm glad you got to hear the lyric with its melody. I appreciate your taking the time to listen and give your thoughts. Joey

Thanks Carl, I really enjoyed working with Patty and Dominick on a song I feel right at home with at my age. We had allot of fun putting it together. I'm glad you like it, and really appreciate your listening and commenting. Joey

Hi, folks, Three of us worked on this song. Here are the credits if you want the details. We had a good time with it. Let us know what you think. Joey McMichael: Composition, Lead Vocals, Organ, Drum Track programming Dominick Giarraputo: Producer, Recording Engineer, Bass, 12-string Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals Patty Lakamp: Lyrics Today is Everything Patty Lakamp © Copyright 2018 On his porch, drinkin’ with my old friend He’s gettin’ on and talkin’ ’bout what’s round the bend He said I dunno if I’m a believer It’s all a mystery to me Can’t say if there’s somethin’ else when my life is through But I’ve lived long enough to know this much is true Ch1 Today is everything, maybe the only thing We can’t ever know what tomorrow brings A moment in time that’ll soon be yesterday Today is everything Walkin home, thinkin’ ’bout the things he said My younger days, a movie runnin’ through my head Recalled the time I thought I’d be famous Make my mark in the world But even the deepest footprints get washed away They all disappear in the sands of yesterday Ch2 Today is everything, maybe the only thing We can’t ever know what tomorrow brings But this day is ours till it packs up, goes on its way Today is everything When life is good, the hours go by too fast You turn around and all the fun is in the past Then there’re the days that aren’t satisfyin’ They take forever to end For a man like me, it really doesn’t make much sense But no matter what the day, it never comes around again Ch1 Today is everything, maybe the only thing We can’t ever know what tomorrow brings A moment in time that’ll soon be yesterday Today is everything Today is everything Today is everything