The Bends - remix

paulman77 said:
This is exactly my problem with it. I've never been happy with the guitar sound on this, and don't think I will be until I get a real amp again and retrack at least the lead. Yet I've gotten good crunchy sounds on other songs with the same Line 6 unit, so I don't know what the deal is with this one. At first I thought it was because I used a super high gain metal amp model for the lead, which is a sound that I have never before used in my life and probably never will again. But I tried retracking with lower gain, more traditional models, even before Bubba suggested I do exactly that. It still sounded like shit. So I'm just done with it for now. I did get the guitars sounding better than they did before, and learned a few things in the process, so I'll take that as a win for now and worry about making this song better when I have an amp.
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Oh cool. I didn't read all the previous comments so sorry if that was already mentioned and discussed.

Yeah my ear is really sensitive to sims b/c I used them for years and that one ice pick frequency really stands out to me. Have you thought about re-amping? If the guitar part is all performed to your satisfaction you can route that line level output and re-amp it. That will probably get rid of that harsh problem frequency. I noticed no EQ tends to work on that problem frequency with sims and it's a shame because they're good otherwise.

A good thread would be discussing sims vs re-amping.
 
JDOD said:
Just noticed something - on the lead guitar before "I wanna live, breath" etc. there's some clicks on the lead - almost like your pick has hit the pickup while you were playing.

There's nothing boomy about your vocals - its an excellent vocal.
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Thank you! I'm guessing the lead part you're talking about is that little rhythmic lead thing that alternates with the scratchy Csus chord. I intentionally make that part, both the chord and the lead, as scratchy as I can. It's almost funky, and I like to make it more so. It's my favorite moment in the whole song, so I really accentuate it. That's also why I did all those syncopated snare hits on that part, to really make that section stand out. Plus I have a hard time NOT syncopating snare hits when I play drums, because I first learned to play drums from a James Brown rhythm section book. :)
 
Nola said:
Oh cool. I didn't read all the previous comments so sorry if that was already mentioned and discussed.

Yeah my ear is really sensitive to sims b/c I used them for years and that one ice pick frequency really stands out to me. Have you thought about re-amping? If the guitar part is all performed to your satisfaction you can route that line level output and re-amp it. That will probably get rid of that harsh problem frequency. I noticed no EQ tends to work on that problem frequency with sims and it's a shame because they're good otherwise.

A good thread would be discussing sims vs re-amping.
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My Line 6 is a hardware unit, so the guitars are recorded as is. When I was picking out all my studio equipment, I debated what kind of sim to get. I have never used a software sim, but I used the original Line 6 POD for years and loved it on recordings (not as much live), and when I was in the Army they got me a Line 6 amp that was great. So I went with what I was familiar with. There was a reason I didn't get the Line 6 software, but I can't remember what it was. It may not have had the Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ model, which is what I use for most things. Anyway, long story short, I can't re-amp the parts because they're recorded the way they are, no dry signal available. I may have to start driving a truck again so I can afford to get some of the things I should have gotten the first time.
 
JDOD said:
There's nothing boomy about your vocals - its an excellent vocal.
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It's an excellent vocal, but the lower mids of the voice are taking up a lot of space during the clear/quieter parts.

If the OP posts a graph of the vocal's peaks I think it will show that.
 
paulman77 said:
My Line 6 is a hardware unit, so the guitars are recorded as is. When I was picking out all my studio equipment, I debated what kind of sim to get. I have never used a software sim, but I used the original Line 6 POD for years and loved it on recordings (not as much live), and when I was in the Army they got me a Line 6 amp that was great. So I went with what I was familiar with. There was a reason I didn't get the Line 6 software, but I can't remember what it was. It may not have had the Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ model, which is what I use for most things. Anyway, long story short, I can't re-amp the parts because they're recorded the way they are, no dry signal available. I may have to start driving a truck again so I can afford to get some of the things I should have gotten the first time.
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Oh okay. Yeah I had the hardware pod (toneport GX I think?) and it was nice. Probably the best amp sim. I sold it unfortunately.

You have a lot of ability. I'd like to hear more originals and through a real amp (live or a re-amp) because it all boils down to writing good original songs.
 
Bubba po said:
Yes, but this is on my Soundcloud. I probably have a better mix somewhere. :)

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That song is an ambitious undertaking, and you nailed it. I have no doubt you have a better mix, as there were some issues with that I haven't heard in your other stuff (plus, you know, Soundcloud). But performance-wise, awesome!
 
paulman77 said:
That song is an ambitious undertaking, and you nailed it. I have no doubt you have a better mix, as there were some issues with that I haven't heard in your other stuff (plus, you know, Soundcloud). But performance-wise, awesome!
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Cheers, Paulman. :D That was only my third project using a proper DAW. At the time I only had a couple decent mics and only four tracks for the drum kit. Stands up pretty well two years later, I think.
 
Nola said:
Oh okay. Yeah I had the hardware pod (toneport GX I think?) and it was nice. Probably the best amp sim. I sold it unfortunately.

You have a lot of ability. I'd like to hear more originals and through a real amp (live or a re-amp) because it all boils down to writing good original songs.
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Thank you! I have lots of originals coming down the pipeline. I wrote a ton while I was a truck driver. I'm just slowing down on recording them to do a few more covers first. I want to not have to listen to my songs for months trying to tweak them. I want to get quicker and better at mixing and mastering, so I don't wear songs out, and possibly ruin them by overtweaking. Every song I've posted here was recorded before I ever got on this forum. Three covers were recorded late last year, and the two originals earlier this year. That's way too freaking long to be working on a mix. I'm trying to get those five songs done by posting them here and getting feedback, which has worked great so far for the most part. I have one more I want to post, a Beatles cover, then back to laying down some new stuff.
 
Bubba po said:
Cheers, Paulman. :D That was only my third project using a proper DAW. At the time I only had a couple decent mics and only four tracks for the drum kit. Stands up pretty well two years later, I think.
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It does! I had to keep myself from singing along so I could hear it. I love that song.

Okay, I just tried out Debaser. First of all, GREAT job on that. You got that song down to a tee. I'll be able to do it. Just have to carve out a good time when I'm alone, and get in a frame of mind to yell with abandon for a whole song. I will probably be picking up a bottle of bourbon tomorrow for that purpose. I don't usually sing well with more than a little alcohol in me, but that's the beauty of Frank Black.
 
paulman77 said:
It does! I had to keep myself from singing along so I could hear it. I love that song.

Okay, I just tried out Debaser. First of all, GREAT job on that. You got that song down to a tee. I'll be able to do it. Just have to carve out a good time when I'm alone, and get in a frame of mind to yell with abandon for a whole song. I will probably be picking up a bottle of bourbon tomorrow for that purpose. I don't usually sing well with more than a little alcohol in me, but that's the beauty of Frank Black.
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Thanks - just make it sound like you're fit to be committed to a mental institution, then we're in the right ball park. :D My missus will be doing the B.V.s shortly. If you want to carry on the conversation, we'll take it to PM, I don't want to hijack your thread. :)
 
Sorry for the delay in commenting Paulman. There has been a daunting number of songs posted on the Clinic lately--which is good. If we could get all the posters to comment on each other's mixes, the place would be hopping again.

It would be helpful to put the new mixes in the OP. I had listened to the mix there and composed some comments before I noticed an update farther down.

But I got to listen to both mixes. The more recent one is much better. Your singing and playing are really good, but that's not surprising. It sounds very true to the original from what I remember. I don't have much to add about the instrumentation. Something that jumped out at me in the first mix and is still present to some extent in the second one is what sounds like the occasional blast of air on the mic.

Good work!
 
Robus said:
Sorry for the delay in commenting Paulman. There has been a daunting number of songs posted on the Clinic lately--which is good. If we could get all the posters to comment on each other's mixes, the place would be hopping again.

It would be helpful to put the new mixes in the OP. I had listened to the mix there and composed some comments before I noticed an update farther down.

But I got to listen to both mixes. The more recent one is much better. Your singing and playing are really good, but that's not surprising. It sounds very true to the original from what I remember. I don't have much to add about the instrumentation. Something that jumped out at me in the first mix and is still present to some extent in the second one is what sounds like the occasional blast of air on the mic.

Good work!
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Thanks man! For some reason it wouldn't let me edit the OP. The button wasn't there. Just on that thread.
 
this is really good. only complaint is that the guitars seem a bit thin. the chunk part early on would sit better with a bit more bite/grit to the guitars. no?

no harmonies? double up on the chorus and put some harmonies in there too dude. the dropped guitar sections came out really good. i'd look at the low mids on the vocals. where is the HP set at? "words", for example, at the end, is kind of boomy. small things. this is good. great hook, as usual.
 
andrushkiwt said:
this is really good. only complaint is that the guitars seem a bit thin. the chunk part early on would sit better with a bit more bite/grit to the guitars. no?

no harmonies? double up on the chorus and put some harmonies in there too dude. the dropped guitar sections came out really good. i'd look at the low mids on the vocals. where is the HP set at? "words", for example, at the end, is kind of boomy. small things. this is good. great hook, as usual.
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Thanks man. It's a Radiohead song. No harmonies in this one. I'm holding off on originals for a little while so I can learn on covers instead of putting my originals through the grinder for months at a time. Not easy to do, because I have a lot of originals I'm dying to lay down. Guitars are the eternal struggle with this song. I'm starting to feel like even if I became a world-renowned producer, I would go to my grave unhappy with the guitar sound on this cover. Bubba's got me thinking about busting out my old Marshall Valvestate and seeing if it might be better than the amp models. I haven't listened to it since I posted the latest version here. I'll go back to it with fresh ears and look at the vocal thing. I might also get sucked back down the rabbit hole of trying to fix the guitars, especially with the tips you sent me.
 
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