The Mighty Quinn.....a speed recording challenge.

R

RAMI

Guest
I recorded this in exactly 7 hours from first click track to final mix down. Just for the fun of it. I just happened to see it on the front page of Youtube this morning and started playing along to it, and then I decided to see how fast I can learn it and record it. Granted, it's not exactly the most complicated tune in the world.

THE MIGHY QUINN (Manfred Mann cover)
 
Last edited:
I'm not even sure what this tune is really called.

Is it "Mighty Quinn", "The Mighty Quinn", "Quinn the Eskimo", or "Mighty Quinn the Eskimo"? :eek:
 
i think it's really good to bang things out quickly and move on. it's so easy to labor over things in a daw, and that just sucks and loses the fun of music.

the song and mix sounded pretty cool!
 
i think it's really good to bang things out quickly and move on.
Thanx Nola. I agree, for a song like this, it was probably best to do just do it fresh and not go nuts trying to make everything perfect. I would have trouble being that quick with an original, I think. But it was cool for a cover. :cool:
 
Thanx Nola. I agree, for a song like this, it was probably best to do just do it fresh and not go nuts trying to make everything perfect. I would have trouble being that quick with an original, I think. But it was cool for a cover. :cool:

i agree for originals laboring makes more sense because you're presenting your new material to the world and you want it just right, but a cover should just be fun (imo). what's weird is we had a thread a few months ago talking about demos vs studio albums and a lot of people preferred demos, which surprised me, but it kinda makes sense because it's closer to the moment of inspiration.

i was just listening to the guy from the Black Keys (i don't even know their music, but he was on Joe Rogan podcast) and he said he writes 2 songs a day and just bangs them out and moves on because he doesn't want time to think about things. i think he even said he wanted it closer to the moment of creation. i kinda think that's good and want to integrate it, so it's cool to see you did that. i think everyone should incorporate some of that philosophy, tbh. i mean not if it's bad but if it's good then just press it and move on.
 
we had a thread a few months ago talking about demos vs studio albums and a lot of people preferred demos, which surprised me, but it kinda makes sense because it's closer to the moment of inspiration.

i was just listening to the guy from the Black Keys (i don't even know their music, but he was on Joe Rogan podcast) and he said he writes 2 songs a day and just bangs them out and moves on because he doesn't want time to think about things. i think he even said he wanted it closer to the moment of creation. i kinda think that's good and want to integrate it, so it's cool to see you did that. i think everyone should incorporate some of that philosophy, tbh. i mean not if it's bad but if it's good then just press it and move on.
I think it's a song to song thing. I think we all have songs that almost write and record themselves effortlessly, and others that aren't effortless, but worth putting in the effort. Some of the greatest tunes in history were probably banged out. But I'm sure just as many were worth the effort of working and re-working, trying at different tempos, different keys, different feel, until it's just right. So, whatever works. Some song writers are better or more comfortable with one over the other, I'm sure.


After spending a day recording this tune, all I got in my head now is "...you'll Nazi nothing like the mighty Quinn". :eek:
 
lol great now I'm hearing "nazi nothing".

Sounds great in my headphones. Very full sound. The lead guitar seems like it could use a little reinforcement. Maybe that's how the original was though (don't think I've heard the original in years. . .)
 
lol great now I'm hearing "nazi nothing".

Sounds great in my headphones. Very full sound. The lead guitar seems like it could use a little reinforcement. Maybe that's how the original was though (don't think I've heard the original in years. . .)
Thanx Easlern. Yeah, that guitar is a little thin. The original is a flute so, not that I tried to make my guitar sound like a flute, but I thought a less full sound would compliment the original more, but I might have been wrong. I might re-track those "flute" parts using my neck pick-up. Right now, it's the bridge. I'm not even sure if I need any of that noodling during the fade out. I might just take it out, or at least cut a lot of it out.

Damn nazi's still in my head, too. :D
 
Last edited:
front page of Youtube

You know that's tailored to your viewing habits. What have you been watching that it's suggesting Manfred Mann?! o_O

It's a pretty good recording. I think I've heard the original? But years and years ago, so I can't vouch for fidelity to the original. But it's a clear mix. Really good results for 7 hours.
 
You know that's tailored to your viewing habits. What have you been watching that it's suggesting Manfred Mann?! o_O
Thanx for the comments, VHS.

I haven't been listening to any Manfred, but 90% of what I listen to is 60's and 70's stuff, so it makes sense that this would come up sooner or later.

I just read a lot of about this tune. It's one of those tunes that has a a lot of quirky facts about it. It's a Bob Dylan tune, it's been covered by Manfred Mann, Leon Russel, The Hollies and Gary Puckett, and rumor has it that Dylan wrote it after watching Anthony Quinn play an Eskimo in "The Savage Innocents ". Weird. Wild. :D
 
Hey Rami, marathon session no doubt. Grew up with this one on the raydio and your version is as close as one could get. Great vocals and backups, drum perfect. The lead in the intro popped way out of the mix on my speakers and though lower later, never sat truly in the mix as the rest of the parts. Guitars are vibrato - ish whereas a flute is pretty much dead on notes. No ideas on how to "better" emulate it that how you've done, so your thought on pickup might tame some of the thin-ish. Hmmm lot of "ishes" in this post :D:D:D:D
 
Hmmm lot of "ishes" in this post :D:D:D:D

Thanx Ido. Lots of good advice-ish. :D

But seriously, that guitar is so obviously the wrong sound now that I hear it this morning. This is the kind of thing that wouldn't have happened if I wasn't just rushing to finish the tune. I'll re-track that riff later today, using the neck pick-up. I'm sure that will make the difference-ish.
 
Fun song.

Like the drum and rhythm guitar sounds. Vocal sounds great too. I guess now that I think about everything sounds good. Except that little lead guitar riff in the intro and middle break. It's a little harsh. A notch at 2400hz or so would take care of that.

Personal taste thing - the rhythm guitars win the battle with the bass. I'd probably nudge the guitars down by half-a-nudge.

I think I like your version better than the original.
 
Fun tune. Good job. Like your vocals on it.

Hmm, got me thinking.... dangerous when I do that. :D
Should do a punk or death metal version.
:D
 
OK, I just put up a new version. I used the neck pick-up of my Strat instead the bridge pick-up of my Gibson SG.
Except that little lead guitar riff in the intro and middle break. It's a little harsh. A notch at 2400hz or so would take care of that.
Agreed 100%. I changed it as mentioned above.

Personal taste thing - the rhythm guitars win the battle with the bass. I'd probably nudge the guitars down by half-a-nudge.
Brought down the rythm guitars 1db.

I think I like your version better than the original.
Thanx man. It's easy to make a 50 year old song "sound" better. But the spirit of the original remains. If it wasn't for the original, I'd have nothing to copy. :)
 
Fun tune. Good job. Like your vocals on it.
Thanx buddy.

Hmm, got me thinking.... dangerous when I do that. :D
Should do a punk or death metal version.
:D
Yeah, stop thinking. :D

No, but I like staying pretty true to the original version of whatever song I found cool enough to want to copy in the first place. Greg has a great knack for taking songs and changing them, usually for the better. He does some Bob Marley and shit you'd never expect him to touch, and he's awesome at making his own. I can't do that. If I start changing a tune enough, I start telling myself "I might as well write an original". :cool:
 
I played the second version. Picked up a guitar and started playing along. Got to the end. Forgot to review it. :)

Played it again... It sounded great. My points were well addressed. Had fun listening.
 
I played the second version. Picked up a guitar and started playing along. Got to the end. Forgot to review it. :)

Played it again... It sounded great. My points were well addressed. Had fun listening.

It's fun to play, isn't it? That's what lead me to cover it. It was just so easy to play.:)
 
That was fun, I love that song.
Brings me back, good memories. You certainly nailed it to say the least.
It sounds and feels like you're having a blast :)
I have absolutely no critique, just high praise.
 
Back
Top