New Untitled Tune

[JohnnyAmato]

Still haven't done any vocals yet, but getting close. This song will most likely be the first I do, recorded it last week when the vocal melodies/lyrics came to my head. Looking into an iso shield and a pop filter, then heading up north to the cabin to get 'em done.

Nothing fancy here, a basic country-ish, almost folk-ish, soft rock-ish pop tune. Sounds very radio friendly when I hear the finished product with the vocals in my head.

Didn't plan on posting this until the vocals were done, but since it will still be a few weeks and I haven't posted anything in a while, I figured what the hell. I'd like to see if I'm making any progress with the kick and bass relationship, I used some compression on both trying to get them to work together well.

Basic structure- intro, verses, chorus, verses, chorus, bridge, solo (over verse progression) chorus, end.

Actually layered four rhythm guitars; two slightly different cleans panned hard left and hard right, and 50% left an acoustic, 50% right a 12-string acoustic. It's all capo'd on the first fret, but the 12-string was capo'd on the 3rd fret.

The 12-string also does the intro and outro melody and a few other small fills (the outro melody actually plays the chorus vocal melody, so it'll give you an idea on how the choruses will sound vocally) and there are electric fills throughout which might sound out of place without the vocal.

Anyway, just wondering how everything sounds, particularly the bass/kick. Or anything else that might stick out. Thanks!

No Title (Demo) | Johnny Amato

 

[Robus]

I like it. Sounds very smooth has a nice groove. Just listening to it, I was hearing all kinds of catchy vocal melodies. I think you'll make a good song out of it. I don't really have much to offer at this point. It is easy to get sidetracked recording, mixing, retracking, and remixing instrumentals on an unfinished song, especially as the vocal melody and (above all) lyrics tend to be the hardest and the last part to come together. At least for me. But as the lead vocal is the part that everything else is there to support, it gets to be like painting a portrait before you've decided whose face is going to be front and center. It's hard to know if the bass, or the drums, or guitars are too loud or soft of panned correctly without hearing them in relation to that voice. And from a song-writing perspective, it gets harder to imagine some new chord substitution that might give the vocal melody a lift or a twist when you have already track five guitars, bass, and keyboards around the old chord progression.

 

[ido1957]

Sounds good so far. Bass/kick are working well in my opinion. I fall into the write the lyrics / vocal melody first group. But as long as your vocal range fits the chord progression I say go for it. A progression can have a million melodies but your brain will decide which way to go in the end.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Very good, not anything I'd mess with at this point, just get those vocals down. Nice work

 

[JohnnyAmato]

I like it. Sounds very smooth has a nice groove. Just listening to it, I was hearing all kinds of catchy vocal melodies. I think you'll make a good song out of it. I don't really have much to offer at this point. It is easy to get sidetracked recording, mixing, retracking, and remixing instrumentals on an unfinished song, especially as the vocal melody and (above all) lyrics tend to be the hardest and the last part to come together. At least for me. But as the lead vocal is the part that everything else is there to support, it gets to be like painting a portrait before you've decided whose face is going to be front and center. It's hard to know if the bass, or the drums, or guitars are too loud or soft of panned correctly without hearing them in relation to that voice. And from a song-writing perspective, it gets harder to imagine some new chord substitution that might give the vocal melody a lift or a twist when you have already track five guitars, bass, and keyboards around the old chord progression.

Thanks Robus for the listen. I know it's hard to judge how anything will ultimately sound without the vocal there, I plan on doing it very soon. I was mostly just curious on how the bass and kick gelled together, I worked hard on it with compression and EQ, even though I probably should have just waited until the vocals were there. Also wondered if the four layered rhythm guitars were too much, but I understand the vocals will probably answer that question.

 

[JohnnyAmato]

Sounds good so far. Bass/kick are working well in my opinion. I fall into the write the lyrics / vocal melody first group. But as long as your vocal range fits the chord progression I say go for it. A progression can have a million melodies but your brain will decide which way to go in the end.

Thanks ido, I did write the vocals and melody before I recorded the tracks, just haven't done the vocal tracks yet. It's right in my range and full of harmonies, so I'm pretty excited to get them down.

 

[JohnnyAmato]

Very good, not anything I'd mess with at this point, just get those vocals down. Nice work

Thanks bud, planning it out now. I might just bite the bullet and do them here when the wife is sleeping. I can't shoot to the cabin this weekend, and the next weekend is opening weekend for fishing up there, and I already have a trip planned for that with a buddy. So if I don't do them here it will be a while yet.

How important is an iso shield and pop filter? When I did "What Does It Take" 10 years ago, I literally used nothing and just sang right into my mic (a Peavy PVM22) I have SM58s now though.

 

[andrushkiwt]

How important is an iso shield and pop filter? When I did "What Does It Take" 10 years ago, I literally used nothing and just sang right into my mic (a Peavy PVM22) I have SM58s now though.

I can't imagine they would take anything away from the recording. I'd rather be safe than sorry and just use them. You don't want to get home to mix the vocals and suddenly notice the "t" in take is popping through too much.

Make sure your 58's levels are calibrated properly...those mics have some issue with power and interfaces. Can't remember exactly what it is, but they almost always come out very, very quiet when used with interfaces. There are posts around here regarding that issue.

 

[TripleM]

Yeah I think this is very good. All the instruments sound good. Personal taste thing - but I like your raw-er sounding stuff a little better. But what you have here is excellent.

The drums sound good and they are at a good level. I'd work toward humanizing them more/better. They're a bit too exact.

But that is a minor complaint.

 

[Nola]

It sounds good, Johnny. Kick/bass...sound good to me for the most part. The kick is poking out a little bit and a little boxy sounding. It's kinda a genre specific thing. Like in Jazz you hear very little kick. Rock/blues much more kick. For this song and genre I feel it's a little too much kick and a little boxy. I'd try to find one with a more tight yet round sound and then lower it just a hair in the mix.

 

[JohnnyAmato]

Yeah I think this is very good. All the instruments sound good. Personal taste thing - but I like your raw-er sounding stuff a little better. But what you have here is excellent.

Thanks a bunch TripleM. I respect your opinion bigtime, so anytime you use the word 'excellent' I know I did something right. Thanks.

Nola, I'll look into some other kick drum choices when I put the vocals down later. I know what ya mean about the genre specific thing, I think I only have 3 different kicks to choose from at this point, so if I don't find one I like better, maybe I'll just tweak this one a little. Thanks

 

[jimistone]

Nice tune Johnny.
I like the chord progression. As usual the recording, musicianship, and mix is first rate.
Great work man!