Pygmy Beat Softdance

rayc

rayc

retroreprobate
Here's another attempt to tame this song. The 1st link is to the soundclcik page & the second to a 320MP3.
Music page of Pygmy Beat - MP3 music page on SoundClick



Drums are by RAMI - done a few years back, lead guitar by Ido1957 a couple of years ago, vocals & sax by Terry Berman the original Pygmy Beat vocalist/co-writing partner and the mess is by me.

Nothing on the master bus just a straight up mix.
Any thoughts?

Having read manslick & Ido's comments here's a remix based on the ideas:

 
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vox need to come way up, drums need to come up too, the gits are burying everything. drums levels need some levelling, ride cymbal for example is way out front. guitar solo sounds wooly.
well i guess i'm saying the whole mix needs attention. i listened on 1 so consider that. lol did rami miss the ending? thats kind of funny :)
 
Mnaslick.
No RAMI was playing along to a basically recorded track that had an ending that went on forever so he played around a bit. Editing the ending is one of the things that needs doing.
Your ears hear much of what I though were the problems.
Thanks - I'll follow up.
 
Sounds like a new guitar sound - it has a nice amount of bite that sounds great to me. Manslick is right the guitars are too loud. While listening I thought about Jan's mixing in comparison (as I like his work). He seems to build everything around a strong drum sound (even ballads) with vocals same level as the snare (lead same) I have no idea how to mix bass yet so no help from me lol... Maybe trim the low end off the lead guitar too...
 
Hello Ido,
yeah I agree. I've pulled down the guitars quite a bit and cleaned up the bottom end a bit. I also took the compression off the drums and just pumped them up. I forgot to roll off the bottom end on the solo - added some bright bite via tubebaby.
I didn't know about that guide from jan - interesting: I'll write it down for reference. I should've asked more questions about how when working with him - he's very forthcoming with technique isn't he!
Thanks!
 
Cool name for a cool tune, I liked it, it's rocking. New version sounds better, but I reckon the vocals could still come up more. Esp. after that guitar at about 2:17. I dunno, I'm a bit obsessed with loud vocals at the mo, since everyone's always telling me to bring mine up.

Like it a lot though, like the interludey bits and the darker tone of the vocals goes really nice with the slightly more upbeat drums and guitar - cool juxtaposition, if I may use such an adult word. Cool Collaboration. :)
 
Ok, listening again today and I'm still liking it. I remember this tune, but not well enough to compare this to previous mixes or anything.

Have you ever listened to the Brian Jonestown Massacre? This production has a similar feel to it as some of their stuff. While I agree that drums and vocals could come up a little and the solo down a tad, I think the guitars should dominate this one. I don't think a modern, punchy, in your face kind of mix would work with this material.

Terry's vocals are so clean and polite sounding that they kind of don't fit the mood set by the instruments. I guess I'd like the vocal to be at least a little rougher or edgy sounding or something. I normally hate the sax, but I kind of like it on this track...go figure.
 
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Remix is better but I think more vocals are in order. Maybe as present as the lead or sax. Liking the lead treatment a lot too. :-)
 
FTG,
You're very kind. The title, like the lyrics, is a paraphrase from the Doors. I'll check out the levels as suggested.
Heat,
I remember BJM. Yeah, it's a guitar song isn't it. Terry's vox are always quiet & polite - like the man himself until he gets a few Merlots into himself. I'll look into something to distress them a little - artificially added rough edges yet.
Ido,
ta Gerry. I'll goof around with the vox some more.
 
I was reading the comments while listening and thinking, how the hell is a sax going to fit into this soundscape that you've built here - but it does work and adds an unusual flavour. Guitars sound at a good level now and I actually really like the understatedness/politeness of the vocals - they somehow give the song more of an edge than if it had had a ballsy rock voice. It certainly adds to a late 60s summer-of-love-gone-sour feel and made me think of Tim Buckley. There are similarities in tone and the folksy type lyrics, especially around his Goodbye & Hello type phase. They still need to come up a little though.

Hope you get the ending sorted out. It's still very abrupt, though I see that it wasn't really planned out at the time of recording so I can understand why.
 
Rob,
I'll tidy up the ending later in the week. I chopped it short after an earlier comment. I'll mix it to a conclusion more fitting. Terry's vocal style is a bit of a Canadian/Australian - we're inherently polite. Terry likes the idea of the music & lyrics expressing/emoting UNLESS he's in his cups that is - but then we didn't imbibe in anything at all when recording. What you hear is what happens when a pair of chalkies write & record. We even use reasonable grammar in most songs - sad eh!
 
Yeah Ray the guitars are stomping all over everything. A song like this needs to be driven by the kick and snare - like most rock songs do. Never lose the kick and snare. I like the guitar sounds. New tracks? They do seem to have more bite and clarity. Please tell me it's your big ol Marshall. :D

It's hard to really pinpoint what needs what with it being so out of balance. I'd say just start over. It's not a big deal. Get the kick and snare about the same level and build around them.
 
Hello Greg & thanks.
The amp is my little Kustom 5 watter - does add some bite though.
I can tweak the drums a little - but not much as it's a stereo drum track that RAMI did for me a fdew years back.
Which file did you listen to? The Soundcloud is the latest and has much reduced guitar monstering.
I will rebuild the track on the weekend - I wanted to do some tonight but I've had a 14hr day so am not really up to serious listening .
 
REMIX 23rd June


A remix based on comments to date: less guitar noise, more vocal, more drum - kick & snare, vocals, snare & solo similar levels. Straight mix - nothing on the master/stereo bus.
Thoughts?
 
Yeah, I think the vocals should come up more, or maybe just drop the guitars like Greg suggested.

I really like the tune. Reminds me of the type of music I would play with my friends when I was around 13-14. Your song is the same style but much better. :D
 
rayc said:

A remix based on comments to date: less guitar noise, more vocal, more drum - kick & snare, vocals, snare & solo similar levels. Straight mix - nothing on the master/stereo bus.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Definitely getting better. It's more balanced. I like the guitar tone you got from that little amp. Sounds kind of Vox-ish to me. I think you've now got some space imbalances going on now. The drums, bass, and sax seem to be on the same wet plane. The guitars, vocals, and lead seem dry and up front. I'd say dry up everything. Make a mix with no reverb or delay and then see where it needs it.
 
The vocal's buried, needs to come up, and probably ought to have something like as much verb as the rest of the mix. The sax needs to come up a bit and have just a touch of the verb taken off. The whole mix needs an EQ on the master buss to brighten it. You know what? I'd re-record the vocal and concentrate on absolutely nailing the rhythm whether or not things got pronounced right. That would really perk things up.
 
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