Rap Me

I asked a question the other day for advice on how to make my songs sound more "real" during mixing. I was reluctant to post it because the song is basically a goof and I wouldn't want this song to represent my normal style. I was assured that I wouldn't be mocked as far as the song is concerned so I am posting it now. I am really looking for input as to how to make the song sound right. It doesn't matter if it is this song or my other real songs. I have never been able to get my songs to sound right. Everything is always in your face. Adjusting volumes never work. It is probably an eq issue where instruments need to sit in their own space.

Here is a brief history of the songs. I was always in rock\top 40 bands. In 1988, I was playing around with my drum machine and synths (though I am a guitar player) and went to our rehearsal studio and knocked out a parody of a rap song in about two hours. The funny thing is that I did not like rap music and this song doesn't even come close to sounding like one. I think I was trying to get some Prince sounds in there and even nick'd a style from a Teena Marie song at the time. I recently began transferring many of my old songs onto CD. While playing them in the car, my 9 year old son heard the original Rap Me and loved it. So, I decided to re-do it in Reaper, only this time, I had him play all of the synth solos as well as having a small vocal part (along with his 7 year old sister) at the end of the song. So, it was fun to re-do the song and to have him be a part of it. There were some sounds I could not reproduce so I incorporated them into the new version though I still have a Korg DW-6000 keyboard to get the same sounds. I also changed a hand full of questionable lyrics to make the song more family friendly.

Again, I would like advice about how to make it sound better. I know the song will sound different on everyone's system so I am curious to hear what you hear. I really don't want to hear about what a whacky song it is but if you can't resist, go for it. Looking forward to some constructive criticism regarding the mix.


Rap Me © 1988

Rap Me by JWL | Free Listening on SoundCloud
 
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Sounds total 80's.

Is the lead vocal leaning a tad left?

Doesn't seem to be much down the middle. Seems like your bass synth tracks are panned hard left and right? I would only have one, right down the middle, for starters, along with the lead vocal, kick and snare. Then strategically pan everything else around it. (The kick and snare do sound down the middle, so that's good)

The lead vocal might be a little hot, and also needs some taming in the high-mids, I think. It's a little harsh and needs to be smoothed out some. I'd even tame the high-mids overall just a tiny bit on the mixbus. The background vocals seem too centered, they sound more centered than the lead vocal at times.

The lead keys around 1:10 need a wider, stereo image. This would work even better around a mono, centered bass tone.

That's all I got for now.
 
Thanks for the reply. It is totally 80s because that is when it was recorded. I stayed pretty true to the original. There was no reason to modernize it since it would have no place in today's music.

I am pretty sure all three vocals are center but I will check. There are three different synths. One has the same sound as the opening notes of Like A Virgin. The other two are the same DW-8000 performed twice


Here is what I have just done, based on your suggestions:

Removed one of the doubled Korg DW-6000 synth tracks. Made the remaining one in center. Vocals were all already in center. I removed the Compressor fx vst from the lead vocal completely, so there is no effect now. I slightly panned the two background vocals to the right. The synth solo at 1:10 was already center. I am not sure how to make it wider.
 
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I was listening to some old Devo yesterday and you could squeeze this track in and not even notice. You might try and get the vocal to sit a bit easier, but then again the Devo vocals didn't exactly blend either
 
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