Snowman999
Active member
This is something I've been mixing and re-mixing and thinking over... I set it aside a while ago. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Recluse Testament
- Thread starter Snowman999
- Start date
andrushkiwt
Well-known member
Either the lead guitar or the bass need to be tuned. Something is off and most evident in the first few bars. Listening more, I think it's the lead, solo guitar. I thought you were tone-deaf in vocals, no? Didn't you make a post to that extent recently, somewhere? Vocals were good here. Interesting arrangement. Fixing that lead guitar will help the song immediately. There seems to be excess reverb on the vocals that isn't apparent anywhere else. Otherwise, pretty good.
Snowman999
Active member
Thank you. I am tone deaf. Any song I put up here that has my voice has not a few notes EVERY NOTE is fixed in melodyne. I'm always flat. Which is why the new melodyne is easy, I highlight all notes, push them to the center and raise a step. I do a little adjustment singly. AMAZING software (when I get it to work properly).
I have to find out what's going on with that guitar. Thanks for the listen.
I have to find out what's going on with that guitar. Thanks for the listen.
Nola
Well-known member
I like the vocal for the most part. Has a Jesus and Mary chain delivery and tone. The problem with it is the reverb isn't sitting right...not sure if it's too much (because I like it where is tbh), but I can hear the artifacts. Maybe try to clean those up somehow. Maybe pitch correction is enhancing artifacts once it hits the reverb. Try EQing the reverb itself (like roll off the highs on the return). The artifacts aren't terrible, but they're there. Or just try a different reverb. This sounds like a small room cranked up. You'd be better off using a large hall and send less. Experiment with things like that. The low end lacked a little clarity as well. Other than that, it sounds good.
Snowman999
Active member
THANKS. I was going for Mick Jones of BAD. To me, he's the best of the best. His talent should almost be outlawed. But, Jesus and Mary Chain is pretty nice too.
What is "artifacts" in musical terms?
I'm going to try the EQ stuff you mention. I do have to spend more time concentrating on the effects. I also have to find a proper effects package for my Pro Tools. I have only one type of EQ and one type of Reverb. It's the ones that came with Pro Tools. It has a couple of other effects. I don't think I've ever used them.
Nola
Well-known member
By artifacts I mean those little digital blips that come from processing, sometimes it's the reverb itself. Some are just "metallic" sounding. Sometimes it's pitch correcting feeding into the reverb can causing a weird glitch. So, isolate the vocal and put on the reverb and see what's going on. Does it sound metallic in isolation? If so, find a smoother one. Is this a room reverb turned up? It sounds that way to me, and sometimes when you crank room reverbs they do weird things. In those cases I switch to a hall and just use much less reverb and maybe cut some of the tail off so it's a smaller hall.
The low end weight sounded okay, but there was little separation between the bass and kick. That's what I meant by lack of clarity. Get in there with EQ and clean that up. I think with those two things the mix will really open up.
Snowman999
Active member
Now it makes perfect sense. It's always best to treat me like a two year old. Ask my wife, she'll tell you.
Snowman999
Active member
I'm guessing it's back to the drawing board. Thanks.
VomitHatSteve
Hat STYLE. Not contents.
Drush is right that the lead is a little pitchy. Especially when the twin lead starts going.
Vocals sound good.
The drums are really killing me tho. They sound like a Casio loop turned up too loud.
Vocals sound good.
The drums are really killing me tho. They sound like a Casio loop turned up too loud.
Stratomaster
Active member
I like the song-I like the drum machine vibe, reminds me of the 4 track dr. rhythm days. Yeah the guitar sounds flat but not the end of the world. I like the vibe overall which is kind of lo-fi (no offense meant) so hard to really make a mix critique. Your song is coming across well and I think brightening up this or turning down the reverb that might not make the song come across any better.
Bruthish
Hair Metal Roxx!
Hey Snowman, I get this feeling A LOT. You bring something to the table thinking its the best you have ever done and it gets torn apart. Happens to me a lot. Don't fret brother, you have a great song, just work the mix some more. And remember(which I have a hard time doing) is that its YOUR song, do it your way! Good job man
Snowman999
Active member
That is the end of the world for me. If my vocals have to suck, I sure don't want the riffs to.
Lo Fi? What the FUCK! How dare you! I'm kidding. I'm only half as bad as you've read. Just don't call my hats cymbals.
Thanks for the listen.
Snowman999
Active member
Thanks.
You can probably go back and fix whatever instrument might be out of tune, or improve on a track with a certain amount of ease. I have to relearn the whole song. If I don't play a song for a week or two, it's out of my mind. Then it's time consuming and not fun. The only reason I play is to have fun.
But, I like this song. So I will redo the out of tune guitar, after I figure out the chords, then the part. I used a capo which is going to make it harder to figure out.
jamie_drum
New member
As soon as I read the Casio thing, I was like...he nailed it!
I actually think the drum machine loop or whatever it is has a charming vibe. However, it's a bit too repetitive. Gotta vary it a bit.
Vocals are better in this one than the other one I heard from you. Overall nice tight timing on the instruments.
Snowman999
Active member
I do have to vary. Sometimes it isn't a matter of changing the pattern. But, addition and subtraction of other percussion instruments. This was recorded long before Relax, and that has varied drums, though the pattern remains the same. I'm starting to gain substantial ground on that part of arranging.
The other song, is it an on-key or mixing thing that made the vocals not as good? I'm aiming for poor vocals IN KEY instead of PITCHY poor vocals. When I mean pitchy, I mean "Is he seriously putting this crap up here?"
rayc
retroreprobate
I pulled this into Reaper and applied ReaEQ's Mud Free preset and it cleaned up a lot of the wooliness but that left the drum pattern pretty naked and, as mentioned, it's quite limited in that area. The less wooly bass accentuates whatever FX have been added to it - an 80s chorus or similar. If there's no effect added then that's an odd bass tone.
Like Strat says - a 4 track vibe but with a lot of mid mud build up.
Like Strat says - a 4 track vibe but with a lot of mid mud build up.