Remix #1 - We Are Not The Same by The Jongleurs

Armistice

Armistice

Son of Yoda
Howdy...

The other half of the band is currently having a break, so I guess I am too... meanwhile, while he's working out what he wants to do thought I'd bring all our tracks recorded on the standalone machine over into Reaper and remix them using the better quality tools available, and add little bits and pieces here and there.

I've also taken the opportunity to update the drums as I have a much better handle now on getting a decent sound out of them.

I figure if we're ever going to get an album together I needed to get these mixes to a higher quality, hence this remix project.

Here's the first.

We Are Not The Same

I'll put them up one at a time over the next couple of weeks. Any feedback, particularly on mix balance etc. would be welcome.

Cheerio
 
Armistice said:
...bring all our tracks recorded on the standalone machine over into Reaper and remix them using the better quality tools available...
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Hey! Now you're nothing but a standalone racist!

Quickest feedback ever! I happened to be browsing right when this popped up.

Jeez, you know what strikes me listening to this? The "lead" singer (your bud right, or is that you?) sounds a lot like whoever did most of the vocals in ELP. Not exact, but a similar timbre and delivery. I've been thinking that for a while, but only now put my finger on it.

The drums do sound a lot more natural on this than what I remember from past offerings. They're certainly darker and heavier, which is cool, but is it possible you went too far in that direction? The sidestick for example sounds awfully deep and full compared to what I'd expect. Overall, they sound a lot more like real drums, only now they sound like kind of boxy real drums.

I mean, it really sounds great though. I'm being picky about the drums, but that's what happens when you try to review a solid mix like this. There isn't always so much to say. I think the mix is great. Me personally, I'd bring down the drums a tad and brighten them up a little, but I'd definitely wait for other opinions if I were you.
 
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Armistice said:
Howdy...

The other half of the band is currently having a break, so I guess I am too... meanwhile, while he's working out what he wants to do thought I'd bring all our tracks recorded on the standalone machine over into Reaper and remix them using the better quality tools available, and add little bits and pieces here and there.

I've also taken the opportunity to update the drums as I have a much better handle now on getting a decent sound out of them.

I figure if we're ever going to get an album together I needed to get these mixes to a higher quality, hence this remix project.

Here's the first.

We Are Not The Same

I'll put them up one at a time over the next couple of weeks. Any feedback, particularly on mix balance etc. would be welcome.

Cheerio
Click to expand...


I feel like your discriminating against people who record using computers, Armistice... :D


This is great! When the rim of the snare is hit, it sounds great, but I think the snare itself is a little thin and doesn't pop out enough to me. This is just me liking phat sounds, though; you should know me after that mix of one of your songs. :D

I really like this, though.
 
heatmiser said:
Hey! Now you're nothing but a standalone racist!

Quickest feedback ever! I happened to be browsing right when this popped up.

Jeez, you know what strikes me listening to this? The "lead" singer (your bud right, or is that you?) sounds a lot like whoever did most of the vocals in ELP. Not exact, but a similar timbre and delivery. I've been thinking that for a while, but only now put my finger on it.

The drums do sound a lot more natural on this than what I remember from past offerings. They're certainly darker and heavier, which is cool, but is it possible you went too far in that direction? The sidestick for example sounds awfully deep and full compared to what I'd expect. Overall, they sound a lot more like real drums, only now they sound like kind of boxy real drums.

I mean, it really sounds great though. I'm being picky about the drums, but that's what happens when you try to review a solid mix like this. There isn't always so much to say. I think the mix is great. Me personally, I'd bring down the drums a tad and brighten them up a little, but I'd definitely wait for other opinions if I were you.
Click to expand...

LOL... yeah, nothing worse than a convert right? :D I don't miss the old Yamaha, I'd have to say... the main reason being the 16 track limitation. Submixing go too hard. If I'd had a 24 tracker perhaps I'd still be going but they never made a 24 tracker to the standard of the AW4416, I reckon...

Trouble with the drums is I focus so much on the snare sound because it defies my efforts to get it to sound like I think a good snare should, that I tend to ignore the rest.. and I'm not actually mixing with everything (ie. monitors) in the best possible position so I'll certainly have a relisten on them and a bit more of a tweak. The stick is a bit "take your head off" isn't it!

This is actually me singing - I'm doing my songs first seeing the bugger's pulled the plug (hopefully temporarily) - I figure I'll get an album of my stuff out if he doesn't want to play any more. Sounding like Greg Lake you reckon? Awesome... always loved that man's voice. Like most of us here I tend to think I'm a crap singer so it's nice to get a compliment like that. Thanks heat! :thumbs up:

I should get an actual new tune up soon. One I wrote that he (bastardos!) sings, except I reckon I can sing it pretty well myself. Will be interesting. All that's left to track are the vocals...
 
CrowsofFritz said:
I feel like your discriminating against people who record using computers, Armistice... :D


This is great! When the rim of the snare is hit, it sounds great, but I think the snare itself is a little thin and doesn't pop out enough to me. This is just me liking phat sounds, though; you should know me after that mix of one of your songs. :D

I really like this, though.
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Just people who use Tascams... :D

Aarghh... the snare drum, always the snare drum. (We need a tearing hair out smiley).

Thanks Crows! I'll have another listen as I said above.

Cheers
 
Cool, that is you. Yes, I think you sound a lot like Greg Lake on this anyway. I hope your partner in crime comes around soon, but if not, too bad...the show must go on, right?

Seems like crows and I are hearing the opposite on the drums, so hopefully others will come in and set it straight.
 
heatmiser said:
Cool, that is you. Yes, I think you sound a lot like Greg Lake on this anyway. I hope your partner in crime comes around soon, but if not, too bad...the show must go on, right?

Seems like crows and I are hearing the opposite on the drums, so hopefully others will come in and set it straight.
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I've gone in your direction on this heat... I've brought them back in a bit, and I'm working on the "less dark" thing. When I listen to commercial CDs I'm always struck by how well the snare in particular, is "in" the mix... and further "back" than a lot of what I hear in this place some times.

I've been listening to it playing on my hi fi and then via the studio monitors, both whilst I'm in the next room and yep... drums are a touch too much there so have tweaked them back a bit.

Haven't updated the file above yet though.. not quite finished.

Anyone else?:D:confused:
 
This is really cool. The vocals have a Crosby Stills & Nash [& Young] kind of sound to them; at least to me, anyway.

But I agree with CrowsofFritz. The snare sounds a little weak compared to the rest of the awesome sounding instruments. I find it a bit too resonant and it doesn't sound meaty enough to me.
 
I thought things generally sounded like they were well recorded. I liked some of the harmonies - but the delivery of some of them seemed a little clumsy. The balance of the harmony parts is sometimes off.

A lot of words in the lead vocal are getting lost, particularly at the end of phrases.

I could hear some extra "pick clickiness" on the acoustic guitar during the intro and in some of the quieter transitions. Nothing horrible.

The clean electric guitar sounded nice.

Drums have been covered. I agree with the comments.
 
SloppyJo said:
This is really cool. The vocals have a Crosby Stills & Nash [& Young] kind of sound to them; at least to me, anyway.

But I agree with CrowsofFritz. The snare sounds a little weak compared to the rest of the awesome sounding instruments. I find it a bit too resonant and it doesn't sound meaty enough to me.
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Thanks Sloppy.... still working on that snare... seems a lifelong project. :D
 
jiff 41 said:
VERY nice tuneage here, I'd can't wait to hear how you can better it?
I was thinking about you the other day while watching this vid, when you were asking about using A/B etc while mixing & seeing as you're going to be doing more mixing I just wondered if you had seen this vid? :D

Snapshots Pt. 1 (Reaper Advanced - The SWS Extensions) - YouTube
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Hi Jiff... thanks... no I haven't seen that vid. I'll watch it a bit later today when I get to work (bit early in the morning for recording videos at the moment!). Thanks for listening...:D
 
TripleM said:
I thought things generally sounded like they were well recorded. I liked some of the harmonies - but the delivery of some of them seemed a little clumsy. The balance of the harmony parts is sometimes off.

A lot of words in the lead vocal are getting lost, particularly at the end of phrases.

I could hear some extra "pick clickiness" on the acoustic guitar during the intro and in some of the quieter transitions. Nothing horrible.

The clean electric guitar sounded nice.

Drums have been covered. I agree with the comments.
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Thanks TripleM..... I have zero chance to retrack the harmonies, but I know what you mean - getting "the other guy" to sing a harmony part is always complex - he comes up with good ones but the timing can be an issue. As we're not actually playing any longer (at least for now) I'm stuck with what I have. I can, however, work on the balance and I think I know where you mean. Can also fix the audibility of lead vocal I'm sure.

Pick clickiness, yes, that's always been there... not exactly sure how to "fix" that one. Might try a transient shaper perhaps see if that brings any joy. In hindsight a softer pick and mic a little further away might have helped but I don't have the ambition to retrack guitars at this point, either.

Cheers :D
 
I kind of feel like the dark, muted drums aren't really a problem. You play a calm and relaxed kind of music, so the drums don't really need to be popping out and driving it along.

Is that a rock organ I barely hear in the background? That's a good place for it. Don't abuse the rock organ! :D
 
VomitHatSteve said:
I kind of feel like the dark, muted drums aren't really a problem. You play a calm and relaxed kind of music, so the drums don't really need to be popping out and driving it along.

Is that a rock organ I barely hear in the background? That's a good place for it. Don't abuse the rock organ! :D
Click to expand...

Thanks VHS... there's only so much I can do with the snare drum without changing the Addictive Drums patch completely and that just fucks with the balance of everything else in that particular kit and would mean hours more work, so I've brightened / fattened it a tad (but not in the file you heard...), same with the kick, but yeah, I'm OK with it.

The organ is the organ patch on my Yamaha electric piano... it's not bad but can't really do the full swirly thing a proper organ can.

Thanks for listening! :D
 
You've got a great voice, really warm. I dunno why, but this sound of yours does actually remind me of being back in NZ/Australia. Maybe it's just the peace you emit in your music, it's got that chilled Australasian attitude. :) I like the guitar solo a lot too - really nice playing. Very cool song, I like it.
 
fritsthegirl said:
You've got a great voice, really warm. I dunno why, but this sound of yours does actually remind me of being back in NZ/Australia. Maybe it's just the peace you emit in your music, it's got that chilled Australasian attitude. :) I like the guitar solo a lot too - really nice playing. Very cool song, I like it.
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Thanks for listening frits... interesting that such a bitter, bitter tune is being described as chilled and peaceful... :D

I'll have to try harder next time I totally destroy someone lyrically. :laughings:

Glad you enjoyed it!
 
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