Sign 'o the Times (Prince cover)

I wasn't real super familiar with the original so went and found it. Honestly, I like the musical part of your mix better. Has a better stereo spread and just sounds better. The vocals are "good" but it sounds like your are singing lower than Prince and without as much enthusiasm..in my opinion. Vocals are not bad at all just does not sound right when comparing to the way he did it. I think if you raised the pitch and sang with a little more aggression it would sound really good. Great job.
 
I really liked it and don't have a problem with the vocals, myself, except there's just a couple parts where the [vocal] articulation (and intelligibility if you don't know the song) seem a little overwhelmed by the rest of the mix. Maybe look at ducking, even if just temporary or possibly tweaking attack on the vocal compressor(s).

Impressive.
 
I really liked it and don't have a problem with the vocals, myself, except there's just a couple parts where the [vocal] articulation (and intelligibility if you don't know the song) seem a little overwhelmed by the rest of the mix. Maybe look at ducking, even if just temporary or possibly tweaking attack on the vocal compressor(s).

Impressive.

Thanks bud. Do you mean the vocal levels are too quiet or is it just (like you said) a performance/articulation thing and not a mix thing? By ducking do you just mean compression? I'm actually am using some compression on the vox already FWIW (12.5 attack, 95 release, -6.6 thresh, 2.0:1 ratio).
 
Thanks bud. Do you mean the vocal levels are too quiet or is it just (like you said) a performance/articulation thing and not a mix thing? By ducking do you just mean compression? I'm actually am using some compression on the vox already FWIW (12.5 attack, 95 release, -6.6 thresh, 2.0:1 ratio).
So, because it's a little lost in the mix, I can't honestly say whether it's really just a vocal articulation thing or a mix thing, but in the assumption you're not going to redo vocals at this point, I was suggesting the first couple things in my small toolbox I usually grab :).

Ducking would be putting a compressor on something else, like the drums or guitars, or even all instruments (probably not bass for vocal usage), e.g., if they're already bussed together, but using the vocal track dynamics to trigger the compression instead of the dynamics in the track(s) being compressed. So, when the vocal passed the threshold, the ducked track(s) would get compressed, letting the vocals peek through a bit. Usually it's very light, fast attack/release for something like this is where I might try it.

Is that vocal compressor doing anything? (-6.6 threshold would say it's recorded pretty hot track to start with, because on my tracks, that would never cause the needle to move.) The attack might be a little fast so you could increase it to see what happens, and do a little more squeeze with moving the threshold lower and adding a little bit of makeup gain.
 
Overall I thought this was very good.

The vocal level is a bit tricky. For the verses I think the vocal is too far out in front. When the instrument bed is a bit stronger, then some of the vocal gets swallowed up. I might pull the instrument levels back during the fuller sections.

I also notice a spot or two at the end of phrases where the vocal level quickly tails off. Not a huge problem, but would probably need a retrack to address. Or a lot of short fader rides.
 
Overall I thought this was very good.

The vocal level is a bit tricky. For the verses I think the vocal is too far out in front. When the instrument bed is a bit stronger, then some of the vocal gets swallowed up. I might pull the instrument levels back during the fuller sections.

Thanks for the review. Had you read the earlier comment about the vocal level prior to listening? lol. I'm just curious because I can't seem to notice any vocal level inconsistencies and they seem to cut through the instrumental nicely- but maybe my ears are just used to it. Is this critique more stylistic/subjective in nature or is fundamentally distracting in the mix?
 
That was pretty cool. I like a lot of Prince's music and greatly admire his musical skills, but I am not enough of a fan to be familiar with his body of work.

Long story short, not familiar with that tune , nor do I feel like digging for it to see how yours compares. I don't expect covers to be carbon copies of the originals. You either do a good job with the tune or you don't.
That being said, I liked your version.
I think you did a great job.

Only thing I'd change is to bring some of the guitar down at points, it competes with the vocal.
 
Thanks for the review. Had you read the earlier comment about the vocal level prior to listening? lol. I'm just curious because I can't seem to notice any vocal level inconsistencies and they seem to cut through the instrumental nicely- but maybe my ears are just used to it. Is this critique more stylistic/subjective in nature or is fundamentally distracting in the mix?

No I hadn't read any other reviews. Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don't.

I'd say everything is subjective. :) But I'd put it on the side of "fundamentally distracting", although that's a pretty harsh way of wording it. :) My nits are pretty minor. But when the instrument bed is fuller, I notice a big difference in the presence of the vocal. And like I say, there is a word or two at the end of phrases that gets a little lost because the level drops off.
 
excellent job!
I'm very familiar with the original. The vocal is good.
On the original, princes vocal was a little thinner sounding. You could probably cut some mid with Eq. Not much at all just a tad so the vocal would sit in the mix a little better. The guitar....same thing. Your tone and playing are great but if you want to nail the Prince vibe, on this particular song, do a slight mid cut on the lead guitar.
The mix is very close. Make the cuts very slight....nothing radical is needed.
fantastic job!
 
excellent job!
I'm very familiar with the original. The vocal is good.
On the original, princes vocal was a little thinner sounding. You could probably cut some mid with Eq. Not much at all just a tad so the vocal would sit in the mix a little better. The guitar....same thing. Your tone and playing are great but if you want to nail the Prince vibe, on this particular song, do a slight mid cut on the lead guitar.
The mix is very close. Make the cuts very slight....nothing radical is needed.
fantastic job!

Interesting advice, and thanks. I tried a gentle 2-3db cut on the low and high mids for the vocals and a 2db cut on the 400hz-1.5Khz mud on the guitar. VERY subtle. Improvement?
 
Interesting advice, and thanks. I tried a gentle 2-3db cut on the low and high mids for the vocals and a 2db cut on the 400hz-1.5Khz mud on the guitar. VERY subtle. Improvement?
It sounds really good.
I don't hear anything I would change.
 
Sounds great, love that 80's snare sound. I like the effects on the voice nice smooth sounding verb or delay you got going on. I rarely say this but i think the vocals could come up. Especially around the 2:00 mark a keyboard comes in and masks the vocals pretty hard. Other than that sounds really good.

Also a prince fan, when he passed away i invited a bunch of co-workers over and we recorded the song "mountains" in his honor-had a blast...
 
Sounds great, love that 80's snare sound. I like the effects on the voice nice smooth sounding verb or delay you got going on. I rarely say this but i think the vocals could come up. Especially around the 2:00 mark a keyboard comes in and masks the vocals pretty hard. Other than that sounds really good.

Also a prince fan, when he passed away i invited a bunch of co-workers over and we recorded the song "mountains" in his honor-had a blast...

Ok track is updated. The damned vocal levels are driving me nuts lol. I boosted the two vocal climax parts ("aint it silly no when a rocketship explodes"). I think it sounds consistent now, but you be the judge:

Always a relief to hear the approval of a fellow Prince fan. I did NOT want to f*ck up covering a classic Prince track, especially as a white guy. Dude I need to hear your "Mountains" cover - very interesting (good) choice.

Sign o' the Times [Draft v14] by Mothers Talk | Free Listening on SoundCloud
 
Excellent rendition of a classic song. You retained the important parts of the original and put your own spin on the rest. I liked the sound of all of it. Great version
 
Excellent rendition of a classic song. You retained the important parts of the original and put your own spin on the rest. I liked the sound of all of it. Great version

Thanks buddy - getting the nod from a fellow Prince fan is hugely reassuring. The problem with a lot of Sign of the Times covers (including the overrated Muse cover) is that they sap all the funk and space out of it - which we both agree is the true magic of Prince's original.
 
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