The Bends - remix

paulman77

paulman77

Member
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1q3bgtkYyakLVdXQWFneGltaEE

This may still need some fine-tuning (which of course is why I'm reposting it for critique), but it's a hell of a lot better than it was. I changed the drum sample set to a better one that accurately reflects the way I played the part, so the snare doesn't sound like a typewriter anymore. I actually have a Phil Selway set, but that one didn't seem to be as sensitive as the John Bonham set, which is the one I used here. Maybe it's too beefy of a drum sound for this, maybe not. I am trying to make a heavier version of this, after all. I didn't put any plugins on the individual drums, just a compressor and a little reverb on a drum buss. So they're very nearly straight out of the box. I also tried retracking the guitars, but I didn't get any better sounds out of my Line 6 than I did originally, so I stuck with the original guitar tracks and did a lot of work to make them blend better. I really want to get a new tube amp, but that's just not financially possible right now. All I have for a real amp is an old Marshall Valvestate half-stack that currently serves as an end table that looks cooler than it sounds. So I have to make the best of what I have, which is digital. Again, this is intended to be heavier than the original, so the guitars are supposed to have a lot of gain. That being said, they still need to blend well with everything else, so please let me know how I've done with that. I also reprocessed the vocal from scratch, with much less plugins. I didn't do that for the sake of using less plugins, as many people suggested, but because the way it was processed before it jacked up the sibilants, which made mastering the song hell. This was the first song I recorded, so there was a learning curve. Anyway, I'd really appreciate anyone who takes the time to listen again. There are a few things I think maybe need to be tweaked, but I'd like some outside ears before I do that, or even mention what I think they are.
 
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vocal isn't gelling with the mix as well as it could, to me. i think it could use some compression and level adjustments, then better use of verb. actually, at 2:30, the vocal sounds really good in the mix on "beeeeend". the quieter parts are sticking out to me. sounds very early 90's, like Screaming Trees. Guitars are a bit too fizzy up top. but, hey, i have that same problem sometimes. still trying to think of the vocal issue im hearing. could be too much low mids in the EQ. Maybe a little dip in the 200-400 area would help it sit better.

let's see what others say. nice tune though. deserves a great mix. and it's not too far off
 
Thanks! Yeah, I've been back and forth with the reverb on the vocal. I made a couple of slight changes a couple of hours ago, which I just put in the OP. I brought up the vocal reverb a tiny bit, and brought up the bass drum a little. I'm thinking you may be right about the low mids in the vocal. I'll try that. I may also need to do some more fader riding on the vocal. I'm being careful with compression, because that's what brings out the sibilants. I like the "excited" sound that certain compression settings bring out, but along with that comes the sibilants and breathing. That's why I ended up with so many plugins on the first mix, fighting side effects of compression.
 
Okay, I did some work on the vocal, and a couple of other things. I updated the OP. I think this sounds better, but I'm at that point where I need to stop for the day. My ears are done.
 
Hi, Paulman. This is a nice cover! The drum set is a good match for the tune, but I would have it more present - i.e. louder! The guitar sounds are pretty good too. Perhaps a litlle gainy? More guitars with a bit less gain would recreate the wall-of-sound effect that this tune has in parts, but would also give it the texture and bite that it is lacking slightly (to my ears, anyway). Did you record the vocal in one hit, or do the loud and soft parts seperately? Your singing is great. It's a bit odd to hear it so well sung but so different to the original. If I have one suggestion it's that the vocal is a tad loud. Also, the loud part of the song it sounds like you need to stand back from the mic with your throat fully open. It feels like you're holding back, that you're finding it easy to hit the notes so there's no need to belt it out. I think you should belt it out.

Good stuff, and I really like the bass tone and playing. :D
 
Bubba po said:
Hi, Paulman. This is a nice cover! The drum set is a good match for the tune, but I would have it more present - i.e. louder! The guitar sounds are pretty good too. Perhaps a litlle gainy? More guitars with a bit less gain would recreate the wall-of-sound effect that this tune has in parts, but would also give it the texture and bite that it is lacking slightly (to my ears, anyway). Did you record the vocal in one hit, or do the loud and soft parts seperately? Your singing is great. It's a bit odd to hear it so well sung but so different to the original. If I have one suggestion it's that the vocal is a tad loud. Also, the loud part of the song it sounds like you need to stand back from the mic with your throat fully open. It feels like you're holding back, that you're finding it easy to hit the notes so there's no need to belt it out. I think you should belt it out.

Good stuff, and I really like the bass tone and playing. :D
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Thanks Bubba! I've always loved this song. It was probably my favorite song to play with a band, with I Want You (She's So Heavy) a close second (which I also have a cover of, though I'm hesitant to post it because it's eight minutes). My interpretation of this song has never been what Thom Yorke intended it to be, from what I've read. He wrote a song about suffocating in a boring relationship, but I always read it (if you ignore some of the lines) as an exuberant celebration of life. Okay, maybe only the last lines could be interpreted that way, but they're my favorite part so I like to put that exuberance into the whole song. This recording is an attempt to do that, on all instruments.

I recorded the vocal all at once. I normally cut between vocal takes on a song to get the best take for each section, but I think for this one I actually did use just one of the takes straight through. You're right, it is too loud overall. On some previous mixes I rode the fader. On this one I was too lazy to do that at that particular time, but in my heart I knew it needed to be done. I do want it to be a bit louder relative to the music than the original (that exuberance thing again), but it is a bit much on some if not most sections. I thought I was belting it out, but now you've got me wondering if I can juice more out of it. I wonder if maybe I held back a little because I wasn't sure how my new mic would handle it. That thing is SENSITIVE.

I have wondered whether the drums needed to be louder or cut through more. That's one of the things I was holding back from mentioning to see if anyone brought it up. Good to know, I'll work on that. The guitars are tougher. I don't know if it's my Line 6 or the way I'm recording it, but I've had a hard time with guitar tones on this. I'm completely happy with the guitars on the Beatles song (which I made VERY heavy on the last half), so I don't know what my issue is here. I tried more traditional, tubey lower gain sounds, and it just didn't work. I want an amp so bad. I'm tired of digital. The way it is now is the best it has sounded though, so there's that. I have like six or seven guitars on it, not including the clean one. I think four rhythm guitars, and two or three doubles of all the lead lines. I'm very close to just leaving this one alone, after the vocal and drum adjustments are made. No sense in beating myself up over it, or else I may never stop.

Thank you for listening and commenting. You've given me some good insights to think about and work on.
 
This is pretty cool paulman. Really nice vocal performance.

I listened to the first minute or two of the 1st mix and then listened to the entirety of the new mix. The drums stand out now as being a bit beefier sounding which is better to my ear. The rhythm guitars have a slightly unpleasant grainy quality to them, but it's not bad. I myself am no expert on overdriven guitar sounds, so take that with a grain...

Enjoyed the listen! I do think the new mix is an improvement.
 
To my ear, you've pretty much fixed most of the first mix issues. The drums are the right level now and the track stands up ten times better because of that.
As a big fan of Radiohead and knowing their version really well, it's hard to comment without referencing the original. What are you going for, a fairly close recreation or completely your own take? If the former, then there are one or two things to look at; if the latter, then the things I'm going to mention are moot, anyway. :D With reference to the original, I still feel the gain on those guitars is extreme. If you have a lot of guitars on there, a couple at least could do to be on a lightish crunch setting.
The guitar that comes in on the bridge between the first two verses is rather too loud. I love that bit myself, and my impression is that you do too, only you want to hear it better on your version :D That's cool, but I would still drop it back a couple of dB.

I reiterate that all the performances, but especially the singing and the bass playing, are really good.

By the way, I have two Marshall 100 watt tube heads and a 4x12 cab. I also have a 50w valvestate amp and I often track with it for the convenience. It records very well indeed, IMO.
 
I used to play this song as an acoustic duo back in the late 90s along with Paranoid Android. Cracking song.

You've made a good job of it, nothing to add other than what Bubba said. I know from your previous posting of this that you're not going for a heavier more metal version of it, so that's cool. I don't do covers very often, but this has kind of got me in the mood for giving Paranoid Android a shot.

Bubba po said:
By the way, I have two Marshall 100 watt tube heads and a 4x12 cab. I also have a 50w valvestate amp and I often track with it for the convenience. It records very well indeed, IMO.
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There's a couple of "fake tube" amps from the early 90s that are pretty good actually. I think they just died out quickly 'cos modelling amps followed hot on their heals really quickly. I still enjoy playing through my Peavey Bandit "TransTube" amp - this distortion is really "90s metal" but it does a good job of reacting to your playing dynamics like a tube amp.
 
Thanks guys! Bubba, what I'm going for is a take that's a bit heavier than the original, a bit bigger, a bit more aggressive. I'm not totally happy with the current guitar sound, but I think I'm just going to be done with it. In the future I may retrack when I get an amp. Maybe I should try out my Valvestate, though I think the head has a short or something that needs to be fixed. I've got to find something. It'll be quite a while before I can get a Mesa Boogie like I want, so in the meantime I've got to find a more realistic option.

JDOD, I'd love to hear Paranoid Android. I'm looking forward to you posting it. I'm actually planning on doing more covers for a while. With all the issues I'm still learning how to overcome in recording, I'd rather learn on covers so my originals will come together better and faster, and so hopefully when I have a sound in my head for a song I'll know how to make it happen instead of guessing over several weeks or months.
 
paulman77 said:
JDOD, I'd love to hear Paranoid Android. I'm looking forward to you posting it.
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I'm intrigued to hear it, too. :D I did my version of it quite a while ago, and it's the biggest, most complex mix I've ever undertaken.

By the way, Debaser is coming along quite well. :)
 
Paulmann, learning to record on covers is a really good idea... I wish I had done it, I rarely do covers so have been learning to record by constantly rehashing my originals. Getting there now but it's been slow progress.

Hmmm, paranoid android... Don't want to commit to this! Might try something simpler instead!
 
I only listened to the revised mix. The vocal is nicely done. It's a little boomy, though. I'd cut the low mids in the vocal so it sits better.

The guitars are pretty good. Very nice layering, but there's a harshness and flatness to them that implies a sim.

Overall it's a nice job.
 
Bubba po said:
Yes, but this is on my Soundcloud. I probably have a better mix somewhere. :)

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Holy shit, this is good. There's all sorts of weird noises, clicking and swooshing and shit, all over the place. No way am I doing this now - I'll think of another one - Electioneering is probably more my bag.
 
Nola said:
The guitars are pretty good. Very nice layering, but there's a harshness and flatness to them that implies a sim.
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This is exactly my problem with it. I've never been happy with the guitar sound on this, and don't think I will be until I get a real amp again and retrack at least the lead. Yet I've gotten good crunchy sounds on other songs with the same Line 6 unit, so I don't know what the deal is with this one. At first I thought it was because I used a super high gain metal amp model for the lead, which is a sound that I have never before used in my life and probably never will again. But I tried retracking with lower gain, more traditional models, even before Bubba suggested I do exactly that. It still sounded like shit. So I'm just done with it for now. I did get the guitars sounding better than they did before, and learned a few things in the process, so I'll take that as a win for now and worry about making this song better when I have an amp.
 
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