a country song

[mkg]

It's on nowhereradio, link below. Title is Made My Bed. Thanks for listening and for comments.

Mark

http://nowhereradio.com/mkg/singles

[mixmkr]

where in w. ky?...I live real near the lake.

wow...nice loud mix.
the vocals are kinda 'back there', with the reverb and all.
there's a guitar that is kinda slicing thru the mix too...real trebly

good tune...mix needs a little more polish.

[King Elvis]

Cool tune but, the vocals need some work
I would tone down the verb just a bit on the vocals
that should warm em up some. Bring the vocals up a little and the rhythm guitar down a bit so they balance out better
Its great to hear some country around here
and again..Cool Tune

[badgas]

Song is nice.
A few adjustments in the mix.
Good job.

[Track Rat]

Guitars are a bit thin. Not bad so far.

[mkg]

Thanks for the suggestions and comments, you all seem to be coming to the same conclusions about the mix. I tried to get the vocals (such as they are) out front, but I think headphones are fooling me. Do most of you mix with monitors as opposed to phones?
Reducing verb on vocals is a good suggestion.
I need to find a way to fatten guitars, too.
Glad that you all like the song. Your comments on the mix will prove very helpful.

mixmkr, I'm in Owensboro. Good to meet a fellow Kentuckian!

Thanks again,
Mark

[badgas]

I've been through Kentucky.

[Track Rat]

I was thru Kentucky last week on my way to visit Maw and Paw in Clarksville. Stopped and got a burger in Paducah.
Mixing with phones is very problamatic. Things happen with speakers in free space that can't happen with phones. Pans sound different, effects sound different, etc. Everytime I've tried to mix with phones I found the mixes didn't translate to other systems worth a damn.

[King Elvis]

I used to mix thru headphones and my mixes sounded great...thru headphones that is, but once I would try and listen thru speakers at home or in the car the mix didnt sound right. Now I mix using speakers. I dont mix thru high end monitors because that is not the way I, nor most others will hear it. Use anything at your disposal...powered computer monitors, a boombox with aux inputs, even run some power out to your car or truck and mix thru your car system...make a mix that sounds good to you and let us hear it!!!

Rock On!!!
The King

[B.SABBATH]

I agree with the previous comments about the vocals.. good tune though.. people always tell me I saturate the vocals with too much effect but I can't hear it myself.. I can hear it here though.. your voice is good so may as well dry it off a bit..

late
sam

[mkg]

Thanks to all you guys for the comments and advice, I'm still trying to learn how to use this 1180. I was afraid that if the vocal was too dry it wouldn't fly, but it seems the opposite is true.
Good advice about the phones, too. I'm gonna see about using speakers instead.
I'm glad to hear that you think the song itself is decent, that's really my main priority.

Mark

[JMarcomb]

Nice feel!

I love the intro ... not starting on the root chords is cool.

maybe cut the high freq. a little bit?

Nice job!!!!

[theron]

Hey MKG,

Nice tune. I like the lyrics and singin'.

That lead git with the fills is really piercing through in a bad way. Maybe put it down in the mix and off to the side some.

The back up vox were cool but, a little buried. It kinda sounds like you're pushing the whole mix too high to begin with and then fighting with the tracks to get them all heard.
I must mention the overly wet vox as well

Good song, nice vocal and the mix is on it's way. You've got good tracks to work with. A little more fiddleing and your mix will be on a par with the song.

Peace,

Theron.

[mkg]

JMarcomb, good point about cutting the highs...glad you like the way I did the intro.

theron, that is a great observation about pushing the basic tracks and then having to play catchup, that's exactly what happened. I need to learn how to eq, there's an art to that. Bill Roberts over at recording.org is helping me out there.

Thanks very much, guys!

Mark

[theron]

from the brief net contact I've had with B. Roberts, I'd say you're in good hands.

Theron.

[wes480]

Originally posted by King Elvis
I dont mix thru high end monitors because that is not the way I, nor most others will hear it. Use anything at your disposal...powered computer monitors, a boombox with aux inputs, even run some power out to your car or truck and mix thru your car system...make a mix that sounds good to you and let us hear it!!!

Rock On!!!
The King

that's a bad reason not to use "high end" monitors...but, your advice is right on.

[mkg]

I put up a new mix a few minutes ago.
Changes:
dried up vocals to put them more out front
rewrote some of the lyric
re-sang lead
eq'ed the fill guitar down, lowered volume
pushed fill guitar slightly for lead break

Any better?

Thanks,
Mark

http://nowhereradio.com/mkg/singles

[Guernica]

Hey Mkg....
I hear "X"..... Im not sure what your intention is. If you are going for a true country, I would not be qualified to comment on style, .....but I hear a great John Doe song. I expect Exene to chime in with a harmony at any time. Regarding the mix, the only thing that really stuck out to me was a little excessive brightness on the guitars. Cool song..... g

[mkg]

Guernica, thanks very much. I classified this country because I didn't know what else to call it. Maybe I should re-classify as alternative or something?
Are all the guitars too bright? Maybe I can fix that with eq on a remix.
John Doe song...I like that. But what do you mean by "I hear X."?
Also, not familiar with Exene, can you educate me on those terms?
Thanks again for listening and comments!

Mark

edit: Guernica, I got off my lazy butt and did a search, now I know what you meant. Thanks very much for the compliment!

[theron]

Definite improvment IMO. Still think that lead/fills git is too bright but, the rhythm section sounds tons better.

NIce job

Theron

[mkg]

Theron, thanks. I think I'm starting to realize that years of live playing have taken their toll on my sensitivity to high-end sounds. What might be happening is that when I mix guitars like the fill on this song, I'm mixing to my own loss of hearing in the upper registers.
I hope that's not the case, but these 51 year-old ears might just have some battle damage.

Mark

[muzeman]

I really liked this song.
Your voice has a fine quality to it.

How did you record the guitars,mabey someone can give you some ideas.

Sounds to me like the snare is a bit to loud.

Enjoyed it very much!

Best to you,
Pete

[mkg]

Pete, thanks! Guitars were recorded direct, using edited COSM patches. It's convenient to work late at night like that, but I know tone suffers. I'd be obliged for any advice there.
As for the snare, all the drums are on one track, so any eq or effect is universal. I could bring the whole kit down a bit. One nice thing, I can import drum loops, and discretedrums is issuing a couple of cd's for the 1180. I think they're going to have each sound on its own track, which will help immensely.

Thanks to all of you for the informed criticism and the kind words.

Mark

[muzeman]

mkg,

I have the same problem,I usually record at night.

The only thing I found that helps with the rythym guitar is to play it twice and pan it stereo.

As far as lead,can't help you there.
I'm still trying to get a good lead sound out of my J station.
It has some decent sounds,but never loud or full enough.
Mabey some of the good players around here can offer advice.

Best to you,
Pete

[ozraves]

I love the song. Very nice lyrical ideas and I love the guitar work.

The recording is certainly good as a demo of the song. It's not anything like what anyone in Nashville would be interested in.

Your song has a certain humorous innocence that is just catchy. Good songwriting job. Maybe you could get Cletus T. Judd to do your song. Maybe Nashville could take it as a novelty song. Thanks for sharing.