Blessings We Don't Have

S

SteveE9C6

New member
I have a song at my website titled Blessings We Don't Have that I would appreciate any input on. Steve Stallings Songs The song will start automatically. You can also check out my studio in my pics if you want.

I do all of this in my home studio by myself. My studio is ~17x27 and is a nice space with professional treatment. I live in a quite rural area.
Instruments on this recording and recording chain/treatment:

Track one
Betamonkee 24 bit drum loops-Voxengo Varisaturator with a tiny bit of send to a Pristine Space buss with an EMT plate impulse. Stereo track

Track two
Peavey Koa bass-ADL600-sonitus compressor (bass preset) mono

Track three
Martin D35-Neuman TLM49-ADL600-API560 eq reverb buss panned far right mono

Track four
Martin D18-Neuman TLM49-ADL600-API560 eq reverb buss panned far left mono

Track five
Electric G&L Asat-Egnator head-cab with Weber alnicos-sm57 no effects except amp spring reverb. panned somewhat left

Track six
Lead Asat Classic same as track 5

Track seven
Rains Pedal Steel-Pvy Profex2-Pvy Px300 with 15 BW-SM57

Track eight
Lead vocal-Neuman TLM49-ADL600-Voxengo Voxformer-Reverb buss

Track nine
harmony vocal... same as eight.


Master buss:
Izoptope 3
Voxengo Elephant EL2 preset
RN Inspector.
 
:confused: No takers? Is it the genre? Perhaps you are not familiar with the Honky tonkin, Christ loving, Small town redneck genre? ;)

All comments welcome.
Mix, production,song, performance, etc...




stay tuned... next week will be "Led Zepplin plays all the Gospel hits". :p
 
Nice. Your one talented songwriter, Ive always liked your stuff.

The production is great. The only nit I have as that it seems too bright. Too much of the upper frequencies. I could also use the lead vocal a bit louder. Yeah, all the high stuff is really dominating the mix. Maybe just bringing up the low end would be a simple fix.

Quality song, nice performances.:cool:
 
I like the song Steve, it has a good story to it. You play all insturments very well too...This is IMHO radio/pop material, with good songwriting.

Here's my take on the mix....
- the vocals sound great, performance and tone/effects.
- I was looking for a bit more acoustic but that was probably because I know you have a Martin lol...
- the lead on the left (intro/solo) and the steel are both a bit hot compared to the rest of the mix. They jump out on the headphones.
- the drums seem a little crispy, but that's subjective. It would be good if someone else could chime in here and give a second opinion.

Again great song, minor mixing things....

:D:):D:)
 
Good work! You're very talented. Country isn't my cup of tea, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it's a good song, a good performance, and good production to my ears.

Joseph (icystorm)
 
thank you David...
You are the third person to comment on that general area. I think that this may be an inherent problem for me that is related to HF hearing loss.

...... if only I had some fiddle!

(I play fiddle too, but so poorly as to make grown men cry:o)
 
Steve,

I can only listen on cans right now, so I'll come back and give my opinions after I can listen on the monitors. I do have a question though. Would you consider using this track for a mix contest? You can see the last one here - https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=255070 - they are mostly meant for learning, and we haven't ever done country. This seems like a perfect song to try this with. Everyone would be extremely greatful! :)

PS - Aren't you the guy who said to lowpass the kick at 300hz? That kick sounds like it's got a heck of a 4khz attack in it.... :) ;) :)

PPS - I'm still trying to talk DavidK into a classical mix contest! :D
 
NL5 said:
Steve,


PS - Aren't you the guy who said to lowpass the kick at 300hz? That kick sounds like it's got a heck of a 4khz attack in it.... :) ;) :)
Click to expand...

I'll check that tonite... I think I did put one on there but had problems because it is not a discrete kick.. :P
 
As to the mixing contest... I'm not sure it would be all that beneficial as the drums are just one stereo track.
 
Ok guys...

I appreciate ALL of the comments and suggestions.
New mix up with a couple of lyric changes as well.
Instead of "He's so old" it's He's my God.
Last line is changed to Lord I'm blessed and the bluebird sure does sing.

Mix changes
Bottom end up a tad
Slight eq tweak of entire mix to smooth out frequencies. A little less high end hype.
D35 slightly louder in mix
Lead and steel down a tad.

Seems a bit smoother to me, but then I've listened to this so long that it is difficult to be objective.
Steve
 
Hi Steve
I think everything on this mix sounds pretty good in terms of levels, eqs etc.

I do think though that there are different times when the vox, guitars and drums are not synchronised as well as they might be. I noticed this especially at the start. I know that you probably don't want it to be robotically in time, a lazy country feel can be nice but maybe you could do some judicious tweaking using the multitrack s/w i saw in your studio photo. (or maybe some judicious overdubs). I hate to sound critical, obviously you are a fine musician but i thought I would be honest, since I know it is hard to be objective when you have listened to the same track over and over
 
Thanks for that Rohan... I do hear that and keep meaning to go back and fix it. I did try to use Audio snap but wound up with a jumbled mess! No, there are some intermittent timing mistakes as well as a couple of guitar and bass mistakes that I am aware of. I appreciate the comments.

My biggest problem? Not enough time. Between practicing family medicine, church, family, gigging, songwriting, and recording.... I just run out of time. I am going to retire in about 5 years from medicine. (I'm already semi-retired as I no longer take call or do inpatient/hospital work). I'm hoping I will have more time then but my wife wants to travel... so, we'll see.
 
Wow you are a busy man!
Anyway as someone who done a fair bit of retrospective time tweaking, I don't use an automated one. in my multitrack, first I identify the best time reference track for the particular spot. Then i zoom in to the affected area, then cut the dodgy track either side of the problematic spot. The snippet can then be moved laterally to line up (just eyeball is usually good enough, zoomed in moderately) with the equivalent point on the reference track, which hopefully you may be able to place adjacent if you can reshuffle tracks on screen. Also there you have the optional choice of time stretching the snippet if you are left with bits of "no track" you want to cover up. You are right it can be time consuming, but sometimes it is worth it in a few key spots in a song.
Good luck with your dabblings
 
Nice song Doctor Steve, country isn't my genre, but I've written a bit myself although not as well as you. The song is pretty well balanced and pleasing to the ear. Much too long, though. 6:22? or so. Also, the reference to the Lord comes out of nowhere at the end. Then the movement goes from a bluebird doesn't sing to a bluebird sure sings. Did I get that right?

Anyway, nice listen and I love your instruments. Wish I had a Martin. I sing about one, but I'm stuck with a Washburn.:D Huntsville huh? Why don't you write a song about missles? :D Just kidding. You're a good player and singer.
 
Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. I had two hours last night to work on music, but I had an idea for another song and worked on it:o I'm hoping to stay home this weekend while my wife goes shopping and work on this.

I have perhaps, 15 or so tunes that are scratch recordings only that I need to finish as well.

Now, as to the reference to the Lord, the entire song is about being thankful for what the Lord has given us and not worrying about things we don't have or perceive we need. The last line of the song is expressing the fact that, yes, the person represented in the song is blessed.


Martin guitars? Love them... I'm the founder of www.umgf.com
 
I think the vocal is a little loud, and the drums could use a little more LF energy - and perhaps a splash of 'verb.

Good arrangement, nice guitar work. I like your voice.
 
Steve,

I like your song. I like your mix. I like your playing. I like your web page.
But.
I love your heart!
Oh... and your ASAT is pretty stinkin' cool too.

Peace to you,

~Shawn
 
Good song & excellent playing though the mix is a little polite for my tastes.
Or it could be final EQ'ing as there seems to be no top of the top end on the streamer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top