boombox

heatmiser

heatmiser

mr. green christmas
Hey folks - I recently put together this silly (but hopefully fun) little tune about the first high school party I remember attending.

If anyone wants to give me any feedback on the mix or the arrangement or whatever, I'd appreciate it.

As for the mix, I find the overall impression is that it is kind of mid-heavy compared with other stuff I've done. I'm ok with that, as long as it isn't seriously off-putting to the listener. On the plus side, it is a lot shorter and more up-tempo than most of my tracks:

5.20 mix - with slightly more pronounced panning and other stuff:

https://soundcloud.com/kingseesar/boombox-5-20-13

Thanks,
Pete
 
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I don't find it mid heavy, but it does seem like most of the action is very centered in the mix. I'd like things spread out a little more. Move the lead off center a little more, and move the distorted guitar the other way. The vocals are very cool. I like the distorted vocals, but I think you could dial it back a hair and get more clarity while still having the same effect. Boost the vocals up a little more too. Everything else sounds really good to me. Nice track. :)
 
Good stuff. Thanks Greg.

I normally double track and layer so many guitar parts that panning decisions are a little easier. On this, the guitar parts are fewer, and I didn't double track, so I think panning becomes more challenging and probably more important. I'm going to see if I can spread things out more without having it sound lopsided when certain parts are absent.

The two constant rhythm guitar tracks are panned pretty wide, but I agree that other stuff is kind of bunched up now that you mention it. Thanks again!!
 
No prob, as a point of comparison, you may or may not know or care that my own stuff is usually very minimally tracked. I don't do anything that simply just doesn't have to be done. I typically do two rhythms, pan them hard to each side, and one lead track. Maybe sometimes one additional accent rhythm track. And one bass track always panned like 3-5% off center. That's it. I find I can pan the lead or accent as much as 30-35% to either side without it sounding significantly lopsided and it leaves room in the middle for similar midrangey stuff like vocals and snare. I don't find that there are any sonic holes in my mixes even without a bunch of layers of tracks. Just food for thought.
 
Wow. Pete, I can't give you any criticism. I have to excuse myself from the jury because I'm now positive that I'm a fan of yours outside of this site.
I love your voice, your lyrics and your musicianship too much to critique anything anymore.
This is a fantastic song. It sounds like it was quite a party!
 
Greg_L said:
No prob, as a point of comparison, you may or may not know or care that my own stuff is usually very minimally tracked. I don't do anything that simply just doesn't have to be done. I typically do two rhythms, pan them hard to each side, and one lead track. Maybe sometimes one additional accent rhythm track. And one bass track always panned like 3-5% off center. That's it. I find I can pan the lead or accent as much as 30-35% to either side without it sounding significantly lopsided and it leaves room in the middle for similar midrangey stuff like vocals and snare. I don't find that there are any sonic holes in my mixes even without a bunch of layers of tracks. Just food for thought.
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Yeah, easy for you to say with your marshall stack and LP! I'm pretty sure when you did your spectorish production and that other longer one, you had like 40+ tracks or something, right? Didn't you layer more back when you were using sims and stuff?

The approach above really works for you. It sounds full and yet it has breadth too.

I normally double track all kinds of stuff, both because of some fixation on symmetry and also because I just like the layered, spacey kind of thing you can build that way, but I like to get away from that sometimes. This is one of those times. I find there's a big difference just having two rhythm guitar tracks on either side each playing different parts.

I just finished a new mix with your panning ideas in mind. I'll add it to the 1st post. I think I also slightly altered a bunch of things that I didn't originally intend too though:

https://soundcloud.com/kingseesar/boombox-5-20-13

Any better?

propman said:
Wow. Pete, I can't give you any criticism. I have to excuse myself from the jury because I'm now positive that I'm a fan of yours outside of this site.
I love your voice, your lyrics and your musicianship too much to critique anything anymore.
This is a fantastic song. It sounds like it was quite a party!
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That is so nice Adam - thank you!

You could have said the exact opposite and I would have been like, "well, yeah, that makes sense...". You just never know how people are going to react to this stuff, you know. It's funny that way.

Not a great party by any stretch and it ended badly. Most sadly with the theft of my beloved ghetto blaster.
 
heatmiser said:
Yeah, easy for you to say with your marshall stack and LP! I'm pretty sure when you did your spectorish production and that other longer one, you had like 40+ tracks or something, right? Didn't you layer more back when you were using sims and stuff?

The approach above really works for you. It sounds full and yet it has breadth too.

I normally double track all kinds of stuff, both because of some fixation on symmetry and also because I just like the layered, spacey kind of thing you can build that way, but I like to get away from that sometimes. This is one of those times. I find there's a big difference just having two rhythm guitar tracks on either side each playing different parts.

I just finished a new mix with your panning ideas in mind. I'll add it to the 1st post. I think I also slightly altered a bunch of things that I didn't originally intend too though:

https://soundcloud.com/kingseesar/boombox-5-20-13

Any better?
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Well hold up, I wasn't suggesting that you not double track and layer stuff. I'm not saying "do it like me". I was just pointing out that I don't think you need to be too cautious of panning if you decide to only use a few tracks. You can go a ways off center before it starts sounding wongo. There's more wiggle room than you might think. I don't often use many layers - even back with sims. Sometimes I'll double track vocals and I often use a bunch of backing vocal tracks, but for actual music tracks, it's usually one and done. Yeah my Spector-ish Tourettes song is like 60-80 tracks, I don't remember, but that was a "special" case. Lol. Fuck shit piss!

Anyway....yes, this new mix is much better to me. I really dig it. It's got more space and clarity to my ears and the vocals are just right. I also listened on my reference headphones which I really trust and it sounds great. I can hear the stuff off center but it's not so wild that it's distracting or lopsided. Nice work. :)
 
I listened to the latest mix. I think it sounds awesome! I love the effect on the vocal, lofi and distant. Sounds really fitting for the rest of the tune. The mix is really good, I can hear everything and everything seems to gel real well.

I don't have any nits with it at all. I think I'll be humming/singing this all day long now :thumbs up:
 
Dr.SpringReverb said:
sounds cool
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Thank you Dr.!

Mr Clean said:
I listened to the latest mix. I think it sounds awesome! I love the effect on the vocal, lofi and distant. Sounds really fitting for the rest of the tune. The mix is really good, I can hear everything and everything seems to gel real well.

I don't have any nits with it at all. I think I'll be humming/singing this all day long now :thumbs up:
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Thanks Mr. Clean! I'm really surprised by the positive reaction thus far. Sometimes you finish something and you're pretty sure it's at least kind of good. Not the case here. Between the roomy drums, the silly lyrics, the bullhorn vocals and the spastic plucky guitar parts, I feared this was too weird or something. I'm very relieved.
 
Greg_L said:
Well hold up, I wasn't suggesting that you not double track and layer stuff. I'm not saying "do it like me". I was just pointing out that I don't think you need to be too cautious of panning if you decide to only use a few tracks. You can go a ways off center before it starts sounding wongo. There's more wiggle room than you might think. I don't often use many layers - even back with sims. Sometimes I'll double track vocals and I often use a bunch of backing vocal tracks, but for actual music tracks, it's usually one and done. Yeah my Spector-ish Tourettes song is like 60-80 tracks, I don't remember, but that was a "special" case. Lol. Fuck shit piss!

Anyway....yes, this new mix is much better to me. I really dig it. It's got more space and clarity to my ears and the vocals are just right. I also listened on my reference headphones which I really trust and it sounds great. I can hear the stuff off center but it's not so wild that it's distracting or lopsided. Nice work. :)
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So, wait...what am I supposed to do with that wrestling mask now?

Nah, I get it. Your advice was very relevant to this specific piece, and I think I learned something about panning as a result.

I originally had one guitar hard panned to either side, plus the OHs and room mics, and while nothing else was panned dead center, everything was within 5-10% of it. Last night I nudged a lot of stuff another 10-20% off to either side, and I really, really liked the effect it had. I think I much prefer the new mix. So thanks a ton for that.

I couldn't remember exactly what I'd done for processing on the stereo mix though, so the new one is probably completely different in that regard. Thankfully, I like whatever I did this time better too. I often don't get around to trying stuff people suggest here, but thuis was well worth it and a big help.
 
Veeerrrry nice. Sad story about the boom box though, but it is remembered forever in this great tune at least. I like the changes you made from the first version. The vocals were already good, but they sound even better now. Whatever treatment you gave them really fit the song (I'd like to know how you did it, if you can be bothered telling me). Nice one Pete, definitely something to aspire to. :)
 
fritsthegirl said:
Veeerrrry nice. Sad story about the boom box though, but it is remembered forever in this great tune at least. I like the changes you made from the first version. The vocals were already good, but they sound even better now. Whatever treatment you gave them really fit the song (I'd like to know how you did it, if you can be bothered telling me). Nice one Pete, definitely something to aspire to. :)
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Thanks a lot!

Personally, I think you can set your sights a liiiiiittle higher than that though ;)!

I am happy to tell you about the vocal effects. There are probably lots of ways of doing it. I used to sing through a guitar amp and mic that which was somewhat similar. For this, it's gonna sound more complicated than it is:

I tracked the vocals pretty clean much like the last tune, but with less delay. I then copied the track and set one aside. Then I took the original track and added pretty heavy compression, some overdrive with fairly light gain, a wah (just set in one position, not like an auto wah), then a light flanger was added, and then a limiter. Then I panned the two tracks slightly apart and adjusted levels to taste.

Based on greg's feedback, mix 2 is the same except I turned down the gain even further, spread the two tracks apart a little more, and I lowered the track with FX slightly and boosted the clean one a little. Voila! Bet you're sorry you asked:p.
 
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Bet you're sorry you told me, I'm going to copy it now. :D Nah, thanks for explaining it to me, I really appreciate it. It's hard to figure all this stuff out on your own.
 
Another one, you just keep churnin em out,, it is brilliant!
the only thing I've noticed & I waited a couple of days & had several listens, I was waiting to see if anybody else noticed it;
but at 2:00 everything seems to stand back to make way for a (tambourine!), to me it stood out straight away, like you put one instrument down to play it, but forgot to turn the gain on the mic up!

other than that it's VERY good, & in fact i've been messing around with short delay on my vocals( which really need a lot of work lately!) & I like the effect it's having, so one student is making progress!
but I think like FRITZ it IS something to aspire to, the only thing I haven't got down yet is the bass sound from DRIFT, I have a 1977 RICKENBACKER 4001 but haven't worked out how to get that sound yet!, it's there I just haven't been able to dial it in!.

The mix did benefit from GREG'S advice, RE panning(another thing i've been trying!,,very busy!)
so all in all I'd say YES!:guitar: NEXT PLEASE! :D
 
jiff 41 said:
Another one, you just keep churnin em out,, it is brilliant!
the only thing I've noticed & I waited a couple of days & had several listens, I was waiting to see if anybody else noticed it;
but at 2:00 everything seems to stand back to make way for a (tambourine!), to me it stood out straight away, like you put one instrument down to play it, but forgot to turn the gain on the mic up!

other than that it's VERY good, & in fact i've been messing around with short delay on my vocals( which really need a lot of work lately!) & I like the effect it's having, so one student is making progress!
but I think like FRITZ it IS something to aspire to, the only thing I haven't got down yet is the bass sound from DRIFT, I have a 1977 RICKENBACKER 4001 but haven't worked out how to get that sound yet!, it's there I just haven't been able to dial it in!.

The mix did benefit from GREG'S advice, RE panning(another thing i've been trying!,,very busy!)
so all in all I'd say YES!:guitar: NEXT PLEASE! :D
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Thanks jiff.

I listened a couple of times today focusing on the 2 minute mark to try to catch what you're hearing and I couldn't pinpoint it. That does happen to be where it goes into a verse/chorus segment with an acoustic guitar solo, which may be a bit out of place there. It does kind of feel like some energy drops out during that bit, but I guess I liked the contrast and irony of having a mellow, rough acoustic guitar featured after all that constant noodling on the electric.

Wow. You have a nice bass. I've never played one of those myself (I think queepy from this forum uses a rick?), but I'm sure you can get some nice tones from that thing? When I try for fuzz bass, I normally run the bass into a cheap mic pre with plenty 'o gain, and then from there into either a pro co rat, or a big muff fuzz pedal. Sometimes both. It does suck a lot of bass tone out of the signal, but sometimes I mix a clean track in there to fill it out a little. Thanks for listening, commenting, and the enthusiastic support!
 
Man, I do love your throwbacks to Jerry Garcia on the solos.

I don't find the mix too mid-heavy, but I hear the bass being boomy. the fact that no one else mentioned it has me wondering about my own set up. It used to be your mixes played real well in my studio, but maybe I fidgeted too much with the subwoofer. :facepalm:

All else sounds good to me. Typical groovin Heat song. Love it.
 
LOUD wooow LOUD.
I like it There must've been some panning adjustment by this listen - you've made things a little more phonic with the stereonessthing. The solo is fun at 1st but I'm not sure it holds up after a bit.
Enjoyable stuff!
 
You are a chicken pickin maniac!!! This sounds f-ing awesome. The bass on my setup is specifically calibrated to your recordings, and you did not disappoint - CRAZY good bass sound. You are driving me nuts with how much I wish I could get that sound. ps - You are also the only living human to get me to listen to guitar that sounds even remotely like the dead, AND make me love it.
 
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