Follow Me Ape Teeth

[fritsthegirl]

I agree that the vocal during the 'busy part' is a little low in the mix, but during the other parts it blends well. I'm not hearing much kick in the drum part, Nice collaboration.

Cheers MJB. Interesting people are commenting on the vocal volume. I guess I myself mix my vocals pretty low in my own mixes...at least I think I do, since I received that feedback a little when I was mixing my own songs. I like it like that, since I find it hard to really belt it out there's always fault in my singing....so I'm OK with the vocals being a little to the back. Plus my recording of vocals still isn't so great, so I'm reckoning Pete did the best he could with the tracks I gave him.

Cool song! I liked hearing the story of how this was constructed, really interesting to me because it’s about the opposite of how I put things together. It totally worked.
I didn't think the vocals were too quiet, exactly, but what if you made the lead vocal part a little louder relative to the rest of the vocal parts? And then you'd probably have to take all the vocals down a hair after doing that. Not sure about this though, just wanted to throw it out there. I felt like I wanted to hear the lead more clearly, but that the problem wasn't exactly the volume of the vocals as a whole.
I love the birds.

Sweet, thanks for listening Jessica, I appreciate the feedback and will take it on board. I'm sure if I tried to mix it myself it would have been a lot worse. Although I enjoy mixing, it's kind of nice to have someone more skilled doing it for me. I recorded the birds outside my window. They're all going nuts because of spring and that. I think it's a Blackbird, but I'm really not sure.

L MJB says, the issue is when the band's full on - that's when the vocal's getting buried. The level's fine when things are quieter.

Interesting. I really don't hear it myself, I think the levels are good but like I said before, I think I myself also err on the side of having them lower as a preference so maybe that's why I don't hear it?

I'm listening on laptop speakers for now, but it sounds pretty good. Some definite improvement in your vocal delivery in this one.

I'll listen later on headphones so I can actually *hear* the mix.

Yes I think I actually sang on this instead of whispering.

 

[fritsthegirl]

Nice song, great vocals & instruments, super job all 'round, especially using drum loops, to me they sound pretty realistic...

I really can't add much more than what's been mentioned, the lead vocal needs a little bump in volume in places, but that's really the only nit I've got with the mix...

The acoustic sounds a little like it's direct/di, but I like it, it fits the song...

The little bass thing about 2:00 or so is great too, adds to the song instead of just playing along (like I usually do...)...

The singer is does a really good job IMHO, everything sounds good, but especially the lead vocals...

They weren't even loops, it was a complete drum track I downloaded. Which made it kind of easy in a way but also hard, as what you get is a set amount of time, and you just have to fill it in so it makes sense. Pete did so much of the the work here, it was definitely a case of, it's too complicated for me. He gave the song its structure. After the first few bars I lose count and forget when I'm meant to bringing in the next bit. Don't have me in your band is all I can say.

Love the ripping bass there heat! I'd second the comment that in certain places it's just a little bassy... especially in the less crowded bits. All the incidental stuff is really top notch... I do like the way you put all these interesting little bits and pieces in your own stuff, and in this as well.

FTG - very Kirsty MacColl feel to this one... I'd bring the voice up a little here and there.

Nice work all.

Thanks Armi.

I. Love. This. Fucking. Song.

Loaded in iTunes. I am traveling Europe now and this song is my traveling companion for some reason but it just feels right, right now and right here.

I hope you don't change a fucking thing because the idiosyncrasies make it so much sweeter.

This is fantastic stuff and I hope you both collaborate on a full length record.

Shut up and take my money.

Thank you thank you thank you.

That is a pretty awesome bit of feedback. Thank you so much.

Ok. Listening on some decent cans now...

The vox do get a tad buried in the busier parts.
I actually think the bass is at a good level during the quiet passages but is kind of overpowering in the busy sections.

Damn, really? I thought we nailed the levels on the vocals on this and I really love the bass being a bit louder. It's so hard for me to know at what point it becomes personal preference or if it really is a thing. I mean I don't really say much in the lyrics, so for me it's totally OK for them to ride on the instrumental parts after the first segment. I could be wrong though.

This was a fun listen. I agree that the vocal tone is the most problematic. It disappears when the full band is going. And I think it needs some EQ work; it sounds a bit dull and lacks some definition. I wish I could give specific ideas in terms of frequencies, but I often have the same problem with my vocal tracks. Cool tune, though!

Thanks Beagle. And then there's the quality of the vocal track I gave Pete to mix...apart from my poor recording skills my voice doesn't sound super great at high volumes, so I sing pretty quietly...I never know exactly what to do with my vocal track either, but I do believe they are as good as they can be in this mix.

 

[fritsthegirl]

Are you guys into twee pop and/or bands like the Vaselines? This reminds me a lot of that style. But the bass is quite boomy. I like the vocal low..."indie" type vocals sound best slightly buried like that, so I think it fits the style and genre. I never have to strain to hear them so they aren't too low, just lower than mainstream songs. Overall good.

I have heard of the Vaselines...but don't know them well. I think twee is the same as indie? I definitely am into music like Luna, Belle and Sebastian but also acoustic folk music like Townes Van Zandt and Donovan. Pete, not sure if he's into 'twee', I think he just has a good ear for something different, plus he plays guitar real good.

Damn nice tune by you both again. Love the jangly indie pop type feel

I listened a couple of times over the last few days in case anything came to me to suggest, but not much did. I agree with mjb that I don't hear much kick, but I guess you're limited in editing the original loop. It means the low end is a touch light when the bass part is high like during the solo, but it's no biggie.

Main bone of contention in the thread seems to be around vocal level, but I think the 'in the mix' level sounds fine on this one to be honest. There's a tendency on here to push for vocals out in front, which wasn't something I necessarily heard in my record collection until I started posting on here. I think I've become more conditioned to it after a few years posting and catch myself pushing for it too - when actually it's nice sometimes to just have the voice as another instrument in the mix, and some lyrical ambiguity is cool. In short, the vocals have a pleasing vulnerability about them and I'd leave them as they are. [/rambling]

Ah, well that is good to hear. Plus one for burying vocals! Nah, I get what you mean, I think if I had been singing something different in the lyrics I would have agreed to push the vocals up a bit, but in this song, the lyrics are all the same, so I reckon it's OK that they only provide a texture in some parts. Shit, that sounds kind of wanky, and like I know what I'm talking about?

I just love hearing notes blended together as harmonies and in layers. I want everything to be sympathetic to everything else that's going on. There are obvious reasons to burying a vocal in the mix...bad technique or poor recording, which do come into play with anything I do for sure. But mainly I kind of like being blended into everything else. It's nice to drift along with the music.

+1. Nothing much to add here. I think the mix - vocals not so upfront - fits the style, "indie-pop", "twee-pop". I might be wrong there, but I'm sure it's a great song.

Twee is good in my eyes. Wish I thought to set it as that in Soundcloud. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

loved it, sounded like Petes approach to music with some great vocals...you guys could be the next st etienne

great sig line fritz

LOL. That sig line reminds me to stick around just to prove you wrong. Thanks for listening Earl.

 

[fritsthegirl]

Dunno if you goons have noticed, but the poster and the collaborator haven't responded in...what? a week?

Yer all talkin' to yourselves.

10 days. Sorry, the south of France was calling. I am genuinely sorry for posting it when I did, I should have waited, that was dumb. I don't want to be considered a drive-by harvester in the clinic. Thanks for the feedback everyone. Really, thank you, it's cool bananas to get so many opinions.

 

[dobro]

I like the multiple reply posts you've been doing. It's sort of like getting home and there's a stack of mail waiting to be answered.

 

[4tracker]

I have heard of the Vaselines...but don't know them well. I think twee is the same as indie? I definitely am into music like Luna, Belle and Sebastian but also acoustic folk music like Townes Van Zandt and Donovan. Pete, not sure if he's into 'twee', I think he just has a good ear for something different, plus he plays guitar real good.

Twee is a subset of the general "indie" genre. Usually characterized by lilting melody and jangly guitars. The Vaselines are awesome! If I made a record as good as Complete History of the Vaselines I'd probably off myself because it's near perfect.

 

[Armistice]

10 days. Sorry, the south of France was calling. I am genuinely sorry for posting it when I did, I should have waited, that was dumb. I don't want to be considered a drive-by harvester in the clinic. Thanks for the feedback everyone. Really, thank you, it's cool bananas to get so many opinions.

Going there myself in August - 2 weeks... bit more of trip for me though...