Joe Jackson song - Bubba Po and NotThatBright collab.

Bubba po said:
Thanks very much, Jonny. I don't know what's going on with the vocal - can you hear distortion there? I'm beginning to think my new Rode NT1As don't record my vox very well. :( I could possibly have been slightly overloading the input of my interface as the Rode is quite a "hot" mic, but if I do that there is usually a tell-tale peaking on the channel in the DAW. I recorded with some compression on the channel input this time, which may have allowed the interface input to distort without clipping the channel, I suppose. You've got me wondering, now.
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Could be the compressor. I really like the bit of distortion I get from one of the compressors I usually use on my lead vox.
 
I've been meaning to listen to this for a few days now. Every time I do, something comes up. I run a gym out of my house, either training clients or renting it out for other people to work out. It's so busy here, especially in the mornings, that I can't listen to anything when I want to most of the the time because I provide music for whoever's here in the gym.

Anyway, I think it will calm down a little later. I love Joe Jackson so I definitely want to hear this.
 
I thought the vocal sounded good. Sounded nice and I thought the vocal style was cool. The harmony vocals were nice. I liked the bass sound - honestly I thought it was at a better level in mix #1. I also thought the vocals were too wet in mix #2.

The snare and kick sounded excellent. Cymbals were a little hissy. But not real bad.

The rhythm guitars were a little pushed back in the mix. Not quite enough power to them for me. Nice playing tho. And I could hear them better in mix #2.
 
Very cool. I don't recognize this tune, but it sounds Joe-ish to me. Like the vocals, the chorus reminds of "The Kids Are Alright" as far as the harmonies are concerned for some reason. Drums are a little box-y, but I can't say they don't suit that tune. Actually, the kik sounds good to me. It works. Love the British (English? Uk-ish?) accent.
 
TripleM said:
I thought the vocal sounded good. Sounded nice and I thought the vocal style was cool. The harmony vocals were nice. I liked the bass sound - honestly I thought it was at a better level in mix #1. I also thought the vocals were too wet in mix #2.

The snare and kick sounded excellent. Cymbals were a little hissy. But not real bad.

The rhythm guitars were a little pushed back in the mix. Not quite enough power to them for me. Nice playing tho. And I could hear them better in mix #2.
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Great comments, TripleM. Once again, I'm pleased about the bass and drum comments, and I'm sorry the guitars don't come through quite well enough for you. I think they have been a casualty of me obsessing too much on everything else! They're certainly clear on the original, so it's definitely down to how I've mixed this.

RAMI said:
Very cool. I don't recognize this tune, but it sounds Joe-ish to me. Like the vocals, the chorus reminds of "The Kids Are Alright" as far as the harmonies are concerned for some reason. Drums are a little box-y, but I can't say they don't suit that tune. Actually, the kik sounds good to me. It works. Love the British (English? Uk-ish?) accent.
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I didn't recognise the tune either, RAMI! I might have been happier with one of his better-known numbers. But playing the bass to this was a blast, so I can't complain. It felt so fast at times it was a bit like hanging on for dear life just to get to a slow bit. :D

The comment about the English accent is both gratifying and perplexing. To me, both Costello and Jackson seemed to affect an American twang and pronunciation, and I've tried to emulate that a little. :D Obviously true American speakers don't hear it that way.

I'm really, really happy with the comments on this thread. I just wish I wasn't so self-conscious about my singing.

Onwards and upwards! :D
 
Bubba po said:
The comment about the English accent is both gratifying and perplexing. To me, both Costello and Jackson seemed to affect an American twang and pronunciation, and I've tried to emulate that a little. :D Obviously true American speakers don't hear it that way.
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Funny you say that because, now that I think of it, you're right. Joe Jackson really pronounces his "R"s very American, rather than British. But for some reason, you're delivery sounded like him anyway, which I can't explain. Either way, it's not worth over-analizing. It's great.

I just wish I wasn't so self-conscious about my singing.
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We all are. I think with the exception of a few "trained", experienced Freddy Mercury types, most of us are less confident with our singing than we are with anything else we do musically. You can't hide behind vocal chords, you're still naked no matter how you process them.
 
I think it has a good power-pop feel to it, but the drums are getting murdered to me. They sound small and weak. I think the bass has this resonance in it that masks a lot of the kick and meat of the snare. And then all the instrumental levels are too hot for the drums. That's how I hear it anyway.

Vocals are guitars sound real good though and all the performances are done pretty well. Just release the drums!
 
Greg_L said:
I think it has a good power-pop feel to it, but the drums are getting murdered to me. They sound small and weak. I think the bass has this resonance in it that masks a lot of the kick and meat of the snare. And then all the instrumental levels are too hot for the drums. That's how I hear it anyway.

Vocals are guitars sound real good though and all the performances are done pretty well. Just release the drums!
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That's a really interesting take on this, Greg, because I felt I'd done everything I could to get the drums out front and powerful, to the point of holding back on everything else - except the bass, which totally drives the song in the original. I really don't know how I'd go about doing what you suggest, other than backing everything off a dB at a time and seeing how everything sits. :(
 
Bubba po said:
That's a really interesting take on this, Greg, because I felt I'd done everything I could to get the drums out front and powerful, to the point of holding back on everything else - except the bass, which totally drives the song in the original. I really don't know how I'd go about doing what you suggest, other than backing everything off a dB at a time and seeing how everything sits. :(
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That's how you do it. But it's up to you. If it were my mix, I'd have the drums more present, and that's how I'd do it. Drop everything down a little at a time till the drums pop. Never lose the kick and snare.
 
It's a fun, high energy track. I know nothing of Joe Jackson other than that steppin' out tune that I think he probably cashed in on big time? I didn't know he wrote more straight forward type stuff prior to that. While I'm not a fan of Elvis Costello necessarily, I have heard a lot more of his stuff and I never really thought of Joe as being in the same league? Perception-wise anyway, as I said, I'm not familiar with his work.

I liked the guitar sounds on this and the bass line was super hyper, but I think you nailed it. Really good job there. Loved the attitude in the vocals. Well done there as well. Drums are weird to me in that I can hear the kick, snare and overheads all pretty well separately when I listen for each, and they sound good, but the kit overall sounds somehow smaller to me than it should. I dunno, maybe just turn it up? Maybe I am off.

Good job both of you. I always like hearing collaborations here. I think you did well.
 
jonny deep said:
As a fellow Brit, I felt you were putting on quite a strong American accent!
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LOL, Same here!

Right, based on Greg's (and others') feeling that the drums were a little bit buried, I've done another mix. All I did was pull everything back one click or less, then sharpened up the vocal eq slightly and thinned the bottom end of the bass.

What do you think?


 
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That was a great cover, it sounded very much like the original. I don't have anything to add about the mix as everything has been covered already. As always, great job.
 
Bubba po said:
LOL, Same here!

Right, based on Greg's (and others') feeling that the drums were a little bit buried, I've done another mix. All I did was pull everything back one click or less, then sharpened up the vocal eq slightly and thinned the bottom end of the bass.

What do you think?


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I think this is better. The drums still sound a little boxy, but at least they are there now. If you wanted to further, I'd say spread the guitars a little more. But this is better.
 
Illsidgus said:
That was a great cover, it sounded very much like the original. I don't have anything to add about the mix as everything has been covered already. As always, great job.
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Thanks very much, Illsidgus. I think mine's a bit less polished, especially in the guitar playing, but I wanted to add a bit of a punkier feel to it.

Greg_L said:
I think this is better. The drums still sound a little boxy, but at least they are there now. If you wanted to further, I'd say spread the guitars a little more. But this is better.
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Thanks, Greg - always happy to respond to an experienced critique. On that note, I'm happy to leave this as is. I think I've an idea what I want to do next. :)
 
Finally had chance to listen to this. Been meaning to for a while - clinic collabs are always loads of fun both to do and to listen to. I don't know who Joe Jackson is, other than Stepping Out.

Sorry bubba, but I prefer mix 1 to mix 3 on the original link. It sounds fuller and the vocals sit better I think. Mix 3 is a bit like listening on a transistor radio, it's lost some of its low end warmth somehow? I did enjoy mix 1 though. Well done both of youse.
 
robgreen said:
Finally had chance to listen to this. Been meaning to for a while - clinic collabs are always loads of fun both to do and to listen to. I don't know who Joe Jackson is, other than Stepping Out.

Sorry bubba, but I prefer mix 1 to mix 3 on the original link. It sounds fuller and the vocals sit better I think. Mix 3 is a bit like listening on a transistor radio, it's lost some of its low end warmth somehow? I did enjoy mix 1 though. Well done both of youse.
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Thanks, Rob. I always value your comments and in this case I think you're absolutely right! I hated that last mix the day after I posted it, but I was willing to let it sink to the bottom. Seeing as you've bumped it, this is my last word on the subject.

Probably. :D

 
Are the embedded soundcloud links also not working on HR for anybody else today?

The latest mix sounds cool. Love the loud twangy bass.

I would turn up the vocals. (I liked the little flanger effect)
There are clicks at 2:30, 2:42 from comping or clipping and few crackles in the last chorus.
 
Schwarzenyaeger said:
Are the embedded soundcloud links also not working on HR for anybody else today?

The latest mix sounds cool. Love the loud twangy bass.

I would turn up the vocals. (I liked the little flanger effect)
There are clicks at 2:30, 2:42 from comping or clipping and few crackles in the last chorus.
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Thanks fella. Not sure what those artefacts are, because I haven't noticed them at my end. I have to admit, this simple mix has caused me far more problems than my overblown "Paranoid Android" mix by far. Everything wants to take centre stage, and the comments haven't helped because every commenter seems to want their favourite instrument to be made more audible! I have to admit defeat on
this one! :D
 
Bubba po said:
every commenter seems to want their favourite instrument to be made more audible!
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That happens to everyone. You got to trust your ears, mixed with the ears of the small handful of people who's ears you also trust. I often get 3 people saying the snare is too loud (for example) before 3 others come in saying the snare should be louder, etc...Same with vocals, etc....Sometimes there's total consensus on something, but rarely. I have 3 or 4 people I always hope will comment on my song because they're usually right on. To me, Greg's word is #1 for me, not to blow smoke up his ass. Actually, I hope he doesn't even read this. I don't mean I disregard what anyone else says, because many others have very valid opinions too, but his ears are gold to me.

I think your third mix sounded great. I think they all sounded good, but #3 was the one for me.
 
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