Please Help! vocal group

I think the tune and progressions arranging and wordsmithing are pro-level.

The samples you have are really good.

The vocal performances are awesome. The sentiment, uplifting. At this stage, almost radio-ready. But there's some harsh 'essing' in the vox at around the 8K band. Really noticable at loud levels....which the work begs to be listened at.

I downloaded the tune to play it on WMP. I cut the 8K band -6 to -9...and that got the vox essing under control. Maybe step on that freq in the mix [vox's only] before the next master, so y' don't kill the gloss in the instruments, too? If I can hear the harsh essing, it's bad. Ive got poor HF hearing.

I also intend on keeping this tune [You Say] handy on my desktop. You don't say it's a cover. If it's yours, or the whole group's, standing "O".

I gave you 5 stars.

One other thing, arrangement-wise, could be an improvement, I think:
The organ. It's playing the sustaining triads that the voices are singing. It really is unnecessary, and old-school. [ I might substitute the organ with a classical guitar playing inner, leading dissonant voices that the piano and vocals don't use...] Which brings up this point:

The vocals and support are all triads and dom7ths. There's a great opportunity to add a little tension/release dissonant voice-leading in the chords...or an added fourth voice, instead, to do the job. Just a smidge of it to elevate the progressions from 'safety' at poignant moments.

If you don't know what I mean, listen to 'Take Six'...masters of the craft. If you can't grab it technically, you and the group will surely grab it organically, with some intense listening to those guys.

I can't believe nobody commented on the tune or mix. This is art. And the amount of voodoo needed to bring it up to absolute pro standards is small...and would only push it up a little...it's already way, way up there.

Gifted voices and instincts, all around. Under the guidance a producer who knows orchestration, and a gifted engineer, y'all'd break the sound barrier.

That is NOT to say that you are not a good engineer: the recording has lots of life and reality in it. Very clean, big, and present. High five-ah! I like this tune as much as Rice's "Untitled Hymn".
 
Dave,
I liked it. In general it is a very presentable mix.
Most people will be oblivious to anything other than the songs fine presentation.

If I were going to be really critical I would say that the music and the voices were recorded at 2 totally different places.

Did you record the music? or just the voices?

I am listening over headphones so that may be exagerating some of the tonalities, but the instruments sound clearer and have more space than the vocals.
The main Male voice has a small mud hump (on these headphones) around the 250-350hz that give it a thumpy sound in the initial start of some phrases.
The vocals sound a little distressed or smashed into place...again on these headphones...
I guess I need to download it and listen over my studio monitors to get a better feel of the overall presentation, but again I don't mean to imply it is bad at all, but more of probably a personal preference.
 
All I can add has already been said: the lead male voice is very breathy in his performance, especially in the beginning, and you need a good de-esser. Check out the frequency range Jeff mentioned. I found the same thing.

It's a great tune, and it's ready to go otherwise.

Just my personal nits. I can't sing for crap...


And one more thing: I don't know what effect you are using on the lead vocal, but it sounds a lot like some sort of auto tune or something. I can hear it catching.

I could be wrong, but it sure sounds like something on there...
 
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Jeff,

Thanks so much for your response, truthfulness and all the great info you gave me. I worked on the song more this past weekend and im going to post it later on today so I hope you guys go back and take a listen tomorrow. I will post when I upload it. Thanks to everyone else on the feedback! Im excited about this song for this is my first demo and many people will hear it.

Jeff I sent you a PM
 
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Hey dude, this is recorded well dude. It's not my choice in style, but I can tell a lot of work went into it. I didn't hear any pitchy stuff going on with the vocals or anything like that, and if you're looking for mixing problems I didn't hear any of those either.

Goods.
 
The music and performances are excellent. Would you post the mic and pre-amp you used on the vocal(s). The drums are buried in the second song. I'd like to hear it in a mix such as this: Chaka Kahn "aint nobody" or anything on Steely Dan Aja. (easier said than done I know) but its meant as a compliment to the work. Great job!
 
Thanks for the responses! I used Shure Sm58's for vocals and used Focusrite pre-amps. I guess the main question is, did the vocal mic sound ok? I did put a lot of time into mixing. I still consider myself a newbie at mixing (less than a year) so im pretty slow and not very good. I did not think it would take many hours for me to have something decent but it was worth it all.
 
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The update is as perfect as I can imagine it.

I copied the link and sent it to my daughter.

Makes me choke up every time I hear it.

Great job...and I couldn't tell you how to make it better: I've never done anything near this good...recording or arranging/composition.

The "auto tune" effect on the lead vox sounds natural...sounds like he just has great articulation and control. I don't detect any artifact at all. That's his nekkid voice, ain't it?

The organ sounds a little different...flange or something?

Man, this is a great work. The singers are really tight. Ears up the wazoo.
 
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Man, this song is full of texture. Love the way the main vocals are recorded. Very up-front and detailed.

All instruments are present and accounted for through the whole thing.

Has a very raw feel to it - in a good way.

Very good production.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. As all of you know when mixing, you hear the song many times and your ears get burned out at times. I came close to giving up on this song a couple weeks back and didnt think I could pull it off. Your comments have made me feel good about my work and I really appreciate it.
 
I thought the singing was real good. Nice harmonies. I thought the vocals were too soft before the harmony vocal came in. After that they sounded about the right level.

I'm catching some weirdness on the mail vocal. Some effect, maybe autotune not sure, is generating some artifacts. Check out the line, "But there comes a point in life.." and the following few seconds. Some strange artifacts through there.

I didn't like the tremelo effect at about :45. It distracted from the vocal.

The rest sounded good.
 
TripleM ,

I will check this out. I have not noticed those things. Thanks for your input!
 
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