The Ghost of FM said :
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... about a db or two too hot ... when the vocals are playing ... should be behind him, supporting the melody as opposed to fighting him for space as parts of it appear right at this moment.
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And I'm hoping this response and other's like it are born out of my strong concern for these issues I stress when reviewing others. It's medicine I've brewed that I need a sip of, and I thanky for that kindly. Never take the chance of stepping on their part unless they ask for more. Too little is always the best formula in the initial presentation. If they have nothing to ask for ... then why might they need you ?
If I remix this I am thinking I would pull the levels of the violin to nearly inaudible in the first chorus. Pan them out just a touch further in the second chorus but the same volume level, and in the third chorus, as the material is now well presented twice before, join with his singing at a higher level and closer to 'center stage', for a more instrument rich ending, like Phoolan Devi enjoyed.
The Ghost of FM continued with :
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... doubled parts ... smoothing out ... sync issues ... guitar's rhythmic flow.
... counter melodic lines ... when there is no vocal ... as you were doing in spots from the second verse onward.
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After seeing Adam's classified advertisement in the Austin Chronicle, I phoned Adam in Austin to determine where we were on some issues. He told me that he wanted to have the opportunity to step out of the formal structure of the songs for live improvisation with the ensemble. I sensed he wanted a free interpretation in this initial presentation, so, I took some risk early on with counter melody based on the first few notes he sings in the song.
In reflection, I think my first entrance should be just after the first chorus when I present that first short motif at 01:06 ... that is based on the first few notes of his lyric, to remind the listener of Adam's initial feeling that he '... (does) not want to hear (her) ... and that's what that violin melodic hook is all about throughout the song.
My overdubbing needs more crafting in the submix with tighter fade-in/fade-out, and I think I'll run each of those places where I overdub the violin for more of a 'section sound', I'll run those through the soundforge smooth-enhance, with a 2 degree smoothing, and mix a dry with a wet submix.
Sync issues with the guitar are again, all about a looser arrangment in this first presentation with respect to presenting ideas for live improvisation. I don't think this was done to a click track, so the only way to really 'play together' is rehearsal and performance time.
I consider this a first rehearsal for Adam and I, the second if that occurs will be a remix, or even a retracking based on Adam's comments.
MC Gitarz sagt :
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... this tune is so exposed ... play smack on the pitch and beat ... Damn this is raw... level ... might drop it just a tad during the vocal ...
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Yes, Adam is completely exposed in this tune, and I wanted a fairly strong presentation on the violin as I thought the amount of opportunity justified that. Yes, I'm going to drop levels or cut the early parts, and join more in the choruses and present ideas that might be interpreted as challenging the vocal only later in the song. The solos and cameo sections could be strengthed as a result of that.
Powederfinger said :
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... they add good emotion to the song ... i'm listening on computer speakers ... it sounds good on my end .
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Excellent, I pulled off a decent computer speaker mix ! Adam is singing about real things that happened in his life, I am convinced of this after working with the song and studying it carefully. If one musician is working from sincerity, I pick up on it and then I'm willing to dredge some horrible pain up and bring it into my mind's eye as I'm playing. I lost a woman I loved to cancer, and I was thinking about her as I recorded most of this track, she's in the song now. Using issues like that helps to heal the wounds.
DrummChris said :
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What a great melodic hook that you came up with. I agree with what Ghost said concerning you being just a hair too loud during the vocal part.
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Actually, I just took material from Adam that he presents in the very first few notes of the lyric, and worked with that improvisationally to develop the parts. I wanted to maintain some continuity, while presenting some motion to Adam that might seem more flowing and more free.
Yes, I'm going to address the mix with special consideration for those times that the violin is playing while the vocal is being presented.
erichenryus said :
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... a guy his guitar and a violin player ...
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Well, you are 'Not Alone' in that feeling as I am collaborating with another artist who wants 'a guy, his guitar, and a cello player'
... and then a whole bloomin' string orchestra ! Thanks for the listening mate.
Middleman :
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... subtle compression ... low end of the guitar around 100-150Hz and the voice around 2-2.5KHz ...
Really nice tune and vocal performance.
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I think this is one of Adam's best, it's very real life, very sincere. Are there 'notch compressors' ? Can you compress only within a certain frequency range ? Or does compression by it's very nature only address those frequency ranges that pop up with 'to much dynamic' ?
B. SABBATH said :
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... why did you stop @3:15 ... I would have kept it going until 3:28 ...
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Thanks for the time markers in your listening. I felt it was a risk to present the violin in the context of that section. It would have to be a big contrast as he modulates quite distantly there. I would have had to present another 'violin character'.
I felt I would have to do something very, very different on the violin there to fit in ... I would have to break character on the violin, and I wanted the violin to remain in it's singular character so that part of the song would retain it's strong contrast, it's a good break for the listener to reflect on their own.
Also, Adam has the opportunity now to ask for something there, and who knows, maybe that's the ONLY place I should be playing
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Phoolan Devi said :
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The backing on the last chorus is absolutely brill!!!!
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Yes, I'm really happy with it, and I think it works so well, because the lyric material has been firmly presented to the listener twice already, all the more reason to drop it out of the first chorus. Thanks for the listen.
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Thanks to all of the
http://www.homerecording.com MP3 Clinic member responses and the time you take to listen to, and respond to your contemporaries here. This board rocks !
Thanks to Adam for sharing this part of his life so we can all participate in that.