looking for feedback, please...

Mixing wise, you've got alot to learn. The first some was an absolutelly horrible mix. Things weren't tuned the same and the overal sound design didn't fit.

Composition wise, it's better. However, a song without vocals is not really a song ;) But they are on their way as you said, so I won't say to much about that.

I'm not really hearing any super strong hooks either though. Nothing jumps out and grabs me. And once again, you need to learn how to mix dude ;) Like the distortion guitars on Decen Song Version 2, it's just noise-noise-noise dude. And the vocals aren't that clear either.
 
Halion said:
However, a song without vocals is not really a song ;)

I'm assuming by the wink you're kidding? What about the multitudes of great artists that do instrumental songs? Jazz artists like Branford Marsalis, Chick Corea and David Benoit - just to name a couple. Guess those aren't songs they're writing? :) Maybe having a melody - either sung or played on a solo intstrument, makes a complete song?

Zim: listened to part of the first three tunes on that site. First one sounds kinda experimental or something to me. # 2 and 3 aren't bad, but some work maybe could be done on mixing, and song structures. I won't repeat what Halion said, but I agree with a couple points made. You're off to a start with this stuff, just keep developing the music.
 
thanks for just listening, fellas...

i appreciate the feedback, y'all.

song 1 (when i'm high) was a demo, actually. i just liked the rhythm, and went with it... no biggie.

i know i've got to learn to mix! it's rough to learn, i'm open for links to suggestions/lessons online...

as far as not having words for all my songs; sorry...! "for c" actually does have lyrics, they're just a little personal and i decided to keep them between me and my wife... again, no biggie. "splendido" has no words, but i'm just not keen (meaning: not very good) on thrash/death metal singing, which is what my head imagines when i hear it...

i wish there was a simple place out here on the net which was a 'meeting place' for independent, single musicians wishing to jam along together/collaborate online. if any of you know of such sites, please fill me in.

i encourage more opinions, please!!! and thanks halion and warble for your input; please don't fight ;-P

later,
ZIM
 
"What about the multitudes of great artists that do instrumental songs? Jazz artists like Branford Marsalis, Chick Corea and David Benoit - just to name a couple."

What about them...what relation do they have to do with this? Anyhow...

...lol sorry edit...wrong topic ":P
 
ender4trackmind said:
"What about the multitudes of great artists that do instrumental songs? Jazz artists like Branford Marsalis, Chick Corea and David Benoit - just to name a couple."

What about them...what relation do they have to do with this? Anyhow...

...lol sorry edit...wrong topic ":P

The relation and my post was in response to the comment "a song without vocals is not really a song". Is that OK? ;)
 
i know i've got to learn to mix! it's rough to learn, i'm open for links to suggestions/lessons online...

A little book I picked up and read a short while ago was:

"The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" by Bobby Owsinski

Covers some of the essentials of mixing, and has some input from well known engineers and how they might approach various apsects. Good book, and pretty well recommended around here too.

as far as not having words for all my songs; sorry...! "for c" actually does have lyrics, they're just a little personal and i decided to keep them between me and my wife... again, no biggie. "splendido" has no words, but i'm just not keen (meaning: not very good) on thrash/death metal singing, which is what my head imagines when i hear it...

Don't worry about not having words. Just keep moving forward with what you're doing.

...and thanks halion and warble for your input; please don't fight ;-P

Ohh, I wasn't really fighting. Just thought that was a weird statement that was made. Halion's posted some good stuff around here.
 
Oh I do agree about the song/instrumental sing, but I was just thinking of why it is called a "song", beeing somewhat related to the word "sing"(ing). I listen to alot of instrumental stuff aswell, but I'd think of them more as "pieces" or "tracks", and less as songs, but either would be good I guess, doesn't really matter.
 
thanks for the info, warble. i looked at the reviews on this book on amazon, and it seems like the book for me. it's not cheap, thought ;-6

i appreciate everyone's input, really. me thinks that i may have to go and remix everything... or at least the stuff i feel strongly about.

i've got alot of other stuff, but not all complete. i think i may just put a few snippets of ideas and see what y'all consider the most promising.
 
I listened to Splendido. Is that the guitar tone you're going for? To me it's noise. Doesn't even sound like a guitar.

I actually thing this could be a pretty cool song with the right guitar tones.

The kick is clashing with the bass big time. You need to carve out some sonic space for both.

The high hat with the tamborine on it doesn't fit the song. And the snare sounds like it's not part of the same kit. Your drum kits need to be a bit more cohesive sounding. What are you using for drums?

Plus on top of all of that, it sounds smashed flat. A bit too much Wave Hammer. Maybe.
 
thanks, axeman--whoo, you guys don't let up, huh? Actually, I really needed the constructive criticism--I've been stuck in a basement for months without anybody hearing what i've put out--so i wasn't suprised when people (here on the board) started telling me that my mixes were sucky--i just have to learn how to fix all this.

first, i wanna get into my setup, because i'm sure that it's plenty of the problem--it's not much.

'78 Ibanez Iceman
Zoom 505 (there's the 'crap' sounds your mentioning, i believe)
Zoom 2100 (not really incorporated into any of the songs-just use for the looper, really)
direct line into a Zoom MRS-4 with a Zoom MRT3x drum machine
an old shure 585 mic

that's it. i use some chorus on the mixdown on most of the sounds (not the drums, though), cuz i thought it was 'filling out' the sound more. i end up mixing it down through the computer using audacity (hey, it's free and my old p.c. probly' couldn't handle much more) and that's it.

axeman69 said:
I listened to Splendido. Is that the guitar tone you're going for? To me it's noise. Doesn't even sound like a guitar.

I actually thing this could be a pretty cool song with the right guitar tones.

The kick is clashing with the bass big time. You need to carve out some sonic space for both.

The high hat with the tamborine on it doesn't fit the song. And the snare sounds like it's not part of the same kit. Your drum kits need to be a bit more cohesive sounding. What are you using for drums?

Plus on top of all of that, it sounds smashed flat. A bit too much Wave Hammer. Maybe.

i got no clue what 'Wave Hammer' is, bro. in fact, i don't really have a clue as to how or why it sounds so 'flat'. as far as the drums, i just program what i think works at the time; but thanks for the tips on fixing up the kit--i'll work on that (someday :-) , too... i never got into the drums anyhow, it's really the least of my worries... but i will take heed to your comments for sure.

all in all, you guys have woke me up a bit. i need to find out what 'sonic space' really is, i suppose. cohesiveness, and all other stuff you mentioned. i've only been recording on my own for almost 2 years, so i'm still figuring shit out every time i go downstairs to 'play'.

one last question out there if anyone is still reading: i'm using digital recording right now, but i've got an older, analog, TAPE machine coming (a Yamaha MT8x, 8 track; great shape), but i was actually just going to sell it to make a profit. do you think that i might wanna go back to analog? i started on a yamaha MT3x (4 track), and easily see the differences in sound with tape vs. digital--sometimes you can get a much sweeter sound through analog, i believe... anyway, just wondering.

and finally, i'm gonna post up one other song that's the most recent--all of these are at least 2-3 months old--and see what you can tell me.

thanks, guys. your input is so appreciated, really.
ciao for now,
ZIM
 
zim said:
...
Zoom 505 (there's the 'crap' sounds your mentioning, i believe)
Zoom 2100 (not really incorporated into any of the songs-just use for the looper, really)
direct line into a Zoom MRS-4 with a Zoom MRT3x drum machine
an old shure 585 mic

thanks to help ive had on this bulletin board, im beginning to realise that zoom aint all that great for guitar effects. time to dust off the old marshall amp, me thinks. they seem to be good for drums/recording, but effects, now thats a different story...
 
zoom?

yeah, i know... zoom is not that great, huh? i really like my 4 tracker, though... and the drum machine, if only i could learn to program it a bit better.

anyways, it looks as if this thread is dying; i wish i could get some more comments.

i left more info in my last post re: my setup, and was hoping to get some input on what i could do next to help.

ZIM
 
I just listened to all your songs. I can safely agree with everyone. We BOTH have lots to learn about mixing. Good solid song structures, even if the guitars are just noise. I have to agree with the others on their sound too. Zoom pedals are good for practicing only. In a live performance they need a lot of help, and they are pathetic for recording. Their quality is improving, but they are still not great. Keep at it, in time we will both be up to standards! :D
 
thanks for listening, eddie. i appreciate it. and even i agree now with the guys here that i need to learn how to mix. tomorrow, though, i'm going to try recording through my marshall valvestate 50 via a shure 585 and see what happens. everyone is saying that my guitars are 'just noise', and i think that's the first thing i need to work on. it's amazing to me how long a song will take to fully develop, and i think that most of my stuff still needs work.

as far as the zoom stuff, well let's just say that i'm gonna have an auction or 2 up on ebay soon...

but thanks for your input, really. and good luck with your stuff too... let me know when you post it back up.

ZIM
 
It's going to take a bit to get it up, I am taking them to ground zero and building back up. Epilogue was an experiment, really. I wanted to see what it would sound like to take something straight off the mr8, covert it to a wave, then mp3. I think my guitar was out of tune, and I didn't notice it (shame on me! I've been playing off and on for over 20 years!). But I will let you all hack away on them when I do repost. I am going to work on a different approach for my other song "Daddy's Little Girl". The lyrics for it are somewhere in the songwriter's forum on this bbs...
Eddie
 
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