Opinions on Remix

Nola

Nola

Well-known member
Hey guys, I posted this song in August and people gave feedback. I factored the recommendations in and finished up the remix.

A final problem I am having is the lead vocals. Can you let me know if I should sing it or should have my girlfriend sing it? Just be honest for sure I can take anything.

I hear it like this:

1. She has better pitch and nice tone, but maybe lacks emotion.
2. Mine has more character/style and maybe more emotion, but worse pitch and worse tone.

But, I'm not sure if I'm hearing that accurately and would like to hear your opinions.

Her: https://soundcloud.com/suicidevan/soundtrack-s-vocal/s-usIKV
Me: https://soundcloud.com/suicidevan/soundtrack-j-vocal/s-r19Kz

Thanks!
 
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Hey Nola. I hate to say it, but I much prefer the original. The big difference I hear between the two is the level of the guitars and base. Much louder in the new mix. To me the old one was more spacious and inviting. The newer one sounded claustrophobic. Also, I think you have a better vocal take on the original. There's not much wrong with that original. A little boominess on the bass is all.
 
Robus said:
Hey Nola. I hate to say it, but I much prefer the original. The big difference I hear between the two is the level of the guitars and base. Much louder in the new mix. To me the old one was more spacious and inviting. The newer one sounded claustrophobic. Also, I think you have a better vocal take on the original. There's not much wrong with that original. A little boominess on the bass is all.
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No problem that's fine, Robus, and what I'm looking to figure out.
I really have no sense for the mix anymore and lost my way with it. I was trying to get more space, ironically.
 
Thanks guys, I made those adjustments and lowered the guitars and put up a new mix. I also widened them (Robus was right, somehow the pan got moved and wasn't as wide as the other one).
 
The update of the update sounds really good I think Nola. The timing is a little loose in spots, but you're a Dinosaur Jr/Pavement fan so that's probably fine! The right panned guitar is a little louder than the left one and so it slants the mix to the right a bit - I'd look at bringing them a little more into line by raising either one or the other.

Sounds particularly great where the solo comes in - I think you're starting to get much more energy, texture and space into your mixes . For me there's more of each in the remix now than the original, so really well done there man :)
 
robgreen said:
The update of the update sounds really good I think Nola. The timing is a little loose in spots, but you're a Dinosaur Jr/Pavement fan so that's probably fine! The right panned guitar is a little louder than the left one and so it slants the mix to the right a bit - I'd look at bringing them a little more into line by raising either one or the other.

Sounds particularly great where the solo comes in - I think you're starting to get much more energy, texture and space into your mixes . For me there's more of each in the remix now than the original, so really well done there man :)
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Thanks, Rob, you're spot on about that right side. I mixed it a 2am and missed that. I'll fix that today.
Did you get my PMs about Mics and everything? I wrote a long detailed recommendation hopefully it went through
 
I liked the song. I liked the guitar parts - cool strumming patterns.

Words at the end of lines get buried here and there. I think you could compress just a little harder.

The remix is wider, fuller, and louder. But the vocal sounds much more natural in the original and I think that worked better. It's pretty boxy in the remix.
 
TripleM said:
I liked the song. I liked the guitar parts - cool strumming patterns.

Words at the end of lines get buried here and there. I think you could compress just a little harder.

The remix is wider, fuller, and louder. But the vocal sounds much more natural in the original and I think that worked better. It's pretty boxy in the remix.
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Thanks 3M. The mic sounds boxy b/c it's a really old telephone type mic that I've become very addicted to for vocals. I'm not sure why but I like it.
Zero EQ on it that's just b/c it's old.

Regarding the vocal, did you prefer the sing-speak style of the original or the more legato style of the second one?

Manslick said:
This is charming, even the guitar torrent. Reminds me of Pete Yorn.
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Thanks, Manslick, I don't know him, but I will have to check him out.
 
Nothing sounds off to me, very organic sounding. Nice and wide, the random panned guitar fills sounded tasteful. Nice work.
 
Hey guys, I had to bump this thread yet again (sorry).

I'm having a hard time deciding on my vocal or my girlfriend's vocal. Can you listen to the two clips in the OP and give an opinion on which is better for the song? Thanks!
 
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hey dude, sorry that I missed this. Thanks for bumping. The first link didn't work for me, so I listened to the second.

Man, your guitars are sounding fantastic. Nothing harsh or dull about them, just nice and smooth. Bass and kit too. Oh...there's the feedback I like, ha. Always a fan of natural feedback. All those guitars sound really good together during the solo. Pretty organic 90's sound, to my ears.

However, the vocals don't sit as well I'd like to hear them. Not sure what the cause is. What are your reverb settings? Pre-delay, room size? Something could be tweaked, to my ears.
 
andrushkiwt said:
hey dude, sorry that I missed this. Thanks for bumping. The first link didn't work for me, so I listened to the second.

Man, your guitars are sounding fantastic. Nothing harsh or dull about them, just nice and smooth. Bass and kit too. Oh...there's the feedback I like, ha. Always a fan of natural feedback. All those guitars sound really good together during the solo. Pretty organic 90's sound, to my ears.

However, the vocals don't sit as well I'd like to hear them. Not sure what the cause is. What are your reverb settings? Pre-delay, room size? Something could be tweaked, to my ears.
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hey andru thanks for all that feedback. this was done with a real amp last year if you remember that trip i took. i'm still working through all those songs.

i reset the first link. it should be my gf singing the same tune. can you let me know if you think she's better suited for it? like i know she has a better voice and pitch but i just can't decide if it fits.

my male vocals might not sit well because i'm using an old mic from the 1940s for effect (like talking to someone over the telephone). i just thought it sounded cool but maybe it doesn't. anyway, it's naturally lacking many frequencies, it's hard to get it to sit. it sits better when i use it with just acoustic guitar rather than full band. i could also redo the vocal on a better mic, but first, if you could let me know how she sounds. if she's way better for the song i'll just leave her on lead. you'll hear on her vocal i used a condenser and it sounds more normal. the predelay (on the reverb) for both takes was timed to 64th notes and that is the only vocal effect other than minor compression. it's a small room reverb.
 
Yeah, I'm not hearing the girlfriend mix. Too bad, was looking forward to it. The guitars sound great. Levels are fine. I thought the solo outro went on a bit long. Maybe it's the lack of a single lead instrument for me to focus my attention on. Or maybe the aesthetic values of the twitter generation have influenced me. I'm not really having a problem with the way the vocal is sitting. Your vocals are not like most vocals. You're more of an anti-vocalist, if you know what I mean. Your vocals are inherently eccentric, which is their charm. In this mix they sound close and present, while the guitars are more layered, washed out and ambient. That might be what Taras was getting at. For me, it works. That oddly close ambience is in keeping with the character of the vocal, and song.
 
Great, so the link must work now?
Robus and Andru, can I get your feedback on that now? I'd really appreciate your opinions.
 
Okay, I'm hearing the gf now. She sounds good too. I can't tell you which is better. That's for you and her to decide and negotiate. I hear two different but viable takes on the song. Sorry--Robus wimping out! You should work on some songs together. I'm thinking about Kevin and Bilinda from My Bloody Valentine.
 
Robus said:
Okay, I'm hearing the gf now. She sounds good too. I can't tell you which is better. That's for you and her to decide and negotiate. I hear two different but viable takes on the song. Sorry--Robus wimping out! You should work on some songs together. I'm thinking about Kevin and Bilinda from My Bloody Valentine.
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Fair enough, Robus. That's what I hear, too. I like both but for different reasons. I know hers is better on every mainstream/technical level.

ps. We're fans of MBV so that's a good one, Robus.
 
sorry, just woke up 30 mins ago. listening now...

is this the song you were wondering about harmony notes for?

she's good. I do like this. i'll say again, your guitars are sounding really good as a whole - all those layers work very well including the panning and tone of each. at least on my hd280's. i'll listen in the car later on.

i don't know man, she's good as well. you're both quirky and indie-ish, yours are more pitchy, hers softer. Why don't you just be completely underground and release BOTH tracks on whatever you're releasing. Who says there has to be only one?! I actually think that'd be pretty cool
 
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