Bass Track
I'm having another listen, gosh the beginning is so cute and sweet.
The conga ... is a little loud in the beginning, take it down maybe 4-6db, make us wonder what's coming, don't feed us a big bite at first, the conga might be a little nibble, like an appertif.
The conga has plenty of stage later ...
I think the bass is a little loud in the beginning, I don't want to have to struggle the least bit, not for a split second to understand any of the lyrics especially the first few words ... and I'm a little familiar with them now. I should be able to wash dishes and understand the words ... try it.
So you might THINK its appropriate to bring the vocal up in the beginning, but I think it would be better to bring the instruments down and let the vocal flower out, because then you get the effect of dynamics as the song continues.
Because you begin to sing louder, and the instruments can then come up 1/2 of the amount the vocal increases in volume. The lead vocal needs to ride so far out in front of everything else, the others start to 'complain' that they can't hear their parts, (your other musical personalities or any real players here
) , that's a good sign you are getting a good mix for a sweet vocals tune like this.
At the lyric 'verses die' the mix is good for the vocal, and you have begun to sing louder here.
You must remember though that it is obvious to everyone that your lead vocal and these backup vocals are the gold in this song, don't cover them for a spit-second and let them be the stars.
Use less effects on your vocal, use the water method I have described to keep yourself nice and moist in a session.
You have the best 'clean vocal' I have hear on the board thus far. Very good intonation.
Take the bass down about 3db in any questionable places, maybe more.
OMG ! you said Steely Dan !!! I heard it !
Who are these 'Moody Blues' ??? hah ... just kidding
I must have meant the bass track itself. Because I'm noticing the bass being a little to prominent overall, IMHO you could take some of the lower mids out of the bass and add low-end to the bass track where the actual notes are not low. I'm listening on SONY MDR-7506 headphones through a Soundblaster Live in Windows Media Player 9.0 with the EQ flat.
After the hook at 1:32 just sweep those background harmonies in LOUD and the primary vocal LOUD here. This is gold. Sweep us ... Knock us off our feet here.
I don't think you COULD overmix these vocals, they are the GOLD here.
At 2:00 where you sing 'light' , get something more on this and roll some tap delay off that word, it's one of the highlights in the song, it's definitely a defining moment for the primary hook. That final 'T' could last forever.
God these vocals are divine, get yee into a high quality studio and record this sucker. I really thing you should totally blast us with that first round of harmony vocals, knock us off our feet.
Use a fast curve fade in for the guitar solo, but the initial volume should not be as high as it can get, after the first little run, bring it up a bit, and then again after the second little run ... now bring it all the way up ... so maybe initially we wonder if we are going to really get a solo, then satisfy us by bringing the guitar solo up, and up, and up ... at the most aggressive point, give us all you have on that guitar solo this is an opportunity to really make something of the instrumental dynamics ... as the guitar solo gets more aggresive bring it up, cresendo into it and then do a slow curve fade out of the guitar solo, leave us wondering what comes next and then smash us with those gorgeous backups, like throwing a big pillow at us ...
The guitar fill at 3:30 is tempting to bring up out of the mix, because it is so damn good, a very nice fill, but the guitar has already had it's turn, we will be very happy with this about 3db lower with a touch of tap delay on it, melt that fill into those vocals if you can ...
At 3:40, 'but how could it be wise', I hear room for a strong viola or cello fill ... legato warm ascending melodic fill here, scalar in 1/8th notes, then settling gracefully into a high sustained soft note, somewhat reflective, a questioning ... this sets you up to bring in some orchestral string support at that point as the high sustained note of the fill fades.
Mix any orchestral string support at the barely audible level, we don't have to know exactly what it is, it's just some warmth, some body ... cello section at least.
You might make some real contrast in the hooks by continuing the orchestral support for the next hook, and running the violins softly up to meet the word 'light' beginning a scale around 3:50 and moving in 8th notes up to meet the word 'light', and then a little violin section full mordent as the word 'light' fades.
With a bass line as strong as this, a good way to 'eject' the string support is to start to match the cellos and viola with the bass line ... and then fade the strings out on a strong bass note.
The conga at 4:33 is a little awkward, take it way, way down, I think you might just be giving us a break here, dancers will appreciate that moment to make goo-goo eyes at each other or something like that ... i dunno
I think the conga nees to be a little more relaxed and gentle, run the conga track through
the soundforge smooth-enhance filter, smooth it by one degree and drop it 2db maybe.
Again this conga at 5:30 just strikes me as being awkward, out of character for the piece, it is certainly louder than the key solo that comes in next and that conga should just be a tiny thought in the distance ... an idee fixee
Maybe the conga needs to be sharper, more staccatto on the last two notes, don't let it ring as much on the last two notes ... i dunno ...
I could jam with violin in the beginning and over this riff in general very warm ... inviting.
Ohhh, I have to go, Jean Luc Ponty is on line one ....
) only because of the sibilance. The performance is very good. Good bass playing . Great performance. Vox are Jamal Buchet crossed w/Steve Miller.