You Can't Take It With You - anthem-style

[mjbphotos]

OK, please pick this one apart - my ears are hurting from it. Probably too much going on as it progresses. Been a lot of work - first rewriting and cutting it down from the original 6+ minutes to under 5. Then re-recording everything from what I did a few years ago.
Starts out with two acoustic tracks, each panned about 60% - should one of them be removed when the rest of the instruments come in (drums, bass, piano, one electric rhythm, lead guitar and eventually a slide guitar). Not to mention the 8 BU vocals (12 at the end).
Not happy with the transition from bridge to chorus, maybe the instruments need to be brighter/louder in the chorus. I'll probably retrack the entire lead vocal, as I did it when I was still suffering from a bad cold a few weeks ago.

All suggestions considered!

 

[DM60]

What I am hearing is, when everything else comes in, it doesn't sound like it is a part of the recording. The vocals don't seem to sit with the rest of the recording, that seems to be the main issue.

On a production note, do you think it would help to maybe stick click the beat and right before everything kicks in switch it to cymbals? Just thinking some intro before the rest come in might add to the song.

 

[Bruthish]

The acoustics at the beginning sound very nice and sound really close to the sound that the Eagles had. I think that lead vocals may be a touch too loud. Your vocal performance is not bad but I can tell in a few spots that you were getting over a cold...just a little shaky here and there. One thing that popped out to me was the background harmonies seem to be mudding up the lead vocal. Sounds like there is a mid frequency that needs to be notched out somewhere in there.

 

[TripleM]

I thought the acoustic guitar tone was very good. Good clarity without any harshness. The doubling of them isn't real tight. I'd either tighten up the performances or just track two separate parts.

I thought the lead vocal tone was very good too. Performance is so-so. Maybe double track it all the way through.

The song kicks into another gear around 1:16. To me there wasn't enough of a smack in the face at that point.

Backing vocals sound a little muffled. Not enough upper end and too much low-midrange - like in the 300hz - 500hz area.

I'm not hearing much from the bass and kick.

The distorted guitar is kind of mushy. Not enough definition. I'd back off the gain a bit. You might want a bit more upper treble to it.

 

[mjbphotos]

What I am hearing is, when everything else comes in, it doesn't sound like it is a part of the recording. The vocals don't seem to sit with the rest of the recording, that seems to be the main issue.

Possibly because I recorded the lead vocal with only the acoustics to go by, hadn't tracked the other instruments yet. Hopefully redoing the lead vocal will help.

[/quote]
On a production note, do you think it would help to maybe stick click the beat and right before everything kicks in switch it to cymbals? Just thinking some intro before the rest come in might add to the song.[/QUOTE]
Certainly something to look at!

The acoustics at the beginning sound very nice and sound really close to the sound that the Eagles had. I think that lead vocals may be a touch too loud. Your vocal performance is not bad but I can tell in a few spots that you were getting over a cold...just a little shaky here and there. One thing that popped out to me was the background harmonies seem to be mudding up the lead vocal. Sounds like there is a mid frequency that needs to be notched out somewhere in there.

Thanks, I added some 'air' EQ to the lead vocal at the last minute and it really screwed up the automation volumes, I played with them 4 times after that trying to get the volumes tamed.
Good idea on the harmonies - no EQ on those at all yet. I usually compress the BU vocals to set them back, but the only thing I did was throw them to the reverb buss.

I thought the acoustic guitar tone was very good. Good clarity without any harshness. The doubling of them isn't real tight. I'd either tighten up the performances or just track two separate parts.

It's two different guitars (Taylor and Epiphone), think widening the panning would help on the different playing? I've got another track done on my Taylor, but I thought it was too similar to the first Taylor one. I've got a 12 string track too, but don't think I played it during the first verse/chorus.

I thought the lead vocal tone was very good too. Performance is so-so. Maybe double track it all the way through.

I'm definitely going to retrack it. There is a doubled lead vocal track, but its really low.

The song kicks into another gear around 1:16. To me there wasn't enough of a smack in the face at that point.

Interesting, I was thinking it might be too much with all the instruments coming in at once. Maybe a heavier drum roll-off, or lead guitar part?

Backing vocals sound a little muffled. Not enough upper end and too much low-midrange - like in the 300hz - 500hz area.

I'm not hearing much from the bass and kick.

Me neither!

The distorted guitar is kind of mushy. Not enough definition. I'd back off the gain a bit. You might want a bit more upper treble to it.

[/quote]
I assume you mean the electric rhythm guitar. I've got a DI track of it I can play with, possibly sim it and combine it with the miked amp track, which is all you're hearing now.


Thanks for all the listens/comments. Keep them coming!

 

[BroKen_H]

Is it a cold..... or STUPID pollen! ? I'll leave the vocals alone cause the others covered that...
Nice guitar tone. Good mix. The kick is there, but muffled. Snare has no meat, half the time I'm fighting to hear it. Volume on the toms is good. High hat and ride have nice tone. Good and bright.
Like the Beatle-esqe guitar parts in the choruses. Nice work.

 

[mjbphotos]

Is it a cold..... or STUPID pollen! ? I'll leave the vocals alone cause the others covered that...
Nice guitar tone. Good mix. The kick is there, but muffled. Snare has no meat, half the time I'm fighting to hear it. Volume on the toms is good. High hat and ride have nice tone. Good and bright.
Like the Beatle-esqe guitar parts in the choruses. Nice work.

It was a cold when I recorded the vocals - spring has barely started here, no pollen issues yet, but I better get the thing retracked before it is a problem!
I don't know what was going on with the snare, I think I'll throw a compressor on a parallel track and see how it goes. Maybe do the same for the kick.
Thanks for listening!

 

[rayc]

The 1st seven syllables were pretty shakey.
The bass seems, mostly, M.I.A.
Good song & sentiment.

 

[kindafishy]

My immediate impression was that I felt good about the acoustic(s). They sound good. Nice feel to the doubling. It's not 'tight', nor do I think it should be. There are nice variations that give it good movement and fullness. Good sense of depth there too.

Vocals have a bit too much body in some places for me. They end up competing with the guitars in the low mids (as opposed to a common problem I end up having with gain-y electric guitars competing with vocals in the high mids). Once everything kicks in, I am getting the impression of too much of everything in the low mids.

The vocals are also coming across quite overly dynamic in a few spots as well.

I see that you are talking about retracking the vocals, so I guess some of the stuff I'm mentioning is a bit moot, except when you do, if you clean up the mids in the rest of the tracks and be mindful about the 280 - 320 region of your vocals, I think the whole mix will have a much more open, clean sense to it.

IMO, and based on how it is coming across in my listening environment, of course.

Strong tune. I didn't follow along with the lyrics a lot (just because I never do with any song), but musically, it has a pretty uplifting feel. Good stuff man.

 

[mjbphotos]

The 1st seven syllables were pretty shakey.
The bass seems, mostly, M.I.A.
Good song & sentiment.

Thanks, going to look at adding a cab sim on the bass and probably compression on the input, too.

My immediate impression was that I felt good about the acoustic(s). They sound good. Nice feel to the doubling. It's not 'tight', nor do I think it should be. There are nice variations that give it good movement and fullness. Good sense of depth there too.

Vocals have a bit too much body in some places for me. They end up competing with the guitars in the low mids (as opposed to a common problem I end up having with gain-y electric guitars competing with vocals in the high mids). Once everything kicks in, I am getting the impression of too much of everything in the low mids.

The vocals are also coming across quite overly dynamic in a few spots as well.

I see that you are talking about retracking the vocals, so I guess some of the stuff I'm mentioning is a bit moot, except when you do, if you clean up the mids in the rest of the tracks and be mindful about the 280 - 320 region of your vocals, I think the whole mix will have a much more open, clean sense to it.

IMO, and based on how it is coming across in my listening environment, of course.

Strong tune. I didn't follow along with the lyrics a lot (just because I never do with any song), but musically, it has a pretty uplifting feel. Good stuff man.

Thanks, I'll repost when I get the chance to redo the lead vocal. The acoustic 'fullness' is what I was going for with the two different guitars. I found the second Taylor track was TOO similar to the first one, and only having 1 guitar during the intro/verse 1/chorus 1 was too empty. Still unsure of whether I should fade out the 2nd acoustic when the rest of the instruments come in. I'd probably pan the electric rhythm over to the right (Taylor track is on the left) to balance it out.
This is the second-to-last song to be mixed that I need for my next album - once I get these last 2 done, I've got to narrow down the 19 songs to 12-14. Then do final tweaking, and mastering. Deadline is autumn .... hope the summer schedule cooperates!

 

[sammydix]

well, looks like most of my thoughts have been covered. Still, the strongest crit for me was the lack of low end body--even for a mostly acoustic/voice type song like this. If the bass and kick were recorded, they should be heard to some degree. catchy anthem, though.

 

[mjbphotos]

Retracked the lead vocals, boosted bass and kick, and some other general mixing changes.
This sound any better?

 

[BroKen_H]

I still think the snare could come up a dB or two.
Bass and kick fit in very nicely now.
Vocals are major improved. There are spots where the vocal performance is just a touch off? Doesn't sound in time at spots. Couple cut and moves might be in order.
Really starting to sound good. Love the concept of the song.

 

[DM60]

@1:21 those instruments don't sound right. Also, why are your vocals so far back? Your vocal sound/style reminds me of Levon Helm or has that potential.

 

[mjbphotos]

I still think the snare could come up a dB or two.
Bass and kick fit in very nicely now.
Vocals are major improved. There are spots where the vocal performance is just a touch off? Doesn't sound in time at spots. Couple cut and moves might be in order.
Really starting to sound good. Love the concept of the song.

Vocal timing: I cut quite a few words from the original writing (based on much advise) and haven't got the phrasing right yet!

@1:21 those instruments don't sound right. Also, why are your vocals so far back? Your vocal sound/style reminds me of Levon Helm or has that potential.

Not sure what point in the song that is (I'm at work) - start of 2nd verse? What doesn't sound right? You think the vocals are too far back?. I've bene monkeying with them, and actually knocked them back a bit on my last listen. 'Levon Helm'? that's a new one to me, thanks!

 

[DM60]

@1:12. I say Levon Helm in that I can hear that possible styling.