ripple - in progress....advice needed

[heatmiser]

Ok, so first off, this is a grateful dead cover, so i probably lose more than half of you right there. Also, this is just a quick monitor mix (no eq or fx) of something i started tonight, but i am looking for advice on where to go from here...

1) what needs to be retracked? i'm thinking the bass (really a guitar) as there are some sour notes and maybe the lead vocals as i struggle to hit the higher notes...too pitchy?

2) what should i add? I have about 2 tracks left...percussion? if so, what kind? shaker and bongos?..i have no kit and a drum machine seems out of place. but i kind of like it sparse as it is...

3) what will be necessary at mixdown? add some reverb?...already too much room perhaps...i just don't know...

Any help at all is greatly appreciated as always.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=660667&songID=6498391

 

[ido1957]

This is a good example of how just vocals and guitar can come across really well in a tune. I really enjoyed this simple rendition. Retracking would be fine, provided you keep the same settings . A very small amount of percusion - maybe brushes - would be cool.

 

[dementedchord]

ahhh.... i wore out two copies of american beauty..... boy thanks for the flashback.... of course being a piano player i'ld like to hear a bit of a piano part.... but the thing that makes it work is the sparseness so will understand if ya leave it be...

 

[Incanus]

Cool.

Not my favourite Dead song by a long stretch, but a decent tune.

Acoustics sound very good and organic.

The bass sounds kind of strange to me--I don't know exactly what it is that bothers me--something about the tone.

Vox could use a little reverb, maybe. It mostly sounds done to me.

Good job.

 

[heatmiser]

- maybe brushes - would be cool.

Absolutely. I think that's what they do on the original version.

Thanks for listening ido, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wanted to try something simple after trying for many songs in a row to sound like a big freakin' band or something.

.... of course being a piano player i'ld like to hear a bit of a piano part....

Good call...that would be cool, especially during the chorus or leading up to it. Sadly, I am ill equipped in the piano department and my keyboard is out of commision (temporarily, for like 2 years or so). Thank you for checking it out.

Cool.

Not my favourite Dead song by a long stretch, but a decent tune.

Acoustics sound very good and organic.

The bass sounds kind of strange to me--I don't know exactly what it is that bothers me--something about the tone.

Vox could use a little reverb, maybe. It mostly sounds done to me.

Good job.

Yes, kind of an obvious choice and never one of my favorites either. Always a crowd pleaser at shows though for some reason. I just figured maybe I could do this one based on the simplicty factor. The lyrics are nicely vague too.

I used a condensor mic for the first time on this. It seems to really help with acoustics vs a dynamic mic. much more precise for vocals as well. But man, I hear everything else too...I never really understood why everyone was so concerned about their rooms until now.

Below you will find a link to a mix from earlier tonight. I added some super mellow kick/snare stuff using a drum machine w/ pads through an amp (I know - sounds awful and maybe it is, but I think maybe it works somehow) and also subjected each track to a slightly varied dosage of reverb to try to tie it all together. I also killed some high mids throughout the song. For the bass, I scooped out tons of 250k and boosted the real lows, which seems to make it sound less like a guitar and more like a bass.

Anyone up for some A/B action? Is this an improvement - or did I ruin it?

Thanks.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=660667&songID=6504156

 

[eyema_believer]

I love your re-mix, Heatmiser!
Your bass-"guitar" is perfect for this song.
I'd like to know what was on the writers mind when he wrote this song. It seems to have a spiritual tone to it, shrouded about with indistinct colloquialisms....

Way to go!! Yay!!

~Shawn

 

[heatmiser]

Thanks eyema!

I bet if I started with this bass sound, people would swear there was something wrong with it, but in comparison to the first version I agree that it is much better.

Robert Hunter wrote most of the lyrics for Garcia's songs. They always seem to be sprinkled with random Americana and vague imagery. I think he liked to leave a lot of interpretation up to the listener.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the addition of percussion (forgot that I added a tambourine as well) or the new mix in general?

P.S. - I need to spread some rep otherwise i would've hooked you up.

 

[rayc]

Has a string bass sound to it.
I'm one of the unconverted - I tried to get into their psych stuff but found it too unfocus and jammy.
Their country stuff was beautifully done but not my saucer of Lanchoo either.
This is well recorded - the 2nd mix is way ahead. Tambourine - difficult instrument but can add so much.
Well done. Keep the scented oil diffuser burning!

 

[heatmiser]

Thanks for checking it our ray. Had to google the 'ole lanchoo.

simplicitea...that is what i am striving for here.

I will return to unfocused and jammy later on.

thanks again!

 

[rayc]

Heat,
Excellent comeback on the obscuriTEAS!
I've ordered LIVE.
I negelected to say you did a nice job on this. I don't do covers because I don't know many songs by other & those I dig I kow I couldn't scratch (I only know 10 chords).