My first time recording someone else...

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RAMI

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Hey,

My cousin is a singer/songwriter with no recording experience. He does mostly acoustic stuff, but this song is a full "production". I helped him out by playing drums on this, and recording and mixing everything for him.

I think the vocal sound on this is a little weak, through no fault of his. I don't have a "choice" of mics, and I think the mic I have wasn't right for his voice. I did all I could to get it to sound good, but probably came up a little short.

He's doing everything other than the drums.

Other than that, let me know what you think of the mix, tune, etc.....

Thanx

UNIVERSAL
 
Sounded good rami.
I sorta hear what you are saying about his vocals, allthough his backing vox sounds very good.
His lead voice becomes a tad nasal and distant at times.
I'm guessing you have tried equing this, but my 2 cents would be playing around with the low mids (body), the nasality and adding a tad prescense.

Other than that I think it sounded great, nice 60's vibe and tell your cousin he's a good songwriter, that tune was hot:cool:
 
Yeah the vocals do not work. They lack shine. I think there's enough "body", they just lack clarity in the super highs. Tweak the highs but watch out for sibilance. I'd say wide boost the highs and then do a narrow notch cut where the sibilance is.

The rest sounds good. Nice laid back drums.

That song is terrible. :p
 
Thanx Nak and Greg.

I really tried everything with the vocals, including boosting some highs. It wasn't that simple. I had to keep telling him not to eat the mic until I gave up telling him and just thought "Fuck it". The back-ups sound better than the lead because, since it was back-ups, he literally backed-up when doing them. :eek:

Greg_L said:
That song is terrible. :p
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Definitely not my kind of music, to listen to or record. Which is why I'd never make it as an engineer/producer. There's no way I'd be able to repeatedly record other people's shit that I can't stand. :D
 
RAMI said:
Definitely not my kind of music, to listen to or record. Which is why I'd never make it as an engineer/producer. There's no way I'd be able to repeatedly record other people's shit that I can't stand. :D
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Same here. I get asked all the time to record local bands. Fucking hell the fuck no. Never in a million years or for a million dollars do I want to sit through someone else's garbage music. :spank:
 
RAMI said:
Thanx Nak and Greg.

I really tried everything with the vocals, including boosting some highs. It wasn't that simple. I had to keep telling him not to eat the mic until I gave up telling him and just thought "Fuck it". The back-ups sound better than the lead because, since it was back-ups, he literally backed-up when doing them. :eek:


Definitely not my kind of music, to listen to or record. Which is why I'd never make it as an engineer/producer. There's no way I'd be able to repeatedly record other people's shit that I can't stand. :D
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Btw if you can get your hands on some retro eq vst, they tend to be quite forgiving when it comes to boosting highs, the q's are usually fixed though.
I've got the softube Trident eq and you can litterary push them to full and still get good result, they just add a nice distortion to the signal, might be worth a shot.

Oh and on the body of the vocals I meant subtract not add, there is as Geronimo said plenty of it.

Id'd play around with a high bass cut, fairly mild setting.
and then I'd try adding some around 3-5khz and last some at 10 or higher.:)
 
It's what you, him & the otehr bloke said!
TRUTH?
Borrow a different mic (or 2) & re do the lead vox.
You can tweak all you like but you already know that the old axiom:
"you can fix it in the mix" is a Furphy of monumantal proportions.
You feelings regarding recording others reminds me of my missus: she can sing, play guitar & piano, transpose etc on the fly with her eyes shut & her senses impeded BUT she cannot, will not, teach others how to play the piano as she can't understand why they can't do it 1st go! This is rather strange as she is, by profession, a teacher and librarian so has to teach others almost anything in a standard curriculum BUT what she does naturally & without thought she can not break down from intuitive to step by step instruction.
PS,
I'd pay good money for anyone of you three fellows to record my struff - you'd just have to shift continenets for a bit!
 
Song reminds me of Beatles Rubber Soul era. I wasn't wild about the singer...something in the phrasing seemed kinda cheesy (like when he'd stretch out that note on the word "I'm"). I imagine the song might appeal to a few people, but for me it was hokey. It was very nice of you to try to help your cousin, I hope he was happy with it.

PS...the drums are the best part of the song.:D
 
Hi Rami,

I think it sounds really good. I hear what you guys are all saying about the vocals, but something that strikes me is that the song has a vibe about it that sounds kind of like The Who, and actually, the vocals aren't far off from the way some of Daltry's vocals sounded on some of their studio stuff. If you like The Who, and you listen in that context, I think they kind of work.

It's a shame that you don't like to record other people's stuff, everything I've heard of yours sounds really good, it's obvious you've got great ears and a good sense of production. Think of all the local bands that could benefit from your help :) BUT....I completely understand the sentiment. Even if I was good enough to offer out my recording services, I'd be reluctant to do it for fear that I'd grow to hate the whole process. I get sick to death of my own tunes by the time I write, record, arrange, rewrite, and then mix them 500 times, and I'd probably want to drive an ice pick into my eardrum if I was doing that with a song I didn't care for. I have to wonder how people make their living this way without completely losing it.

Anyway, sounds good to me!

Best Regards,

Dave DeWhitt
http://www.soundclick.com/davedewhitt
 
I like it,

I agree it's "hokey", but I am thinking (hoping) the lead lyric intentionally knows it. Nice clear production.

Approx 4:30 minutes is way too long for the style. I can't help thinking a Monkees style (basically the same but more energetic, jagged, and "in your face") 2:30 minute version would add the impact it needs... and completely indulge what I hope is the lyrical intention.
 
Nakatira said:
Your music is darn sexy bro:spank::cool::D
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Stop it. You're turning me on. :eek:
rayc said:
It's what you, him & the otehr bloke said!
TRUTH?
You can tweak all you like but you already know that the old axiom:
"you can fix it in the mix"
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Yes, that's basically the point. The problem occurred during tracking, which is my fault to a certain extent.
sharonclowe said:
Song reminds me of Beatles Rubber Soul era. I wasn't wild about the singer...something in the phrasing seemed kinda cheesy (like when he'd stretch out that note on the word "I'm"). I imagine the song might appeal to a few people, but for me it was hokey. It was very nice of you to try to help your cousin, I hope he was happy with it.

PS...the drums are the best part of the song.:D
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Hehe...Thanx Sharon. I agree with you, as much as it hurts to admit that about a family member. He actually is a good singer/acoustic guitarist. His music is just not my cup of tea..at all.
dewhitt said:
Hi Rami,

I think it sounds really good. I hear what you guys are all saying about the vocals, but something that strikes me is that the song has a vibe about it that sounds kind of like The Who, and actually, the vocals aren't far off from the way some of Daltry's vocals sounded on some of their studio stuff. If you like The Who, and you listen in that context, I think they kind of work.

It's a shame that you don't like to record other people's stuff, everything I've heard of yours sounds really good, it's obvious you've got great ears and a good sense of production. Think of all the local bands that could benefit from your help :) BUT....I completely understand the sentiment. Even if I was good enough to offer out my recording services, I'd be reluctant to do it for fear that I'd grow to hate the whole process. I get sick to death of my own tunes by the time I write, record, arrange, rewrite, and then mix them 500 times, and I'd probably want to drive an ice pick into my eardrum if I was doing that with a song I didn't care for. I have to wonder how people make their living this way without completely losing it.

Anyway, sounds good to me!

Best Regards,

Dave DeWhitt
http://www.soundclick.com/davedewhitt
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Thanx a lot Dave. Yes, like you said, I get sick of my own stuff by the time it's finished. I can't imagine being able to suffer through someone else's music just for the money.
Tobe said:
I like it,

I agree it's "hokey", but I am thinking (hoping) the lead lyric intentionally knows it. Nice clear production.

Approx 4:30 minutes is way too long for the style. I can't help thinking a Monkees style (basically the same but more energetic, jagged, and "in your face") 2:30 minute version would add the impact it needs... and completely indulge what I hope is the lyrical intention.
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Thanx Tobe. Yeah, it probably would be a much better 2:30-3:00 minute "ditty". It gets a little self-indulgent, and certainly shouldn't be a 4-minute-plus tune.


Thanx for all the comments, y'all. :cool:
 
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