PoeticIntensity Original - Keep Fallin' Down

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PoeticIntensity

PoeticIntensity

MagicJones.com (is a website)
First off, I hate the vocals on this one, but I really like the way the guitars / bass / drums came out. If ya have a few spare seconds, let me know what ya think.

(this is the first time I have ever attempted a "solo" on guitar, and represents about 2 hours worth of fail. Ended up patching the thing together with like 100 slices - and the solo is about 2 measures long. Ouch.)

Anyway, thanks in advance for the listen and comments.

Keep Fallin' Down
 
yes, that rocks nicely :)
some mixing-tips:
bass & bassdrum could be better glued together. i think the bassdrum has too much decay. maybe you would like to try this:
- use expansion or a soft gate on the bassdrum to remove the decay (transient designer would be beneficial for that job)
- compress the bassdrum with 30-50ms attack & ~100ms release with a fast/VCA-type compressor to give it a little bit more attack (i would use transient designer here to slightly increase attack)
- then i tend to compress also bassdrum & bass together in a bus to "glue them". try also e.g. 30ms attack (if the compressor is fast, otherwise maybe 50ms is needed) and ~100ms release as a staring point.
- try antress modern angel (freeware vst compression plugin) an the bass (and the vox), its quite similar sounding than the LA2A (which i love for bass & vox).
- try to cut the bass at 40-50hz (maybe before compression) & saturate it a little bit (genrates harmonics to help the bass cut through better).

these are just some tips for further "optimization", the mix itself isn't bad, you are in the right direction!

//edit: this freeware plugin is a not bad transient designer replacement: http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.php?item=2&subItem=4
 
PI,
Nice throb in the bass - it has defiinition that cuts through most of the time (try a 4dB boost at 3khz with a very narrow Q to cut a little more consistently).
The locked in bass drum & bass guitar is a common thing but I have trouble playing bass that way unless I just chugggggg.
The vox aren't hate inducing. They are OK - & FAR FAR FAR better than I could manage.
The guitars are fine mate. Solo - well, I've recorded a few & kept about 2 in my time. I just don't have the melodic sense nor the fret board skills so the couple I've kept (Wah Wow & one of the Miriam & I ones) are tres simplistic & effects used for an incognito result.
All in all - a really good result.
 
Don't be so hard on yourself, Jason, your vocals sound pretty good on this one. I like the feel of the tune, raw, desert-rock, road movie type, like something out of Natural Born Killers. The voice would sound better if you tried a dirtier rawer approach, but your pitch is pretty good. This is something I'd gladly sing.
 
Couldn't believe the depth of this recording. Felt like the sound came out of the speakers and surrounded me, like I was in the middle of the room. I don't know any other way to describe it - just hope I can develop that kind of artistry in my mixes. I liked it... and yeah, your singing was fine...
 
Not really much to say on this one. I think the guitars could be a bit quieter. The drum and bass sounds are really good. Your singing is actually really good on this. A few pitchy spots, but that's about it. I'm not sure if you really care about arrangement, but the song kind of drags on. It's probably the tempo difference from the other things you post. Good job overall.
 
Cool stuff Jason - I like the groove going in this one. And I like how the melody is able to work different ways around it. It's a good key for you - down low kind of "warning you" feel and up in the higher range you really "get the point across" musically. Nice tone on the guitar - what are you playing / recording with there? Drums are sounding good - is that your new snare?
 
Not too bad. Drums sound pretty good. Bass is nice and fat but pretty clean. Vocals seem okay. I never pay attention to them anyway. As long as they sit in the mix well, I couldn't care less what they sound like. Guitars are the weak link. They sound cheap and scratchy. Dial in a better tone, get a better amp, or something. Maybe try an amp sim.
 
karumba said:
yes, that rocks nicely :)
some mixing-tips:
bass & bassdrum could be better glued together. i think the bassdrum has too much decay. maybe you would like to try this:
- use expansion or a soft gate on the bassdrum to remove the decay (transient designer would be beneficial for that job)
- compress the bassdrum with 30-50ms attack & ~100ms release with a fast/VCA-type compressor to give it a little bit more attack (i would use transient designer here to slightly increase attack)
- then i tend to compress also bassdrum & bass together in a bus to "glue them". try also e.g. 30ms attack (if the compressor is fast, otherwise maybe 50ms is needed) and ~100ms release as a staring point.
- try antress modern angel (freeware vst compression plugin) an the bass (and the vox), its quite similar sounding than the LA2A (which i love for bass & vox).
- try to cut the bass at 40-50hz (maybe before compression) & saturate it a little bit (genrates harmonics to help the bass cut through better).

these are just some tips for further "optimization", the mix itself isn't bad, you are in the right direction!

//edit: this freeware plugin is a not bad transient designer replacement: digitalfishphones.com - free audio effects plugins
Click to expand...

Wow, Jan, thanks for the tip. (I hope I'm remembering your name right, if not, just smack me and set me straight) Lots of analysis went into that one, and I appreciate it. I've mulled over getting Transient Designer over and over and over again. Maybe I'll revisit it and see if it makes sense to get for the studio now. Thanks for the tip again, man. Love your comments.

rayc said:
PI,
Nice throb in the bass - it has defiinition that cuts through most of the time (try a 4dB boost at 3khz with a very narrow Q to cut a little more consistently).
The locked in bass drum & bass guitar is a common thing but I have trouble playing bass that way unless I just chugggggg.
The vox aren't hate inducing. They are OK - & FAR FAR FAR better than I could manage.
The guitars are fine mate. Solo - well, I've recorded a few & kept about 2 in my time. I just don't have the melodic sense nor the fret board skills so the couple I've kept (Wah Wow & one of the Miriam & I ones) are tres simplistic & effects used for an incognito result.
All in all - a really good result.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Ray. Good call on EQing the Bass. I think that may be just what it needs to cut more consistently (along with Jan's suggestions). Thanks for your comments.

joeym said:
Don't be so hard on yourself, Jason, your vocals sound pretty good on this one. I like the feel of the tune, raw, desert-rock, road movie type, like something out of Natural Born Killers. The voice would sound better if you tried a dirtier rawer approach, but your pitch is pretty good. This is something I'd gladly sing.
Click to expand...

Holy cow, are you serious? If you're serious about singing it, I'll get you a minus-track tonight. That would be insanely cool.
 
GuitarLegend said:
Couldn't believe the depth of this recording. Felt like the sound came out of the speakers and surrounded me, like I was in the middle of the room. I don't know any other way to describe it - just hope I can develop that kind of artistry in my mixes. I liked it... and yeah, your singing was fine...
Click to expand...

Wow, very cool that you liked it, and I liked your description. Thanks for commenting!

squibble94 said:
Not really much to say on this one. I think the guitars could be a bit quieter. The drum and bass sounds are really good. Your singing is actually really good on this. A few pitchy spots, but that's about it. I'm not sure if you really care about arrangement, but the song kind of drags on. It's probably the tempo difference from the other things you post. Good job overall.
Click to expand...

Thanks, squibble. Between yours and Greg's comments, I might need to revisit the guitars on this one. As far as it dragging on, I hear ya. It's a slower tempo, and there's a big gap in the middle where the timing plays on itself, but it needs something else right there. I definitely don't have the guitar chops to do anything about it, either. I'm considering asking some of the guitar heroes here to see if they can come up with anything... Anyway, thanks for the comment.

ido1957 said:
Cool stuff Jason - I like the groove going in this one. And I like how the melody is able to work different ways around it. It's a good key for you - down low kind of "warning you" feel and up in the higher range you really "get the point across" musically. Nice tone on the guitar - what are you playing / recording with there? Drums are sounding good - is that your new snare?
Click to expand...

Hey Gerry! Thanks for the listen! Appreciate the kudos, man. As far as guitar goes, I played my new Les Paul Epiphone into a Line-6, and just messed with the settings there. 4 guitar tracks. Two crunchy, but not too crunchy, and two clean. I record with a CAD Trion 7000 dual-ribbon mic, which I use on just about all my amped guitars. That goes into a Golden Age Pre-73, which is then fed into my delta 1010 interface, and then into my DAW (got a new DAW - Harrison Mixbus. Incredibly analog-sounding program!)

And finally - yes! This is my new Lil' Squealer snare. I absolutely love it. It has a piercing character that my maple snare never had.
 
I was going to say exactly the same as karumba but he beat me to it :rolleyes:

lol


Nice one...cant hear much wrong with this myself,.vocals sounded good to me Jason...I think youve got the hate your own voice syndrome a bit

nope Im really trying to critique but as it goes on I like it more...drums sound great in in this, and I love the beat...whole thing has a miserable as fuck thing going one which is right up my my street


great job, maybe your best I think
 
i just read the comment on you having a new snare..its does sound the business, has a great ring to it
 
PoeticIntensity said:
Wow, Jan, thanks for the tip. (I hope I'm remembering your name right, if not, just smack me and set me straight) Lots of analysis went into that one, and I appreciate it. I've mulled over getting Transient Designer over and over and over again. Maybe I'll revisit it and see if it makes sense to get for the studio now. Thanks for the tip again, man. Love your comments.
Click to expand...
jan is correct, no smack needed ;-)
as a drummer i would even more recommend the transient designer. i'm using it often for "drying off" snare or bassdrum (also nice for percussions). give the SPL native plugin a try. its quite close to the hardware (UAD is even more narrow).
 
I loved the space on that snare!!! :D:D I could listen to that all day!! The whole thing was pretty good. I think this is the second or third DIY original I've heard from you and I can't get away from the Midnight Oil comparisons - that's a good thing! Your voice is not bad, there were a few spots that might need a retake, but it works. I gotta come back to that snare....what did you do to get that sound? No cheap reverb here...no-way!
:):D:cool:
 
maximusbs said:
I loved the space on that snare!!! :D:D I could listen to that all day!! The whole thing was pretty good. I think this is the second or third DIY original I've heard from you and I can't get away from the Midnight Oil comparisons - that's a good thing! Your voice is not bad, there were a few spots that might need a retake, but it works. I gotta come back to that snare....what did you do to get that sound? No cheap reverb here...no-way!
:):D:cool:
Click to expand...

Actually... You might be surprised. A little company called "LinuxDSP" makes a stereo reverb that I pretty much use on everything that needs it. It's not free, but I got my copy for $5.00. :D Thanks for the kudos, and now I'm gonna have to go listen to some Midnight Oil.
 
Don't expect that snare sound on the Oil's 1st couple of albums (their best albums actually) as it came along about the time of jack'n'Dianne super studio snare sounds.
 
I think the vox are OK. My only critique on them is that it sounds like you're straining yourself on the choruses. Relax a little there, and I think it'll be fine.

The vamp before the last verse could stand to be shortened.

I like the huge reverb on the snare!

Cool song. I like the big growly tone on the bass and rhythm guitar.
 
rayc said:
Don't expect that snare sound on the Oil's 1st couple of albums (their best albums actually) as it came along about the time of jack'n'Dianne super studio snare sounds.
Click to expand...

mmmmm....mmmmm... I love me some-o-that! Hopelessly stuck in the 80's :o
 
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