drift

[heatmiser]

Hey,

Here's a new one with lyrics written mostly by robgreen. He was nice enough to send me these last Spring when I was going through a dry spell and they've sat on my desktop until a couple of weeks ago. I hacked 'em apart, added a few lines and removed others to make it all fit my simplistic notions of verse/chorus. I think originally it was about getting off at the wrong stop late at night...

I really like parts of this arrangement, but the mix is a little odd. It may sound really simple, but there's lots of little layers of stuff everywhere and I think maybe I went a little crazy with processing. I guess maybe it sounds kind of compressed and boxy, but kinda cool too? If you'd care to give it a listen I'd love to know what you think. Thanks! - Pete

320 kps dropbox link:

Soundcloud player:

 

[Greg_L]

Sounds pretty good to me dude. I don't know what you're hearing in your head, but from where I'm sitting it seems mostly pretty good. My only nits....it seems the low end gets a little buried when things get rolling during what I'm guessing is the chorus. Like at the 3:00 mark. It builds up there and gets a little midrangey. Actually, overall it seems a little lighter in the bottom end than your usual stuff as far as I can remember. Just barely though. Don't go crazy trying to fix anything. Baybe just bumping the kick and bass up a hair will make me happier. It might be too much for you or someone else though. I'm also not too crazy about the vocals. I can't quite put my finger on why, but the double treatment kind of annoys me on this one. Maybe they're just too clear and/or dry? I'm not sure. Whatever it is, it's just personal taste. As far as how they sound in the mix, they sit just fine.

 

[heatmiser]

Thanks Greg.

That sucks about the vocals, but I see what you mean. I haven't tried obvious double tracking like this in a while. I wanted them to cut through all of the reverberated instruments, but I still have a fair amount of verb on them. They do have kind of a harsh, biting quality to them though. Too much sibilance or something. I think I almost kind of like it that way though...not sure I guess.

I'm struggling with the low end lately. I now have 2 sets of speakers that are fairly nice, but very different sounding. One set has plenty 'o bass, while the other lacks bass in favor of high freq. detail. I toggle back and forth and get confused...

 

[RockinRobby]

Kind of a Strawberry fields vibe. All it needs is a higher vocal, and some reverse cymbals

 

[Toastedgoat]

pretty good I think the feel of the song fits the sound of the song. has a 60's dated feel and sound to it.

 

[jiff 41]

Yeh i'm hearing the 60's as well, i LOVE the Ricky bass sound(got one) haven't learnt how to get "THAT" sound recorded yet tho!, i agree the kik could be a tad louder tho!, [nice work!]

 

[heatmiser]

Thanks folks! While I wasn't conciously thinking retro here, I agree there is some of that to this which is fine with me.

That's two votes for more kick. The drums/bass sound pretty good,clear and balanced soloed together, but it gets a bit unclear as I pile on the layers. Maybe I need to notch some stuff out of the other instruments?

As for the bass, this time it is DI through a small mic pre and then into a RAT distortion pedal. It does suck some of the low end out of it, but I'm too cheap to buy dedicated bass FX.

 

[TripleM]

Generally sounds great. I liked the instrumentation. Vocal sounds great.

It could probably use a little bigger low end. I'm having trouble hearing the bass in spots. Seems a little light. I think you could boost both the bass and kick a bit.

But that's only a small complaint. Things sound very good.

 

[heatmiser]

Generally sounds great. I liked the instrumentation. Vocal sounds great.

It could probably use a little bigger low end. I'm having trouble hearing the bass in spots. Seems a little light. I think you could boost both the bass and kick a bit.

But that's only a small complaint. Things sound very good.

Awesome. Thanks Trip.

Ok, so it's pretty unanimous on the low end.

Here's a 2nd mix with both the bass guitar and kick drum raised about 2-3 dbs each. I also added a little more verb to the lead vocals too. Better??

 

[jiff 41]

Here's a 2nd mix with both the bass guitar and kick drum raised about 2-3 dbs each.

I close my eyes & see liquid lights & a hippie chick dancing with arm s waving,,,, yep, does it for me!

 

[Chili]

I can see Jiff's swaying dancing hippy chick.

I like the 2nd mix better, wondering if the bass and kick couldn't come up a tad more. Something about that snare that bothers me. It fits the song, but maybe is too far up front. Maybe it's the non-deviating pattern.

Lovin all the sonic details in this song. A feast for the ears!!

 

[TripleM]

I like the second mix. To me, I'd turn up the kick a couple of db's and call it a day.

Nice.

 

[Atom Bomb]

Great tune. I think everything is sitting right where it should be. It is simple yes but definitely not boring. Lots and lots going on. It's pretty cool.

Good job.

I love the clinic when it is good.

 

[heatmiser]

I close my eyes & see liquid lights & a hippie chick dancing with arm s waving,,,, yep, does it for me!

Perfect. There's a video in there somewhere I think...thanks!

I can see Jiff's swaying dancing hippy chick.

I like the 2nd mix better, wondering if the bass and kick couldn't come up a tad more. Something about that snare that bothers me. It fits the song, but maybe is too far up front. Maybe it's the non-deviating pattern.

Lovin all the sonic details in this song. A feast for the ears!!

Thanks Chili. I think it's better too. I really appreciate everyone continuing to help me with this stuff. I think the bass is loud enough for me now, but that kick is still partly MIA. I really like the snare sound on this myself, but I agree it may be too prominent?...not sure. Drums are super simple as always. I did branch out this time though and actually used the ride for the 1st time! I play it rather than the HHs in each chorus. My $60 OH mics are so sizzly sounding that I tend to do a lot of EQ cuts in the cymbal region, so maybe not too audible. Some day, I will actually record a tom or something.

I like the second mix. To me, I'd turn up the kick a couple of db's and call it a day.

Nice.

I agree Trip - thanks for checking back and for your help.

Great tune. I think everything is sitting right where it should be. It is simple yes but definitely not boring. Lots and lots going on. It's pretty cool.

Good job.

I love the clinic when it is good.

Awesome. Thanks Atom. There are lots of layers of background stuff that I spent a long time on only to bury them under the guitars and vocals towards the end of the process. A lot of stuff is barely audible - but I like to think it still matters that it's there. Thanks for checking it out.

 

[fat_fleet]

Hey heats, I really like this one a lot. The words sound cool and impressionistic and I love the overall flow of it.
How did you get that twangy sitar sound? Did you do that trick where you hang a paperclip across the strings? It sounds awesome. The harmonies work really well in this too.

I guess that acapella part from about 3.20 to 3.40 being in a different key than the rest of the song is a little disorienting to me, but that's probably just my squareness showing.... probably my favorite of your recent tunes!

 

[dobro]

I really like it. Drum sound's great. Lots of separation, good groove, lovely hook with the almost mellotron. If I compare the drum sound and the vocal, I'm thinking the vocal's losing out a bit. Nudge one up a hair, one down. A decibel each. Know why the drums are too loud? Cuz they're great. You like 'em too much. lol

Nice tune.

 

[robgreen]

Hey Pete, I'd pretty much forgotten that I'd sent you those lyrics, so this was a welcome surprise! I really liked them, but hadn't found a use for them, so I'm glad they've finally found a home - you've also done a great job of anchoring/chopping them down to something useable from their fairly long and loosely metered Visions of Johanna style origins. You're right on the original meaning btw - most of the lines make me think of very specific locations around Manchester, so it's cool to hear them transported across the Atlantic.

I love what you've done with the song and arrangement - it's got a real dark, psychedelic feel like the Beatles in their more sinister moments. The swampy intro is fantastic - I initially felt a little disappointed when it resolved into something neater just before the first verse started, but after a few listens I think that maintaining that throughout could have turned it into an unwieldy dirge. I agree with the general sentiment that you just need to boost the kick a touch and you're done. Very good work as usual mate

 

[heatmiser]

Hey heats, I really like this one a lot. The words sound cool and impressionistic and I love the overall flow of it.
How did you get that twangy sitar sound? Did you do that trick where you hang a paperclip across the strings? It sounds awesome. The harmonies work really well in this too.

I guess that acapella part from about 3.20 to 3.40 being in a different key than the rest of the song is a little disorienting to me, but that's probably just my squareness showing.... probably my favorite of your recent tunes!

That's great. Thanks ff! There were a lot of lines in there from Rob that I really like too.

Are the breaks really in a different key? I wasn't trying to be avant garde or anything. I don't think in those terms. I just hummed along and it seemed like it fit. I used the exact same melody for the instrumental break earlier...does that sound off? I know my "do do doooo's" were a little pitchy.

I was glad you mentioned a sitar, 'cause I now hear that too, even though it wasn't intentional.

That is a combination of a classical guitar double tracked and panned and an electric guitar DI (with some sort of shrill distortion), also doubled and panned and playing more or less in unison.

My amp is still borken!!!

I really like it. Drum sound's great. Lots of separation, good groove, lovely hook with the almost mellotron. If I compare the drum sound and the vocal, I'm thinking the vocal's losing out a bit. Nudge one up a hair, one down. A decibel each. Know why the drums are too loud? Cuz they're great. You like 'em too much. lol

Nice tune.

Awesome! Thanks dobro. I want to hear your new track but am at work, so maybe tonight or this weekend...

Yeah, the drums are kinda loud (minus the kick!). Glad you like 'em. I spent a fair amount of time playing around with a drum machine and layering lots of verb, delays and amp sims. I thin played an acoustic kit over that. Kind of messy, and you can't even hear clearly most of the drum machine stuff I did, but it's back there...thanks again!

 

[heatmiser]

Hey Pete, I'd pretty much forgotten that I'd sent you those lyrics, so this was a welcome surprise! I really liked them, but hadn't found a use for them, so I'm glad they've finally found a home - you've also done a great job of anchoring/chopping them down to something useable from their fairly long and loosely metered Visions of Johanna style origins. You're right on the original meaning btw - most of the lines make me think of very specific locations around Manchester, so it's cool to hear them transported across the Atlantic.

I love what you've done with the song and arrangement - it's got a real dark, psychedelic feel like the Beatles in their more sinister moments. The swampy intro is fantastic - I initially felt a little disappointed when it resolved into something neater just before the first verse started, but after a few listens I think that maintaining that throughout could have turned it into an unwieldy dirge. I agree with the general sentiment that you just need to boost the kick a touch and you're done. Very good work as usual mate

Hey rob - I'm glad you got a chance to hear this. I would've sent you a PM, but figured if you logged in to see a PM, you'd probably see this thread anyway.

Most lines of yours were kept intact, just shuffled around. I did have to Americanize some of it as things like Kingsway just didn't sound right coming out of my mouth. Thanks so much for letting me use them.

Glad you like the tune. There's a lot of keyboard stuff sprinkled throughout. I used old cassette recordings of me playing a lowrey organ through a leslie cab and then running that through guitar pedals. I took the tape, tranferred to this project, and then chopped the tracks up and made my own mini lopps by eyeballing it and cutting and pasting. I wanted more of that, but was trying not to overwhelm the song. Thanks again!

 

[dobro]

I spent a fair amount of time playing around with a drum machine and layering lots of verb, delays and amp sims. I thin played an acoustic kit over that. Kind of messy, and you can't even hear clearly most of the drum machine stuff I did, but it's back there...thanks again!

Amp sims on a drumkit? Okay, now you're my role model.