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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Yep - there is a fight going on, and I do need to sort it out, as it is bothering me quite a bit. Adds an unwelcome nervousness to the mix IMO.
Yep - there is a fight going on, and I do need to sort it out, as it is bothering me quite a bit. Adds an unwelcome nervousness to the mix IMO.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
So - Miro - you got me to thinking and I did a couple passes at lower volume and figured the thing that was *really* poking my ear, and it was the right guitar. I dropped it by a couple DB while I am singing the verses. Both guitars also had additional/unecessary verb plugs (over and above the amp verb). This was spreading them out no matter how hard I panned them. Got rid of that. I also panned over the doubled BG vocal part where I say ooze and "I'm gonna eat it", and dropped the 'ahhh' bg vocals another 1.5.
Also found and dropped one ridiculously out of tune phrase from the bg (thanks TripleM!)
I think the fight for space is almost over.... Thanks everyone!
Also found and dropped one ridiculously out of tune phrase from the bg (thanks TripleM!)
I think the fight for space is almost over.... Thanks everyone!
robgreen
no face
Oh - as far as *my* BG vocal - stressing the words 'ooze' and "i'm gonna eat it" with that goofy alice cooper kinda voice is crucial to the song lolI actually really like the Fall, and I'm familiar with the track. I've had comparisons over the years when I sing in the lower range.
I always have to mindful that part of asking for advice is learning to figure out what's best for the song and balance accordingly. There are many bands, who are still among the living, actual recording artists who get considerable airplay that use *GOBS* of very large, apparent reverb. It's not just for the 80s, or particularly dated. Sometimes its just in a genre the listener isn't familiar with
Yeah, reverb hasn't dated in the way that phasers or chorus pedals have. I don't think you do sound like a particular period of time, I just got an inkling of what you like from the covers I've heard from you in the past. For me, eras are just like genres - just slightly arbitrary labels that aren't worth paying a huge amount of attention too. I think you're right to just get as close as possible to the sound in your head within the limitations of yourself and yer equipment.
Glad you've heard that Fall tune - love that band!
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Rob - my comment about verb was musing aloud. It is very common here, and on just about every other forum on the planet to say that verb is passe, or 80s or what have you..... With all that said - I do know that I have used way to much in the past, to the point where people can't actually hear the words
. I've been doing a little Fall listening lately, and another odd little band I actually was unfamiliar with called 'Felt' who are right up my alley....
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Rob - my comment about verb was musing aloud. It is very common here, and on just about every other forum on the planet to say that verb is passe, or 80s or what have you..... With all that said - I do know that I have used way to much in the past, to the point where people can't actually hear the words
ps - I did actually break out the phaser the other day, and that was a trip !!!
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I think you're there now....MUCH better!
macle
New member
Hey Chuck, sounds great. You have a great tone to your voice. Trying to think who it reminds me of, then I realized it was sort of like Bono.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Thanks for checking it out Macle! I have heard Bono a few times, Lou reed others, and Ethel Merman a few - all depending on the song
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
Yes! I couldn't quite place it, but that's it!
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
...and with regard to dated effects, I like the sound of phasers, but they do almost always evoke 1970's for me.
Chorus very specifically suggest the 1980's, and not in a good way. I generally cringe when I sense any amount of it.
Reverb however is timeless. I think there was a certain kind of cheap sounding verb on a lot of snare drums in the '80's that is kind of an unpleasant signature sound, but most other kinds of verb work for me in most contexts.
I hear a lot of indie bands lately on sirius xmU that are drenched in verb, and if anything, it suggests kind of a '60's pop feeling for me, for good or ill.
I really like the newest mix a lot chuck! Is there a delay though on the bongos or something? They sound kind of clunky to me all the sudden...
Chorus very specifically suggest the 1980's, and not in a good way. I generally cringe when I sense any amount of it.
Reverb however is timeless. I think there was a certain kind of cheap sounding verb on a lot of snare drums in the '80's that is kind of an unpleasant signature sound, but most other kinds of verb work for me in most contexts.
I hear a lot of indie bands lately on sirius xmU that are drenched in verb, and if anything, it suggests kind of a '60's pop feeling for me, for good or ill.
I really like the newest mix a lot chuck! Is there a delay though on the bongos or something? They sound kind of clunky to me all the sudden...
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
Now that is a Food Eater.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Yeah - the indie stuff (I listen to sirius a lot in the minivan lol) is what I was referring to. Tons O verb.
The bongos - that's a big mystery. You probably saw the video. I played them live with me while I sang. WYSIWYG, so I can't have anything on them that isn't also on the vocal... All of a sudden now I can hear them all over the place. Of course the only explanation I have is that I cleared out all that room and now they are more apparent. I can't think of anything else. I do have one final mix I did where I backed off the vocal compression a little and did a couple other minor tweaks, and now I'm worried they are too loud
Anyway - I'm psyched this place is coming back around again. Everyone has been really helpful in nailing this down, and making minor tweaks, posting the alternate mixes, walking away until the next day really clears my head
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
dobro
Well-known member
I listened to the last updated mix. (Why screw around?) This tune is very very good. Either you're as old as me, or you have a retro throwback gene that got activated on this one. Great live feel. Great overall sound - everything moves like it should. For me, the drums part plus the vocal sound(s) really make the song. And the mix? It's really good, but what would a ME do with it? He'd put it in his ME machine and it would come out ever so slightly less dark at some frequencies and possibly slightly airier. I don't have the ears to tell you what frequencies. Do you? Maybe it's time to send it to the ME? If this tune is the result of tweaks resulting from comments on this page, then this page has done its work. Really good music you're making here. BTW, if you're into listening to interesting old stuff, check out Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band - it's gettable in places - you on this tune and ATBB are working a similar vein.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Thanks dobro! I'm 45, I was kinda born with a retro gene. Most of my favorite music centers (strange mix) centers on the 60s and the 80s/early 90s. I love all the british invasion stuff, old funk/soul R&B - JB, Curtis, Otis, Folk, Dylan, Donovan, VU, all that stuff plus later bands like the smiths, commotions, robyn hitchcock, cure, stone roses, fall, pixies, blur, what have you. I guess part of the retro is my main guitars are a vintage Gretsch reissue and a 1948 Gibson arch-top, and of course my les. I play though an old Ampeg Jet 15 watt. I use a J-bass with flat wounds. For the most part the sounds come from sticking a mic in front of the amp. My keys library is mostly samples of ancient uprights and b3s and farfisas, and of course my real piece of crap upright that I use once in a while. I haven't heard Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band (that I know of), but I will sure check it out. Sometimes I really aim hard at a totally retro vibe, which a few of the guys will attest to.
At first I was really confused with the ME, I thought you were talking about me sending it to you until I realized you meant mastering engineer. I have thought about having some stuff mastered, but honestly don't know what I would do with it as it seems like an expense that I would never recoup. I don't actually sell songs or music or anything. I write and record to keep from losing my mind, as a computer programmer who works about 12 hours a day and with 3 kids, a dog and a falling down house and all.
This place is awesome, I stumbled in here around January of this year, and the guys really help me out whenever I post, and I try and return the favor when I can. It goes through temporary lulls, and I was kinda down on it for a while when there was almost no traffic in here and nobody really listening, or returning comments - just hit and run 'check out my track' for a few months. I guess the lulls maybe center on when greg gets the boot, or doesn't post in here for a while, and things always seem to pick up on his return.
It is kinda funny that quite a few things came out of posting this song here. I originally posted a version of this back in July when I first recorded it. It was originall about a minute and a half. Heatmiser thought it would be cool to have an extended solo in the middle so I chopped it up and added 40 seconds in the middle. Got my buddy to play that crazy ebow piece. Then I turned around and asked Heat to sing the backup ahs during the verses. I've always loved his choir of awesome style ahhs.... Then I moved on and recorded another 20 or so songs and kinda forgot about it, and circled back for another mix, which is what I posted the other day.
Everyone helped me get to the bottom of a couple things that were driving me crazy, but I couldn't figure out. Mostly subtle things, but I think the mix is much better from 1st to last version, and the final that I haven't posted yet. I'm going to re-sync it with the video first, I shoot live video of performing all the tracks with a little flip camcorder, or my webcam.
At first I was really confused with the ME, I thought you were talking about me sending it to you until I realized you meant mastering engineer. I have thought about having some stuff mastered, but honestly don't know what I would do with it as it seems like an expense that I would never recoup. I don't actually sell songs or music or anything. I write and record to keep from losing my mind, as a computer programmer who works about 12 hours a day and with 3 kids, a dog and a falling down house and all.
This place is awesome, I stumbled in here around January of this year, and the guys really help me out whenever I post, and I try and return the favor when I can. It goes through temporary lulls, and I was kinda down on it for a while when there was almost no traffic in here and nobody really listening, or returning comments - just hit and run 'check out my track' for a few months. I guess the lulls maybe center on when greg gets the boot, or doesn't post in here for a while, and things always seem to pick up on his return.
It is kinda funny that quite a few things came out of posting this song here. I originally posted a version of this back in July when I first recorded it. It was originall about a minute and a half. Heatmiser thought it would be cool to have an extended solo in the middle so I chopped it up and added 40 seconds in the middle. Got my buddy to play that crazy ebow piece. Then I turned around and asked Heat to sing the backup ahs during the verses. I've always loved his choir of awesome style ahhs.... Then I moved on and recorded another 20 or so songs and kinda forgot about it, and circled back for another mix, which is what I posted the other day.
Everyone helped me get to the bottom of a couple things that were driving me crazy, but I couldn't figure out. Mostly subtle things, but I think the mix is much better from 1st to last version, and the final that I haven't posted yet. I'm going to re-sync it with the video first, I shoot live video of performing all the tracks with a little flip camcorder, or my webcam.
dobro
Well-known member
Hm? I didn't understand that last bit entirely. You shot video of you actually recording all the parts of this? Just the one camera? And just the one take of each instrument?
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
I do this for every one of my recordings now. I record each track with a flip handheld as I play it live in one take. I let the audio bleed into the camera audio. Then I use vegas and a method i nicknamed 'caveman sync' to line it up in Sony vegas to make the video. Basically you drop the mix on an audio track, then each of the 4 video tracks, then solo and slip and nudge each of the video tracks until the audio phase lines up with the mix, then I mute the camera audio. Here is the original video from back in July - back when it was a 1:30 second song, before I chopped it to add in room for the solo.
Telegram Sam
New member
Good stuff, Chuck! 
rayc
retroreprobate
Cool lyrics and song generally - I LOVE the solo!