let 'em sink

[heatmiser]

Hello again,

I hope no one minds me posting another track so soon after the last, but I think we're done with the boombox thing, and I'm anxious to see if anyone can help me with this week's project.

I actually like this tune and was pretty happy with it while putting it together, but the end result now seems so dark and while I wanted the bass to dominate, I worry now that it's too much, even for a bass-heavy track. Maybe it's kind of corny and the singing is pretty rough, but there don't seem to be too many keys I can sing comfortably in and I'm not going to transpose this one at this point.

So, whadduya think? Do I need to lighten/brighten this one up a lot, a little, or is it ok as is? Also, I couldn't seem to get this one loud at all. Still no clue how that works .

https://soundcloud.com/kingseesar/let-em-sink

Thanks!
Pete

 

[CrowsofFritz]

Don't worry, man; I've been posting tracks like there's no tomorrow and I'll have another one up tomorrow!

Unfortunately, I turned off my system so I can't hear with my sub. On my headphones it sounds okay with the bass. I'll definitely hear this tomorrow on my system, though.

I like the harmony in the chorus.

How did you do that guitar/jet thing around 2:40? That was cool!

 

[Armistice]

Jeez heat... what are you thinking? Too soon, man... tooooooo sooooooooonnnnnn.



Kidding. Always like hearing your stuff...

I was thinking... gee that's an interesting low-fi beginning, then I realised I had my headphones plugged into my iPod still and I was blasting my work colleagues with yer noo choon direct from my laptop's tinny little speakers. No-one complained or looked angrily at me... good start...

Really nice work. You're one of the guys that's been here long enough and posted enough tunes that I know before I hit play it's going to be a good song, well produced. You know what you're doing.

My only nit would be the guitar solo perhaps not cutting through enough.... some of the notes seemed a bit lost.

Reallly liked the chaotic breakdown thing too.

Apart from that. All good from me... Well done son!

 

[rayc]

Soon isn't bad if the quality is there.
The quality IS there.
Not too dark, not too bass dominated.
I'd be inclined to darken the kit a little but that's not seriously so.
The Cool For Cats/Dazed & Confused bridge to the solo was interesting.
The solo doesn't cut through too well. A little plug in like Tubebaby would put some edge on it & solve that.
I REALLY like this.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Seems a solid mix. Everything comes through clearly.

It is a little dark, but I wouldn't say problematically so.

The jet sound is you scraping the pick along the string lengthwise, right?

 

[heatmiser]

Don't worry, man; I've been posting tracks like there's no tomorrow and I'll have another one up tomorrow!

Unfortunately, I turned off my system so I can't hear with my sub. On my headphones it sounds okay with the bass. I'll definitely hear this tomorrow on my system, though.

I like the harmony in the chorus.

How did you do that guitar/jet thing around 2:40? That was cool!

Cool. Thanks for checking in Crows. I checked back a few times last night and nothing...I was getting that nervous feeling where maybe I'd posted something so bad, no one had the guts to tell me .

The jet thing is actually a bounced sub-mix of 10 tracks all recorded in rapid succession with as many different effects and stuff as I could think of. Some guitar. some bass - mostly with distortion, reverb, some delays and some flangers. I probably didn't need 10 tracks to do that, but I wanted there to be lots of little things going on all over the place at that point. Thanks again.

I was thinking... gee that's an interesting low-fi beginning, then I realised I had my headphones plugged into my iPod still and I was blasting my work colleagues with yer noo choon direct from my laptop's tinny little speakers. No-one complained or looked angrily at me... good start...

That is awesome. It's good to know my music does not generate complaints or inspire anger !

Really nice work. You're one of the guys that's been here long enough and posted enough tunes that I know before I hit play it's going to be a good song, well produced. You know what you're doing.

My only nit would be the guitar solo perhaps not cutting through enough.... some of the notes seemed a bit lost.

Reallly liked the chaotic breakdown thing too.

Apart from that. All good from me... Well done son!

Thanks a lot Armistice. I really respect the quality of what you do, so it's nice to hear that from you.

I think ray has the same thoughts on the solo. Ironic, as that was something I thought was a plus. I cranked my little amp up to 50% to get it to break up a little and it sounded awesome in the room (I normally can't record that loud). I found that with the amp that loud and no pedals in front, it seemed much more sensitive to the amount of pressure I applied when picking...Listening back now, it sounds like I just did a fly by on some of those little runs where notes are suggested, but not actually heard...damn !

 

[heatmiser]

Soon isn't bad if the quality is there.
The quality IS there.
Not too dark, not too bass dominated.
I'd be inclined to darken the kit a little but that's not seriously so.
The Cool For Cats/Dazed & Confused bridge to the solo was interesting.
The solo doesn't cut through too well. A little plug in like Tubebaby would put some edge on it & solve that.
I REALLY like this.

Thank you ray! Ok, so maybe I'm worried about the wrong stuff on this one.

I don't have the ability to use 3rd party plugs (just the Roland ones built into my recorder), but I wonder if I can work with that solo track in some other way to help? I want it to sound kind of mellow, but there's 2 votes for making it "cut" more. Might compression have that effect?...along with a little EQ maybe?

It sounds like it isn't a question of volume or tone (I really liked that tone myself), but more of the attack or something, right?

Seems a solid mix. Everything comes through clearly.

It is a little dark, but I wouldn't say problematically so.

The jet sound is you scraping the pick along the string lengthwise, right?

Thank VHS! I am relieved that it's sounding reasonably balanced overall to you folks.

Bingo on the jet sound. There's a whole bunch of tracks in that part, but I think the predominant sound wound up being me scraping the pick up and down a string on a bass (with tons of effects going at the time). There some other cool sounds in there and although not obvious, I like to think that it'd be noticeable if they weren't there...

 

[Steenamaroo]

Thank VHS! I am relieved that it's sounding reasonably balanced overall to you folks.

Sounds better than 'reasonably balanced' to me. Sounds great!
The solo seemed fine where it is, but I'd be pushing the vocal up just a touch throughout.

If you said this was a finished closed production, I'd just say very well done!!!!

 

[heatmiser]

Sounds better than 'reasonably balanced' to me. Sounds great!
The solo seemed fine where it is, but I'd be pushing the vocal up just a touch throughout.

If you said this was a finished closed production, I'd just say very well done!!!!

Yay! Thanks Steen.

This isn't false modesty if anyone is wondering. I really am very insecure about this stuff. I count on you folks here to set me straight as I can't seem to evaluate my own material with any degree of objectivity at all.

I need validation....hold me .

 

[CrowsofFritz]

Yay! Thanks Steen.

This isn't false modesty if anyone is wondering. I really am very insecure about this stuff. I count on you folks here to set me straight as I can't seem to evaluate my own material with any degree of objectivity at all.

I need validation....hold me .

Sheesh.....I compare you to the Beatles and you still feel that way!


Just kidding, I do too. It's one thing to receive compliments and praises that compare you to your favorite bands and guitarists, but somehow I don't let it phase me TOO much. And I know that if I were to call some of my favorite guitarists some of the best in the world (and they really are too), they would just disagree with me.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Yay! Thanks Steen.

This isn't false modesty if anyone is wondering. I really am very insecure about this stuff. I count on you folks here to set me straight as I can't seem to evaluate my own material with any degree of objectivity at all.

I need validation....hold me .

LOL. I know how you feel.
I totally rely on a handful of people giving my tracks a thumbs up before I feel totally happy with it.
Sometimes that doesn't happen but then it's time to take notes, right?

I'm working on a track right now that is definitely the best thing in the world, but that'll all change as soon as I post a link.

 

[Mickster]

Well done. I like it. Gun to my head......I might take the drums down a bit or maybe take a little brightness out of them. A little too "splashy" / cut through / bright for my taste. They spill over some nice sounds in the song. Nice stuff though.....very nice.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Well done. I like it. Gun to my head......

LOL. I'm picturing Heatmiser in pulp fiction now.... "What ain't no mixing technique I ain't ever heard of!....Say What again! I DARE YOU!"

 

[rayc]

Compression, a little EQ any Roland effect that adds an edge, maybe just add some "presence" so thta it's litfted out a little.

 

[heatmiser]

Well done. I like it. Gun to my head......I might take the drums down a bit or maybe take a little brightness out of them. A little too "splashy" / cut through / bright for my taste. They spill over some nice sounds in the song. Nice stuff though.....very nice.

Awesome. Thanks Mickster. You may be right. Rayc said something similar. I'm thinking about bringing the overall drum level down a little. The splashiness I kinda like though. I've been going more that direction lately, cranking the OHs and room mics and compressing them to death. It's probably just a phase I'm going through or something.

LOL. I'm picturing Heatmiser in pulp fiction now.... "What ain't no mixing technique I ain't ever heard of!....Say What again! I DARE YOU!"

"They speak English in What!!??"

Compression, a little EQ any Roland effect that adds an edge, maybe just add some "presence" so thta it's litfted out a little.

Cheers ray. I'll take a look and see what I can do. Thanks.

 

[fritsthegirl]

I could easily listen to a tune a day from you, so get to work! Lovely song, I really like your voice on this one. I always think your stuff sounds perfect, it's really chilled but far from predictable. Lyrics are great too.

 

[Roisto]

I HATE that snare, it's really annoying and boxed.



Good song.

 

[heatmiser]

I could easily listen to a tune a day from you, so get to work! Lovely song, I really like your voice on this one. I always think your stuff sounds perfect, it's really chilled but far from predictable. Lyrics are great too.

Thank you. That is really nice of you to say. Lyrics + vocals = weak link for me, but maybe I'm getting better a it? I'm usually only good for one per month, but if I could I would crank 'em out daily .

I HATE that snare, it's really annoying and boxed.



Good song.

I can see how you'd feel that way. It's really mushy to begin with and I processed it in a way that made it even mushier. I like it, but I don't love it, so maybe there will be some tweaking when I revisit this...thanks.

 

[Manslick]

Hey heat, nice tune. The thing that I noticed is the chorus like effect on the guitar or maybe the whole track. It like it's shited up a bit above D natural. I also thought at this length it needed something more musical as a side dish, like a real bridge or middle 8. The screechy jet or string scratch just didn't do it for me. I thought the bass sound is real nice and i liked the drumming to. Plus the laid back vocals but as said just a bit into the rut there as to the length.

 

[heatmiser]

Hey heat, nice tune. The thing that I noticed is the chorus like effect on the guitar or maybe the whole track. It like it's shited up a bit above D natural. I also thought at this length it needed something more musical as a side dish, like a real bridge or middle 8. The screechy jet or string scratch just didn't do it for me. I thought the bass sound is real nice and i liked the drumming to. Plus the laid back vocals but as said just a bit into the rut there as to the length.

Hey Manslick - thanks for this.

I don't get the chorus/D natural thing...could you elaborate? I don't have any modulation effects on the guitars, but maybe there's just too many layers with suspect intonation? I do hear one section where it almost sounds like someone put their finger on a tape spool and slowed it down for a second which is strange.

You're probably right about the length. The noise section stays (I like it!), but maybe I just end this thing right at the end of the 3rd chorus, or maybe at the end of the 2nd noise section? It'd still be over 4 mins. though.

I often create tracks with only a couple of chords let alone multiple musical sections, and am not skilled at traditional songwriting. This one probably has about as much variety as I can muster, but I think shortening it ay be a good idea. Hmmm. Lots of ideas on this one so far - cool!