Choose Your Weapons - been a while... :)

[Armistice]

(MIX UPDATED - Wed 6.00 AM Sydney)


So this started its life a few years back as an instrumental when I was trying to work out how Reaper worked and how VSTIs & MIDI functioned - those who've been here a while might recognise it. Tinkered with some of the instrumentation, added a few more guitars, but it's pretty much the same.

I have, however, turned it into a proper song, with words and singing and stuff - Choose Your Weapons 256k MP3. (I don't "soundcloud" things much because of what it does to the top end)

It's long. I know. Sorry 'bout that.

Don't hold back. I can take it! It is, without a doubt, the best song containing the word "equilibrium" that you'll hear today!






DA WOIDS:


CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS

And we throw another log on this smouldering thing
It's a high price to pay for a small gold ring
And I know I'm in trouble when the drums stop beating
When the silence is long but the stillness is fleeting
When all the signs indicate that the only way is down
Would you let a man live? Would you let a man drown?
Choose your weapons


When a feeling in the air suggests I can't be intervening
And when it's all said and done not all that's said has meaning
A piece of my soul just drifts away slowly
Did it make you feel special? Does it make you feel holy?
You'll have to admit that it's probably true
You're an old snake charmer with a trick or two
Choose your weapons

I never was much for reminiscing
But lately I wonder if there's something I've been missing
Was there ever a time when it wasn't this way?
My equilibrium is shattered by the very next thing you say

INTERLUDE

What'll it be tonight? Whisky? Morphine?
One makes you angry one makes you mean
And what'll I find when you slip from its clutch?
Just a little too little and a little too much
Between a regrettable past and a waning future
You could step it down a notch but I know that doesn't suit you
Choose your weapons
Choose your weapons.

 

[Chili]

I'm at the point where the vocals start and I'm thinking the snare is not working at all. Same for crash cymbals. I do like the kick, though. To me it feels the drums are not the same kit.

Lyrics have a Sting influence. I like that.

Lots of good keyboard parts and guitars parts. Love the variety thrown to the listener. Good use of the stereo field with the synths.

Listening a 2nd time. You always have great tones for your guitars. Very unique and has your signature.

 

[Robus]

Sounds really great Armistice.

Your mix has mood and space. The keyboards and guitars sounded great. Good patches and playing. Well composed.

Your levels are causing trouble. I like to listen pretty loud. If some part makes me reach for the volume knob to turn down, then I estimate the level too high. The kick drum that comes in during the intro made me turn down. The lead vocal did too when it first came in did too. I got the impression the volume increases over the course of the track.

I didn't think your bridge/interlude added to the song. A tight chorus would do better.

I love the lyrics. I'd be proud to have written this:

When all the signs indicate that the only way is down
Would you let a man live? Would you let a man drown?

I'll give it another listen later.

 

[gecko zzed]

Full marks for originality.

Full marks for creativity.

Full marks for the arrangement.

Full marks for vocal delivery.

 

[fat_fleet]

Ok, I checked it out. Good songwriting, excellent performances. I really like the breakdown and rebuild that happens after the 3 minute mark. Very nice arrangement there. Not sure I recall hearing stuff that complex (yet understated) from you before.

The mix is a little boomy to me and I think that dropping the bass a hair, some low cuts on the kick or maybe a 2k-3k boost on same would go a long way toward clearing that area up. Nice to hear something of yours again.

 

[DM60]

The song has that album epic sound to it. While it may be lg in duration, it has different sections that keep it from being a long song. Probably doesn't make sense, but it is not a long jam song.

Around 2:33 the guitar steps on the vocal just slightly. Kick does sound different from the rest of the kit, but it sounds intentional. Snare could come up a hair overall to help the intensity/drive. \

Other than that, everything seemed mixed well, good song transitions, good overall performance. Nice.

 

[Armistice]

I'm at the point where the vocals start and I'm thinking the snare is not working at all. Same for crash cymbals. I do like the kick, though. To me it feels the drums are not the same kit.

Lyrics have a Sting influence. I like that.

Lots of good keyboard parts and guitars parts. Love the variety thrown to the listener. Good use of the stereo field with the synths.

Listening a 2nd time. You always have great tones for your guitars. Very unique and has your signature.

Thanks Chili - snare drums are the bane of my existence - it was around about here (originally) that I gave up on Addictive and moved to Slate - but this is all Addictive - the thought of having to remap files is more than a koala can bear. I'll continue to tinker.

Sounds really great Armistice.

Your mix has mood and space. The keyboards and guitars sounded great. Good patches and playing. Well composed.

Your levels are causing trouble. I like to listen pretty loud. If some part makes me reach for the volume knob to turn down, then I estimate the level too high. The kick drum that comes in during the intro made me turn down. The lead vocal did too when it first came in did too. I got the impression the volume increases over the course of the track.

I didn't think your bridge/interlude added to the song. A tight chorus would do better.

I love the lyrics. I'd be proud to have written this:

When all the signs indicate that the only way is down
Would you let a man live? Would you let a man drown?

I'll give it another listen later.

Thanks Robus - I must admit, I did the same thing myself. I'll see if I can find a smoother way in, so to speak - it's not clear what the eventual final level will be from the outset and so when that first kick comes in it can take your head off.. The music is what the music is - this was all about finding some vocal arrangement that fit I played around with a few ideas, and this is where it seemed to want to go - as a piece of music it's actually pretty simple- not surprising given its origins, but I like the piano / middle section.

Full marks for originality.

Full marks for creativity.

Full marks for the arrangement.

Full marks for vocal delivery.

Thanks geck - I had to find my inner mongrel to sing this. God knows what the neighbours were thinking... Just have to convince girlfriend it's not about her now....

 

[Armistice]

Ok, I checked it out. Good songwriting, excellent performances. I really like the breakdown and rebuild that happens after the 3 minute mark. Very nice arrangement there. Not sure I recall hearing stuff that complex (yet understated) from you before.

The mix is a little boomy to me and I think that dropping the bass a hair, some low cuts on the kick or maybe a 2k-3k boost on same would go a long way toward clearing that area up. Nice to hear something of yours again.

Thanks for the listen. I think I know exactly what I did to make a touch boomy - this is the sort of thing I have trouble telling with my recording desk in tracking position. I did decide at the last minute that it was a touch dark, so I went and lightened up the guitars and a few other bits individually, but I also think I may have introduced the boom via the mastering EQ on the stereo buss. Easy fix - thanks for the feedback.

I actually used the middle section, on its own, in a short film a while back... I really like it too, especially the bells, the bells...

The song has that album epic sound to it. While it may be lg in duration, it has different sections that keep it from being a long song. Probably doesn't make sense, but it is not a long jam song.

Around 2:33 the guitar steps on the vocal just slightly. Kick does sound different from the rest of the kit, but it sounds intentional. Snare could come up a hair overall to help the intensity/drive. \

Other than that, everything seemed mixed well, good song transitions, good overall performance. Nice.

Thanks DM - as I mentioned above, I'm still undecided myself on that snare - I'll have a further play around.


______________________


Thanks for the feedback, all. It all does help - I don't think I have the greatest ears for the fine details.

Nowhere near the mixing desk/mouse for most of the day (it's Sunday morning here, tea and hot cross buns as I type) but I'll do some tweaking this afternoon if I can and get a new mix up early evening if anyone is up for a re-listen... I'll note it in the original post. Cheers!

 

[minerman]

Hey dude,
The only nit I have is the drums overall levels are a little low IMO. I'll download this & run it through my monitors loud tomorrow & report back, but again, the only thing I hear that needs to be addressed is the drums overall level, the whole kit...

Nice guitar tones, nice vocals, all recorded & mixed really well dude....You need to keep dropping by the tone thread & hang with us dude, these guitar sounds in this are pretty damn good IMO....

 

[rayc]

Choose Your Weapon...
Mr Smith - crazily good.
In the 1st section the answering guitar was a little louder than the 1st.
Your inner mongrel obviously wanted a bone because he was gnashing nastily - loved it.
The snare is an oddity.
The boom wasn't evident in my headphones.
I did think of the guitarist on Sounds Of Then - the blokes who did the shimmering delayed stuff all over it. Don't know why though.
Tres Bonn my son.

 

[Armistice]

Hey dude,
The only nit I have is the drums overall levels are a little low IMO. I'll download this & run it through my monitors loud tomorrow & report back, but again, the only thing I hear that needs to be addressed is the drums overall level, the whole kit...

Nice guitar tones, nice vocals, all recorded & mixed really well dude....You need to keep dropping by the tone thread & hang with us dude, these guitar sounds in this are pretty damn good IMO....

Thanks minerdude - I've been reading that thread for ages, just don't post that much!

Choose Your Weapon...
Mr Smith - crazily good.
In the 1st section the answering guitar was a little louder than the 1st.
Your inner mongrel obviously wanted a bone because he was gnashing nastily - loved it.
The snare is an oddity.
the boom wasn't evident in my headphones.
I did thing of the guitarist on Sounds Of The - the blokes who did the shimmering delayed stuff all over it. Don't know why though.
Tres Bonn my son.

I'm crazy like a fox, ray. Thanks for the kind words. Egad, you're correct about the answering guitar. I've have poked the bastard back in a little. Still working on the snare, have softened/deepened (I hope!) it a little.

Hope you're happy with the enunciation, I was thinking about you when I was singing it - I thought "Ray will get cranky if I say 'gunna' and 'wanna' and, in particular, end with 'suit ya'...

Weird - when I was tracking it - I did four run throughs of the middle section, then auditioned them to see which I preferred. First one - for some strange reason I'd pronounced "equilibrium" as "equi-alibrium" and not noticed at the time. "No sweat" thought I, "the next take will be OK!" Nope. Nor the next one, nor the next one. I sang it incorrectly 4 times in a row and never noticed when I was doing it. Had to unpack the mic and redo it, properly!

 

[rayc]

Mr Smith,
My profession is rather obvious isn't it? I'm amazed at the language/vernacular/lingo change when people sing, but we grew up listening to mainly American television so are deeply indoctrinated that we have to fight it - or not.
Mind you, ever Oz polly says THE and A rather than the and a because they are struggling to sound emphatic.
Your lyrics and the pronunciation of them, are a credit to you.
All the above is of minor significance with such a good song but, for me, pronunciation does elevate it ever so slightly.

 

[Robus]

Nothing making me want to turn it down now. The first line or two are hard to understand, could stand to automate. Otherwise pretty finished. I'm impressed.

 

[Bubba po]

Hi, Armistice - Like the intro very much. The kick drum is about right in level but the hi-hats/overheads are much too low in the mix. Likewise I feel the vocal could come up a little. You have a nice sense of space with the reverb - I like my reverb, I don't like dry recordings as you've probably noticed. You're quite the piano player, too! The guitars sound great but I do feel they're dominating a little too much. The left hand guitar with the slow phase effect adds a nice sense of movement.

In summary: drums up a bit, especially overheads; guitars down a little; vocals up a smidge.

It's a good song with nice development throughout and well recorded.

I was pleased to note that your vocal didn't have the sibilance at around 5-7k that the voiceover you did for me had. That must have been a glitch. It didn't spoil the recording obviously because it notched out really easily.


I've just noticed that you've updated the mix from your first posting. The balance issues with the drums are stil there, IMO.

 

[Jessica_X]

Wow, this is great, and different. I agree it sounds epic.
I think the lyrics are very good and the vocal delivery is fantastic.
I don't think that not having a chorus is a drawback (not sure if you were suggesting that), I think it works very well with the one line refrain.
Listening on headphones, when the guitars came in at 1:40 they drowned out the vocal.

 

[ido1957]

Great tune - I always like songs like this that have lots of different sections that keep it interesting and changing.
Mix is good and the recording of the parts is nice and clear (but not brittle)- assuming link in OP is the one to listen to. No problems there - I just sat back and thoroughly enjoyed the song. And it did not feel long - again due to the variety of the different sections.

 

[Armistice]

Hi, Armistice - Like the intro very much. The kick drum is about right in level but the hi-hats/overheads are much too low in the mix. Likewise I feel the vocal could come up a little. You have a nice sense of space with the reverb - I like my reverb, I don't like dry recordings as you've probably noticed. You're quite the piano player, too! The guitars sound great but I do feel they're dominating a little too much. The left hand guitar with the slow phase effect adds a nice sense of movement.

In summary: drums up a bit, especially overheads; guitars down a little; vocals up a smidge.

It's a good song with nice development throughout and well recorded.

I was pleased to note that your vocal didn't have the sibilance at around 5-7k that the voiceover you did for me had. That must have been a glitch. It didn't spoil the recording obviously because it notched out really easily.


I've just noticed that you've updated the mix from your first posting. The balance issues with the drums are stil there, IMO.

Thanks bubba - still tinkering - will look in to the hats/OHs/guitars/vocals. I know what you're talking about with the 5-7K - don't have it in front of me but I know I put a pretty big notch somewhere up there myself. Yet to work it out - think I may have the mic a little low and I'm singing down, getting more nasally tones... see how I go next song with a different position.

Wow, this is great, and different. I agree it sounds epic.
I think the lyrics are very good and the vocal delivery is fantastic.
I don't think that not having a chorus is a drawback (not sure if you were suggesting that), I think it works very well with the one line refrain.
Listening on headphones, when the guitars came in at 1:40 they drowned out the vocal.

Thanks for the listen Jessica - I think I was just answering Robus' observation on the chorus... I'll check out what you're hearing at 1:40 and see what's to be done.

Great tune - I always like songs like this that have lots of different sections that keep it interesting and changing.
Mix is good and the recording of the parts is nice and clear (but not brittle)- assuming link in OP is the one to listen to. No problems there - I just sat back and thoroughly enjoyed the song. And it did not feel long - again due to the variety of the different sections.

Thanks for the listen ido - yeah, it doesn't feel "long" to me for that very reason - I have things that are way shorter that feel longer though...

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I don't really have time for a deep listen and critique right now, but this is a good one.

I'm kind of getting a Astronautalis vibe from parts of it, actually.

 

[Tadpui]

Listening to the 3/21 mix...

I like the ambient intro...I was prepared for a steam engine and the intro to Station to Station there for a few seconds. Good pad and arpeggio synth sounds. Actually, high quality sounds all around. Love the snare...and the rest of the drums. I don't think that I could suggest anything to improve upon this, it's higher fidelity than anything I've ever churned out. Sounds amazing on Yamaha HS80Ms with a HS8S sub (I've got it up a little too loud). It's really a fine, high-gloss pro-sounding mix. I say print it as-is and consider it done, man.

 

[Armistice]

I don't really have time for a deep listen and critique right now, but this is a good one.

I'm kind of getting a Astronautalis vibe from parts of it, actually.

Thanks VHS - been sitting on the music for ages and only just realised a week or so what to do with it.

Listening to the 3/21 mix...

I like the ambient intro...I was prepared for a steam engine and the intro to Station to Station there for a few seconds. Good pad and arpeggio synth sounds. Actually, high quality sounds all around. Love the snare...and the rest of the drums. I don't think that I could suggest anything to improve upon this, it's higher fidelity than anything I've ever churned out. Sounds amazing on Yamaha HS80Ms with a HS8S sub (I've got it up a little too loud). It's really a fine, high-gloss pro-sounding mix. I say print it as-is and consider it done, man.

Thanks Tadpui - you're too kind. I've done just a touch more tweaking, but haven't put a new mix up yet - a few syllables were still a bit sibillant, but I'm really down to nudging things around by 0.2db and stuff like that, which usually says "you're done, stop fucking with it!"