Ashes and Trees - new original

[Robus]

I like the tune overall. There are two things I would suggest. First, the playing could be tighter. I noticed on the acoustic guitar that the changes were coming just ahead or behind the beat. Might be other instruments as well. If you want, I can point out specific places. It could be the result of the drums being buried as Bubba Po pointed out. Might not be giving you a strong enough beat to play against.

Second--I'm just going to be honest here--the guitar solo was not up to the quality of the song overall. It seemed to consist mostly of runs up and down the pentatonic. A melodic solo would kick the song up a notch--just my opinion.

 

[mjbphotos]

I like the tune overall. There are two things I would suggest. First, the playing could be tighter. I noticed on the acoustic guitar that the changes were coming just ahead or behind the beat. Might be other instruments as well. If you want, I can point out specific places. It could be the result of the drums being buried as Bubba Po pointed out. Might not be giving you a strong enough beat to play against.

Second--I'm just going to be honest here--the guitar solo was not up to the quality of the song overall. It seemed to consist mostly of runs up and down the pentatonic. A melodic solo would kick the song up a notch--just my opinion.

Thanks - I should probably retrack all the guitars, the acoustic was done to a simple loop and was the first take.

^^^Just want to make sure you saw my edit there^^^^.

It's "Scar Tissue", not "Californation". Doesn't matter if you listen to it or not. I just was afraid you might have seen my post, played "Californication", heard no slide, and thought I was off my rocker.

Yeah, I listened to Scar to see where you were coming from. Haven't played slide in years - I have an old Epi LPJunior with really high action that works well for slide, might give it a try.

Just to be clear about my thoughts on the drums. It's not so much the volume. Well, it is the volume, too. But to me it's just more a general need to give the drums a more attention and make them more "part of the song", as opposed to a placeholder.

If only I was a drummer ....

I like this tune man. It's kinda outside the box. For some reason I really like it when you say ashes and trees. Puts a smile on the face. I also like the general strut that it has for the chorus. It's got personality.

The drum balance - you maybe could turn them up, but you could almost definitely turn down the rhythm acoustic guitar or cello and they would still be heard.

The vocals the are doubled in falsetto don't get decently in tune with each other until the end of the second line (of 4). It's like you took a bit to sync with each other and then once you did it was fine. The second time around you sync up a little quicker but the first line still seems off intonation-wise. After the solo the falsetto double again doesn't sync up rhythmically until the third line or intonation-wise until the last line.

Hope this helps!

Although some comments have indicated the vocals were ok, they were rushed (this song came after tracking another one on the same day) and I only did 2 takes of the main vocal, and one of the low part of the bridge section - the high part was done first.

Thanks for all the listens/comments. I think I know which way to go with this, now to find the time.

 

[Nola]

I'd lower the guitar a few db and raise the drum a few db. The vocal is okay and the only part that bugged me was more stylistically when you whisper the "ashes/trees" line. The cello sounds fake, but that doesn't bother me. I'd lower it a hair, though. The cello also sounds thicker than the other instruments playing at that time, and that's probably making it seem upfront, too. I'd EQ some of that out.

 

[mjbphotos]

New cello - used the VST that Bubba recommended (it's all his fault! )

Played with a bunch of levels, specially the drums. Moved a few vocal BG pieces a smidge to line them up a bit better (didn't' do all). Didn't retrack anything yet.

 

[andrushkiwt]

New cello - used the VST that Bubba recommended (it's all his fault! )

Played with a bunch of levels, specially the drums. Moved a few vocal BG pieces a smidge to line them up a bit better (didn't' do all). Didn't retrack anything yet.

soooo...this new cello is...smoother..? i think. i can hear the vibrato in the notes more clearly and it's softer as well. Maybe that's what makes a real cello? Either way, I preferred the new cello over the old.

 

[Nola]

soooo...this new cello is...smoother..? i think. i can hear the vibrato in the notes more clearly and it's softer as well. Maybe that's what makes a real cello? Either way, I preferred the new cello over the old.

The new one does sound better, but it's too upfront

 

[Robus]

This mix sounds clearer and better. I'm not hearing the tangle of guitars, background vocals and whatnot that were cluttering the first mix. Your acoustic guitars benefit from having more air around them. One thing I notice that I couldn't hear on the first mix is some boomy notes where you are getting a lot of the body of the guitar. Sounds like you were hitting those low strings hard, or even hitting the soundboard. The lead vocal is enjoying the extra space too.

Drums are coming through better. The cello patch sounds better. Good work.

 

[Crazy Luke]

Real nice "70's" vibe with this song. I would like to hear a bit of thickening to the lead vocals. Maybe try doubling the lead vox or use a plug-in for that purpose. Also, all the vocals could use a 5k or higher shelf boost to get them to ride atop the mix.

 

[rayc]

New VST cello version is an improvement. I don't slide a lot between notes when playing 'cello but the vibrato is the key to make poor playing, like mine, sound better. It's usually a vibrato that slows down a little as the note fades (so it won't kill off the note) that gets lost in Midi & VSTs.

 

[mjbphotos]

Thanks for the listens.

The new one does sound better, but it's too upfront

Probably just in intro where there is only the acoustic guitar and bass happening, I'll be tweaking things like that.

This mix sounds clearer and better. I'm not hearing the tangle of guitars, background vocals and whatnot that were cluttering the first mix. Your acoustic guitars benefit from having more air around them. One thing I notice that I couldn't hear on the first mix is some boomy notes where you are getting a lot of the body of the guitar. Sounds like you were hitting those low strings hard, or even hitting the soundboard. The lead vocal is enjoying the extra space too.

Drums are coming through better. The cello patch sounds better. Good work.

There's only one acoustic guitar in the mix, I tracked two more - one just hitting those low notes, and another one not hitting them at all, but muted both. It's just the bass hitting the lowest note. Just lowering the level a little probably cleared that up.

Real nice "70's" vibe with this song. I would like to hear a bit of thickening to the lead vocals. Maybe try doubling the lead vox or use a plug-in for that purpose. Also, all the vocals could use a 5k or higher shelf boost to get them to ride atop the mix.

For sure I will be retracking the vocal, and maybe use a doubling (I prefer doing it for real, not using a plug-in).

New VST cello version is an improvement. I don't slide a lot between notes when playing 'cello but the vibrato is the key to make poor playing, like mine, sound better. It's usually a vibrato that slows down a little as the note fades (so it won't kill off the note) that gets lost in Midi & VSTs.

You play real cello? Nice! I have a fear of any non-fretted string instruments! The VSTi from Bubba has attack release and 'slide' controls. I found too much slide with too much decay made the note dip terribly when released, so it was a subtle balance. There's no vibrato control I could use the controller mod wheel for.

 

[RFR]

It's much better in the scond version.

 

[fat_fleet]

First off, I really like the song. Might be my favorite of yours so far.

From the comments I was expecting the cello to sound much worse. It doesn't sound overtly fake to me, but the volume fluctuates quite a bit.. I can hear you reigning it in around the vocals, but the difference seems a bit much in places. The whole shebang has a *slight* lack of sparkle to my ears. Acoustic gits can be a good place to find that.

There are some places where I agree with RAMI that it would really benefit from a more synergistic drum part.

 

[RAMI]

There are some places where I agree with RAMI that it would really benefit from a more synergistic drum part.

I've never used the word "synergistic" in my life.

 

[fat_fleet]

Just to be clear about my thoughts on the drums. It's not so much the volume. Well, it is the volume, too. But to me it's just more a general need to give the drums a more attention and make them more "part of the song", as opposed to a placeholder.

^That's what I meant, I just couldn't think of a better word and didn't want to type it all out.

 

[RAMI]

Sigh.....I knew what you meant. Humor, people, humor.

I've been bombing everywhere lately. I need new writers. Yesterday with RFR and Johnny Winter shrinking...

....today I got kicked off a FB group just for saying "I think the government should house deaf people near the airport".

I'm tellin' ya. I get no repec'.

 

[mjbphotos]

Retracked the lead vocals yesterday.
Tweaked lots of stuff. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

 

[RFR]

Sigh.....I knew what you meant. Humor, people, humor.

I've been bombing everywhere lately. I need new writers. Yesterday with RFR and Johnny Winter shrinking...

....today I got kicked off a FB group just for saying "I think the government should house deaf people near the airport".

I'm tellin' ya. I get no repec'.

Maybe you have been bombing. But major comedic points were earned for your recent one word classic. "Corpse". That was priceless!


Ok, back to your regular scheduled thread.

Vocals on the new version sound much better. And for some reason the fake cello sounds more 'natural'.

 

[mjbphotos]

Vocals on the new version sound much better. And for some reason the fake cello sounds more 'natural'.

thanks for the listen. I rendered the cello part to audio, then automated volume on it, reducing it a bit everywhere and more when it needed it, I think that helped it blend in and seem less fake - it's the VSTi that Bubba linked, not the Casio original. My wife liked the cello, but she doesn't like the vocals. Go figure - my hardest critic.