A CaPelt Ya'

[chrisharris]

Okay, I've seen some posts regarding a capella recordings, and I'm sure there are rules that we probably violated, but my daughter and I did one...

I just had Jaimee sing the lead vocal twice and I added some vocals to that.

A Capella Mixes
I did 2 vocal mixes - One has some reverb and a single lead vocal, and the other is totally dry with both of her lead vocal tracks hard panned.

"Be Careful (Acapella Mixes) 1 & 2
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1698&alid=601

Music Mixes
The music mixes sound like all my other crap, so don't feel obligated, but if you do listen, lemme' know which full mix you like better. Main difference is the treatment of Jaimee's vocal. Basically, one mix is normal, and the other uses both of the lead vocal tracks, panned...

"Be Careful (Full Mixes)"
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1698&alid=601
























Of course, by "Full Mix," I mean, there's a guitar or 2 in there, lmao. I didn't plan on recording a full tune, but after listening to Jaimee's vocal tracks with the scratch guitar track, I decided I liked it...and I haven't done much recording lately, soooo.... end of apology for posting.

NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD LISTEN TO ALL 4 OF THE MP3's, AND I'M NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO DO THAT ... just, if you ACCIDENTALLY listen to a couple, lemme' know any preferences that pop up.

 

[MC Gitarz]

BEAUTIFUL!
That's cheatin', man - you brought in a 'ringer singer'! And I'm glad you did!! It's wonderful. Her pitch is awesome - her voice is killer - you did pretty good, too. The harmonies starting at :39 are straight from the angels.

I'm on the sixth run-through - can't get enough of those harmonies.

Fav mix is the wet, centered lead - just enough reverb - maybe your bass line could come closer to the center. Jaimee's harmony can come up (just) a tad to compliment your male voice.

But the full arrangement with guitars works with wide voicing except for the lead - I want her voice right smack-dab in the middle o' my face.

Absolutely beautiful music.
What a way to start my day!! (y'all are just going to bed on your side of the pond - we're starting a new day already)

Milan

 

[twist]

Very creative vocal arrangements there Chris, I enjoyed this a lot. Who is the author? I loved the lyrics.
Hey I couldn't even hear the autotune!

A capella I liked the single lead vocal better. It seemed more intimate to me.

Great guitar sound on the full mix. Of these I liked the second one better. Don't know why, I just did.

My only nit pik:On Jaimees's vocal, the phrases ended too abruptly for the a capella version. It made it sound like a full mix that had the instruments removed! LOL! It's not an issue in the full mix version though. Anyway, 2 thumbs up on a very beautiful song. Jaimee sounds better than ever.


Twist

 

[Lt. Bob]

Well I'm gonna go the Jimi Hendrix tie-dyed route and declare that I prefer the one with the panned vox. I like panning and don't necessarily feel that the vox has to be centered. I like the fullness of the panned vocals both on the acappella and full mixes.

This is a great song ya'll....is it yours? An excellent piece of work whoever's it is.

Chris....is your e-mail the same? If so....I need to get with you about something.

Great song man......her voice is really coming along. Why don't you just e-mail me that track and I'll have my daughter listening to it. I think the daughter collab will be awesome!

 

[Kramer]

I went straight for the "full mix" of course.LOL.Man I LOVE this!The doubled vox on Jaimee sounds excellent.I know you get chill bumps when you first play this stuff back.I cant convey how much I love this.

Is this an original or a cover?I cant recall ever hearing before.The harmonies are out of the ballpark man.They are GREAT.

I'll download now.

5 *****

[edit to add]I listened to Full Mix "2" so I dont guess I heard any doubling on the lead vocal.LOL.Sounds killer.

 

[bdbdbuck]

OUTSTANDING!

All 4 cuts are very well done. A capella w/ panned lead seems a bit fuller to me. Full mix w/ fx was killer! Damn, what a voice!

Glad to see you posting again Chris!


bd

 

[chrisharris]

Jaimee's harmony can come up (just) a tad to compliment your male voice.

...actually, hehehe...those harmonies that sound like they were sung by the 13 year old girl are all me, but I read ya'. I kinda' wondered the same thing about the baritone part...I mean, a bass guitar is dead center, so maybe the bass vocal should be too, right? Then the phone rang or a kid broke a window or something and I forgot that I thought about re-panning at all, lol. Jaimee's at that age where I have to catch her in the right mood, when the mall's closed, and there's nothing on TV, and all of her friends are out of pocket, and she's owed some allowance money - THEN AND ONLY THEN can I get her to sing, lol...so all I got out of her for this one was the lead vocal, which she graciously sang twice. - Hey man, thanks for checking it out; you've got email.

Hey I couldn't even hear the autotune!

Listen closer, lmao.

I didn't use a drop on the daughter, but have you ever tried to record really quiet vocals in a house with 2 boys under the age of 6? They just HAVE to open the door to see what you're doing about every minute and a half. Everytime I got a decent take, I'd play it back and hear a door slam or a child screaming or crying or just plain talking into the microphone, lol. So today, a "good" take was one that didn't make me jump out of my seat on playback. If it was a little on the sharp side, welllllll.... sue me.

I'm not sure who the writer is, btw - I'll ask J when she gets up - I've heard her sing parts of this around the house for a long time, so it's a safe bet that it's either Emmy Lou Harris, Patty Griffin, Nancy Griffith, or Stevie Nicks. All those chick singers are the same anyway, lol. But seriously, I like the lyrics too;

HEY, THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE STRINGS...first tune I've recorded with a guitar pick since I damn near cut my finger off a few months ago.

This is a great song ya'll....is it yours? An excellent piece of work whoever's it is.

Please see response to Mr. Twist, lol. First person to answer this question gets to send me an mp3 of the song for comparison.

...is your e-mail the same? If so....I need to get with you about something.

yuppers... sure is. Also, I'll send you 2 versions of the "Daughter" collab just as soon as I can; promise. Thanks, Steve.

I know you get chill bumps when you first play this stuff back.

I actually did on this one, and I don't mind saying it, lol. Quick story - I heard her singing it in the kitchen yesterday, you know...with that big ole kitchen reverb, lol...so I asked her if she'd track it for an a capella thing. I recorded that rhythm guitar track to a metronome b/c she has trouble singing with a click - I've never heard the "real" version of this tune, and the guitar wasn't going to matter anyway ("a capella", lol) so I just did a sloppy one off track - So I give her headphones and leave to take the trash out. I come back, and she's gone, but she left these 2 vocal tracks that I could comp together. I panned one hard right and one hard left b/c it's easier to pick which is which, right? I hit play on all three tracks, and yeah...I did get a new pimple or 2, lol. Thanks for the encouragement by the way, Kramer.

A capella w/ panned lead seems a bit fuller to me.

Cool...looks like kind of a split vote so far on the panning issue, (incidental pun there) which is kinda' EXACTLY what I hoped. Thanks for the niceness, btw. I post whenever I can, but it's been a lot less than I'd like lately. Long weekends rule.




yeah, this was a really long post; it's a Dad thing, I think. Of course, I never was very verbally brief...

 

[joro]

I like the last one on the page man....
needs bass though

Joe

 

[Doug H]

I listened to the mix with the twin lead vocals.

I always enjoy listening to the stuff you guys do together.
I think this is my favourite Chris & Jaimee song.

Excellent performnce from Jaimee, precise and heartfelt. Good job too Chris, solid harmonies, nice barber shop tone.

 

[Doug H]

"...so all I got out of her for this one was the lead vocal, which she graciously sang twice."

You're telling me that you used both of the only two takes she did? :0.

 

[chrisharris]

You're telling me that you used both of the only two takes she did? :0.

On the one you listened to, that's true. Her first take is on the right, and second is on the left. There are a few sync issues, but she's sung this so much, the two tracks are actually pretty close.

On the mix with her vocal centered, I comped the lead vocal track from the 2 takes, and whenever I doubled it, I just used the "other" track as the doubler and dropped it about -10db below the main one. Oh, and thanks man...this is my favorite so far, I think. She heard it this morning and wants to do a viola track for the intro and the break in the middle. YESSSSSSS!!

joro - thanks for your help. Are you serious about the bass? The reason I ask is b/c in addition to turning it down per your suggestion, I also rolled off all the lows in the whole mix below about 45Hz - there was apparantly a ton of energy down there on the version that you heard, b/c the wave got about twice as small when I did that, lol. Maybe overdid it?

[EDIT] - The tune was penned by Patty, btw. I just heard the original, lol...man, I hillbillied the crap out of it. Our version is practically BLUEGRASS compared to the original...and we left out a whole verse...and did other stuff that I guess we just won't tell Patty about, lmao.

 

[joro]

joro - thanks for your help. Are you serious about the bass?

Maybe overdid it?

Yeah man....now it's hard to hear on my monitors...
just a little louder...the EQ seems fine...

Joe

P.S.
Patty who?

 

[joro]

BTW..............



what tuning is the guit in?
D?....or G?
It's not standard...is it?
























(just padding my post count here....lol! )

 

[Pedullist]

Where are the instruments? This is just vocals!


Boring!








Again, impressive singing. I like the song too. I've listened to all four.

Although the a capella version is interesting (to hear the harmonies I mean), I like the versions with instruments on it best.

I don't have a favorite. Sorry, can't help.

Who does that annoying male vocal in the background? LOL

 

[powderfinger]

listened to the 2 lead vocals panned......sounds cool man.......so do you have to force jaimee into this stuff, or is she getting into it? she seems to be getting the hang of it well.........



i also listened to the instrument mix..........i have to say i like this one more.......how did you mix the acoustic? it sounds great.......what verb? and compression?

 

[studioviols]

Texas teen Americana Idol ... just imagine your daughter on TV in front of tens of millions of adoring fans.

I'm serious, American Teen Idol has not had an Americana Folk type winner and I seriously think she could do very well in the competition.

 

[Joe Recorder]

Chris, all are very nice. But, I definitely prefer the single lead version's and I did listen to all four track's BTW. Jaimee's got an excellent voice. Also you got the best acoustic sound. I wish I could sound like that someday.
Joe

 

[B.SABBATH]

listened to both instrument mixes and without a doubt I liked the single better.. she is great..

the acoustic sound is not the best I've heard.. woofy or something.. have you ever tried going direct?

 

[Kelly5150]

I listened to all 4 versions with and without phones and come to the conclusion that I like em all...

Ok, If I had to pick one I suppose it would be the 4th one, the single lead with guitar, but then again I liked the double lead, and the first two without guitar...hmmmm...

Thats a pretty tasty apple, but then again that orange was very good too...

I know that this is definitely the best I've heard from her, very very nice job....
So much talent at such a young age, and will only get better...

You should be very proud, which I know you are....

Excellent!!...

 

[songbird]

wow

I listening to the first and the fourth. The 4th does it for me! sounds great. Cool