Hi... folks, sorry it took so long to get back and reply... unfortunately, I have a demanding job and busy family that keeps me overly consumed at times. But thats life, and might make a good song now that I think about it.
Thanks for all of your critique, support and thoughtful comments.
I'll start at the top:
TripleM - I can't tell you how much I try to get a decent vocal, but I'm resigned to the fact that its not in my cards. I should just give up trying to color it and let it go dry, but, its even worse!! I will go back, however, and cut the effect down considerably since it seems ot be a recurring theme.
ChristopherM - aluminum tube on my head?? Excellent!! I wondering how to best describe it!! believe it or not, part of that sound is my natural voice... but after taking a closer listen based on your comments I will go back and re-mix... what I really need is a REAL vocalist collaborator!!
DustyJack - I appritiate that you noticed the "genre" thing, because I put a LOT of concious effort into that. In fact, whole album (12 songs/10 recorded so far) relates via both the genre and the message. I first defined what I wanted the album to be and took off from there. I also set a few rules to help me achieve it. 1. No love songs. 2. All in the first person (deeper into the album I assume the voice of various protaganists) 3. All had to reinforce the Americana genre, and how it relates to the new, modern world post 9/11 (thats the concept) 4. Only new songs, and, finally 5. I would write it ALL first and then record it all at once. This is the first time I've take the time to be this disciplined, but I think its working out very well. I will load up other songs in the next few weeks and see what people think.
For me, the thrill is in the song and album creation: i.e. conception, writing, composing, arranging and recording. What I need though is a great vocalist!! A few years back I recorded a song with a fellow HomeRECer named Teddie Tapawan. The result was GREAT!! And I might be up for that process again, but would really like a local person to collaborate with too. The internet is great, but not much on the way of creative spontinaity.
As for as the VS880EX goes, I like it and like the Roland process but have been fanticizing lately about making a jump up to the 1824 for the next CD. For these songs, I sequenced all the drums, keys and strings, etc. on Cakewalk and synced it to my VS, ran them through a Roland JV-1010 synth and recorded them, in sterio, on the VS. Then I overlayed acoustic and electric guitars and vocals, etc., hope to mask the midi keys. All was recorded in sterio and there lies the problem with the 880 - way too much bouncing!!! It is too hard and time intensive to mix that way... a lot of trial and error. But other than that, the VS technology it great in my opinion.
I see you are a Texan. I grew up in Houston and Texas is where I aquired my songwriting instincts. They don't look at you funny when you say you're a songwriter down there!!
Thanks, again, for everyones responses and I will be posting some more songs soon.
Ben
www.mp3.com/benwalter
